Last night I completed about 17.5 k's on our stationary bike. Kev was asleep and I had nothing better to do since it was raining and dreary and too late to ask anyone if they wanted to hang around.
It was one of those nights where eveything came together nicely. The room was lit softly and all my music on my Ipod was really good, the bike felt comfy and the legs weren't too far away and I didn't have any weird kinks in my knees or tight hamstrings or a reason to watch the clock. By the end I was singing out loud to my favorite songs and I was totally blissed out and relaxed. I stretched for a half hour in the semi-darkness, the cats rubbing thier long sleek bodies against me in welcome and then when I was done and ready to let go of the experience, Kev woke up and was ready to hang out.
This morning when I got up we took Runk down to run like the wind and I thought I would be too tired to do much else then scoot around the parking lot with him. But I took off for a while expecting to do quickie route. Instead I took the route I took on Friday and then instead of heading home took the Saanich route to Quadra Street and back home. So another 8k's or so.
I'm finally starting to feel a little more secure but it takes a good 20 minutes or so to feel comfortable. I still can't make turns (unless I have a whole parking lot to make them which is really more swooping than turning). And I don't like stopping at cross-walks for cars because I have to push off before I can pedal, like Fred Flintstone, and nothing feels quite as lame as scooting across a crosswalk on one foot while cars sit idling, staring at you. And I still can't stick my arm out to signal a turn. But I can get up hills/inclines a little easier and I'm starting to get back that familairity of being on a bike that I had as a kid, that second nature feeling.
I'd like to get some bike shorts from Junonia and still haven't been able to order the Runkster's basket because they only ship to the US. I could send them to my sister but she has a minimum three month time lag for any postal commitments... Guess I have no choice though.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Gelling
I had Friday off so I got up, lazed around for a while and then headed off to Thetis Lake by way of the goose. I knew I wouldn't have the energy to go the whole way because I planned on going to the gym afterwards. It was raining softly so the cool water felt nice on my face.
I don't have water proof clothing so I got pretty soaked, but I liked the sensation.
After my ride I cycled over to the gym and did a pretty big workout. My legs were like jelly afterwards. It was just one of those days where I didn't want to stop. I felt strong and capable and surprised with myself, everything felt so easy and natural, I didn't have to fight anything so it made it more enjoyable for me. Today, my calves are aching and actually that's pretty great because no matter what I do, it's hard to get them to feel sore or to see a difference. I have very thick legs, no delineation from the ankle up and I read that if you work your calves and make them more muscular it fools the eye into thinking you have some shape. I've been trying for ages to work my calves and getting nowhere -- who knew the secret was getting on a machine with weights that are too heavy for you!
I was thinking yesterday that the title for this blog, big girl on a bike, really doesn't do it justice and that once you get a good bike, there really is no difference between a larger person on a bike and a thinner one.
When I let Kevin test ride my bike he's just as stiff and uncomfortable on it as I am/was. I thought my unease would be because of the size of my body and it wasn't. Anyone who hasn't ridden in a long time will feel out of sorts and kind of frustrated.
I think we all remember what it was like to be on a bike, water skis, skate boards, etc when we were kids and then to try them again as adults is, for most people anyway, shocking. Your body no longer knows what to do and really doesn't have that core strength to do it anymore.
So when Kev got on the bike, his shoulders were ramrod straight, his posture was rigid and he head a death grip on the handlebars --- just like me, and he's average weight and at a slightly above average fitness level for his age. And when I told my friends about my new bike all of them felt the same way as I did and totally understood my fear of riding on a road because I just didn't feel comfortable enough yet.
So what I'm saying is, while this is called Big Girl on a Bike it might as well be called New to a Bike because once you find that good bike that supports your weight, it doesn't matter how big you are. Everyone is going to have a different thresh hold for their first few rides. Maybe you're out of shape and can only go around a parking lot for 5 minutes before you're ready to collapse (and let's be real here, I bet a lot of your fatigue also comes from the anxiety of just being on a bike again and all that self-talk in your head - I know that was true for me), or maybe you're pretty fit and can go for an hour. It doesn't matter, each of us will be building up our strength and endurance to go longer and more importantly, ride better.
Which brings me to the whole idea of biking to work. Not gonna happen. I live on one of the worst routes for getting from my house to my job and there just isn't any way around it except over Finlayson or Bay Street. Both have major issues though. Finlayson is a fucking hilly beast (I didn't know hilly from hilly until I moved here from the east coast), and Bay st has whole sections without bike lanes, is still hilly, (though not as bad) and would add an extra 1/2 hour to my route. No thanks. It's not totally off the table, I'd like to revisit it eventually, but for now I'm not putting that added pressure on myself. I'm going to be a weekend, after work, fair weather biker.
