cycling

Hey my name is laura and im just starting out cycling. I have been looking for people that just started so we could relate, but no luck.

it's my 3rd day and im up to 4.1 miles. every day i increase my distance and endourance. im trying by the end of this month to be able to ride with my dad on his "group rides" which are usually 30-40 miles each time.

any tips?

18 yrs. 225 lbs 5'5 female

Hello Laura...pleased to meet you my name is Omar =]

I have a couple of suggestions for you:

1- Forget about endurance training, it won't get you much. Switch over to HIIT which is an excellent fat-loss tool and helps you go on longer.

2- Watch the diet and sleep well, both of these are essential if you are going to benifit from your exercise. And don't over-work yourself because it's counter-productive, your performance may deteriorate if you continue to push yourself.

3- Time and patience, the universe wasn't built in a day.

The best of luck Laura =]

Original Post by mr_omario:

1- Forget about endurance training, it won't get you much.

More FUD.  I'm going to start a group that spreads rumors that HIIT and weight lifting makes you sterile and your uterus fall outs...  ROFLMAO....

Just increase your mileage slowly and every third or fourth week take an easy week where you do 60% or so of your max mileage.  If I was you, I would take 2 months to get that goal of riding with the group.

Along the lines of what Omar sez, once you build up your endurance, one day a week you can do some speed work, and one day do tempo work.  It will further strengthen you and burn more calories.

Good luck!!

Omar, I think you completely ignored that laura wants to be able to go out on long-distance rides with her dad.

Remember that the "best" way to workout depends on a person's goals.

laura - trhawley and umneydurak (hope I spelled that right) are both cyclists - they'd probably have lots of advice.

Laura, I agree with Amethyst, TR and UD are great resources.  I'm alot like you.  Last year I jumped on my mountain bike and started riding 2-3 miles at a time and just challanged myself each week to do more.  I road ride most of the time so it was easiest for me to do my longest rides very early in the morning on the weekends when there was less traffic, by the end of the summer I was up to 30 miles.  During the week now I ride the bike trail which is 12 miles with alot of hills and still do my longer rides on weekends.  Just keep challanging yourself and you'll do great.  But have fun!

Leslie

Congratulations, Laura.  I'm just getting back into it again, too.  I've been starting out with shorter rides (a couple months ago) and am already up to 30 kms.  My husband is pushing for a longer ride, of 80Km, later this summer.  I told him I'd think about it, but I'll probably do it. :D

You're lucky to have some people to ride with, too - it's great being able to share this kind of sport!

I'm a triathlete, and while cycling isn't my specialty (swimming is), I do have to say I know quite a bit about it.

Here's the blunt truth: you won't be able to keep up with your dad and his riding group by the end of the month. It won't happen. If your cycling groups are like the ones I have in my area, the people that go 30-40 miles on the long/group ride hold a 17mph pace.

Seeing your at 4 miles a day tells me that your fairly new to the sport. That's not bad, but I think you risk injury if you try to push yourself to go from only riding 4 miles a day to 40 miles a day in ~20 days at that kind of pace.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to attempt a 30 mile ride at the end of the month though. It may not be fast, but I think you'd be able to do it.

Keep up the cycling- it's SO much fun, great exercise, and an amazing stress reliever!

thank ya'll so much for the advise! i know that i won't be in the fast paced groups by the end of the month bbut i could be in the C or D group.

A-racer's and sprinters
B-mod speed steady
C-mod with breaks
D-slow with breaks

I just want to be able to go on the rides, and not be the girl 3 miles behind and alone. Plus my dad has his own route around our area, that im sure he wouldn't mind me riding with him. i jusst don't want to give up on him.

Im not really sure what HIIT is (high intensity training i guess) but im sure what im doing now will in some way or another help me lose weight and become healthier. 

THANKS AGAIN!!!

laura

Welcome to the addiction err I mean sport. :) Biggest tip is to make sure the bike is properly fitted. Riding on a poorly fitted bike or a bike that is the wrong size really really sucks. It can lead to knee issues and not very comfortable. What kind of bike do you have right now?

As for doing the group ride, I am sure you will be able to do it in a month. Just make sure to eat and drink enough. The general advice is to consume around 240 calories an hour if the ride is longer then two hours.

Good luck.

UD

Original Post by amethystgirl:

Omar, I think you completely ignored that laura wants to be able to go out on long-distance rides with her dad.

I didn't "ignore" what laura wanted, I gave her advice based on my experience. Because HIIT (High intensity interval trainging) helped me big-time in my marathon running. Which may not be the same as cycling, but I suppose they both require the same amount of lung-capacity. And so it's not "FUD" cuz I am benifiting from the exercise...

