MFP Cycling Gang 10/21/08

Another week and it's gotten chilly here! Well, not quite that cold but it hit 36 degrees last night and it was 42 when I started on my ride this morning!!! BRRRRRRRRRR!!

Anyway, I didn't get to ride all weekend because the weather just stunk--wind, rain, cold, YUCK!

I was bound and determined to get out today regardless, so I put on my new long cycling pants I got (and they fit!!! ) and hit the road at 8:00am.

I ended up with 76 miles today in 4 hours and 44 minutes--that's 15.7 mph average! AND I BURNED 2892 CALORIES! I stopped for chili dogs on the way home yeah, not the best but my mind was full of dancing chili dogs the last hour on the bike!

Anyway, I'm ready for my first Century on Saturday now--BRING IT!

Yeah, the seat on my bike now, I took one look at that thing and said no way is that going to be comfortable! But it's so much more so than the big ole tractor seat I had on my old bike--I can ride all day on this little tiny looking seat and not have a hurting "buttocks"--it's great!

Just go slow at first--don't push it; make it fun because the day it stops being fun, is the day you'll stop exercising! So, take it easy, enjoy the flowers and views, ride for a bit and just have fun. You can get a great exercise with just an hour on the bike a day. You don't have to go nuts like I do--I just like riding long distances is all. But even an hour on a bike will burn up anywhere from 400-800 calories or more, depending on your weight, exertion level, etc.

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'm looking into getting a good bike now!

Cool--just be warned--cycling can be addictive! I started it just thinking I'd ride a few miles a day and now can't seem to ride enough!

Ok, my first Century is supposed to be Saturday, right? And, I've gotten most of the people in my church to "sponsor" me in it by making donations to the new parsonage roof fund (close to $1000 has been donated!). So, what greets me this morning for Saturday's weather forecast?

"Saturday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a high near 68. Breezy, with a southeast wind between 21 and 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%."

Just great! I can't ride in that kind of weather! What am I going to do? I've considered not riding if it does storm and then doing a Century on my own next week sometime but I've built this thing up so much now. My DH said maybe do 100 miles today and then if the weather does turn out nice on Saturday to ride that one as well but how the heck can I do 2 Centuries one day apart--and after that 70-some mile ride Monday too? ....dang,dang,dang, dang, dang! :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble:

His name is Hoover. Don't let his cuteness fool you....he is ROTTEN!!! Bassett Hounds tend to think of themselves more as people than dogs and mine has this complex times 45! We love him bunches!

Hoover--as in "hoovers" up food?? LOL. My little Geraldine has gained almost 4 pounds in 3 weeks! Just got back from her 2nd vet visit and she's doing fine.

Ok gang, here's what I've decided to do. Tomorrow's weather forecast for what was supposed to be my first Century is as follows:

"Cloudy with showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Windy with highs in the upper 60s. Southeast winds 25 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent"



Today's weather: "Partly sunny, with a high near 63. East wind between 7 and 13 mph."


Sooo, I'm going to do an "unsupported" Century today on my own instead. Well, not truly unsupported--I'll have my DH available for SAG and to help if need by just a phone call away.

I plan on following the same route that the Tour sponsors have laid out--they've already got the roads all marked for the routes; so I can have my DH drop me off where the "Start" line is and just start riding!

I'll go down tomorrow morning and pick up my T-Shirt from them and then come home.

I'm setting off this morning about 8:00am and should be done by 4:00 or 5:00 this evening.

That way, I can get back on my healthy eating track, too. The last week and half, I've upped my calories and haven't even been tracking anything. I had began to feel so weak with the amount of riding I was doing and trying to keep a calorie deficit, so I followed a suggestion to increase my caloric intake until after my Century. Well, let's just say I've taken advantage of that and have eaten plenty! I've gained 3 pounds in a week and half--some of which I know is glycogen and "woman issues" related and will that will drop away soon.

So, 100 miles or so today and then back on my healthy eating lifestyle with less cycling and more gym work-outs since cooler weather is here, too. I have come to the conclusion that the amount of cycling I was doing this late summer and fall is not conducive to weight loss. It just takes too much energy to cycle 300--500 miles a month that I couldn't keep a deficit and feel healthy or have energy. Throw in the almost impossible task of keeping my glucose levels up to avoid the severe lows I have been having for the past 3 months and it is just too much of a chore right now to put in hours every day on the bike, lose weight, and maintain my diabetic control.

So, until I reach my goal, I'm going to cut back on the cycling to a more "casual" type riding (meaning 40-50 miles a week) and spend some time doing other forms of light cardio exercise.

I told my DH I'm even thinking of taking swim lessons at the gym--maybe! It'd be cool to do a Triathlon all on my own next year!

I've been burning up like 4,000 to 10,000 or more calories a week cycling and plan to cut back to around 300-800 calories burned per day exercising.

The good thing is that after several days of eating pretty much what I've wanted to, my body should be jolted by a return to a 1300-1400 a day diet and I'm hoping I'll see a return to steady weight loss--at least for a couple weeks anyway!

I'll check in this evening after my Century and give a ride report.