What a difference three months makes!
06-03-07, 05:09 PM
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What a difference three months makes!
My first ride report on my blog, March 3, 2007.
https://historian2wheels.blogspot.com...ch-3-2007.html
"Today's ride almost turned into my last. I made the mistake of revisiting what has become for me the Trail of Tears - the bike path at the Betzwood Picnic Area in Valley Forge National Park. I went to get in another 3 mile time trial for the B7 contest at Fat Cyclist. Even though traffic on the path was light today, I was extremely nervous. I fought the bike and gravity for about half a mile in a repeat of my previous disaster in January. At that point, I stopped and walked the bike back to my car. The rain began to fall, and I had evil thoughts of leaving Excelsior propped against a tree with a note saying "Give me a good home.""
Later that day...
"Excelsior and I started circling the parking lot. Nothing fancy, nothing elaborate; my bike and I were learning to trust each other. The parking lot, aside from being wet and having salt spilled over a corner, was also on a modest incline. Thus the short ends of the loop forced me to pedal uphill and control the speeding bike downhill. Also, the long parts of the loop were not on level ground, which made me adjust my body to keep in balance. The first few times I had to stop at the end of each loop. Then I decided to try to keep moving through more than one loop. Soon I had completed a dozen without stopping. I then started to add in figure eights to the loops. After 35 minutes, my back began to bother me, so I called it a day and went to the gym."
Three months ago I rode for 45 minutes and that was it. Yesterday I chalked up a hundred plus mile week. What a difference three months makes!
https://historian2wheels.blogspot.com...ch-3-2007.html
"Today's ride almost turned into my last. I made the mistake of revisiting what has become for me the Trail of Tears - the bike path at the Betzwood Picnic Area in Valley Forge National Park. I went to get in another 3 mile time trial for the B7 contest at Fat Cyclist. Even though traffic on the path was light today, I was extremely nervous. I fought the bike and gravity for about half a mile in a repeat of my previous disaster in January. At that point, I stopped and walked the bike back to my car. The rain began to fall, and I had evil thoughts of leaving Excelsior propped against a tree with a note saying "Give me a good home.""
Later that day...
"Excelsior and I started circling the parking lot. Nothing fancy, nothing elaborate; my bike and I were learning to trust each other. The parking lot, aside from being wet and having salt spilled over a corner, was also on a modest incline. Thus the short ends of the loop forced me to pedal uphill and control the speeding bike downhill. Also, the long parts of the loop were not on level ground, which made me adjust my body to keep in balance. The first few times I had to stop at the end of each loop. Then I decided to try to keep moving through more than one loop. Soon I had completed a dozen without stopping. I then started to add in figure eights to the loops. After 35 minutes, my back began to bother me, so I called it a day and went to the gym."
Three months ago I rode for 45 minutes and that was it. Yesterday I chalked up a hundred plus mile week. What a difference three months makes!
06-03-07, 05:30 PM
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Congrats! That is a long way in a short time!
06-03-07, 05:32 PM
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very nice man, very nice.
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A Journey to Lose 170 -now 151 Pounds and a Place for Those Like Me
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06-03-07, 05:37 PM
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Originally Posted by The Historian
My first ride report on my blog, March 3, 2007.
https://historian2wheels.blogspot.com...ch-3-2007.html
"Today's ride almost turned into my last. I made the mistake of revisiting what has become for me the Trail of Tears - the bike path at the Betzwood Picnic Area in Valley Forge National Park. I went to get in another 3 mile time trial for the B7 contest at Fat Cyclist. Even though traffic on the path was light today, I was extremely nervous. I fought the bike and gravity for about half a mile in a repeat of my previous disaster in January. At that point, I stopped and walked the bike back to my car. The rain began to fall, and I had evil thoughts of leaving Excelsior propped against a tree with a note saying "Give me a good home.""
Later that day...
