Day 1 of the fight back.

sillygoose

Ouch! everything aches!

52 years old and with a gradually increasingly sedentary job, poor joints, gout, bit of rheumatism, 3 to 4 stone overweight (but stable, good diet) and the last straw now.. high blood pressure. Few years back used to be quite active, I could walk forever, I got more done, more energy. Now a flight of stairs takes its toll.

So enough is enough. Yesterday dusted my nice road bike off (literally covered in cobwebs!) pumped up the tyres and oiled the chain. Went for a quick spin half a mile OK.

Today I went on a 3 miles round spin at a fairly brisk pace with just one rest.

my intention is to stop letting my job kill me (working from home you never clock off). At 6pm every day I am going to tun off the phone and go for a bike ride no matter what. 20 minutes.

(Hopefully!) its not too late..

olgadapolga

Hey, well done for making a commitment :T

It's never too late to improve your health; you just have to stick with it and be consistent. I've gone from not cycling for 16 years (before children) to a minimum of cycling 25 miles a day over the course of about six months. I've had to stop at 25 miles for the moment as I don't have time for further until I get a bit faster, although if I cycle on roads rather than tracks then I can do about 35 miles over the same time.

And the aches and "ouch" will fade away - but you know that, right? Hot baths work for me

xbrenx

I know just how you feel! Hitting 50 seems to have set off all sorts of ailments that I never expected. Diabetes, asthma and very dodgy knees (which I need to get the doctor to investigate) but I've recently completed the couch to 5k app and regularly run my local park run (slowly).

Just remember when you get used to the aches, you'll push yourself harder so you ache all over again hahaha!

Good luck and enjoy

sillygoose

xbrenx wrote: »

I know just how you feel! Hitting 50 seems to have set off all sorts of ailments that I never expected. Diabetes, asthma and very dodgy knees (which I need to get the doctor to investigate) but I've recently completed the couch to 5k app and regularly run my local park run (slowly).

Just remember when you get used to the aches, you'll push yourself harder so you ache all over again hahaha!

Good luck and enjoy

Well done you!

I forgot to mention the latest, very painful plantar fasciitis (sore heels) just appeared and won't go away. So running would be agony, doesn't affect cycling though fortunately.

It is weird to suddenly 'get things' isn't it? I thought it would be another 10 years away at least!

xbrenx

sillygoose wrote: »

Well done you!

I forgot to mention the latest, very painful plantar fasciitis (sore heels) just appeared and won't go away. So running would be agony, doesn't affect cycling though fortunately.

It is weird to suddenly 'get things' isn't it? I thought it would be another 10 years away at least!

I had that a few years ago, very painful for sure.
lol at 10 years, same here, I told my kids once to shoot me when I got to 60 because it would be downhill from then! Maybe I'm on a gradual slope rather than a full out down hill hahaha

YORKSHIRELASS

Wow, go for it, such a lovely positive post, you have bucket loads of encouragement from me. I have always done sport/exercise of some kind but DH and I decided to buy new road bikes and start cycling together as a way of having a joint hobby now that the kids are growing up.

We also both work long hours (I have two jobs - one I do at home) and I hardly see beyond my laptop some days.

I am 44, reasonably fit and this is waay harder than I thought it would be. Trouble is with all this Strava stuff everyone wants to know how far you went and how fast, just tell them it doesnt measure how much you enjoyed it or how much better it made you feel! I felt disheartened when a friend scoffed at the fact I was cycling at 12 miles an hour. No more of that - I am doing this for me.

Keep posting, would love to know how its going.

sillygoose

I went out today, didn't have a lot of time so tried to keep up a good pace to get some cardio but top of my thighs soon ached!

Its been difficult because I have been a 'closet cyclist' !! I am ashamed of the poor shape I am in, when the kids were younger we all went out on our bikes quite often OK.

5 years later and they are super fit athletes! and I am an old crock!

I don't want them nagging to go on a ride with me (not yet) as it would be humiliating and I am doing this for me - for a change!

I ordered a waterproof handlebar phone holder, I have loads of old phones with GPS so with a suitable app I will have an accurate speed and distance reading. I don't want anything fancy or uploading/sharing.

Thank you for the positive comments. :beer: