My first commute- failure is more fun than not trying
 

I tried using my new bike for transportation for the first time today. That's slightly more impressive than it sounds, because my home is at the top of a steep hill, in a city with lots of hills, and I'm brand new to cycling. Still, I thought I was ready, and Sunday seemed a good day to try it, so I set off on my bike to church.

Whee! Down the steep hill was scary, but not quite as scary as I feared. I 'took the lane' (as I've learned to say here) down my narrow, steep, curvy road, and was stopped at the bottom in no time and on my way. I had to walk the bike up the hardest hills, but I arrived feeling energized and proud of myself.

Church. Lunch.

Increasing heat.

I made it almost all the way back home. 90% and high humidity made it a bit more of a struggle, but I was okay as I stopped at the foot of my steep hill. My legs are in no way strong enough to bike up it yet, so I dismounted and started to trudge.

I still had some water, though it was hot in the sun. There was no shade on the road. And I realized that I was beginning to experience serious heat distress, and not even halfway to the top. I paused, drank some water, and was wondering whether I was going to have a medical situation on my hands, sighed, and started to trudge again, thinking about how very proud of myself I would be if I made it up, and how very silly it would feel to have a heat stroke within sight of home.

Fortunately, a neighbor with a pickup truck happened by and offered me a lift the rest of the way, which I accepted.

I guess the only way I'll ever know whether I could have made it to the top or not is if I cycle to work tomorrow... and back.

Nothing wrong with taking a lift when you need it.

Keep trying the more you ride the easier it gets, everybody has to start somewhere.

Absolutely, keep trying until you can do it!

Soon you will own that commute. Hot humid weather will kick the strongest rider in the butt! You will love your ride on the cooler days in late summer/early fall and by then you probably will ask yourself why you didn't start bike commuting earlier.

Way to go. I always feel a sense of satisfaction when I ride my bike to do things, rather than driving. Keep it up.

I don't know where in Ohio you are, but it's pretty flat here in central Ohio, so that helps.

You will get strong before you know it!!!

Go for it, sis!!

SF

Amen to that, although I wouldn't consider it failure at all. You got out there and gave it your best with the intention of going back for more, and that's not failing.

Just keep riding and you'll be fine. I remember the first time I rode with my friends, I started blacking out when I we got back. I didn't hydrate myself enough. But ever since then, it's been great! I think you'll enjoy the commute, even if you have to get off your bike when it comes to the steep hill. I still have to do that, since i have a fixed gear and the gear is way high. Here in SW Ohio, pretty hilly in some parts.

But yeah, keep it up! It'll be addicting!

You overcame the biggest obstacle of all....getting out and and trying! It will get easier and it will get cooler; but it will also get colder and darker and wetter. Of course some days are better than others. The thread "How Was The Commute Today" is a great place to let off steam and to pat yourself on the back.

You will find a happy medium. Keep riding, enjoy the adventure!

I'm impressed you commuted to church. If I tried that I'd be a sweaty mess when I got there.

Your commute to work should be a little better since you aren't riding during the heat of the day (I'm assuming you work 8-5).

It's awesome that you got out there and rode and if it makes you feel any better my first day commuting ended with a crash.

walk of shame!

it's only the walk of shame because it comes at the end of a ride

I've done it - my church has a big sign that says, "Come as you are," and I take that pretty seriously. I do take a change of clothes - communion and Spandex just seem mutually exclusive, somehow. :)

My church commute is only about 4 miles. Not the worst except in extreme heat.

Congrats on an epic journey, FisherQueen. Yeah, the journey today ended in the back of a pickup, but your bicycle journey is just beginning. This is a great time for you, as each time you take the bike out you will get stronger and stronger. In a few weeks you'll be climbing like nobody's business.

Depending on how much road is around you at all of your destinations, you may be able to find alternate routes to places that won't add much, if any, time to your ride and might feature "easier" inclines - hills that may go on longer but not be as steep, etc. Google Maps helps, but my favorite way to figure out new routes is to get out and find them on days off - plus, that gets you in better shape for the hills and gets you more in tune with the bike and riding.

I'm looking for excuses to commute somewhere on the weekend - "I could really use (obscure item) at this place across town, and there's no rain, so let's go! What route would be best?" I'm constantly plotting ways to make things easier or better for me - biking's as addictive as drugs, and just as expensive - I'm forever looking around at what pieces of gear I'd like to have next.

First steps are always a bit shaky - you'll be dancing in no time :)

Congrats on taking the first, and most difficult step... getting started! Make sure you're well hydrated before your next ride and take extra water. A snack wouldn't hurt, either.

Walking hills is better than driving them, and driving hills is better than heatstroke. Just a quick life lesson there.

Since you're new to riding, here's a site that is amazing at setting up routes... ridewithgps.com a little bit more user friendly than mapmyride, plus elevation works! Just a tool you can use if you ever want to take the long way home.

Good luck

At least you gave it a shot even if you DNF (did not finish) but thats still better than a DNS (did not start). If you keep at it the day will come when you look back an laugh about your first ride, welcome to the club.

It's a beautiful morning, the hill didn't get any less steep overnight, and I'm off to work on my bike in about five minutes. This time, I'm bringing an extra bottle of water.

Give it time, be patient and don't push too hard. It will only get better from here on. You have a rough beginning to be honest: heat, humidity and a hill (LOL - 3xH!)

Take a break if you feel too tired, don't overdo. First few weeks will be the hardest. Then it'll get better progressively with a couple of moments of crisis possibly along the way, as you try to push harder. You seem to have the right attitude, keep it that way, it's all about your attitude and expectations, not physical abilities. If you can deal withe the difficulties in your head, your body will follow.

And don't forget to drink lots of liquids!

Adam

I found this to be true. On the ride home from work the primary route I would take has a lot of rolling hills. None of them are particularly steep but I find it difficult to get into a groove and "go" when I'm constantly changing gears to go up, then down, followed by up again. If I add about a half mile to my commute I replace the rolling hills with one, long (almost two and a half miles) incline. Unlike the rollers, it's not very steep at all, and I average a far better speed.

On my ride to work, I tend to take the road with the rolling hills because it's much wider, with a very wide paved shoulder, and at 5:45 - 6:15 it's rather dark out.

In case anyone's curious... I made it home today! I walked up the hill, and I'm sweaty and gross and tired out, but I don't feel like I'm going to pass out like I did yesterday. That second bottle of water was key.

Part of me is thinking, 'It would be so much easier to drive. This is right at the edge of my limits.' Part of me is thinking, 'If I keep doing this, my limits will expand.'

I didn't see this suggestion yet... and the humidity may defeat it... but try dumping water on your head! It feels incredible. If the humidity is a huge factor, consider an insulated bottle. I had my butt kicked by the commute home uphill in the 'heat' once this summer; since then I've always carried an extra bottle for dumping on myself, and it's made the difference once or twice.

You'll also adapt to the heat a bit if you keep it up!

Congrats on making it again! Your limits WILL expand and it's a very empowering experience.

Absolutely your limits will expand. I had a women look at me like I was nuts last week when she found out I had ridden 5 or 6 miles to a place we were mutually familiar with. I was surprised because after the last few years of riding I consider 5 or 6 miles to be a pretty short distance.