Week 20: Day 4 - 2013

cardio:

• (@ 9:20am) walk/run with my dog = 1 mile
• (@ 10am) bike ride = 7.15 miles

 

 

I purchased my own bike yesterday, so I didn't have to ride my sister's bike anymore. Today was the first day that I took it out for a ride. My sister's bike was tolerable and uncomfortable at the same time. Now I know what it's really like to have a bike that's properly suited/built for me. I am more comfortable now. I can ride a lot faster and all the hills I rode on before had become piece of cake. A three mile ride on my sister's bike would take me 27 minutes. The same three mile ride/route on my new bike would take me 15 minutes. I actually enjoy bike rides now that I have a bike that's better suited/built for me. The front wheel can come apart and put back together if I want to fit the bike in the car and meet people for group bike rides.

 

In 2009, I took my sister's bike out and started riding short distances. One of my fitness goals that year was to ride longer distances (anything over six miles, non-stop). The longest distance in one day was eight miles, but it was broken down into two 4-mile rides. The longest distance in a single ride was 5.2 miles (or 5.7 miles?). I mainly took my sister's bike to do errands, like going to the post office, bank, and local stores, all within city limits. That meant that I had to stop and get off the bike to do whatever I had to do which didn't count as a continuous ride.

 

I finally took the plunge and got my own bike. I think this really helped. Even though I actually stopped twice (once near the beginning to adjust my seat and once at the post office towards the end of the ride), I was so happy and motivated to ride seven miles. I start training for my half marathon in July. I want to ride more so I'm not just running all the time. I also want to do those fun bike tours/"races" (i.e. Chinatown-LA Firecracker). I've joined a few bicycle groups on meetup, so I can meet them on occassion and not just throw my bike in the garage to collect dirt/cobb webs and to never be used ever again.