I had a pilates class on Tuesday and that went excellently. Not stuffing myself with food beforehand makes a pretty big difference. I'm going to have get really firm with myself about getting something to eat at about 3-3:30 at work with protein. Its not good to starve myself and then I come home after picking up the dog and I am ravenous with only a 1/2 hour to digest what I eat, so I end up eating too much and then going to pilates feeling bloated and full and as disconnected from my core as could be. (I also think I was doing that because I was pissed off at some sizeist comments Fiona made and had some ambivalence about going). But then she announced that the class will end at the end of April, she can't afford to teach anymore, and I realized how much that class has helped me overall. As a person and physically. It showed me that I may completely lack coordination, skill, timing and grace but I am dedicated in my own way. I've been going for over a year and I'm really into it.
Once she stops I'll have to take a core class -- I don't think I would like the pilates instruction around town from what she's described, it's just very move along, move along whereas her class is classic pilates and includes side trips into yoga, meditation and rhythmic breathing, which I really enjoy.
I also looked at my schedule and decided I needed to up the ante exercise wise. I've been doing the gym and pilates thing for a while now. And while I have added biking the reality is with time constraints being what they are, I've been taking away time from cardio at the gym to add time for biking which is a form of cardio so I've probably only added another 15- 20 minutes of cardio a week, max. So in the spring I'll need to find a new core class and I should really get myself into a spinning class. I've always been intrigued by them and I think I would like it a lot. Plus, it would make me a stronger biker.
The other thing I've been thinking about is this: last year I lost the bulk of my weight in July, August and even September. About 30 pounds. I think that's because it was so hot and combined with working out and a diminished appetite everything just came together. And I'm curious to see if anything like that will happen again this year? But I'm also worried there will be some pressure on me, that will lead me to rebel. So perhaps what I need to do right here and now is tell myself that encouraging more exercise is okay, but lets please leave off the food engineering. I don't want to go on a diet and I don't want to mess around with food this year. I get weird. It's too much. Lets just try to enjoy the fruits and veggies, get outside as much as possible and call it a freaking day!! No pressure to lose weight. At all.
I don't have water proof clothing so I got pretty soaked, but I liked the sensation.
After my ride I cycled over to the gym and did a pretty big workout. My legs were like jelly afterwards. It was just one of those days where I didn't want to stop. I felt strong and capable and surprised with myself, everything felt so easy and natural, I didn't have to fight anything so it made it more enjoyable for me. Today, my calves are aching and actually that's pretty great because no matter what I do, it's hard to get them to feel sore or to see a difference. I have very thick legs, no delineation from the ankle up and I read that if you work your calves and make them more muscular it fools the eye into thinking you have some shape. I've been trying for ages to work my calves and getting nowhere -- who knew the secret was getting on a machine with weights that are too heavy for you!
I was thinking yesterday that the title for this blog, big girl on a bike, really doesn't do it justice and that once you get a good bike, there really is no difference between a larger person on a bike and a thinner one.
When I let Kevin test ride my bike he's just as stiff and uncomfortable on it as I am/was. I thought my unease would be because of the size of my body and it wasn't. Anyone who hasn't ridden in a long time will feel out of sorts and kind of frustrated.
I think we all remember what it was like to be on a bike, water skis, skate boards, etc when we were kids and then to try them again as adults is, for most people anyway, shocking. Your body no longer knows what to do and really doesn't have that core strength to do it anymore.
So when Kev got on the bike, his shoulders were ramrod straight, his posture was rigid and he head a death grip on the handlebars --- just like me, and he's average weight and at a slightly above average fitness level for his age. And when I told my friends about my new bike all of them felt the same way as I did and totally understood my fear of riding on a road because I just didn't feel comfortable enough yet.
So what I'm saying is, while this is called Big Girl on a Bike it might as well be called New to a Bike because once you find that good bike that supports your weight, it doesn't matter how big you are. Everyone is going to have a different thresh hold for their first few rides. Maybe you're out of shape and can only go around a parking lot for 5 minutes before you're ready to collapse (and let's be real here, I bet a lot of your fatigue also comes from the anxiety of just being on a bike again and all that self-talk in your head - I know that was true for me), or maybe you're pretty fit and can go for an hour. It doesn't matter, each of us will be building up our strength and endurance to go longer and more importantly, ride better.
