Returning to cycling after 10 year absence

[ozboz]

Hiya, I started cycling for health reasons , T2 , muscle loss etc , and at first it was hard , but going well now , if you log on to British Cycling they have some training programes you can look at , maybe one of those will help , or do your own , either way you will be going in the right direction !!

 

[Aunty Tyke]

Hi I recently decided, after hitting 17 stone (at 5'8" not good!) to start exercising again. I chose cycling as I used to love it, and my knees wouldn't take jogging! However I did a short 6 mile ride today, nothing too strenuous as on the local greenway. For about 2hours after my breathing was very wheezy. Is this normal or something I should talk to my doctor about? I haven't smoked for over 9 years, but have type 2 diabetes. Thanks for any ideas

I would have expected your breathing to have settled quicker,OK being tired,but wheezy not so good. Would suggest a checkup

 

[Transporterman]

All good advice above. It seems to me there is some kind of tipping point as you get older. I don't know if it's the same for everyone in their fifties but for me I knew I needed to lose a bit of weight and keep more of an eye on it.

It doesn't have to be that hard though. If you were a keen cyclist in the past go for the burn. Otherwise have a sneaky look at the electric bike section here!. You'll still puff up the big hills and get good exercise but the fun will come back. You do have to lose the weight though. And I know how hard how it is.

PS - At my level of fitness I'd expect to be wheezing a little after a six mile ride if I was putting a bit of effort in. (assuming no batteries involved of course).

 

[redfalo]

Hi I recently decided, after hitting 17 stone (at 5'8" not good!) to start exercising again. I chose cycling as I used to love it, and my knees wouldn't take jogging! However I did a short 6 mile ride today, nothing too strenuous as on the local greenway. For about 2hours after my breathing was very wheezy. Is this normal or something I should talk to my doctor about? I haven't smoked for over 9 years, but have type 2 diabetes. Thanks for any ideas

Really good work! I was in a not so different position about 12 years ago (bar the type2 diabetes, but was still smoking back then) when I decided to take up cycling as a sport (always was a utility cyclist). It takes a bit of time for your body to adjust. Maybe worth wearing a heart rate monitor to make sure you're not going into the red during excercise, and you can also watch how your heart rate decreases after a ride.

As for losing weight, cycling in itself did not do it for me though. 2 years ago, despite cycling 5000 miles a year, I was at 105 kg at 181 cm. Real revelation was tracking my calories meticulously (using MyFitnessPal, but there are alternatives) , changing my diet and cycling a bit more. Now down to 87kg (last year even briefly to 83kg, but then my discipline lapsed...)

Joining a cycling club was also a game changer for me - riding with friends is so much more fun!

 

[RichardB]

I've told my story elsewhere on this board, so I won't repeat it here, but ... 112 kg and pre-diabetic at age 60, not good. I'd always loved cycling, but had ME at 40 and never got back to it after I recovered. I bought an electric bike and started commuting to work (25 hilly miles round trip, did it every other day). The first few trips nearly killed me, but I stuck with it and it got easier. Then I refurbed my old mountain bike and started going for short rides at weekends on that. Still hilly, and that nearly killed me all over again, but I found when I got back on the ebike after a few times on the MTB I had Superman legs and the commute suddenly became much easier. That happened very quickly, almost over a weekend. I have bought a hybrid and am aiming now to commute by 'proper' bike when the clocks change. With the cycling and some diet changes (cutting out sugar, watching the calories with MyFitnessPal, highly recommended) I lost 3.5 stone in six months. I am now fitter than I have been for many years, and I owe it to the ebike and a lot of determination.

Well done making a start. I'd agree with everything said above. Don't do so much it becomes a chore, but get out on the bike whenever you can for short rides, and increase as the fitness improves. It should always be fun.

 

[Paul.G.]

Hi I recently decided, after hitting 17 stone (at 5'8" not good!) to start exercising again. I chose cycling as I used to love it, and my knees wouldn't take jogging! However I did a short 6 mile ride today, nothing too strenuous as on the local greenway. For about 2hours after my breathing was very wheezy. Is this normal or something I should talk to my doctor about? I haven't smoked for over 9 years, but have type 2 diabetes. Thanks for any ideas

My advice, ditch any form of mileage and speed indicator, ride as far and as long as your comfortable with. Accept that some days you will be rubbish but others you will feel like a pro. Enjoy the wind in your hair and the scenery and treasure that lovely warm feeling of satisfaction when you get back home!