birdhunter1

So I am still fairly new to the whole biking as a hobby/fitness gig. While being overweight my riding started as 6-10 mile, then 10-13 mile rides anywhere from 3-6 times a week, mostly after work near the midnight hour (as i work evening shifts 3-11 pm). Most of these rides were on a hybrid bike and averaging 15-17 mph with the occasional longer distance. I set a goal of doing 30+ miles on my road bike that I started riding a month or so ago. last week when I went to do my 30 mile+ trip I went 36.25 at an average speed of 15.0 mph. The first and last 4 miles of this trip have some pretty tall and long hills a few 200'+ and probably 5 in the 100-150' range (steep and long enough that the normal 1/2 ton pickup won't hardly hold speed while pulling a moderate 15' jonboat). The rest of the ride was river bottom paved roads that were flat to 1% grade at worst. Long and no shade but not hard to keep speed on, take the hills at the end out of the average and my speed probably would have been around 17 mph.
I felt good on the ride, stopped for about 10 minutes at mile 21 and had a snack I had packed. From mile 21-30 I had a headwind, not a horrible one but a headwind none the less. After the ride I was of course ready to plop in a chair but after 15 minutes or so I felt pretty good. There is a hill right before my house that is a total B**** and it'll get the heat pumping pretty good. My total time on 36.25 miles was 2 hours 26 minutes with an elevation gain of 2450 feet (runkeeper). I don't feel that the hills defeated me, I don't feel that the distance defeated me, nor the heat or sun.

So to you experts how did I do? I plan on improving this time and doing it more often.

tacoshredder

Congrats on reaching your goal. Sounds like a good time too. Now you can increase your distance on the long ride a little each time or keep doing that ride and see how much you improve over time. Do a ride like that each week if you can.

mkadam68

Good job. Keep riding. Maybe meet someone to ride with (well, maybe during daylight hours ).

RacerOne

How'd you do? You did great! Maybe make your next goal not stopping at all for that distance.

Cookiemonsta

Nice ! Congratulations.

If you could finish it without any pain or discomfort, indicating it is a distance and speed you can handle, try to do that distance once or even multiple times a week.

diverguy

Hey, you did great! Much to be proud of there. And your times and distances will only increase as you progress. Good for you.

coasting 

you did great.

Notgrownup

I am in about the same boat...Started back about 7 weeks ago, did my longest ride yet this weekend 23.8 miles...Congrats to your milestone and we all keep at it and get better...

robbyville

Wow nicely done indeed. Idsaybthe same as the rest do more of these and work on small areas of opportunity to push yourself on ride segments. Shorter rest stop or no rest stop with stretching on the bike.

fwiw, I started to ride again about a year and a half ago under the same pretense as you, one of my regular rides is around the same mileage with a little more climbing and the best I've ever done is 2:03 so I think your first attempt is spectacular!

bonz50

fwiw - I've been consistently riding for just over 2 full seasons now, my longest ride is about the same as yours (I'm capable of much longer but lack time), you did excellent!!! in my first month my longest ride was only about 12-15mi

seymour1910

I didn't see anyone say it so far so I will, right now don't put so much attention on the whole "average speed" thing. Get your miles up and go for those goals, then set other goals. Before you know it you will do a Metric (63 miles) and a century (102) miles. Good work, and keep it up.

birdhunter1

Actually my legs felt tired about mile mark 31 but a short water break and stretch at the side of the road for a minute or two and I was good to go again. My usual rides are more of a give-it-all-I-got till I'm done with the most recent rides previous to this 36 miler as a pace setting kinda ride (if that makes any sense).
My wife would accompany me but she is training to run a marathon right now so she is all set on running only. Next year we plan to do a 3 day 150 mile trip for a charity event.

Rootman

Congrats, you're doing great! Just keep at it and keep it fun! If you're really into it then push yourself. Personally myself I enjoy the ride more than the result. I average typically more than 100 miles a week and that seems to be good for me, if I push any more than it becomes something else to me and ceases to be fun. So stick with waht you WANT and not what others or even yourself might convince you that you NEED. It's all about the ride.

bbeck

Congrats on making your goal.

Long Tom

Congrats from a fellow noob!

It's hilly in my AO and I find the hills actually help do longer distances (within reason) because they get me up out of the saddle, which helps with the derrière area soreness (or hell, you're a hunter, let's just call it the 'taint <g>) in addition to working different muscle groups.

My longest is 62 miles, with a 50 and a couple 40's as well. IMHO things actually get better after about 25 miles... I get used to the various discomforts I guess.

dalava

You did great. 2450 ft of vertical gain over 36.25 miles is not a flat ride by any means. Congrats. You should try a half-century or metric next.

birdhunter1

yes but all the elevation was in the first 4 and last 4 miles. I am assuming a 1/2 century is 50 miles? That is the next goal. Actually a friend of mine and I are wanting to ride the entire length of a state bike trail that is 45 miles this year, I guess I will just turn and do another 5. That entire trail is crushed limestone and real easy riding though I don't know if I would want to take my roadbike down it with those skinny tires.

Sidney Porter

Sounds like it would be although I don't hear people referring to a 1/2 century. But what you normally hear is a "metric century" 100km or 63 miles.

njlonghorn

Very nice work, and congrats!

I started riding in April about 5 years ago, and set a goal of doing a century by the end of the year. I set intermediate goals throughout, including mileage, mileage without stopping, and even mileage without putting a foot on the ground. By the time I went out for the century ride, I was easily able to cover 75 miles, and could do 50+ without stopping so long as it wasn't too hot. My first century was on the first day of a 3-day ride, so I got up the next morning and rode another 80. Throughout all of this, I never paid any attention whatsoever to pace -- I just wanted to cover the miles.

In my second year and ever since, I have paid more attention to pace, but I still don't obsess about it. Just ride, baby, ride! Take in the scenery, get in shape, and have fun.

Notgrownup

I try to make sure i keep a good cadence and go until i feel good about coming back....I just got back home from a 10 mile ride and it felt really good...from being a LA Z BOY to doing 10, 15 or 20 mile rides is a very big thing to be proud of...

StanSeven

Somebody setting up your courses must like small punishments. A century is 100 miles and a metric is 62