n00bie milestones

[Spork!]

OK, so plenty of threads about 100 - 200 - 300k rides. Certainly achievements worthy of note, and something for us mere mortals to aspire too, but I can't find any threads for all us newbies to boast our own small achievements. So I thought I'd make one.

I'm 42, smoked for 28 years, and haven't done any exercise a decade or more, except for some physical labour. My job is not physically challenging. I was putting on weight around the middle since stopping smoking...
I rediscovered the fun of cycling just over a month ago. Got new rubber for my old bike (old tires had perished and split). Put on my old knicks, jumped on, rode about 2 k's, turned around, rode home, and thought my lungs were going to explode on the short, sharp hill just before home.
I set myself a goal of being able to ride 30 k's without stopping.

Today, only about 5 weeks after that first 4k ride, I managed 25 k's! Rolling hills, average speed around 22 kph. My legs were tired, but not jelly, and my heart/lungs were fine. I felt that after a feed and a coffee I could have ridden another 15 - 20 k's.
I've set myself a new goal of 50 k's by the end of the year, as I think the 30k one was setting the bar too low.

[Patdys]

Nicely done. Be proud.
It wouldn't surprise me if you progress even faster than that.

For me, when starting, all of two years ago , I found picking a long group ride in the distant future as a target to aim for helpful. Particlularly after paying for it.

Be warned, you'll be buying bike crap by the tonne before you know it.

[Chaderotti]

You sound more fit than I am
I can't do hills. Period.

[casual_cyclist]

OK, so plenty of threads about 100 - 200 - 300k rides. Certainly achievements worthy of note, and something for us mere mortals to aspire too, but I can't find any threads for all us newbies to boast our own small achievements. So I thought I'd make one.

All achievements are worth celebrating!

Today, only about 5 weeks after that first 4k ride, I managed 25 k's!

Awesome

I used to think 100km was a long ride, then I thought 200km was a long ride. Now I can manage 200km but 300km is still a long ride. It's just a matter of building up and celebrating every milestone. Of course, I have never smoked, so it was a lot easier for me. Building up your fitness after smoking for so long is admirable and inspirational. You are the poster child for "If I can do it, anyone can!". Keep up the good riding. You will be at 30km before you know it.

[you cannot be sirrus]

Another noob. I've always had bikes, it's just that they sit at the back of the shed and don't get used apart from a once a year ride with the kids when I can get them off the playstation. Anyway a mate was selling his flatbar bike and I decided to buy it for my birthday with the intent of riding at least once a week to get fit. Well the bug has well and truly bitten and I've done 4 x 15-20 kms rides over the last two weekends and because tomorrow is a public holiday I'll get another ride which will hopefully be 25kms. My aim was to do the Amy Gillett 30 km run in Adelaide in November but I'm now hoping to do the 60km route, still a ways to go but I will get there. Who knows one day I may even wear Lycra

[Spork!]

Thanks for the kind words guys.
Patdys - I've already bought new riding gear, including some lights as I want to start commuting by bicycle again, also I'm saving for a whole new bike.... Will look into group rides in coming months.
Chaderotti - when did WA get hills? Come to Tassie, the only way to avoid them would be the velodrome.

[brokenbus]

Onya Spork I reckon you will be doing the 50 much sooner too.
My challenge is to ride from Blackhead to Port Maquarie as soon as the Herons Creek bypass opens. Distance according to Google maps is 102Km.
Cheers
Nicko

[Missy24]

Thanks for the kind words guys.
Patdys - I've already bought new riding gear, including some lights as I want to start commuting by bicycle again, also I'm saving for a whole new bike.... Will look into group rides in coming months.
Chaderotti - when did WA get hills? Come to Tassie, the only way to avoid them would be the velodrome.

Ohhh trust me... there's hill in WA and they go up and down and up and down...

Well done... your setting 50km for the end of the year... I'd suggest 100km... your already so close to 50km, nice work on the quit smoking! As a reformed smoker, I understand how hard it was and how much easier it is to breath!!!

[Strange Rover]

Yep - me too...

Haven't ridden a bike since I was at primary school and basically Im just getting slowly older and slowly fatter each year (will be 39 this year). At the start of this year the doc said I really should do abit of exercise and try to lower my cholesterol and blood pressure and weight. I wouldnt have done any routine cardio work for at least 10 years.

