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Getting started....again

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liquor box

Greg Davis (50)
So I decided this was the week to get back on my bike, in 2012 I was riding about 200km a week and had gotten to 69kg (should aim for about 72-75kg).

Needless to say I started a new job that did not give me time to ride as much and then I had my first child, well my wife did but I like to be with her as much as possible.

I started drinking beer again and basically put off getting fit again until tomorrow, then the next day and on and on the promises to myself went.

Well until this week anyway!


I was 94.1kg a week ago and have started with a hilly 19km circuit that I have now completed twice (on a rainy day I swam for an hour). I have take a leisurely 51 minutes to complete this 19km that takes in a decent sharp climb.

I am stunned firstly at how much fitness I have lost, I knew I had lost a lot of fitness but I am quite ashamed. In 2012 I had been 110kg at one stage so I am not at my worst but feel really unfit.

I am able to get up the hills but now realise how bad my power to weight ratio is and hope that this will improve rapidly. At least I am now getting the endorphins at the end of my ride and feel awesome so this is a good motivation.

One thing I did not remember from my last time cycling is how uncomfortable my seat is, I guess my Butt will get used to it, hopefully sooner rather than later.


Has anyone got back on their bike after a long period off it, have you got any advice?
 

Pfitzy

George Gregan (70)
Advice?

Ride that muthafucka like its a younger Beyonce. Only way you're going to get the legs back is to use them.

BUT you need to keep in mind at this stage you don't have road fitness, so you need recovery time. Ride only every third day for the first two weeks, then every second day if you can manage it.

Try a different seat if you think its going to make a difference. My experience having been a long term re-biker is that you'll get used to it.

The best way to improve that power/weight ratio though is to lose weight while increasing power :) Keep in mind as you tone up your muscle mass will increase, so that will offset any fat losses.

Drop the beer and sugar for a couple of weeks to get going.
 

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
And try rides that go at least 90 mins or more. You'll burn more weight, short rides basically use your glycogen stores, past an hour your body starts tapping the fat more. Hills are essential for getting fitter. If flatter rides, you need intervals to do it. Every 2-3 days is good advice. I've been doing sneaky hills to finish my rides and the fitness gains are appreciable.
Good luck!
 

redstragic

Alan Cameron (40)
Getting back on the bike after 2 months off with Chrissy and an ankle injury has been really tough. It is a struggle. I don't get a chance to do longer rides very often. Just the 13 k's to work and 13 home a couple of days a week. Lot of hills though that I force myself to work hard on.

There is that great saying about cycling. It never gets easier, I just go faster.
 

liquor box

Greg Davis (50)
Thanks for the advice, I will stick with my seat as I know in a couple of weekes I will be used to it.

At the moment my plan is to ride every second day with a swimming session on the off day to recover but keep active. I have always found swimming the best way to lose weight. I am not an efficient swimmer so it is like a resistance session for me.

I will look at getting to 90 minutes asap, this can be fit into my schedule pretty well and it sounds like getting past one hour is important.
 

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Hey Liquor box - keep me/us updated: I swear that this week I get back on the bike and I'd like to see how you go and how you go about it.
Keep it up.
 

liquor box

Greg Davis (50)
I have started riding a bit further and today hit the 30km mark for the first time. 1hr 12mins.

I decided to ride closer to home and rode out the Centenary Highway from Springfield Lakes towards Yamanto and back. This is where I used to do virtually all of my cycling as I have a pretty good 30km and 40km spot to turn around depending how much time I have to spare.

It is a bit lumpier too, vertical gain of just a fraction over 500m for the ride compared to last week gaining 125m over a 26km ride.

The great thing is I am getting the rush from exercise again, I think from memory this is endorphins?

I actually felt pretty good this morning and need to restrain myself from pushing too hard too early and going for the 40km ride. I will try to wait a few weeks for that next goal.

Weight loss has slowed but is still going in right direction so that is going to help with the hills too.

I even found time to service my bike during the last week too, at least I got to use all my tools again and the bike is running sweet again.
 

chasmac

Dave Cowper (27)
How is it going now Mr Box ?
I'm in a group going to do a ride at Narrabri this weekend.
killarneybikeclassic.com.au
Finding a group and targetting some rides like this one keeps the focus and the motivation when the mornings start getting cold.
 

redstragic

Alan Cameron (40)
How is it going now Mr Box ?
I'm in a group going to do a ride at Narrabri this weekend.
killarneybikeclassic.com.au
Finding a group and targetting some rides like this one keeps the focus and the motivation when the mornings start getting cold.

I'm a lazy soft bastard. I like my lie ins too much. I generally end riding by myself :(
 

Wheatman

Chris McKivat (8)
I did at least half of the ride on Sunday by myself. Hills are only good for descending.
At least you have those. Flat as a board here. Just starting to try to get fit again myself, hopped on the bike, on the windtrainer, for a little time to get used to it today.

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk
 

chasmac

Dave Cowper (27)
Hills are your ally. Learn to love them. The dividends are huge.


I'm like Wheatman, grew up in the flat country where the biggest hill was a dam bank.
I'm sure if you can become a good climber then you get to gap the field in any sort of group ride, I see it - from the back - nearly every time I ride in a pack!!
 

redstragic

Alan Cameron (40)
I live in a lumpy part of Brisbane - aka most of it. Many a morning that wish I had some flats to warm up on. I like settling into a cadence and just zoning out and enjoying the ride.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
Anybody have any recommendations of regions to ride for a Woollongabba resident?
 

Tex

John Thornett (49)
I bought a new bike for Christmas and went through the same thing. While I was never an elite cyclist, I did enjoy riding hard and pushing myself.

The trick for me was to extend the ride to work every day. As the crow flies it's a 5km ride, but with a little loop around the Yarra and over the Kew Boulevard that gets stretched out to about 22km, minus any shortcuts.

After Christmas I tipped 94kg (that's a PB) and at Easter (the first hurdle in the year) I'd dropped down to about 86.

So yeah, just keep plugging away at the kilometres and build the base. Hills are good too. Easiest way to make the ride hard without committing too many hours away from your family.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
I used to mountain bike a fair bit but after moving to Sydney I've completely given that up... So I'm looking at getting a road bike, does anyone have any recommendations on what I should be looking for and know any good shops in the Eastern Suburbs/Inner City?

A cyclist friend of mine thinks I would regret it if i spent under $2,000, which would be in line with the mountain bikes I've bought.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

redstragic

Alan Cameron (40)
I used to mountain bike a fair bit but after moving to Sydney I've completely given that up. So I'm looking at getting a road bike, does anyone have any recommendations on what I should be looking for and know any good shops in the Eastern Suburbs/Inner City?

A cyclist friend of mine thinks I would regret it if i spent under $2,000, which would be in line with the mountain bikes I've bought.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Was it Pfitzy who said to buy the bike you can't stop thinking about somewhere around here? You looking at much bike porn at the moment? I ride a Merida and love it. You get a lot of bike for the price. For 2k your getting some Ultegra components.
 

Sully

Tim Horan (67)
Staff member
I've always thought the price of the bike makes absolutely no difference to amount of exercise you get cycling. The lighter the bike the lass exercise you get.

As long as you can keep up with your mates it's all good.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
I've always thought the price of the bike makes absolutely no difference to amount of exercise you get cycling. The lighter the bike the lass exercise you get.

As long as you can keep up with your mates it's all good.

Yeah, if I were planning on riding by myself then it would be largely irrelevant, but the plan is to ride with friends who are all pretty serious cyclists.


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