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

[Reece]

I know there is a lot of info on carbs around, but am always confused by the good carbs and bad carbs. Is there a good guide you know of which will have examples of good food to eat thru the fortnight before or so? Especially loading up on the carbs in the days before the ride?

Unfortunately I seem to like everything that is bad for me, I eat sandwiches at work which are white bread, soup at home with white bread, and Im not fond of all bran type cereals! I know I have to take the plunge with brown bread (urgh) but wonder what else is there..

A friend who in the last 9 weeks has come down with a massive brain tumor, had a major operation in London removing 95% of it, developed a slope in his face (like a stroke) deafness in one ear, lost sight in one eye and since being back home has developed DVT from lying in a hospital bed so much has said he is moving heaven and earth to come to the top of Box Hill with some other friends for me for RideLondon has really brought this race into focus for me, made me more determined than ever to get through it. Has also brought a new perspective in life for me too. Heard from Cancer Research UK that local press are going to be running with my story apparently including what has happened to my friend (he has okayed this).

Not sure what point I'm trying to make telling everyone this other than this is about a lot more to me than just completing mileage.

Sorry to hear about your friend. I'm sure you're telling us as things like that are better shared then kept to one self.

On the carb front I'll have a look if I can find out about good carbs (I know I have before) but basically I go with pasta (preferably wholemeal but I myself stick with white), rice, porridge and sweet potatoes. I don't go mad on the carb loading before an event but do clean the diet up a bit more than normal. My meals usually consist of rice or pasta with some sort of meat or fish and sweet potatoes as a side. Not a fan of porridge either so I have weetabix.

Another good point is post ride recovery drink. I use a mix of protein powder and maltodextrin (only as I use this for my gym work and bump up my calories daily), but all my mates swear by chocolate milkshake which is cheap, easy and effective (in their opinion).

 

[Reece]

@Nomadski - here is the High 5 Sportive guide I was telling you about which may be of interesthttp://highfive.co.uk/high5-faster-and-further/road-cycling-nutrition-guides/sportive
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[Reece]

Anyone noticed the leader of the Powerbar Take on the Tour strava challenge, think something went wrong with his data lol! 13702km so he is 815% complete in two days

 

[Nomadski]

@Nomadski - here is the High 5 Sportive guide I was telling you about which may be of interesthttp://highfive.co.uk/high5-faster-and-further/road-cycling-nutrition-guides/sportive
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Thanks for both your posts @Reece, do eat a lot of brown rice dishes so maybe not doing a whole lot wrong. Need to get into habit of eating breakfast though.

Great guide there too, will be using that.

 

[Reece]

Thanks for both your posts @Reece, do eat a lot of brown rice dishes so maybe not doing a whole lot wrong. Need to get into habit of eating breakfast though.

Great guide there too, will be using that.

I'm awful at missing breakfast. I only usually eat it when I know I've got a big ride. And I sure know about it on a ride if I've not ate well!

 

[shelliemac]

Hi all i am a newbie too. Haven't ridden a cycle since i was 24 i am now 41. Started by 0.5 miles a couple of time and today i managed 15 miles but have a rather sore behind!!

At the minute i am using my son's bike ( he is 9) and will be buying my own in about a month.

I have started using Strava also but not sure how i attach my profile on here.

 

[Mo1959]

@Nomadski Sorry to hear about your friend. Sure puts things into perspective doesn't it.

Also, @SpokeyDokey doesn't sound like a great ride today. It's days like that where we have all questioned what we are doing out there I can assure you. Have been cursing the wind myself the last two mornings and haven't gone quite as far. It's sapping mentally and physically feeling like you are working so hard and hardly getting anywhere. I just have to keep telling myself how much better the good days will feel when they come!

Can't help much re your diet I'm afraid. I'm very undomesticated..........can't cook...won't cook I live on ready meals and sandwiches, and things on toast!

 

[Nomadski]

@Nomadski Sorry to hear about your friend. Sure puts things into perspective doesn't it.

Also, doesn't sound like a great ride today. It's days like that where we have all questioned what we are doing out there I can assure you. Have been cursing the wind myself the last two mornings and haven't gone quite as far. It's sapping mentally and physically feeling like you are working so hard and hardly getting anywhere. I just have to keep telling myself how much better the good days will feel when they come!

Can't help much re your diet I'm afraid. I'm very undomesticated..........can't cook...won't cook I live on ready meals and sandwiches, and things on toast!

It really does, especially when I think back to just 10-11 weeks ago before all this began, and he was a regular 37 year old with everything to look forward to.

When I told him about the press interest he told me he is using the meetup at Box Hill as a short term goal for himself to aim for, every day is a fight for him. He is coming with a friend from work who has switched her usual holiday (celebrating her wedding anniversary) forward a week to take him there and meet me. Guess getting up Box Hill will be more emotional than I had planned.

 

[Nomadski]

@shelliemac When you upload a ride to Strava, on the rides details page just copy the link in the address bar at the top and paste in your post.

Oh, and

 

[DaveyM]

21 and a bit miles tonight and the bad back feels like a distant memory
lets see how I feel tomorrow though...

People are really progressing hard now, I am somewhat impressed and jealous in equal measures! well done

 

[Geoquads]

Hello folks!
Nice idea of a thread. Well, here goes.

First the background. Cycling for five weeks after a layoff that lasted 27 years. Aged 48 now. Was a bodybuilder between the age of 20 to 40 . Went from lean 10st 6 lbs to a pretty lean 17st (5ft 9) Pretty much all muscle. Stopped weights a few years ago and started cycling five weeks ago at a very soft and squidgey fifteen stone 3 lbs

First run - did a ten mile route in Chingford. Enjoyed it
Day 1 - 10 miles - 1hr 10 min
Day 35 - 10 miles - 35 mins (followed by another 40 miles at steady but easier pace)
Lost a stone in 5 weeks.

Notes
Find that I really enjoy cycling and want to progress in some way each and every week. The discipline I learnt as a bodybuilder I'm trying to transfer into cycling. Plan on losing more body fat whilst gaining a little muscle. Target weight is 13st 7lbs and still bench press 300 lbs. AND get to a sub 30 min 10 mile. AND do a 75 mile run.

Good luck to all the other noobs : )

 

[shelliemac]

@shelliemac When you upload a ride to Strava, on the rides details page just copy the link in the address bar at the top and paste in your post.

Oh, and

Thank you for the welcome

Is that on PC strava rather than using the app?

 

[shelliemac]

Todays cycle
http://app.strava.com/activities/64000176

 

[RWright]

Hi Shelliemac and Geoquads, welcome.

I haven't been out riding yet because I had several appointments and some errands to do today. It is not raining here but if I can get break between storms I will try to get in some miles, my bike is still filthy anyway. I am watching the online dual Doppler 5000 weather radar like a hawk.

shellimac if you are wanting to put an image in your signature like some of us have, one way is using the mycyclinglog ticker, instructions are here: http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ho...m-mycyclinglog-ticker-in-my-signature.131488/

I use veloviewer because I am lazy and I don't have to enter anything manually.

I don't hear any rain right now so I better get my gear on at least.

simmi, I fogot to ask you, in your picture from the sportive, I noticed the girls don't have a team jersey. If they did a ride like that I think they deserve one too.

 

[Nomadski]

Thank you for the welcome

Is that on PC strava rather than using the app?

Oh I think I may have misunderstood you, you mean the signature stuff? @RWright has you covered!