noglider 

My morning trip is normally an hour, and I don't shower, so that doesn't sound bad.

echo victor 

Wow, this sounds familiar. And I don't even really have the weather to blame. Sure, we've had almost record breaking rain, but still... it's San Diego.

I'm just starting to get back to riding after having been off a bike essentially since late last summer. Maybe we should start a thread for those of us who are gearing up again to report in and keep each other accountable.

jyl

Let's do it here! All of us lapsed cyclists, post here as you ride the long road back. Doesn't need to be a post on every day's ride, but at least tell us about the milestone rides.

noobinsf 

I feel like I'm enabling your dark side a little bit here, but when you need to break down and drive, it may be worth it to find a place to park some distance from your office. I recently passed up my spot on the building waiting list for monthly parking (I had been on it for six years) so I could continue parking for free on the street. I get a 20-minute walk every morning and evening as a result. I also work next to a lake, so that helps...

I'm coming out of a winter of discontent as well -- a couple of days ago I went to the building bike cage to see if my badge still allowed access, and it thankfully does. This thread is motivating.

jyl

I really enjoyed my return ride. It was raining lightly, and on a bike that rain was exhilarating and refreshing. My legs were fairly ***** but oh well. It felt good to ride into Velocult and feel like I belonged again.

Oh, by the way, talked to Sky and Velocirque is on - working on an exact date now, likely end April or early may.

Drillium Dude 

You know, today I heard a local radio show host comment that the one thing that really bugs him as he moves into his middle 50s is that he wishes his body could still do the things it could do when he was in his 20s.

I resemble that remark.

But we work with what we have. John, keep your head down and keep the faith that all it takes is one day at a time.

DD

merziac

Great news, please to make it so.

gaucho777 

Kudos for getting back in the saddle. The first mile is often the hardest.

I feel your pain. Before I refurbished my old race bikes, I had a nearly 2-decade hiatus. Suffered through some brutal rides (severe cramping, vomiting on the side of the road, walking up steep hills with cleats hung from the hoods in shame) before I got back some modicum of form. Cycling is a humbling sport, but at the same time, slight yet noticeable improvements are often just one more ride away.

ohjonnybegoode

So nice to read this thread tonight. I'll blame the winter months, I'll blame my busy schedule between work and shuttling my kids this way and that on the weekends.

The point is, I hadn't done any meaningful riding in close to a year. Got about 8 miles in last Saturday. Tonight I decided to fold the seats down in the hatchback and put my Davidson in there...while my son was at lacrosse practice, I rode 9.5 miles (I'll round that to ten). I felt slow, but good when I finished. We'll get there!

echo victor 

I like that - I'm in. Soon.

bear_a_bug 

Winter's been dry here in Chicago, but still very cold. I haven't been as diligent with my 16 mile round-trip commute as I was in years past. Lots of excuses between afterwork commitments and the cold. Funny, though, each winter I upgrade my winter-biking gear, so really, I should have very little reason to complain. Now we're in Spring, and I'm blaming the rain, rather than the cold.

I've probably put on 15 pounds since last Summer that I need to lose, and I'm also finding it hard to squeeze into some of my clothes, but too stubborn to buy new ones.

I've managed two 40 mile rides in the past two weekends, and I'm going to do another 40 this weekend in Iowa while visiting my SO's grandparents.

The desire is there, it's just the self-motivation that needs a bit of work. I'm a strong advocate of n+1 if only b/c the excitement of riding a new bike can be just the motivation you need to get back in the saddle.

Best wishes to everybody else trying to roust themselves from Winter's torpor.

noglider 

When I was 52, I went for an annual physical and asked my doctor for an overall view of my health. He said it's good and that men at that age often come to him and say one of two things. They say either:

1. Doctor, I'm 52, and I'm in bad shape. How do I get back in shape?

or

2. Doctor, I'm 52 and in good shape, but jeez, how do I stay this way?

Since he pointed out that I was basically saying number 2, I realized I had a lot to be grateful about.

Four years have passed, and I've had a couple of health scares, and I take it more seriously than before. As a result, I'm treating myself well and getting stronger in whatever ways I can. In that way, I must say, life is good.

gugie 

For me, it's the opposite. First mile back is exhilarating, it's when I get off the bike and rigor mortis sets in that it feels hard!

