[bike] The season starts
May. 7th, 2007 02:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
magidI finally got out on my bike in the last week (took long enough...). Just two rides, but it felt great to be out.
The first one looped out to Arlington, up to Winchester, then back through Malden and Somerville to Cambridge, a bit under 15 miles. I was a bit tired when I started, but pushed myself so I wouldn't do one of the usual short loops I end up riding too much of the time, and about halfway through I got my second wind. I think the shorter (<10 mile) rides weren't long enough to get the full impact endorphin rush. Or perhaps it was just being out on roads I'm less familiar with.
Other pluses: swooping down hills, actually drinking enough water (almost a whole bottle), having enough juice in my headlight to make it home safely after dark, the exhileration of coming back through the underpass (always a jolt at the end of a ride).
The down side was my feet: the balls of my feet and the toes felt tingly, in that soon-to-go-to-sleep sort of way, for most of the ride. It was unpleasant, but mostly ignorable, and never turned into biking with feet asleep. Still, not something I want every time I ride.
Yesterday I finally got myself out again, starting along the same route. I didn't want just to repeat Tuesday's ride, so I went farther north on Route 3, into Woburn, before looping back down again.
The pluses: feeling like I started out stronger than the first ride; pushing myself; actually using the other set of gears (I don't think I've done that before, partly due to the awkwardness of reaching the gear shift on that side (it's an old bike)): exploring places I haven't been before: and my feet not being nearly so tingly (Perhaps they're adjusting to the bike shoes? In the long run, though, I need them not to tingle at all.).
The minuses: I was exhausted by the end: it was too much to go that much farther (about 19.5 miles) in one jump (about a one-third increase in distance), though I didn't know how far I'd gone until I got home and mapped it; lower back pain by the end (not sure what to do about that); left wrist hurting by the end (ditto); feeling like I was rationing the water to make sure I didn't run out (note to self to (a) get another water bottle, since I have room for it, and (b) get the Camelbak fixed); having moments when I wondered if I'm too feeble to not have granny gears.
I should find out whether any of the sports goos on the market are kosher; I might've done better yesterday if I'd had calories. (I did have some bar thing with me, but I didn't want to stop to eat it; the goos could be consumed en route.)
Ideally, this summer I'll finally get myself in shape enough to do a century ride, something I've wanted to do since forever. It's a decent start, anyway. Anyone want to go riding?
The first one looped out to Arlington, up to Winchester, then back through Malden and Somerville to Cambridge, a bit under 15 miles. I was a bit tired when I started, but pushed myself so I wouldn't do one of the usual short loops I end up riding too much of the time, and about halfway through I got my second wind. I think the shorter (<10 mile) rides weren't long enough to get the full impact endorphin rush. Or perhaps it was just being out on roads I'm less familiar with.
Other pluses: swooping down hills, actually drinking enough water (almost a whole bottle), having enough juice in my headlight to make it home safely after dark, the exhileration of coming back through the underpass (always a jolt at the end of a ride).
The down side was my feet: the balls of my feet and the toes felt tingly, in that soon-to-go-to-sleep sort of way, for most of the ride. It was unpleasant, but mostly ignorable, and never turned into biking with feet asleep. Still, not something I want every time I ride.
Yesterday I finally got myself out again, starting along the same route. I didn't want just to repeat Tuesday's ride, so I went farther north on Route 3, into Woburn, before looping back down again.
The pluses: feeling like I started out stronger than the first ride; pushing myself; actually using the other set of gears (I don't think I've done that before, partly due to the awkwardness of reaching the gear shift on that side (it's an old bike)): exploring places I haven't been before: and my feet not being nearly so tingly (Perhaps they're adjusting to the bike shoes? In the long run, though, I need them not to tingle at all.).
The minuses: I was exhausted by the end: it was too much to go that much farther (about 19.5 miles) in one jump (about a one-third increase in distance), though I didn't know how far I'd gone until I got home and mapped it; lower back pain by the end (not sure what to do about that); left wrist hurting by the end (ditto); feeling like I was rationing the water to make sure I didn't run out (note to self to (a) get another water bottle, since I have room for it, and (b) get the Camelbak fixed); having moments when I wondered if I'm too feeble to not have granny gears.
I should find out whether any of the sports goos on the market are kosher; I might've done better yesterday if I'd had calories. (I did have some bar thing with me, but I didn't want to stop to eat it; the goos could be consumed en route.)
Ideally, this summer I'll finally get myself in shape enough to do a century ride, something I've wanted to do since forever. It's a decent start, anyway. Anyone want to go riding?