And I love these "take chunks out of a new rider and urinate over any enthusiasm that they may have for cycling or CC" posts.
Shame on you, Ian Turner, that was a dreadful response, IMO.
New to the road, how to get fit?
- Thread starter BigChick
- Start date
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Shame on you, Ian Turner, that was a dreadful response, IMO.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
There are plenty of folk that just turn up and ride the Manchester Blackpool (60 odd miles) and Manchester 100km (60 miles) without lots of training.
They get round.
It's do-able, so take your time, pump the tyres up HARD and drink and eat as you go. Don't expect to do 65kms in 2 hours just yet though - expect 4-5 hours !
Oh, and have FUN. Get a couple of 40km rides in before hand, and you'll be OK.
They get round.
It's do-able, so take your time, pump the tyres up HARD and drink and eat as you go. Don't expect to do 65kms in 2 hours just yet though - expect 4-5 hours !
Oh, and have FUN. Get a couple of 40km rides in before hand, and you'll be OK.
Hop3y
Padiham Commuter
- Location
- Padiham, Burnley
HobbesChoice
New Member
- Location
- Essex
If you move at a steady pace, don't try to keep up with anyone and make sure you have a very good map of the route to take the pressure off keeping with the faster cyclists then you can do it. It may take you a r bit longer than some others but if you and your partner stick together you'll be fine. Make sure you have plenty of water and decent supplies on you to push you through the weaker moments and I think you'll enjoy it. Also, carry a muscle aiding cream like voltarol cream with you so that if your knees start playing up/aching you won't feel the need to stop for long.
As well as the spinning do some leg strengthening exercises at home whenever you can. Things like lunges and squats are perfect and can be done around the house whenever you think about it. Your legs will be your best friend on that ride if you put some extra strength on them.
Good luck with it.
As well as the spinning do some leg strengthening exercises at home whenever you can. Things like lunges and squats are perfect and can be done around the house whenever you think about it. Your legs will be your best friend on that ride if you put some extra strength on them.
Good luck with it.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Indeed!
One of the reasons that I'm spending more time here and less on BikeRadar is because CycleChat is (generally) a nice, friendly place whereas an increasing number of BR members these days are rude, snide, aggressive and juvenile.
Keep it friendly folks. Unlike BigChick, forum trolls don't normally post more than a sentence or two, but if you think you've spotted one, just flag the post for the moderators and let them deal with it.
iAmiAdam
New Member
Firstly, welcome to the forums.
Being realistic, doing 40 miles in February isn't going to be enjoyable in the first instance, especially if you're not at a great level of fitness. If I were you, I'd carry on going to spinning classes, keep getting on the bike and keep at it, the weight will drop off.
When the weight has dropped off by a large amount, you can look at doing sportives in the summer, you will enjoy them much more, complete the whole thing and it's a great day out.
In short, forget about the February ride, and carry on doing as you're doing, then when you feel fitter, do some organised road rides.
Being realistic, doing 40 miles in February isn't going to be enjoyable in the first instance, especially if you're not at a great level of fitness. If I were you, I'd carry on going to spinning classes, keep getting on the bike and keep at it, the weight will drop off.
When the weight has dropped off by a large amount, you can look at doing sportives in the summer, you will enjoy them much more, complete the whole thing and it's a great day out.
In short, forget about the February ride, and carry on doing as you're doing, then when you feel fitter, do some organised road rides.
ian turner
Guru
- Location
- Leicestershire
PpPete
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chandler's Ford
Rule of thumb for endurance events...if you can do half the distance in training then the atmosphere and adrenalin of the event itself will (usually) be enough to carry you through.
That's a reasonable point - so perhaps engage the OP and find out about her fitness levels, and how severe her asthma is?
BigChick may well be biting off more than she can chew trying to do this distance, but then she readily admits that in her opening post, and even offers that the half way point might be the place to stop.
A bit of encouragement won't do any harm though ...
Cheers,
Shaun
Rhythm Thief
Legendary Member
- Location
- Ross on Wye
What of it? I used to get quite serious athsma and it never stopped me cycling ridiculous distances. We all start somewhere.
Welcome to the forums BigChick and don't let people put you off.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
asthma and obeseity don't have to stop anyone doing anything. neither is an ideal state but sometimes you have to 'run what you brung' and play the cards life has dealt.
the event ian turner has identified looks like what we call a sportive; they allow 11-year-olds to enter unaccompanied.
Can it be done by the OP and partner? Surely it can, if taken slowly and ridden with care and they don't expect a podium finish. (I once won an mtb race in my class, super-clydesdale, by default after the only other person broke his bike) Will it be the most fun they've ever had? Probably not but the sense of acheivement will last longer than the aches and pains and mental trials of such a ride.
GO FOR IT PEOPLE. Go steady and enjoy the experience to the max.
as for the negativity - sheesh! that ain't why I'm in here. naughty, naughty.
the event ian turner has identified looks like what we call a sportive; they allow 11-year-olds to enter unaccompanied.
Can it be done by the OP and partner? Surely it can, if taken slowly and ridden with care and they don't expect a podium finish. (I once won an mtb race in my class, super-clydesdale, by default after the only other person broke his bike) Will it be the most fun they've ever had? Probably not but the sense of acheivement will last longer than the aches and pains and mental trials of such a ride.
GO FOR IT PEOPLE. Go steady and enjoy the experience to the max.
as for the negativity - sheesh! that ain't why I'm in here. naughty, naughty.
mickle
innit
- Location
- 53.933606, -1.076131
BigChick, welcome. And well done for taking the first step towards better health and fitness.
A friend of mine does charity rides every year. He started off on relatively little ones like 14 milers and now rides really hard multi-day events all over the world. Not races but pretty hard-core nontheless. When he started more than a decade ago he was around 27stone, and now he's around twenty seven stone.
