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April 24, 2006
ALMOST!
The bike computer I have on my bike is a dangerous toy. It feeds an obsessive personality such as mine. I can NEVER get a GPS watch for running - that might be the end of me.
Anyway, when I go out on my bike rides, I don't try to ride hard or easy, I simply try to survive. It's challenging just because it's so hilly. I definitely get a good workout. One of these days I might figure out how to do actual bike workouts, but for now I'm just content to get out there and learn my bike better each day. Either way, I'm getting faster just because I am learning how to manage my bike and, by riding the same course on most days, I know which gear to be in, if I'm going to have to stand up on this hill, etc... So although I'm not purposely trying to ride a faster time each day (I promise!) the first thing I look at when I get off my bike is what my average MPH was. And today I ALMOST did it...I almost broke the 16 MPH barrier! 15.97 MPH to be exact. Bugger! I'll have to get it next time!
Now this is likely a laughable average speed to any serious cyclist, but it's fun for me each day to see improvement. I want to find some really flat loop with good roads and not many turns and see what I can really crank out. But that set up does not exist any where near where we live, so I'm stuck with what I have. No problem - it probably teaches me how to be a little less fearful and really learn how to ride my bike. (I make it sound like riding a bike is so hard, but I think there's a lot more to it than most people think....)
Nevertheless, the workout for day was the 14 mile bike ride and weights at the YMCA afterward. It's supposed to rain all day tomorrow so I might be stuck with a spinning class.
Not much else to report on here. I actually have to work a full 5 day week this week. I told my co-worker today that after working a 2 day week last week, I'm liable to go and get myself injured by jumping up to a 5 day week. It's just like increasing your long run from 8 miles to 20. You just can't do it! She didn't buy it though...so I think I'm stuck. Such a hard life I live... :)
Posted by beth at April 24, 2006 8:02 PM
Comments
As a owner of a GPS watch I can say the constant information can be VERY addicting
Posted by: Kranky at April 24, 2006 8:26 PM
Riding a bike to be competitive is much more difficult than going out for leisurely rides. You have to contend with those skinny tires, being attached to the bike, cars. Plus, let's face it-you get going pretty fast downhills (like in the 30s), you wouldn't jump out of a moving car going that fast, would you want to fall of your bike going that fast? I'm impressed with how quickly you've picked up biking and how much fun you're having with it. Keep it up!
Blondie
Posted by: Blondie at April 24, 2006 8:31 PM
I went through the same thing when I first got my bike. Just like running, I got faster the more I rode. I really do think that cycling has made me a better runner. Glad you're having fun with it!
Do you have a hard time working hard on the bike? I don't know why, but I do. No problem going out and doing a forty minute tempo run. Big problem going out and doing something similar on the bike.
Posted by: jbl at April 24, 2006 11:00 PM
I do have trouble working hard on the bike. Because it's really hilly around where I live, my rides are inherently hard, but other than that, I just kind of cruise along. Is this what biking is like, or are there bike tempos and bike fartleks? Perhaps one day I'll figure it out... A real cyclist somewhere is laughing... :)
Posted by: Beth at April 25, 2006 9:04 PM
Well, I know cyclists do intervals. The guys over in the Road Cycling forum on bikeforums.net are always talking about intervals and threshold work. It makes sense. The more common road biking disciplines aren't that much different from running. They have fast short courses that stress VO2Max and lactate threshold, and long courses that stress endurance. The difference is that they do it on a bike.
I guess that's a pretty big difference. :-)
Posted by: jbl at April 25, 2006 10:02 PM