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04-09-08, 02:01 PM
I've read most everything posted here in the last 8 months I've been commuting and reaquinting myself and buiding a baseline fitness to work from. Y'all have been most influential and encouraging in what I've set out for mymelf and goals for this year.
I started out at 335-340 in August. I smoked like a chimenny, drank like a fish, wheezed when I climbed stairs, complained a bit, depressed alot and just crap health in general. That first six weeks of commuting SUCKED! but in a good way. I didn't realise how out of shape I was and needed that wake up call. Might have bit off more than I can chew (thats saying something!) deciding to commute. I went from nothing/no miles for years to 20 miles RT! I thought my legs would never NOT ache! The first six weeks pass and I'm not any faster but my wind is less 'sucking' and more 'blowing'. Hard work, but I could feel the results far faster than they became visible. By the beginning of Thanksgiving I was up to about 100 miles a week.
Around Thanksgiving I had to decide if I was going to ride year round. That was an intimidating decision! The winter here in Colorado was mellow, thankfully, and I dove in. One of the best choices I've ever made...Around Christmas I purchased some studded tires and kept on. My miles had dropped to about 60-85 miles/week. Not bad, I thought! Got alot of comments about riding all winter. Most everyone got used to me riding with a day or two of driving a week. Keep in mind I work shift at 12 hours per. I got to see some amazing sights when fall moved into winter. Hardly any commuters where I go in winter. That and I commute either at 430AM or 615 pm, coming or going.
I crashed three times fairly hard over the winter. One was loud enough that people at a bus stop turned to see where the noise came from and the bus driver yelled asking if I was okay (bus was 150 feet away...Fat lands loudly!). I would have laughed but had smacked the air out of myself!
So anyway, to make a long story long, it is now spring. I've missed some miles logged due to cyclo'puter getting thieved but I checked out what everyone was doing. Dang!! There are some seriously rollin' people around here! Just the kick in the booty I needed! Thank you all!!
So as of last week, I've decided to up the personal stakes. I did two 30 mile rides on my two days off. One day off, back to commuting. Now that my days off are here again, I did 40 this morning and should the weather hold, another 40 tomorrow and commuting all weekend to work.
My goals? (finally, eh!)
Short week next week, so I WILL! do a MetricCentury next Saturday.
Before the month is done and I go back to nights, an Imperial Century.
All this on my trusty, cheap, Fredded out MTB!
My reward so far?
Down 65 pounds, BP in the Healthy/very healthy range, resting HR of 54, Spirometrics testing out at 119% capacity at 78% effort, no 'age' on lungs.
Now to finish off the gut, about 50 more pounds and to do a Century that includes Lookout Mountain here in Golden (no links but the locals know what I'm talking about).
So thats that, finally.
Thanks for listening to a FatMan working his way down but never out!!
I started out at 335-340 in August. I smoked like a chimenny, drank like a fish, wheezed when I climbed stairs, complained a bit, depressed alot and just crap health in general. That first six weeks of commuting SUCKED! but in a good way. I didn't realise how out of shape I was and needed that wake up call. Might have bit off more than I can chew (thats saying something!) deciding to commute. I went from nothing/no miles for years to 20 miles RT! I thought my legs would never NOT ache! The first six weeks pass and I'm not any faster but my wind is less 'sucking' and more 'blowing'. Hard work, but I could feel the results far faster than they became visible. By the beginning of Thanksgiving I was up to about 100 miles a week.
Around Thanksgiving I had to decide if I was going to ride year round. That was an intimidating decision! The winter here in Colorado was mellow, thankfully, and I dove in. One of the best choices I've ever made...Around Christmas I purchased some studded tires and kept on. My miles had dropped to about 60-85 miles/week. Not bad, I thought! Got alot of comments about riding all winter. Most everyone got used to me riding with a day or two of driving a week. Keep in mind I work shift at 12 hours per. I got to see some amazing sights when fall moved into winter. Hardly any commuters where I go in winter. That and I commute either at 430AM or 615 pm, coming or going.
I crashed three times fairly hard over the winter. One was loud enough that people at a bus stop turned to see where the noise came from and the bus driver yelled asking if I was okay (bus was 150 feet away...Fat lands loudly!). I would have laughed but had smacked the air out of myself!
So anyway, to make a long story long, it is now spring. I've missed some miles logged due to cyclo'puter getting thieved but I checked out what everyone was doing. Dang!! There are some seriously rollin' people around here! Just the kick in the booty I needed! Thank you all!!
So as of last week, I've decided to up the personal stakes. I did two 30 mile rides on my two days off. One day off, back to commuting. Now that my days off are here again, I did 40 this morning and should the weather hold, another 40 tomorrow and commuting all weekend to work.
My goals? (finally, eh!)
Short week next week, so I WILL! do a MetricCentury next Saturday.
Before the month is done and I go back to nights, an Imperial Century.
All this on my trusty, cheap, Fredded out MTB!
My reward so far?
Down 65 pounds, BP in the Healthy/very healthy range, resting HR of 54, Spirometrics testing out at 119% capacity at 78% effort, no 'age' on lungs.
Now to finish off the gut, about 50 more pounds and to do a Century that includes Lookout Mountain here in Golden (no links but the locals know what I'm talking about).
So thats that, finally.
Thanks for listening to a FatMan working his way down but never out!!