Milestone of sorts
04-19-13, 09:34 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Milestone of sorts
I have been biking and losing weight for several years. The weight loss has been a series of downhill slides, long plateaus, and a couple of regressions. I am down to 224 from about 290 over two years.
As a big guy, hills have always been an issue. One thing that has threatened to discourage me from riding is that where I live is pretty hilly. This is the worse approach to my home, though the others aren't much better.
Last week I had taken off on a long after work ride into a brutal headwind. My average speed on this 19 mile route had been averaging almost 15 mph recently, but this day it was a pitiful 11. The wind blasted me head on almost the whole way.
Toward the end of this route are a couple of moderate hills. These hills had been hard for me when I was packing 240-250 lbs, but this day they actually seemed easier than the wind. It wasn’t until after the ride that the significance of this hit me.
Yesterday, with a mild quartering tailwind, I did that route and stretched it to 23 miles, averaging over 15mph for the first time on that route, and earning a PR on one of those hills in the process.
https://app.strava.com/activities/49502039
As a big guy, hills have always been an issue. One thing that has threatened to discourage me from riding is that where I live is pretty hilly. This is the worse approach to my home, though the others aren't much better.
Last week I had taken off on a long after work ride into a brutal headwind. My average speed on this 19 mile route had been averaging almost 15 mph recently, but this day it was a pitiful 11. The wind blasted me head on almost the whole way.
Toward the end of this route are a couple of moderate hills. These hills had been hard for me when I was packing 240-250 lbs, but this day they actually seemed easier than the wind. It wasn’t until after the ride that the significance of this hit me.
Yesterday, with a mild quartering tailwind, I did that route and stretched it to 23 miles, averaging over 15mph for the first time on that route, and earning a PR on one of those hills in the process.
https://app.strava.com/activities/49502039
04-19-13, 11:37 AM
#2
SuperGimp
I feel your pain - I have to ride up this road EVERY TIME I go home... it's about 8%. My street actually features an 18% grade to get out. (ugh!)
It actually kept me off the bike for about 8 years - I was a former flatlander and had the wrong gears / fitness / willpower. I distinctly remember how much of a struggle that dang road was the first umpteen times I rode up it!
Congrats on your progress.
It actually kept me off the bike for about 8 years - I was a former flatlander and had the wrong gears / fitness / willpower. I distinctly remember how much of a struggle that dang road was the first umpteen times I rode up it!
Congrats on your progress.
04-19-13, 01:59 PM
#3
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Wowsers. Part of me wants to live someplace like this, and part of me is glad to live on dead flat ground. On one hand I get sick of the "one massive TT" part of it here, but in the other hand I like the fact that if I do somehow get a calm day I can go out and ride fast for 3 hours straight because I never meet any hills. Can't decide which.
04-19-13, 02:54 PM
#4
SuperGimp
The nice thing about hills is that there is ALWAYS a downhill. Wind has a nasty habit of switching directions at your half way point. I don't know how it knows. 
And for some reason, heavy side winds feel like a head wind both ways.
And for some reason, heavy side winds feel like a head wind both ways.
04-19-13, 03:26 PM
#5
Senior Member
Congratulations on conquering this, do you feel it is mostly mental or physical?
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