Which brings me to the whole idea of biking to work. Not gonna happen. I live on one of the worst routes for getting from my house to my job and there just isn't any way around it except over Finlayson or Bay Street. Both have major issues though. Finlayson is a fucking hilly beast (I didn't know hilly from hilly until I moved here from the east coast), and Bay st has whole sections without bike lanes, is still hilly, (though not as bad) and would add an extra 1/2 hour to my route. No thanks. It's not totally off the table, I'd like to revisit it eventually, but for now I'm not putting that added pressure on myself. I'm going to be a weekend, after work, fair weather biker.
I had a pilates class on Tuesday and that went excellently. Not stuffing myself with food beforehand makes a pretty big difference. I'm going to have get really firm with myself about getting something to eat at about 3-3:30 at work with protein. Its not good to starve myself and then I come home after picking up the dog and I am ravenous with only a 1/2 hour to digest what I eat, so I end up eating too much and then going to pilates feeling bloated and full and as disconnected from my core as could be. (I also think I was doing that because I was pissed off at some sizeist comments Fiona made and had some ambivalence about going). But then she announced that the class will end at the end of April, she can't afford to teach anymore, and I realized how much that class has helped me overall. As a person and physically. It showed me that I may completely lack coordination, skill, timing and grace but I am dedicated in my own way. I've been going for over a year and I'm really into it.
Once she stops I'll have to take a core class -- I don't think I would like the pilates instruction around town from what she's described, it's just very move along, move along whereas her class is classic pilates and includes side trips into yoga, meditation and rhythmic breathing, which I really enjoy.
I also looked at my schedule and decided I needed to up the ante exercise wise. I've been doing the gym and pilates thing for a while now. And while I have added biking the reality is with time constraints being what they are, I've been taking away time from cardio at the gym to add time for biking which is a form of cardio so I've probably only added another 15- 20 minutes of cardio a week, max. So in the spring I'll need to find a new core class and I should really get myself into a spinning class. I've always been intrigued by them and I think I would like it a lot. Plus, it would make me a stronger biker.
The other thing I've been thinking about is this: last year I lost the bulk of my weight in July, August and even September. About 30 pounds. I think that's because it was so hot and combined with working out and a diminished appetite everything just came together. And I'm curious to see if anything like that will happen again this year? But I'm also worried there will be some pressure on me, that will lead me to rebel. So perhaps what I need to do right here and now is tell myself that encouraging more exercise is okay, but lets please leave off the food engineering. I don't want to go on a diet and I don't want to mess around with food this year. I get weird. It's too much. Lets just try to enjoy the fruits and veggies, get outside as much as possible and call it a freaking day!! No pressure to lose weight. At all.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Moving Along
I've ridden a couple of times since I last posted.
It's getting easier, though during the week when I'm working out and riding the bike I find it hard, especially in my arms and wrists. My butt is no longer sore and I feel more at ease.
But now that I am more comfortable on a bike, I'm comfortable enough to know I won't be commuting up Finlayson any time soon and that riding in traffic makes me really anxious.
This morning I rode up to the switch bridge and back. It took all of 15 minutes and I found that the first bit, before I hit the switch bridge was really hard, I felt like I was slogging through mud. I was convinced there was something wrong with my bike, because for the life of me I could't get any speed. It was weird. I was pedaling as hard as I could and I was sure I was going too slow. Then I pedaled like a demon up the slope of the bridge. I was determined to stay on my bike the entire time and even if I had to grind my way up, I would. Unfortunately, at the pinnacle of the slope that's exactly what I did, grind my way up. But once on the other side I was proud and I realized that I have been improving with slopes and inclines.
On the ride back I got a couple of good for you smiles. I hate good for you smiles. Luckily at my gym no one ever gives me the good for you look or smile. But for some reason, seeing me on a bike ellicites that response. Good for you - for being fat and trying. It used to mortify me. Because I was so busy pretending I wasn't fat that anyone who cheered me on for trying to be active despite being fat totally burst my bubble. Maybe bike people, (now my people), are just more cheery by nature than gym people and want to make me feel welcome.
Sounds like a good theory.
It's getting easier, though during the week when I'm working out and riding the bike I find it hard, especially in my arms and wrists. My butt is no longer sore and I feel more at ease.
But now that I am more comfortable on a bike, I'm comfortable enough to know I won't be commuting up Finlayson any time soon and that riding in traffic makes me really anxious.
