July 17: a Warm Up Day

Normal, routine day of riding for thirty minutes. However, I dropped by the drs office for a free weigh in and BP check. Weight was up as it was the end of the day. Now that I know they open at 8AM, I will do this in the mornings. BP was 140 (kinda high) over 60 (really good!) is this working this fast or is it the difference in Walmart machines and highly sophisticated scientific machinery at the doctors office? We shall see...

The Cool Down

Sunday July 15: I had decided Tuesdays and Thursday would be 'workout' days so to speak. A good 30 minute ride somewhere in the immediate area just for conditioning purposes. Saturday would be the "Big Trip" to wherever and Sunday would be similar to Tuesday and Thursday just to work out any soreness that I may incur on Saturdays biggie! I chose a new route, it was only 5.4 miles, finished in thirty minutes but two busting hills that even one was way more than I was ready for! Oh well, there is always Tuesday to work out the soreness.

Just to keep you updated, I plan a weekly trip to the doctor for a weigh in and BP check. Hey, it's free, what else can you get from a doctor for free?

The First Road Trip

July 14: Since I was accustomed to thirty minute runs in the mall parking lot, I decided to venture north towards the next little crossroads community. Ride for fifteen minutes and return. I felt good this cool Saturday morning and progressed much easier than anticipated. I chose to keep going. Thirty minutes and 5.4 miles later I reached the city limits. I pulled off the road and enjoyed the 12 oz bottle of water (Linda suggested a hydration system but until I really stepped it up, this seemed to work nicely) as I reflected on the ground covered and what to anticiapte on the return trip. The return was about as uneventful as the trip up but five minutes shorter. Was I getting that much better already?

Breaking in the bike...and me

The first couple of times, I just stayed in the neighbor hood, learning the gears and practicing, getting familiar and lots of shifting. I remembered my friend telling of a group of bikers meeting at the mall on Sunday mornings early. They would ride at a pretty good clip for conditioning purposes I suppose. It hit me, the mall, early in the morning, not very busy, jut before daylight. The next two weeks I spent hauling the bike over to the mall about 530 AM and riding for thirty minutes, if my legs could handle it, and lungs. I was not out to break any records, simply get familiar witht he bike and the technique of shifting smoothly. Now we are approaching the end of week two, is ther more to cycling than doing boring laps in an already boring mall parking lot?

The Plan

Weeks following July 1: It was obvious I would not just jump on the bike and begin to log 20 - 30 mile trips. The first time was spent riding through the neighborhood trying to figure out those dang gears! I am sure it was entertaining to the neighbors.

The Beginning

July 1, 2007: What kind of bicycle? The only one I had growing up was a single speed Road Master, I think. Nothing fancy but I knew I would need more. After diligent research and consulting a friend that is far more into cycling than I ever will be, I settled on a K2 Astral 4.0 from REI. Besides, it was on sale, reduced over $100. Who knew bicycles cost more than $100 these days. After two trips to REI and consultation with their cycling guru, Linda, I chose the 4.0 and loaded it into my car. Along with a helmet, gloves, and grease/oil ofr the chain. (this is in no way an endorsement for either K2 bicycles or REI...but they sure do make it easy!)

The Saga

58 year old white male, 6'2", 263 lbs., BP 159/83, 48-52-46, the perfect pear! An online singles add? Not hardly, just the condition my condition is in. So, what to do. Well two of my neighbors have already had open heart surgery or angioplasty, as well as an old friend seemed to have open heart surgery like it was a badge of honor based on a score determined by said surgeon, hmmm. What to do? Not being a big fan of big medicine in the first place, I began to weigh my options...what to do? Follow the status quo off to the the doctor or what other avenues might I approach? I remember the story in college of a middle aged guy, which seemed ancient to me then, that was over weight out of shape and depressed, low self-esteem. He deciced he would commit suicide in a novel way that no one would ever suspect what he had done to himself! He would take up jogging! Everyone would see his good intentions and never suspect he had plotted to do himself in all along! So he did. He began to jog. At first it was difficult but as he continued, he made steady progress and was soon jogging ceveral miles a day! The more he worked at it, the better shape he was in and the better he felt about himself.

Okay, I am not going to commit suicide but what can I do? I hate jogging, so boring and even if I did jog I am not so sure my joints could handle the stress. How about swimming, another excellent form of long term exercise. I hate swimming! What else would be as beneficial? Cycling! PERFECT! A bicycle! Easy on the joints, no water involved, and MUCH cheaper than heart surgery!