The Weak Link

This post was inspired by my Wednesday ride this week. I went out for a nice relaxing bike ride for "an hour or two", got a bit carried away, and returned to my house so exhausted that I was even more worthless around the house than I usually am. I didn't recover from that ride until this morning, and, of course, I'm debating going out and doing it all over so I can feel totally exhausted for another three days. It's bright and sunny right now and if it wasn't for the fact that its in the low 30s I'd be gone right now.....

Jet Travis

I'm all over the map. Last year, after vowing never to race, I changed my mind and signed up for the senior olympics. I beat up my knee training for an event that got cancelled, but it was all worth it, because I was invited to be the cyclist in a team triathlon. I almost blew out my knee altogether in that event.

I've actually spent December and January doing a lot of walking, some weight training and stretching and mostly light spinning on the bike. The idea is to build up gradually and avoid injury this year. Hope I've learned something.

Chaco

I'm generally pretty rational about this, but on the weekend, if I'm feeling good, I might do a century on the spur of the moment without planning for it.

stapfam

This time of year- I always get out at the weekend but due to weather, Have to miss at least one of the midweek evening rides. No reason to put too much effort in as I am just trying to maintain my fitness. Mind you- with new riders out with me tomorrow- I might have to work hard to stay with them.

BSLeVan

My own manta tends to be: "I ride or I die." I sometimes think that riding is the only thing the keeps me sane, fit, or even able to do the other things I enjoy and/or must do. Hence, I see myself as a cyclist, and ride with variety and purpose, inclusive of distance rides, intervals, climbs, rest days, and pleasure rides. In addition to a full time, five day a week job, I teach two university courses on Saturday. My ride time has to be somewhat structured to make sure I can ride at the level I want.

cranky old dude

I fluctuate between riding often and taking it easy to riding
occasionally and taking it easy. I don't use the bike to attain
or maintain good physical fitness. If it happens in spite of my
riding habits...well, lucky me.

PaulH

I've got a mix of rides this year. After dropping my daughter off at the school bus, I have a full-bore sprint to the Penatgon Metro stop, where I put my bike on the bus and ride with it out Interstate 395. If I miss the buss, I have an hour's ride to work, or a ride back to my house to get my car. So, every day starts with a sprint.

The other legs of the trip have no time pressure, so I take it easy. I've found it interesting to have such a range of cyclig experiences every day.

Paul

cccorlew

You don't exactly have my situation. I commute every day. Sometimes I hammer, sometimes I roll. But it's the same darn route.

Weekends at least let me make a decision.

megaman

Weather permitting, as is usually the case here in Wisconsin, I'll ride all that I can. Normally on my days off, it's a nice relaxing ride. On days after work, I'll hit it hard for an hour or so. But it never seems to get me fit. Oh well, I have my grin!

BengeBoy 

I decided I was not going to "get out of shape" this winter so I figured out how to get geared up to commute all winter...which in Seattle means dealing with dark, rain and semi-cold. I bought a "rain bike" and learned all about lighting, fenders, booties and Goretex. So far, so good! It's 20 miles round trip, and I am committed to doing 2 or 3 days per week; I avoid the heaviest rain days.

My current routine is:
- Commute 2 or 3 days a week
- On non-commute days I hit the gym for 30 minutes on ellipitcal trainer and 30 minutes on weights
- 20 to 25 mile ride on Saturday
- longer ride on Sunday - 30 to 50 miles

That's weather permitting -- if it's super-bad on the weekend I'll hit the gym or just take my rain bike to the gym.

wrafl

Weather permitting, I can ride more often. Otherwise, I just read accounts of other riders in places where it is warm (40+F temp at least). Being in the midwest, the chance of accident is greater when there's ice and snow on the road or MUPs but it's been ice/snow free last few days and will hit 40+ today so I might go for a spin of at least 10 miles later.

Digital Gee

This is a terrible poll. There aren't enough choices, and the ones that are there aren't right either. Just sayin'

buelito

I also am a pretty full time commuter, so my weekly rides are over the same route (I know where every pothole is ) On the seekends, I try to hook up on Saturdays with a triathlon group, and we do anywhere from around 50 to 100 miles. It starts slow and pretty soon it picks up. We have a couple of places where we really push, and guys get dropped, but then we regroup. It's a fun group. This morning we did just under 50-- Dry Mill Rd, right outside of Leesburg, VA was our destination-- It is an uphill with a few 'bumps'...with the wind in our faces. It was brutal going up, ah, but the reward coming down was fantastic! I love that road, even though it tears me apart going up...probably has something to do with the few extra pounds I'm carrying... Oh well-- the important thing is it's FUN--

train safe-

howsteepisit

Of course, "proper Variety" is in the eye of the beholder.

Red Rider

I checked the first choice, because that's essentially how I ride.

I started riding to help get a friend fit enough to ride a half-century, which at the time I considered crazy. Little did I know that within a month of her half-century I'd be riding a metric century and actually loving it. Now I know I'm as crazy as she.

Entering my 3rd year cycling now, and looking back I realize that my goals have changed according to my curiosity. Every time I reach a goal I wonder what else I can do, or how I can do it faster, or more efficiently, etc. Now I find myself in training for time trials, something that I wasn't even considering this time last year. And I'm actually planning my work and working my plan. In the past I've started off with great expectations of myself and dropped out, often due to lack of interest (my goal wasn't really as juicy as I'd thought, or I wasn't willing to work that hard for it). Reflecting on that I see that perhaps I didn't have the structure to support the goals I'd set. Cycling strength and speed are cumulative, and too much, too soon causes burn out at the very least, and as well as physical injuries.

Bottom line: I think I've discovered patience. And I've found the sport that gives me positive feedback, room for improvement, and satisfies my inner 10-yr.-old.

cccorlew

So true. I myself might prefer improper variety, but being married and all........

cccorlew

Who voted:
"I don't ride at all. I don't even own a bike. I just like to hang out here."

That's just, well, wrong. You need help.

The Weak Link

That hurt. That hurt a lot.

Anyone who tries to run a proper poll around here gets savaged by you animals. I quit.

Serial, I used to commute some but stopped when I was harrassed at 6AM for blocking a six lane major road, and there was just one car and me on it. I'm not that fat. Really. I think I should resume commuting. Its six miles, mostly flat, one way. That's a pretty decent "exercise but don't kill yourself" distance. I appreciate the reminder.

solveg

No- there is! Torque1st doesn't have a bike right now. He has to build a reclining trike and is unable to ride until he does.... We're here to keep him motivated, so motivate!

cranky old dude

How hilly is it on the way back?

The Weak Link

There once was a man with a wooden leg called Smith......

Trsnrtr

I can relate to this. It's that "nothing hurts" part of bentriding that makes it so easy

Beverly

During winter months it's ride when you can

Usual schedule is 5 days a week. One a hammerfest, 3 normal rides and one slow easy ride with the park biking program. Oh, how I long for the warmer weather

cooker

I'm a bike commuter (8 km each way) and although I do sometimes treat the main hill on my homebound route (Poplar Plains Rd, about 100 feet vertical) as an interval sprint, mostly I just maintain a steady pace. In fact, on summer mornings in particular, I take it very slow, so I can avoid having to shower at work.

I didn't ride from around December 1 2007 to January 8, 2008 due to icy roads but I rode three days this past week and fortunately hadn't lost too much (of my modest) fitness.

Tom Bombadil

I ride when I ride and I ride as far as I want to ride.