h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Prudent!

Day 20: I feel simultaneously dreadful and awesome. I rode into Leeds and I rode straight back home. The ride into Leeds was delightful: downhill all the way, no wind and only a nuisance bus-driver hovering in my blind spot to mar the experience. I was also really fast (for me at any rate).

Coming back was just awful - uphill all the way (which I probably should have anticipated) and there was a strengthening breeze. I had to stop at one point (just by the Armley Park allotments Vip) because I was puffing and panting so heavily and I had to stick to the kerbs for a bit because I was going so slowly. Still, I never got off and walked, I've done by far the longest ride I've attempted so far and I remember it was less than 3 weeks ago I was feeling that bad just riding to the end of the road.

The important thing is I did it and even the painful return leg was done at a respectable average speed of around 10mph. That's not bad going for me at this stage. I suspect I'll start feeling much better soon, especially with a day given over specially to sloth to look forward to.

I am very impressed HonestIago.


Just a heads up, to both HI and anyone/everyone interested in personal fitness - the month of July will feature a challenge from Create on this subject.

It will appear on the FP as soon as possible...

Inspired by yesterdays little jaunt, this morning I started off with the longer loop (the one with the hill) and, instead of turning for home at the end, I carried on and headed straight into Leeds. 7.5 miles without stopping once.

I really enjoyed it. Currently sat at Leeds station waiting for my train home (figured another 3.5 miles, all uphill, might be pushing it) and I feel great. I really like the ride into Leeds, it's great fun. It also makes riding into Bradford a realistic prospect as that would be a shorter ride than the one I've just done. I might give it a shot next weekend.

I also remember liking cycling in Leeds itself. It has proper cycle lanes and crossings and it made me feel like they treated cyclists like grown ups.

Some of the cycle lanes going into the city are lethal: the one that starts just by the giant pet shop is so bumpy it's unreal: anyone hitting that at speed (and by that point you're probably going pretty fast) runs the risk of being sent flying. The ones within the city, particularly for negotiating the inner ring road, are great.

I love just racing down the main road with the early morning sun making the city shine. Leeds is an attractive city when you see it from a distance.

Day 22: I really think my body has accepted this whole 'going for a ride in the morning' thing, since I woke up this morning and my first thought was 'bike'.

Did the longer loop this morning and I managed to accidentally go up the two hills in my 4th highest and 3rd highest gears respectively: I'd lost count of my gears. Two weeks ago I was struggling to get up those hills in my lowest gears. I started to get a stitch and I feel quite icky but the fact remains that, by accident, I did something unthinkable for me a couple of weeks ago.

My time was also pretty good. I suspect the music I've finally sorted out may have something to do with this.

Day 23: it only took 23 days but I finally got it! A ride in the warm sunshine!

Did the longer loop, which I tend to make my regular ride now. I've decided I'm going to pay attention to which gears I'm in going up the hills - this morning I went up the first hill in my 3rd highest and the second in my 2nd highest gears. I was slower and a bit more out of breath than I would have been otherwise, but I'm not too concerned about speed at the moment: I want to improve my strength and my cardiovascular fitness and slogging up hills in high gears will do that.

Got stuck behind a bus on the second hill - that was annoying - and the worst thing about this slightly longer ride is that it doesn't have the 'wheee' freewheeling downhill that the other one did at the end. Oh well.

I do enjoy reading this journal HonestIago. Thank goodness you had some sunshine at last and it's great to hear that you've succeeded in mastering this circuit.

Day 24: I think I need a rest day. I did the ride fine, got up both hills without any issues (lostprophets' Rooftops got me up the first hill in my top gear) but my muscles are so achingly tired.

I'll do the shorter ride tomorrow (I'm anxious to keep up the record of going out every workday) and see if that helps, if not I'll take Saturday/Sunday off.

Absolutely. I take at least one day off each week. After my fall yesterday I'll have to see if I can get on my bike at all today - I hurt all over.

Hi, Ive read all your posts and firstly well done. I live in Leeds and know your routes well, there is an alternative, the canal tow path down at Rodley, it will take you straight into Leeds city centre.
If your unsure, Google Earth the route,it is not that much further,its picturesque and more importantly flat. Even if you did not use it to commute to work, it's worth keeping it in mind should you fancy a more enjoyable ride out.
I used to ride many's ago, too and fro from work, some 15mile each way, not a flat bit in sight on the shortest route, 1 in 5 hills more like, I actually came to love them.
Your right about the battle you first face and the pain barriers that you have to go through,trust me it wont be long before thats behind you.
You get to the stage where there is no pain and as I did you start going on longer journeys just because you can and its fun.
Came to the point where I used to do a 20 mile sprint each day, travelling well over 30mph and overtaking things for fun.
Remember to keep you fluids up and dont skimp on the food as you'll soon burn up those calories the further you go, I was 18 stone when riding
I hope all continues to go well for you and good luck

Hiya winternights. I've considered using the towpath to get home and simply walking up that hill from Rodley (my mates car struggles to get up that hill, I ain't riding up it any time soon): I love walking along the towpath into Leeds. I don't think I'll need to though as I know the ride up from Leeds is going to feel easy at some point, just like my current ride is starting to feel easier when at first it felt hellish.

I'm gradually increasing the distances/challenges, like I've changed from the ride to the end of the road to this longer loop, and I'm already thinking about what my ride is going to be when this longer loop feels too easy.

Day 25: my word it's muggy this morning, felt like I was drinking the air rather than breathing it. Should be some spectacular thunderstorms later today.

Gave myself a bit of a break: did the short ride but extended it slightly so it included the first hill. Seemed like a nice compromise, give myself a bit of demanding exercise but also the enjoyable downhill stuff.

I'm still on for a rest day on Saturday or Sunday so my plan to ride into Bradford is out of the window. Oh well, I wasn't that attached to it, I'll do it next week.

Day 26: it's funny how things change. Two weeks ago I was forcing myself out of the door, this morning I was telling myself off a bit for going out later than 6am. I don't have to go into work today (I've got a meeting somewhere else) so I gave myself a little bit of a lie in but my body wanted to be out on the bike.

Did the same route as yesterday but with high winds and rain. It wasn't pleasant but it was easy. I think tomorrow Sunday I'll just do the easy/enjoyable run into Leeds and leave it at that.

I saw advice that it's better to pedal fast in lower gears than to struggle in the higher ones, but I think that may have been for bike stability rather than for fitness.

TRiG.

Yeah, that's true. If there was other traffic on the roads I'd be using the lower gears to maintain stability/speed but so far I've been the only traffic on this particular stretch of road.

My husband always advises me to switch to a lower gear, to save on energy. He says I'll be unnecessarily exhausted if I go uphill in a higher gear.

Day 27: I did the longer loop plus the ride into Leeds again this morning. I was planning on coming back home along the canal (cheers winternights for the inspiration!) but I got a puncture and had to get the train home.

Tomorrow will definitely be a rest day as I'll have to fix the bike and I've realised I've forgotten to do that

h2g2 comes to your aid

http://www.h2g2.com/approved_entry/A480313



lil xx