kayakdiver

Them is fightin words

enjoi07

so umd avg ~15hrs/wk
and waterrockets avg ~7/wk

both of you guys race cat 2, what gives? is WR just a freak!?

cycle17

I'm just shy of 1,500 miles as of today. I only get to ride three days a week because of being a full time student and working five evenings week, but assuming this bout of tendonitis in my knee passes....I'm on track for 3,000 to 3,500 this year.

merckx89

Actually UMD just upgraded to a cat 3. It's not about the hours, it's about how you use them. I went from a cat 5-3 on ~7 hours, and from a 3-2 on 12-13. Part of it is genetics, part of it is just being smart about how you train.

ted ward

fast twitch guys do better on low training IMHO; I have had good success this year with only 1600 miles so far. downside is we get categorically pwned on climbs and TTs

enjoi07

thanks for clearing that up about the categories...although it only makes the observation more intriguing...very interesting...i would like to hear more stories like that...reaching higher categories with less hours than most think you need. i think itd be tough to beat WR though.

thats a good point too...the trade off...not being so good at longer events, climbs, and TT's.

Frunkin

~2200 miles this year, or somewheres in that area with about 120 total hours. I'm not much of a sprinter, but I'm pretty close to my upgrade to the 2's already. So ~7 hours a week.

No Mojo

170 Here.....New England weather sucks

nitropowered

I have a friend who raced Pro/1 nationally with only 10 hrs/week and was fairly competitive. Its not about the hours, its how you use them, and genetics also help.

Nick386i

3200ish so far this year, looking to be a good year just have to hope nothing falls apart......

jdeane4

I'm at 823 miles since January 1st. I hope to hit it harder now that the weather is getting better and the days are longer.

substructure

Some guys can race P/1/2 on 10-15 hour weeks. And do great.
Right now I'm getting in 12 on weeks I don't race. Approx. 6-8 leading up to a race.
But I'm racing Masters, and haven't been real competitive yet. Yet. My form is coming back around however.

timster

I only have about 800 miles so far this year...

mushwars

450 miles, mostly commuting.

merlinextraligh

This is why he does a single day group ride with panniers, seat bag, 2 handlebar bags, a frame bag, as well as everything but the kitchen sink attached to the handlebars?

I think I'll forgo such wisdom.

DataJunkie

I think the total on bikewire is wacky. I have 2039 on BJ.
odd

TBaGZ

90 miles but I just got my bike 2 weeks ago.

First post too!

substructure

Hi.

dallen

1700 so far. Will reach 5000, hoping for 6000.

Dave

bigd

3680 miles. Have not missed a day yet this year.

GrotonPaul

801 freeze my buttocks off miles so far since March, 31000 feet up.

umd

I'm definitely not a fast twich guy. With less riding my short term power goes up a little but my long term power goes way down. Even before I had a power meter I found that out pretty quickly. I also had zero athleticsm growing up and before I started riding a few years ago, so I'm still growing my base and building up my aerobic system.

Everybody is different, and different people and body types respond differently to training. I have the type that builds muscle slowly and loves to hold on to fat. As I gain more experience I am learning what to do to train more effectively on less volume, but I will probably always need more than many other people.

longbeachgary

Is the term "junk miles" just another way to put others down or does it have some meaning? Are you people that f'd up?

enjoi07

^^no its actually very useful for people who need to get the most out of the little time they have...if you ride for scenery than no big deal...but if you want to raise you avg. or are racing you want to get the most out of every mile, even if its "recovery"...which also touches on my interest in training time vs. progress and success which is discussed in a few posts above yours.

thanks:
umd
merckx
nitro
substructure

for addressing my interest in time vs. progress and success...umd, good point about having no athletic background as well.

merlinextraligh

Depends on perspective, riding recreationally, then miles are miles as long as you enjoy them.

Riding competitively, "junk miles" can be a waste of time, and at worst counterproductive.

Many people do not ride hard enough when they're supposed to ride hard, or easy enough (or not at all) when its suppossed to be easy.

So you can end up riding a lot of "junk miles" which leave you too tired, or out of time for the quality work.
And the miles can be a psychological tool to avoid the harder work you should be doing.

If you're training to be as strong as you can, all the miles need to be "quality" in that they need to have a purpose, and sometimes that purpose may be endurance, or recovery.

But miles ridden without a purpose, from a training perspective, are "junk miles"