The last event he told me about, he got on the bus from the airport to the first campsite in Arizona and overheard three guys at the back laughing about his weight. He's had this all his life so it's like water off a duck's back. Anyway they found it really hilarious that such a big fat guy imagined he could do such a ride.
The next day the three guys hared off into the desert and around mid-morning on the first decent up-hill he caught up with them. He picked them off one by one. He didn't just pick them off though, he slaughtered them. And later on that evening at the campsite they at least had the guts to come up to him and apologise.
He might not be able to see his weener but he's a big strong bloke. Deep down under most large people is a pretty strong person - both physically and mentally. You have to be pretty strong to haul that big ass around! And pretty tough to cope with the bad vibes some people give out.
Do that ride. Do it. You've been doing the classes so you're more than capable of it. The single most important thing to ensure is that you'll be comfortable on the bike for that period of time. Cycling that distance is well within your capabilities as long as you're comfy.
A friend of mine does charity rides every year. He started off on relatively little ones like 14 milers and now rides really hard multi-day events all over the world. Not races but pretty hard-core nontheless. When he started more than a decade ago he was around 27stone, and now he's around twenty seven stone.
The last event he told me about, he got on the bus from the airport to the first campsite in Arizona and overheard three guys at the back laughing about his weight. He's had this all his life so it's like water off a duck's back. Anyway they found it really hilarious that such a big fat guy imagined he could do such a ride.
The next day the three guys hared off into the desert and around mid-morning on the first decent up-hill he caught up with them. He picked them off one by one. He didn't just pick them off though, he slaughtered them. And later on that evening at the campsite they at least had the guts to come up to him and apologise.
He might not be able to see his weener but he's a big strong bloke. Deep down under most large people is a pretty strong person - both physically and mentally. You have to be pretty strong to haul that big ass around! And pretty tough to cope with the bad vibes some people give out.
Do that ride. Do it. You've been doing the classes so you're more than capable of it. The single most important thing to ensure is that you'll be comfortable on the bike for that period of time. Cycling that distance is well within your capabilities as long as you're comfy.
Becs
Veteran
- Location
- Old Hatfield (it's nice honest!)
Hiya BigChick.
I just wanted to offer some words of encouragement as a fellow asthmatic that's reletively new to cycling "properly". I started with weekend 30 mile pootles (over a whole day) and found the jump to 50 mile pootles reletively easy when the speed was fairly low (~10-12mph av), there was a few stops and I was in a group. When I cycled on my own, got a bit cocky and upped my speed (to ~16mph av) a rolling 45 miles nearly killed me! It's all about pacing yourself (and for me making the most of the down hill bits because I can't breathe well up hill). It would also be a really good idea to get an asthma review sooner rather than later. I've never had any problem with asthma in my day to day life but I was extremely exercise intolerant (beyond that expected for my low fitness level at the time). I got a combined steroid and long acting broncholdilator ("serotide") inhaler and within a week or 2 I felt a huge difference in my cycling and managed to start running.
Since starting cycling about 9 months ago I've lost 10kg with very little additional dieting, feel loads better, upped my average speed and have completed my first 100 miler so definitely go for it! However if I was in your position I wouldn't necessarily go for the race, especially on a mountain bike but I would definitely aim for the distance. I just think you'll enjoy it more if you do it over a day with a nice lunch break. Get a few more of these long but relaxed rides in and you'll quickly see the difference in your weight and asthma, start to go faster and enjoy it more. Then you'd be in a much better position to do a sportive and stay in the pack, rather than having to stop halfway and get demoralised.
Oh and don't listen to the meanies that have left obnoxious replies - I've found this site very friendly and helpful!
Best of luck and go for it!
I just wanted to offer some words of encouragement as a fellow asthmatic that's reletively new to cycling "properly". I started with weekend 30 mile pootles (over a whole day) and found the jump to 50 mile pootles reletively easy when the speed was fairly low (~10-12mph av), there was a few stops and I was in a group. When I cycled on my own, got a bit cocky and upped my speed (to ~16mph av) a rolling 45 miles nearly killed me! It's all about pacing yourself (and for me making the most of the down hill bits because I can't breathe well up hill). It would also be a really good idea to get an asthma review sooner rather than later. I've never had any problem with asthma in my day to day life but I was extremely exercise intolerant (beyond that expected for my low fitness level at the time). I got a combined steroid and long acting broncholdilator ("serotide") inhaler and within a week or 2 I felt a huge difference in my cycling and managed to start running.
Since starting cycling about 9 months ago I've lost 10kg with very little additional dieting, feel loads better, upped my average speed and have completed my first 100 miler so definitely go for it! However if I was in your position I wouldn't necessarily go for the race, especially on a mountain bike but I would definitely aim for the distance. I just think you'll enjoy it more if you do it over a day with a nice lunch break. Get a few more of these long but relaxed rides in and you'll quickly see the difference in your weight and asthma, start to go faster and enjoy it more. Then you'd be in a much better position to do a sportive and stay in the pack, rather than having to stop halfway and get demoralised.
Oh and don't listen to the meanies that have left obnoxious replies - I've found this site very friendly and helpful!
Best of luck and go for it!
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
Give it go! Bail out if and when you feel like it, but most of all, have fun and don't get disheartened if you don't complete the ride.
Good luck.
Good luck.
lloyed
Regular
2 friends of mine tried to do a c2c ride with me last summer (54 miles). 1 had done no training done 30 mile very slowly then quit. The other had been out on the bike b4 hand using it for work and things and completed the ride. It can be done!! Just stock up on energy drinks,bars, and food it works for me!!
