Encouragement Please! :-(

[wackyjacky1]

Apologies in advance for the blatant sympathy-seeking rant that follows:

[rant]
Ugh. I'm having a bad day, and I went for a little bike ride thinking it would make me feel better. It didn't work.

In 45 minutes, I only did a meager 6.5 miles. This is typical for me, and I hate it.

I hate being slow, I hate dreading even the slightest incline, I hate being exhausted after such a short ride. I used to be able to ride for hours, and would literally seek out and attack a hill for the sheer joy of making it mine. But that was 15 years ago.

Since I've gotten back into cycling, I know that I haven't been riding as regularly as I should. I try to get out there at least 2-3 times a week, but I guess that's not enough because I feel like I'm not improving. Some days I feel great and I can ride for an hour (or even a little more) without feeling like I'm gonna die, but in general I pretty much run out of steam at about the 45 minute mark.

Today was particularly bad. I just got in the door from my ride and I'm so exhausted after my whopping 6.5 miles that I almost feel like I wanna puke. I'm trying to rationalize it a little bit because I haven't eaten much today and I haven't been feeling too well for a couple of days (don't know if it's allergies or if I've picked up a little bug) but those feel like lame-o excuses, and the reality is that I'm a fat slug.

Bleah!!!
[/rant]

[ginny]

ah, during allergy season I'm lucky if I can make my usual loop with my friends not having to wait for me. Allergies suck! The trick is to not psych yourself out and keep going with the riding. You'll get in better shape, but you should be able to have fun doing that, that's the whole point - having fun!

[redrhodie]

I just looked up the weather for San Antonio, and was it really 94º there today? For me, when I feel miserable on the bike, it's usually weather related. I'm thinking maybe you got a tad too hot, hence the wanting to puke.

[mimitabby]

wanting to puke? are you drinking enough? is it too hot?

stop kicking yourself around.

If it was in the 90's i assure you I would be under a tree panting.

Try to ride in the coolest hours of the day if it's indeed in the 90's

[wackyjacky1]

I think it's expected to top out at about 87 degrees today. Very humid, though.

I guess I'm just bummed at the realization that it's going to be a long, grueling road to getting back into shape. (It's so easy to get fat and flabby! ) And I'm constantly contrasting my current physical state and cycling ability with the way things used to be. It's a pretty ghastly comparison!

Ah, well. On the upside, I adore that Brooks B68 saddle, and the moustache bars with bar-end shifters are awesome and fun.

I suppose a person just needs to whine every now and then...

[Blueberry]

Maybe just ride for the pleasure of riding for a while?

I'm right there with you. I've had a rough past year (billable hours and a sucky law firm that I've posted about elsewhere). I've gained about 30 extra pounds (that I didn't need to gain!), on top of my already overweight body. I'm concentrating on enjoying riding. Looking at birds, seeing the flowers in bloom. And little by little, I'm getting stronger. I do think I'd try to drink more, and maybe pay more attention to your body. It really does sound like the heat is getting to you (it does to me too).

CA

[SandyLS]

Jackie,
You do realize, don't you, that most of the population of the U.S.A. would consider 6.5 miles an amazing distance to be able to ride a bike? Quite beating yourself and just get out there and enjoy the ride. The rest will come in time.

[hipersons]

Here's some encouragement:

I bought my bike on Friday. Went for a leisurely ride on Sunday. Had my fitting yesterday, and decided to ride to work today. Keep in mind, I had never ridden outside of my neighborhood in middle school, and that was 12 years ago. I decided a while ago that I needed to make a change for many reasons.

6.5 miles took me an hour, and I figured out most of my ride to work is up hill. I had to get off and walk up 4 super steep hills, but I forced myself to make it up the last hill on the way to work, even though I had to stop two times on the way up for water and breath. At one point, I was unable to un-clip and fell 100% into the roadway. You did way better than I did!

Sounds like a shitty ride, right? Well, I LOVED IT! I was way more productive at work than usual, and looked forward to my mostly downhill ride home that only took me 35 minutes.

