baby steps

2.5 miles today, avg speed 9 mph. I had two little critter bugs with me, Erik (6) on a 20" Trek and Magnus (4) on a 16" Specialized or I could have gone faster if not further. I think that as long as I get out 1/2 hour each day I will be making progress.

9.2 miles yesterday! about 1.2 miles further than I should have, I thought I was going to have a stroke the last 1.2 miles, but wow. I feel great (10 days post op) surely I am not the only one that is riding here!

I just discovered this board! No, you are not the only one riding! Good on you for your distances! WOW!! I can't believe you are doing all this so soon after surgery. I peetered out soooo fast for the fisrt several weeks. Knowing limits is as important as any other aspect as riding. Keep up the good work! In Sept I'll be 2 years out. I am hoping to do a century ride to celebrate my WLS anniversary! Last year I biked to my 1 year follow up. 50 miles rt. I felt like a star! Shoot, we ARE stars!! Congrats on all your progress! Keep posting about your rides! Blessings, Nancy

I am on vacation, so no bike for 6 weeks, but I have been walking. I used to walk 8-10 miles before surgery now my tongue is hanging out at 3 miles. it is so hard to keep up energy and hydration for those distances. I did go 6 yesterday, but it took more determination than energy to do it. ;) today I am recovering and I have a horrible headache from dehydration. it is hard to learn my limitations. my husband is riding 60 miles on saturdays, and asked me to join him, I just can not see ever getting enough fluids to do it. ;)

You WILL get there. I couldn't have done all you are doing at just 5 weeks out! Goodness! I was my MOST tired postoperatively at 5 and 6 weeks. Remember that for every 1 mile you go - you burn 100 calories. Lack of fluids and cals is tiring enough. And atop of that your hormone levels are wacked out. Fat stores estrogen so while you are losing, those hormones get released. I think at the start of the WL it is the worst. In no time you'll be giving hubby a run for his money! Keep up the good work and be patient with yourself! On dyhydration... I assume you are not drinking coffee and tea. :D Nancy

right now I am not drinking coffee, at all, but I am doing herbal tea, it seems to 'go down' better than straigh****er, none on my actual walks, that I have limited to water and a B12 energy drink that I dilute down about 50% since by itself it is too sweet. but the breakfast herbal tea could be bothering me. I drink about 10 - 20 ounces a day, just to get a quick wet fix. while the rest of the day is mostly water.

Holy cow! You were riding 10 days post-op?! I'm sitting here on day 17 feeling sorry for myself since I thought I couldn't ride for another 20-30 days! I might go for a ride tomorrow morning!

I rode 2 days post op, but just to the end of the block and back. no problem. riding is much easier than walking (I have been strictly walking for the last 6 weeks) and will go back to riding tomorrow (vacation is over). seriously YOU CAN DO IT. just load up with water and protien (I take cooked pork loin) for energy.

7:30am staging time! Going to limit myself to 4 miles or so. Don't have any pork, but I'll take some tofu.

YOU GO!!! I would try 1 mile out and 1 mile back and if you are up to it, do it twice that first 9.2 miles was 1.2 miles more than I should have, I thought I was gonna die the last mile. also I had been doing some 2 - 4 miles on the stationary bike, so minus the heat and wind resistance factor. speaking of resistance. what kind of tires are you running on? I have a mountain bike, but I have a hybrid tire, and it is much better with rolling resistance to use street tread instead of mountain tread. if you do not have one, get a odometer, then sip every mile, it helps me to have a 'alarm' go off to sip, or I forget. ;)