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Originally Posted by FBinNY
(Post 16964273)
I stand by the "Myth". You can get faster, and build strength, but distance and time require some getting used to. Otherwise, regardless of how fast or strong you are, saddle time and other factors will kick in...
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Originally Posted by Null66
(Post 16965162)
...I'm a huge fan of intensity, and intervals even. But there is no replacement for seat time.
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(Post 16411476)
…My commute is really my only chance to train. I had long rejected the idea of intervals because getting on the Road early is a challenge itself, and I didn't want to lose my enthusiasm by punishing myself too much….
Intervals on the road during a defined commute are more variable than what one can do on a trainer. I have quickly learned that I must watch out for traffic and not pay too much attention to the stopwatch on my cycle computer. Sometimes the stopwatch times out during an interval and I have to reset. Often the terrain is out of synch with the interval, e.g. downhills on the intensity interval, uphill on the rest interval, with stoplights interspersed. … I just use “Rating of Perceived Exertion” (RPE) as my monitor… |
I can't think of an answer that isn't smart-assy. I increase distance by riding farther. If you ride 20 miles every day and are used to it, 30 miles isn't going to affect you at all. I ride about 25 to 30 miles a day, and once in a while I ride 75. I don't prepare for it at all, just riding 25 miles a day is good enough preparation.
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Unless the 4-5 mile commute you currently do is completely exhausting you, then 12-15 should be no big deal. Just keep riding. Bring some water or whatever, maybe a snack. Starting from scratch is one thing. Starting from riding consistently is another. You don't say how many days a week you commute, but if it is more than one or two, you should be able to ride quite a bit further.
Obviously pace yourself. Don't try to maintain 20+mph the entire time, just ride at a comfortable pace. You should be able to carry on a conversation while riding and not be gasping for air. |
Originally Posted by e0richt
(Post 16963706)
hi,
I know this might be a stupid question... but I have read a few of you have different routes (which have different distances). Is there a way you would recommend increasing distance to "hurdle" an alternate route / distance? Don't laugh, I know a guy that actually did this. |
Originally Posted by duckbill
(Post 16966434)
Easy, sell the car, (if you haven't already), and move farther from work.
Don't laugh, I know a guy that actually did this. |
Originally Posted by mgw4jc
(Post 16966504)
Funny. That's kind of what I did though. We were already down to one car which my stay-at-home-wife/mom needs more than I do. I changed jobs and moved at the same time. If I hadn't moved, I would have been 2 miles from work. But as it is, I am 12 miles. We moved from an apartment to a house, so had to go further away.
1- have the wife drive you in part way in the AM, and ride home taking as much time as necessary. 2- join a car pool that goes someplace close to where you work. Buy a car rack and get the drivers permission to put it on the car. Car pool in, and ride the rest of the way. At night ride back to the car pool meeting place, or ride home according to weather and how you feel. IMO one way car pooling with a nice ride home beats a 2 way commute in many ways. 3- if there's mass transit, find someplace part way in to work where you can leave or stage the bike and mix mass transit with biking to keep the riding distance within range. I'm sure that if you give yourself a moment to consider all options, you'll find a way to mix biking and alternatives while working up to the riding range. Bike commuting isn't digital ie. yes or no. There's all sorts of ways to mix things up and make it work for you. |
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