Archon2 Member

Oh, I'm fine...it was funny...I was more worried about bike damage :) I am going to let some air out of the tires for more resistance. Even in the 53-11 combo, the resistance isn't quite enough for proper standing when on the rollers. It is also hard to control the bike on the rollers when you are rocking side to side,…

Its funny how everything goes to hell after high school with the weight.

Looks great! Nice and bright now; clean lines. You did a great job and I am enjoying the progress reports and the pictures at intervals.

I like to see the pros down through the club level people on Strava, just to know how bad I am and how much further I could go in fitness (hah). But I did think the "Mister Hematocrit" videos sponsored by Peleton Magazine were a funny take on this whole subject. Check em out if you haven't. I do suspect Mr H. is probably a…

Regular walking will help a lot, if you are able to do it. Then you can have a few mints too without worrying about the extra calories. Congrats on quitting smoking!

LOL

Science teacher and a lab, huh? Back in my HS days (mid-80s), I had a couple of science teachers that used to make coffee in beakers and drank it constantly. Also one of them used to grab a smoke break in the lab's office when we had experiments to do. I don't think these guys worked out at all but they sure were experts…

I love the people that say, "Yeah, after a workout, you just get so much energy for the rest of the day!" If I could be so lucky! I'm with ya OP, I usually feel physically a bit tired and want to take a nap or something. That, said, a decent meal and coffee usually get me by :)

OK, where did you put all the stuff you cleared away? :) I tend to move things around and organize, but making more floor space without throwing things out is a challenge. I'm working on my garage recently too...so I can get the cars in there when the snow hits. Looks great!

Same story here OP. Lost it from face, neck, butt, thighs...pretty much everywhere...the least loss is from the gut. It is said that males will lose here last...and mine is reduced by half or more but what is left is stubborn. 47 lost and another 16 to go...hopefully it will finally be gone.

It was cool this afternoon and went on my road first ride with a new pair of Lycra tights over the under-liners I usually use for mountain biking under the baggies. The full length tights really made a big difference and kept out the wind and road spray quite well. Warmer too. Guess I am a reluctant fan of tights now, even…

I have no comment except to mention that BBQ ribs sure sounds good. Gettin' a little hungry just thinking about some. And beer. maybe some cole slaw too.

Great pics and I liked reading the report. When the incline gets over 20% I go fully anaerobic, even on a MTB, so I think I'd be stopping there more than once! Hey, check this out this funny "guide" to climbing grades :) http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/

OP: Good job of your new lifestyle so far. Sounds like you had the right kind of mental adjustment needed to stick with the program. Sometimes things just click and the willpower is there to make a change.

Excellent bdgfn. Let us know how the 50mi one goes!

Cute pup! Now, I understand your POV, but the key thing is that there is no easy way for a runner or cyclist to know what a dog is going to do if it aggressively charges. I don't blame people in this thread who say kick it, since that is probably your strongest natural defense. If the dog gets inside your kick range and…

That isn't a bad idea -- they only problem I see is that the dog might associate being rewarded for aggressive behavior. And when the next person that comes by that smells like fear and doesn't offer an appeasement treat...?

I encounter dogs a lot where I live and cycle in the countryside. Lots of them are loose in their yards. My usual tactic is to make friends. The dog comes out charging and barking and growling and I just slow down, or stop, and say things like "Hey boy! How are ya! Get on home now!" On a downhill, I just speed by. Dogs can…

To go on after you bonk is an excercise in sheer will, so I empathize with what happened to you! Happened to me too -- once on the bike, and another time on a grueling backpacking trip. Now if I'm going to be riding for more than an hour or two, I bring at least something to eat with carbs and/or some sports drink in my…

If anyone is interested, I've noticed that my Strava recorded rides usually reported about the same values whether I wear the HRM or not for calories on the same routes. I use the Garmin 500 and upload the data. I use the Garmin's data for elevation changes and set a known altitude at the start of my rides, so the…

I agree with some of the posters that said it isn't so much what you eat, but how many calories you eat! The 4 Big Macs a day example is a good one...believe it or not, that would probably work. For example, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Gorske That said, if you don't want to be like Don, to lose weight just pick…

What a great ride report, Kit. Sounds like it was a lot of fun :)

Same sentiments here in regard to workplace birthday parties. I was in a department that used to do the celebrate everyone's birthday. Seems every week, we had cake and crap at odd hours, or for lunch, and had to donate cash for someone's card & gift. I didn't want card, cake, party, congrats, and was willing to spare…

Hey that is a good point. Maybe outside riding is closer to interval work, especially when doing lots of up & down hills like the rolling countryside around where I am. I do try to pedal downhill too, but sometimes I'm not at all diligent about it.

While gloves and bar tape help, I think most of the solution is going to be mental (it was for me). Don't lean on your hands with a lot of weight. Use your core to balance and take weight off the hands. Move your hand positions, even a little bit, once or even twice a minute. Much more options here on a road bike for this.…

I use rollers, the metal ones. They are so sturdy I can't see how the weight of a rider could be any real concern. Good points are they do help train your balance and ability to hold a line, as well as keeping up a steady pace. Once you get the hang of them, you can watch TV, etc. Sounds like you got that down tho. Bad…

I had an apartment once where there was a couple of kids in the level above me that jumped on their beds like trampolines for an hour or more every weeknight for a week. I had to go upstairs and ask their Dad to tell them to stop. Then they would slowly resume the fun after a few minutes. And I would knock on the door and…

Well, I'd just say try not to worry about it. Once you get out there a few times without the 2nd layer, you'll feel better about it. Be comfortable.

You could also paint the brick a light color with some of that thick sealant kind of paint meant for brick. That stuff also has a smooth texture, so bar tape might not get scuffed.

How about eat after you get to work if you are able to? Doing ten miles before breakfast is probably doable without bonking! Plus, it is said that is an optimal time for fat burning, cycling for an hour or so after fasting overnight and before eating! If you are trying to lose, that is...don't know your situation. :)