Am I super unfit?

nickempop
nickempop Posts: 73
edited July 2009 in Road beginners
Hi all,
finally manage to get out on my new Giant Defy 2.5 and did 6 miles and 90% of it was all up hill. My average speed was only 10.5mph and cadence between 68 + 90 and overall it took me 35mins to complete the distance. I must admit I did have to stop a couple of times due to VERY STEEP/LONG hills destroying me and having to adjust my under-crackers a few times!! :oops:

Don't get me wrong I loved every minute of it once i'd got into the swing of things but got abit disheartened when i looked at my overall results.

Am I really unfit or this ok for a beginner? :(

Also the outer part of my feet were abit painful during the ride - is this due to wrong cleat positioning?? Or do I just need to buy new feet :lol:

Comments

  • Rich Hcp
    Rich Hcp Posts: 1,355
    edited July 2009
    The worst thing when you first start is to compare average speeds and cadance

    That's your starting point, the goal is to stop less and then not at all

    The average speed will build

    I couldn't care less about cadence, I do what is comfortable for me

    10.5 is not bad for up hill, but 35 minutes is a little short, 50 minutes is the minimum I do, otherwise I find I'm not warmed up

    I'd aim for flatish routes if you can to start off with

    It'll come together quicker than you think
    Richard

    Giving it Large
  • Dont worry about average speeds etc just concentrate on enjoying it, if you do that right the speed and distances will surely follow.

    If you did what 90% of the people on here do and ditch the undercrackers thats 2 or 3 minutes saved already.
  • AGNI
    AGNI Posts: 140
    Could you change to a more flattish route until you have built up your fitness?

    My first routes were flattish 6-7 miles when I first started in march. Didn't present too much of a problem until I started on more hilly routes. That knocked my confidence a bit.

    Just a few weeks back I was able to do 82 miles through Wales with a lot of hilly roads, without too much difficulty and a fairly decent time.

    What I am saying is dont pay too much attention to todays performance today. In a months time, look back at your performance compared to what you can do then. You will quickly see the improvements.

    For starting out, IMO, I would just try and get as much time in the saddle as you can and do a decent long ride on a weekend. Avoid the hills at first as they tend to knock it out of you. Allow legs to recover between rides. And mostly....enjoy it.

    You will be surprised how quickly you will come on :D
    Still suffering with wind
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    nickempop wrote:
    Hi all,
    finally manage to get out on my new Giant Defy 2.5 and did 6 miles and 90% of it was all up hill. My average speed was only 10.5mph and cadence between 68 + 90 and overall it took me 35mins to complete the distance. I must admit I did have to stop a couple of times due to VERY STEEP/LONG hills destroying me and having to adjust my under-crackers a few times!! :oops:

    Don't get me wrong I loved every minute of it once i'd got into the swing of things but got abit disheartened when i looked at my overall results.

    Am I really unfit or this ok for a beginner? :(

    Also the outer part of my feet were abit painful during the ride - is this due to wrong cleat positioning?? Or do I just need to buy new feet :lol:

    You've got off your ar5e and got on your bike.

    You're already winning...
  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    I would agree with the suggestion to pick flattish routes when you're beginning - there's nothing like cruising along feeling like you're a 'real cyclist' with the wind whistling through your helmet, as opposed to grinding up some hill feeling like a complete beginner :wink: .

    3 months since starting training my average mph for my flattish route has increased by about 3mph - by just getting out there. What I mean is the increased speed has come naturally as I've ridden more. I do include hills on my longer weekend rides but don't bomb up them by getting out of the saddle - just getting to the top is enough at the moment. At some point, when my base fitness is good enough I will start including interval training and putting efforts in on the hills but at the moment just getting out there and riding is seeing good results.

    Please report back in 2 months - love to hear your results. :lol:
  • nickempop
    nickempop Posts: 73
    Thankyou all,

    Thought i'd over done it abit for my first ride but I enjoyed it :)

    Think i'll take your advice AMcD and keep it flatish for now, only really did a hilly route as there isn't any traffic on the route as its country lanes but i'd rather get my fitness up first instead of slogging up hill everyday!

    And has anyone any idea with regards to the painful outer feet? Cleat Adjustment? Am i correct?
  • AGNI
    AGNI Posts: 140
    Have you tried loosening the laces/straps on the shoes?

    I had a similar problem when I used to use the cross trainer in gym.
    Still suffering with wind
  • Fletten
    Fletten Posts: 2
    I had been struggling to regain fitness after very bad chest infection over the winter, then at the end of January I had a bad dismount and twisted my ankle at my first attempt to get fit after Christmas. :( At first I could not even walk, after an x-ray and treatment I was referred to a Physiotherapist which I had to wait 6 weeks for, anyway I have now been back on my bike since the beginning June and doing about 7-11 miles a day varying flat and a couple of hills.
    No problems with my ankle in fact no problems at all while cycling but next day my legs feel fatigued and I wake up with right hip pain, it takes about an hour stretching and a short session on my exercise bike to get me mobile, yet strangely I don’t get any hip pain while riding or walking!