"Excelsior and I started circling the parking lot. Nothing fancy, nothing elaborate; my bike and I were learning to trust each other. The parking lot, aside from being wet and having salt spilled over a corner, was also on a modest incline. Thus the short ends of the loop forced me to pedal uphill and control the speeding bike downhill. Also, the long parts of the loop were not on level ground, which made me adjust my body to keep in balance. The first few times I had to stop at the end of each loop. Then I decided to try to keep moving through more than one loop. Soon I had completed a dozen without stopping. I then started to add in figure eights to the loops. After 35 minutes, my back began to bother me, so I called it a day and went to the gym."
Three months ago I rode for 45 minutes and that was it. Yesterday I chalked up a hundred plus mile week. What a difference three months makes!
https://historian2wheels.blogspot.com...ch-3-2007.html
"Today's ride almost turned into my last. I made the mistake of revisiting what has become for me the Trail of Tears - the bike path at the Betzwood Picnic Area in Valley Forge National Park. I went to get in another 3 mile time trial for the B7 contest at Fat Cyclist. Even though traffic on the path was light today, I was extremely nervous. I fought the bike and gravity for about half a mile in a repeat of my previous disaster in January. At that point, I stopped and walked the bike back to my car. The rain began to fall, and I had evil thoughts of leaving Excelsior propped against a tree with a note saying "Give me a good home.""
Later that day...
"Excelsior and I started circling the parking lot. Nothing fancy, nothing elaborate; my bike and I were learning to trust each other. The parking lot, aside from being wet and having salt spilled over a corner, was also on a modest incline. Thus the short ends of the loop forced me to pedal uphill and control the speeding bike downhill. Also, the long parts of the loop were not on level ground, which made me adjust my body to keep in balance. The first few times I had to stop at the end of each loop. Then I decided to try to keep moving through more than one loop. Soon I had completed a dozen without stopping. I then started to add in figure eights to the loops. After 35 minutes, my back began to bother me, so I called it a day and went to the gym."
Three months ago I rode for 45 minutes and that was it. Yesterday I chalked up a hundred plus mile week. What a difference three months makes!
06-03-07, 05:59 PM
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Originally Posted by The Historian
No, going against the advice of my physical therapists and lowering the handlebars seems to work.
I have had to go against doctors ideas too. Good thing you went out and just did it !! cool !!
06-03-07, 06:10 PM
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Excellent. 100 miles weeks in 3 months is quite an accomplishment. You should feel proud of yourself. I did not get my first 100 mile week until 7 months in.
06-03-07, 06:43 PM
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Good going Neil I had 70 one week then bad weather hit, but I'll get there some week
06-03-07, 08:12 PM
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Originally Posted by The Historian
No, going against the advice of my physical therapists and lowering the handlebars seems to work.
That made all the difference in the world, she has raced twice since then and has been able to ride hard without any back pain at all. Make sure that you find someone that knows what they are doing when they fit you, it can be a bit pricey, but it is worth it to get you bike set up correctly.
Also congratulations on a great achievment.
06-03-07, 09:25 PM
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Originally Posted by UtRacerDad
i'm curious have you ever had your bike fitted ?
06-04-07, 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by The Historian
Yes, it was fitted by the shop. However, they listened to me when I specified being as upright as possible. That was a mistake.
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06-04-07, 12:36 PM
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Nice read 'Historian'. You have aleady made quite an accomplishment, so in reality, you should be proud of yourself. No one said this was going to be easy. It takes a commitment that not everybody has the motivation to see through. You, on the other hand, is seeing it through. All you have to do is keep the faith, and the fruits of your labor will be realized.
Personally, I'm proud of you man.
Personally, I'm proud of you man.
10-03-09, 09:27 AM
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It was raining this morning, and to kill time while the roads dry off, I've resurrected this thread. I'm approaching the three year anniversary of my learning to ride a bike. If you told me back in the fall of 2006 I'd ride 100 miles in a day, ride 580 miles in two weeks across several states, or wear tights in public, I'd have told you, politely, that you were insane. What a difference three months makes? A lot, but nothing compared to three years. 
