When your memory is better than your legs

Luigi de Guzman said:

Just five miles today, just over ten miles an hour rolling average.
I'm disgusted.

I've been off my bike too long, and I'm even fatter now than I was
back when I was riding. A couple of years back, when I was rolling
off twenty miles a day, I'd have timed myself up the hills. Today, I
was lucky to get up the rollers alive.

The worst thing about this is that I remember being better than this.
I remember rolling faster, climbing better, riding more aggressively
through traffic. My instincts were all still there, but my body
wasn't able to follow through.

Ugh.

I've got a long hard slog to get back. Here's hoping I can get a
century done before school starts.

You will. (It is written now, see?)

Bill Sornson said:

Luigi de Guzman said:

Just five miles today, just over ten miles an hour rolling average.
I'm disgusted.

Quoted message said:

I've been off my bike too long, and I'm even fatter now than I was
back when I was riding. A couple of years back, when I was rolling
off twenty miles a day, I'd have timed myself up the hills. Today, I
was lucky to get up the rollers alive.

Quoted message said:

The worst thing about this is that I remember being better than this.
I remember rolling faster, climbing better, riding more aggressively
through traffic. My instincts were all still there, but my body
wasn't able to follow through.

Quoted message said:

Ugh.

Quoted message said:

I've got a long hard slog to get back. Here's hoping I can get a
century done before school starts.

You will. (It is written now, see?)

And I read it on the Internet so it must be true.

But serioulsy, OP, you have lots of company. You'll get stronger, and
remember it's supposed to be fun.

Joseph

Luigi de Guzman said:

Just five miles today, just over ten miles an hour rolling average....

Look at it this way: That's probably faster and further than most of
the people you know or that meet during the course of your day. The
main thing is that you are riding and (hopefully) having fun. Keep at
it.

Luigi de Guzman said:

Just five miles today, just over ten miles an hour rolling average. I'm
disgusted.

I've been off my bike too long, and I'm even fatter now than I was back
when I was riding. A couple of years back, when I was rolling off twenty
miles a day, I'd have timed myself up the hills. Today, I was lucky to
get up the rollers alive.

The worst thing about this is that I remember being better than this. I
remember rolling faster, climbing better, riding more aggressively through
traffic. My instincts were all still there, but my body wasn't able to
follow through.

Quoted message said:

Ugh.

The first two weeks is when you'll see the most improvement. My brother
got back into cycling after a long hiatus, and like you a weight gain.
After two weeks he saw noticable improvement in speed and wind.

But you'll keep improving. It won't get a lot easier, but you will go
faster.

Quoted message said:

I've got a long hard slog to get back. Here's hoping I can get a century
done before school starts.

You've probably seen this before, but this is not a bad calendar once
you've gotten over the initial hump. Basically add 10-20% mileage a
week until doing 60 miles or so is manageable.

http://www.c-r-a-n-e.com/training.html#SCHEDULE

--
Dane Buson - [email hidden]
Skill without imagination is craftsmanship and gives us many useful objects
such as wickerwork picnic baskets. Imagination without skill gives us modern
art.
-- Tom Stoppard

Quoted message said:

Luigi de Guzman said:

Just five miles today, just over ten miles an hour rolling average. I'm
disgusted.

I'm a former runner and some of my training habits have carried over.
When I am trying to build up to a new level of mileage, I try to add
miles incrementally by taking it easy at first when I am going the
longer distance. LSD = Long Slow Distance. It may not take long for
your legs to get used to it when you increase your mileage.

Luigi de Guzman said:

Just five miles today, just over ten miles an hour rolling average. I'm
disgusted.

I've been off my bike too long, and I'm even fatter now than I was back
when I was riding. A couple of years back, when I was rolling off twenty
miles a day, I'd have timed myself up the hills. Today, I was lucky to
get up the rollers alive.

The worst thing about this is that I remember being better than this. I
remember rolling faster, climbing better, riding more aggressively through
traffic. My instincts were all still there, but my body wasn't able to
follow through.

Ugh.

I've got a long hard slog to get back. Here's hoping I can get a century
done before school starts.

I'm in the same boat. A late spring move, coupled with really poor
weather (lots of rain in Winnipeg this year) meant that today was really
the first ride(s) of the year (I'd done some short trips to work and
such, but too short to be of interest). Tonight I rode to my mother's
house for supper (10mi). Took it easy going so as not to stink up the
house. Coming home, I gave it everything I had, which turned out to be
not much. Granted, I was weighed down by too much supper and I couldn't
pant for fear of inhaling zillions of bugs. And it was my beater bike.
Still, 35min for 10mi. Ooooo.

And yet, it was better than 20 min in a car.