So I got on my bike for the first time in seven years this weekend. Everything was harder than I’d remembered it:
- Felt like I was working way too hard to be going so slow
- Legs were already feeling the burn after 20 minutes (though I was able to stay in the saddle a total 45 minutes, 15 minutes longer than I’d planned)
- Took almost 15 minutes to relearn shifting
- Balance is all off, riding with no-hands used to be a piece of cake, now it’s wobbly and scary
- Paranoid around cars, fortunately didn’t have to deal with too many as it was super early and stuck to side streets
- My keister is killing me, as is my lower back – I’ve forgotten how painful the seat, and that position, is when you’re not used to them
On the plus side, I was able to snap in and out of the clips ok without falling, and I never really lost my breath – while the muscles were weak and tired too easily, my cardio held up respectably.
I wasn’t in unbearable pain or anything like that, but I definitely felt sore the rest of the day and into Sunday. Got it together to get on the bike again this morning for a 30 minute ride and was pleased to find that while the seat was still uncomfortable, it wasn’t as bad as Saturday’s ride, so I guess I’m already starting to adapt. My hope is to do 2-3 more 30 minutes rides this week and then do a full hour on Saturday; ride most days next week (30 minutes) and gradually keep adding on till I can commute to and from work by mid-August (18-20 miles round trip).
Any one else come back to cycling after extended time off? How long before I get my groove back?