Anyone else feel this way?

[Crankin]

Good job, Denise. A few words about your warm up. For some people, their body just needs a longer time to warm up. Also, i have read you should increase your warm up time as you get older, a little bit more for each year (there was an exact number of minutes I read, but I forget). I have been riding for almost 6 years and no matter what, i always feel horrible for the first 20-30 minutes, or 10-12 miles. So this means on my after work loop rides, I feel like crap for about half of the ride!! On my longer rides, I take the time to go very slowly for awhile. It helps your muscles and you might be surprised to see that it also helps your breathing get regulated. After about an hour and a half, i often feel like I could go forever. I'm a little older than you, and I have found that it's becoming even more important as each year goes by. On Friday I go to a club ride that just goes out fast as h---. I am always swearing to myself and wanting to quit for the first few miles. Most of the riders are older than me, I don't know how they can do this. But after the first part, I usually end up with the front group. Everyone is different, but it works for me. This is even more important if you are going to be riding as the weather gets cooler.
It would be cool to me you someday. I suspect you have been riding near where I live. Keep up the good work!

Robyn

[mimitabby]

I live on a hill (part of town called beacon hill) and every ride we ever went on
for years, i got cramps in my legs for the first few miles!!
But then it just as mysteriously went away as i got into better shape.

I used to carefully do all those stretches, but now i don't until we are on a big ride and i do them at breaks, not at the beginning.

Denise, i am really pleased to see how well youare doing! I almost didn't see your ride report because you didn't put it in the ride report place.

Every single accomplishment is an important one. Us fraidy cats, we have additional battles aside from the typical i feel too lazy. so when we do stuff, it's doubly impressive!
Keep it up, i am happy to see your progress!

[Bad JuJu]

Wow, Denise, you are hooked now, aren't you? Brava to you for facing your fears and learning what you can do!

I wanted to say that in your search for a bag, you might check out the Arkel bag that looks like a small rear pannier but morphs into a backpack when you take it off the rack. It's handy if you think you're going to be getting off the bike and want to carry your stuff with you, for example, into a restaurant. This bag used to be called the Ladybug, but I think they've given it a less gender-specific name now.

Anyway, just an idea. Have fun!

[emily_in_nc]

Congratulations, Denise! A job well done on both rides - the 10 mile solo and the 20 mile from your house. I know firsthand how hard it can be to conquer your cycling fears (see my post in the "First Road Ride in 10 months" thread), so I truly admire what you have done.

Fantastic job!

Emily

[DeniseGoldberg]

Congrats Denise - you've come such a long way, and you definitely should be proud of yourself.

On the not liking the backpack front - don't rule out a Camelbak because you didn't like riding with a day pack. I won't ride with a day pack - I find them extremely uncomfortable - but my Camelbak doesn't bother me at all. Of course my camelbak is a Rogue, which is one of the models that doesn't have room to carry a lot of stuff. There is the bladder for water, and a couple of small zip spaces that I use for energy bars, ID, and my keys. You might still need a pack for a rear rack. If you do decide to go that way, the Arkel TailRider is an awesome bag.

--- Denise

[emily_in_nc]

Another thing to try is a Camelbak waist pack. They don't hold as much liquid (48 oz., I think), but once I start riding, I never even notice I have it on. I'm not crazy about regular Camelbaks because of the extra weight/heat on my back, but I love my waistpack for mountain biking. Even with the extra bouncing around, it never bothers me a bit!

Emily

[Denise223]

Good Morning Everyone!


TO: Lisa S.H., Robyn Maislin, mimitabby, Bad JuJu, emily_in_nc & DeniseGoldberg :

Thank you all for your replies!! I really appreciate it very much.

Lisa S.H. -- I am having such a fun, fun time, Lisa! With every ride both my husband and I feel that we're getting SO MUCH STRONGER! We're just having a blast -- This is not exercise -- RIDING IS SO MUCH FUN!!!

Robyn -- Thanks for your info about "warming up". I sent you a PM, and I really understand exactly what you're saying. This certainly explains to me that after 12 - 15 miles I feel as if I could GO ON & ON!! I sincerely do hope that one day we can meet and go out for a ride, that would be awesome .
After Ben & I are finished up with our 20 mile rides, there have been a couple of times when I've said, "gee, I really feel as if I could do that again." And, if it wasn't too late in the day, and if I had more fluids, I probably would do it.

I'll be out sometime today on a "solo ride" again -- my 2nd. Ought to be LOTS of fun, though I have some (a couple) little fears. Hearing what DebW went through the other day !

