Introduction, new here from Seattle area

[Cfrizz]

I've lurked here on and off for about a year and decided it's time to post! My name's Cathie and I'm 46 and live outside of Seattle with my husband and 2 kids 12 & 15. I started riding a year ago. Prior to that I had done one ride a year (Portland, OR Bridge Pedal; we always did the 14 mile option) with my family and some friends down there on my 10+ year old Walmart bike but NO other riding.

3 years ago I made a total change in my activity level. I had always watched my eating to keep relatively in shape and having a very FT job and being mom to 2 active kids made me think I was very active. I started using an activity monitor that I wear 24/7 and after the baseline period I had to face the fact that I was a couch potato! Once a mo or so of hiking or skiing just wasn't cutting it! The monitor gave me a 12 week plan of increasing my activity through very simple stuff like parking far away, taking the steps, going for a walk... It was a start, I then started running using couch to 5k and have kept that up for 3 years. I currently run about 15-20 miles a week.

A little over a year ago I started looking for a second thing to get into, tried swimming for a while but I hate being inside to exercise so I wanted to try
biking. I had gotten rid of my Walmart bike at a garage sale and started looking at used bikes but not knowing what I really needed OR if I really wanted to spend a ton since I didn't know how into I'd get made it hard. I ended up with a Hybrid (http://ghybikes.com/2010/12/2011-raleigh-alysa-ft1/) for around $500 figuring if I did like cycling I could hand this down to my now 12 year old daughter.

So last Aug- Oct I tried to ride twice a week, 10-20 miles a time. I probably only ended up at once a week but it was a start. This spring I started riding in April with a 30 mile ride one weekend and 40 the next, overdid that a bit and had to baby my knee for about a month! Currently shooting for riding twice a week, 20-30 miles a ride, but most weeks only get in one ride. I need to push myself more to get in more rides! Have the Bridge Pedal next week, doing the 26mi ride this time, and going from there on a family road trip through Montana, Wyoming and a bit of South Dakota so hope to get at least some riding in!

No questions at this time but at some point I'll be looking to switch to a road bike (and those scary clip less pedals!) and will need help!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Cathie

[Biciclista]

welcome to TE. I live in Seattle too!

[Trek420]

Me too. There are lots of us here.

[VeganBikeChick]

Seattlite here too (but not for much longer )

[indysteel]

Welcome to TE. Thanks for sharing your story! Good fir you for getting of off the couch! I need to do that myself a little more often!

[Catrin]

Welcome to TE!