The first mile sucks.

[JoyfulGirl]

Hi, just to add a bit more detail. I'm a newbie. My longest ride so far is 16 miles. I'm pretty out of shape. Love my bike though and really want to stick with this.
I'm trying to figure out what to do about my problem... :/ Every time I've gotten on my bike the first mile is just horrible. I feel like my lungs are going to explode. I feel like my legs are going to explode. My sit bones hurt. My knee aches and pop a bit. It's miserable and really not fun. After that first mile though I'm loving it.
Any time I stop for more than about 10 minutes though it's like starting all over again.

I feel silly about this. But is there anything I can do about it? Will it get better with time? Or will I just get use to it?

[ladyfish]

I think it will get better. Remember that the first mile you are warming up all your muscles, so take it easy. It's the same when I go for a run--the first 1/2-1 mile really sucks, but then I get in the swing of things and the rest of the run is fine.

Just keep riding!

[Geonz]

It really should get better with time.

Maybe you could do something to warm up first - a few stretches? - and start *really* nice-and-easy.

I'm a hate-to-stop person myself because of the start-up thing, but that's also a lot better in July than in April.

[Nanci]

Just start out slowly! After about a mile or two, things should be loosened up to switch to your regular speed. It's nice to slow down and cool off for the last couple miles, too.

I notice on longer rides, that if I stop for anything more than a few minutes, I stiffen up, but it goes away pretty quickly once I start riding again.

Nanci

[Bad JuJu]

That sounds like the way I used to feel in the first mile of jogging (which I don't do any more). My problem then was just what everyone has already said about your cycling--I didn't take the time to warm up properly but just went all out from the start. Not a good idea--that's not how bodies are designed to work.

In addition to taking time to warm up, are you spinning? When I learned about spinning instead of trying to push big gears all the time, that's when I really started to love cycling. Try to keep a relatively high pedal cadence with easy gears, at least while you're new at this, and always when you're warming up. I've read somewhere that even racers do a lot of spinning when they're in training.

[mimitabby]

another thought. Does your bike have multiple gears?
make sure it's in the easiest gear before you get on the bike. easiest,
wheels spin with the least amount of work.
another thought:
pick up the front of your bike. Spin your wheel with your hand. Does it
spin freely?
pick up the back of your bike. do the same thing.
if the wheel doesn't just keep spinning,, something is wrong.

when i got my cross, the first day i rode it, a brake pedal was stuck.
I got on that bike and rode 10 miles (VERY SLOWLY) my husband getting irritated, scolding me even..
i finally threw myself down on the ground and panted, my legs were screaming.
needless to say it took a while to figure out what was wrong.
I always check first now

[btchance]

I feel almost the exact same as you described it, and it happens for me both on the bike, spin bike, and when running. I just take it easy until it goes away, spinning and trying to avoid hills until I'm warmed up. After that, I feel fine.

[JoyfulGirl]

Thank you everyone for such rapid responses
Funny mimitabby should mention her husband scolding <G> Part of the reason the First Mile Sucking is such an issue for me is that my boyfriend's one of those really GungHo Ya Gotta Push Yourself To Improve kind of people and seems to think most the fun in riding with someone else is that it encourages you to push yourself more. So every ride together by the end of the first mile when I'm finally starting to enjoy it I'm also ready to reach over and tip him off his bike. He's not very impressed with my urge to tip him like a cow.

I'm just going to put some ear plugs in I think and go just as slow as I please for that first mile from now on. I'm sure it will get better as I get less out of shape. And he can just bite my increasingly shapely and fit butt for that first mile. For the record, he really is a great, sweet guy. Just 'warming up' for me seems to mean "Moving slow as a sloth in a deep freezer while devoting all attention to avoiding inclines." and for him it seems to mean "a cheerful, brisk sprint up a hill"

Pretty sure nothing is wrong with my bike and that it's all me<G> But I'll go over it later tonight and check her out.
And I'll try going into even lower gears and getting into the hang of this whole spinning concept And smile knowing that it's GOT to get easier than this

[Barb]

only a mile to warm up? Sheesh you are ok! It takes me 2 miles minimum and I have been riding for a few years. Listen to your body, do what it takes!

[mimitabby]

i HATE starting up hills! that wouldn't be easy for a beginner!
the first 5 miles should be easy and flat...

[Geonz]

Yea, I think this is one of those fundamental gender differences that neither of you should try to change - just accept!

You might try going out five minutes *before* he does. That way you get to be leisurely and he gets the challenge of catching you.

[PAP103]

I always have a hard time for the first couple of miles. I ride slow to start then pick up speed. Unfortunately, the club riders all start out fast and stay that way throughout the whole ride. Although, last week they stopped for a minute and I caught them and was able to stay with them for the rest of the ride!! I must be getting better.

[JoyfulGirl]

Thank you again everyone. I feel a little less silly now. We're riding together again some night this week. I think I'll just start getting ready sooner and tell him I'll meet him at the trailhead. I really really really hate being cranky at the start of every ride with him and I feel bad for him because he's cheerful and chipper and I'm snarling.

I don't think I could tackle a group ride with any but my most patient and loving friends. Through some silly planning I have a mountain bike.. which I ride on pavement... big nobbies on pavement. out of shape rider. I average about 10 mph every ride. It's a sad sight to see but I do have fun I was really frustrated for awhile but I gave up on caring about speed and am just having fun and realizing it's going to be a whole new fun ball game when I change to slicks and even crazier more wonderful when I can get a road bike though lord knows that's quite a ways out in the future. and dang won't it be easier to eat up the miles then

[latelatebloomer]

My trainer calls that first feeling the "oh sh*t" feeling and that pretty much everyone has it at the beginning of a ride or other effort, and you just warm up as gently as you can and get past it. I call it the "whose big idea was this anyway" feeling. Warming up slowly is really important but kind of hard on a bike. I'm a beginner, too, and it takes effort to keep going forward !

I also don't love riding with my DH (yet) - he tries not to push me, but sometimes he "nudges" and I don't want nudging. He's much fitter than I am, so when we ride, I am working my butt off, fitter than I've ever been, and STILL lagging while he's flitting off ahead. I really need my ride to be about having a feeling of accomplishment, not another situation in my life where I'm sure I'm not good enough.

But Joyfulgirl, you are doing GREAT! Just be proud of yourself, and the gains are going to come, faster than you think. There's probably already a road bike out there with your name on it!

[tulip]

Get some slick tires on that mountain bike and you'll feel much better. And tell the BF to just be quiet for the first 15 minutes.