Newbie weekly achievement thread

[hebe]

Hebe,

Don't know how I missed this post but congratulations on your ride on your newfound bridleway! Sounds like you had a ball and it has pumped you up with enthusiasm.

Thank you! I've been up there again today, did a little bit better with the steep sections but it's going to take time before I can ride the whole thing. I did some more road riding at the other end than before, and also found the continuation of the trail which I am DESPERATE to try as it gives some brilliant views. I was all out of legs to get up the hill today though. It was my first ride using my cheapie bike shoes, I was so fed up with my trainers feeling like they were soaking up all my pedalling. I covered a lot more ground this time and came home all muddy and again. I also rode the busy road section going to the trail rather than short-cutting through the park (which is not really a short cut because I have to get off to get the bike through the barrier). It was such a beautiful morning and I was so happy to be out on my bike.

Nikkiblu, that sounds fantastic! I bet you can't wait to try it clipless

[Roadtrip]

• Tried out a new trail and got a whole new lesson on defensive riding skills.
• Logged about 16 miles this week, but not SO bad considering as things kept coming up and couldn't get out to ride the first part of the week.
• Had a busy Saturday, where we rode with a friend for a quick little bit before heading off to the Amusement park for a day of fun in the sun and roller coasters (eight hours on my feet and walking around the park, legs dead) This ride also happened to be the first time I rode right beside someone as I had been afraid of not being able to hold my line and crashing. Rode this way for several miles. I DID still get out the next day and bike 5 miles and back/legs did feel better afterward.
• Lost 2.4 pounds last week-- so just over 8 pounds in last four weeks and nearing 15 pounds since I started biking.

Shannon

[Roadtrip]

This thread has been pretty quite for the last week, so I thought I'd bump it to the top with report from ride today.

Here goes...

We were supposed to go to the movies with a friend today, but plans fell through last night, so I hatched an idea for a longer ride and started looking at trail maps. Had been wanting to try the Little Miami Scenic Trail that runs from Newtown (burb of Cincinnati and only 10 minutes from home) all the way north for seventy some odd miles to Xenia, Ohio.

Plan was ride from Newtown to Loveland and grab some lunch and then ride back home... my longest ever ride. Previous longest ride was about 6 miles, so this ride well exceeded this. Thought it was going to be about a 10 mile ride to Loveland, but ended up being more then 13 miles, so was a 26 miles out and back. Twenty miles further then my previous best.

To add to my accomplishment, I rode part of the ride clip-less. so it was also my first ever ride clipped in. It actually happened much my accident really. I have pedals that are dual sided, platforms on one side and the other side is SPD. Sometimes then taking off when I put my left foot on the pedal, they don't always flip to the platform side and I have to coast while working my foot to flip it over. We had stopped at an intersection and when I took off it didn't flip, but I didn't fully notice, which was because my foot slid into the clip and was quite happy there. Down the road I realized my foot was locked into the pedal, but felt pretty stable, so I rode along. At the next stop I made sure I tested clipping out before coming to a stop, which was smooth, so when I started back up I went ahead ad clipped, this time on purpose.

I'm tired and my right knee was yelling at me the last few miles. Feeling pretty darn good about my ride today!!!

Shannon

[hebe]

oh wow Shannon, Go you! 26 miles AND clipped in! That'll show up in your weight loss this week. You must be so pleased!

I worked out that last Sunday's ride was about 8miles, so I'm very happy with that. Today I planned a new route - up the favourite bridleway, then joining a new one, then onto the Wessex Ridgeway, which is a national trail with some fantastic views. Then dropping down onto a country road, which is a 60mph limit so quite a fast road (albeit with very little traffic). I managed to come off the bike on the first 100metre stretch of road leading to the first bridleway No idea what happened - empty road, slightly downhill, I braked for my turning and the back of the bike fishtailed and I came off into the road. I must have braked harder than I thought. Anyway, I checked the bike and myself, got back on and rode the route anyway. The Ridgeway was beautiful but completely unmade for most of the part I was on - lush green grass with big muddy ruts and dips. I really need to get a mountain bike!

I had my Garmin in my pocket and it reckons I did 3.17miles, 330feet of climbing, a top speed of 61.3mph (clearly wrong) and a second top speed of 13.9mph which looks more realistic. Can't wait to get out again!

[Roadtrip]

I did sorta come off the bike as DH stopped suddenly and as I stopped I dropped the bike in order to stay on my feet. After we had lunch and was about to head back I realized my bike wasn't right... my chain had come off, so I had to put it back and made sure things were smooth rolling.

