Seriously Unfit newbie to road Bikes

I am a 45 year old who has bought a carrera road bike as a start to getting fit. I currently smoke(which i am planning on stopping on Monday!!) and have the usual drink when i can. I am 5ft 8in and weigh 12st 12. i am looking at trying to get fit (and relieve huge amounts of stress in my day job - doctors orders).
I have been on the bike about eight times in the first four weeks of purchase which includes a level trail of about 10 miles. I have also bought a turbo trainer to ensure i can carry on training when the weather is poor.
The question is - when i am on the turbo trainer i can ride for up to 45 minutes at a high level of cadence 90 - 100 with no problem. When i go on the road i suffer big time especially when i encounter a hill!!!
Would it be worth concentrating on my overall fitness using the turbo trainer before i attempt riding on roads?
I have been on the bike about eight times in the first four weeks of purchase which includes a level trail of about 10 miles. I have also bought a turbo trainer to ensure i can carry on training when the weather is poor.
The question is - when i am on the turbo trainer i can ride for up to 45 minutes at a high level of cadence 90 - 100 with no problem. When i go on the road i suffer big time especially when i encounter a hill!!!
Would it be worth concentrating on my overall fitness using the turbo trainer before i attempt riding on roads?
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For me cycling is about being outdoors - can't stand turbo's but then I never liked gyms much either. Each to there own!!
Good luck and keep at it!
I made it about one quarter up the hill, being up in the pedals which wiped me out in a matter of minutes!!! Should i have tried to cycle up this hill in a different gear sitting down or what? It sort of demoralised me instantly that i could not get up this hill without giving up!!
You need to be able to replicate somehow that on the turbo, but generally creating a solid base level of fitness might take you well into the 2012 year.
Don't worry about hills at this stage, work at being able to stick at it on a bike.
If you panic and rush things you run the danger of giving the whole thing up.
As a smoker you have a double whammy that your CV system is effectively knackered, so allow another few months for that to gain some semblance of normality... if you continue to train.
Pacing is one of the things I find hardest with cycling and running. Too much too soon being the main problem. Definitely worth trying to start more slowly in a lower gear and staying in the saddle. The temptation is to really attack it from the start, which is fine if you can keep it up or know it gets flatter for a bit so you can catch your breath, but not so good if you're relatively unfit (as I am) and there are no breaks.
Personally, I tend can maintain a better speed sitting while climbing, but if I'm struggling or need to give it a bit extra then getting out of the saddle can help.
Most importantly, keep at it. You'll feel blummin' good when you get to the top. And you'll find pacing a lot easier once you've climbed it once. Being familiar with the terrain makes it a lot easier.
I will take your advice and get out on the road more as it is definetly more real compared to training on a turbo.
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You sound pretty motivated but it might help to set a target to aim at for 2012 so that you can keep going through the winter. Why not choose something an event such as the Etape du Tour and tell all your friends and family: that way the potential loss of face will force you to stick to the schedule
Intervals are indeed a good way to improve speed and power but you need a good base. For the OP at his stage the best course would be to work on base endurance through this winter and then start to add in interval work in the early spring.
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A more realistic target would be a simple club 10 in April 2012... turn up pays yer 2 quid and ride with a number on your back not your bike.
(are all new cyclists obsessed with sportives..?)
I am now 13 stone 9lbs and can cycle 60 miles although my raar end goes numb i can cycle evry hill I found in my area it all takes time keep increasing your distance odn't worrry if you have to walk up a hill it will come eventually. You don't say what gears you are running it may be a cassette change may help. By the way I am 56years old and I also cracked 20 miles in less then one hour recently.
The only downside for me was the weight gain I put on nearly 2 stone in the first 8-10 weeks hence why I bought a road bike but now I can happily do 40-50 miles rides and I get out on my bike as much as I can.
