Biking For Fitness – My New Favorite Activity

I've been a runner since I was 24 years old.  On any given good weather day, you could find me pounding the pavement. That has been the case now for 25 years, at least four days a week. Until this year.

I turned 50 in January, and while I haven't had any issues whatsoever with my knee joints, the big birthday got me thinking about the future .  I didn't want to pound all the cartilage out of my knees in the name of staying physically fit, but at the same time I sure didn't want to lose the conditioning I had worked so hard to maintain for over a quarter century.

Enter biking. My wife Kathy and I have owned mountain bikes for about five years.  They were used infrequently and mainly on weekends for a short ride of about 6 1/2 miles.  But this Spring, we both got more interested in the bikes.  It was something we could do together, and I started seeing the possibilities of a low impact workout that would burn calories and generate some cardio benefits like running.

We started riding the bikes four days a week in mid March, and both of us started getting hooked on the activity....big time.   Kathy's younger sister Paula has been into biking for a decade, and does century rides (yes, 100 miles) so the connection there fueled even more interest.   The two sisters started discussing biking, and now I was into it, so you know where this is going.

We decided to sell the mountain bikes and get road bikes.  Not only to increase speed, but also distance and thereby aerobic benefits.  I still wasn't completely ready to give up the running, so I thought.  So I headed out to Academy Sports and got an inexpensive Schwinn road bike that I thought would give me an out financially if I didn't stick with it.  Kathy however, after discussing sister Paula's Trek 'Madone', decided to jump in the deep end of the pool.  Her rationale was, that if she spent the money on a quality bike, she would feel more compelled to stay with the activity due to the financial investment.

Turns out we were both right in a way.  I'm now looking to upgrade my road bike, probably next year, while Kathy is totally committed to biking long term on her brand new Trek 'Lexa' from Bike Town.  We are thoroughly enjoying the bike rides out to the Buffalo Gap area on a daily basis.  I'm talking 5 to 7 days a week.  It's enjoyable for both of us, and we can encourage each other to stay with the program.  Yesterday (May 31st) we rode 17.4 miles.  That's a long way from where we want to get.   We're new to the game, but started out on the bikes with some considerable conditioning, so the distance is increasing pretty rapidly as the weeks roll by.

Now for the hard part, and the part that my wife takes a lot of delight in.  I SWORE that I would never get into the biking attire.  In fact I'll admit that I made fun of it.   The colorful 'moisture wicking' jerseys, the tight bike shorts with the strategic padding, and those funny looking helmets.  As you can see from the photo on this post, I'm eating my words, and a lot of crow right now.   The helmets still look funny to me, but they're essential to protect your noggin.  And the shorts, with that 'chamois' padding really do take the pressure off the nether areas.

As for the cute little jerseys....  Hey at least it's a Pink Floyd jersey.  I've gotta maintain some semblance of 'cool' in this thing.

Seriously, if you're working out well into your 30s, 40s, and in my case 50s and beyond - and you're concerned about those knees - give biking a try.  It gets you outdoors, builds fitness, and it's extremely enjoyable to share with fellow riders.

We are planning to ride the 'Tour de Gap' on July 23rd and tackle the 27-mile route as a first group ride.  If you want more info on biking, you can stop by either of our great bike shops in Abilene.  Bike Town is at 1789 Industrial.  They're online at BikeTown.com.   Jim MacDonald and the staff are friendly, helpful, and extremely knowledgeable.  Likewise VT Bike Stuff at 6502 Buffalo Gap Road will take great care of you.  Owner Tom Phariss is ready to help  whether you're a beginner or a seasoned rider.  Find his shop online at VTBikestuff.com.   Both shops are happy to let you take a test ride too.

Finally for information on the 'Tour de Gap', go to TourdeGap.wordpress.com.  All proceeds benefit the Food Bank of West Central Texas.  Time to hit the road this summer.