Living in Omaha, expecting the unexpected when it comes to weather, I’ve been off the bike and any other form of exercise for two months now.  Life, work and weather kind of got in the way and to be honest, after training so hard, usually over a dozen hours a week, for over a year so I could do BRAN and RAGBRAI, I needed a break.  Plus my fitness center was threatening to go out of business so I had not renewed my membership.

January 1 – New year – New year resolutions

First mistake!  I got on the scales.  I knew my clothes were fitting tight, but TEN POUNDS????  Okay, diet started on January 1 and I have been doing pretty good so far, have lost one pound.

Time to buy a bike trainer!

Read reviews, tried out a few at the local bike store and finally settled on a CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer from Amazon (mainly there because I had a $200 in holiday gift money).  It arrived yesterday and those who reported the instructions were certainly lacking in parts descriptions were right.   I managed to figure it out.  Here is a nice video I found.  How to install a CycleOps Fluid 2 to your bike

Also helpful:  Quick video review on selecting a bike trainer

Trying out the trainer for the first time it Amazingly quiet!  So glad I spent the extra bucks for a quality fluid trainer.  My youngest son is helping me and indicates there is a little hum and he could feel a vibration on the wood floor.  I sent him downstairs to see if it can be heard in my daughters room and then pedal hard, trying to be a noisy as possible.  “Barely noticeable,” he yells.  All is well.  Or so I thought.  After two months off the bike, I was slightly winded.  Then, walking downstairs I had a muscle cramp!!!  OMG, I’ve lost everything I worked a year to gain!!!

Or so I thought.

This morning I donned the bike gear and hopped on the bike for ten minutes at moderate pace.  All well, no pain, felt good.  Tomorrow I’ll add another ten minutes and keep doing so until I’m up to an hour, which is my daily goal.  Then I’ll start varying my regime to build up strength and endurance.  More about that later.

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