Show us your.......newbie progress! [4 Sep 2012 - 4 Oct 2014]

[Stonechat]

Yes short and hot and sticky here too
Quick outing via Laleham and Shepperton
12.1 miles @ 16.4 mph, pretty flat
http://www.strava.com/activities/157181259

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Hot and sticky digging too.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Here am I at the top (perhaps just past the top) of Ditchling Beacon View attachment 48397

Blimey you're an old skinny bugger

 

[welsh dragon]

Blimey you're an old skinny bugger

 

[matth411]

Hey guys, have been quiet for a few days dealing with stuff. Good to see everyone making progress and making use of the weather!

I also have some progress. Yesterday I completed my first 100KM! Which makes it 4 out of 3 big rides that I have gone over my best, although this one was close. I went to Chester using the Wirral Way then over Burton Marshlands and latched onto a cycle path that could have taken me to Mickle Trafford, which will be the next big ride. Got to around 1.5 miles from home and checked Strava... 58 miles! So I went straight past my house to the top of the road, checked again...61.2 turned around and got home and checked again before hitting "end activity". 62.9, I had done what I set out to do. I then danced in the street before my legs gave way after 15 seconds.

About 80% of my ride was on the NCN and there was no problems apart from having to navigate through a group of youths smoking weed and drinking cider, obviously not caring about stereotypes. Luckily I am not too bothered about speeds and cadence or HR, I just go out and ride the average speed of 12.6 shows that. http://www.strava.com/activities/156809244

Yesterday also marked the 6 week anniversary of stopping drinking, which I am still getting ridiculed for by booze loving friends and family.

So, next challenges... Cut down then stop smoking, change diet, proper century ride!

Happy riding folks! And happy anniversary @Nigelnaturist

 

[welsh dragon]

Hey guys, have been quiet for a few days dealing with stuff. Good to see everyone making progress and making use of the weather!

I also have some progress. Yesterday I completed my first 100KM! Which makes it 4 out of 3 big rides that I have gone over my best, although this one was close. I went to Chester using the Wirral Way then over Burton Marshlands and latched onto a cycle path that could have taken me to Mickle Trafford, which will be the next big ride. Got to around 1.5 miles from home and checked Strava... 58 miles! So I went straight past my house to the top of the road, checked again...61.2 turned around and got home and checked again before hitting "end activity". 62.9, I had done what I set out to do. I then danced in the street before my legs gave way after 15 seconds.

About 80% of my ride was on the NCN and there was no problems apart from having to navigate through a group of youths smoking weed and drinking cider, obviously not caring about stereotypes. Luckily I am not too bothered about speeds and cadence or HR, I just go out and ride the average speed of 12.6 shows that. http://www.strava.com/activities/156809244

Yesterday also marked the 6 week anniversary of stopping drinking, which I am still getting ridiculed for by booze loving friends and family.

So, next challenges... Cut down then stop smoking, change diet, proper century ride!

Happy riding folks! And happy anniversary @Nigelnaturist

Good luck with stopping smoking. It will be 2 years on the last day of June that I gave up after smoking for over 40 years. i'll be thinking of you and encouraging you when you decide to stop.

 

[matth411]

Over 40 years? I have only smoked for 12... but I am still only 25 haha. I am keeping an eye on the stop smoking thread on here, gaining all the hints and tips. I think diet change will be the hardest to be honest, the amount of junk food I eat is terrible. But I have to start somewhere. Thanks for the encouragement @welsh dragon

 

[welsh dragon]

Over 40 years? I have only smoked for 12... but I am still only 25 haha. I am keeping an eye on the stop smoking thread on here, gaining all the hints and tips. I think diet change will be the hardest to be honest, the amount of junk food I eat is terrible. But I have to start somewhere. Thanks for the encouragement @welsh dragon

Thanks. You've made me feel so much better telling me your age. I have clothes in my wardrobe that are older than you

 

[matth411]

Sorrrryyyyyyyyy

 

[Phoenix Lincs]

Happy Anniversary @Nigelnaturist

 

[sutts]

Well, it was a year ago today that I started logging my rides. I started cycling in March 2013, but never bothered counting the miles until June. Anyway, my total for the year was 8700 miles and I am kind of proud of that (would have been 9000 miles, but a stomach bug ripped the life out of me last week).

I don't think that's sustainable though, it's a hard, hard slog at times with work and all....might reduce that to somewhere around 500 miles per month. I need more rest days, tired now, very tired. ;-)

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@sutts I agree, I didn't do much over the winter as I was ill, not physically then I was physically ill in July last year and April this, and I don't have work to contended with.
2 hours or so on a bike each day for 2/3 rd's of the year is very physically demanding, you get use to some of, from my point of few it's difficult to get motivated sometimes because I don't work and can't commute (though I have some rides that are), I have done every road I can think of in close proximity to home ( I tend not to stray to far, because of my mental health) which is why the W.N.B.R. taxes me more than just physically 7 hours away from home is a long time for me, the ride itself wasn't so troublesome. So covering roads I haven't done before is becoming less of a motivation (still some to do).
In the last two years I have covered over 14,000 miles my avg speed on my first ride was 9.32mph my avg over the last year has been 15.5mph (June to June) with a total of 465 days on the bike and 984.38 hours ridding I did 6700 in the first year and 7,500 miles in this last year, and whilst the rides are slighlty more difficult in the last year I climbed more in the previous one per mile, buts its marginal (elevation is that used with correction from rwgps), to put it into context thats over 10 Mt Everest's every year, but that is due to accumulation over distance as opposed to any serious climbing.
I have riding in at least twice as much rain this last year compared with the previous year, wind speeds averaged out about the 9-10mph (data from Garmin, but they seem to have stopped that now, so I will have to revert back to sportracks which i still have some data to catch up on), max winds 26 to 30mph.
This is a monthly break down over the two years.

Sorry its a bit small.

 

[Stonechat]

Blimey you're an old skinny bugger

Well probably could do with losing some, but nearly 2 stone lighter than when I took early retirement

A week of cooked breakfast will not have helped!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

@Mo1959 how are you doing? I guess you must be black and blue by now and very sore? how is your spirit holding up?
thinking of you as I am just getting back on the bike again after 4 weeks with only the 2 rides. thankfully not too sore after the op, but today will be a good test! back on the commute again and is due and homeward bound will be a stiff headwind all the way in the as well! Still not managed to find a waterproof top that fits and is breathable enough for me, so another very wet, drowned rat look is likely to follow me home!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@Mo1959 how are you doing? I guess you must be black and blue by now and very sore? how is your spirit holding up?
thinking of you as I am just getting back on the bike again after 4 weeks with only the 2 rides. thankfully not too sore after the op, but today will be a good test! back on the commute again and is due and homeward bound will be a stiff headwind all the way in the as well! Still not managed to find a waterproof top that fits and is breathable enough for me, so another very wet, drowned rat look is likely to follow me home!

I tend to look like that most rides with my hair tied back.