Originally Posted by
ucfdad
Just starting to get into riding for fun and fitness. I am 58, 6'1 and 240 and a smoker with high blood pressure. So far in July I have ridden 60 miles in 7 rides. Somedays I can do 12 and some days I am struggling to do 8. When I tell a non cyclist I did 8 miles they are like "wow that is great". When I say I rode 8 to a cyclist, I get a much less positive reaction.
So, when first starting what should be considered a good ride? How much did you ride at the beginning?
Also, would love to hear from anyone who has a success story about lowering blood pressure through riding, need the inspiration.
Please no "quit smoking" comments, I have heard them all and agree with them. Thanks
When I started, I wasn’t concerned with performance. I just rode my bike every chance I got. Sometimes it was a few miles at a time. Even if I was only on my bike for 3 miles, it was better than sitting on my couch doing nothing. As time went on, I started to get more bike fit. My weekend miles were anywhere from 12-25 miles. As mentioned previously performance was unimportant. Time in the saddle was. I would pace myself so I could finish no matter how long it took. My body was so jacked up that anything over 15 miles required me to dismount very carefully because my back was killing me (L5/S1 fusion). As time went on I began to get more bike fit. It allowed me to push harder eventually over longer distances. So if I were to give you my opinion, keep doing what you are doing. Don’t worry about what other people think. The only thing that should matter is you, and getting as much time in the saddle even if it is 2 miles at a time. Go ride around the neighborhood, see the sites, smell the BBQ (someone is always BBQi g in the summer). Keep it up.