(Not talking to the racers here)
But be happy with your body. Lose weight if you have/want to, but work on being comfortable with your body as is rather than obsessing about climbing. You know, not everyone who drives a sports car wants to race. So, by a somewhat longish shot extension, not everyone who rides a bike should want to race/climb like big mig enduran/armstrong/mayo/basso/ullrich etc
People sometimes forget to 1. ride for fun 2. tailor their expectations to match their body styles.
Even the pros we all want to emulate do this. Take Magnus Backstedt, a fellow Clydesdale at 6' 3" ~200 lbs. He accepts the kind of rider he is. He is good at the one day classics where the routes are long, hard, rough at times but with not as much climbing as say, your average stage race.
He DNF'd at last year's Tour (and I think this year's also, no?). He gets droppe don hills, not because he is a terrible rider, but you cannot compete up hills with someone 50 lbs lighter than you with the same power output (not ratio).
So, in short, temper your expectations. I have and I feel better. I no longer stress about getting dropped when I do. Instead, I work with what I have. Sometimes I pass, sometimes I get passed, but I always hurt so good and smile ear-to-ear for every ride I get to go on.
(not saying anyone else should feel this way, but it works for me). That said, sure I would love to lose another 15 - 20 lbs, a weight I haven't seen since a very skinny form 5 (11th grade in the U.S.) of high school. And I could if I stayed committed, but, like many people, love to eat. Thank goodness I ride for fun AND fitness or I'd be in bad shape.
(I was 275 just 2.5 years ago and thought I was in decent shape!)
Sorry for the ramble. But the spirit moved me.
But be happy with your body. Lose weight if you have/want to, but work on being comfortable with your body as is rather than obsessing about climbing. You know, not everyone who drives a sports car wants to race. So, by a somewhat longish shot extension, not everyone who rides a bike should want to race/climb like big mig enduran/armstrong/mayo/basso/ullrich etc
People sometimes forget to 1. ride for fun 2. tailor their expectations to match their body styles.
Even the pros we all want to emulate do this. Take Magnus Backstedt, a fellow Clydesdale at 6' 3" ~200 lbs. He accepts the kind of rider he is. He is good at the one day classics where the routes are long, hard, rough at times but with not as much climbing as say, your average stage race.
He DNF'd at last year's Tour (and I think this year's also, no?). He gets droppe don hills, not because he is a terrible rider, but you cannot compete up hills with someone 50 lbs lighter than you with the same power output (not ratio).
So, in short, temper your expectations. I have and I feel better. I no longer stress about getting dropped when I do. Instead, I work with what I have. Sometimes I pass, sometimes I get passed, but I always hurt so good and smile ear-to-ear for every ride I get to go on.
(not saying anyone else should feel this way, but it works for me). That said, sure I would love to lose another 15 - 20 lbs, a weight I haven't seen since a very skinny form 5 (11th grade in the U.S.) of high school. And I could if I stayed committed, but, like many people, love to eat. Thank goodness I ride for fun AND fitness or I'd be in bad shape.
(I was 275 just 2.5 years ago and thought I was in decent shape!)
Sorry for the ramble. But the spirit moved me.