been away for a while

[crazycanuck]

Hey DDH,

NIce to see ya back . I remember a while back that it may have been you that was asking about helping your son in some way, how is he now? (I hope I have the right person )

The main thing is, you're obviously eager to get back & are doing the right things. Don't fret & it'll fall into place. If your bike stuff doesn't fit at the moment, ride little bits at a time. Even inside on the trainer if you don't feel comfortable outside. Then set another little goal. Little goals at a time. Your bike will be waiting for you

Take care
C

[redrhodie]

Welcome back! I know how you feel. I recently took my first Pilates class after a year off, and it really hurt! I felt like I really accomplished something afterwards.

For motivation, the key is making it a routine. Go early, before you can talk yourself out of it. Lay out your clothes the night before, set your alarm, pump your tires, get everything ready so you can just get on and ride. Put on something you're comfortable in. Don't care what you look like. It doesn't matter. You've been through enough this year, so you should give yourself a break. Do NOT listen to the voices in your head that give you 100 excuses not to get on your bike. We all hear them now and then.

You'll be back to your old level in no time!

[txred9876]

Donna,

Part of it is just starting. Once you start things will be ok. I wish you luck and keep cool in the blazing heat wave we are having.

Tina

[Tuckervill]

Like everyone said, tiny little steps. Don't plan on getting on the bike, just--when you think of it, just go get on it. If it's too hot to ride, take a little walk. It's not about the riding, it's about being more active, and making the choice towards your goal every time there's an opportunity. You only have so many chances in a day. How can the choice you make in the next minute get you closer to your goal?

Welcome back!

Karen

[mudmucker]

I remember you also.

This is great to try to get back into it, and every little bit helps. Yes, push away the voices. This can be hard to do in itself, but take it on as practice. Practice removing the voices. And, go out and bike a little at a time, and choose flat routes. Ease into it to slowly with the flat routes. Don't overdo it and just get your muscles back into the groove. Do other things along with it as well to assist the muscles even if it's just stretching. I also do yoga and piliates - it helps me with stretching, general conditioning and strengthening, and as I've gotten older it really helps with removing some of the overuse and muscle glitches and soreness I get with the running/cycling. If you are concerned about your cycling clothes as someone else mentioned, use your regular clothes - there are chamois padded liners you can get to put under your street shorts or pants if you need chamois for the bike.

[lph]

For motivation, the key is making it a routine. Go early, before you can talk yourself out of it. Lay out your clothes the night before, set your alarm, pump your tires, get everything ready so you can just get on and ride.

What she said! Go out and enjoy the morning on your bike for half an hour, it doesn't matter how far you go. Just doodle around and get used to being back. Doodle around in a different direction after a few days. After a while you'll want to be riding a bit further and a bit faster, but there's no rush, you just want to get the habit in to begin with, daily habits are the best ones.

Start a thread here and post your progress, take a photo or two, that would be cool!

Welcome back.

[Crankin]

Hi Donna, and welcome back. I agree with everything that's been said. You might also want to look at it as just getting back into fitness, not just cycling. Like, get up and go for a walk, go swimming with your kids, buy a yoga or Pilates DVD and do it a couple of times a week. I find that mixing things up really helps me not get burned out, which is important if you want to keep doing this. And, as Mudmucker said, the stretching and core stuff does get more important as we age. I know I need more time to recover from hard efforts, so it's good to have something else to do on the other days.

[OakLeaf]

Welcome back DDH! I'd been missing you too, and wondering about what was happening with you. We never know in these communities what's going on, when someone vanishes, and I'm sorry to hear it's been so tough for you. But glad that you're working your way back.

+1 to what redrhodie said. I've just started getting myself back into a running routine, after just a month of slacking off for no good reason. It was getting easier and easier to just blow it off. To get myself back, I've done almost exactly what redrhodie said: making myself stick to a schedule. Wednesday tempo. Friday intervals. Sunday long run. Up and at 'em by 10 a.m. at the latest - even though I hate running in the morning - because if I put it off, then I'll keep putting it off all day. It's working for me.

Hope everything continues to improve for you.