Though it's great that we helped ya laura...and your welcome =]

Sorry, Omar.  I shouldn't be such a hard ass.  It's easy to get caught up in the semantics of what someone sez rather than the thoughtful reflection behind it.  Every form of exercise has a purpose and benefit under the sun.  It just depends on what your goals are.  In the end, the result is the same.

Original Post by wesmckean:

More FUD.  I'm going to start a group that spreads rumors that HIIT and weight lifting makes you sterile and your uterus fall outs...  ROFLMAO....

 LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I heart you wes!!!!

As someone else said, it might not be a good idea to try and keep up with the more experienced riders for a while, as their constant speed will be too high, and you might find yourself struggling, generally not enjoying yourself and ending up disappointed.

After some practice, I am pretty sure you will be able to go for long rides, albeit at a slower pace. If you could get your dad to go with you that would be great.

Best of luck!

Laura - you're off to a great start by just getting on that bike.  I started off in the D group (on a mountain bike), then moved up to the Cs when I got my road bike, and now made the jump and am comfortale with the Bs.  Regardless, riding with a group can be so much fun, very rewarding, great exercise (because you ride longer than you would by yourself and it goes quicker or so it seems) and you make great friends, even among the different groups.  Now if I want an easier social ride, I ride with the C's.....if I need to get my heartrate up and have been slacking on my exercise that week, I do the B's.  Regardless, going to breakfast afterwards with everyone is the BEST part (hummm...how do I log that french toast??!) haha.   Enjoy your bike and keep us up to date on your progress.

Build your mileage gradually week to week and vary your intensity.  You should be able to work up to 40 miles but expect it to take a while and expect to spend around 10 hours a week on your bike as you get closer to reaching your goal.

Make a plan along these lines:

wk    Mon (easy) Tues (pace) Wed (brisk) Thurs Fri (pace) Sat (pace) Sun (pace)

1       4 mi.              3 mi.             4 mi.             off        4 mi.        6 mi.           off

2       5 mi.              4 mi.              5 mi.            0ff         5 mi.          9 mi.           off

3       6 mi.              5 mi.              6 mi.            off         6 mi.          12 mi.        off 

4       8 mi.              6 mi.              8 mi.             off         8 mi.           16 mi.      4 mi.

5       10 mi.            8 mi.              10 mi.          off         10 mi.        20 mi.       6 mi.

6    etc.

Challenge yourself but don't over do it.

i have my dads first mountain bike, i can ask what kind, but it's a 3 speed on the left, and a seven speed on the right... sorry im new so i'll find out. dad says if i get into the grove of things he'll get me a road bike like his. he wants a carbon fiber bike so i might get his hand me downs. 

Original Post by trhawley:

Build your mileage gradually week to week and vary your intensity.  You should be able to work up to 40 miles but expect it to take a while and expect to spend around 10 hours a week on your bike as you get closer to reaching your goal.

Make a plan along these lines:

wk    Mon (easy) Tues (pace) Wed (brisk) Thurs Fri (pace) Sat (pace) Sun (pace)

1       4 mi.              3 mi.             4 mi.             off        4 mi.        6 mi.           off

2       5 mi.              4 mi.              5 mi.            0ff         5 mi.          9 mi.           off

3       6 mi.              5 mi.              6 mi.            off         6 mi.          12 mi.        off 

4       8 mi.              6 mi.              8 mi.             off         8 mi.           16 mi.      4 mi.

5       10 mi.            8 mi.              10 mi.          off         10 mi.        20 mi.       6 mi.

6    etc.

Challenge yourself but don't over do it.

thanks so much!! this is really helpful!

The problem with "hand me downs" when it comes to bikes and specially road bikes is that they are usually not the right size. I am guessing your Dad is somewhat taller then 5'5 thus he is riding a bigger bike. For you it would not fit. I would go a route of getting a cheaper aluminum bike, but that is a correct size. There is also an online company that makes great frames and has specials quite often. If you like PM me and I'll send you the link.

I completely agree with trhawley just ride the bike and build up the millage. Forget about interval training and whatenot.

UD

Original Post by wesmckean:

Sorry, Omar.  I shouldn't be such a hard ass.  It's easy to get caught up in the semantics of what someone sez rather than the thoughtful reflection behind it.  Every form of exercise has a purpose and benefit under the sun.  It just depends on what your goals are.  In the end, the result is the same.

Apology accepted...and I agree in the end we're all on the same team.