Work in the Gym Pays Off on the Bike

As I have mentioned before, I am not really good at pushing myself.  Since I ride by myself most of the time, riding my bike is not the best way for me to improve my bike riding!   I actually began to realize this last year when I got myself a smartphone.  I signed up for MapMyRide, a free app which, of course, includes advertising and enticing articles to lead you to the advertising.  Anyway, one of the articles I read was about the importance of core strength to efficient bicycling technique.  Mine was terrible, even after years of long-distance cycling.  My core strength was poor, my technique was poor, and my efficiency was not good.

I have not been intimidated by long distances on the bike for a long time, though my slow speed kept me from completing some of the longer distances in a single day’s ride.  For the Fuller Center Bike Adventure, we are given fitness recommendations translated into bicycling terms.   Though we don’t all ride in a pack, we do need to move forward at a somewhat predictable rate.  We also have a few 100 mile days that need to be completed in a reasonable amount of time.

Fuller Center Bike Adventure recommends training so that we can ride an average speed of 12 mph and a distance of 20 to 25 miles without long breaks.  I couldn’t do that last year; I was slower and I stopped more often.  Now I can do it!  Yesterday I rode 26 miles averaging 12.6 mph and stopped for a total of about 6 minutes during the two hour ride.  Whoo-hoo!  I was so proud of myself, I almost cried!

I want to thank my trainer, Carlos Marroquin, for his help.  He told me he didn’t know much about bicycling, but he took the trouble to look up how bicyclists get in shape during the off season.  We worked on core strength, upper body strength and leg strength.  As the ride got closer we started working more on cardio.  Throughout the training he worked with me on breathing.  Apparently that’s an important part of fitness!

It is really exciting to me to be in such good physical condition.  I had no idea it would make me feel so much differently about myself.