This morning I rode up to the switch bridge and back. It took all of 15 minutes and I found that the first bit, before I hit the switch bridge was really hard, I felt like I was slogging through mud. I was convinced there was something wrong with my bike, because for the life of me I could't get any speed. It was weird. I was pedaling as hard as I could and I was sure I was going too slow. Then I pedaled like a demon up the slope of the bridge. I was determined to stay on my bike the entire time and even if I had to grind my way up, I would. Unfortunately, at the pinnacle of the slope that's exactly what I did, grind my way up. But once on the other side I was proud and I realized that I have been improving with slopes and inclines.
On the ride back I got a couple of good for you smiles. I hate good for you smiles. Luckily at my gym no one ever gives me the good for you look or smile. But for some reason, seeing me on a bike ellicites that response. Good for you - for being fat and trying. It used to mortify me. Because I was so busy pretending I wasn't fat that anyone who cheered me on for trying to be active despite being fat totally burst my bubble. Maybe bike people, (now my people), are just more cheery by nature than gym people and want to make me feel welcome.
Sounds like a good theory.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Fourth Ride
I was in meetings all day at work and was delighted to get home 15 minutes early. Stretched out on the couch with Runkster to have dinner and then went for a 30 minute ride before I went to the gym for an hour.
One thing I've noticed is that the first 20 minutes of a ride I'm a total klutz and completely lack confidence. I'm all over the place. Then as soon as I'm off the road for a couple of minutes and away from shared use lanes and inclines I'm a-okay. I rode to the Johnson Street bridge and back to the gym, about 3k I guess?
It felt good. My butt is no longer sore. Well a teensy bit but I'm not in agony or even discomfort. But now my shoulders and wrists ache a bit as I ride. And while I can hold my arm up to signal a left turn easily, holding up my arm for a right turn is much, much harder. When no one is around I practice with both. But I haven't seen a difference yet.
I'd like to end with something positive, so how about this: I can already see a huge improvement with my handling of my bike and with my "take off" and I can see myself steadily getting strong enough to ride to work.
One thing I've noticed is that the first 20 minutes of a ride I'm a total klutz and completely lack confidence. I'm all over the place. Then as soon as I'm off the road for a couple of minutes and away from shared use lanes and inclines I'm a-okay. I rode to the Johnson Street bridge and back to the gym, about 3k I guess?
It felt good. My butt is no longer sore. Well a teensy bit but I'm not in agony or even discomfort. But now my shoulders and wrists ache a bit as I ride. And while I can hold my arm up to signal a left turn easily, holding up my arm for a right turn is much, much harder. When no one is around I practice with both. But I haven't seen a difference yet.
I'd like to end with something positive, so how about this: I can already see a huge improvement with my handling of my bike and with my "take off" and I can see myself steadily getting strong enough to ride to work.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Ride numero 3
It rained hard last night but when we got up the sun was playing peekaboo in the sky and it felt warmer than it had in weeks. Kevin promised to take Runkie out for a long stroll and I wanted to go for a spin on my bike so we all headed down to the galloping goose together.
Runkie was scared of the bike so I made sure to "walk" it around him and stay at a safe distance but when I pedalled away he started barking and when I looked back he was straining on his leash to catch up with me. I was pretty sure once he got over the novelty of seeing me on a bike he wouldn't care anymore. But when we got down to Selkirk I was doubling back and forth to say hi to them and Runkie was going nuts, he wanted to come with me and run, run like the wind!
Kevin, nervous nellie that he is, didn't want to let Runkie off his leash to chase me. He was worried something would happen (when pressed he was unable to provide a specific threat to Runkie's safety but continued to assure me that letting him off-leash around a bike was practically inviting disaster) so I waited until we were on a wooden bridge that was straight up and down so I could see anyone coming and anyone coming from behind could easily see me. Kevin finally relented and let Runkie off his leash. (This was after he'd told me that he was worried Runkie's heart could explode because he might run too fast. Sadly, Kevin was only half jokingly.) As soon as I took off Runkie was off like a shot, too. I could hear him huffing and puffing behind me and he was working those little legs like crazy, but he was loving it!
So my worries that he'll never want to go for bike rides is completely disappearing and now I have all kinds of fantasies about the Runkster and I cruising along and letting him out to run on quiet stretches.
Runkie was scared of the bike so I made sure to "walk" it around him and stay at a safe distance but when I pedalled away he started barking and when I looked back he was straining on his leash to catch up with me. I was pretty sure once he got over the novelty of seeing me on a bike he wouldn't care anymore. But when we got down to Selkirk I was doubling back and forth to say hi to them and Runkie was going nuts, he wanted to come with me and run, run like the wind!