    I am retired any generally fit.
    Am I doing anything wrong or not enough :?:

    Each day still can’t wait to get out and ride :D
  • NoNotAgain
    NoNotAgain Posts: 91
    nickempop wrote:
    And has anyone any idea with regards to the painful outer feet? Cleat Adjustment? Am i correct?
    Cleat and saddle adjustments come to mind.
    I'd go with the cleats first.
    Make sure the cleat is directly one the pad of your foot. When in doubt,adjust it a few more mm towards your heel and a few mm towards the painful area. And make sure your saddle is completely in line with the upper tube. Again, when in doubt move the nose slightly towards the side you're experiencing pain.
    If that doesn't help, move the saddle down a tiny bit.
    And if that doesn't help either, consult a physician.
    1,000km+ a month, strictly road.
  • NoNotAgain
    NoNotAgain Posts: 91
    To answer the initial question: Yes, you are! So much for the bad news.
    The good news is that we all were when we started.
    When I first sat on my roadbike, 40 km with an average of 22 kph almost killed me.
    Today in a TT, I go 37 kilometers an hour without ever pushing it, 40 if I want to.

    Save the climbs for later, mate. Really. They are mean and they are trying to break you. Mentally an physically.
    Once you developed some basic endurance and your cycling-relevant muscles are stronger, spin up a long and steady climb. This should remind you to train even harder then. :)
    1,000km+ a month, strictly road.
  • Grazy81
    Grazy81 Posts: 196
    NoNotAgain wrote:
    Save the climbs for later, mate. Really. They are mean and they are trying to break you. Mentally an physically.
    Once you developed some basic endurance and your cycling-relevant muscles are stronger, spin up a long and steady climb. This should remind you to train even harder then. :)


    Thats an interesting one, what kind of level would you say to be at before you start concentrating on hills then?
  • rokkala
    rokkala Posts: 649
    nickempop wrote:
    Thankyou all,

    Thought i'd over done it abit for my first ride but I enjoyed it :)

    Think i'll take your advice AMcD and keep it flatish for now, only really did a hilly route as there isn't any traffic on the route as its country lanes but i'd rather get my fitness up first instead of slogging up hill everyday!

    And has anyone any idea with regards to the painful outer feet? Cleat Adjustment? Am i correct?

    Someone already mentioned cleat adjustment, but also make sure you don't put the straps too tight at start of the ride, as your feet tend to swell slightly once ur out, so if u have them tight to start with they will push into outside of your feet and make it very uncomfortable. I've got 3 straps on my shoes and the first 2 i pretty much just close over, top one is only one that gets proper tightened.
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    edited July 2009
    nickempop wrote:
    Am I really unfit or this ok for a beginner?

    Perfectly ok for a new rider - with 6-9 months regular riding you might be doing 14-16 mph avg's over 20-30 miles. Just ride 2 or 3 times a week and keep at it.
  • NoNotAgain
    NoNotAgain Posts: 91
    Grazy81 wrote:
    Thats an interesting one, what kind of level would you say to be at before you start concentrating on hills then?

    Well, I believe in challenges.
    When I started riding, I pretty quickly became really good in the flat.
    In TTs, an average of 37 km over an hour is no problem for me, 40 is possible as well.
    That doesn't make me a Cancellara but regarding the fact that I started cycling again only a year ago, I am really happy with that.
    That's when I started training hills. And we really have some here in the region around Vienna. Half an hour from my house I already find 600 Hms with an average of 6%, max 11%. In late 2010 I will do the Grossglockner and probably regret it.
    profil_gross_de.jpg
    1,000km+ a month, strictly road.
  • Essex Man
    Essex Man Posts: 283
    wrt outside foot pain, I have had the same and adjusted the cleats so the shoes were further away from the bike (so cleats nearer the bike), plus looser straps on the shoes.

    wrt times and fitness, I think the previous advice you were given to treat this as a baseline is spot on, and you should just compare yourself against yourself to begin with.



















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  • nickempop
    nickempop Posts: 73
    Thanks again for all your positive advice.

    Mettan thanks for your post as it really answered my next question about how often i should go out, so i think i will go out every other day for a few months and a slightly longer trip out on a Sunday - all on the flat (ish) :)

    I'm now abit confused about the foot pain answers as one post says move the cleat so the shoes is further away from the bike and another that say move the cleat so the shoe is closer.......................... :?

    Any ideas which is right or do i just try both :D