Like 2002 – Riding at 242

I’m starting over.

In November 2002 I started bike commuting to address my health issues, most of them tied to obesity. In August 2007 I faltered. Through early 2008 I rode in bits and pieces, perhaps once a week. Then in September I quit. Maybe I rode once in December 2008. But, effectively, I quit.

What was the effect? Between August 2007 and this morning I’ve gained 35 pounds or about 1.6 pounds a month. I’m back so close to where I was in 2002 that, effectively, I’m there again.

Not quite there there, but close enough. There are many changes since then. I can ride faster and further carrying the same set of a dozen cans of Crisco in fat on my body. (What a mental image! 12 Cans of Crisco! That’s why the pants don’t fit.) So my muscles, heart and lungs are stronger. Certainly not as strong as they were in 2007. But much stronger than in 2002 – a time when I cursed speed bumps on moderate climbs. In 2002 I’d be in a 20 inch granny gear climbing a 3% (if even that “steep”) grade and come to a speed bump that would almost stop me from continuing. Now I ride those same grades in something much higher than the granny and the bump is a bump. I’m doing an 11.8 mile commute instead of a 4.7 mile one.

Some similarities are present. I’m now working on working up to riding a metric century. 62 miles have gone from “wow? can I do that?” to “nice start for a day” to “oh gosh, can I do it again?” The first one is going to be tough.

And then it will get easier and easier as I do more and more. The only trick is to keep doing the more.