First Group Ride

[Bethany1]

Before cycling I was in terrible shape. I've had a bad back for years and last year I could barely do anything without the muscles seizing up for several days at a time. I used to do a lot of walking but when your back would seize up, I had to stop. I had two rounds of physical therapy and talked with a back specialist. He said to lose weight now. Doc figured I'd hurt my back when I had that first gran mal seizure and fell backwards behind the sink and toilet.

I couldn't make it around the block without exhausting myself for a week. I got about a mile (1/2 mile to the light and head back) but it's all uphill back to my house. I'd end up walking up the last hill completely spent. I'd do different routes but each have different grades of hills going back home, some of which are half mile or more.

I told myself I'd at least get to the Peru sign, 5 miles uphill once I got my Madone and nearly killed myself up to the top but I was determined to do it. It's all downhill from the top and coasted all the way down at 30mph. I ended up having to walk the last mile home going up two other hills. It was a 12 mile round trip. I probably spent two days sleeping it off.

After someone mentioned hypoglycemia, I went back over my medication side effects. I started taking Celexa a couple of months ago and one of the side effects is hypoglycemia. When you are medications, I try to make sure everything works together and know the side effects.

Celexa has really changed my life for the better as the depression is basically gone.

I always have two water bottles full of water.

Getting blood sugars tested sounds like a great idea. I'll set up a visit and see how that goes. I'd hate to have something serious and not know it until it's too late.

I went riding with DH last night. He had his chopper bike and I took his Townie. It was really relaxing to do a couple of miles together on a comfortable bike.

[Roadtrip]

I too think 5 miles and your cooked could be a little abnormal, or at least reason to talk to your doc about it, just to be sure. Glad you have an appt to talk to your doc to invistigate. I don't think your weight itself shouldn't be a factor. I currently weigh more then you and even when I first started biking (30 pounds heavier) found I could do five / six miles and not be as spend as your appear to be. I'm doing 18-20 mile rides now.

I would say the hydration idea is key as well. I've seen my DH bonk hard by not properly hydrate/eating prior to a ride and he's thin and fitter then I.

Good luck!!!

Shannon

[Velocivixen]

I do not think that weight, alone, makes a difference. I have seen women who would be considered overweight who regularly cycle who could kick my butt any day on a bike (I'm 5'6" & 137 lbs.). Yes, it does require more strength and endurance to carry around more weight, but weight is not the only factor. It sounds, too, like you could benefit from continued strengthening overall. Eventually you could build both the strength and stamina to go longer and farther. I know I can go a lot farther on flat ground vs hills.
Have you tried riding more than 5 miles on completely flat ground to see how it goes?

[Bethany1]

Okay. Did a test run today to check things out. I went up to Lincoln to the Mopac trail with DH and son as I'm sick of gravel hills and semi trucks. The trail is relatively flat, easy to ride and no stupid cornfields.

I stopped off at the gas station, picked up a Gatorade, a protein and energy bar and drove to the park. I ate the protein bar about halfway there.

I reset the computer and headed off at around 10 mph taking sips of Gatorade as I went. I made it 4.5 miles without any problems and DH said he needed to head back to the car. He's a weekend warrior and him going that far was really great. I split the energy bar with him and headed back.

I made it the other 4.5 miles back to the car without any problems. DH had to stop and rest a few minutes and we went on. I was a little tired, but not even close to "bonked" when we went back to the car. Son had been sitting there for twenty minutes.

We drove back the hour and 20 minutes back home and I'm doing great.

[Catrin]

Glad to hear the experiment worked! It does take some effort and experimentation to work out the nutritional requirements of cycling, especially if you were not active before starting. There are lots of good threads here, and there are also a few really good books on the topic. "The Cyclist's Food Guide" by Nancy Clark is a good one to start with.

[Velocivixen]

Hey, good for you! So that was an easy fix.

I'm still trying to figure out what, when and how much to eat prior to and during rides.