Kevin, nervous nellie that he is, didn't want to let Runkie off his leash to chase me. He was worried something would happen (when pressed he was unable to provide a specific threat to Runkie's safety but continued to assure me that letting him off-leash around a bike was practically inviting disaster) so I waited until we were on a wooden bridge that was straight up and down so I could see anyone coming and anyone coming from behind could easily see me. Kevin finally relented and let Runkie off his leash. (This was after he'd told me that he was worried Runkie's heart could explode because he might run too fast. Sadly, Kevin was only half jokingly.) As soon as I took off Runkie was off like a shot, too. I could hear him huffing and puffing behind me and he was working those little legs like crazy, but he was loving it!
So my worries that he'll never want to go for bike rides is completely disappearing and now I have all kinds of fantasies about the Runkster and I cruising along and letting him out to run on quiet stretches.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Don't touch my chocolate
Still pissed off that I'm not as fast and sleek as I'd hoped.
Drats.
Just had a mini tantrum. On my lunch break I went downtown and got Kevin tea- $30.00's worth of elixir from his favorite tea purveyor, Silk Roads.
I also popped by Bernard Callebaut. I bought a big honking chunk of baking chocolate for Kevin to bake with - he's an amazing baker due to an anal retentive attention to detail I can't compete with. And, I got myself a box with 17 truffles. A special treat to me, from me.
I got myself chocolates, and not just any chocolates, because I wanted to send a message to myself: just because the bronchitis is clearing up and I'm back to the gym and trying to be a better (i.e frequent) bike rider does not mean I'm going to put myself on some strict diet where I eat tuna fish for lunch every day for six months.
So, when I saw svelte Kevin stuffing my truffles into his mouth like they were freaking tic-tacs, completely oblivious to the complexity and flavour, it bugged me. I bought him a little chocolate torte at Thrifty's and now he's eating my expensive chocolates by the handful!
He always promises to replace what he eats, but I always let him off the hook. It's pointless to hold on to that kind of stuff. And yet....
Drats.
Just had a mini tantrum. On my lunch break I went downtown and got Kevin tea- $30.00's worth of elixir from his favorite tea purveyor, Silk Roads.
I also popped by Bernard Callebaut. I bought a big honking chunk of baking chocolate for Kevin to bake with - he's an amazing baker due to an anal retentive attention to detail I can't compete with. And, I got myself a box with 17 truffles. A special treat to me, from me.
I got myself chocolates, and not just any chocolates, because I wanted to send a message to myself: just because the bronchitis is clearing up and I'm back to the gym and trying to be a better (i.e frequent) bike rider does not mean I'm going to put myself on some strict diet where I eat tuna fish for lunch every day for six months.
So, when I saw svelte Kevin stuffing my truffles into his mouth like they were freaking tic-tacs, completely oblivious to the complexity and flavour, it bugged me. I bought him a little chocolate torte at Thrifty's and now he's eating my expensive chocolates by the handful!
He always promises to replace what he eats, but I always let him off the hook. It's pointless to hold on to that kind of stuff. And yet....
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Ride 2, Bitch-a-thon
Waaaaaa!
Whatever happened to me sailing along, taking in the sights and leisurely reclining in my big cushy seat as I returned to riding?
Biking was supposed to fun/easy. But it's not and I'm mad.
I know, it's immature for a 25 year old woman, okay, 29 year old woman to whine so shamelessly, but I'm crushed. I had big dreams and they got left on the side of a small incline as I pedalled for dear life as pedestrians passed me.
Pedestrians. Passed me. I was on a bike.
That's sad.
Worse yet, during my research phase I learned that your supposed to shift down. I was on "2" on one side and "3" on the other side. I don't know what they're supposed to do but I do know that's where they're supposed to be to make it easy for me to go uphill. As in a real hill. So if those gears didn't work a slight incline, how the fuck am I supposed to go on Finlayson?
It was awful. And there's always an audience around. So I have to pretend I can't see them staring at me wondering why I'm panting and grinding my way up a slight incline. Ugh. But this is classic. Whenever I start something new I suck at it in ways no one has ever imagined could be possible - I am the person who sustains bizarre injuries and develops rare ailments. I'm the person who sweats more than anyone else and is slower and more klutzy.
But I'm also the person who eventually catches up with the pack. And I'll keep riding and will get better eventually.
