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

[Nigelnaturist]

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. ;-)

Even that is 6,000 miles a year, no mean feat.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

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

not doing very well on the waterproof front at the moment (and have to be waterproof because of my asthma and chest infections and my stunning ability to contract them). both my waterproof trousers and my waterproof top have holes in them and the waterproof top has given up the ghost on breathability. Still trying to find something that actually fits me. Have finally conceded defeat and purchased a size 16 top in the hope of being able to zip it up () despite only really needing a size 12 (trousers are a size 8!) the trousers are goretex ones, so I can patch them (yet again - I was wearing them when the dog attacked me), but the top is the pain - it has just failed completely, not helped by a disagreement with a barbed wire fence back at Christmas which received several puncture repair patches! Have now been looking, buying and returning items since October in the hope of getting something that meets my requirements! (back pocket, under arm zips, hi-viz (tis the only time I wear hi-viz) breathable - not huge requirements, but seemingly impossible!). Fingers crossed this next delivery from wiggle meets my requirements - otherwise I will have to go back to wearing my mountaineering jacket - the same shade of blue as my new road bike, but not that visible in heavy rain! Right off on the commute now.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Still trying to find something that actually fits me. Have finally conceded defeat and purchased a size 16 top in the hope of being able to zip it up () despite only really needing a size 12 (trousers are a size 8!)

Well I think thats given us some idea of body shape

 

[Supersuperleeds]

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. ;-)

That is an immense effort for the first year

 

[Stonechat]

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. ;-)

Well seems to me you are doing very well
Got the hybrid in about Feb last year, did not get really started until the poor spring was over.
Did not log anything on Strava until 1st August, though by then I had doneone or two shorter rides and a 16 mile, whoich was OK and a 26 which was not, I was flattened. This would be about July.
Did not get the road bike until January this year.
So I don't have a year of logged rides yet
Have done 3018 miles to date despite a number of personal setbacks (Dad being sick, later in hospital with Mum needing help at home, Dad dying, and then being flooded out of our house.)
84,000 feet of climbing, since the road bike in late Jan, (included in above total ) 1975 miles and 70,000 feet of climbing

So a slower take off for me, and cannot match your mileage
So Chapeau @sutts

 

[moo]

Londons potholes claim another victim. Ligament damage in right arm and thumb means I'm taking the 38c suspension hybrid to work this week.

My doctor got a little worried this morning and ordered a 24hr ECG test. Apparently a resting heart rate of 48 isn't normal. I'm 35yrs old, 5' 10" and 10st 6lb (down from 13st when I started cycling in January). Here's hoping the results are negative and cycling has simply turned me into some kind of endurance athlete

 

[inkd]

Had my best ride this morning of the year, http://www.strava.com/activities/157477300 and it is my longest solo ride to date! (not long compared to alot of you I know). I hit a boredom wall last month with barely a commute a week and not getting out on my days off. Thanks to Strava giving me the kick up the arse I needed, I came home this morning grinning from ear to ear. Previous rides out in the forest has been the same old circuit of 12 miles. Many thanks to @Goonerobes for the info on the A35 for this route
Are there any tips on squeezing out a few more longer rides? I think I need to get a saddle bag and another bidon. I have been looking on google maps at a few more possible routes.

 

[Stonechat]

Londons potholes claim another victim. Ligament damage in right arm and thumb means I'm taking the 38c suspension hybrid to work this week.

My doctor got a little worried this morning and ordered a 24hr ECG test. Apparently a resting heart rate of 48 isn't normal. I'm 35yrs old, 5' 10" and 10st 6lb (down from 13st when I started cycling in January). Here's hoping the results are negative and cycling has simply turned me into some kind of endurance athlete

Yes mine is down to 60 from 78, it's down to the cycling

 

[Mo1959]

@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!

Thanks Emma. Struggling physically and a bit emotionally now too as the constant pain is getting to me.