It's in "Commuting", and the title is, "The pickup that almost took me out today."

Very, very scary stuff. Makes me so angry -- and, it usually IS trucks - they seem to drive around cyclists with some type of RAGE! I wonder what can be done about this problem, that only seems to be getting worse? As cyclists, what can we do?

I'd love it if you could share some 20 - 30 mile loops from your area, if you don't mind. I'd appreciate it, only if you have them written out already. Please don't go to any trouble. Do you head out to Littleton, Groton, etc...? I would love to venture out that way - pretty areas. We're going to try out an Acton, Stow, Boxborough route.

Mimi --

Originally posted by Mimitabby: Every single accomplishment is an important one. Us fraidy cats, we have additional battles aside from the typical i feel too lazy. so when we do stuff, it's doubly impressive!

You're so right -- every accomplishment IS an important one. Right now, our first 5 miles are flat, and I have to say that that is helping out a lot in terms of "warming up" - (especially my right knee).

But, my experience is pretty much like Robyn Maislin's, in that I feel kind of crappy for the first 12 miles. After that, I'm really good to go !

Bad JuJu -- YES, you could definitely say that I AM HOOKED ! I definitely will check into more bags, etc.... You mentioned a "ladybug bag", so I searched it through msn Give it a try & see what you find... It's the cutest little ladybug bicycle bag 7" X 4", for a child -- I might just have to order it because it's soooooo adorable!

Emily -- I read your thread and posted a note to you..... You really, really have been through SOOOOO MUCH, (((Emily))). I celebrate the fact that you are on the road again !

Thank you for your input on the camelbak waist pack. I'm not sure that that would work for me. Right now I'm wearing a "fanny pack", (placed on my side), and it carries the essential things that I personally need. It just feels very irritating to me, like a back pack. I am happy that it works for you though.

Denise --

Originally posted by DeniseGoldberg: I won't ride with a day pack - I find them extremely uncomfortable - but my Camelbak doesn't bother me at all.

I definitely will not rule out a camelbak then..... If you won't ride with a day pack either, then you must have experienced that very uncomfortable feeling I was experiencing. And, it really is imperative that I have enough to drink when riding.

I have checked out all of the hydration systems that wheelworks had in stock, and I did see the Rogue. That particular one seems to fit my needs the most.

Eventually, I will want a pack for the rear rack. I've seen the Arkel TailRider in person. It did look quite a bit big, but.....I'd much rather have something bigger than smaller. I'm sure that over time I'll find more & more things that I'll want to bring along with me .

Ben & I enjoyed an awesome cycling weekend. In addition to the 20 miles on Saturday, 8/19, we did 19 miles on Sunday and 21.5 miles on Monday ! I have a couple of very important errands that I need to get done today, BUT...I really want to ride at some point today, and I will.

It's interesting, before June 5th of this year, I NEVER, EVER, EVER would have thought (in a million years), that I would be talking about riding my bike with SUCH EXCITEMENT!!!

Cycling truly is an addiction, and an awesome one at that!! I've said this before......but, I know that bicycling is an exercise, and a very good one at that. To me though, it really does not feel like exercise AT ALL!!!!! I'm enjoying all of the health benefits that one receives from cycling, yet....I TRULY LOVE IT !!

Many years ago, (this "story" was from a lifetime ago, and one that I don't like to bring up anymore, but, I will), in 1987 & 1988, approximately 6 months each year, I went on a liquid diet, similar to Optifast.

On both occasions, I lost a huge amount of weight in a VERY SHORT TIME. Something like 90 lbs., in 14 - 16 weeks. LIQUIDS ONLY. I went from a size 28/30 to a size 6 (SIX!!).
I was taught that if I wanted to eat the way I was eating, that I'd have to exercise off the difference.
This program and all of the "knowledge" <<-- (I use that word VERY LIGHTLY!), I learned was ONLY $500+ per month!! (To think, that was almost 20 years ago!!)

So, I was assigned a "behaviorist" , who happened to be an elite athlete (runner). Very long story short, I was running/walking 90+ miles per week AND using the stairclimber (at the gym), 1.5 hours each morning. Left the house at 5:15am to do the stairs and got my running in during the AM & PM. I was VERY OBSESSED WITH THIS EXERCISE. I was told by my doctor that I had become "bulimic through exercise". I suffered horrible shin splints & my poor knees took a horrible beating! But, I kept running.

Of course, I just could not keep up this type of EXERCISE forever. It was almost like I'd gone crazy. I had to fit my life into the exercise. Needless to say, I put the weight back on, (VERY quickly), because I was not shown the proper way to do things.

