how to start

hixy
hixy Posts: 6
edited April 2011 in Commuting general
Hello Folks.I use to cycle to work (18 mile round trip) and used to love it.I lost loads of weight and felt well.I want to start again.I have bought a bike but i am worried about jumping straight in as i am now very over weight and not fit at all.What would be the best way of getting back into it.

Kind regards mick

Comments

  • DaveHudson
    DaveHudson Posts: 290
    Hi,

    My starting point would be to use a day off to do that commute and see how you feel about it. You may well find it easier than you think and the benefit of trying it on a day off is you have no time constraints.

    If you find it impossible, take a drive down the route and look for a suitable location half way along to park the car for the day. Then commute for half the distance for a couple of weeks until you feel it becoming easier.

    Then when you are up to full distance, Do it one or two days a week for the first few weeks, then adding more days as you feel it getting easier.

    I basically used this plan last year and it worked nicely, Within the month of starting I was riding the 15 mile round trip on a daily basis. This year I had a 4 month break over the winter (just being lazy :lol: ) and jumped straight back in at 15 miles. A couple of months on and I'm starting to plan new, longer routes to work to get more saddle time.

    Take it at your own pace and don't ever feel like you can't have a day off. It's not worth cycling if you are shattered or ill, sadly I can't take my own advice on that one and cycle every day it's dry. I hate getting to work wet so if it's raining I take the car, Don't mind a bit of drizzle though.

    Good luck and keep us informed on how you get on.
    2011 Cannondale Flash F1
  • laughingboy
    laughingboy Posts: 248
    My advice? Just start.

    You will find that it is nothing more than cycling to work. A nine mile cycle at a relaxed pace doesn't demand any great fitness levels, but it will do wonders for how good you feel about yourself and your life.

    Enjoy it.
  • hixy
    hixy Posts: 6
    Thank you both for replys :D
  • phillipjohnson
    phillipjohnson Posts: 117
    If the full journey seems like it might be a bit daunting then go part of the way and go home and build up on that... So maybe do 3 miles then go back home and the next time do 5 miles and go back home etc.

    Remember, once you are doing half the journey in, so for you say 4.5 miles, then going home then that would be your full journey one way.... It will be more tiring going in 9 miles and turning around and going home 9 miles straight away than it is to go in on the morning then get a breather from cycling all day then do the 9 miles back on the night.

    Good luck with it, if you did it before I'm sure it won't take you long to get back in the swing of it.

Categories