Originally Posted by sjscorpiomark

Hello everyone I am new here and really appreciate reading the stories of big guys and gals getting out there and riding.

A story about me and my reason for researching here(sorry it got a little longer than I planned).

I am 44, 6' 275 LBS and really need to loose some weight and get in shape. High blood pressure, smoker for 28 years, borderline diabetic and due to a genetic issue on blood thinners for life. 20 years ago used to ride 20-30 miles 3-4 times a week, ran a 5 mile loop every morning and I weighed 175-180 and then got divorced, had a bout of depression and ate to 'feel better' and sat in front of the computer/tv pretty much all my free time.

Fast forward to spring 2008, weighed 300lbs was on blood pressure meds and at my physical the doctor said better loose some weight and quit smoking now or your heading for a heart attack. I decided to buy some better camera gear and go out and photograph. Got reasonably good Exercise lost a little weight still at 280 Lbs or so I could not walk far enough off the road carrying my gear to get the shots I wanted. kept at it all summer until August 2008 when I was getting ready for bed and I got dizzy, then nausea set in then my right arm went numb. I told my daughter to call 911 and then my entire right side went numb and I was vomiting. the parametics arrived 10-15 minutes later and asked me questions but I was unable to make words come out, I could think of what I wanted to say but i would just mumble some incoherint sounds. I had a stroke, luckily 2 days later I had regained mobility in my right side and was able to leave the hospital on the 4th day. I continued walking and photographing and could walk a mile without sitting down but was still little winded. down to 250 or so then I injured my knee and over 6 months ballooned back to 280 that was in the fall of 2010. I fell into a complacent mindset that I am doing fine, I am taking my meds so all is well, March 2012 when I was sitting down at my desk and I had a shooting pain in the middle of my upper back, then I got a tight feeling in my chest and called 911. A heart attack...

So here I am a 44 yr old thats already had a stroke and heart attack both thankfully with no permenant damage other than a slight short term memory deficit. I have to change my life NOW. I have stopped smoking. I am in the shopping phase for my first return bike and have pretty much settled on either a Cannondale CX3 or a Trek 7.5 fx. I am planning on taking off the stock wheels and having a set of 36 spokers built up and slap some 700 28 or 30 rubber on there but have not locked down a builder/brand on that yet. if anyone has suggestions please let me know.

This idea I have about beginning training. Work with a nutritionist to work on a decent food plan ( not horrible now but need to tweak it I am sure ). Buy a trainer and run intervals in-doors in the evenings while preparing dinner or laundry or whatever to increase my cardio endurance which is pathetic right now (walked up 5 flights of stairs due to elevator being out at the office just about killed me). Get on and do 10-15 minutes whatever I can manage at a reasonable cadence 60-70 RPM then return to chores then do another 5-10 minutes at 90-100RPM and do chores repeat. I will also do rides on the Saturday working on distance and not pace. Take Sunday as a full recovery day. Once I built up the endurance and strength to make it, I am hoping about a month from starting, commute to from work home a couple times a week while doing intervals on the off days. google maps says door to door is 15.3 miles, mostly flat though there are a 10 overpasses and 3 are pretty steep and tall. luckily I can take the train in and ride home until I get the stamina to do a round trip commute.

Thanks for bearing with me through that long introduction,
Mark