So I went to the LBS a bought a flat bar road bike and started peddling...it lasted about 2 weeks and then I took it back and traded it in on a Giant Defy (the full carbon Ultegra one) and then really started peddling.

I have never in my life managed to get myself out of bed before 5am for anything...but for some reason I can do it easily to ride my bike. Absolutely love it and Ive lost about 7kg doing it.

So far I have done about 1200km and did my first bunch ride last Friday with some guys in Ipswich Qld (had to get up at 4.20am to make that one). Absolutely crazy fast (for me anyway). Got dropped at the halfway point after about 6km riding flat out in a paceline (I think thats what its called??) of about 10 guys riding at what seemed like 45km/h...was basically too dark and to fast to get a good look at my computer. And then rode solo for the next 10km until the next waiting point. Ended up doing a 45 km loop and averaged 30km/h which for me is incredible.

Carnt wait till next Friday.

Sam

[Boognoss]

You sound more fit than I am
I can't do hills. Period.

As Spork said, where are the hills in WA??

Well done Spork. Going well!!

[Old and Rusty]

I hear where you're coming from Spork, I smoked for over 20 years and gave up 2 years ago after a heart attack. I was walking for exercise but that gives the knees hell so I dragged out the budget mountain bike a few months ago and started exercising on it. Last week I upgraded to a Jamis Ventura Elite racer with all the Ultegra bits and ran it in on Friday with a trip from Prestons to Elizabeth Drv and back which is a 20km round trip.
I got it in my head to test myself and push my limits on Saturday. The plan was to ride until I was rooted and I suddenly found myself at Glendenning wondering if I should take my life into my own hands, ring my wife disrupting her sleep in and get her to come pick me up. I took the wimp option, got back on the bike and rode to Horsley Drv, down to Gloria Jeans at Wetheril Park and had a coffee and a rest. After about half an hour I found my second wind, peddled down Cowpasture Rd to Cecil Hills, after getting lost up the back of Cecil Hills I found the gravel track to the cycleway and made my way back to Prestons.
I was nearly crying as I passed Aldi's from the pain in my thighs from peddling and my butt from an unforgiving carbon saddle but I really felt awesome as I believe I turned a corner with my fitness and mindset with training. I estimate the distance traveled at around 60km which isn't bad since my previous best was Fridays 20km ride.
New goals are:
Ride Sydney to Gong in under 4 hours in November
Ride Sydney to Gong in 2011 in under 4 hours on a hybrid with a trailer and 2 x 25kg Labradors.

[Pavlova]

Good going spork , keep pedalling.

I have read a bit about these mad buggers doing 200km+ rides and at first just couldn't imagine it being possible. Now I have some strange ambition to do it too. Longest in recent times is about 80km on flat bar roadie (CRX2). Am currently spending a fortune going to occ. therapist to get damn knees sorted and will then start burning up the km's.

Yep - me too...

Haven't ridden a bike since I was at primary school and basically Im just getting slowly older and slowly fatter each year (will be 39 this year). At the start of this year the doc said I really should do abit of exercise and try to lower my cholesterol and blood pressure and weight. I wouldnt have done any routine cardio work for at least 10 years.

So I went to the LBS a bought a flat bar road bike and started peddling...it lasted about 2 weeks and then I took it back and traded it in on a Giant Defy (the full carbon Ultegra one) and then really started peddling.

I have never in my life managed to get myself out of bed before 5am for anything...but for some reason I can do it easily to ride my bike. Absolutely love it and Ive lost about 7kg doing it.

So far I have done about 1200km and did my first bunch ride last Friday with some guys in Ipswich Qld (had to get up at 4.20am to make that one). Absolutely crazy fast (for me anyway). Got dropped at the halfway point after about 6km riding flat out in a paceline (I think thats what its called??) of about 10 guys riding at what seemed like 45km/h...was basically too dark and to fast to get a good look at my computer. And then rode solo for the next 10km until the next waiting point. Ended up doing a 45 km loop and averaged 30km/h which for me is incredible.

Carnt wait till next Friday.

