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

[Nigelnaturist]

Maybe I will be able to get some longer rides under my belt but I've done 1000 KM for the month now which was my main goal . You and Mo are both big mile munchers but I'm not doing too badly this month.

The goals keep going up Elliot, I dont remember most of the miles this week let alone this month, they just seem to fly by these days, I will try and get another 31 miles done later, this means 360 miles this week (if I do it), the next i suppose is 400 miles in a week. I still have a tough challenge doing the tour, but i was think about it while out, to do even half the distance of the tour in month is some achievement so hats of to Chris and Mo who have both completed it in such a short time.
To reiterate to any new comers, don't be disheartened by the mileages you see us doing, this time last year most of us were the same finding it extremely hard work and wondering does it get better, Mo is a shining example to all as to what can be achieved (sorry Mo if you didn't find it so difficult last Aug), I used to cuss every slight climb saying not another one.

 

[Mo1959]

I am thinking about what you have said there Mo and it might help me with cornering at speed.

Since my 'offs' I have gone a bit namby-pamby on corners esp' downhill. I am tending to look where I don't want to end up instead of where I want to go although until I read your post I hadn't thought of it like that.

Definitely works when you can pull it off. I am pretty hopeless too and have had a few near misses misjudging corners

On the few occasions I do get it right and pick a nice line through the corner, just keeping my eyes on the line I want the bike to go and shifting your weight seems enough to glide smoothly round, but as I say, I manage it like that one in a blue moon. Usually, I am snatching at the brakes at the last minute because I haven't judged it well!

 

[boybiker]

I am thinking about what you have said there Mo and it might help me with cornering at speed.

Since my 'offs' I have gone a bit namby-pamby on corners esp' downhill. I am tending to look where I don't want to end up instead of where I want to go although until I read your post I hadn't thought of it like that.

I end up braking to avoid my perceived doom and end up going very slow.

***

As an open question: how does everyone cope with cornering confidence esp' after an 'off'? Not that mine were at speed or on a corner I have just developed an allergy to pain!

I am really struggling to lean over in bends and I am desperately trying to keep the bike vertical as I go round. This is putting stress on my back as you can imagine + the tyres are not getting onto the grippier areas of the rubber (I have that triple compound stuff).

In short, and I don't mind admitting it, I am feeling a bit nervous on twisty descents esp' the nasty loose stuff but even on the sweeping smooth and sticky stuff too. I keep focussing on the fact that two very low speed 'offs' caused a lot of pain and residual damage and shudder to think what a speedier 'off' would do.

Find a nice low volume/traffic free road with a fast decent. Go down it once then ride back up and repeat the process until you get better. Practice makes perfect. Try no to steer the bike as such, you can control the bike by leaning one way or another and I'm not talking about moto GP knee down stuff. You should feel like your steering straight ahead and even a little in the opposite direction while leaning the way you want to go. Watch a few pro bike races and really pay attention to how they descend and you will see what I mean.

 

[Mo1959]

The goals keep going up Elliot, I dont remember most of the miles this week let alone this month, they just seem to fly by these days, I will try and get another 31 miles done later, this means 360 miles this week (if I do it), the next i suppose is 400 miles in a week. I still have a tough challenge doing the tour, but i was think about it while out, to do even half the distance of the tour in month is some achievement so hats of to Chris and Mo who have both completed it in such a short time.
To reiterate to any new comers, don't be disheartened by the mileages you see us doing, this time last year most of us were the same finding it extremely hard work and wondering does it get better, Mo is a shining example to all as to what can be achieved (sorry Mo if you didn't find it so difficult last Aug), I used to cuss every slight climb saying not another one.

Last August feels like a distant memory now, but it would be all to easy to let the fitness slip just as easily as it built up. I remember feeling physically sick and a bit faint going up a very modest hill on one of my first rides!

