5th March 2013
Today was the first time out on my shiny new bike. Well, it went better than I thought it would, no broken bones, no smashed up knees and certainly no surgical scrub. I’d better explain, short version; came off Vespa a few years ago, landed on knees, 12 injections of anaesthetic to my knees later, the nurse could finally start scrubbing out the dirt. It was not a pretty sight.
How did the ride go, well I have to be honest, I did scream once or twice, I definitely swore a lot and found my faith in the lord (well there was lots of praying). Riding a road bike is very different than the old mountain bike and spinning machine. I can’t explain how it’s different, I wouldn’t say its smoother, as my Mark puts it but it’s different. Today I felt every bump, lump and wielded piece of cow poo that I road over (I was too scared to attempt the standing up thing). However I was impressed with my efforts over the small railway hills, once upon a time id have had to change gears, this time I just powered on through!! The spinning lessons have paid off, yippee.
It was a nice sunny day, I wrapped up warm but my hands, they did a start to sweat. Talking about hands, it would appear that my miniature delicate hands, struggle with the whole pulling back on the brakes; yes this does pose a problem. I am most likely going to end up having a surgical scrub!! I’m informed it will get easier and to help the process I will be spending a lot of time sat on the turbo trainer, hardening my butt cheeks and toughing up my small child like hands.
So on the whole not a bad start to my training, I didn’t fall off and I’m not as unfit as I thought I was. Now all I need to do is learn how to sit on the bike and ride up mountains, not a problem, I’m not worried at all!!!(Who am I trying to convince?? :-P) Oh I burned 304 calories for about 40mins, not bad considering I wasn’t really trying, maybe there is something to this biking malarkeyJ
6th March 2013
So, I had a bit of a delay to my day today and by the time I’d finished meetings and errands, I had little inclination to air the bike. So I got my beloved to attach my new friend to the turbo trainer instead; I should have gone out on the bike!!! Firstly I must explain that I set myself the target of staying in the saddle for at least 1 hour(obviously I set this target before I sat on the seat). So cycle shorts on, MP3 player at the ready, lower myself onto the saddle, ooooh that hurts, an hour I said, me thinks more like 10 minutes.
So I start peddling, under the watchful eye of my nearest and dearest. “You’re not peddling right” ???? “What do you mean; I’m turning my legs around!!” It would appear that I do not cycle in a circle motion, I cycle separately. I should be trying to scrape the floor but not to worry it will come with practice, now I’m worried, I haven’t been riding my bike right right for the last 28 years!!
It’s been 20 minutes and the sweat is pouring, I am surprised, I didn’t expect this amount of perspiration and a certainly didn’t think the old legs would be aching, I do back to back spinning classes for goodness sakes. 40 minutes and the seat is unbearable but I keep chanting, “only 20 minutes to go”. It’s around this time that I start to feel a drop in energy, a slightly giddy feeling, this must mean that I should be topping up with a bit of sugar after 40 minutes of solid riding, bring on the jelly babies J
I make it to 1hour and 3 minutes before I really cannot take any more pain. I’m shaky and need assistance to hoik my leg over the saddle as A) I get cramp and B) my legs have turned to jelly, but I did it, 1 whole hour in the saddle. Let’s see if I can make it to 1 ½ hours on Friday??
To sum up my first turbo experience – surprisingly hard. Burned 412 calories today.
9th March 2013
This morning I just about made it to my Saturday spinning class. I thought I would have recovered after 2 days but it would appear not. Sat on the seat, oh yeah that’s still sore, lean forward, hands on bars, erm why are my thumb pads hurting? Why have I not yet recovered, I am going to make it over the mountains? Worry, stress worry!!!
I had all intentions to go out on the bike today, especially after failing to jump on the trainer last night (in my defence I had just done a long stint at work). Unfortunately, I was having a bad day and felt really tired, so abstained from joining Mark and decided that after a little nap I’d carefully jump on the turbo trainer. But before that I tried on my brand new bib shorts and I have to say this pair ticked the box, they feel nice, fit well, pad is thick and most importantly they are quite slimming, perfect.( I realise I have yet to ride in them but let’s get the priorities right!)
