I'm Falling Apart

MntnMan62

Forum GOD!
It's been quite a while since I've posted on this thread and thought I'd provide an update. In the beginning of May of this year I started to ride consistently. Meaning at least two to three rides per week. I've been recording my rides on Strava so I can track my progress. And I've been sticking to this one roughly 10 mile loop. When I have felt strong enough I'll do a second loop. At this point I've actually done two 30 mile rides. But I'm feeling good about the ride I did this evening. My last ride was Sunday and I felt like crap. Struggled the entire 20 miles and eked out a low for me 11 average mph. Tonight I did the same ride but from the first incline I felt strong. And I felt like I was moving faster this ride. Turns out I was moving faster and I smashed my previous best 11.7 average mph by doing 12.3 mph average mph tonight. I'm stoked and pumped to get on the bike again on Thursday. Below is my route which I do twice to get the 20 miles. I'm going to stick with this route through the end of June and my goal for my first ride in July is to do the loop as a figure 8 which would require me to traverse the white road that snakes through the middle of the Reservation twice. It's a long steep climb over the mountain that runs the length of the Reservation. I was once able to do it several years ago. So I'm working up to this. As for my level of fitness generally, I've lost a few pounds and am at 210 lbs now. It's probably not doable but I'd like to be at 205 by the end of June with the goal of getting under 200 by the end of July. I won't get there without watching what I eat. That's tough for me. But I gotta do it. I've been augmenting my riding with some strength exercises. Push ups, bicycle crunches and planks. Gotta get the core stronger so I can ride more efficiently. Anyway, that's my update. Feeling good about how things are going finally after many false starts.

 

les24preludes

Forum GOD!
This is good to hear. What I have learned through this pandemic is that it's easy to feel overwhelmed mentally. It's easy to go into anxiety states. When this happens the most important person at the end of the day is yourself. You have to trust yourself. You have to find strength from inside, stay balanced and stay sane. You need to keep your perspective even if you're alone in lockdown or whatever. How you do this is something your instinct and knowledge of yourself should tell you - talk to friends, listen to the music that you really like, watch good classic films, exercise, immerse yourself in creative hobbies, whatever - your choice. But trust yourself and find good and constructive ways of being your best self. Looks like this is exactly what you did. A real morale booster to read your post. Thank you.
 

Cheesepiece

Stickler
Um, gyms are closed...
They're open again here, UK. At first it was no showers and no changing rooms and no water fountain for refilling water bottles. Now the pool has reopened and the changing rooms and showers with it. Still no sauna, steam room or water fountain though.
Since reopening, DW where I go, it's been forehead temperature checks on arrival, no towels in the gym and wipe down equipment before and after use with antibac. Probably the quietest I've seen the three gyms I regularly attend.
 

MntnMan62

Forum GOD!
They're open again here, UK. At first it was no showers and no changing rooms and no water fountain for refilling water bottles. Now the pool has reopened and the changing rooms and showers with it. Still no sauna, steam room or water fountain though.
Since reopening, DW where I go, it's been forehead temperature checks on arrival, no towels in the gym and wipe down equipment before and after use with antibac. Probably the quietest I've seen the three gyms I regularly attend.
Sounds reasonable enough. Just don’t forget that temperature checks only catch those with symptoms. People who are asymptomatic can still spread it. That’s why gyms in my area of the US are closed. I’ve been doing push ups, bicycle crunches and planks and getting on the bike for about 50 miles a week which has worked well for me both physically and mentally. I have no interest in being inside in a gym with other people right now. Then again, I hate people, so........:wink:
 
D

Deleted member 1881

Guest
Sounds reasonable enough. Just don’t forget that temperature checks only catch those with symptoms. People who are asymptomatic can still spread it. That’s why gyms in my area of the US are closed. I’ve been doing push ups, bicycle crunches and planks and getting on the bike for about 50 miles a week which has worked well for me both physically and mentally. I have no interest in being inside in a gym with other people right now. Then again, I hate people, so........:wink:
No, you hate "some" people.
 

Cheesepiece

Stickler
Sounds reasonable enough. Just don’t forget that temperature checks only catch those with symptoms. People who are asymptomatic can still spread it. That’s why gyms in my area of the US are closed. I’ve been doing push ups, bicycle crunches and planks and getting on the bike for about 50 miles a week which has worked well for me both physically and mentally. I have no interest in being inside in a gym with other people right now. Then again, I hate people, so........:wink:
Whatever works for you. If cycling and running were the way to keep my mind and body in decent state I wouldn't let anyone tell me otherwise.
I tend to use the gym when it's available and do the running and cycling socially, it works for me.
I did miss the gyms when they were closed. Not really the people within but the exercises and weights I couldn't hit at home.
 

MntnMan62

Forum GOD!
Whatever works for you. If cycling and running were the way to keep my mind and body in decent state I wouldn't let anyone tell me otherwise.
I tend to use the gym when it's available and do the running and cycling socially, it works for me.
I did miss the gyms when they were closed. Not really the people within but the exercises and weights I couldn't hit at home.
I actually have a full universal gym set up complete with leg press, lat pulldown, row, etc, etc. etc. I don't use it because I prefer to use my own weight as the resistence for my strength workouts. Now if I could only find some consistency for that as well as the bike. I haven't been on the bike since the end of July. Tomorrow's the day I get out again........
 
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