Please Don't Diss your 50+ "Low Mileage" rides
 

I often see statements such as

"I only did 15 miles today"

"I only managed 10 miles"

"Just a short 20 miles"

and similar.

Hey - a ride is a ride, each one - around the block, 1 mile, 5 miles, 10 miles, 20 miles is something one should be proud of. It all adds up. Many folks publish their higher mileage statistics, which I believe makes folks who write about their lower mileage rides somehow feel as if they are doing less. You aren't. You are doing what 97% of others our age couldn't and/or don't do.

Be proud, don't apologize.

Thank you for posting this topic. I think it's important. As a guy who's been a competitive entrepreneur and in sales all my life, I've always thought I had to constantly do more. And at the age of 64, my body often wants to do less. Getting out and having fun riding my sweet bike is sometimes too much like going to the dentist. It shouldn't be that way. It should always be fun.

I'm sorry I'm not 19 years old anymore. But I'm just not.

Damn, anything under fifty, I am ashamed to say anything about it. I did thirty five today
in 102`f, but I hadn't planned on saying anything about it.

I did have to stop and buy water. I had two bottles and it wasn't enough.

Ok, I did 167.89 miles today on my brand new $5600 super bike into a 30mph headwind uphill all the way in 95% humidity and ate two pizzas at the halfway point. How's that.:lol:

Well, was it on a fixie? If not, it doesn't count :)

Would you happen to be related to Casey Anthony?

I feel sorry for guys with cheap $5600 bikes who can't do 200 miles on a weekend ride. Why bother? Now, if you could get a really expensive bike and put in some decent miles, you would earn some street creds, dude.

The odds of me doing a 167.89 mile ride on a $5600 bike are about the same as the odds of Casey Anthony winning the Mother of the Year award. That kind of stays on the off subject of the last post.

To 67walkon.

This is off the subject BUT ..... I was born and raised in Florida (Tampa) and I have to ask a question. Where the heck is Tequesta, Florida?

Somewhere recently (I'm too lazy after my 167.89 mile ride today to look it up) there was a news article stating that a key cause of deteriorating health is long stretches of time spent sitting. It went so far as to say that the damage was quite difficult to undo even with an exercise regimen. Therefore, when we get off the couch and go for a couple of short rides we are likely doing much more for our health than we might think.

As usual, D-Fox is completely, absolutely correct. Every time I see those statements, I kind of cringe. There is absolutely nothing to apologize about a 10-miler. I suspect that over 95% of the country doesn't ride 25 miles in a week (or do the equivalent in other exercise).

We are with you dnvrfox, a ride is a ride!
R&J
P/S only 4 goathead flats so far this season!

I hate to say it, but either we are tied or I am one ahead of you. Knock on wood.

I am only 62 and rode twice around the pecan tree out in front of the house today, in a light rain. It was not that far but it was on an ill fitting, old fully chromed Schwinn Predator BMX that I had just cleaned/greased/adjusted for a nephew.:lol::lol:

If he's old enough to ride, he's old enough for you to take him out for a pie ride. Corrupting our youth is one of the primary functions of uncles.

I somewhat agree with this statement, but some riders like me go out every day and ride whatever they can with the time available, weather conditions and any other obstacle that comes along. I don't compare or compete with other riders, only myself and sometimes I post that "I only got in 15 miles but was hoping for 20." That doesn't mean that I feel that I am doing less, that only means that something other than myself caused me to cut the ride short and not reach what I set out as my goal for the day. When that happens, there's always tomorrow.

Unlike a lot of the retired folks on this forum, I only get an hour to ride after work because I have to come home and make dinner since my wife gets off work after 6 pm. Sometimes I can get 20 miles in that hour but with the heat the way it's been, I haven't been able to do it too often lately. On weekends, I start early and normally ride further. Today, I did 50K and and ended the ride because someone suddenly turned on the big oven and it got really hot really quick.

Where did you find the hill in Houston?

It's on the east coast north of Palm Beach and south of Hobe Sound. According to Wikipedia, Joe Namath and Olivia Newton-John live there.