Not much further forward after seeing the orthopaedic consultant in Perth yesterday. Although he thinks my break would definitely be better with surgery, the Perth surgeon is off and the Ninewells one can't even see me until next Monday and an op could be several more days after that. I'm thinking by then, I might actually be starting to heal and the pain lessen and the thought of getting it all opened up and plated and ending up back in pain again isn't too exciting. Problem is the two ends are so far apart and one end is nearly through the skin so I don't know how well it would ever heal left to it's own. Got a huge weeping bruise on my hip too which i got dressed again yesterday by the local gem of a nurse. Get that seen again Thursday then hopefully be able to let the air get at it by then. Lovely colours of black, purple, red, blue, yellow at the moment.

Glad you've got over your own op and getting back on the bike.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Londons potholes claim another victim. Ligament damage in right arm and thumb means I'm taking the 38c suspension hybrid to work this week.

My doctor got a little worried this morning and ordered a 24hr ECG test. Apparently a resting heart rate of 48 isn't normal. I'm 35yrs old, 5' 10" and 10st 6lb (down from 13st when I started cycling in January). Here's hoping the results are negative and cycling has simply turned me into some kind of endurance athlete

don't worry about the testing heart rate being low. it is surprisingly common amongst cyclists according to my sever asthma consultant who often sees it. mine has been known to be down at 42bpm first thing in the morning and even just before my last op when I was stressed out but quiet it only made it into the 50's. part of being fit! there is a thread on cc somewhere about it which I will try to find for you later tonight when I am on the laptop rather than my smartphone away from home and you will see you are far from being alone!

Edit: can't find the link I was looking for, it was a poll link, but people give some figures in this one. http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/resting-heart-rate.96836/

And then I promptly find it - it is this one http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/resting-heart-rate-poll.135966/#navigation

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@moo just to back up what Emma said, they were worried about mine when I was in hospital last or was that the time before (time before I could understand it), though it was a low blood pressure with me than a low hr. I think they have got used to the UK being a little unhealthy that it takes them by surprise when they see people that are.

@Mo1959 well there is usually one of us knocking about if you ever fancy a chat ect....

Had my 1. best ride this morning of the year, http://www.strava.com/activities/157477300 and it is my longest solo ride to date! (not long compared to alot of you I know). I hit a boredom wall last month with barely a commute a week and not getting out on my days off. Thanks to Strava giving me the kick up the arse I needed, I came home this morning grinning from ear to ear. Previous rides out in the forest has been the same old circuit of 12 miles. Many thanks to @Goonerobes for the info on the A35 for this route
2. Are there any tips on squeezing out a few more longer rides? I think I need to get a saddle bag and another bidon. I have been looking on google maps at a few more possible routes.

1 Well done
2 Keep pedalling , what I have been doing is using an overly of all my rides in google earth and looking for roads I haven't been down then plot a ride to include them, this last month or so I have been further N & S than I have in the last 2 years, VV will export KML files so these can be imported into google earth.

 

[Goonerobes]

Had my best ride this morning of the year, http://www.strava.com/activities/157477300 and it is my longest solo ride to date! (not long compared to alot of you I know). I hit a boredom wall last month with barely a commute a week and not getting out on my days off. Thanks to Strava giving me the kick up the arse I needed, I came home this morning grinning from ear to ear. Previous rides out in the forest has been the same old circuit of 12 miles. Many thanks to @Goonerobes for the info on the A35 for this route
Are there any tips on squeezing out a few more longer rides? I think I need to get a saddle bag and another bidon. I have been looking on google maps at a few more possible routes.

Nice ride @inkd & glad to have been of help. If you look at the map of this ride: http://www.strava.com/activities/151827082 you may get some ideas for heading towards Brockenhurst & Rhinefield etc, nice quiet roads.

@Mo1959 :Sorry that things are still rather painful but as Nigel said there's normally someone around for a chat.........

@SatNavSaysStraightOn : Glad to hear that you're on the mend.

 

[stevey]

@Mo1959 All the best

 

[GreigM]

20 miles for me today before back to work tomorrow - http://www.strava.com/activities/157579033

Bit hilly for me in places and had to stop a few times, but got there in the end

@Mo1959 hope the pain lessens soon.

 

[welsh dragon]

I hope you start feeling better soon @Mo1959