My first year Mileage!

mallorcajeff

Having bought a mountain bike last August to start to get fit Im now 11 months in got 27 days to go and I will have been cycling here in mallorca for one year. Uploaded my Garmin files tonight and seen my total mileage for my first 11 months is 6693 miles cant help feeling a bit chuffed with that. Ive had a month off with holidays and stuff but get out all the time I can and already on bike number 4. Anybody that says cycling dont make you fit isnt trying hard enough 2 years ago i was 25.3 stone on scales last night 15.11 not started with a 15 since senior school and im 35 now! well chuffed. When the year is up I hopefully will be close to 8000 miles as I have a week off work so will be out every day but today it was 92 degrees so thats hampering efforts somewhat. Anyway dont know anybody else who cycles (believe it or not) so thought I would post here! cheers for all the advise over the last 11 months! 8)

sloppyschleckonds

Well done, certainly are some decent climbs in Majorca.

Omar Little

well done

roypsb

Crikey! Well done sir.

Fenred

Good job! You'll smash the 8K I'm sure!!

Daddy2Coull

bloody hell, well done. gives me inspiration

FCE2007

Good lad. I'm proud of you.

andrewlwood

Fantastic! I've a little less to lose than you did, but you're an inspiration. Well done mate, keep it up!

Peddle Up!

Top banana!

From a somewhat middle ranking banana.

Secteur

WELL DONE!!!!

I wished so dearly that I had the time to cycle more - I'm lucky if I get a quick hour here or there these days :-(

Zoomer37

Well done dude, keep it up

Thelittlesthobo

Wow, nearly 1000kms per month from a standing start. Thats amazing. Coming from someone who is trying to get into the sport i cant get anywhere near that. Most i have done is 750kms in a month.

A) How do you find the time
b) Do you have any recovery days
c) How has your speed improved
d) How has your strength improved
e) Any injuries from such high figures.

The questions are interesting to me because, yes i know other cyclists will do similar figures, but for someone who hasnt got a history of doing it, that must put some load on his body.

Again, well done

martincashman

That is amazing, I've done just over 8,400km with 2 days to go to complete my first full year... thought I was doing well, although I imagine you've had 1 or 2 more sunny days than here in Ireland. I only got 6 rides in between start of Nov & start of Feb due to bad weather and a month in Australia.

To answer Thelittlesthobo from my own shorter distance perspective.
A) Shift work, 4 days a week off - No wife and kids.
Yes, but often those are work days.
C) eg. 1st solo 100km ride was 27kph ave. Same circuit recently 32.5kph ave.
D) A lot stronger, climb harder, faster etc.
E) No injuries but learned alot about muscle soreness, how to treat/prevent and a lot of bonking on the way to better nutritional understanding. I've had sore knees/ankles/back/neck etc but cured them through fettling with bike position.

Started with 250km a month and worked up to 1500km last month.... lots of bad weather endurance to get there.... had a v bad June, 700km and very dispirited with Weather but bounced back and realised there can't be a summer as bad as this for another 50 years so if I can get through this It'll be better next year.

mallorcajeff, fantastic achievement, I just turned 33 myself... sorry I didn't get a bike 20 years ago.

MountainMonster

Glad to hear you have been having fun with your bike, losing weight, and getting the miles in!

I'm coming up on 6kkm within the past 6 months, and it's a great feeling.

mallorcajeff

Thanks for the comments guys yes feeling good about it all never been able to get into anything before and have tried many things but cycling I just seem to be good at it no idea why as my life has never been that active i have always sailed and golf but nothing more.

Got it a nice 98 miles today but here was 92 today and sun was very strong but all good. In answer to the questions answered :

) How do you find the time
I work 5 days a week in a private estate here and I work from 8 till 5 i cycle home 3-4 days a week (but take bike in car in the morning as dont have time in the morning dog walk etc so only ride home) Home ride is only 14 miles but ended up adding a bit and then a bit and now summer is here I get out after work for 2 hours but usually home by 7.30pm as the Mrs will get the hump if im out even longer but I usually get in 35-40 miles after work depending on route. I have to walk to dog 3 miles in the evening with the Mrs. I get sat and sun free. I go out one of those days as the wife works either sat or sunday so i go out at 7.30 ish then get home about 4-5pm havign done 80-126 miles


b) Do you have any recovery days
c) How has your speed improved
d) How has your strength improved
e) Any injuries from such high figures.

mallorcajeff

126 miles was my longest ride a few weeks back.

b) Do you have any recovery days
Yes I have at least one day a week off and i have had 2 holidays this year of two weeks away from the bike but im on holiday in two weeks in menorca and taking the bike with me. But i do take a day off a week and dont ride home every night

c) How has your speed improved
Speed has moved on dratically top speed so far 62 mph but this was coming down the 8 mile descent into soller dropping down from 3500 ft

d) How has your strength improved
Strength has improved vastly not got a "physique" as such but dramtically improved was a 44 waist now a 36 only draw back is spent a fortune on clothes most not even worn. Legs to be honest have slimmed down and have got huge in muscle size which I thought would never happen to me but I noticed today when the sun was behind me i could see my muscles in siloute as i was riding and thought hey up must be some improvemtn there.

mallorcajeff

e) Any injuries from such high figures.
No injuries what so ever never had a bike fit just read some bits on the net and trial and error and have now found a comfortable position and no injuries so meaybe lucky not sure. i do waork hard on the bike and push hard (probably too hard at times) but I try to put in the cuircuit ive made up in the mountains at least once a week and that helps but no injuries up there either.

No willy waving intended just putting up my experiences so far as a fat bloke I know how hard it can be and seems to some things will never improve and if i could convince my dad to do soemthign about his weight I would be a very happy man. Im just sharing my experiences of the first year on the bike and the gains and fun that can be acheived. i think the bike helps too I bought a wilier in carbon Lampre coulours then bought cosmic carbones for it and half of it was for pose value I will be honest but here in mallorca everyone seems to eran about 8k a year but ridea a 5k bike? no idea how it works but to ride round here on something a bit basic wouldnt do it for me so i thoguht I will buy soemthing nice and it helped me to find time to ride more and enjoy it more.I have uploaded all my rides to the garmin site but dont seem to be able to make them public? if anyone was interested. thanks all

RDB66

Jeff, thats a great read mate. Fair play to ya.
Keep up the good work and ride safe.

Rich.