Still need help!

[Longhorn]

I've learned the basics of using the gears and got my seat adjusted for height and also so I don't keep slipping off the front. Thanks for all of your help! I also learned not to ride in jeans. Ouch! :hi:

But I just got back from a 20-minute ride and I'm so discouraged! My neighborhood is all hills and though I was able to stick to the more level parts and get up and down the hills, my heart was racing and I was breathing hard the entire time. I don't mind good exercise but I even felt a little dizzy when I got back and it's only 57 degrees outside so it's not the heat.

I'm female, 49, and about 20 pounds overweight. I am not new to exercise -- I've been regularly using the elliptical trainer, doing strength training, and walking for the last two years. But I've never pushed my heart rate this much -- from my experience on the elliptical, which has a monitor, I'm sure I was in the danger zone today. :(

Question 1: Should I go ahead and get a rack for my car and take my bike to the Veloway or a fairly level hike-and-bike trail and build up my endurance there or should I keep training on these hills? It's more of a hassle to go to the Veloway or any level neighborhood for that matter as they are 15 to 20 miles away but I'm afraid I'll dread riding these hills and quit riding! Right now, it sounds like so much more fun to be able to zip along a trail with steady spinning rather than huffing and puffing through the roller coaster of my neighborhood. Right now, I can't even enjoy the downhill parts because I'm worried about gathering enough speed for the next climb!

Question 2: I'm thinking about getting a heart rate monitor. Any advice on style or a particular model that is less than $50?

Question 3: Any advice on a trunk rack that will fit my car? Here's a photo of the rear.



Thanks for your help!

[BiggJawn]

1. Learn to love the hills.

I've spent the last 2 years avoiding hills, and the net result has been that I can go like hell on the flat to the tune of 14 miles in 58 minutes.

But get me in the "hill country" and it takes me 2 hours to go 15 miles.

Not good.I'm going to start including more hills in my rides so I can get up and down them faster. I want to ride more exotic locales than just flat-as-a-table Northern Indiana, and that's gonna take Hill Work.
I'm 90 pounds overweight, and my max HR is 186. I know that for a fact because that's what I saw the HRM clocking about the time the black spots started flashing in front of me.

It will get easier. Last time I was out, I climbed a small dip over a creek at 8 MPH when the previous spring I had to spin a granny gear at 5MPH up the same rise. At the end of last summer, I was climbing this rise at 10 MPH, so I've lost a little over the winter. I will get it back.
Polar is making some inexpensive HRM's now. I have one that displays current HR and tracks the average for the ride. no "zone alarms", no max hold, none of the fancy features.

And I am a believer in that if you're not wearing your HRM when you're out for some fitness work, then you're just going for a ride.

Which is good, too.

[Longhorn]

4. I really do want to love them!

Unfortunately, that's ALL I have right now! When I leave my driveway, I have a choice up uphill or downhill and every downhill is followed by another uphill! :D

I don't mind pushing myself but I just can't remember when my heart was pounding so much. And this is over the most level course in the neighborhood. I have a feeling that I won't have any trouble wanting to keep tackling them, though, since it means I won't have to drive in order to bike.

I hadn't even thought of using the HRM as a training device but more as a health device -- there's been so much news about women and heart disease that I just think I'd feel better if I knew I was exercising in the appropriate zone for my age.

Thanks so much for your comments and enjoy riding in the beautiful Indiana spring! :D

[BiggJawn]

9. You can use a HRM for much more than a "danger signal"

I use it for a "load meter", to check on improvement in fitness by riding a set course that i run at least once a week.
There are "Training Zones", which are a percentage of your maximum HR (lots of great info out there, just a Google away!)

To get up in the "zone" of 80-90% of max is great Cardio exercise. I have read that 85% is supposed to be some kind of "no-man's land" where the energy expended doesn't give an equal benefit, but I think that's for peoiple who are already in great shape. I figure anything over 80% is doing good. In the winter, when I'm on the indoor trainer, I'll go at 75-85%, some sprints up to 90%
Now outdoors, it's a slightly different story. I LOVE being outside so much on my bike that I'm willing to "suffer" a bit more.

