7 month progress

[Catrin]

I decided last night that I am not quite ready for the brevet next month that I wanted to ride - especially since they really changed the route. I was a little down about that because I really wanted to do it - I love challenges and it is hard to move it back until next year but that seems the wisest thing to do. However a LOT of good things have happened since I first stepped on the bike on December 10th :)

I learned how to ride a bike
I learned how to ride a bike without falling over :D
I can hold a steady pace for hours - up to 5-6 hours at this point :cool:
(ok, so it isn't a very fast pace but this is my first season)
I've lost 50 pounds

6 months ago I was finally able to leave my training parking lot, had a failed experiment with clipless pedals....but now I am riding clipless!

You know, I have a LOT to celebrate - not the least of which is...

I learned how to ride a bike!

You know, after dinner, even if it is HOT as all get-out, I am going to take my bike to my favorite park and ride - even if it is for only 45 minutes :)

[snowroo]

This is awesome!

[hebe]

That's very inspiring! Well done :D

[warneral]

way to go! That is a huge accomplishment :)

[stella2]

That's greats! Like Hebe I found it inspiring. Well done with it all. Were you dieting to lose the 50lbs or is that just a result of cycling?

[Catrin]

That's greats! Like Hebe I found it inspiring. Well done with it all. Were you dieting to lose the 50lbs or is that just a result of cycling?

I have a very strict and rather unexciting diet - the cycling started out as my anti-diabetic campaign. While that failed, I now have diabetes (managing by diet/exercise) the biking became far more than an activity for health. I also work with a trainer for strength training twice a week and take 1-2 spinning classes weekly (more in the winter).

With no thyroid or a reproductive system I generally must work harder than the average bear, but it has worked for me :) Now I am focusing on becoming more lean - my weight is at a point that I am happy with - just need to work on that body composition and if I happen to lose more weight that is fine :)

[OakLeaf]

Yay C! You deserve to be proud.

[Tri Girl]

Hooray, Catrin!!! Congrats on all your accomplishments!:D

[DarcyInOregon]

You had a tremendous first year. Do another recap at the end of December, if the weather in your region will permit you to do any winter cycling.

I also think you are very smart to be flexible with your fitness goals. A cycling fitness goal doesn't have to be about distance. The accomplishments you listed are all admirable goals, particularly the improvement in your health. But I think the lesson you learned is that the real achievement comes through the training for a specific goal, that the training brings about all sorts of results that are even more significant than the final goal itself.

Catrin, have you thought about your cycling fitness goals for 2011 yet? For example, I am thinking ahead to next year and I think I will try to tackle routes with some higher category climbs on them than I've done so far, so that I increase the number of climbs in each category level that I'm able to ride. The distance of the ride won't be part of the goal, just the category of each climb, so increase the number of category 5, category 4, etc. When I am cycling a nasty climb, they all feel like a category 1 when I am pedaling up, but in reality the climbs were only a category 5 or 4 and a few 3s. So I will increase the quantity of climbs in each category and push to see if I can do a category 2. This is the time for you to start thinking about what you hope to achieve in 2011.

[jdubble]

inspirational! congratulations :) you do indeed have much to be proud of!

[zoom-zoom]

Wow...you done good, girl! That weight loss is especially impressive. Wosers! :eek::cool:

[lph]

:) Fantastic. And very inspiring!

[Catrin]

Thanks for the encouragement, I was being a little hard on myself for deciding against the brevet this fall - but the goal of all of this is to have fun, challenge myself, and get/keep healthy.

It is a good idea to consider challenges for next year - it is almost October :( The first time I've been sad to see the hot season fade away. I didn't mind getting out in the cold weather last winter - but of course I was limited to parking lots and short sessions - though they did not seem short to me :rolleyes:

I would like to do a couple of brevets and permenants next year, and if I can swing the expense, would love to do RAGBRAI :D It isn't the registration fee - which isn't bad, it is all of the other costs involved. Would like to get a little faster, and at least get closer to unleashing my inner hill-climbing beast ;)

Oh, and forgive my extensive use of emoticons - I really can't help myself :)

[Jiffer]

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!

Celebrating your accomplishments with you! 50 pounds, wow! And riding a bike ... isn't that the BEST?!!! :D

Keep it up. For me, the faster I go, the more fun it gets. But that might just be me. ;) But if you DO want to get faster ... you will. I love looking back at previous rides and seeing what huge improvements I've made. I remember climbing on a club ride and getting passed by "everyone", which was mostly guys ... but then a woman went by me pretty quickly. My first thought was, "I hate her!". But then I thought, "No ... I don't hate her. I am inspired by her. I am going to BE her!" And now ... I'd say I climb that same route at least at the speed she did it that day. So, in essence, I AM her now!!! Hee hee!

[ClockworkOrange]

Catrin, I am so very pleased for you, I absolutely love reading people's stories like this, in fact I even just read your story out to my partner.

My story like many others is similar but I am starting over again and it's still an exciting time.

Well done you, absolutely fabulous...........or Ab Fab! :p

Clock

[Bike Writer]

Catrin, wow what a great story of accomplishment, you must be so very proud. I just found this thread and it's such a joy to read about the people on here who are discovering so much about themselves and reaching goals that were all but unattainable just a short while ago. Your story is one of empowerment for you and for others who share your ambition and cheer you on.

YOU GO GIRL!

[KCTNT]

Catrin,

I am going to be doing a century ride next Sat. I trained for the ride through Team in Training, which is part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In return for TNT providing a very good training program for rides like STP, you are asked to get a certain level of donations for LLS. I know TNT trained members for the STP ride.

Training w/ a group is really important if you want to improve your riding. Riding w/ a group such as TNT is even better since the individuals training w/ you are really a great, committed group of individuals. The comradery has been amazing. Every Sat. morning for 4 months, I rode w/ my team members. Some riders are "beginners” and some team mates have ridden w/ TNT for years. Also, there are buddy rides that take place mid-week, which is usually a smaller group of the group you ride w/ on Sat.

I started out on a hybrid because of some fear I had w/ a road bike. By the 5th ride, I had gone out and bought a road bike and was fitted properly (very important). I added clipless pedals to my new bike. I had a few falls w/ my clipless pedals, but it improved my performance immensely. My performance and confidence has increased exponentially.

The buddy rides I did, improved my riding a great deal. I rode w/ a gal that was an excellent rider and rode like lightening. I chased her at the beginning of the season, but just a week or so ago, I kept up w/ her on a fast
(consistent 20 mph) 20 mile ride.

TNT has chapters throughout the US. You can Google Team in Training and then it will direct you to your local chapter.

Good luck Catrin! Ride safe and most importantly have fun.

Kim