One of the local bike shops has a fitness studio where they provide various training. In addition to the weight machines and medicine balls, they have 8 bicycle trainers set up with input into a computer.

A trainer is a device that holds the back wheel off the ground so you can pedal without moving. ~~~Growing up, my sister and I discovered that we could place our bike on the front porch in such a way that the training wheels would keep the bike upright and the rear wheel would rest over a depression so we could spin away without going anywhere. We kept training wheels on one bike way longer than necessary so we could keep that feature. Who knew we were in our own spinning class so many years ahead of the curve.

Back to my story. The trainer at the bike shop will track how fast we are pedaling and how much power we are exerting. In fact, they can use the computer program to adjust the pressure on my back wheel so it can simulate going up a hill. During all of this, our information is displayed on the wall in front of us so we can monitor how we’re doing (and compare to others if we need some motivation).

Vocabulary and technical paragraph (skip if you want). Power = force x distance/time, this is called watts. You can then look at watts/kg to get a number to compare to others. I’m still trying to figure out what it all means. But it is interesting to note that last week I was going about 16 mph, a cadence (or rotations per minute) of around 90, with watts of about 101 and a watts/kg of something like 1.3 while my husband was going 25 mph , a cadence of 85, watts of something like 250 and watts/kg around 1.3. He’s a guy, he’s got great leg muscles, and he’s heavier. I think the point to all of that is  he will do even more on the bike when he loses some weight.

The point to the Elevation 101 class is to measure and increase our power output while climbing hills on our bike. What I’m getting out of it is practice at working my rear off for an hour. My husband says he has learned some techniques from the class, but I still think the greatest benefit has been the focused practice.

Here’s how the class works. We hook up our bikes on the trainers. The teacher has entered a “course” into the computer that has us encountering a series of hills. Last week’s course started with a moderate hill for 4 minutes, then a higher hill for 3 minutes, with a break in between, and continued like that for another 5 hills over the hour.

I admit, this wasn’t my first choice for a class as a beginner. I wanted to take the Cycling 101 class that would work on my position and pedal stroke and then get me out on the road. But they didn’t offer that in June. The only other classes for semi-beginners were Elevation 101 at night or something during the day that I can’t commit to. But the class has worked. My posture has gotten better just from being on that bike for an hour (plus warmup). My pedal stroke has gotten better since I’m going around at 90 rotations per minute for an hour. And I have gotten better at hills which is great since there are so many of them around here.

This Saturday I went out to a local business park (it was a low emotional weekend and I was too skittish to hit the real roads) and I powered over the 5 hills with skill and strength that I didn’t have 3 weeks ago when we started this class. One technique we have learned in class is it’s actually more efficient to get up a hill at a higher cadence. Before this class I usually kept a cadence of about 70 although DH said to aim for 80. In class I figured I’d pull it up to 80, but the teacher keeps asking for 90. Saturday I passed folks struggling up the hill while I kept those pedals going up and down, round and round at 90 rpm.

If you’re still reading, I hope you got something out of all my rambling about my Elevation 101 class. Last week they announced there will be an Elevation 102 class and we’re both signing up. It will be a great workout every week and get us right up to the MS150 ride in October. The one where I’ll probably ride 90 miles over 2 days and DH will ride 100 miles on the first day. We figure we need all the help with hills that we can get.

I totally understood. I have been fluctuating between the two for the past 2 weeks.

But off we went. After not wanting to be in the middle of a group of people, we ended up near the front in a group of people. Then most of them passed us within the first few miles. About 2 miles into it, we hit the first hill and it was a doozie. I seriously wondered what I was doing. I also vowed that if we move, we’re moving somewhere very flat.

We got behind a guy a tad bit slower than I wanted to go (amazing, I know) so at a downhill I told dh to make a move and around we went. That was the only person we passed, although I got passed many times, even on up hill climbs.

For every up hill climb there was a downhill descent, but that wasn’t much better. At 25 mph I would start putting on the brakes. The computer says my max was 33.2. I suspect this was the hill that the truck followed me down because the blind turn meant he couldn’t pass me.

There were some struggles. At mile 8 I had to stop at a stop sign. When I started back up my left leg cramped up. I ended up stopping and stretching it for a minute. I finally got back on and around the next curve was the first rest stop I pulled in to find dh waiting for me.

That gave me a nice refreshing boost because I left with new wind in my sails. Some hills I would climb just fine (although slowly) and some would just kill me. At the second rest stop we hooked up with a trio (husband, wife, son-in-law) keeping a nice pace so I stuck behind them. Of course, right after we left that rest stop both feet started cramping. If I could eat my energy bar or drink from my energy bottle while riding I might skip the rest stops. Right now, though, using that right hand to sip from the CamelBack is all I can manage.

One last hill almost got me, but since it was 5 of us together I felt some pressure to just keep pedaling one foot after another and somehow I made it, going 5 or 6 mph.