Here, from my Log from last year....

16 Sept. 11.38 miles in 50 min. avg, speed 13.6, HRM average 144 BPM.

That's only 78% of my max.

Now from the PREVIOUS year,
7-26-03
7.49 miles in 43:55, avg. speed 10.2 MPH, HRM was 150.

That's abpout 82% of max. Cool. Quantifiable improvement.

what I see on climbs is a marked increase. If it's a training ride, I'll push myself until the Polar is going "TILT!", but if it's an endurance ride, I don't EVEN want to see 90%. I try to keep things in the Aerobic realm, and save "going An-aerobic" for days when I want to hurt like hell the next morning.

I had a lovely ride this evening after work. the sun doesn't go down till 7:15, so I was able to click off a little over 10 miles in 50 minutes. Went downhill at 30 MPH.
Sure felt good.
I almost forgot-If the hills outside your driveway are that much a "heart-breaker", then there ain't no shame in loading up the bike and driving to the flats.Keeping it FUN is the importnat thing, plenty of time to play "Lance on the Col" later. :-)

[Longhorn]

11. I want stats like that!

I don't have the odometer yet but as soon as I do, I'm going to keep a log and note improvement. Thanks for sharing yours! Which Polar do you have?

Speaking of weight, I lost 70 pounds in 2003 but in the last six months or so, I've gained back about 20. Have you been able to lose any weight by cycling? I don't really care what my weight is so much as what kind of shape I'm in and how my clothes fit. I realize I still need to watch what I eat and that's been a focus of mine, too. I've been eating better foods and eliminating the empty calories but I think exercise will be the key.

[BiggJawn]

13. Wow, 70 pounds.

I have a lot of trouble getting the weight off because I keep getting on medications that "May cause slight weight gain". In typical medical-understatement, I guess "slight" is 5-7 pounds a month.
Last year, I went from 304 to 275. Now starting out this year, I'm at 290. 2 months ago, I was at 283. i'm NOT eating that much more, but we did change my meds (I'm diabetic and have high BP)
When I first started with the HRM, I was doing stuff like 10 MPH average for 45 minutes and seeing heat rates of 145-150.

I have the cheapest polar you could get 2 years ago. I think it's the A-3, but I know they have cheaper ones now.
I just need real-time and average HR.

[welshTerrier2]

2. a few quick responses

if bike riding isn't enjoyable, you probably won't stay with it ...

after describing your knee problems, i don't think starting out with hills is a good idea ... it's damned hard work and not all that much fun ... for starters, why not try to find a nice country road that follows a river or rolls gently through a rural area with some nice scenery ...

having to pack the bike on the car is not ideal but neither is crunching your way up hills you're not really ready for ...

as far as a rack, your best bet there is to take your car to a good bike shop ... they can show you a variety of racks and determine whether they would fit on your car ... if that's a convertible in the picture, roof racks are out ... most racks have straps with little metal clips on the end that have to have a place to latch onto your car ... there are also racks that can be clipped inside your trunk ... make sure you know how many bikes you would want to put on the rack ... some handle 2 bikes; some 4 ... good padding to protect the finish on your car is also important ... i always secure the bike with a few shock cords to keep the front wheel from flopping around ... on some cars, rear trunk racks leave the bike so close to the ground that the bike can be damaged if you hit a bump while driving ...

and finally, fwiw, i don't have and wouldn't want a heart rate monitor ... are they invaluable training devices? absolutely ... if you want to get "all metrical" about cycling, by all means buy one ... personally, while it may not be ultra-scientific, i've always used the simple "i can talk test" to know whether i'm in my target zone ... when i'm huffing and puffing and turning beet red, i'm overdoing it ... and then there's always the less convenient pulse check method that suggests your pulse rate (you have to stop to do this) should be 220 - your age times 60% (low intensity) up to 85% (high intensity) ... so, if you're 50 years old, a low intensity training pulse would be 102 and a high intensity rate would be around 145 (if i did the math right) ...