Donning the new shorts, I mount my new friend and it’s not too bad at all. I pop a couple of jelly babies after 30 minutes and power on through. Saddle pain kicks in around the 49th minute but I’m going for 1 ½ hours, so suck it up and carry on. I pop 2 more jelly babies after an hour and keep on peddling. After 1hr 15, the power in my legs has diminished and the pain in the saddle area is unbearable. Sweat is pouring down my face and arms but there’s only 15 minutes to go and I MAKE IT!!!! Plus I manage to get my leg back over all on my own this time, whoop, whoop. I’m tired and hungry but I did it and I’m proud of it. Burned 653 calories in 1hr 30 min, average bmp 141.
Tuesday 12th March
So as I have mentioned before I also like to go to spinning classes and as I have full membership with King Alfred’s 1610 Gym, I try to take advantage of the spinning classes whenever I can. The instructors are fabulous, really enthusiastic and friendly and make you work extremely hard. Tonight was no exception, the sweat was a pouring, the music was pumping and so were my legs. I am counting my spinning classes as training, Mark said that was ok to do. 376cal/max rate 181bmp – I try to burn at least 400 cal and get beat my heart rate target of 187 bpm, so I suppose you could say today I took it easy, obviously not my intention but hey we all have off days.
Saturday 16th March
Today started off with a spinning class at the gym, I have to say the old sit bones were still a little sore, which did surprise me as I had had a couple of days break. None the less I carried on regardless, not pushing myself too much as I planned to go out on the old bike later. 332cal/max rate 178 bmp. Like I said, I was pacing myself.
So today’s bike ride was my 2nd time out on the bike, eek!!! It wasn’t so bad but I think I am probably looking back through rose tinted glasses. I impressed myself by getting up to a speed of 35km on the flat, on bumpy road surfaces may I add. Shoulders and thumb pads started to throb about the 40 minute mark and the old sit bones started to scream again but it did dawn on me that out on the bike is far easier than on the turbo trainer. 24.70km/490cal
Feeling slightly guilty that perhaps I should be doing more training, I decided to cycle a little more..... on the turbo( a glutton for punishment). Oooch, ooch arghh, I laugh or should I say cry in the face of pain. And that’s all I can say on the session J 256 cal/39 minutes of pain.
Sunday 17th March
Well today I was supposed to go out again on the bike; however I am bruised like a peach, so going to have to have a rest, out on the bike tomorrow.
Monday 18th March
3rd Ride out on my trusty specialized steed, still looking as lovely and shiny as it did when I first brought it. Definitely need to order some bib longs, this weather is pretty bleak, a bit blowy out on the levels today. Feeling more confident on the roads, still haven’t managed to take my hands off the bike handles yet though. Stopped off for a piece of flap jack and a nice cup of tea at Riches Cider Farm, flap jack was large and filled the spot, yum yum. I road 29.27km today and burned 603cal, next ride out 40km minimum.
Friday 22nd March
On the turbo trainer for an hour today, it is getting less painful buts it’s still a slog. I can’t believe how incredibly noisy the turbo is, thank goodness for my new Sony walkman mp3 player, its fab, none of this messing around with ITunes and stupidity. Burned 415cal and used max heart rate 165bmp, didn’t push myself to limit.
Monday 25th March
As I have mentioned before, I am also including spinning in my training blog, as it is a form of cycling but it has the added bonus of cycling to music, whoop whoop. I love spinning and I really enjoy Penny’s spinning class. She has a good range of workouts to varied music. I particularly like the dance tunes but even when we are climbing hill’s it’s all good fun.
Monday 15th April
Well it took poor old Mark about 2hrs to get me out of bed this morning but I made it out. Once I’m out its fine, it’s just getting out the door :-p Today’s ride was surprisingly easier, it must be true, the more you ride the better it gets. I encountered my first mechanical problem today, just about to ride up a hill and my chain comes off. Mark continues to cycle up the hill and I’m left at the bottom of the hill. He eventually comes back down to rescue me and makes it all look very easy, putting the chain back on :-P