The start of the Giro is today, so in celebration I went on a one-hour bike ride. I didn’t weigh myself before I left, but when I got back I weighed 186.8. That is up a bit from yesterday.
I really haven’t been on my bike for a couple of months and really haven’t done any formal exercise for that long, either. Of course, we’ve been moving so I’ve been lifting, carrying, shoving, etc. for weeks, too. My weight loss has arrested at about 20 lbs. I am not sure why, but I’ve decided to shift my focus to fitness. My original goals were to lose about 30 lbs AND be comfortable going on long bike rides by the time the le tour starts up. I’ve got about 2 months left. I think I can still make the weight goal. The safe rate of weight loss is on average about 2 lbs a week. At that rate, I only need 5 weeks. Of course, right now I’m not losing anything at all. Eight weeks is about enough time to get into decent shape on the bike…if I ride it regularly.
I went out at 7:20 this morning. I am not used to riding in traffic, so I wanted to start at a time and on a day where there wouldn’t be too many cars on the road. It is a Saturday, so I figured I would be safe. I stayed along neighborhood streets in Shandon and Rosewood. I figured they would be flat enough that I wouldn’t kill myself. On a bike things that seem flat in a car do not feel flat. I rode around some streets near my house and then headed out to Rosewood. Once I got over there, I decided I would go check out a new outdoor skateboard park that I had heard about near Owens Field. It turns out that Owens Field is at the bottom of a hill. It is a great ride down, but there is no easy way back out, except going up. As I was heading away from the skate park and contemplating the ride back home I realized I was feeling tired. My legs were feeling tired. I got a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to ride all the way home…I didn’t want to have to stop at all.
I was relieved to find that I could ride up the hills, and there were several, on my way home. I found I had the strength in my legs but I got the burn after a point on each hill. I found that if I just pushed through that I still had the strength to ride. My breathing was much better than I remember it from when I tried to ride a few months ago. I assume that the 20 lbs I’ve lost has helped a lot with that.
I did a few things wrong on this ride that I will really need to fix if I am to do this regularly:
1. Thirst
I didn’t bring a water bottle. I know—that was stupid. I don’t have a holder for a bottle on my bike, but I can fix that pretty easily.
2. Nether regions discomfort
Yep, stuff started rubbing in uncomfortable ways. I’ve got some kind of spray-on powder that I will use next time. I might have to consider some other kind of shorts besides cargo shorts. While I find the biking shorts disturbing, I can see that they have some comfort and safety benefits that may force me into them--literally. That isn’t likely to happen anytime soon.
Oh, and my butt started hurting, too. Until I get a new bike, the saddle I have is the saddle I have to use. So, I’ve either got to get some kind of butt pad or develop calluses on my cheeks. Given that I won’t get any of those fancy biking knickers, I think it will be the latter.
3. Exposed head
I know, I know. I should wear a helmet when I ride. Here in SC motorcyclists have the right to splatter their brains all over the road and—I think—so do bikers. Having the right to do that doesn’t mean I have to be stupid enough to do that. I need to go get a helmet and wear it.
Hey Levi, should I get Road ID (http://www.roadid.com/Common/default.aspx), too? Probably not…so far I’ve only ridden in town and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. If I drop over, some responsible Rosewoodite or Shandonista (resident of Rosewood and Shandon neighborhoods) will surely eventually notice that I am blocking the path of their shitsu or their Volvo. They’ll call someone to clean up the mess and I’ll be saved.
I may try a ride again tomorrow.
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