Sam

Same here, did my first group ride recently and got up well before sparrow's fart to get there. Was assured by the organiser that there would be all levels of riders on all sorts of bikes, including hyrids and mtbs, so I would not feel intimidated. Bloody liar, they all rocked up on all manner of high tech expensive road weaponery. Luckily for me, a lot of them were racing the next day and so we took a pretty easy pace, i normally ride faster on my lonesome. A great experience that put me in a good mood for most of the day despite being 'not a morning person'. That convinced me to lash out on a road bike (hello to collect:emit, took Goldie out for first ride today, 40km and not too many missed gear changes).
Not expecting to do huge distances on it unless I can make it as comfy as the flat bar, but hoping to be able to keep up with the next, faster, group ride.


And yes, there are hills in WA. (i just try to avoid them)

[bionic wombat]

Yeah I went back on the saddle after twenty year sabbactical six months ago, I am male , 40 years old, 83kgs 183cms - set short term goals like 60 ,80, 100 km rides and now looking at doing 120, 150 and 200 kms rides this year! All achievable with commitment. Been doing 100kms under four hours / three hours 30 mins doing solo

[murrum]

Some more noob milestones

Been getting less and less fit and more and more heavy for the last 10-15 years (am 35 atm) and whilst on school camp in December of last year (i'm a teacher) I was allocated a mountain group to help supervise.
Loved it, went to a LBS to get a bike (incidentally the salesperson was a student from the school) and 5 months later I ride to work. Started out at 95kg, am now at 74kg.

My big personal milestones were
First ride oneway to work 52 mins (10.5km)
Best time so far - just under 30 mins
helped organise a bike ride from everton park in brisbane to redcliffe (got carried away and went to scarborough) and back again over the easter break
Trip distance 112km and took the group 5 hours. My previous longest ride (and probably longest period of exercise ever) had been an hour.

The biggest buzz of my day is seeing how my commute time compares with my best.

[Spork!]

... Started out at 95kg, am now at 74kg.

My big personal milestones were
First ride oneway to work 52 mins (10.5km)
Best time so far - just under 30 mins...
...Trip distance 112km and took the group 5 hours. My previous longest ride (and probably longest period of exercise ever) had been an hour...

Wow. You've lost 20% body weight, added almost 100% speed and improved your endurance by 500%! Some really awesome stuff there mate.

To me this is much more inspirational than someone who shaved 2 minutes off a 40k TT, or a couple of tenths of a second of their PB 1000m on the planks. Not saying that stuff is meaningless, but there are plenty of threads for people at that standard already. Keep those great newbie milestones coming.

[sevieri]

Great read ...
Im 3 rides into to my first bike and being an almost 33 year old ex smoker (for about 3 months) and slightly on the wrong side of 100kgs,i find it good to read such stories.
Got my bike last week and did the 10km trip home from the shop and today thought id do a test run to work and back ... 15km each way.
2 mins in and hitting the first incline i was wishing i hadn't but after breaking that first bit of pain it was all good and made it to work in about 1h 20mins.
The ride back was a lot more straining on the old legs and lungs. Stopped for a few quick breaks for gasps of air and water, but made in back in about 1h 5 mins.

I'll be happy for my first milestone being able to handle this trip without stopping and in a decent time - 45mins?
After that maybe a 25km trip then so on and so on ...

[master6]

Congratulations Spork. Your goal of riding 50 km by the end of the year is very achievable, and I am glad to see that you are using a gently gently approach and not rushing to increase the distances too quickly. If you can ride 25km now, an increase of 1 km per week will see you riding 50 km well before christmas. Rest is an important factor; we are here to improve our health and enjoy the adventure, not suffer.

A great thread idea. I bet you will inspire others.
Cheers from sunny Southern Tasmania.

[drubie]

Bah 50km - here's the proper noob milestone list:

- first clip stack
- first clip stack in front of crowd
- first flat 20km from home with a flat mobile phone battery so you are forced to fix it
- first flat 200m from the other flat you just fixed 'cause you forgot to clean glass off inside of tyre
- first c02 canister vented 100% into the air
- first group ride
- first time dropped on the first hill of the first group ride
- first time lost on the first group ride and unable to find the cafe
- first ride in the rain and not minding
- first ride in the cold when you realise your shorty gloves just aren't appropriate
- first multi thousand dollar cycling bill
- first hidden bank account from the other half for cycling items
- first time you miss a days riding and spend the day fretting
- first crit, when you realise all that hard won fitness still isn't enough when you get dropped on the first surge.
- first road race, getting dropped on the first hill (again!)
- first regular nightime training ride
- first (and last time) the bunch knows who you are == end of noob.

