Bike Forums - Are we THAT nuts?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by burnthesheep (Post 20378103)

The best way I can equate this is to running. I don't run, so if I had someone I knew who ran a workout of a 1/2 marathon every week, I might think they were super talented or a little nuts. I have run a few 1/2's, just not my thing.

Why do I NOT think cruising for a metric century once a week is equally nuts? Sure, we have the bias on our side of being in the game. So we think it's normal.

Are we THAT nuts, or has the standard just drifted so low for the rest of the public that anything with a nice large number sounds bonkers to them?

Also, your weight. You tell someone you're barely 11 stone or about 68kg and people look at you like you're physically ill in the body, and in the head. I still eat and drink as much as I please thank you very much.

So, are we purple spotted unicorns or not?

I ride way more than a metric century per week, but I've made the distances so long that I actually choose destinations I want to go to. Really hard to do that with any other form of exercise. Running also imposes wear on your joints that biking doesn't, so I'm not sure the comparison is fair. I can almost guarantee someone running that much is going to develop knee, foot or hip problems at some point.

When you are riding or running at a seriously intense level, you really don't want to interrupt your session for mere chit chat and pleasantries. So some of the grimaces and unhappy expressions are more just the way they deal with exerting themselves at those high levels. When I'm at max HR for a period of time, then I'm pretty ugly looking too with my jaw slack and slobber dripping out of my mouth, snot coming out my nose and sweat to rival a horse after a harness race.

However I always try to at least raise a hand or nod to acknowledge those I pass. And I always announce my presence when coming up from behind. Whether they hear me or not because of earphones or being oblivious is their issue. Since I also walk with my wife the same trails I frequently ride, I appreciate those bikers that let me know they are approaching from behind. I keeps me from pointing out stuff to my wife and clothes-lining someone with my arm. Which almost happened several years ago. Got my arm back just in time, but I felt the bikers shoulder brush my arm.