i think you should make job one learning to love cycling ... if you become a prisoner to making a statistical analysis out of speed, mileage, distance, resting pulse rates, interval training and all the other metrics, you may fail to focus on the breeze in your face, the smell of the spring flowers and the cyclists high you get as the miles fly by ...

there's nothing wrong with getting into a scientifically engineered training program ... there are all sorts of books on the subject (i've read a few myself) ... but i think the best training (unless you plan to race) is just plain old riding and the best riding is when you're out for the pure pleasure of it ... and btw, if you're stuck driving somewhere to find some nice scenery and some flat roads, perhaps you could join a bike club or bring a friend along with you ... and, once you're in shape, maybe those hills near your home will look a little friendlier ...

[Longhorn]

5. Great advice, as usual!

I wish I could bike to a fairly level neighborhood but I've driven around here with an eye on the grade and since I live near the top of a hill, there are lots of ways to go downhill but what goes down, must come up! ;)

I'm thinking before I invest in a rack, I'll just take the wheel off and throw my bike in the back of my car. It's not hard to do when the top is down! ;) I can even put the top up over it and take it to work with me without worrying about it getting stolen.

I wanted the HRM just to make sure I don't give myself a stroke or heart attack. Also, I have a tendency to overdo until I don't want to do any more and I'd like to keep this nice and easy so that I continue to enjoy it, as you mentioned.

Thanks again for your well-reasoned and helpful responses! :hi:

[pmbryant]

3. Based on my experience

I'd strongly suggest avoiding your own neighborhood for the time being and seeking out much more level terrain. It will be far more rewarding, and if you slowly build up the size up hills you tackle (over many months), you will likely eventually find riding in your neighborhood manageable.

It worked for us. Me and my riding partner went from hating hills to seeking them out within just a year or so of occasional, casual riding. But building up slowly is important to eventual success, I think.

--Peter

[Longhorn]

6. I'm glad to know I'm not just wimping out!

I'd love nothing more than to be able to cruise over these hills but I think it will take time. I get off work at 3:30 tomorrow. I think I'll throw my bike in the back of my car and try the Veloway! Thanks for the encouragement and support! :)

[jandrok]

7. You've already got some great advice, so I don't know what....

...I can add. Don't get discouraged. Remember:

You're on no one's schedule but your own. Listen to what your body is telling you and tailor your training accordingly.

Have fun. If it ain't fun, it ain't worth it.

Getting to the destination is nice, but remember to enjoy the journey. Look around, enjoy the breeze and the wildflowers.



:woohoo:

[Longhorn]

8. Thanks!

I know exactly what you mean! I found myself yesterday riding with my head down so that I couldn't see the rise of the road in front of me. How fun is that? :shrug:

[BiggJawn]

10. That's WORK!

I was checking out the way the winter flooding slightly re-shaped the banks of the creeks, stopped and looked over the bridge for minnows (didn't see any) Checked to make sure there wasn't a Buzzard dogging me like the first ride last spring....

Mostly, I was just playing with the bike, getting to know it, learning how to it behaves when I shift it (Hyperglide cassette with friction shifters. Mygawd, it's almost like index shifting!) make a note that the brakes STILL suck....Maybe if I didn't weigh almost 300# they wouldn't suck...

Here's a tip I learned. If you're working so hard that your breathing won't let you carry on a conversation without gasping in 2-word sentences, then it's time to back off and slow down slightly.

[Longhorn]

12. Any covered bridges or round barns on your route?

I know a lot of the covered bridges are in Brown County -- we used to go to that Covered Bridge Festival they have down there when I was a kid. But there's a round barn on that big highway that passes just west of Rochester.

[BiggJawn]

14. No, not around here.

Covered bridges are mostly in Parke County, NE of Terre Haute, and the only rond barn I know is east of Indy.

There's a Hydroelectric dam about 12 miles from here, though. And the University campus is 15 miles away.