The strangest thing was, (when I started the liquid fast), going to bed one night a fat person in a size 28/30, and "waking up" 14 - 16 weeks later, (BUT, felt more like OVERNIGHT), a size 6 person!
To be honest, I had no idea who I was!! It was all just too fast.

In 1988, following the 2nd fast, I had to have a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal). (I can't believe I actually did this fast a 2nd time, but...I was desperate, even though I knew the results!)
I was told that the gallstones were caused by the liquid fast. In fact, over 50% of the people that were in the fasts when I was there had to have their gallbladders removed.

I guess the reason I brought up my past is because I wanted to explain WHY I am personally so ANTI-DIET!! I hate the word, "diet". The first three letters spell........... "die".

And, to me, "diet" equals "deprivation".

Imagine this, when I was 8 years old, (1968), my mom took me to a pediatrician who said to me, "You're going to die if you stay at the weight you are at". (I was 146 pounds and very short). So, we left that day with a prescription for diet pills -- Ionamin. I took one pill the next day and was incredibly JITTERY, so the pills were thrown away. Hmmm......I guess "speed" will do that to you.

I do not & will not deprive myself ANY KIND OF FOOD THAT I WANT -- (I choose, however, not to eat meat).

When I used to deprive myself a certain kind of food, I would end up binging on that food.
If I wanted to have chocolate ice cream or a milky way, NO AMOUNT of carrot sticks or celery sticks was going to fill that craving!! If I wanted cake & cookies, a stick of sugar free gum with some water just wasn't going to make that craving lessen!

After having spent thousands and thousands (and many more thousands) of dollars on various diet programs (I joined ALL of them), from the late 1970's to the end of the 20th century, I stopped joining diet programs and I stopped spending money on diet programs.

I'll never forget "Nutri-System" - I was a member of that program in 1978. I weighed around 182 pounds, and I was debating whether or not to join up again. One of the leaders said to me, "I'd be embarrassed if I looked like you at Thanksgiving" !
I was going to be 18 years old that Thanksgiving. I did re-join, but never cared for that "leader" after that comment.

I remember having a consultation at "Jenny Craig", in ? 1989. My weight was approximately 260 at that time. The person assigned to me took my wrist measurement, and told me that my frame was "small", and she put my goal weight down as "103 pounds".
I didn't join -- the last time I saw 103 pounds was around age 7 & 1/2.

Even when I was 'on a diet', I read several books that were "anti-diet".
"Feeding the Hungry Heart" by Geneen Roth, was the first one.

I have a photo of myself at my 39th birthday, (1999), and I was at my heaviest weight ever. 295 pounds -- could have been more, I didn't get on the scale anymore.

I was puffy, bloated, tired, huge, sweaty, short, massive, obese. I have "small eyes" anyway.....but, at that weight, my pretty dark blue eyes looked virtually closed because of my bloated face. My skin was stretched to its absolute limit!

Fast forward to February, 2001 - I met Ben, (now, my husband ), and I was 5 pounds less than my heaviest (290).

I know I've mentioned this before....but, now I weigh 185 pounds. I am in a size 14 - 16, depending on style/cut.

My weight loss of 105 pounds "just happened" over a five year period. I have not been on any "diets" at all -- I still won't deprive myself any food. All foods have a "GREEN LIGHT."

I have noticed that since we began bicycling, my body is really firming up. (and that's only in 2 & 1/2 months!)

My clothes feel looser, and Ben has said that I do look thinner - from my face to my calves. When he is riding on his bike behind me, he told me that I definitely look more fit, that I look smaller.
At 5' 9", Ben is considered "overweight" at 186 pounds (BMI), but he's definitely gaining muscle in all the right places !
Looking better & feeling better -- What a great feeling for both of us !

If losing fat, gaining muscle & feeling awesome about yourself is a side effect of bicycling, then I AM A MILLION PERCENT IN LOVE WITH IT!!

I think that I really needed to write all of this out at this time, just as if I was journaling. (I used to write in a journal for years). It's 12:48pm, and I know I started this post almost 3 hours ago.
I still have a couple of very important errands to do and an important phone call to make, and of course, a lovely bike ride awaits me .

I think what this all boils down to is that I LOVE BICYCLING!! I enjoy everything about it. Most of all, I LOVE that it is an experience both wonderful and beautiful that Ben & I can enjoy together!!

I am also sincerely grateful that I found TE Women's Cycling Discussion Forums . It's all good !

Wishing all of you much peace, love, good health & happiness always!

Denise