Every day above ground is a good day, every minute in the saddle is time well spent.

I'll always carry two coins for the boatman, and ride to stay ahead of him!

Me? First thing in the morning, I get all dressed up in my Ibex riding gear. I load the $7,600 Camboozinli on the back of my BM'er and drive into town, parking one block from the Starbucks and put on my $400 Succosnazner racing shoes. Then I walk my bike to Starbucks where I enjoy a grande low fat skim decaf latte with a shake of cinamon and a teaspoon of organic sugar. Blocking the door with my bike ensures that everyone sees it and makes suitable comments about what an expensive bike it is, and how good a rider I must be. I talk about the TdF with the others from our Starbucks racing team while thinking that the little woman should have the lawn mowed by now. Then I go home, put the bike on the repair stand and oil the chain. All in all, a good day's riding.

Jeeze, I like biking.

Do fifteen or twenty miles three times a week and you will be fit. High mileage and intense riding are not necessary for fitness. They prepare you for high mileage and intense riding. Any bicycling is good for you.

I remember one of my first rides, 3.5 miles round trip to Walmart, took almost an hour to
get there. I was so proud of my self. Next day I tried an eight mile trip and it almost
did me in, six hours. I started to return the bike and give it up. That was almost 14,000
miles back.

Yes, tell us about your rides, they are important. We all started one step at a time.

Up till 2006 and I was 100 mile a week rider. 50 to 60 miles at weekends- and at least 50 in the week. On top of that were a few visits to the gym for some cardio vascular work. Then I hit 60 and cut way back on the offroad and tried the dark side which I did enjoy- much to my surprise. New style of riding and still got in the milage every week as a few long or lumpy rides planned for the year. Yes I got the $5,000 bike and a back up in a Giant TCR-C and enjoyed getting out in all weathers but have to admit that icyroads or Snow and it was back to the MTB's. Upset a few of my Old MTB mates as most of my riding was done solo on the road bikes and I prefered riding like that.

But things change. Since last year I have struggled to get out on the bike. A long ride became a 20 miler for Pie. There were weeks when I did not get out on the bike at all.

But things are starting to change. A few longer rides and at least 20 miles every weekend and midweek rides. Have a few riders I am trying to get started and we are past the Pie rides and starting to do higher milage and a few slopes. Have to as at the end of August and I am planning a 70 miler for me and hopefully for a couple of these new riders.

I am not knocking low milage rides as that is all my mates can do right now. But by riding with them-I am getting my milage up aswell.

And as for reporting them--There will another report shortly on a gentle 25 miler up a hill that showed one of my mates what can be done if you put your mind to it.

I'm not sure I'm getting this thread. If your pumping 10-15 miles a couple or more times a week, your doing more than 99.9 percent of the population to elevate your heart rate. I just started posting to this 50+ forum because I was feeling ridiculous posting on the carbon fiber Road Forum at 51. The miles you ride are not as important as what you put in and get out of the ride. It's not all physical exertion, it's also mental relaxation. This is the "Bike Forum", you have to enjoy riding your bike whether a mile or 50, otherwise you will eventually find an excuse not to do it. Ride your bike please. It's good for you.:thumb:

Various fitness levels and input on rides does mean that some of us will NEVER get in a long ride. That does not mean that they are not experiencing the joys or benefits of cycling. I can just imagine what will happen to one of my Newbie friends at present if I take him on say a 25 miler--At Speed- Up a hill-or even extended it to 30 miles. He would not be getting back on a bike again-EVER. He is unfit- has a rubbish bike and is overweight. But in the two weeks he has been out with us he has enjoyed 20 of the 25 miles he has done each week.

As to whether he will ever do a 50 mile ride- or climb a mountain- I would not like to say- but at present he is enjoying riding. That is all that matters.

I only bother mentioning my longer or more interesting rides. That doesn't mean I don't do plenty of shorter after-work, or commuting rides. There's not much to say about them, but I don't "diss" them, or people who do the same length of ride and get a sense of accomplishment from doing them. Good for them!