And so this post doesn't turn into a complete bitchfest I'd like to thank the awesome girl I met on the galloping goose trestle bridge who helped me get my chain back on (it came off after I shifted so much, so hard, in a desperate attempt to go up the incline for a second time that it made a grinding noise and the pedals stopped working on the way down the incline). She was really cool and helpful and convincingly acted surprised when I admitted I was a newbie.
Whatever happened to me sailing along, taking in the sights and leisurely reclining in my big cushy seat as I returned to riding?
Biking was supposed to fun/easy. But it's not and I'm mad.
I know, it's immature for a 25 year old woman, okay, 29 year old woman to whine so shamelessly, but I'm crushed. I had big dreams and they got left on the side of a small incline as I pedalled for dear life as pedestrians passed me.
Pedestrians. Passed me. I was on a bike.
That's sad.
Worse yet, during my research phase I learned that your supposed to shift down. I was on "2" on one side and "3" on the other side. I don't know what they're supposed to do but I do know that's where they're supposed to be to make it easy for me to go uphill. As in a real hill. So if those gears didn't work a slight incline, how the fuck am I supposed to go on Finlayson?
It was awful. And there's always an audience around. So I have to pretend I can't see them staring at me wondering why I'm panting and grinding my way up a slight incline. Ugh. But this is classic. Whenever I start something new I suck at it in ways no one has ever imagined could be possible - I am the person who sustains bizarre injuries and develops rare ailments. I'm the person who sweats more than anyone else and is slower and more klutzy.
But I'm also the person who eventually catches up with the pack. And I'll keep riding and will get better eventually.
And so this post doesn't turn into a complete bitchfest I'd like to thank the awesome girl I met on the galloping goose trestle bridge who helped me get my chain back on (it came off after I shifted so much, so hard, in a desperate attempt to go up the incline for a second time that it made a grinding noise and the pedals stopped working on the way down the incline). She was really cool and helpful and convincingly acted surprised when I admitted I was a newbie.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
We have bikedom!
The Buy
So the test turned into a purchase pretty easily. I got on the bike and liked how smooth it was and how easy it was to ride. But the biggest factor was that it just felt right.
I went to Cdn tire for my accessories- helmet, lights, and lock. As I get more acquainted with biking I'll get some panniers, repair kit and a basket for the dog. For now I just want to get used to being in the saddle and practicing turns. I'm not kidding. I turn like an old lady driving a cadillac.
I don't have a lot of bike appropriate clothing so I went to old navy and got a pair of long pants and cut them into capris. It's not a very fashionable look, especially with my ghostly white legs - but the hem wasn't getting stuck in the chain so I was happy.
The First Ride
I'm a little uncomfortable. Not physically, though my butt is sore. Emotionally. I enjoyed riding when it was easy. On the flat surfaces when no one was around and I didn't have to agonize about passing them correctly, it was great. But the goose was busy and there were lots of walkers. Should I say "on your left" every fucking time? Should I have just bought that annoying little bell after all-- I hate them as a pedestrian. They scare the crap out of me. In the end, I did neither. I slowed down and went around pedestrians in a wide circle. Which is my preference when I walk on a shared use lane.
But that wasn't the only thing, nor was it the reason why I'm feeling a little anxious. The thing is, it's hard to go uphill. And I don't mean "uphill" I mean just going up a little bit. You're supposed to shift down and I got good at that, but I would shift all the way down on little hills and then I would pedal and pedal and get slower and slower and slower. And since I didn't want the other people around me to know I was struggling - I powered through. And if my commute only had a couple of "uphill" moments I wouldn't think twice about it. But Victoria, as I have just discovered today from the perspective of a bike rider is a "hilly" place and my route would be hillier than most. The gently rolling hills I drive over every day are not so gentle on a bike. Damn.
So my first ride wasn't the moment where I realized that biking was the thing I'd been missing all these years and suddenly felt whole, it was more of a challenge.
Luckily for me, I like a good challenge and I still really don't want to turn this into a workout thing. But I'm okay with making this a challenge- if that makes sense. Which is why I didn't buy a computer - I don't want to get obsessed with how many K's and how fast - I just want the challenge to be more like, I ride 2-3 times a week and each week the rides get longer. My first goal is to get good at going up and down. My second goal is to get comfortable enough to bring runkie along. My third goal is to ride to my job on weekends for a month. My fourth goal is to ride to work on Fridays.
So the test turned into a purchase pretty easily. I got on the bike and liked how smooth it was and how easy it was to ride. But the biggest factor was that it just felt right.
I went to Cdn tire for my accessories- helmet, lights, and lock. As I get more acquainted with biking I'll get some panniers, repair kit and a basket for the dog. For now I just want to get used to being in the saddle and practicing turns. I'm not kidding. I turn like an old lady driving a cadillac.
