goal achieved

I have finally lost enough weight to start riding my bike.

Yes, I have been riding for months. I have been wanting to get back on my bike for years but I thought I was too fat. I made a goal that if I got to xxx weight, I would start riding again. I had gotten close before but then something would happen and I would gain the weight back. 

I hurt my foot in April and I couldn't walk anymore. I couldn't wait for my foot to heal and tried riding my bike. I wasn't too fat for riding and it helped with the weight loss. I have lost 30 pounds since I started riding. I still have a lot more to lose. 

Cycling is enjoyable even without the weight loss.

august cycling recap

I started the month trying to burn more fat. I used my new Wahoo Tickr with the Wahoo Fitness app on my iPhone. I tried to stay in zone 2 which is supposed to burn more fat. It was relatively easy and I rode a bit longer to make up for the lower speed and less effort. 

The scale didn't move. 

I started riding longer on Saturdays and did not eat back the exercise calories. Still, the scale didn't move.

I felt good about the mileage I was doing but getting frustrated at the lack of weight loss. When the boys started school, I started riding an hour a day. Still the scale didn't move.

Andy & I only did one evening ride. It rains a lot in the summer especially in the evenings. ANd if it doesn't rain, it is usually too hut and humid.

I began to think it was stress keeping the weight on. I am worried about replacing the income that is going to be reduced in September when Ryan turns 16. As much as cycling helps me relax, I still worry the other 23 hours.

With the longer rides, I need to address some problems. My hands tingle all the time. My feet start to tingle at about 50 minutes. I thought about going clip less again. I even tried on my old pair of shimano SPD shoes but they are tight. (My feet spread out when I got pregnant.) I wasn't sure I wanted to back to clip less pedals. I read some things online and asked in Bike Forums. Many cyclists are fans of clip less pedals. Some believe that platform pedals are just as good. I decided to try the Ergon pedals and ordered then from rei. While I waited, I tried riding with my Keen sandals and found them better than my sneakers.

When the Ergon pedals arrived, I was eager to try them out, I went to install them and found them incompatible with my cranks. The Ergon pedals are secured through the back and my cranks are solid. My road bike has holes as do the boys' bikes. I didn't want to go back to the cage pedals because my shoes slip too much. I took off the MTB pedals from Andy's old bike. They have pins which hold the shoe securely to the pedal. I noticed the difference right away. My foot did not slip. I just needed to find the right position because adjusting while pedaling is near impossible. I still get some foot pain if I ride longer than an hour and will look for stiffer soled shoes later.

I got a couple of new bottle cages. I found some nice cages from King Cage that will accommodate the Klean Kanteen insulated bottles.

t need some work done on my bike. I would like to do something about the handlebars. I think the narrower bars would help with the tingling and perhaps some new grips. I also need the chain and cassette replaced. I don't want to be without a bike so I kept thinking about getting my road bike ready. I took it into Oliver's expecting it to need new tires and a tuneup. I was hoping for less than $200. The tech put it on the rack and took a look. The gears are not working and need to be replaced. And if they replace the gears, they have to remove the bar tape which means it needs to replaced. Along with the new tires and a tuneup, the estimate was just under $400! I was not expecting that. I really don't have the extra money to spend on this. I have reduced to lunch time outings to once a week.

The scale seemed to be stuck all month. Then on the last day, I lost 4 pounds. Huh? I think the scale is wonky.

I finished the month riding 296 miles.

july cycling recap

My knee was taking a long time to heal. I kept up the slow and easy biking. My dad went to Michigan for a couple of weeks and I rode everyday. I loved being able to ride on Sundays when the traffic is light. Icontinued to ice my knee after I rode in the morning. I started to ride a little harder, a little farther.

The scale seemed to be stuck in the beginning of the month. I tried to only eat the calories I needed for the day and not the ones I earned by exercising. Perhaps the weight is being shifted to muscle. I got a couple of new cycling skorts since the one I had was just too large.  

A second pair of padded gloves.

