Doing my bit to get the 5x50 total over 20000K!

[thinnerandfitter]

Not a running blog, but something I doubt I'd have done without C25K....

My husband is a keen cyclist - and I'm not. I learned to ride a bike at 22 and am still pretty bad when it comes to roads, hills and straight lines. However, our local CTC has been trying to get new members and have organised a series of women-only "easy" rides. Being up for something new (who'd have thought that a few months ago) I dusted off my heavy, knee-grinding bike and duly showed up at the start point.

Well - I thought I'd be in reasonable shape - after all I run, have cycled a little during 5x50 and of course have done 5k (or equivalent) for the past 48 days but nothing could have prepared me adequately for this. There were 11 of us - I think I was probably the oldest (not that it matters) but some of the others were very good cyclists compared to me! I wasn't helped by my heavy bike and the numerous hills around here (I did have to walk a couple of times but I thought I kept going well) but I soldiered on, remembering that every time Garmin bleeped that was another km for the total. Was I ever glad to see the coffee shop!

Whether my legs will be up to the park run tomorrow I very much doubt - and I'm going to be choosing chairs with extreme care for a few days if you get my meaning.

The total effort (which I'm looking forward to seeing on the Malcymeter since it's twice as much as my previous best)... (drum roll)...... 23.59 km!

Now to lie down a while!!

[Landesman Graduate]

Well done - especially with the heavy bike.

Yes, you soon discover which 'muscles' you haven't been using when you start pedalling up hills on a bike. Playing squash for the first few times is another form of exercise which often prompts the, 'No, I'd prefer to stand' remark the next day.

They have some of the steeper Tour de France ascents near here and I can honestly say that if I hadn't seen people doing it I would have said they were impossible. And as for the decents the other side - very very scary.

Perhaps you can do a few extra k for me over the last days as I pulled a hamstring in this morning's run - which is going to be very frustrating for the next few days.

[Rollertoaster Graduate]

Good on you! We are tantalisingly close to that target, will we make it? I do hope so!

[DeliaItaly Graduate]

Brillian Ann, great going

[SBG356 Graduate]

OMG Ann, just saw your graph and its off the scale!! Very well done you! This challenge has been amazing at getting us doing things we wouldnt have considered before and to give us that confidence in ourselves, which started of course with us getting out and running.

So hubby will have a cycling buddy now eh?! Hope you are not too sore for too long....time to hunt out the softest of your cushions me thinks!

Sue x

[PastyMan Graduate]

Excellent stuff thinnerandfitter! ..... same time tomorrow?

[swanscot Graduate]

Well done, thinnerandfitter. 23km is a great effort for a (almost) non-cyclist and especially on a clunky bike.

I've cycled my whole life and yesterday even I found a 20km road ride cycle hard work on an off-road bike.

[George42 Graduate]

Well done, don't break yourself before Sunday though.

[thinnerandfitter Graduate]

Thank you all for your encouragement

My legs are OK at the moment as long as I keep moving from time to time. Husband has started sending me links to "better" bikes - he clearly doesn't think this experience has put me off.

I am a bit concerned about how I'll do my 5ks tomorrow and Sunday - tomorrow is of course Parkrun day but for that you need functioning legs I'll see how I feel in the morning for that. If not running I could probably swim yet again (that would be 3 times this week). Sunday is usually bike day but I'm not sure I want to look at a bike again quite so soon. I will do something though - don't want to let the team down after almost 7 weeks.

Good luck everyone with your weekend plans!

[gdeann Graduate]

A bit saddle-sore, eh??? Sorry Ann, I couldn't resist that one! What a great racking up of K's and an awesome show of sportsmanship! I think your hubby is on the right track sending you new bike suggestions. Enjoy the last few days of the challenge and I hope you can run parkrun tomorrow! Gayle

[TJFlute]

Well done Ann..I haven't even attempted cycling! Enjoy your last couple of days, Theresa x

[greenlegs Graduate]

Well, Ann, that is really impressive! Hope you figure out what you can reasonably do tomorrow without too much agony!

I was going to do a parkrun tomorrow, but not so sure at the moment, as all the extra km I've done this week have left me unsure whether my legs will be up to it. Might do a freedom run there on Sunday instead, as my grand finale - but I'll see how things feel tomorrow.

[sfb350 Graduate]

Brilliant, well done !

Don't underestimate how much tougher it can be on a heavier bike - I've got an old BSA bicycle (1940s) which is lovely to ride in a gentle way but it isn't in the same league as a modern lightweight bicycle like the Ridgeback hybrid I've been using.

If you get tempted to buy a new bike, look into the Cycle to Work scheme - I convinced my employers to register for the scheme so I could finance my bike.

[thinnerandfitter Graduate in reply to sfb350]

Thanks! Of course - being last (apart from the back marker person) is quite familiar to me from Parkruns tee hee.

The bike is heavy compared to others - it's a mountain bike with lots of gears but (feels like) a cast iron frame! Unfortunately my workplace is my living room - one reason I exercise first thing is to imitate a commute - so I don't think the cycle to work scheme would apply to me. Hopefully it'll spark an idea in others reading though - the more cars off the road the better

[Poppy2010 Graduate]

Well done! I love my bike, and really enjoyed my 9k yesterday, I had a bit of saddle soreness from my really wet ride on Tuesday (think I must have altered position to my usual due to the rain) but getting back on the bike yesterday cured it! Strange!

I have only walked and done dvd today; my legs (and body) was so tired after this weeks exercise and 2 early shifts; I plan to Parkrun this morning ( as it's now 00.30, been up since 4.45 so why am I awake!) then ride on Sunday (both before late shifts)

[thinnerandfitter Graduate in reply to Poppy2010]

Thanks! Retrospectively I supposed I enjoyed it the ride in much the same way as I enjoy running after the event. Soreness is still there and I overslept and missed my parkrun altogether (I was awake at 5:30 and 6 and 6:30 and thought - I'll stay in bed until 7 then get up..... next I knew was almost quarter past 8!). I'm not that disappointed though as I've been sleeping so badly lately that it's a relief to have dropped off again. I think I'll be walking today (and Garmining every inch of it) and a last blast run for 5x50 tomorrow.

Hope you had a good run - a nice day for it at least here in the south.

Ann