Feeling good, yes. I also am not as sore today as I thought I might be. We're already plotting another trip up the trail and things up that way to see and do.

If I am down two pounds (which I think I am), then I'll have done the ten pound loss challenge in five week instead of ten, but my real goal is twenty pounds in that ten weeks!

Hope you're OK after your tumble. I hate when you do something like that.. most of the time it's RIGHT where loads of people are looking and you feel like a total idiot.

Shannon

[hebe]

I thought my chain might have come off today but it was fine. 10lbs in five weeks would be excellent, good luck with the next five weeks!

My ankle is swelling nicely now so I think I've done something to a muscle or two. I'll take things easy tomorrow and send dh out for some arnica tablets. It's a bit of a pain, but I wouldn't have been able to ride this week anyway, and on Friday dh goes back to the US for a week so dd and I will be spending a few days in Cornwall with my family and I doubt I will ride then either as none of my family ride. Thanks for your good wishes, luckily no-one saw it at all so I was alone in my humiliation and cussing. I was looking hard at the road when I cycled back and I think I might have braked over a drain cover, though I'm sure I would have realised dh has just gently reminded me that I am still a beginner, and that beginners fall off from time to time.

[Kerry1976]

Hi everyone!

I am a super new newbie! I got my Trek Pure Lowstep (7-spd) on Thursday night and did a little under 3 miles on it. I can't remember the last time I did 3 miles - maybe never?

Anyway, I got on my bike today and went on my first real ride - where I just wanted to go as long as I felt like, but not overdo it. I got over 10.5 miles going around 10.5 mph! Totally excited!

My backstory - I'm a 34yo runner (with a pudgier physique!) who has had 2 stress fractures this year - one in each ankle. I'm needing to cross train, but am bike stupid - and basically bike terrified. I needed a bike that I could ride and put my feet on the ground at stops, and something that wasn't crazy in shifting - need to simply learn to RIDE. I love my bike.

[hebe]

Welcome Kerry, and congratulations on your new bike and your rides so far! This is the place for the "bike terrified", you'll fit right in!

[Bike Writer]

Welcome and good job Kerry1976, I'm sure you'll find yourself in very good company here. There are some great gals with lots of knowledge and support to go around.

Hebe and Roadtrip - WOW, you guys have been cranking it out the last two weeks and making progress by leaps and bounds! Excellent!

I'm moving along in my biking as well, I look back to the end of July when I got my bike and how shaky and scared I was on the first couple weeks and say, hmmmm, you've come a long way gal. Knock on wood since I adjusted my saddle angle I've not fallen once. And the thirst for longer trips continues...

[Bike Writer]

My ankle is swelling nicely now .......I am still a beginner, and that beginners fall off from time to time.

Oh my Hebe, take care of that ankle, ice it down and try to stay off it as much as you can, however with a little one that is probably not easy.

Sadly, yes, falls are part of the initiation, or so it seems...

[Roadtrip]

Boooo.. the scale said I was down only a half pound. Booooo..

How in the world? I KNOW I rode only twice last week, but one was a VERY hilly 5 mile ride and the other was my twenty-six miler on Saturday. OK. I did have a hamburger for lunch that day and did also indulge in a single solitary cookie from the local bakery (it was GOOD btw) as a bit of a reward.

Just a bit depressed. I worked so hard last week.
Shannon

[hebe]

Boo too Hopefully they will carry over to next week.

[Bike Writer]

Boooo.. the scale said I was down only a half pound. Booooo..

How in the world? I KNOW I rode only twice last week, but one was a VERY hilly 5 mile ride and the other was my twenty-six miler on Saturday. OK. I did have a hamburger for lunch that day and did also indulge in a single solitary cookie from the local bakery (it was GOOD btw) as a bit of a reward.

Just a bit depressed. I worked so hard last week.
Shannon

Roadtrip, the scale can be a funny thing, how much you wanna bet you will suddenly see a 2 pound or more drop in a day or two?

[Bike Writer]

Bumping the thread to post weekly achievement;

Since I got my bike on a Friday I chart my weekly mileage from Friday's to Thursday's. I just closed my 13th week of riding with 59.9 miles for the week with no special events just after workday riding. This is not a lot of miles for many people here who do this kind of mileage in a day and then some and do it repeatedly for day after day but for rediscovering the joy of biking again in middle age I am quite proud.

The human body continues to amaze me.

Kicked off the new week yesterday with a 17+ mile ride.

http://www.mapmyfitness.com/route/un...28780232850139

[hebe]

That sounds pretty awesome to me - well done!

No miles at all here this week, I'm staying with my parents in Cornwall without a bike.