[you cannot be sirrus]

Bah 50km - here's the proper noob milestone list:
....
-- first hidden bank account from the other half for cycling items
-.....

That was always kept for my 4WD but this cycling thing is starting to take over. Easier to hide things on a Nissan Patrol than a bike so I might just have to come clean. luckily my g/f prefers cycling to 4Wding so I'll get a way with a bit more.

[Mulger bill]

I love these threads, big props to all the n00bs catching the disease Keep it up.

Shaun

[Timguy]

This is the 7th day since I got my bike, and I just did a 33km ride, with a new top speed of 65kmh, and today was the first time I broke a spoke on my road bike =)

[Mustang]

I was just about to post a similar thread as I made my first 50KM as a (58yo) this week, just got going & will be away from the bike for 6 weeks!!! Ah well better make a 100km goal by Xmas. Well done to all the above achievers

[kibnedyo]

OK Spork and Mustang...... 50klm is far too little to aim for by the end of the year.

Back on the bike (MTB) last july. By August had bought a new roadie and cycling regularly. Starting logging rides since 25th August and have logged 4035 klms since then on all forms of bike including road, MTB and GYM/Spin in a ratio of 25% gym and about 5% MTB with the rest on the bike. the longest day ride on the MTB is 72klms and on the road is 147klms. Since August I have 3 rides over 100klms.

It is not unreasonable to set a goal of a 100klm ride on a road bike by the end of the year.

I am 48yo, 5'8" and started riding at around 100kgs. I have done group rides and joined a couple of rides with BNA people and also organised rides such as Rainforest Ride and Otways Classic. I still enjoy a solo ride too and most riding is solo on country roads. However I am seriously giving consideration to try some Audax rides too. A ride around 25-50klms is standard...a cake walk even.

My goal for 2010 is to log 6000klms on the road bike. So far I am sitting right on track.

However my memory drifts back to Perth..... Isnt the course Perth to Freo around the river around 50-55klms? A good proportion is on quiet streets and bike track. I reckon you should aim for that by the end of June. Believe me at your level every ride stepping up to 100klms will make you fitter for the next level. Just tell the family you are heading out for a coffee.... in Freo! Haven't ridden in Adelaide so can't help there.

By Christmas, you should have logged at least one 100k ride without causing yourself much stress at all

Get out there and Enjoy! Good Luck.

[alexander]

Bah 50km - here's the proper noob milestone list:

- first clip stack
- first clip stack in front of crowd
- first flat 20km from home with a flat mobile phone battery so you are forced to fix it
- first flat 200m from the other flat you just fixed 'cause you forgot to clean glass off inside of tyre
- first c02 canister vented 100% into the air
- first group ride
- first time dropped on the first hill of the first group ride
- first time lost on the first group ride and unable to find the cafe
- first ride in the rain and not minding
- first ride in the cold when you realise your shorty gloves just aren't appropriate
- first multi thousand dollar cycling bill
- first hidden bank account from the other half for cycling items
- first time you miss a days riding and spend the day fretting
- first crit, when you realise all that hard won fitness still isn't enough when you get dropped on the first surge.
- first road race, getting dropped on the first hill (again!)
- first regular nightime training ride
- first (and last time) the bunch knows who you are == end of noob.

- first time you realise that none of that looking like a 'pro' and 'fitting in' really matters, and you're out there doing something, with a big freakin grin on your face even if you're puffing 20m from home, yeah that's when you realise, everything from then on is an awesome milestone.

I love threads like this. Props to all you guys for giving it a go, and taking it one step further.

[Mustang]

OK Spork and Mustang...... 50klm is far too little to aim for by the end of the year.

It is not unreasonable to set a goal of a 100klm ride on a road bike by the end of the year.

Get out there and Enjoy! Good Luck.

Mental note taken