I started cycling for fitness and weight loss soon after Christmas. I had a long neglected hybrid bike hanging on the wall of the garage which I lumbered around on.
The first seven miles I did nearly killed me.......but a week or so later I was getting quicker and fitter already. With dieting as well, I had managed to drop two stone by the end of March which got me to my weight goal.
Meanwhile, as the cycling bug had bit I brought a Triban 3 and loved it. The weather was bloody awful but it didn't deter me from sunday morning rides and I was pushing distances up to 50 miles. My longest ride was 56 miles and I felt I had fuel left in the tank at the end.
With that confidence I decided to treat myself and enter a couple of sportives, one in June and one in August. They are 86 and 96 miles respectively. But here comes the problem......in the middle of April we headed off on holiday for two weeks and while we did plenty of walking I had no cycle time at all!
And since being back, it all seems to have gone and doesn't want to come back! I've been a bit busy and so have only managed a couple of lunchtime rides (about 15 milers) and one weekend ride (30 miles but it felt terrible). In fairness I have played football on a couple of lunchtimes as well which has also been a bit laboured. The problem is that my hamstrings feel tight and unco-operative at best!
Is this normal? And how should I combat it? It's horrible to have a set back so soon in one's cycling adventure!
The first seven miles I did nearly killed me.......but a week or so later I was getting quicker and fitter already. With dieting as well, I had managed to drop two stone by the end of March which got me to my weight goal.
Meanwhile, as the cycling bug had bit I brought a Triban 3 and loved it. The weather was bloody awful but it didn't deter me from sunday morning rides and I was pushing distances up to 50 miles. My longest ride was 56 miles and I felt I had fuel left in the tank at the end.
With that confidence I decided to treat myself and enter a couple of sportives, one in June and one in August. They are 86 and 96 miles respectively. But here comes the problem......in the middle of April we headed off on holiday for two weeks and while we did plenty of walking I had no cycle time at all!
And since being back, it all seems to have gone and doesn't want to come back! I've been a bit busy and so have only managed a couple of lunchtime rides (about 15 milers) and one weekend ride (30 miles but it felt terrible). In fairness I have played football on a couple of lunchtimes as well which has also been a bit laboured. The problem is that my hamstrings feel tight and unco-operative at best!
Is this normal? And how should I combat it? It's horrible to have a set back so soon in one's cycling adventure!
