2017 Fitness Thread

[mongers]

Myself, the mud and I destroyed my winter bike last week, it now needs a complete rebuild, so currently on my summer bike. 

What broke? I haven't been out on my winter bike yet this season. 

The whole drive train is warn out, even the BB failed, such that the crank and rings wobbled by around 1-2cm. :gasp:

So complete rebuild, thinking of removing the disc brakes, thus replacing the wheels and changing from a cassette to old fashioned freewheel with say three usable gears in the range I use.

Hell maybe convert it to a single speed shopping bike, but because the frame as vertical drops, I'd need to installed a chain tensioner. 

All of which I want to do for no or little cost, say no more than $50, because there's no way I'm spending $150-$200 on rebuilding a bike that will still be to big for me.

[saskganesh]

Mostly running with some biking. Ran 11 miles on my 50th birthday, probably will hit 1000 this year. First half marathon race in October: ran a 10 k hot weather race last year in 46:30, which was very hard because of the heat and humidity.  I'm ready for the half now but doing it under 2 hours is the real goal.

[mongers]

Mostly running with some biking. Ran 11 miles on my 50th birthday, probably will hit 1000 this year. First half marathon race in October: ran a 10 k hot weather race last year in 46:30, which was very hard because of the heat and humidity.  I'm ready for the half now but doing it under 2 hours is the real goal.

That's rather good going, even excluding your/our age. 


Welcome back Sasks.

[saskganesh]

That's rather good going, even excluding your/our age. 


Welcome back Sasks.

Thanks!

I've been lurking a  lot since the election, since this site has a large number of intelligent Republicans. Not posting very much though as I don't have much to say.

[Ideologue]

My goal by the end of 2017 is to be able to do 5 chin-ups. I learned in 2015-6 that I can achieve my cycling goals without much difficulty; maintaining is difficult, but cycling is awfully scalable. Chin-ups are fucking hard for us fatties, though.

Chin-ups are hard, period.  I can only do a few, and I weigh 160-165 pounds.  If you can get to 5, and you're about the same weight as when I met you lo those years ago, you're doing well.

-Running: 5k in under 22:00; 10k in under 50:00 (can do now rather comfortably, just need to get in a race); half marathon in under 1:50

Yeah, I was gonna say, there's no way you can't do 10k in under 50, because you run faster than me.

I timed myself at five miles today, and wound up making it a couple seconds under 35 minutes.  I feel like that's pretty good.  I do realize, of course, that it's objectively "good" for my age; but, obviously, beating the average 34 year old man in a race isn't something anybody should be proud of.  (I also think I could cut a good minute if I were running on a level track, rather than in the Appalachian Mountains. )

[alfred russel]

Ide, you are faster than me. I don't know what my 5 mile time is right now, but I'm sure it is no faster than 38 minutes.

Good job. 

[Ideologue]

OK, but at least you don't mouthbreathe as much.

[saskganesh]

A few years ago I ran a hilly 5m/8k race in 39:11. The race had about 2500 people of all ages, and IRC I was easily in the top 20%.

I think if you guys are doing that in 35-38 minutes, you are not only better than the average dudes of your age, but you are better than the average runners of your age.

[alfred russel]

A few years ago I ran a hilly 5m/8k race in 39:11. The race had about 2500 people of all ages, and IRC I was easily in the top 20%.

I think if you guys are doing that in 35-38 minutes, you are not only better than the average dudes of your age, but you are better than the average runners of your age.

It really comes down to the work you put into it though. If you watch what you eat, get decent rest, and run regularly ~20 miles a week through adulthood, I think any man without health problems can get under 40 min 5 milers until they are in their 50s.

The problem is that guys don't exercise (or run) for years and pick up a lot of extra weight and general health problems. A sub 40 minute 5 miler may be a herculean task if your starting point is an unexercised 35 year old man that is a bit obese.

[saskganesh]

What you say is common sense, but most people are not like that. Most runners were non runners (or even non athletes) at some point, and running is giving them their bodies and health back. That's today's average runner; you and Ide are far beyond average. Just sayin'.

I see new runners of all ages, and its slightly skewed to women, but the smallest race cohort is usually guys age 45-49. That's modern manhood's physical nadir. Participation picks up in the 50's and beyond.

[Syt]

I'm having another go. I always promised myself that I would never go shopping in the circus tent section of clothing stores. That worked until they moved XXXL clothing from regular to "large sizes".

So yeah, I'm horribly out of shape. I've dug out the ol' dumbbells, and doing what would be a light training every morning/evening - six exercises of 10, repeated twice. Which leaves me plenty exhausted at the moment.

I've tried light aerobics, but one had me exhausted after the warm up (and my throat sore), the other had exercises that required you to put almost all your wait on your knees - OUCH NO!

So I suppose for now my additional workout will be walking to/from work at a brisk pace (about 30 minutes). Which I hope to manage at some point without breaking a major sweat. (as for clothes, it would be nice to be able to shop for XL, or 38" waist size in jeans, as I did 10, 15 years ago.

And of course I'm monitoring my caloric intake very closely, though I allow myself a day per week off from that to stave off cravings.

[saskganesh]

You live in Austria. How about something more fun, like skiing or hiking?

[mongers]

Went up a 100 meter hill a couple days ago, first hill I've been up like in all this Winter. 





* The excuse for the last couple of months was that the winter bike I was using had only one semi-effective gear.

[PDH]

I bike up a 350 foot hill every day to get to work.

[mongers]

I bike up a 350 foot hill every day to get to work.

I'm officially taking things easy before Spring.