Intro

Where to begin?

Well, let me start by saying that, just because I'm writing about my experiences on my bike, this site should in no way be considered any sort of expert commentary on cycling or fitness or, really, anything at all. If anything, it's the exact opposite.

That being said, what I hope to accomplish with this blog is to share my learning experiences and maybe help someone like me, who finds himself or herself stumbling into this vast world of cycling without a clue of how to proceed. I will share what I learn and, perhaps more importantly, share the mistakes I've made to prevent others from doing the same.

Hopefully, this will eventually become a two-way street and others who stumble upon this page will share their advice. I have no problem admitting that I have a lot to learn, and I appreciate any and all comments.

Anyway, I began cycling like most people -- as a child. From the time I was in first grade and Santa brought me my first "Evel Knievel" bicycle, I probably spent most of my waking hours on my bike, and had no problem riding across town to get to an arcade or a friend's house.

And, like most people, I gave it up when I got my driver's license. Cars were cool and bikes were for little kids.

Fast-forward 22 years to May 2007. I had just "celebrated" my 38th birthday and I was miserable. I had become a middle-aged and overweight desk jockey, but at least I had finally managed to quit smoking in October 1, 2006 -- after 20 years. A stop at one of those blood pressure machines in my local Wal-Mart confirmed the toll my years of sedentary living had taken: My blood pressure had begun to push the upper limits of pre-hypertension, and my resting heart rate had climbed to 90. That was bad enough, but then I stepped on the scales and found that my weight had reached 280, and I knew that I would be celebrating my 40th birthday at 300 pounds if I didn't do something.

As a husband and father of two, I knew I was cheating my family out of being the best possible me I could be, and that I wouldn't be around for them as long as I could be. But all the other times I had attempted to start exercising had all turned out the same way -- a few half-hearted attempts, followed by abandonment.

Around that time, I was watching TV and heard someone give the advice that the key to a successful fitness program is to find something that you love to do. Hearing that, something clicked and I remembered all the days of my childhood spent on a bicycle. I had bought a stationary bike a couple of years before, but that lasted about a month because it was just too boring. A "real" bike, on the other hand ...

On a whim, I went to Wal-Mart and plunked down $170 on a 26-inch Mongoose. At the time, I thought it was going to be a good bike, and I'm sure it's fine for certain uses, but it's not quite the bike I need. Regardless, I still have it and still ride it -- until I get a chance to buy a better one.

Anyway, I hopped on my bike the first, fully intent on riding all over two counties. The reality of the level of the physical fitness, however, quickly dispelled that notion. My first ride ended up totaling under a mile, with slight, gradual inclines kicking my butt.

And so it began. I managed to make a couple of other very short rides before finally completing a two-mile ride. The next time I went three miles. The next time, five. Within a week, I was riding seven miles, three times a week, and two weeks later I was up to 10 miles a ride. By July, I was doing two 10-mile rides during the week, capped off by a 20-mile ride on the weekends.

Now, I'm fully aware that riding 40 miles a week isn't quite awe-inspiring. And despite my desire to go on some of these "century" and "half-century" rides I've been reading about, the fact is that I can only go 21 or 22 miles before I reach a wall that I've just not been able to get past.

Part of the reason for this, I think, is because I had let myself get into such terrible shape before I started riding. Like I said, my first ride ended up being less than a mile, maybe just half a mile actually, but afterwards I collapsed on my bed for about 20 minutes. Twenty years of smoking, nonstop eating and being a desk jockey will do that to a person.

And then came winter. Just as I was starting to get into shape a little bit, I've had to cut way back on the amount of riding I do because of the weather, which limits the times I can ride on the weekends, and because of the earlier nightfall, which rules out rides during the week because I refuse to ride my bike in the dark. So, whereas I was doing 40 miles a week back in the summer and fall, I only averaged 40 miles a month in November, December and January. That's not enough for me get in shape, and probably just barely enough to keep me from slipping back in the shape I was in.

However, despite my limited endurance so far, there is plenty of evidence that I'm making progress. For one, my heart is healthier now than it's been in awhile. Before I started riding, my blood pressure was 130/90. Today it's 175/78. It could be better, but at least it's now fallen to the upper range of "normal." My resting heart rate has shown dramatic improvement, falling from 90 to somewhere around 55-60. (One time it actually measured 50, but I must have been in a particularly blissful zen state that day.)

My weight, on the other hand, hasn't moved so much. The first month, I dropped 10 pounds, which was the extra weight I had put on after I quit smoking, but then I lost nothing more for months. Part of the reason for that, I think, is that, while I have shed a couple of inches around my waist and can tell a marked difference in my belly and face, I've also gained muscle in my legs. Today I'm down to 265, which is only a loss of 15 pounds. Ideally, I would like to get down to somewhere between 190 and 210, which means I'll have to pull a lot more miles on the road and a lot fewer forks to my mouth.

Plus, I'm thinking that my current bike is playing somewhat of a role in my limitations. I wanted the big mountain bike when I first started because it just seemed safer. What I didn't know at the time is that they are much, much slower and a lot more work. I currently have my eye on a hybrid (this one, in particular), which I had hoped to buy with my tax money, but an unanticipated $1,800 in car repairs has me rethinking that plan until after that tax rebate comes.

Anyway, that's a summary of where I've been, where I am now and, hopefully, where I'm going. I hope that sharing this journey will be helpful to anyone looking to start a healthier life. And just maybe it will provide some motivation for me, now that I'll feel pressure to perform for my audience.

Until next time, keep pedaling.