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Post by baz on Aug 17, 2013 23:35:15 GMT
Over the past 2 years ive been riding a bike, im 47 yrs old, smoked for 36 of them @ roughly 20-25 a day (gave up 6 months ago), Wish i had done it sooner, quality of life has improved just incase you smokers out there are wondering 2 years ago i bought a cheap bike that got me about, i liked it soooooooooo i went for a better bike, seen one on gumtree... a Meridra Crossway 60 (google it, google image links are huge!) bought for Β£220, nice bike, all mod cons, hydraulic brakes,Qr wheels/saddle/mud guards, i love it, it gets me about, so i thought i'll go for a road bike thinking i was that bit "fitter" , got the T3a and love it, i think im ok on flat terrain , can keep up the avg of 15 mph but when it comes to hills im dead, i went up a hill tonight www.strava.com/activities/75417245 , now this to me was agony, i was totally breathing heavy, my legs were dead its only 500 ft elevation and i had to get of bike at the last quarter , this is not a big hill, i was feked, 6 months after giving up from 36 years is nothing, i know i'll never be as healthy as i should be if i have never smoked, will i ever be able to take on hills or am i just a lost cause?, id love to do some sort of event but knowing i cant take hills on holds me back, if you have nt smoked in your life then dont comment because i know you dont know how ex smokers feel.
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Post by zoltansocrates on Aug 17, 2013 23:59:56 GMT
its amazing how the body recovers speedily baz mind you you should watch at that age you might do yourself a mischeif trying to mount the thing, free bus pass isnt too far away used to smoke, been a naughty boy, loved my youth but battered my body no question, i labour my breathing on hills and ive been away from smoking for a while, climbing will come just dont fear it, enjoy it, most of cyclings hard bits are more in the head than the legs and lungs, just persevere it will come
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Post by djtwigster on Aug 18, 2013 0:17:39 GMT
Baz, a year and a half ago, i got the urge to take up cycling. I had given up the smokes ayear previously approx. and as a result started eating more and putting on a lot of weight. Anyway bought a B.S.O. and thought this is gonna be easy. Where i live is quite hilly so no route from my house is flat and on my first "spin" i had to turn back after 2 km for fear of a heartattack. My head was spinning and i was not a well bunny. Did some research on cycling on t'internet and ditched the B.S.O. for something more user friendly (carrera subway)and decided to take it slow, 2km, 5km, 10km whatever i felt comfortable doing. The distance and elevation gradually got bigger and i june gone by decided to take the plunge for a road bike (5a). Now i relish the hills. Ye gotta be patient with yourself. One step at a time, that road up by the zoo is pretty steep, try find smaller ones.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2013 0:25:58 GMT
First time i played five asides after i jacked the fags i felt like someone had kicked me square in the chest, i think your lungs aren't used to working properly the first time but after that i was sound. Still can't stay away from them when i have a drink but that's lack of self discipline. And if you're american, 'jacked the fags' means stopping smoking cigarettes, not something else!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2013 7:02:35 GMT
I gave up smoking about six weeks ago and noticed huge gains in performance in just that time. But mostly in recovery once I get to the top of a hill. It only takes a year or so for your lings to regain most of their capacity.
Yes, your legs hurt, your lungs burn but as ZS said its mostly mental - you push yourself over the top in your head.
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Post by DelB on Aug 18, 2013 8:58:02 GMT
baz - I'll be 47 next month, but I stopped smoking over 25 years ago. I got glandular fever and stopped almost overnight as every time I inhaled it was like swallowing razor blades!!! I'm still no great shakes on the climbs, but have only been out on my bike 20 times since I got it in April past. Start off on gentle slopes and build it up from there. Strava is a great motivator in this regard!! So far, I have yet to take on a hill that I haven't managed to get up - that's more down to my stubbornness and refusal to give in, than sailing up it as if it didn't exist. Easy gear, high cadence and just sit and spin up it. All the best mate.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2013 10:09:13 GMT
I quit smoking just over 3 years ago. My hill climbing used to be pretty good while I was a smoker but after years off the bike I struggle. My commute has a lot of hills...my first attempt I thought I was going to die. Now my average is way up and I kinda look forward to hills. There are some pretty big climbs near me too and I almost feel ready to give them a go. I reckon it is a safe bet that no one climbs well when they start out
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Post by baz on Aug 18, 2013 19:41:00 GMT
Thx for the replies lads, i guess im being impatient, i was nt gonna let that hill beat me so tonight i done it again , this time in the lowest possible gear and i got up all the way, it is only a short distance but it is steep and i was really gone when i hit the top, gonna take on smaller hills as you lot say and hopefully in maybe 6/8 months time i'll be able to take them on.
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Post by DelB on Aug 18, 2013 19:44:54 GMT
...... and hopefully in maybe 6/8 months time i'll be able to take them on. I think you might be pleasantly surprised and be able to ride them with ease in a couple or three months. Keep at it mate.
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Post by baz on Aug 18, 2013 20:22:50 GMT
Will do Del
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Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2013 22:48:53 GMT
Yeah man, I smoked 20 a day for 12 years, packed it in, started again then managed to re-quit a year or so ago. I live in Sheffield so cycling without hills is not an option. You just gotta go at the hills, grit your teeth and hope nobody can hear you wheezing like punctured bellows when you get to the top! Hang in there.
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