It’s been a while since my last post, so I have 3 bits of news!
Firstly, I’m down to 19 stone, 2 pounds and 8 ounces. It’s steady progress, which as I have been told by many is the right way to lose weight. Fast off, fast on - apparently. But progress is progress.
Second, in the absence of a lack of any real goals, I’ve been feeling like I’ve nothing to aim for. At the moment I’m just losing weight because I’m a fatty and it’s a risk to my health. Now I have a goal. I intend on doing the 2009 Great North Bike Ride. It runs from Seahouses in Northumberland to Tynemouth Priory, some 50 miles odd. Considering the most I am up to on the turbo trainer is 15 miles, I have some way to go. But I feel it’s doable. However, without consulting a fitness expert, I am going to hold off registering. I have an appointment tomorrow morning with a personal trainer to discuss the possibility.
And third, I have a new bike. The Orbea is great for sitting on the turbo trainer, but it was clear that because of my odd body size, getting a bike that fitted right would be difficult. The Orbea is too long, and the next size down would be too small in the legs. On top of that, the man in the bike shop told me that on a such a low end bike I’d be taking a risk riding it outside until I was down to 16 stone. That’s a long time to wait.
So, thanks to Justin Burls at Burls Bikes, I now have a Burls titanium road frame. Justin looked at the geometry of my current bike, some photos of me on it, and with my body measurements he designed a frame with geometry that would suit me. He’s helpful, friendly, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic, and the end result is a thing of beauty. Even alongside bikes like Trek Madones, Specialized Tarmacs, and Orbea Orcas, the Burls stands out. Thanks, Justin. I have furnished it with bits from Campagnolo, FSA, Mavic and Prologo. I’ve not ridden it yet, I’m waiting until I am under 19 stone. But I am sure it’s going to be fun! Photos to come.
Unfortunately, I still struggle with a lack of energy both during the day and on the trainer, as well as being hungry all the time. On the odd occasion that I haven’t been hungry, it’s turned out to be a direct result of eating too much and I haven’t registered a weight loss that particular week. Hopefully, the personal trainer can give me a little help with this!
[...] October of last year, I wrote this post announcing I would be attempting the Great North Bike Ride this year. So, just under a year on, and the day has arrived. Of course, the situation is very [...]