It sounds like you used to ride a lot, and I understand your frustration. As a former dancer, I get pissed when I can't stretch or jump or turn the way I used to. But you sound determined enough to get there. Keep at it! It'll get better!

[kelownagirl]

Apologies in advance for the blatant sympathy-seeking rant that follows:

[rant]
Ugh. I'm having a bad day, and I went for a little bike ride thinking it would make me feel better. It didn't work.

In 45 minutes, I only did a meager 6.5 miles. This is typical for me, and I hate it.

I hate being slow, I hate dreading even the slightest incline, I hate being exhausted after such a short ride. I used to be able to ride for hours, and would literally seek out and attack a hill for the sheer joy of making it mine. But that was 15 years ago.

Since I've gotten back into cycling, I know that I haven't been riding as regularly as I should. I try to get out there at least 2-3 times a week, but I guess that's not enough because I feel like I'm not improving. Some days I feel great and I can ride for an hour (or even a little more) without feeling like I'm gonna die, but in general I pretty much run out of steam at about the 45 minute mark.

Today was particularly bad. I just got in the door from my ride and I'm so exhausted after my whopping 6.5 miles that I almost feel like I wanna puke. I'm trying to rationalize it a little bit because I haven't eaten much today and I haven't been feeling too well for a couple of days (don't know if it's allergies or if I've picked up a little bug) but those feel like lame-o excuses, and the reality is that I'm a fat slug.

Bleah!!!
[/rant]

I don't have time to respond fully right now but HANG IN THERE! I was right where you are a few years ago. You WILL get better. Baby steps. Keep at it.

[wackyjacky1]

Sounds like a shitty ride, right? Well, I LOVED IT!

LOL, your post cracked me up! I have not yet ridden to work because coming home is almost entirely uphill, and I'm not quite ready mentally to go for it.

I appreciate the words of encouragement from everyone -- it's exactly what I needed today. I've got to remember the "baby steps" part, and not expect to already be back in form after such a long layoff.

Muchas gracias, everyone!

[HillSlugger]

How is your hydration and nutrition before the ride? You want to start well hydrated and you want to have eaten recently enough so that your glycogen stores are topped up and you have something in your tank.

[salsabike]

I will offer this--I was a dancer for many years. Very short version--got fibromyalgia, had to quit, gained huge medication-related weight. It took me a LONG time to stop being mad about what I'd lost. So one of my rules is: I never compare myself to that dancer I was. I try to stick with comparing myself to yesterday, or last week, or last year. It's truly disheartening to be upset with yourself for not being who you were then. Just try to be more like what you want to be now. Honest. It helps.

It'll get better. Just keep trucking and it'll get better.

[spotlightmama]

I hate having days when I'm not meeting my goals or I'm struggling more than I feel I ought to be...but when I have those days, I try to remember - hey I could have been at home sitting on my a$$. 6.5 miles in 45 minutes is a helluva lot better than staying home!

You *will* get better. Good for you for getting out!

[Zen]

Here he comes
Here comes Speed Racer
He's a demon on wheels
He's a demon and he's gonna be chasin' after someone.

He's gainin' on you so you better look alive.
He's busy revvin' up a powerful Mach 5!

And when the odds are against him
And there's dangerous work to do
You bet your life Speed Racer
Will see it through.

Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer, Go!

He's off and flyin' as he guns the car around the track
He's jammin' down the pedal like he's never comin' back
Adventure's waitin' just ahead.

Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer, Go!

[kat_h]

I hate being slow, I hate dreading even the slightest incline, I hate being exhausted after such a short ride.

I hear ya. I definitely hear ya.

I posted a couple of months ago because I couldn't get up a hill. Not even a small hill. Not even slowly. A week after posting that I made it up the hill by my house for the first time ever. Yesterday I rode up a hill that I've never made it up before. There are four other hills I've conquered in the last month or so, and only three left that I'm still walking. It will come.

I found that weather was holding me back a lot. I couldn't do anything about that though. I've also found that if I haven't eaten enough, drank enough, or slept enough then I can't ride much. Eat, drink, ride, and have fun. Don't rush yourself.