Help I want to start BACK!

RJMOM said:

Hi am very new here....48 years old mama wanting to ride again.
So I rode a lot 10 years ago. I did some women's races, centuries, mt. biking, and even did a program at the Velodrome. I had a baby rode until I was 6 months pregnant and then that was it....70 lbs heavier and NOW I want to ride!!!!!
Any hints for starting back. I've just started riding my hybrid again. I can't believe I am actually afraid of my clip in peddles on my road bike......It sits right now in the living room on my old trainer HAUNTING me. The seat is way too small!
I am embarrassed to get on it since I am so heavy! I swore I would never be that beer belly hammer head I experienced on club road rides which I barely could hang onto 10 years ago. you know those guys that just burn up the ride in the beginning when all you want to do is get some miles in and this huge weekend warrior wants to kill everyone. Not that I could ride like that but I certainly look like that in spandex LOL. anyway you get the idea....I am out of shape and large....not really in road gear shape.
So what would any of you suggest? I want to ride...I miss it and I finally have carved some time in my life to do it again. My bike might be old but it works....
What should I expect from myself? I don't want to race again but I would love to do a Century and touring rides Maybe by the fall? Is that too much? Should I put my Fat butt on the bike or stay in on the trainer or do the hybrid until I get a little lighter?
any ideas would be so appreciated! [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif[/IMG]

Just ease on in. Ride for the fun of it, for now. You don't need to confine yourself to riding specific mileages or at specific intensities. Just keep it easy and fun. Before you know it, you'll be wanting more.

I got back on the bike after a decade off. I went from 1st Cat road guy, 5'11 and 145lbs to expert beer swiller and BBQ pit master at 230lbs...

A couple of things that I had to deal with:

- Your brain will remember how you used to ride, your legs and lungs will tell you quickly it's not possible. The best example will likely be on your first ride - you'll see a hill and set the gear accordingly and you'll quickly find that you'll be shifting a couple of times more. LOL. Just remember that when you start to ride and reset your expectations. Short, fun rides are a good start.

- Extra weight. Apart from the obvious things like cycling clothes that you might have may not fit (including shoes). The extra weight will impact how you can now sit on a bike. I came to the realisation that big people are not designed to sit comfortably on a bike. It doesn't really matter what saddle you put on the bike - it'll probably not going to be as comfortable as you remember.

- Heat. Expect to feel a little more toasty. Fat is a great insulator, unfortunately that means you'll get hotter and sweatier than before. Hot and sweaty is not fun but any work you can do while we're still in the cooler months with pay dividends later on in the year.

- Breathing. You body only has a limited space for stuff like organs, bones and fat. In addition to lugging around a few more pounds of weight that'll make things harder, having a bit of a spare tire means that the diaphram has more stuff to push against which makes breathing hard when you're riding the bike. Yup - it's a lose, lose situation.

... but it's not all doom and gloom. Ride for fun, ride often, watch what you eat and the weight will come off. As the weight comes off all those items of doom and gloom about take care of themselves.

It doesn't matter what you ride - just ride. You'll progress faster than someone that'd never ridden before but there'll likely be times where you're progressing not quite as quickly as you'd like... A century is possible if you plan and train accordingly.

Keep track of your progress - weight loss, distances ridden, time taken to ride your favorite route etc . There will be times where you think "this sucks" because you think that you're not getting better but having cold hard numbers like "I lost 8lbs this month" or "I rode 20 miles more this weekend" are good to have.

Good luck and have fun.

I can't give you any advice other than don't be embarrassed to get out and ride. On my rides and trail commute I see people of all shapes, ages, and sizes out running or riding. I have never had a single thought other than "good for them." Everyone I know who rides feels the same way. I often come across a 90+ year old woman who is out using her walker in the park. So if she can do it, what is stopping you?

That being said, despite not being "heavy" myself, I could not keep up with some of the groups I've tried to ride with and they left me behind. So the same will happen with you - heavy or not heavy - if you ride with a group that is not right for what you are trying to accomplish.

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wow..thank you everyone! this really helped me a lot. Swampy1970 I needed to hear everything you said as I was just out today and thinking what was wrong with my breathing! I won't give up and things will come back like you all said it is just doing it! Love the picture AlanG. I have my goal Metric Century this Sept. Here I GO!!!!!!!!!!