I got a bike mount for my iPhone. I looked at so many options but decided on an inexpensive one from Target. It is a simple mount but keeps the iPhone from getting wet. I like that I can see notifications at a glance. I can see who is texting or calling and decide if I need to stop and answer. I keep the display off most of the time.

I kept thinking about getting a heart rate monitor. I had one when I biked in the 1990s. I still had it but it was an old model and needed new batteries. The monitor and watch need to be sent in for battery change since the units are waterproof. I figured it would be about the same price to get a new unit. And the new units can work with the iPhone or other cycle computers. I ordered a Wahoo Tickr from rei. It arrived July 30 so I took it for the first time July 31. I decided to try using my iPhone with the display on to test the bike mount and battery drain. I set the iPhone display to 50% brightness. The iPhone did not get hot and only drained about 8% in 40 minutes. I learned that I was riding too hard for the best fat burning which is my primary objective.

The Sand Hill Cranes don't move off the path. But they don't mind of you ride around them at a reasonable pace.

I rode 212 miles in July and lost 8.8 pounds. 

june cycling recap

Another setback.

Andy & I still went on some evening rides.

I climbed up the ladder to the attic. I needed to get the bike repair stand down to give away. I climbed a few rungs and looked for the stand. I realized I needed to climb up another rung. I grabbed onto the frame of the opening to steady myself. The ladder slipped and fell. I tried to hang on but didn't have a good grip. I fell. I landed on my feet but my right knee gave away. My left leg hit the ladder as I fell on my butt. Ouch. 

I got up. Moved the mangled ladder and moved the car back into the garage. I hobbled in the house and got my crutches. I got an ice pack and sat down. 

This road dead ends at the county line. There is a road about 30 feet on the other side of the county but the two municipalities cannot come to an agreement to connect them.

Crap. I didn't want to stop and let my knee heal. I was just getting into a cycling groove. I joined a bike challenge to ride 250km in June. I didn't want to lose my progress. Crap crap crap. 

My right knee was a mess. I have had problems since high school when I failed to vault over the pommel in 10th grade PE. I stretched the ligaments and my knee has never been the same. I have sprained my knee plenty of times. It would be sore for a day or two then I am good to go. It wasn't the case this time. My left calf hurt as well. Actually, both calves hurt like muscle pulls. Even with the crutches, I was moving very slow.

We had an appointment with the chiropractor the following Monday. I told Dr B what happened and he looked at my knee. He did some adjustment with his pneumatic adjusting tool. It hurt some but my right calf was feeling better the next day. I wished I had him check out my left leg but I thought it was just a bruise.

My right knee was slow to heal. I continued to ice it three times a day. I walked slowly. I did not exercise except for swimming on Thursday. I did some bicycle rotations in the pool and could feel how stiff my knee still was. My left calf was still aching when I walked and sometimes when I went to bed. I made an another appointment to see the chiropractor the following Monday.

The chiropractor adjusted my left knee. Oh man did it hurt! Andy left the room when I cried out. My left calf started feeling better the following day. And I decided to try riding my bike. My knee was still swollen and stiff and I took it slowly. I was very careful not to get into any situation where I might have to stop quickly and jump out of the seat. I made it 20 minutes and iced my knee right away. It felt good to exercise again even if it was slow.

I continued to do some easy morning rides. Andy & I went to the chiropractor for another visit on the following Monday. He adjusted both knees. They were still tight and sore but getting better. 

By the end of the month, I was back to riding everyday. I still wasn't back to my pre-injury speed but I was healing. Riding did not hurt my knee at all but I iced it after every ride. I ended the month with 107 miles. I had hoped to ride 150 miles before I fell. Even with 12 days of no activity, I managed to lose 8 pounds in June.

I had the front tire replaced. It was old and about to burst a sidewall.

one hundred and forty miles

I did well riding in May. I noticed some problems with my bum and got a new seat. I also started wearing a padded skort. It all helped and I felt really good. I wasn't losing weight but I knew that would come once I got better at riding and could ride faster and longer.

I was surprised and happy to find that I rode 140 miles in May. It may not seem like much to seasoned cyclists but it seemed like so much compared to the 50 miles I did walking. Many of those miles were ridden with Andy in the evenings. Even after he did well in the Special Olympics State Games, he still wanted to ride.

The best part was that my ankle pain was almost gone. I still had problems with plantar fasciitis especially in the morning but it was manageable. I no longer had ankle pain while I was sitting.

I do look at bicycles I would love to buy but know that what I have is fine. I love the idea on the Dutch style city bikes. I know I won't be going car-free but the idea of riding my bike everywhere. Suburban Florida just isn't the place the go car free. 

it's just like riding a bike

I was really getting into walking and increasing my daily steps. Then I woke up one Friday and could barely stand, let alone walk. I self-diagnosed plantar fasciitis. I took it easy and hoped it would heal. I hated not being able to walk. I hated missing those steps on my FitBit. I decided it was time to try my bike. 

Andy was out riding his bike and I got my bike down and pumped up the tires. They held air and I got on the bike. Hmm... when did the gears change? These are not the original bike gears? It all felt weird. I didn't last long. 

The following Monday, I rode around Deer Run. I had no confidence in my riding skills. I didn't like feeling this way. I took Andy's bike it to the LBS to have them install the basket. (It involves removing the headset and that is beyond my confidence level.) I got some lube for my bike. 

The next day, I lubed up my chaine and asked Andy if he wanted to ride. We rode up to CVS. I am trying to teach Andy how to ride with cars on the road. I felt a little more confident with my own riding.

I began to ride in the morning by myself and in the evenings with Andy. I was training him in case he was chosen to participate on the the Special Olympics State Games. I wanted him to be able to do 5k easily. We were riding about 3-5 miles in the evenings.

Once I felt more confident on the bike, I started pushing myself to ride faster and farther. It felt good to get my heart pumping and I looked forward to the rides. (One downside is that I cannot listen to my iPhone while riding and my podcasts were piling up.)

moodymann

I don't usually listen to podcasts during my morning walk. I want to go at a certain pace and podcasts tend to distract me. The weather today is crap and I am doing well going out to walk. I continued to listen to All Songs Considered. Today's mix is just that. Some electronic stuff, some dance, some hip hop, some old jazz. If I were at home, I might fast forward through some of the songs. This morning I was bundled up and too lazy to remove my gloves to get the iPhone out of my pocket. I listened to all the songs.
Sami Yenigun introduced Moodymann's Sunday Hotel. It has been over twenty years since I went to a disco. I am not one to listen to dance music. I found it to be the perfect beat for walking. It reminded me of Detroit and Chicago. I came home and purchased the track and added it to my walking playlist.

do not disappoint

On Sunday morning, I got up and walked. I didn't do it because I wanted to, I did it because I told Andy that I would.

I usually walk Saturday mornings then wash my work out clothes on the delicate cycle. I didn't walk on Saturday and didn't wash my clothes. Andy noticed and questioned me. I could see that it bothered him. I told him that I would walk on Sunday and wash my clothes afterwards. This made him smile and say that he would eat the bagels. Huh?

On Saturday mornings, I toast 4 bagels for Andy. He eats them throughout the morning. Even when they are cold. He had eaten 3 of the bagels when he noticed that I hadn't washed my workout clothes. Once a compromise was met, he finished the bagels. It is silly but it is how Andy deals with situations he cannot control. Instead of getting upset and pouting, crying or having a tantrum, he withholds something of his own. Sometimes he will not allow himself to watch a favorite video. Ryan has known to do similar things as well. They would rather cancel everything or go without that change the routine.

When Sunday morning came, I did not want to get up. I did not want to walk. But I did get up. Because I did not want to disappoint Andy after I told him I would walk. The walk was OK. I have been feeling lethargic and out of sync. I didn't feel better after I was done. I felt relieved like a chore completed. I showered and put my clothes in the washer. Andy was there to see me select delicates. His smile is what made me feel better.

