Most mileage in a day plus more advice

So this morning was my first extended ride in to work. Up until now I've riding from a colleague's house 1.2 miles in and 1.9 miles back. My intention has been to ride at least 3 miles in each direction as this actually makes the bike pay for itself in reduced petrol costs. I chose a ride that is on my normal drive to work that is 3.1 miles. My ride in was easy as I'd anticipated it would be since the advice I'd got from a colleague who's a triathlete.

Soon after I arrived at work, my line manager suggested that we all (the four cyclists in my office) ride to the pub at lunch time. The pub of choice was the Star Inn in Normans Bay. It's 4 miles in each direction. I jumped at the chance.

Come lunchtime I geared up and got on the bike. The sun was shining, no cloud in sight and it was lovely and warm. The ride was nice and steady with not many inclines but it wasn't all perfect. I was disappointed that no one would ride with me. My other colleagues can all ride faster than me and no one wanted to ride at my pace and just left me behind. Within 5 minutes I'd lost sight of them completely and had to complete the rest of the 26 minute journey by myself.

When I arrived at the pub they'd ordered me a pint of diet coke and we sat out in the beautiful sunshine chatting. After 30 minutes it was time to ride back to the office and I joked about getting a head start. It wasn't long before they overtook me and were again out of sight. 25 minutes later I arrived back at work still not tired or legs aching. Very pleased at this. One of my colleagues showed me they'd completed the journey back in 17 minutes.

My triathlete colleague phoned me up and told me he had some more advice if I wanted it. I went to see him and he started explaining about the benefits of monitoring your heart rate. He explained how your body burns fat and glycogen and helped me work out my optimal zone for burning fat. Very useful indeed, I just need a heart rate monitor. I've had a quick look into heart rate monitors and nearly all of them require the use of a chest strap. They obviously come with them but I'm pretty certain they aren't big enough for my chest. Polar, a big name in these devices do larger chest straps but that makes the device quite expensive. I can see the benefits but I'm not sure if I can justify the cost at the moment.

Anyway, back to riding. Come 5pm, I rode the 3.1 miles back to my car with no muscle pain. Very pleased with myself as I've managed a total of 14.31 miles today and no pain whilst cycling. However, on each ride I have been getting a numb bum. I've also achieved one of my goals today which is riding 30 miles in one week and it's only Thursday.

14 comments:

  1. Numb bum! Your ass will get used to it!

    Well done on the 14+ miles today too. Only a couple of miles behind what I've done today!

    How big is your chest if you don't mind me asking? My HRM is very adjustable And reckon it would fit a rather large chest.

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  2. I can't wait to get rid of the ass ache.

    My chest is 50".

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  3. Hi Toby
    Well its not that they left you behind its the mere fact you completed it and got there hopefully not in a to disrespectful way you showed them the two fingers in your determination to complete it....Well Done!!

    Toby i bought a cheap heart rate monitor and the chest strap came with it from aldi for about £13 they tend to repeat sell now and again plus you can use it for walking jogging ect.
    you can also edit bpm in ride with gps

    ive just took delivery of a garmin and have synced it up with the above
    just working out how to use it lol

    Anyhow well done mate excellent work.

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  4. Lidl have a HRM for the same price at the moment. Not sure if they'll take it back if the strap doesn't fit.

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  5. Well done Toby, but I do ure freinds were out of order by not waiting and jus cycling of well thats wot I think mate

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  6. Time on the bike mate, time on the bike. Everything else will follow. I wouldn't get caught up in too much technology or training theory just yet. Well done on the miles though! :-)

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  7. I stretched my garmin strap on the HRM this morning and it would easily fit a 60in chest - it fit me comfortably and I was 44 / 46in - you should be alright.

    You could always ask can you look at the strap in Lidl?

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  8. As for your friends leaving you....

    Use it as motivation!

    Just think, in 6 months time - you could be beasting the lot of them!

    When I'm out riding in a group I'll sometimes leave them behind, or visa versa, but I always wait for them to catch up.

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  9. I think they're out of order too leaving me behind. A bit of me likes the fact that they can set a time and I have that as a goal but if it means me riding the whole journey by myself every time then it's demotivating. I don't have the guts to say, "actually it pisses me off being left behind".

    I was pretty much riding the whole 50 minutes by myself. I don't want to hold them up but I don't want to be left behind all the time either. If it takes 6 months to get up to their speed, it's going to be a lonely 6 months.

    I'm off on a 28 mile ride with some of them and other experienced riders from work in a couple of weeks time. I hope they don't leave me behind on that one.

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  10. Toby - sometimes being lonely on a bike helps you put things into perspective.

    It sounds like they are a lot more experienced at riding where as your at the beginning of your journey.

    Don't let it get you down too much.

    And it won't be a lonely six months - you've gathered quite a following!!1 We are all here to support and support we will.

    As I said on my blog - my first 10 mile trip from work to home took me over 2 hours... It now takes me 35 minutes!

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  11. Yep, the Jobymeister is right mate. My first full pedal home took me an hour and 15 minutes. Now I do it in about 40 - 45 minutes. Look on the lonely miles as a necessary apprenticeship.

    Anyway, you ain't alone. 'Cos every turn of the pedal you do, we're doing with you and you're doing with us.

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  12. I know it'll get better and I'll get faster but when people ask if I want to go on a ride with them I don't expect them to blast off into the distance and wait for me at the finish.

    I appreciate all the support I get from you guys. In the main everyone is very supportive of hat I do but I have had the odd negative comment at work but I just ignore it.

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  13. I've said on fat cyclists blog before - the only negatives come from jealous assholes who find insecurities in others to deflect away from themselves ;)

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  14. Thanks for that Joby. I'll have to remember that.

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