My first week of bicycling to work was an uphill and downhill sort of thing. (Really, I ride over a lot of hills going to and from work), but there were times that I felt elated, (possibly due to hyperventilation), and times I felt like death had reached out his bony finger tapped me on the aching shoulder. I felt my legs burn while cranking up hills as I gasped for breath and then chilled as I coasted down the same hills risking hypothermia.
On the Monday of my second week I feel I am about to see a turn around. The ride to work was pure joy even though the sky was overcast and the clouds drizzled. I felt the hills became a little lower, and less steep. In fact I crested one before I realized it. The few level yards seemed to fly by.
My day at work standing at a cash register and running around the store to help customers was far from fatiguing. (I noticed this the first week that standing all day after a bike ride was less draining). My legs did hurt last week while standing especially my thighs right above the knees, but this week, at least Monday seemed to be much less so. I felt more energy and a better mood. As I walked around I actually felt as if I was lighter, I do not know if it is because of any slight weight loss or because of new strength in my legs, (or early onset of dementia).
The ride home took ten minutes less than one week before! I admit I pushed myself. I felt that I really wanted to; I was having fun conquering hills. I just wanted to keep the speed up and the gearing down.
Hopefully I will continue to make progress in endurance and speed, and not just have a burst of improvement then hit a plateau. I am 56 years old; I would expect to get in shape quickly if I was 26. I do a lot of walking and am on my feet a lot, and our townhouse has three flights of stairs; maybe I was mostly in shape and this week took me as far as it goes and maybe I will not get any better.
I know this first week is too soon to tell if I am in shape or if I have room for improvement. On the other hand between bicycling to work and other errands I accumulated approximately one hundred miles on my bike in the last seven days, that would be about four gallons of gas in my 87 Plymouth Reliant K. I realized a savings of about sixteen dollars. Now, if I can only find a way to hide that from my wife.
On the Monday of my second week I feel I am about to see a turn around. The ride to work was pure joy even though the sky was overcast and the clouds drizzled. I felt the hills became a little lower, and less steep. In fact I crested one before I realized it. The few level yards seemed to fly by.
My day at work standing at a cash register and running around the store to help customers was far from fatiguing. (I noticed this the first week that standing all day after a bike ride was less draining). My legs did hurt last week while standing especially my thighs right above the knees, but this week, at least Monday seemed to be much less so. I felt more energy and a better mood. As I walked around I actually felt as if I was lighter, I do not know if it is because of any slight weight loss or because of new strength in my legs, (or early onset of dementia).
The ride home took ten minutes less than one week before! I admit I pushed myself. I felt that I really wanted to; I was having fun conquering hills. I just wanted to keep the speed up and the gearing down.
Hopefully I will continue to make progress in endurance and speed, and not just have a burst of improvement then hit a plateau. I am 56 years old; I would expect to get in shape quickly if I was 26. I do a lot of walking and am on my feet a lot, and our townhouse has three flights of stairs; maybe I was mostly in shape and this week took me as far as it goes and maybe I will not get any better.
I know this first week is too soon to tell if I am in shape or if I have room for improvement. On the other hand between bicycling to work and other errands I accumulated approximately one hundred miles on my bike in the last seven days, that would be about four gallons of gas in my 87 Plymouth Reliant K. I realized a savings of about sixteen dollars. Now, if I can only find a way to hide that from my wife.