Why is OK to disappoint ourselves but not OK to disappoint others?

tangerine keeps me walking

A friend told me about potionfactory years ago. It wasn't something I needed then. I decided to try it out last summer when I found listening to podcasts while walking wasn't working out.

I like listening to podcasts but it doesn't help with my pace. It does help if the podcast is funny and I laugh while I walk. I get the walk and an ab workout at the same time. Never mind any funny looks I get from laughing by myself.

One of my favorite podcasts is All Songs Considered. The podcast is only weekly and I like listening to music while I walk. I find myself walking to the beat. If the song has a fast tempo, this is good. If the song has a slow tempo, it is not so good.

I downloaded the trial of Tangerine and got to work making a playlist. Some songs were too fast and some were too slow. I adjusted the requirements and found a list that made me walk faster but not too fast. There are several training samples such as interval training to help you get out of a rut and improve.

I like that I can add more rules to allow for only the songs I rated 3 stars or greater, and songs that haven't been played lately. When I come back from a walk, I move the songs that work the best for walking into another playlist called walkings faves.

I was falling behind in my podcasts so I went back to listening to them. There are some podcasts which offend my dad. But when I found myself slowing down again and I decided to try it again.

I have been using Tangerine again for a few weeks now. I have find that my average pace has increased. This is mostly because of intervals. One morning my playlist started with a fast song. I wasn't quite ready for it but found the pace and stuck with it. I know that the body prefers to be at stasis. Especially mine. Walking at the same pace will get easier and results will wane. Intervals make the body react and do more work and improve.

Listening to music lets my mind wander and I find myself thinking of the eclectic selection of songs. I use shuffle so I never know what song will be next. Some of these songs, I don't remember ever hearing let alone buying.

Say You Love Me Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits
Crystalised The xx Crystalised
C'mon Guster Ganging Up On the Sun Rock
Mercy Matt Nathanson Modern Love
Taste the Summer Duran Duran Astronaut
Paperback Head Tegan and Sara Sainthood
Water In The Well Spirit Of The West Save This House
Postage Stamp World Rogue Wave Out of the Shadow

I don't know who Matt Nathanson is. Was this a free song I never listened to? Taste the Summer is something that I usually skip but the beat works well for walking. Paperback Head is a little difficult to find the right rhythm. Artists make sone for interest, not for walking. Water in the Well? I have 3 albums from Spirit of the West that I got in the 1990's. I don't think I have listened to them since I ripped the CDs into iTunes.

Love Song Sara Bareilles Love Song
Rollin' And Tumblin' Eric Clapton Unplugged
Perfectly Good Guitar John Hiatt Perfectly Good Guitar
Summer Sunshine The Corrs Borrowed Heaven
Wouldn't It Be Nice (Stereo Mix) The Beach Boys Pet Sounds
You Will Pay Tomorrow Terence Trent D'Arby Neither Fish Nor Flesh
Outrageous Paul Simon Surprise
Let's Stick Together Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music Street Life

Tangerine is really working for me this time. My walks are getting better and I am listening to more of my music.

cold but walking

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We are having weird weather in Florida. It is cold. We typically only need to turn on the heat a handful of days each year. It seems like the heat has been on most of the winter. 

I go walking most mornings. I don't own running tights or sweatpants. I walk in a skort made for biking. Most mornings I am OK. Today is was cold and windy and even my teeth got cold.

Thankfully I had a playlist that kept me moving. I use Tangerine to evaluate my music and give me tracks that will keep me moving at a fairly steady pace. My dad thinks I should walk to Sousa Marches. I like my eclectic mix.

1. California Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
2. Girlfriend Is Better Talking Heads 126bpm
3. Phone Call From Leavenworth Chris Whitley 124bpm
4. Wind Up Foo Fighters 126bpm
5. Say You Love Me Fleetwood Mac 127bpm
6. Wild Vanilla Kristin Hersh
7. Wouldn't It Be Nice The Beach Boys