I don't have a lot of bike appropriate clothing so I went to old navy and got a pair of long pants and cut them into capris. It's not a very fashionable look, especially with my ghostly white legs - but the hem wasn't getting stuck in the chain so I was happy.
The First Ride
I'm a little uncomfortable. Not physically, though my butt is sore. Emotionally. I enjoyed riding when it was easy. On the flat surfaces when no one was around and I didn't have to agonize about passing them correctly, it was great. But the goose was busy and there were lots of walkers. Should I say "on your left" every fucking time? Should I have just bought that annoying little bell after all-- I hate them as a pedestrian. They scare the crap out of me. In the end, I did neither. I slowed down and went around pedestrians in a wide circle. Which is my preference when I walk on a shared use lane.
But that wasn't the only thing, nor was it the reason why I'm feeling a little anxious. The thing is, it's hard to go uphill. And I don't mean "uphill" I mean just going up a little bit. You're supposed to shift down and I got good at that, but I would shift all the way down on little hills and then I would pedal and pedal and get slower and slower and slower. And since I didn't want the other people around me to know I was struggling - I powered through. And if my commute only had a couple of "uphill" moments I wouldn't think twice about it. But Victoria, as I have just discovered today from the perspective of a bike rider is a "hilly" place and my route would be hillier than most. The gently rolling hills I drive over every day are not so gentle on a bike. Damn.
So my first ride wasn't the moment where I realized that biking was the thing I'd been missing all these years and suddenly felt whole, it was more of a challenge.
Luckily for me, I like a good challenge and I still really don't want to turn this into a workout thing. But I'm okay with making this a challenge- if that makes sense. Which is why I didn't buy a computer - I don't want to get obsessed with how many K's and how fast - I just want the challenge to be more like, I ride 2-3 times a week and each week the rides get longer. My first goal is to get good at going up and down. My second goal is to get comfortable enough to bring runkie along. My third goal is to ride to my job on weekends for a month. My fourth goal is to ride to work on Fridays.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
The Epic Search
I, er, um don't actually have a bike right now. And the truth is I haven't ridden one outside of a gym in like, fifteen years. But I want one, badly.
The idea came to me as I was pedaling away in the gym. And then again when I was driving and saw two girls on retro bikes, pedaling happily on Cook st. Once I started thinking about getting back into bike riding I couldn't stop.
Mostly I just want to feel like a kid again. I don't want to approach this from a "calories burned, how many K's, how long," work-out approach. Not that a regimented work-out mentality is always such a bad thing. I do that at the gym because it's so fascinating to see my physical progression as I get stronger and can do more reps or hold a plank pose longer. But there's a time and a place for everything. And right now in my life I am looking for a little lightness.
Everything is so scheduled. Kevin and I go to bed at the same time, wake up at the same time and go to the gym at the same time, on the same days. We do laundry and grocery shopping on Sunday and the dog goes to dog care on Tuesday and Thursday. And on and on. I need a predictable schedule where stuff gets done, I never had one growing up, but it lacks... pleasure. It's like a compatible, easy going, but sexless marriage. And I want some sex!
My first trip, to my first bike shop, went beautifully. I couldn't have asked for a better experience.
I was worried that I was too big for a bike. That my weight would wear down the tires or that I would rend the frame in half.
So I went in told the staff that I knew absolutely nothing about bikes and I didn't know what I should get.
But I was just testing. I'd done a little research of my own and I knew that for a bigger person hybrid bikes are often the most recommended, they are a cross between mountain bikes and road bikes. Hybrid bikes give you the best of both worlds, the "ruggedness" of a mountain bike with the smaller, sleeker frame of a road bike for speed and agility.
I played dumb because I wanted to see where they'd steer me. My sales guy steered me right to the hybrid bikes. So I was impressed with that. The bikes he showed me and that I liked were Trek bikes. They're supposed to be some of the best out there and after a little rooting around I found a lot of people who consider themselves overweight rate them highly. But I couldn't get past the price. $600.00- plus I'd need all the fixings. Eeeks!
I went to another shop, Reckless. They were a little more laid back and the sales guy was a big guy himself so I asked him straight up, for a bigger person, what do I need to know to make buying the bike and riding it as enjoyable as possible? His response- there really isn't much of a difference. Don't get a bike at Walmart, ride the bike for at least a half hour first, and make sure you feel good. That put me at ease, and it made sense.
