Exciting Moments on the Bike: Watch Out For Deer!

With the purchase of an outdoor bicycle last year, a world of possibilities has blossomed for me. My husband, Rob, and I have discovered new adventures and places to explore right in our own community. Just last week, we rode into Washington, D.C., for the first time along the Potomac River. The views were spectacular.

There was one ride last autumn that stands out in my mind. Rob and I packed up our bikes and explored a different part of the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail. The W&OD is one of many former railroad, rails-to-trails corridors in the country. Rails-to-trails are frequently enjoyed by bikers, walkers, runners, rollerbladers, and more. They can get relatively crowded on beautiful days.

During the week of Thanksgiving, Rob and I packed up our bikes and traveled on a portion of the W&OD that we hadn’t seen before. We traveled far west before stopping for a break at a local brewery. I’ve come to learn that brew pubs and bike paths form a mutual symbiotic relationship.


By the time we began our return trip, the sun was beginning to sag in the sky and encounters with walkers on the trail became less frequent. Our handlebar lights lit up the narrow width of the trail as we rode into the growing darkness. At one point, I noticed a family standing next to the side of the trail; they were looking at something nearby. I was briefly puzzled... then I saw it!

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Adventures With MS: Riding With The Deer

Preparing For My First BikeMS

In anticipation of our first year participating in BikeMS, here are some things I did to get ready.

To get ready for the ride, I still have quite a bit of training and conditioning to do. Not being a seasoned athlete, I realize that I need to be careful in how I approach getting ready. Here are some of the tips and strategies I’ve learned along the way.

• Get the right fit. For comfort, safety, and efficiency, your bike needs to fit your body and be adjusted to reduce physical stress and maximize the strength of your efforts. Go to a local bike shop for expert advice.
• Set realistic goals. Since I can’t already ride 30+ miles, I need to build up to that distance. I’m keeping track of my rides with a free phone app (e.g., Strava, MapMyRide) and attempt to increase my average ride by one to three miles each week.
  
• Schedule rest. Although it is tempting to think that riding every day will be the best way to prepare, it’s the wrong way to build strength and endurance. Rest days are necessary to allow your body to repair muscle and begin to compensate for the increased physical demand. TrainingPeaks, a free resource for Bike MS participants, emphasizes recovery days and the need for varied levels of workout intensities.
  
• Enjoy variety. It’s important not to do the same things every time you go out on the bike. Some training days should feature greater physical demands — increased elevation gain or sprints, for example — or easier, low-intensity spins that keep you moving but don’t wear you out. I like to alternate trails that present different challenges or easier sections.
• Focus on hydration and nutrition. It’s vital to stay hydrated before, during, and after workouts. The amount of water and enhanced sports drinks you may need depend upon your body, the environment, and your workout demands. The National MS Society offers basic information on hydration and nutrition to get you started.

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BikeMS: Setting Goals and Going the Distance

From Couch Potato To Outdoor Cyclist

On the bike, I couldn’t ride for even two or three minutes without my legs feeling numb and spastic due to MS. So I decided to back off my efforts and count revolutions instead of minutes with 300 spins as my short-term goal (150 for each leg). If I cycled for 300 rotations at a steady, slow pace, it would equal about five minutes.

That was the beginning of my long transformation from couch potato to outdoor cyclist. During that first year, I slowly transitioned from counting revolutions to counting minutes to counting miles. I also started counting calories too. After a year, I lost 50 pounds and could ride for 45 minutes on the exercise bike and still feel good afterward.


I started to dream of riding a real bike again. But I hadn’t done so since college, and I didn’t have a bike. Many months later, I went shopping. The image of me trying out bikes when I hadn’t even been on one in many years was funny. I eventually chose one and began riding it short distances. Just like with the exercise bike, I started with small goals: down the street and back, one mile, two miles, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and more.

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From Couch Potato to Outdoor Cyclist