Milestones achieved

fatbloke8

If anybody is in the least bit interested......

:idea: 5 weeks ago decided to stop smoking, stop eating crap, grow up and get fit

3 weeks ago purchase first ever road bike

Sunday just completed first ride of over 30 miles (33)

Today still off the fags.....

Next weekend looking to do at least 35 miles but want to complete 38

Week after want 40+ miles

Want to crack 50 miles by end of June and crack 75 by year end

Thanks for listening!

SpinningJenny

Good for you!

I did something similar last August, involving the gym. I got a proper trainer, worked hard and have become far fitter and stronger than I ever have been, at the age of 38

I'm now entering a 60 mile bike ride in June (for cheridee) and am addicted to this cycling lark!

Keep it up!

Shezzer

Fair play to you fella, well done.

You seem to have got up to decent mileage pretty quickly. Just make sure you don't do too much too soon though. Try and increase mileage by no more than 10% per week.

You'll be doing centuries in no time!

Keep it going and I hope you're enjoying it.

pete600

Nice one mate keep at it. You will soon racking up the miles. I started back in August 08 first time out managed 8 miles an it nearly killed me. Out most days now doing 25 miles with one or two 75 milers.

bobtbuilder

Congratulations! You've made some massive improvements. Hopefully you are now feeling the benefits as well.

Now that your rides are getting longer, don't forget to eat enough during your rides.

Keep up the good work, and soon you willhave to change your username to Thinbloke8

themightyw

Great work indeed! Did a similar thing myself - when MightySprog 2 came along a few months ago. Stopped smoking and decided to get on the saddle.

Some impressive distances you're doing so early!

1892

Well done keep it up

Anonymous

Fantastic stuff! I bet you could do 50 now if you took it nice and steady and made sure you kept stocked on water and food.

I've never smoked myself but know people who have. Apparently it does get very hard but every one of them says it was well worth it all!

Keep us updated with your progress.

Edit - take some before and after pics - I was gutted at my lack of pics from when I was 18 stone.

EdHarris

That's cracking news, I've always found it easier to get on on the bike (and sometimes more enjoyable too) when I've got targets and goals to reach.

Keep it up; it sounds like you've found an ideal hobby!

lfc_westy

thats a great attitude mate, if your focusing on pedaling and trying to beat goals you wont have the time to think about smokng. cycling is good for this and eat lots of fruit . now its summer british strawberries are out and they are goerjuss :P good luck and keep riding

Frank the tank

Well done on your achievements. The great thing about cycling is it gets "under your skin" and rather than just be a hobby/passtime it becomes a way of life.

You'll soon find yourself planning your domestic chores (gardening etc) around your riding and the diet and eating is all planned to your cycling. Obviously having a partner that understands is essential. You just have to point out all the possitives of the "new man" if she gives you any ear ache.

HonestAl

A great start, and once you get hooked you'll find, as I have, that you're not just cycling to help you lost weight, you'll want to lose weight to help you cycle.

Here's to the fatblokes of the world!!

fatbloke8

Thanks for all the words of encouragement much appreciated. At the moment I go out with the CTC, as they just go on and on 60-75+ miles each sunday with pace at about 12.5 up to 15-16 avg. This is great for endurance and I also enjoy that type of riding but I also want to vary the riding I do.
So was also thinking of a 10 mile TT at some point. This will give me an excellent bench mark of where I am now and also enable me to mark improvements as I go, however when do I know I am ready I am itching to have a go but I am worried about making myself look a plonker 1 because I have an extremely entry level bike and 2 what happens if it take me an hour !

Will also post this in amateur race.

Thanks

Shezzer

Personally, I'd give it a few more weeks before doing any time trials. You need to make sure you have a reasonable level of base fitness before introducing serious efforts like time trialling. There's a higher risk of getting injured if you dive straight in to the high-intensity stuff before your body is properly adapted to it.

You could start by gradually introducing efforts into your current rides ... say go hard for 2 minutes out of every 10, reverting to your normal steady pace for the rest of the time. Gradually change the ratio between efforts and steady so you progressively build up to holding an effort for an extended time. Once you're comfortable with that then start looking at TTs. I don't want to dent your enthusiasm but equally I don't want you to get injured and put off cycling.

There's nothing stopping you going along to watch a TT to see what the crack is. When you're ready to race then just go for it. It doesn't matter how fast you are or what bike you have ... the only person you're competing against is yourself.

If you're at all woried, you could maybe do a timed 10 miler yourself and then compare your time to those of the folks at the TT so you know where you are likely to come. Although, like I say, you're only racing against yourself.