I learned a lot – my balance is a bit better just being on the bike for 33 miles in a row. I can lift my right hand off to point at debris or a turn. I just can’t take a hand off the handlebars and pedal at the same time

To finish it up, I fell on my left side just before we turned into the finish line. Then fell on my right side just as we stopped. But I’m a professional now. I just laughed at how tired I was, jumped back up, and then walked (no hobbling for me) over to the ambulance for a couple of bandages. I may just bandage both knees before the ride next time. Seems more efficient.

I don’t think I’m ready to ride 30 miles at a time very often, but I’m happy with my performance today and looking forward to getting out again!

Most of us have ridden a bike with a flat or platform pedal. And most of us have had a foot slip off at least once. That’s not a huge deal when riding around the neighborhood so there is no money spent on expensive shoes or pedals to keep it from happening.

For many mountain bikes and road bikes, the rider is willing to accept the expense of special shoes and pedals. It isn’t just to keep the foot from slipping off, though. There is some real advantage to having the shoe and pedal attached to each other when climbing a hill on a bike. You can exert more pull on the back up stroke which helps even out the effort.

With clip-in pedals starting out looks like this:

• Stand on the left side of the bike.
• Position the right pedal at 6 o’clock.
• Put the right food on the pedal and click in
• Now bring the pedal back up to noon o’clock (that’s toward the front). This means I can push off and get some momentum. Speed is my friend (yeah, crazy, but I keep repeating it thinking maybe some day I’ll believe it)
• Now, while the bike is moving (with me on it, sort of) get that left foot up and clipped in
• If the left foot doesn’t clip in right away, pedal normally to keep up the speed (remember, speed is my friend) until I can get that foot clipped in

Now that I’m moving, stopping requires a lot of planning as well.

• Get up some speed (yep, speed really is my friend)
• With the left foot at the top of the stroke (12 0′clock) jerk the shoe out of the pedal clip. I still have some difficulty with this so I start preparing to stop long before I really need to stop. I can walk the bike the last few feet if I have to.
• Now start braking and lean to the left to put the left foot on the ground when I stop
• Then unclip the right foot

In my time on the bike so far, I have fallen 3 times. All have been because I was starting or stopping and had difficulty getting the shoe in or out of the lock. I have successfully stopped and started many more times. I have been reassured that this will become second nature to me.

In building up to the MS Ride in October, we are joining in a few other charity rides over the summer. There are also free group rides/training rides that we will try to participate in.

On June 6 we are riding in the Collier Lilly Ride.

Then in July, on the 18th, we are going to ride in the Lake Norman Excursion Cycling Event which benefits the American Red Cross. This has a family friendly fun ride, plus 10, 40, 68, and 100 mile rides. We will probably do the 40 mile ride. As with the Collier Lilly ride, lunch is provided after the ride.

I took the new bike out on the road for the first time today. After practicing starting and stopping with the clip-in pedals I proceeded to fall just as we were leaving the parking lot. I have a nice wound and bruise on my knee, but I’ll live.

DH kept saying – “that’s #1″, trying hard to change my state to see this as inevitable and just part of riding. There was a part of me that wanted to lie down on the ground (since I was already there) and cry, wondering why I’m making myself do this. But one benefit to being 40 years old is that I have (finally) learned that giving up or crying about it doesn’t make anything better. Instead, I picked my bruised body up, got back on the bike, and off we went.

Thirty minutes and 6 miles later we packed up and came home so I could shower and bandage my knee. It was fun riding together!

Hours later, after I was bandaged up and rested, I looked at the pictures and decided they don’t do justice to my wound. It felt a lot worse than it looked in the photo.

The Collier Lilly Ride4Life starts right up the road at Davidson College. We are doing the 50K (about 31 miles), which has put a little pressure on my training routine for the next 3 weeks. After the ride they are providing lunch and other activities so we can relax. And it’s all for another good cause.

I’ll let you know how it goes! I just hope it doesn’t rain.

The bike I’m buying was on Bicycling.com’s list of Road Bikes for Under $1,000. Seems for the beginner, me, “slightly sluggish” is a good thing.

Here is their article on Bike Buying Tips. Identify your price range and features and feel requirements, don’t limit yourself by brand. Bike stores usually have sales in the fall to reduce inventory. Haggling probably won’t work on bike price, but try extras or more service. Buying local has definite perks. Carbon is great! But you can also get a good bike with aluminum, or a mix of alloy and carbon, or titanium, or steel. Again, it comes down to how much you have or are willing to spend.

All of that is good, but I just decided to get a bike and I don’t want to wait until the fall. Plus, we’re heading to the Trek store so not many brand options. But DH is happy with his Trek 1000 and I am sure I’ll be fine with mine. If we upgrade in the future, it may be a different story.

The first visit to the store was just informational, mainly to see how much money this would cost. The sales guy set up an appointment for me to come in, wearing my bike shorts, and see how the bike actually rode. I found myself getting excited about that appointment. We spent 2 hours at the store that night.

