Training & Nutrition - Beginner, How's My Performance.

Hello, so I've just started about a week ago. I ride this one mile stretch of road back and forth, it's the only place I can ride. I ride a Trek 4300 mountain bike.
http://i29.tinypic.com/2qv5bf5.jpg
-Thursday I did 12 miles 40 minutes.
-Friday it rained
-Saturday I did 10 miles -ran out of daylight, not sure the time.
-And today I did 14 miles in 55 minutes with a "put the chain back on" stop, "manually put the chain back on the first sprocket stop since it wouldn't change" stop, a water break, then another water break and a phone-call.

I would just like to know how my performance is for a beginner and given that I'm on a mountain bike. Also, should I get one of those heart-rate monitors to make sure I'm not slacking off or going to hard and to stay consistant during the ride?

-Thanks!


EDIT: I'm going to start going to the GYM with my brother, he's pretty much as knowledgeable as a personal trainer. But anyway, at the gym they obviously have lots of weight machines, a pool, and I think they may have bike trainers. Is there anything that will help or hurt my cycling? Is a trainer better than actually going out side to ride? And what about Swimming? And just so you know, I'm 6'2-3" 175lbs. and 16

-Thanks.

Find some additonal places to ride.
Your gonna get sick of that 1 mile ..... real fast.

I'd say your performance is just fine. Why are you concerned about it? Are you interested in racing? Why only ride on that one mile? You don't need a heart rate monitor unless you want to really seriously train to ride fast for some reason.

When I was 18, at the end of my first summer of cycling, I rode100 miles in 6.5 hours on a 10-speed road bike, solo. And I'm essentially talentless. You could probably pick up a bike like that for $25 today. So you want a goal, there it is. They didn't have HR monitors or clipless pedals back then. Tennis shoes and toe clips.

Find some additonal places to ride.
Your gonna get sick of that 1 mile ..... real fast.

+1. Are you in a Truman Show sequel? Unless you're riding america's most spectacular mile, or even if you are, you'll be sick of it; gotta expand...there must be something beyond your turnaround. That bike wants to be mashed down some muddy fire roads - I like the $25 10-speed advice for road rides and workouts.

There's about 4 more miles I can ride, but it's VERY hilly. There's a few fireroads/powerlines, but their not that great. May give it a try though.


-Thanks for the replies.

EDIT: I am getting sick of that 1 mile lol. I'm only riding on Saturday's now though. I've started working out and trying to gain weight. Couldn't ride this past Saturday(yesterday) Because of sore legs; couldn't even walk. So I guess it will be next Sat.

There's about 4 more miles I can ride, but it's VERY hilly. There's a few fireroads/powerlines, but their not that great. May give it a try though.


-Thanks for the replies.

EDIT: I am getting sick of that 1 mile lol. I'm only riding on Saturday's now though. I've started working out and trying to gain weight. Couldn't ride this past Saturday(yesterday) Because of sore legs; couldn't even walk. So I guess it will be next Sat.
I guess you answered your own question about whether weights will help or hurt your cycling. They will hurt, at least the way you did it!

Seriously, try a lot of different activities and eventually focus on the ones you like the best. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes every day--for the rest of your life. And make sure you're good and tired at the end of that 30 minutes.

Maybe try a spinning class at the gym if you're not able to ride outdoors much. When you are riding, keep your cadence up. (That's the number of times per minute that you spin the pedals.) Use your gears and try to pedal real fast most of the time. Then your legs won't hurt as much, but your heart will still get good exercise.

Don't worry about how fast or how far you go. Worry about how hard you're working, and how long you're working. Again, work as hard as you can for the whole 30 minutes.