Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - first 2 rides

hey all,

i just went on my first 2 rides, yesterday i would say around 5-6 miles, today i rode to work so about 2 so far. let me just say that it was a punch in the gut realizing how out of shape i am, yesterday was one of the worst days ever. i was really ashamed of myself, i had to stop a couple times during the ride yesterday due to cramping in my quads. not to be discouraged and wanted to get back in shape i rode to work today, i had to go slow because i was sore and tired but i made it. i had to stop once to stretch out a cramp, but i made it. i would say right now i am prolly somewhere between 350-365, i want to get down to about 220, the lowest i have been in a long time was about 225, that was my soph year in high school i was 15, now i am 21 and sick of being like this. i am 6 foot and have a lot of muscle underneath all of this, and now i am doing something to get it off.

Congratulations! Remember the journey of many miles, must be started with that first step, and any task is half done when first started!

You are using muscles in different manner than in a long time I would suspect.

Played college f'ball? Anchored a offensive line?

Yes, muscle and padding will need to be re sculptured and the trick is to not be fooled by early temptations.

From your description, you may want to reexamine the seat settings of your bike, if seat to low, not extending legs correctly, cramps are possible, also maintain gear ratio that provides you resistance, as will as comfortable distance for your effort. If to easy, this can require extra crank turns also leading to cramps.

Good start and stop[ habit is also practical, review this link from a good friend to biking, Sheldon Brown, here (http://sheldonbrown.com/starting.html).

PS: Saddle adjustment suggestions included in link provided.

You will be amazed how quickly you will be able to ramp up the miles. My first ride last February was 3 1/2 miles, and it was one heck of a workout. I now ride at least 100 miles every week, finished a metric century a couple of weeks ago.

For the first month or so, my thighs just above my knees were really sore. Since then, they have not been a problem.

My first ride, I could walk farther than I rode. You are using much different muscles.


Getting the weight off now while you are really young will pay huge health dividends!!

You also should weigh yourself. You will want to know the progress you are making, and you could be heavier than you think.

Any questions or concerns you should check with your doctor.

Good job so far we are about the same size. At your age the weight should come off pretty quickly. I wish for 21...lol. Keep it up.

From your description, you may want to reexamine the seat settings of your bike, if seat to low, not extending legs correctly, cramps are possible, also maintain gear ratio that provides you resistance, as will as comfortable distance for your effort. If to easy, this can require extra crank turns also leading to cramps.

+1, I've definitely found that spending some time in making adjustments to the seat will pay huge dividends. If it's too low, it'll bow your legs outward, causing your work to be much less efficient than it could be, and will cause pain in your joints if you bike long enough in one session. Then simply, you'll be able to get much less done for the work and do much less (with less power too).

You want to be able to extend your leg out on the pedal that's closest to the ground and only have a slight bend in it (or another way I read, you want the force you feel on the downstroke in your foot to be like it would be if you're trying to scrape something off the sole of your shoe). Help here: http://bicycletutor.com/adjust-seat/

+1 on the gear ratio too. I'm just now learning the benefits of those too since I can place power into the pedals efficiently - again it's good to spend time learning/playing with those, too - again it increases your efficiency if you use them right. For example, I managed to scale a hill that's been giving me problems from day 1 very easily today (shocked me really) - I got my seat adjustment right and got the gears right and just floated myself right up it. Of course, the gears are great to learn for mechanical reasons - you don't want to set them so you have cross-chaining (an X-speed bike really only has about X/2 effective speeds). If you need help, see this: http://bicycletutor.com/gear-shifting/

Good luck and keep at it, and as I'm sure you know from your playing days, much of this stuff is mental more than the physical. So keep at it and you'll get to a good point in short order.

Well done!

I gotta second, third, etc etc the seat adjustment. I found myself with knee pain and a feeling like a had a tumor in my left calf after riding. It turned out to be the seat was about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch too high.

