Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - First Century Done

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barryflht
09-30-08, 09:58 AM
It's almost like a dream and somewhat unbelievable for me, but this past Saturday, I completed my first Century. Only a short while ago, I was a couch potato, smoking 2 packs a day while eating my cheeseburgers and drinking 12 beers every evening. All that changed in March of '07, when I quit smoking and did a complete lifestyle makeover with diet, exercise and limited alcohol consumption. I lost 30+ lbs. and began to get my old body back into fairly decent shape. My blood pressure and cholesterol normalized and I began to enjoy working out more and more. Then I bought a bike last October and really got serious about my cardio health.

I went back and looked at my log and found that: My 1st 5 mile ride was 11/4/07--My 1st 10 mile ride was 12/1 -- My 1st 20 mile ride was 1/5/08 -- my 1st metric was 4/4/08 and my 1st 100+ mile ride was 9/27/08 and almost all of this after I turned 50 yrs old on 11/23/07....... I'm just posting this to offer encouragement and support to any of you that happen to be beginning a similar journey.... It's never too late and I remember reading posts of this nature last year about this time and thinking that I'd never be able to do it..... But, yes it can be done and it's a remarkable feeling.

bobbycorno
09-30-08, 10:04 AM
Forget Lance and those characters - people who've completely turned their lives around like you have are my heroes. Keep up the good work!

SP
hackybiker
09-30-08, 01:56 PM
+1

You rock.

CbadRider
09-30-08, 02:05 PM
Congratulations for putting in the hard work and effort to get yourself in shape. You should be proud. I would love to post your picture at work for several coworkers who are always looking for a shortcut. They are always on some screwy diet (nothing but hot water with cayenne pepper and honey!) or don't have the time to exercise, then complain that they are fat.
palookabutt
09-30-08, 03:04 PM
Nice job! It is amazing how our bodies respond after years of abuse.
mattm
10-07-08, 11:50 PM
wow, congrats!

that's a pretty amazing rise from no cycling to a century in so little time. any plans for double centuries?
Caribou2001
10-12-08, 02:33 PM
bravo! :thumb:
Richard Cranium
10-12-08, 03:30 PM
Good for you - you're never too old to get fit.
xnihilo
10-13-08, 12:34 PM
That rocks, Barry! I'm in the same boat...working up to doing a century whenever my bod can handle it.
Is the FLHT gettin' lonely?
Haven't ridden my Street Bob in a while since I've been getting into bicycling. :roflmao2:
barryflht
10-13-08, 12:51 PM
That rocks, Barry! I'm in the same boat...working up to doing a century whenever my bod can handle it.
Is the FLHT gettin' lonely?
Haven't ridden my Street Bob in a while since I've been getting into bicycling. :roflmao2:

Actually it's FLHX now that I've traded for a "Street Glide". No it's not lonely and gets to share the hauling duty...I usually ride the Harley to work.