Good luck with it especially with the smoking its a beast to conquer but once you have done it you'll be amazingly happy with yourself. (Polo's helped me through it)
I was in your position a few years ago, last year I won a season long club TT competition and scored points in races.
I've since sacked the racing and am back to riding just for fun and fitness.
Have a look at the Turbo Training Beginners thread in the road beginners section for tips on turbo training.
ABCC Cycling Coach
Also make sure you use your gears!
When I started I had this idea that I should be in a high gear all the time - which was hard work. One of the biggest improvements I have made is changing down as things get slightly harder - like a small incline and maintaining my cadence. Try your hill at a steady pace in your lowest gear on your saddle - no need to stand up at this point.
Jay
this is true and there seems a be a mentality that you have to get upa hill in one go. Stopping and resting and getting your breath is all part of training too.
momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
I had a 20 yr gap from cycling and getting back into it 3 yrs ago I signed up for the London to Paris with AMR. It kept my focus on following a training plan to build up fitness, lose weight and develop the stamina to comfortably cycle 100 miles in a day. Lost 3 stone that first year and really got bitten by the cycling bug of my youth.
Worth looking into what options you may have for a target and then go for it.
Lots of great advice on here and for me the key thing is to stick with it. Hills never get any easier the fitter and stronger you get - you just get up them and a little quicker and easier than the time before. A local short but steep climb took me 7 weeks of Sunday rides on it before I finally reached the top in one go and no stops - a great feeling when I did it. Even now it still hurts going up it but I can do it without even thinking that I need to stop at any point up it or once at the top.
Stick at it and enjoy.
Kinesis Crosslight T4
Some people like to start a blog for that reason.
Good luck
2006 Lemond Alpe d'Huez broken
1997 Marin Sausaulito Urban bimbling/Shopper
1980s Orbea project
Hi Elbows, don't get hung up on cadence as a measure of fitness. It all depends what gear you're in and how much resistance is on the turbo. Without these two variables known, cadence is meaningless.
If you want take a scientific approach to your training, invest in a HR monitor and be prepared to do some testing to find your HR "zones". Get a book on cycling training. Perhaps something by Chris Carmichael.
It is too soon to get caught up in training techniques, heart rates and cadence. Just get used to the bike and getting as much exercise time in several sessions each week. You can vary the quality when you can cope with the quantity better.
Plan ahead and introduce variety.
Try to have set times when you will exercise and follow through on the commitment.
Plan your routes so you know the challenge that you face on each outing or turbo session.
Give road a higher priority - it is very easy to get off the turbo and have a cup of coffee but if you are 12 miles from home and feeling knackered you still have to cycle those 12 miles home.
Vary your route such that the killer hill doesn't happen at the same time during each ride. That way your body will more quickly adapt to climbing.
Maximise the time for mental training.
If you want to de-stress by exercise then practice emptying your mind of work related stuff and concentrating on your surrounding - particularly on a road ride.
Then, when you are up to it, use the time to think through what is causing the stress and think of ways to manage and avoid it. Just avoid using a HRM during these sessions as the figures will not be representative of the exercise effort. They will probbaly be higher as a result of thinking through work issues.
Enjoy.
PS And give up the fags.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunwich_Dynamo
I live in Cardiff, South Wales and am looking forward to the coming months trying to improve my fitness.
As stated in my original post, I am stopping smoking fron tomorrow but i am a little worrried that the weight might start piling on over the next few weeks / months.
When I started out I took a very simple approach to try and cover some distance without blowing up.
If I were starting out now, I would definitely get a simple bike computer with a heart rate monitor (unless you already have one for running or other activity). Try and set a limit within which you are comfortable and don't allow yourself to go much beyond it. That way you might find you can go further with what may feel like much less effort. Particularly useful on those deceptive stretches of road which look flat but grind the legs out of you.
The other thing I would strongly recommend is to find a pal to go out on the road with - someone of similar fitness levels as yourself. Can make the whole cycling thing much more enjoyable.
Best of luck.
Peter