Not sure that I want to keep going at this intensity though. I think the challenges plus the good weather have been great incentives but it would be easy to sicken yourself and do too much, especially as you get older. The body doesn't recover quite as quickly as it would have done several years ago.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@SpokeyDokey
Just keep at it, I must admit for a long time I was like that, this week has seen an improvement in corner at speed, still a long way from anything decent but its coming, I also think the faster you go overall makes you look more where your going, as I found when i was slower that things didn't change much, so eyes on the road all the time weren't 100% necessary just an awareness of what is happening around, as for the bike following where your look Mo has a point, one road round here has some cement/tarmac thats drop of a wagon and set it's not very big but I hit it every time.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Last August feels like a distant memory now, but it would be all to easy to let the fitness slip just as easily as it built up. I remember feeling physically sick and a bit faint going up a very modest hill on one of my first rides!

Not sure that I want to keep going at this intensity though. I think the challenges plus the good weather have been great incentives but it would be easy to sicken yourself and do too much, especially as you get older. The body doesn't recover quite as quickly as it would have done several years ago.

I think once you have a core fitness, you just need to keep it up which is easier than starting from the beginning, you shouldn't need to keep up the same level of intensity, just do a few less miles/rides (start the day after tomorrow to give me chance ) but at a higher intensity, you should find that since you can cover distance easy enough, less time i the saddle will be fine but the high work loads increases everything really.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

The goals keep going up Elliot, I dont remember most of the miles this week let alone this month, they just seem to fly by these days, I will try and get another 31 miles done later, this means 360 miles this week (if I do it), the next i suppose is 400 miles in a week. I still have a tough challenge doing the tour, but i was think about it while out, to do even half the distance of the tour in month is some achievement so hats of to Chris and Mo who have both completed it in such a short time.
To reiterate to any new comers, don't be disheartened by the mileages you see us doing, this time last year most of us were the same finding it extremely hard work and wondering does it get better, Mo is a shining example to all as to what can be achieved (sorry Mo if you didn't find it so difficult last Aug), I used to cuss every slight climb saying not another one.

I completed my first 400 mile week this morning. Not sure I could do much more, 450 might be possible, but I tend to aim for 210 miles a week as this is roughly what I need to average to hit 10k for the year.

Re the mileage, I started getting more serious about my cycling last November time and I was happy if I did 100 miles in a week and a 15 mile bike ride to work was a huge effort. Now if I don't do 30 in the morning I don't feel like I have been out for a ride.

Next challenge is to try and hit 1500 miles for this month, only another 400 and something to go

 

[stevey]

Could not resist the temptation to go out and do some hill work,

Thanks to the guy who asked if i was ok (just stopped to have a drink) nice to see around here

http://app.strava.com/activities/68449883

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Sorry hadn't realised I wasn't follow you Steve, some nice p.b.'s there too.

 

[stevey]

No problem nigel, thought i was already following you....

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Could not resist the temptation to go out and do some hill work,

Thanks to the guy who asked if i was ok (just stopped to have a drink) nice to see around here

http://app.strava.com/activities/68449883

I had that yesterday, I was outside the hospital ( after the group thing) and having a cig crouched down some motorist that was going in stopped and came and asked if I was ok, turns out he cycles a bit and was a little concerned, see not all motorists are

 

[Nigelnaturist]

No problem nigel, thought i was already following you....

You are Steve, it was an over site on my part.

 

[stevey]

You are Steve, it was an over site on my part.

Ohhhh ok i'll be quiet now

 

[Pieface]

Just went out for a ride and decided to try and beat my segment of the original short circuit I used to do. Did it 24 seconds quicker, after a slow start (As my legs were getting tired). Will give it a go when I can on fresh legs.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Just went out for a ride and decided to try and beat my segment of the original short circuit I used to do. Did it 24 seconds quicker, after a slow start (As my legs were getting tired). Will give it a go when I can on fresh legs.

Well done.
The thing is it takes time to warm up, I set a lot of p.b.'s after 10-15 miles.