Early Signs of Improvement
This website is made available free of charge and without adverts. While it's not here to make money, it does have costs. If you can throw a few pounds my way to help out, your support is gratefully received! Thank you!
It has been six weeks since I bought my bike, and I’ve been clocking up the miles since then. It may not be a lot to many seasoned cyclists, but for me, the 170 mile figure I’m currently at (give or take a few) is something to be pleased with.
Rather too early on, on 1 June, after having the bike a little more than a week, I decided it would be a good idea to attempt the run from Nuneaton to Coventry and back – a round trip of what worked out as about 24 miles. Today, I decided to repeat the run, as a point of comparison, to decide whether I’m noticing any early improvements.
This time was slightly different in route past Bedworth and I don’t currently use a heart rate monitor, cadence sensor or power meter. So, it’s not an entirely scientific analysis. This is purely based on how I felt at the end of the ride.
It’s also fair to point out that I had a ten minute chat with another cyclist who was riding the same way as me and during which we both rode slowly, and I had a bit more of a rest when arriving at Coventry.
Still, the route totalled a smidge over 22 miles and this time, rather than turning around at the Coventry Basin, I crossed over the ring-road and went into town before starting my return route.
Anyway, to the outcome. I’m rather pleased with the results. Whilst the time spent out on the bike was longer and the route a couple of miles shorter, I did arrive back home tired, yes, but not feeling like my legs were about to collapse from under me – which they very nearly did after the first ride. The final hills, which I always approach with some apprehension at the end of a ride, required effort, but they weren’t as bad as I remember them from earlier rides, and I managed to keep an average speed of over 11mph, rather than wondering if I would have to stop and push!
So, my non-scientific conclusion is that even after only six weeks back on the bike, I’m feeling stronger, a bit fitter, able to perhaps go a little further, and a little more confident and stable in the saddle too. All positives.
Now looking forward to the next six weeks.
Have you found this content interesting or useful? If so, and if you are able to, any contributions are greatly appreciated! Thank you!
