Got a bike now. Is this really gonna work?

[Duck on Wheels]

Hi. Newby here. My sister (Trek and some number -- her old bike model) hooked me in. So I've got my bike, and I'm s'posed to be working up towards the Cinderella ride in March. Only I'm in Wisconsin where the forecast is snow later this week. Today I did my first ride of any length -- 21.5 miles (according to the Forerunner). At a lazy pace. Had fun. Ogled the Arboretum. Biked across town to pick up my lost-and-found cell phone. Lunch at Mother Fools. Lakefront trail out to Picnic Point. "Discovered" a murder book store just when I needed a bathroom, and listened to an author read from his new book while I waited out a rain shower. Then home. Lovely day! Not really sore now 5 hours later, though my I knew I had thighs when I finished. But 7mph discounting the 3 long stops -- that ain't gonna do it for 66 in a day. Sista sez that if I did 20 today I'll do fine by March. 'Zat really so? Can I really just have fun and get fast enough anyway?

[Trek420]

bikeless in WI "Can I really just have fun and get fast enough anyway?"

LOL. Hi sis.

Yep folks, this is my sister. I'd recognise her anywhere.

No, there is no fun allowed here, just endless training charts, training routines, graphs, weighing your food...

....of course you can have fun ;-) that's the best way to get faster

And wander over to introduce yourself sometime soon, you're the only rider from hell (Hell, Norway) here I'm sure.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...7347#post47347

also

you'll be spinning through winter some, good thread for how that helps you

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=2572

[bikerchick68]

hiya sis! LOL... yes, by all means have fun...

the trick to riding is... well, riding! Really it's all about just getting miles in your legs... the more often you ride, and the further you ride, the more miles and faster speed you'll be able to go. Stopping is fine when you need to... just keep in mind that the longer you stop the longer it may take your muscles to warm back up... this probably means nothing to you right now... but it will as you continue riding!

And yes, if you can ride 21 miles, you can certainly work your way up to a metric by March... welcome to your newest addiction!

[CorsairMac]

Sista sez that if I did 20 today I'll do fine by March. 'Zat really so?

Depends - is she the older sister or the younger?

welcome to the board and how much fun is this! Nice to meet ya Treks sis and hope to hear more from ya. as for doing the Cindy in March?? don't know why you couldn't......if nothing else it'll be warmer in CA than in Wi!!

[Trek420]

She's the older yet wiser (and taller) sis.

[Bike Goddess]

Hi there Trek420's sis! AND you are going to do Cinderella with usums out here? How great is that! (Good job Trek). Welcome to the Forum. As Dita says - no fun here.... just hard work!

Anyway- you might need to get some of those "rollers" for winter riding. You can set them up in your house and spin away on your bike! Ask people here about them- that would be one way to at least keep in shape over the snowy wintery months!

I"ve heard about you.....Trek and I were tentmates this year on the SF/LA AIDS ride. (of course all goooooood stuff!)

Look forward to meeting you in the spring here in "sunny" (we hope) California, your old home state!

[RoadRaven]

Welcome Bikeless with bike!
Congrats trek for pulling her into the TE pelaton!

Wish I lived closer to do some of these rides with you all... Cinderella certainly sounds good

[wabisabi]

Ohh, how great that there are sisters in this space! The other thing that you can look into are cycling (sometimes called spinning, etc.) classes at your local gym. I have found them good for staying in shape during our rainy season, and there are some instructors who are riders and do a good job covering a number of training areas.

[Trekhawk]

Hi. Newby here. My sister (Trek and some number -- her old bike model) hooked me in. So I've got my bike, and I'm s'posed to be working up towards the Cinderella ride in March. Only I'm in Wisconsin where the forecast is snow later this week. Today I did my first ride of any length -- 21.5 miles (according to the Forerunner). At a lazy pace. Had fun. Ogled the Arboretum. Biked across town to pick up my lost-and-found cell phone. Lunch at Mother Fools. Lakefront trail out to Picnic Point. "Discovered" a murder book store just when I needed a bathroom, and listened to an author read from his new book while I waited out a rain shower. Then home. Lovely day! Not really sore now 5 hours later, though my I knew I had thighs when I finished. But 7mph discounting the 3 long stops -- that ain't gonna do it for 66 in a day. Sista sez that if I did 20 today I'll do fine by March. 'Zat really so? Can I really just have fun and get fast enough anyway?

Hi bikeless - just wanted to say Hi. Your sisters posts are always bringing a smile to my face. What the other girls said about getting faster is true, Im no speed demon just the opposite but Im slowly getting quicker. Loved reading about your ride sounds like you had lots of fun.
Happy riding.
Trekhawk

[Trek420]

Bike Goddess "I've heard about you.....Trek and I were tentmates this year on the SF/LA AIDS ride. (of course all goooooood stuff!)"

Yep, and she'd heard all about you folks, just the good stuff of course ;-) Wait, there's no bad stuff.

[madisongrrl]

I cleaned my bikes a few weeks ago and now they reside on my trainer in the basement. No way I'm gonna bike outside in WI! I'm a cold weather wimp when it comes to cycling.

[Yasmin]

Hi Bikeless. CONGRATULATIONS on your new bike. Sounds like you had a lovely inaugural ride. What everyone says is true: you will get stronger/faster the more miles you do. The beauty of being "out there" rather than on a stationary bike is the scenery often makes you forget the excercise part of the equation. You've got until March...I think you'll be just fine to acheive your 66 miles.

[Pax]

Hiya Trek Sis! She mentioned having a sis in the wilds of WI...if you're ever forced to come down to U of I give a shout.

[Duck on Wheels]

Hiya Trek Sis! She mentioned having a sis in the wilds of WI...if you're ever forced to come down to U of I give a shout.

Woops. Should'a shouted weeks ago. I drove down to Urbana in early Oct. to visit my daughter and her boyfriend while they were there picking up their cat. Now they and the cat are in jolly ol' England and I have no plans for another visit for a while. Unless ... maybe if she finishes her dissertation and has a graduation come Spring.

[Duck on Wheels]

Hi there Trek420's sis! AND you are going to do Cinderella with usums out here? How great is that! (Good job Trek). Welcome to the Forum. As Dita says - no fun here.... just hard work!

Anyway- you might need to get some of those "rollers" for winter riding. You can set them up in your house and spin away on your bike! Ask people here about them- that would be one way to at least keep in shape over the snowy wintery months!

I"ve heard about you.....Trek and I were tentmates this year on the SF/LA AIDS ride. (of course all goooooood stuff!)

Look forward to meeting you in the spring here in "sunny" (we hope) California, your old home state!

Lucky you! I don't think I ever tented with "Trek". We weren't a camping family. She had to pretend at camping by lying crosswise under her bed at night. As for rollers ... well, we'll see. "Trek" has a set, and if I ship my bike out rather than park it in the basement for winter, then maybe she'll let me try using them. Otherwise, I've joined a gym and tomorrow I have an appointment to learn how to set up a stationary. Tomorrow afternoon is also the intro to spinning class. I figure I'll do my usual workout between the two and try the spin class for "dessert". It's snowing here now. And tho' the forecast for the weekend is better and I still might get in another scenic ride or two before weather forbids, I figure spinning will have to be the basis for my making it up to 66mi in reasonable time by March. One small compensation for the lack of scenery ... they do have tv's you can watch while you ride the stationary bikes there, and I don't have one in the apartment. So maybe I just have to learn the time of some show I'd really like to follow and then follow it from the saddle.