Chrome Molly

I really disliked the "getting back in shape" part of spring. So, years ago I started teaching a spin class. I was so inclined to slack off that I knew the only way to stay in shape over the winter (if no snow to ski on) was to teach the class. No better motivation to show up...

Last year we got new bikes with accurate watt meters. The difference between these bikes and the old ones is very noticeable. Now a 650 calorie workout is the same every time which is immediately noticeable on hills in the spring. Not much is lost aerobically over the winter due to the brutal honesty of the bikes.

jyl

Second day of commuting to Vancouver. Tried a different way home with more bike traffic. Got blown away by a guy on an electric BMX. Wheelsucked a girl in a Nutcase helmet, leather satchel, miniskirt, gold hightops. She was toodling along reading her iPhone, I was in the drops with my tongue down to my chin. But I did get to pass an elderly gentleman on a hybrid. I quickly turned off the street so he couldn't overtake me. Like, after he was done zipping up his jacket.

Vonruden

Keep on keeping on! Just ride when you can, even if just a couple miles. Most of my riding takes place in the dark, sometimes 6 quick miles, some times much longer. The hardest part is waking up early or getting out the door after a long day at work, but once on the bike the magic happens.

jimmuller 

jyl, it sounds like you had a pretty nice commute this time.

Andy_K 

I'm hoping that I'm a lapsed cyclist on the road back. The other possibility as that I'm just not aging well.

I've never been particularly fast, but two summers ago I went on a sabbatical road trip and was off the bike for two months. I lost an immense amount of fitness during that two months, and it just hasn't come back. My base fitness level is pretty poor, so any fitness peaks I'm able to build disappear quickly. I always get slower in the winter (despite riding somewhat regularly) and then build it back in the summer, but (excuse number 2) I broke a rib early last April and hardly rode at all last summer.

So basically, even though I've managed to ride around 2000 miles in the past year my fitness has been dropping like a rock for the last 18 months or so. Those who rode with me recently when nlerner was in town can attest to just how slow I was on the second half of that ride. Four years ago I rode STP and felt pretty good at the end. Four weeks ago, I bonked hard 15 miles into a 30 mile ride.

But I've firmly decided that I'm going to apply myself and get back into shape this year. My brother wants me to ride the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal from Pittsburgh to D.C. (335 miles) with him this July with a planned 4-day schedule. I've got a long way to go to get ready for that.

---------

BTW, great news on Velocirque! I've been looking forward to that.

Chrome Molly

Yesss!!!

Back on that horse!

OldsCOOL

Good to see you back on the saddle! You had me freaked when I read "chest pains". I was going "NOOOOO!!".

solidtyres

I've been lucky to have been going to a weekly yoga class, which helps maintain a bit of fitness. First ride of the season was last Sunday, 28 miles to a friends house. I did not mutter "f... it" til about 20 miles in. Last 3 miles was into a serious headwind along the coast, maybe going 5 mph on the flat. I was not strong, but the major item was a very sore lower back. "Bike riding is so fun..." After arrival, we went for a hike, then big dinner, then a hot sauna.
Monday evening was the yoga class. Instructor focused on core strength for lower back relief. Pretty worn out on Tuesday.
But my level of energy immediately rose, feeling good now.
Good luck to all who dare to come back.

solidtyres

ROADIE HUNTER badge will be issued shortly.

gaucho777 

I hear you. I guess what I meant is that motivating yourself to start that first mile can sometimes be the challenge. Once on the bike, even the pain can be a pleasure.
--
John, I'm glad your wife's body-shaming has had a positive effect. But why is that approach always a one-way street? Though she might have point about the shaved legs.

tricky 

I'll throw my hat in the ring for the recovery club. I have a hip impingement (frustrating having hip issues and only being 34) and my physical therapist has kept me off the bike until recently. I just got cleared for short rides and did one tonight down to the brewery about a mile away. I would say that's a wash health wise, but it felt good to be back on the bike! Now if the hip would stop aching after sitting for longer than 30 minutes, I'll be golden.

gugie 

...And the worst part about shaving your legs isn't hacking off all the fur and going through a dozen blades before you get all slick.

The worst part is when you decide to stop, and about a week of growth in you can't stop itching...I think it took me a year and a half to quit, haven't been back since.