Too much, too soon

[Catrin]

I was charged the same price for the bike that one can buy it for online...apparently all the fitting was standard operating procedure for "my" bike shop since I wasn't charged a penny extra! Too bad they don't all do business this way. I think I will send her some flowers and a thank you note

My LBS is this way as well, a full lifetime fitting is included in the purchase of a bike. If you bought the bike somewhere else then it is $250. (Lifetime fitting = no fitting charge for the life of the bike, and there is a discount for any fitting-related parts that might have to be purchased. This means that any time fitting adjustments are needed for any reason, such as a new saddle, pedals, cleat adjustment, whatever - there is no "fitting" charge) While the lifetime fitting is quite unusual, I do think a good percentage of stores do throw in some level of fitting in a bike purchase.

By The Way~I am also 56 years old and overweight for the first time in my life. It is taking me awhile to build up my cardio endurance. There have been times when I wanted to just sit down on the side of the road and be done! My legs feel like they can go forever, but my "engine" is out of gas. The first few rides over 15 miles, kicked my hiney!!!!!! I try to do them on Saturday so I can recoup on Sunday before going to work on Monday. My hubby is so glad to have someone to ride with that he is quite content to limit his distance and mph to my abilities. I am usually to exhausted to make meals or anything else productive. So I nap, shower up, and pick out a favorite dining place, and off we go! We are empty nesters now so it is like being young again!

You rock! I just learned how to ride a bike 1.5 years ago for my 50th birthday. I had been very overweight for over a decade and was very out of shape. Since then my weight has dropped from 180 down to 136, and I feel 20 years younger It does take time to develop both muscular and cardiovascular endurance, just make certain you are taking enough rest days and stretching after your rides. I don't do anything halfway and last year developed a whole roster of over-use injuries because I didn't take enough rest days, didn't stretch, and thought I could do strength training without warming up enough. I can be the queen of over-doing it and my body laid down the law last fall

It sounds like you are resting enough, check out the threads on nutrition. Are you eating before your rides? Cycling does take more energy than we realize, especially at the beginning when our bodies haven't yet adapted.