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Anyone doing the National Bike Challenge 2015?

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mxchana
mxchana Posts: 666 Member
in Social Groups
I see that Wooken3 is participating in the National Bike Challenge 2015... there is an MFP team.

I am considering doing this. Hopefully this weekend I can get out there and check the air in my tires and do at least a few blocks as a warm-up.

See http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10124624/national-bike-challenge-2015

~ Kathy

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  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    First I have heard of it, will check that out. I want to get motivated to ride my bike this summer.
  • mxchana
    mxchana Posts: 666 Member
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    OK, I did it - just signed up as a member of the MFP team. I won't be the strongest team member, but I will certainly enjoy it. This weekend I am going to map out some routes and get in some warm-up rides. Now if only it would warm up!
  • sharondtd
    sharondtd Posts: 549 Member
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    Big praise for you, Marie!
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Kathy, I just joined up. Maybe it will remind me to do something besides walking B) I love bike riding, just have a very challenging hilly neighborhood to do it in. Hopefully this will get me on my bike again.
  • mxchana
    mxchana Posts: 666 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Super! I have some hills around me, but other areas are flat so it's a good combination. I do have a lot of speeds on the bike, so I shouldn't have to walk it too much. ;) What is challenging for me is, I'm not all that comfortable riding in traffic. I will have to do some of that if I'm going to be able to build up my mileage - but for starters I am going to stick to the quiet side streets to get warmed up. ~ Kathy
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Kathy, have you checked out any bike routes in your area? My area has a lot of them, Boulder CO is nearby and it is one of the meccas of biking. Highway 36 connects Boulder to Denver and they are doing a major rework of it, included is a biking lane for commuters. So towns like mine around the area are adding marked biking lanes to access that. My neighborhood just had parking on one side stopped so they have room for a bikes' only lane. Silly really, we have WIDE sidewalks with plenty of room for bikes and foot traffic. Aside from folks like me getting in fitness steps the sidewalks get very little use currently.

    Biking uses a different set of muscles than walking does, so I will spend sometime in the flatter areas before hitting the real hills around here. It is raining currently but once this passes through, a day or so from now, I will be getting on my bike. I want to build on my skills so we can take the bikes to the high country, lots of beautiful trails around Breckenridge and Vail for bikes of all kinds. We have hybrids, so no true mountain biking for us. And that is fine by me, plenty to see on the all purpose trails up there ;)
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,363 Member
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    You two are so impressive! I'm not a bike rider unless it doesn't move. Kathy, my town is a vast web of bike lanes and trails. Hope you find some great rides. Joell, you must have some beautiful rides!
  • Wooken3
    Wooken3 Posts: 635 Member
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    Thanks for the shout-out mxchana and yes, I’m signed up for the National Bike Challenge as Gus Wooken on the MFP team. Challenge begins May 1st but I won't be able to log any biking miles till after the 18th as we'll be on the road running away from the Arizona heat. Our summer home this year is at Utah State — Logan campus where I'll be using the biking challenge as a motivation to get hopefully pedal my a** off!!
    joyride.gif
  • mxchana
    mxchana Posts: 666 Member
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    I was away over the weekend so I didn't get started right on the first of May - but since I have been home, two days - I have gotten out on my bike. I do my entries manually so this involves driving around in my car to get the mileage for some of my routes. I also found some online... so I won't be setting any records but boy it does feel good to toodle around the neighborhood and see all the springtime beauty. I could do without the pollen making me blink and sneeze but hey --- a little rain should clear that up soon. I hope. ~ Kathy
  • CrisEBTrue
    CrisEBTrue Posts: 456 Member
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    Wow, good for you ladies!
    I sold my bike before we moved here..

    We're out in the county on a 2-lane road and I knew there are no safe places to ride.

    I am freaked out by the idea of riding anyplace where I'd have to share the road with cars; my cousin's son was killed years ago riding his bike on a country road. I just saw another incident like that on the news this morning; a father and son. It turns my stomach... (sorry)

    Anyway, ya'll be safe, ok.

    I love that graphic. ROFL :D
  • Wooken3
    Wooken3 Posts: 635 Member
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    mxchana wrote: »
    ...I do my entries manually so this involves driving around in my car to get the mileage for some of my routes... ~ Kathy

    Google Mapping (or most other on-line mapping site) will be able to track milage for you also. Only problem is you have to remember where you biked!!

    I also use Google when traveling as it will show the biking paths near our RV site.

    ~w3
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Well it has been raining and is continuing to do so here. I was going to bike this weekend, but the rain moved in. I won't be starting till Monday at the earliest. I joined to just get motivated to get on the bike. Once it dries out, I will be logging low mileages until I can get my "biking legs" back. I have found a section of bike path that is a very small grade that I can bike out and back on to do that.
  • mxchana
    mxchana Posts: 666 Member
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    Queen of low mileage here but - I am very happy to have gotten on my bike 3 out of the last 4 days! Without having joined the National Challenge I wouldn't have done that - and my husband has joined me on two of the trips. It's hard to find the time in my day but I just love it when I can get out there, even for a short ride. ~ Kathy
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Kathy, still raining here. I still haven't gotten on the bike at all. Monday is supposed to start a long run of sunshine again. I will be riding then. Congrats on getting out. I do enjoy biking and as soon as I can stand being outdoors again, I will be starting a little training program I am developing for myself.
  • mxchana
    mxchana Posts: 666 Member
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    UPDATE: Back on the bike again today. Little did I know when we took our bikes in for a tune-up they would have them for over a week!! But fortunately this is a summer-long event so, now I will get myself back into again - complete with a new rear-view mirror and a headlight! ~ Kathy
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,363 Member
    edited May 2015
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  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Kathy this is our first day without some rain in about a month. I have not been riding. Almost went in and took myself off the team, but I know the weather will be better soon and I do want to get back into riding. It was a passion of mine when I was a teenager. I need to add a rear view mirror to my bike thanks for the reminder.
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    FINALLY. She got on her bike and took a spin around the neighborhood. Didn't remember to log it via mapmyride, so will need to go onto the site and log it. I am just happy the bike is working the weather is cooperating and I finally got on it.

    I keep thinking about adding a rear view mirror as well.... always something isn't it?

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