[DDH]

Hey DDH,

NIce to see ya back . I remember a while back that it may have been you that was asking about helping your son in some way, how is he now? (I hope I have the right person )

The main thing is, you're obviously eager to get back & are doing the right things. Don't fret & it'll fall into place. If your bike stuff doesn't fit at the moment, ride little bits at a time. Even inside on the trainer if you don't feel comfortable outside. Then set another little goal. Little goals at a time. Your bike will be waiting for you

Take care
C

I had forgotten about the post about my son. He pulled it through and his grades came up. We took him out of the algebra class and he made an A the rest of the year in math. I think he was under way to much pressure along with struggling a little to figure it out. He has never had to struggle to learn something so it was new for him. Part of it was the teacher also. Nothing against teaachers. I know how hard they work and I make myself available and cooperate with them fully and try to be an advocate for the teacher and my son. I ended up going round and round with this one. When I call and say "I've been trying to get hold of you" and she come back with "you must not have tried very hard". well that doesn't sit well with me.
Anyway, he pulled it out and ended up with not great grades like I'm use to but good grades. He aced all his TAKS test and got commended on all 4 he took this year.

Well as far as my riding, I woke up this morning and guess what ladies. We have not had rain in over a month and desperatly need some, so it picked this morning to rain. I'm going to get on my treadmill for a 30 minute walk and at least do something. I've got to get my rear in gear and stop whining.
As soon as I can get out and ride I will let you all know.
Thanks for all the post, that always helps me.
Lisa you are right, when you post about it, then that gives you the feeling of wanting to do it. Kind of the feeling of wanting to give you girls something to be proud of me for. That gives me motivation.
I love my husband but he just can't help me with this. He worries about my weight and health and in trying to help he makes me feel bad, so it doesn't work for him to try to help. His way of being supportive just doesn't really work for me, when he ask me if I am going to eat that, while he eats his bowl of ice cream, or ask me if I'm going to ride or get on my treadmill, while he sits and never exercises. He doesn't have to, and I don't understand how a person can go through life, stay in shape, eat what they want and doesn't get fat. He took a stress test here not long ago and was in the 120 percentile of men his age. He can get on his bike and go after not being on it for over a year, and not seem to have a problem or get out of breath.
Anyway, I'm rambling. Thanks girls for all your support. LOL
I'm glad to be back.

[Biciclista]

Donna, don't worry your husband needs to exercise too. Maybe he doesn't gain weight like you; but if he doesn't take care of HIS body, he's going to pay later.

And you're not too big for your bike (unless your legs grew!)

what's a little rain? come on, it's warm rain. you won't melt!
go for a walk. have fun.

[tulip]

Welcome back, DDH! I agree with everyone else here. Taking walks can be less intimidating than getting on a bike sometimes. Glad about the DS. Is he doing his own laundry yet ? As for the hubby, have you spoken with him and told him how he could help you better? As for the ice cream, just don't buy it in the first place.

Take care and stick around!

[DDH]

That is funny that you asked about DS and laundry. I told him just yesterday he had to learn this summer. He loaded the washer up, but I had a migraine yesterday and never got up to show him how to set the washer.
We will be doing it today.

[tulip]

That is funny that you asked about DS and laundry. I told him just yesterday he had to learn this summer. He loaded the washer up, but I had a migraine yesterday and never got up to show him how to set the washer.
We will be doing it today.

I'm sure he could figure it out! It's not rocket science.

Take care of YOURSELF, Donna. You can't take care of anyone else if you are not up to par.

Okay. Lecture over. Be well.

[Kano]

That is funny that you asked about DS and laundry. I told him just yesterday he had to learn this summer. He loaded the washer up, but I had a migraine yesterday and never got up to show him how to set the washer.
We will be doing it today.

This kind of reminds me of the summer I had signs all over the washing machine! There was the hot wash one, medium, and cold. What could go in with what, what kind of product to use, and where to set the knobs. Same set up on the dryer.

Kids and DH all got it figured out, and it saved me repeating the instructions over and over again! (amazing how we forget stuff when we don't really want to learn it isn't it?)

and to echo everyone else, Welcome back, Donna! It's good to see you!!! Yours was one of the "faces" I missed when I popped back in this spring after spending the winter reading ski forums instead.

I was going to say a ride in the rain is kind of a nice thing sometimes, but if I'm remembering, you have a dirt road for a half mile or so, don't you? That could be dangerous to ride on in the rain, so you don't have to enjoy that kind. However, one of the things we do here at my house to cope with heat (hot, ery dry, high desert weather here, and a DH prone to sun-sick) is to go out late in the evening as the sun gets low. It's still hot, but the sun isn't so intense, and that helps a LOT!

Karen in Boise