Second Ride... Nearly Killed Me.
Nuggs
Posts: 1,804
I've been looking forward to this weekend's ride ever since my first ride last Sunday.
This morning, the sun was shining and the wind was blowing (a lot), so out I went.
The bike felt so much more comfortable second time around, and I felt far more confident with the handling, gears and pedals.
But by golly - the inclines that look like molehills in the car felt like mountains to me on my bike. By the end of the first long climb, my legs were screaming for more gears and my burning lungs were gasping for air. Half way around, after a couple of short sharp climbs, I thought I was going to puke. My head was spinning and I had to seek the refuge of a bench for five minutes.
I was absolutely gone by the time I got home. I haven't felt like that since my last PE cross-country run... 16 years ago!! This is the first real exercise I've done in a year, having buggered my back last March, so I expected it to be hard. Just not that hard!
However, after a stretch, shower and a flapjack, I felt something I've not felt in a long time - pride at having pushed myself physically. The endorphin tap had certainly been turned on!
So next weekend it won't be such a long one, I need to build up my fitness and strength before I do that again. However, today's route will serve as a great yardstick. If I can do it in a month or so's time without feeling like I'm about to die - it would be a great result!
Kudos to all of you guys who have been through all this in order to munch the miles you do today. I have a new-found appreciation of your art (and fitness)!
This morning, the sun was shining and the wind was blowing (a lot), so out I went.
The bike felt so much more comfortable second time around, and I felt far more confident with the handling, gears and pedals.
But by golly - the inclines that look like molehills in the car felt like mountains to me on my bike. By the end of the first long climb, my legs were screaming for more gears and my burning lungs were gasping for air. Half way around, after a couple of short sharp climbs, I thought I was going to puke. My head was spinning and I had to seek the refuge of a bench for five minutes.
I was absolutely gone by the time I got home. I haven't felt like that since my last PE cross-country run... 16 years ago!! This is the first real exercise I've done in a year, having buggered my back last March, so I expected it to be hard. Just not that hard!
However, after a stretch, shower and a flapjack, I felt something I've not felt in a long time - pride at having pushed myself physically. The endorphin tap had certainly been turned on!
So next weekend it won't be such a long one, I need to build up my fitness and strength before I do that again. However, today's route will serve as a great yardstick. If I can do it in a month or so's time without feeling like I'm about to die - it would be a great result!
Kudos to all of you guys who have been through all this in order to munch the miles you do today. I have a new-found appreciation of your art (and fitness)!
0
Comments
-
Hehe ... well done for finishing Nuggs
The wind is a real S.O.B and transforms rides you can normally do without too much difficulty into absolute killers
(I did my normal 40 mile loop yesterday and on parts of it the wind almost reduced a grown man to tears ... but boy is it satisfying afterwards 8) )
Stick at it ... it does get easier, although never easy as if you're like most of us you'll keep pushing yourself harder as you get fitter
It's great to be .....0 -
I did 42 miles the other day
but my average speed was under 14mph :oops:
wind was gusting up to 35mph - really makes it hard work at times :evil:We are born with the dead:
See, they return, and bring us with them.0 -
Yep I know exactly where your coming from, stick at it and you'll find the fitness and speed comes quicker than you think!
I started cycling last June to loose weight and I think from memory was doing about 15mph average over 14 miles at first and like you was feeling sick and dizzy. I keeped up training 3-4 times a week and within two months was up to 16 mph average over 33 miles. I have been on the turbo trainer throughout the winter 3-4 times a week without fail and been out at weekends either on the road or on the mountain bike depending on the weather. All that training has paid off as I have now lost 4 stone and last weekend managed 18.31 mph average over 50.45 miles in strong winds and a hilly course.
So keep it up and you'll find it becomes very satisfying being able to climb hills and travel longer distances without being out of breath and being at max HR.0 -
Well done for sticking with it; it'll pay dividends in a couple of months when the wind dies down and it's 5-10 degrees warmer, the flowers are out, the trees are green and the summer is just around the corner
There IS nothing better than a few hours out in the lanes on a sunny weekend morning, so best of luck.
Some of these thoughts were running through my head yesterday morning as I was riding westwards on the flat as hard as I could at 13mph 0 -
Lol Nuggs I know that feeling
I've only recently bought a GT hybrid bike with a view to getting fit. On my first ride a few weeks ago I only did 25 min and approx 4 miles but was I knackered after, getting off the bike my legs nearly collapsed they were like jelly :shock: but didn't it feel really good when I got some strength back that pumped up feeling is so nice. Over the last few weeks I've built up my time to about an hour every other day but the hills and the WIND kills me....
I'm looking forward to building up some strength and stamina over the coming summer, it's a horrible feeling to be unfit.
Oh this is my first post, so I should really introduce myself. I've been lurking here for a while reading and learning. I'm a 45 year old 5'10 12 stone bloke looking to get fit again through riding but my slight hindrance that's making things interesting is working through a kidney transplant that I had nearly 3 years ago and the associated suppressed immune system .
Mark0
