91 Days Later
Posted in Wheels turning
Today (well by the time this goes live it will be yesterday, so on Tuesday) I got back on the bike after a 91-day break. I cycle, mainly, to commute; my ride is 10 miles (15 km) each way. So, what are my observations after staying off the bike for 3 months?
- Pain. Saddle manufacturers need to design more comfortable (read soft) saddles.
- Spring (is this Spring? can it be considered as Spring) is not the best time to cycle. You wear tights, a long-sleeve jersey, a jacket and long-fingered gloves. At the start it feels a bit chilly and 15 minutes later you are boiling and sweating like a pig.
- Clip-on: They need to find a way that the cleats clip on the pedal straight away without slipping or sliding off and without banging your ankle on the crank arm or your shin on the pedal.
That’s it, otherwise you will think that I am grumpy old man.
I have to say that despite the sweating and the pain I enjoyed it. No cycling tomorrow (that’s today by now, Wednesday) so a bit of a rest for my backside. On Thursday morning, though, I expect the pain to be worse. I know, I know… pain is temporary.
As far as the numbers are concerned, because we all like numbers:
- 184. My HR on the first incline in the morning.
- 42:48. The time it took me to get to the office. My time should be less than 39. My PB is 33:55.
- 42:12. The time it took me to get home. My PB is 34:15.
So, there is plenty of room for improvement. Oh, yes… and I need to lose some weight.