Too much too soon?

[justin33]

Ive just started riding again and had my first ride on sunday and then my second ride this evening.I admit my fitness levels are low as i havent been in the saddle for about 9 years.Here are my ride distances and times:

My first ride which was on sunday was 95% canal path and a few fields.the weather was horendous with driving rain,gusting winds(espcially on open sections) and puddles everywhere and I was soaked through to the skin.I really started to struggle on the last 2-3 miles as the wind was in my face and had to keep easying right off untill the legs stopped hurting and then speed up a bit.My trip distance and time was:

18.4 miles in 2h 36mins

My second ride this evening was a bit of a last minute thing and headed to my local canal again.the first couple of miles were painfull but as time went on it got better.The weather was totaly different compared to sunday but the condition of the paths were still the same,very muddy and full of deep puddles.I did 14 miles on the path when i got back to the car but wanted to hit 20 miles so i did a 1 mile loop 6 times on the road.Again i really struggled with the uphill section(about quater of a mile) even on tarmac with front shocks locked out.For this ride i managed a distance and time of:

20.04 miles in 2h 4mins

Im getting really frustrated with myself because i dont want to be struggling uphills or only averaging 9mph.I know ive only just started to ride again but i feel like im starting from scratch when it comes to stamina.I just get the feeling im maybe pushing myself to hard too soon?

What do you think guys n gals

Thanks

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I'd think that canal paths aren't a very good place to time yourself: they're simply not designed for speed, even when it's dry and wind-free. And if your bike is set up for riding on towpaths, it's never going to get up to the kind of speed you'd get with skinny slick tyres on the road.

Obviously, not knowing the path, it actually sounds like you're already riding at quite a brisk pace, what with all the uneven surfaces, puddles, mud, etc.

 

[justin33]

Your right,canal paths arnt very forgiving and after 15 miles it felt like my eyebas had been rattled out of their sockets lol.the path i rode today was awful even for walking let alone riding a bike,its all loose stones or thick mud and its only about 2 foot wide in places lol

I must admit the last 6 miles i did on road went extremely quickly and was deinftaly a more comfy ride.i clocked up 3 miles in 11 minutes on the road,is that good given i had already done 17 miles already?

Thanks

 

[Nearly there]

As long as your enjoying being back on a bike don't worry too much on speed and times as with practice these will get better and if you find riding on the road more comfortable try some slick tyres on your bike.

 

[justin33]

i was hoping to do some sort of even in the summer so was kind of using my rides as training session but your right,im getting to paranoid and forgetting to just enjoy the rides.

Im 33 not 23 as the misses keeps reminding me so its going to take some time lol

 

[Nearly there]

Im 33 not 23 as the misses keeps reminding me so its going to take some time lol

wish I was 33 again

 

[MrJamie]

The fact you can cycle 20 miles in itself means youre doing very well for your first couple of rides imho.

Times are hard enough to compare at the best of times, different terrain, weather, bodies, bikes etc, so i wouldnt worry about them at all, especially when youre trying to push yourself to ride a bit farther than youre comfortable with. If you want to monitor your speed, find a shorter route say 10 miles preferably not a towpath and cycle it fast once in a while.

Youll probably get some great improvement in the first few rides as your muscles get used to what youre asking of them

 

[justin33]

I think youve hit the nail right on the head Jamie.

On my first ride i expected to be able to do about 5-6 miles so clocking up 18 shocked me espcially with the terrible conditions.I never imagined for 1 minute that id be clocking up 20 miles so soon and i recon if i had just stuck to the road i would of done more,the only reason i stopped was because i ran out of time otherwise id still be riding now lol

i forgot to mention that im totaly unequiped for riding clothes wise,today i wore a t-shirt,polo shirt and a thick hoody and a pair of shorts under my baggy combats it was all to combat the wet,muddy puddles everywhere so as you can imagine i was sweating like a pig which slowed me down aswell.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Free your mind and your legs will follow!

By all means keep track of your progress, but don't forget that cycling is fun: you don't have to record and analyse every ride.

If you are looking to improve your fitness, another less rigid approach, is to increase the duration of your rides rather than the distance.

 

[tyred]

Get the miles in and you will get quicker, but if you really want speed as others have said, you need to be on a tarmac road.

The most important point is to enjoy yourself. Cycling should be a pleasure, not a chore and I've come to realise it's often more pleasant at a slower speed away from the main roads.