Very New

Shelley0904
Shelley0904 Posts: 3
edited April 2014 in Family & kids cycling forum
Hi,

I'm really new to cycling I have a really rubbish bike but I'm getting my new one in a few days a Boardman MX. I have started to cycle a mile to work but in 4 weeks I am going on a forest holiday and taking my bike. Does anyone have any tips on getting my fitness levels up as hills are literally killing me!!!!

Thanks :)

Comments

  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,706
    Practice. That's all.

    It will take more than 4 weeks for a significant improvement in fitness but the more you do the better you will get, I promise.

    Hope you enjoy your holiday.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • baudman
    baudman Posts: 757
    Yep... ride.

    And in a few weeks, what seemed like hills will seem like slopes.
    Commute - MASI Souville3 | Road/CX - MASI Speciale CX | Family - 80s ugly | Utility - Cargobike
  • sabretalon
    sabretalon Posts: 24
    My fitness is pants! I bought my bike to help me out as well. Having really bad hayfever does not help especially when at this time of year it builds on my chest and I struggle to breathe. Yet, I have put a plan of action together for tackling the fitness.

    I have different rides to help. On one it is more about covering distance, another it has hills and yet another that is hilly but over a longer distance (long steepish hills). On purpose when I know I am approaching an uphill, I slow down! This then forces me to work harder at getting up the hill, which I do slowly and sitting down. The longer rides I take at a leisurely pace and then every 20 mins or so I do a quick sprint. I found this to work best for me at the moment. Varied rides keeps it all interesting.

    I also have the computer on so I know how far I have covered etc... It is a great motivator to push you (if you are on your own) to beat your last time etc...

    One thing to watch is fluid intake. On a short 5 mile trip I was drinking a litre of water! Not too good as it would make me feel worse after some exertion.

    Keep riding, not only to sort out the fitness but to let your butt get used to the saddle!
  • Shelley0904
    Shelley0904 Posts: 3
    Thanks so much for the replies I will be going out later today and this has given me agood push to really give it 100%. I dont ride all the way to work (18 miles) so I will start parking more than a mile away. Thanks!!
  • andrewc3142
    andrewc3142 Posts: 906
    That's a long way to commute. Mine's similar at 50 km each way. I know some who do this every day, but I couldn't.

    However, you can use it to your advantage. With some perseverance a target of, say, one way 3 times a week and perhaps both ways on Friday is realistic. Depends on how forgiving your train company is about taking bikes, whether you can leave it at work, etc, etc.

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