Commuting - 1st commute

Hello all,

Well we finally have a shower here at work and I started to commute. 16 miles each way, and pretty hilly.

I rode home last evening, and then in to work early this morning. It seemed tough this morning...could it be the short layoff between rides? It was only 12 hours and I'm used to 24-36, albeit for much longer rides.

Will I simply get used to it?
I plan on commuting 3-4 days a week, and riding long rides, 40-100, on the weekend.

Thanks,
Mike

Work up to it.

If you are used to more recovery, your body will take awhile to adapt to the increased workload.

Try riding Mon-Wed-Fri if possible to give yourself maximum recovery. Of course if you go on a big ride on Sat and/or Sunday you may need to alter that schedule to something like Tue-Thur.

I think part of the challenge is maintaining your enthusiasm. If I overdo it I get sick of riding for awhile (and maybe physically sick, too). I notice that if I take a day off after a really hard ride I can come back feeling more energetic.

Of course I'm not training for anything, just trying to keep healthy.

My ride is 13 miles each way, and I usually do it five days in a row. What's happened over the years is that I've settled into a pace that I can sustain on a daily basis without fatigue. It's not the fastest I can ride, by any means, but it's enough to keep my heart rate up in my training zone.

It becomes easier when you learn the subtleties of the route; where to speed up, where to slow down, how to time the lights, etc. And you become trained for the route.

This kind of approach lets me decide to do a hard 50 miles on Saturday, or extend the ride home on Wednesday into a training ride, or whatever, without much effect on my commuting.

RichC

Originally posted by mikemets5

I rode home last evening, and then in to work early this morning. It seemed tough this morning...could it be the short layoff between rides?

I personally find that it's just tougher in the morning. My average speeds are a lot slower coming in to work than they are going home, while my effort feels about the same. Hills aren't a factor, so I don't really know if it's physical (my body is still waking up) or mental (I just don't feel like pushing as hard), but there's a definite difference.

Although I'd guess your "unexpected" short rest may have had a bigger effect since it was your first trip. I'm sure you'll get more used to it.

You need to find the route that's down hill both ways.

I ride a similar distance every day. However, when I first started commuting, I wasn't used to the back-to-back mileage either. So, I rode every other day (M-W-F) until I felt comfortable, then I tackled 5 days a week. My travel times increased a bit toward the end of the week, at first, but now I see no difference throughout.

So I will agree with the, "work up to it," advice since it proved successful for me.

Looks like I will have the time for a 40+ mile ride home tonight, we'll see how the commute will be in the morning, only 9.5-10 hours later.

SUN today, be still my heart!

That big yellow light in the sky? I saw that once before, when I was young, and didn't have all this mold growing on me.

And the streams and rivers I normally ride through all seem to be drying up. What has happened? Have the gods been angered?

RichC

Originally posted by mikemets5
Hello all,

Well we finally have a shower here at work and I started to commute. 16 miles each way, and pretty hilly.

I rode home last evening, and then in to work early this morning. It seemed tough this morning...could it be the short layoff between rides?
In my personal experience riding 14 hilly miles each way, I find I have to alternate between riding and off days, or at least shorten my commute by hopping the train.

I always feel at my best when alternating walking days with cycling days, since walking doesn't seem to stress my cycling muscles. Today, my cycling muscles really felt tired, but I could walk at a very brisk pace without a problem.

A week might look like this for me:

Monday: cycle 28 - 30 miles round trip.
Tuesday: walk/jog 5 miles to/from bus stops/train stations (1 - 2 mile increments throughout the day.)
Wednesday: Same as Monday.
Thursday: etc.

Originally posted by mikemets5
...could it be the short layoff between rides? It was only 12 hours and I'm used to 24-36, albeit for much longer rides.


Yes, it's the short layoff. Your muscles have previously had 24 - 36 hours to recover and repair the natural "damage" that occurs during hard or prolonged exercise. Now you are only giving them
12.

The pace you have been used to with the longer recovery periods
will not allow you sufficient recovery in only 12 hours. You might get used to it eventually, but in the mean time, allow your muscles to recover sufficiently (they are rebuilding) by taking off days or by riding easier, since you are riding more often now.

We are told from an early age here in rain central NEVER NEVER look at ht ebig yellow ball in the sky, so it scares me :)
I too find that my afternoon rides are stonger. You are also going to have good days and not so good days whan you ride depending on all sorts of variable (weather, health, attitude, etc)
Welcome to my favorite drug!