Stick with it, but listen to your body as you get started. Rest can be just as important and miles, especially while your (our) muscles adjust to regular activity.

And don't forget, we like pics of the "Ride"!:thumb:

i am 6 foot and have a lot of muscle underneath all of this, and now i am doing something to get it off.

This is true for all Clydes. Years of lugging around excess weight builds very strong, very solid muscles. Once you de-clyde yourself you will have a body that most skinny people will envy.

Don't forget to rest every once in a while or you'll do more harm than good. If you're an ex-football player, do the cardio training you used to do and that'll help with weight loss and getting into shape. Do some core resistance training to keep the other muscles.

hey all, i rode home yesterday and back to work today, im not giving up!! i have my mile time down to about 7 minutes per mile for about 2 miles, sunday it was double that. i think that the seat is fine, i rode awhile then stopped then got back on and they cramped, i have not had any additional cramps since the first day, i also did not stretch at all the first time. other than riding im starting to do a little simple core training and eating better. :)

Thats how it starts...sounds like your on your way

That is great.

Hydration is very important for you as well. Cut back on sodas, coffee, and other drinks with caffeine.

Water is important, for your system to stay lubricated, and if not drinking, muscle cramps can be just because lactic acid is building up in muscles. This important for all training and conditioning.

Early rule, may be practical to consider, "DO NOT drink your calories".

i do not drink regular soda, but i do drink diet soda, not a lot, one or two a day, i am a sucker for diet berry green tea though, should i just stop all of it and drink nothing but water for awhile?

Don't drink crap. Soda, while yummy, is crap. Iced green tea that you made at home is good. So's iced coffee, but both have caffeine which'll dehydrate you which is no good. Fruit juice, especially real, unsweetened or lightly sweetened juice, is good. Something I've been doing lately cuz it's so hot and humid is adding a pinch of salt and a little squeeze of lemon to my water bottles. That helps replace the salt I lose from sweating, but doesn't add any calories. For longer rides, you want to replace the electrolytes and take in some calories so you don't bonk.

BTW, Coke is also good at replacing electrolytes so go ahead and have one if you're in the middle of a long ride, but try to cut back on it if you're just sitting around at home.

i do not drink regular soda, but i do drink diet soda, not a lot, one or two a day, i am a sucker for diet berry green tea though, should i just stop all of it and drink nothing but water for awhile?For a while I would suggest cutting diet sodas from your intake list if possible. You then decide if you notice the difference.

Review the contents, and you will understand, as those chemicals must be processed somehow and the extra strain on liver and kidneys takes away ability to keep other tissues hydrated.

Diet sodas, besides the carbonation yet rely on artificial sweeteners to fool your body's sweet signals, only triggering want for more as the sweet taste triggers expectation, only wanting more, so just do not tease your system. Water is good, I use a PUR/Britta type water pitcher/filter to keep fill my bottles filled, then use water cooler or other offerings on ride.

I do not add salt to my bottles, (but it does add a little flavor, used in moderation), but do use lemon juice on occasion.

The hydration suggestion is to help with your cramping, lack of water consumption can be cause of cramping that you are experiencing, not actual muscle fatigue.

Also , with biking, on moderate days, you do sweat, you just may not notice it, and via breathing, as well, dry throat/mouth despond well to cool glass of water better than a 12oz soda any day.

A ice tea after a ride is also refreshing, minus the sweetener, decaffeinated even better.

ok well i just finished the last soda that i have, im gonna try to have it be the last one for one month and see how i feel

ok well i just finished the last soda that i have, im gonna try to have it be the last one for one month and see how i feel
Yes, it may be tough, and I bet these were not 12 oz soda's, likely 20 oz bottles;)

I was a Mountain Dew fancier for ages, and I was surprised at my energy level after a week without soda, even water at dinner (Ice water), also found that when eating out my portion of check was less than others.

Try to avoid drinking a large glass, instead, 8 oz servings several time through the day if you in office type environment, if more physical work, then drink as thirsty.