[JeepGirl]

Hello everyone, I am new to mountain biking and this forum!

A little background: I am an avid off-roader and my husband and I have two Jeep Wrangler rigs. We love the off-pavement lifestyle! I am an Army veteran, he is active duty Army, and this is a new hobby for us to do together. I sustained some injuries and blew out 3 lumbar discs and fractured my pubic ramus (pelvis), and it has been about 3 years since I have been in shape. I have recovered from these injuries but also gained about 40 pounds over that time and I have never been so miserable. I quit smoking almost 2 years ago after 6 years of smoking.

I recently bought a brand new 2014 Giant Talon 5 with the assistance of a LBS and a friend who is really into riding. I took it for a spin today around my neighborhood which has a few small hills, and the 1.4 mile circuit nearly killed me! I was keep a pretty quick pace I guess, and my cardio is just NOT up to par. It took 15 minutes for my heart rate to come back down after the ride. It was miserable.

Is it always this hard starting out? What else do y'all do for fitness, especially for someone as out of shape as me? I do some light muscle failure type training with medicine balls, stretch bands, and an Indo balance board. It is so scary seeing how bad my cardio is now though. I used to run 6 miles a day in the military, and now... I'm overweight and useless.

I hope that biking will get me in shape quickly!

 

[JeepGirl]

 

[Carloswithac]

Nice bike!

"It never gets easier, you just go faster."
Greg LeMond

You build cardio after a while. I used to get tired after a couple of miles, and this past year I participated in the Seattle to Portland double century without issues. Just keep at it, and stay positive! Kudos to you for trying to change your life for the better.

Any pictures of the Jeeps? I miss my Cherokee! It was a gas hog, though.

 

[JeepGirl]

Nice bike!

"It never gets easier, you just go faster."
Greg LeMond

You build cardio after a while. I used to get tired after a couple of miles, and this past year I participated in the Seattle to Portland double century without issues. Just keep at it, and stay positive! Kudos to you for trying to change your life for the better.

Any pictures of the Jeeps? I miss my Cherokee! It was a gas hog, though.

Thanks! Here is my Jeep:

And my husband and I's Jeeps together.

I definitely understand the gas hog thing, although these newer Jeeps do a bit better than the predecessors. Still awful though!

 

[Miker J]

Getting really fit and staying that way is a way of life. This half hour, 3 times a week jogging around the block or playing with rubber bands business won't cut it. It will take years of hard work to get in good shape if you are in your 40s and starting out.

Aside from raising your kids right, keeping healthy is the most important thing you can do. When you see the alternative to keeping fit, you'll understand.

Mountain biking is hard work if you do it right - even when you are in very good shape.

Aside from a lot of saddle time, running, weight lifting, xc-skiing - these will help.

Read Joe Furhman's Eat to Live.

Ditch the Jeeps and use human power.

 

[JeepGirl]

I understand it is a lifestyle thing. I USED to live like that, before I was injured. It has been difficult in the last few years because I am a full time student commuting 3 hours a day, so I have an extremely limited schedule, and very limited eating options throughout the day. Running is no longer an option for me thanks to the pelvic fracture, along with many other types of training. I appreciate the book reference.

Also, I am thankfully not 40. I am in my mid twenties.

 

[Bike&Fish]

Just keep pedaling. I lost a bunch of weight and you get faster and the hills get easier every time you get out there. Just keep going.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[Miker J]

I understand it is a lifestyle thing. I USED to live like that, before I was injured. It has been difficult in the last few years because I am a full time student commuting 3 hours a day, so I have an extremely limited schedule, and very limited eating options throughout the day. Running is no longer an option for me thanks to the pelvic fracture, along with many other types of training. I appreciate the book reference.

Also, I am thankfully not 40. I am in my mid twenties.

In your 20s !!!

Well, then you'll be in high gear in no time!

Just keep pedaling.

Don't know where I got the 40 thing from (probably cause that's where I'm at).

 

[Wherewolf]

Slow down

Slow down and stick to really low gears.

 

[knutso]

Yep keep your heart rate at a good level. You do not want to push so hard that you feel 'panicky' or to the point where you cannot think clearly.

Focussing on your form is the most important thing. If you are pushing yourself so hard that you loose focus on keeping your heels down, shoulders tight in their sockets and staying strong and loose through your hips, you will not progress how you want to. Stretching and staying loose will certainly help. Keep focus on form, it can always get better.

Keep riding, never quit :thumbsup:

with those discs, stay long throught the spine and really get your push down through your hips/pelvis/butt, through your hammies and out through strong solid feet. Really keep your total body form on your mind.

 

[JeepGirl]

Yep keep your heart rate at a good level. You do not want to push so hard that you feel 'panicky' or to the point where you cannot think clearly.

Focussing on your form is the most important thing. If you are pushing yourself so hard that you loose focus on keeping your heels down, shoulders tight in their sockets and staying strong and loose through your hips, you will not progress how you want to. Stretching and staying loose will certainly help. Keep focus on form, it can always get better.

Keep riding, never quit :thumbsup:

with those discs, stay long throught the spine and really get your push down through your hips/pelvis/butt, through your hammies and out through strong solid feet. Really keep your total body form on your mind.

Thanks, this is really helpful!

 

[bbbr]

Over the last 8 years I've had 8 surgeries (7 knee and 1 shoulder) and each time it's been harder than hell to get back on the bike for the first month or so. Eventually the form does come back, usually in time for another crash that sends me back under the knife...

I picked up a cross bike a few years ago to help me ride when the woods were too wet or frozen- it lets me wander down pretty much anything i want when I'm out spinning. While the asphalt can be rather boring, it does help in the woods with the fitness and ability to do long rides. Little rides eventually become longer ones and the weight does come off (down 50 pounds from where I was 5 years ago with another 20 to go in an ideal world) as you stay active and out there.

 

[Mogollon]

Good luck. I herniated several lumbar discs back in 09 and it was a slow journey back. I also gained a bunch of weight. Started riding a couple of years ago and just stuck with it. Also changed my eating habits. You are still quite young and have the potential to make quick gains. It sucks at first and you may not even notice how much you are improving.