First we discussed shoes and pedals. I am ready to get the clip-in pedals with the real shoes. We discussed pedal options and went with the medium priced pair with clip only on one side. Then we looked at shoes. Due to my narrow ankles the ratchet system made a world of difference to me so we went with the medium priced pair. Next he put the bike on the trainer and had me sit on it and practice getting my shoes in and out of the pedals. After a few minutes doing that he asked how the seat felt. Truthfully, it hurt, but then, bike seats do hurt, even with padded shorts. I don’t have a lot of additional padding in that area so I expect it to hurt.

He suggested we swap out my seat to try something different, and took a sizing of my bum (that’s a first for me). Of course I need a seat a little bit wider than what comes default with the bike, so we throw a new bike seat on (I’ve stopped keeping a running total at this point). Then the fitting to make sure the seat and handlebars are at the right height and angle.

Way too soon, he had me put on my helmet and walk the bike outside to the parking lot. He did a great job with me, in describing step by step how I was going to get on and off the bike (without crashing). I admit to a lot of trepidation here. I am a physical coward and the thought of skinning my let up as I fall to the ground with my foot stuck in the pedal is the stuff of nightmares for me. (Note, I’ve never broken a single bone due to this fear keeping me so extremely safe.)

The test ride successful, we headed back into the store to identify the rest of the items I might need, like water bottle cages, tire pump, extra tube and bag, rear-view mirror, and of course a computer so I can see how long I’ve been riding, how fast I’m going, and how far I’ve gone.

Then he put it all on the bike, rang it all up, and we paid. The extras cost almost as much as the bike, but they should all last quite a while. Plus I get a $100 card for service at the store, and a few coupons.

And I can bring my front wheel in  Monday night and they will teach me how to change my tire.

This article is going to be no different than any realm of exercise, so don’t think it’s limited to cycling. By nature we are slothful and we need a little ‘push’ out the door sometimes.

This is my story: Several years ago a friend and I got together for dinner. We had met each other at the Red Cross donating platelets and had developed a great friendship over a few years. One night we were brainstorming business ideas and personal goals, and I didn’t think much of it at the time, but a few months later he tells me that he had taken up cycling as a result of that conversation… and he had taken it up full bore… He got the bike, the clothes, the shoes, and had already signed up and rode some pretty aggressive races.

Come that next spring he challenges me to join him on the MS 150, a 2-day, 200 mile bike ride that would finish at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Not having sat on a bike since I was in high school, but feeling up to the challenge, I said I would do it.

My First MS Ride - Me on the left, and Bill on the right

Well, he gave me a 6-month window… then it was 5-months,… then four… and you know the story. It wasn’t until I had 2 months to go that I had the fire lit under me to start training, and I rode every day, no less than 4 days per week, and in those 2 months I had lost 15 pounds and my stamina skyrocketed and I conquered those 200 miles in 2 days and was ready for more (yeah… really!).

Note that until I felt I had crossed a barrier in my mind that “If I don’t start now, I’m (1) going to look like a fool when I can’t keep up with the group (2) going to let my buddy down, (3) lose an opportunity to prove to myself that I can stick to something if I care about it enough. Those were my motivations, and I had to cross a threshold.

So how did I stay motivated? One way was to get accountable… I had to do this not just for myself, but for others in order to get me out of bed early on Saturday or stay up a little later because I had to ride that evening. I joined a local cycling group at the local Y. I signed up for 15 & 30-mile rides in the area. I invited friends to come because if I didn’t show and they did, well, that just wouldn’t be cool.

It’s spring again, and I’ve got the bug. I’ve registered for the 2009 MS Ride and setup my fundraising page. I bought a bike trainer so I can train rain or shine. I setup a blog on my MS Site as well to keep track of my progress and let my friends know I expect to be held accountable.

So what’s keeping your rear in a chair and out of the seat? Find a friend, a partner, a riding buddy that will keep you accountable, and get out there! I’ll see you on the road…

-Anthony

Peloton is derived from the french word for ball. It refers to the main body of riders in a race.  In a bike ride (which is not a competitive race) you will often see the riders in 1 or 2 wide lines. But in a race when there is more jockeying for position it looks more like a bunch and the main bunch (with some leaders ahead and more straggling behind) is the peloton.

Advantages to riding in a peloton include safety in numbers, efficiency due to aerodynamic drag, and sharing the burden of being the head rider who breaks the wind (no pun intended) for the others in the peloton.

It also provides some very healthy accountability so you will keep your cadence steady and your speed up to keep up with the group. This is also true of a ride in a single file line.

This gets back to the point that you should be fitted out for the right fit on a Trek. Once you accept that your leg length, trunk length, and seat height makes a big difference, then you realize that some thinks are harder to adjust in a one-bike-for-all type of world. That’s why there are Big & Tall stores and petite sections for people with shorter legs. The WSD is the same concept.

By angling the seat tube so my weight is balanced correctly over the pedals I have stronger strokes. Making the handle bars narrower keeps my shoulders properly aligned, that’s a good thing. It also means I don’t have to reach as far so I can focus on enjoying the ride instead of being worn out by straining to reach everything.