The Angry Dieter

I thought I’d save some money on petrol, and look at changing the exercise I do for keeping fit, or trying to get back some of the fitness I’ve lost due to dropping off on exercise after my illness in July. I have a purple mountain bike that I have had for years, but after my nephew took it apart and his father left it in the rain, it was a little worse for wear. I want to start riding it to and from work, Petrol costs almost $50 to fill up a 40 litre tank. In honour of my attempts to ride my bike again, I’ll be creating a whole new category just for biking posts.

I asked my X to take it to the repair shop last week and get it serviced, so new brake cables, gear cables, lots of de-rusting and $139 dollars later (including a new matching purple bike helmet) It’s been fixed. I took it home last night, wrestled it up the stairs to my flat, and left it in the loungeroom. Today, I was going to take it out for a spin.

OK. First things first, I needed a bike outfit. I have a load of jeans which are flared at the lower leg, so none of those are suitable. I looked at some old black capri pants, however they are now too big, and make my ass look saggy. I rummaged around some more, and found some blue cotton/polyester pants that I never wear out. They are very 1980’s with gold buttons at the waist, and short at the ankles, not quite the current style but I figured if I was wearing white socks and sandshoes it would be ok.I chose a grey shirt to go over the top, tied my hair back into a plait and looked in the mirror. I pass the daggy test, but only just.

Next was getting the helmet to fit me. The straps of the helmet were tangled, and the helmet is vaguely reminscent of the 1980’s style BMX helmet with a dicky plastic visor, however, it was handy today as I didn’t have my sunnies. The strap pulled in places and was too loose in others and it took a bit to fix it, however, it’s not perfect so more work needs to be done there.

Time to ride. I wrestled the bike down the stairs and wheeled it half way down the driveway, a couple in an Urban Assault Vehicle (4wd) poodled past me and smiled as they drove on. I hope they weren’t laughing at me. Helmet on and nearly stacking it as I flung my left foot over the seat, I remembered I had a girls bike, and didn’t need to do that, and there are more ladylike ways of sitting atop a bicycle.

I peddled down the driveway wobbling slightly, how long has it been since I have ridden a bike? My mind counted off the years as I got to the end of the driveway and looked at the traffic, and the nice big footpath on my right. I used the footpath. I rode down to the river in one gear which obviously was not suited to riding on flat ground. I looked at the gears in front of me. 21 of the suckers. How the hell am I going to know what all of them are for?

I rode around down to the freeway and started playing with the gears on my way. *click*click* OK wrong gear as my feet spun wildly, this is for uphill. *click*click*click* and suddenly I felt like I had someone holding on to the bike and stopping it from moving forwards, perhaps this was for downhill sprinting? I don’t know. *click*click* nope, not that one, *click*click* nope not that one either. *click*click* Yes! success! I now can ride mostly on flat ground whilst not pushing uphill, and still have enough puff left at the end of the ride.

I looked at my watch, I felt like I had been riding 2 hours, but it was only 15 minutes. Well, that was it for me, I am going home. I managed to get home without too many issues, however my legs felt like jelly, I was sweaty, puffing and had to wrestle the bike back up the stairs and into my spare room. My ass was on fire from sitting on the bike seat, obviously not used to sitting on a bike seat, I have a feeling tomorrow it’s going to hurt.

Walking 5kms does not leave me feeling as pooped as riding 2kms. Obviously a different form of exercise that made me feel extremely unfit. I’ll have to do it again soon as I am in no condition to be riding to work yet. I have to build up my stamina and fitness to a whole new level before I attempt riding 10kms a day, back and forth to work. Looks like its walking and the bus still.

October 2nd, 2005 | Category: Cycling | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL