All the riding I've done since getting into cycling just 7 months ago has been in the training mode. Seems every one of the well over 2000 miles has been at pretty high intensity. I'm not complaining about that, I've really enjoyed the hard work it's results but it seems lately I've gone out with the intent to just do a little recreational riding and I'm right back to checking ave speed, speed I can climb a hill vs the last time I did it, top speed down a hill, and on and on....I'm not highly competitive with others but just love to see myself beat my own previous bests. I'm starting to wonder if I'm missing something. Am I a little out of balance in my total cycling experience?

Well, it could be that is your version of recreational riding. Not all of us want to stop and smell the roses...

Dagna

Whatever blows your skirt up is A-OK.

If that's how you like to ride, then no, you're not missing something. I on the other hand never consider anything a training ride. Training for what? I just ride for the sake of riding. Sometimes I go as fast as I can and other times I don't. It's whatever mood strikes me that day. Last Saturday my wife and I took the ferry to Block Island to bike the island. We were there all day and when all was said and done we had put in a whooping 18 miles at probably an average of 10-11mph. It was a great cycling day.

However, there is that one hill that I can now climb at 11mph instead of the 6mph like 3 months ago! So no matter how laid back, I guess we all have that 'I can do better this time' gene.

As I now get out on the road again- I notice things that I did not 10 years ago. Hills have to be very steep on these thin tyres to say that I am going to struggle up them. Bike may be an improvement on what I used to ride- but I am beginning to think that I can get out and blow those hills away. I am also starting to look at the tracks cutting across the hills that I did not know were there. (For when the mountain bike gets used a bit more) May have taken a while but My fitness has improved a lot in the 15 years I have been riding.
I am also beginning to get time to look at the countryside I am riding through. I definitely live in a picturesque part of the UK. Only problem I have is that bl**dy computer. Keep looking at it and thinking- "Just a little more effort and I can beat my average for this ride" That is when I take the computer off the bike and put it in my pocket. Still works as it is a cordless but I have no need to go fast- Have no need to slaughter that hill and The only time I compare speed and time is when I get home.

The time for speed and training will come later in the year, but for the time being- I am enjoying the scenery.

Same here. I can't keep up with the young guys but I compete against myself nearly every ride. Great fun to compete against someone I can actually beat.

+1

That is exactly what I do.

I compete against myself on a daily basis. It's funny, I will begin my morning ride and say to myself, "Lets just take a nice ride perhaps a recovery day". Before I know it I will be checking the computer and calculating where I stand against my regular performance. Then I think gee, if I attack the next hill and and keep the pace on the flats I might perform to a new personal best. It's a vicious cycle, but in the dark morning it seems to keep me going.
I did have a change up ride last week. I had announced in a thread earlier this month that I purchased a road bike for my son. Last Tues. we joined an organized ride at the LBS just down the hill from us. My pace was fairly slow as I wanted to be certain my son was alright. It was the first real ride on his new bike. Plus it was a beautiful evening. Anyway I found the ride to be very enjoyable even though I rode about 5-6 mph slower than normal. It was fun.

Remove the computer before you leave for that recreational ride. I have several bikes, and one intentionally doesn't have a computer installed on it for that very reason.

You are not alone. . The strongest competetion I have is me (and many cyclist can take me in a heartbeat). Only way I know how to ride. Occasionally I do remove the computer, but I find myself riding routes I know and wearing a watch to time myself.

Take the computer and throw it in a drawer or the trash can and you will begin enjoying the rides again, spending less time obsessing over stats, speed and other trivia.

+1, My idea of fun is pushing my personal envelope to the limit. I love the feeling I get from riding fast and hard and being completely drained when the ride is over. I would not enjoy it more any other way.

I think that, if you have to ask if you're missing something, then you could well be.

The only way to find out for sure is to try out the other fork in the road for yourself. If you decide that you don't like it as well you can always go back. Either way you decide to do it is OK with me.

Jack LaLane changes his exercise routine every 30 days. As Retro says, if you 'think' you may be missing something, then your intuition is hinting to look around...

Seems to me, that a lot of folks worry needlessly about "am I doing this right". The answer to this question seems to me to be "are you enjoying the ride?" then you are doing it right for you. OK just a bit of a rant. Sorry to the OP, it really is a legit question. I find that I lost all my desire to cycle after I started competing for a few years. I totally burned out. Took me years and years to get back to being able to ride for the pure pleasure of the open road. I had to retrain myself to understand that every ride was not a training event, and that just going for a noodle about the countryside was indeed OK. Now I find that I am slowly being drawn into long distance cycling, and have to fight the idea that under 50 miles is not a "real" or worthwhile ride.

I can probably relate to all of the comments, especially Howsteepisit. I am the oldest rider in our bike group, but am just as competitive as any of them. Thus far have been able to keep up and perhaps at times even outpace a few of them. There are times when I leave for a ride and tell my wife (who is convinced on my insanity) that "it's going to be an easy recovery ride". She smiles because she knows that there IS no such thing for me. I do indeed start out slow to warm up, but pretty soon I'm up to 18, then 19 and before I realize what's happening, I'm cruising along trying not to drop below 20 mph. It's the way I am and that's what keeps me going.

I remember when I started riding (after a triple bypass) and felt good going two miles. As time and effort passed, I now feel that if I'm not going at least 20 miles, it's not worth the effort of dressing and preping the bike. And like all of us, there are those days when I have to force myself on the bike and after a few miles, I'm glad I did.

So in answer to you question, we're all different. Don't worrry about what you're missing, just enjoy what you're doing. If you're not enjoying yourself, do it differently until it IS enjoyable. You'll probably find yourself returning to what you questioned in the first place.

Fact is, I am enjoying the heck out of pushing myself on every ride so I guess I won't change! Only thing that could move me to slow it down a bit might be that tandem I'm considering and spending some casual recreational time riding with my daughter.

For 20 mile rides I don't dress, nor do I "prep" the bike except to be sure these is a modest amount of air pressure in the tires.

That is why one of my road bikes has pedals with toe clips, and I just jump on the goldarn thing (with whatever I happen to be wearing - shorts or jeans, tennis shoes, t-shirt or sweat shirt, depending on the temp), and off I go.

We make an easy 20 mile ride so gosh darn hard with our "dressing" and "prepping the bike."

Just go.

Have fun.

I dress and prep, perhaps, for 30 milers - or when I want to take my fast roadie.

Do what I see the kids doing around here. They just ride.

Wish I could just hop on and go...but I've got to load my bike and drive to a paved road. I love living on a remote road but with 2 or 3 inches of loose gravel, I usually have to load the bike and gear so I generally don't take little short rides since I've made the commitment to go thru the hassle, I stay out for a while.

Everything will be fine after you drop that ridiculous Tommy Assorda quote!!!

Well! I hope you're HAPPY!

"It infuriates me to be wrong when I know I'm right" - MOLIERE

Who's Moliere? Who'd he manage for?

Watkins Mudhens I think it was...

Keep up the effort and focus!! It's really fun and rewarding to see improvements in performance which leads to even more improvement.

Just be ready for those days when things take a step back from what you'd hoped. It's just a part of the fickleness of this cycling stuff and your body telling you you're not as super as you think you are!!!

I have some cycling buds that are 55+ that are doing personal records in various events plus holding their own against the much younger guys. The only way to determine what your potential truly is, is to do exactly what you're doing.

Keep us posted on your ups and downs!!