Starting Again at Ground Zero ....

[lph]

Go for it! But be patient. The extra weight and lack of fitness took years to get, it might take a year or more to shake. But this is a change for life, right? Once you're back in it you'll want to stay there, so it's worth working long-distance for!

[OakLeaf]

Welcome HG!

I'm on my third year of a return to cycling after a 12 year hiatus. I love to ride again now, and although I'll never again be as fast a cyclist as I "used to be," I'm more fit in other ways and a lot happier!

I hope you can give yourself permission to be where you are right now. It took that long for me. No one needs for you to go out and win races tomorrow, so ride what feels comfortable to you. Challenge yourself, don't beat yourself up.

I think you'll find that it will come back quickly since you obviously have a good fitness base.

Above all, have fun!

[Bike Goddess]

Hi HG!

Some of us live in the SF Bay area. One of us- Rollie Pollie lives in the Pollock Pines area. Since you live in the mountains and we don't know where, are you far away as in up north?

We have some nice rides down here which you are welcome to do if you get down this way.

I look forward to your progress as well. Good luck and keep it up! Cycling will help you mentally as well as physically. Isn't that a good thing!

[HermitGirl]

I'm back from my re-initiation ride. 5.5 miles, climbed a steep section for 15 minutes then rode around back and forth on the somewhat 'flat' section on the hip of the mtn, total was 43 minutes ride time. Okay, so, I felt strong on the hill anyway. What's amazing is that I feel much more confidence and motivation crawling up a steep hill than I do cranking out the flat miles. I'm meant to be a hill rider all the way, rollie pollie and all. Thanks everyone, for encouraging me, it helps so much. Next ride, probably Sunday, (today is Wednesday) I will go for a little more distance on that climb (even a quarter of a mile is huge) and push it for about an hour. In the mean time, I will be hiking an hour days I'm not riding. My back hurts already. But it's a good hurt, and I feel like I'm on top of the world. Riding always does put me in an excellent mood.

You think an hour of varied ascent/descent and rollyknolly area is good for weightloss on a regular basis?

[HermitGirl]

Hi HG!

Some of us live in the SF Bay area. One of us- Rollie Pollie lives in the Pollock Pines area. Since you live in the mountains and we don't know where, are you far away as in up north?

We have some nice rides down here which you are welcome to do if you get down this way.

I look forward to your progress as well. Good luck and keep it up! Cycling will help you mentally as well as physically. Isn't that a good thing!

I"m on Mt Veeder in Napa. I just like to ride the Drycreek and Veeder area, with some of the Sonoma Cavedale Road (off Trinity) area on occasion. Really close in, but really steep and I have gotten use to riding solo mostly, mostly because I don't care to drive to ride. Thanks for your encouragment Bike Goddess.

[pardes]

Let's commiserate together! I used to be nationally-ranked (Olympic tryout) fencer back in the 60's and then gravity and sloth had it's way.

I'm 63 and managed to drop 30 pounds this past summer just from starting to bike again, slow-paced (I'm talking REALLY slow biking) daily biking of no more than 10 miles a day (my arthritis limit back then). Of course the heat helped and not wanting to eat much after biking in the heat. But it really was almost effortless to lose the weight, so don't despair, it will happen.

Be proud of yourself. You are saying yes to your body's health and emotional well-being in the midst of a conflicted life. Woooooohoooooo for you!!!!!!

[malkin]

In some circles 'beginner's mind' is a very good thing.
And in other circles, kit that doesn't fit means you get to get new kit!

Welcome!

[Tokie]

Welcome HG! Keep your eyes on the Gear/apparel section of this forum - women frequently are selling their cycling gear that doesn't fit because they have lost weight and gained fitness with their cycling habit! then you could pick up "new" shorts for a discount price to wear while you get back to your old self! (then you can buy a new pair from TE to celebrate!) Have fun! tokie

[cycling_sarah]

You can do it! Start with little rides, enjoy on the scenery, have fun and soon you will find you are riding further and feeling better!

[HermitGirl]

You can do it! Start with little rides, enjoy on the scenery, have fun and soon you will find you are riding further and feeling better!

I know that in my head. Right now I am riding on pure knowlege, and allowing my body to set the pace. I know that given consistant riding schedule, attention to both the knowlege and listening to my body, and *not giving up*, that I will break on thru gradually to a whole different physical world. I was there before, I have very blurry vision of what I looked like, in my mind's memory, but my physical body doesn't remember it. (which I find odd, I can't even remember how my body felt to actually feel my hip bones, or collar bones). When such a thing as consistant riding is made time for, wonderful things happen.

I started last winter on this forum , under a different user name, ( *I changed email addresses and couldn't retrieve my old user name*) with a grand plan to start distance training. Boy was that grandiose. I mean, I was so full of confidence, but I truly was not using my knowlege. I was writing a check that my lifestyle just could not ever cash. I planned on training to ride a very hilly 100 K. I started this elaborate and radical incremental mileage increase chart, I mean, it was way over the top. Not only did I want to ride these killer mountainous loops of up to 70 miles, but I wanted to bike commute into town 2 or 3 times a week from atop my mtn, for groceries and errands. I think my motivation evaporated about 2 weeks into it. I think I realized, hey, how is the dog going to be hiked with if I even start to do this?
I am determined to learn from that mistake. >> All I really want and need for health and weight maintenance , is to be able to ride once/twice a week, the 25 mile loop right near my house, or some shorter section of it. I don't need to make a complex training chart for that. I think I will be able to ride it by my birthday , which is mid January. I might take 4 hours to do it, but one day I'll be able to do it in under 2 again. I'll then be fit enought to ride my bike into town once in a while, whenever I feel like it. I have no expectations of myself but to continue riding.

Thanks again for all of your encouragement everybody ! ::hug::

[HermitGirl]

Welcome HG! Keep your eyes on the Gear/apparel section of this forum - women frequently are selling their cycling gear that doesn't fit because they have lost weight and gained fitness with their cycling habit! then you could pick up "new" shorts for a discount price to wear while you get back to your old self! (then you can buy a new pair from TE to celebrate!) Have fun! tokie

Thanks Tokie, but I found my shorts and tights still work. When I'll need to buy new is when I lose weight, cuz the old threadbare stretched out stuff won't be form fitting anymore.