So I've decided to go the used route. I don't want to commit a big chunk of my savings towards this but my gut is telling me I need to do this, right now.
But if you are a bigger guy or gal and you want to buy a bike and don't know how to begin here's what I have learned (please remember I'm a novice and am just regurgitating what I picked up on the internet, I will supplement this info as I get more informed) :
- Hybrids, comfort or mountain bikes are probably your best option based on your height and weight. Hybrids can be ridden on the road and on trails of hard, packed dirt - these make great commuter and all around bikes - I guess the big draw back with them is price. Comfort bikes are kind of like hybrids, only they hold you up so you're not bent forward as much - think Mary Poppins on her bike versus Lance Armstrong. You can ride them on the road and on hard packed dirt trails but I have heard that they are slower and can be a little hard on the knees. Apparently, the traditional style of bending forward is more ergonomically correct. So keep that in mind. Mountain bikes have a bigger, heavier frame, thicker, larger tires and are good for trails and hard riding. I have read that they're not so good on the road as commuter bikes because the tires grip too much and the bike is slower because of the resulting "drag," and they're not as agile. But, I have also read that if you're 300 + pounds and just starting out they provide you with a sturdy frame and I for one think that a sense of safety and comfort is a good trade off for speed when you're a newbie. My personal preference is for a hybrid, a bike I feel I can grow into, but I'm looking at a comfort style bike tomorrow because that's what was available and I don't want to make any assumptions until I've ridden lots of bikes.
- I'm guessing that if you're anything like me you're wondering what it feels like to get on a bike after 15 years of not being on one and your wondering if you'll make a fool of yourself. Well it felt good! I was a little nervous at first. The sales guy handed me the bike and it felt kind of strange to straddle it in front of another person but that's only because it's not something I do nowadays. But that thought drifted away really quickly. I didn't find it difficult to get in and out of the bike. But as I took off I did find it hard to get some momentum. So I did the old straddle and pedal with one foot as I tried to hoist myself onto the seat. And it worked fine. It's probably how every one does it after years of being off a bike. So if you find yourself thinking the sales guy is thinking you're a total dork, stop! Once I had some momentum and I was gliding along I hit a a speed bump. An actual one, not metaphorical. I braced myself and it was really barely a blip. So that was one of the reasons why I liked the Trek bikes, good suspension. I felt a little scared and exhilarated as I pedalled out of the parking lot and out onto the street but as I rode my body was just singing with glee! I wanted to keep going and even though I felt unsteady - not in a bad scary way - I knew I was just a couple of rides away from feeling like an old pro again. My turns, however, will need some work. I used an entire cul de sac to execute a turn and head back in the other direction!
- If you feel the need to say, hey, I'm a big guy/gal and I want a bike that can accommodate me, do it. If you think that it's obvious you need a sturdier frame and you don't want to mention your body size because you feel it's completely unnecessary or, it makes you uncomfortable, don't. You don't need to apologize for your size and you don't need to trumpet it around, either. But if you feel like you're not being shown appropriate bikes for your body then you need to address that by asking for sturdier frames, or going to another shop. Don't let your size define you and don't let it hinder you from getting the most ideal bike for your body, either.
- Test the bike. Most of the places I went to let you take it for a couple of hours if you leave your credit card, or you just rent it for $5.00 an hour. Most places will let you put any rental costs towards the bike if you do decide to purchase it. Make sure you have a helmet, and flat non puffy sneakers and you're off.
- Hmmm what else? I guess I would just hasten to add that there is no right or wrong way to buy anything. I have done the shopping around, fastidious research approach to major purchases and ended up with a pile of shit! And I have done the gut instinct in the moment, don't know the first thing about it or the brand impulse purchase and wound up with the best "it" ever! So you just never know. Be skeptical, be realistic and just have fun.
I'll update tomorrow re: the Giant Sedona Comfort Bike Test.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
What is this blog about?
The first post is always the stiffest.
So, rather than spending a lot of time trying to be clever and sparkling I'm just gonna lay it out in bullet points, the most effective form of communication I know.
So, rather than spending a lot of time trying to be clever and sparkling I'm just gonna lay it out in bullet points, the most effective form of communication I know.
- I am fat
- I am also fairly active
- I used to be fatter and less active
- I got fitter and more active by ignorning "them"
- But I still struggle with "them" in my head and in my heart
This blog aims to:
- Be a resource/fun spot for anyone else in a similar boat- fit, fat, whatever
- (I'm not an expert though)
- Mostly this blog is for me to talk about me to me
- Cut through the bull shit
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