March Cycling Challenge 2014
Replies
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3/1 - 1.2 miles.
3/2 - 1.7 miles.
3/8 - 1.9 miles.
3/9 - 2.8 miles in little bits between chores.
3/10 - 2.0 miles.
3/11 - 2.4 miles.
3/15 - 2.5 miles. Building my speed back up a little. 9.5mph average today. Last year, my max was about 11.5mph average (and rarely got that fast). I'm happy with anything over 10.1mph.
3/15 - 1.9 miles for my second trip out today and got it to 9.9mph average.
3/16 - 2.7 miles.
3/16 - Did an additional 1.6 miles today.
MTD = 20.7 miles.0 -
It sounds like you are on a spin bike. Try going longer at a lower resistance. Spin your legs as fast as you can until your hips are rocking and then back it off10-20 rpm. Do this 1-2 minutes at a time with slower spinning for 2-3 minutes between sets. Cycling is a cardiovascular activity not a leg strength activity. Leg strength will increase over time. Some muscle pain is to be expected with any new activity. Spinning faster to get the heart rate up increases blood flow which clears your muscles of waste from doing work. Rest is just as important as effort. You need to make sure you give your muscles time to heal between workouts.Hi,
I'm not sure if this is a good place to post or not, so if you have recommendations that this belongs in a different thread, please let me know.
I've recently started biking again. I have a mountain bike and am riding on a relatively flat trail right now. My goal is to advance eventually to more true mountain biking in a few months once I can get my endurance built up.
I'm only in my second week, but the past two times I've gone out, when I've started out riding my legs -- mainly in my quads, have felt very tired. I could understand feeling this tiredness at the end of a ride after giving a hard effort but am a little confused because now I'm feeling it when I start out. I took the last two days off completely from exercise to give my leg muscles a break. Today I felt the tiredness in my quads right away. I took down the tension to a 2 and shortened the ride to 20 minutes.
Anyone experience this? I'm not sure if its lactic acid built up or I just started out too fast and need to slow down my reintroduction to biking. It's been a good year since I've routinely exercised at all. Potassium -- do I need bananas? Build quad strength? All of the above?
Any and all advice is welcome, fine cycling people. Plan to join this challenge in April!
BTW month to date 210 miles, will get over 30 more today.0 -
I'm only in my second week, but the past two times I've gone out, when I've started out riding my legs -- mainly in my quads, have felt very tired. I could understand feeling this tiredness at the end of a ride after giving a hard effort but am a little confused because now I'm feeling it when I start out. I took the last two days off completely from exercise to give my leg muscles a break. Today I felt the tiredness in my quads right away. I took down the tension to a 2 and shortened the ride to 20 minutes.
One thing to check is your position on the bike - Initially I'd say is your saddle in the correct place - both in height and in fore-aft location.
First Step, get the saddle height correct. Too low and you’ll feel cramped and put excessive strain on your knees. Too high and your hips will rock from side to side and potentially put strain on your lower back. With a friend holding the bike, sit on the saddle and place the balls of your feet on the pedals. With the pedal at the bottom of the pedal stroke (six o’clock), there should be a slight bend in your knee. You shouldn’t feel as though you are having to stretch but your leg should feel extended and not cramped.
Second - Saddle fore-af adjustment. if you are sitting too far back over the back wheel and behind the cranks then you are working the quads harder - normal approximation for the starting point in correct position of the saddle fore-aft is to position the saddle in a location that will put your knee over the pedal spindle when the cranks are horizontal (9 and 3 o'clock) - get on the bike, leaning against a wall, put the pedals in place at 9 and 3, feet on the pedals and drop a plumb-line from the front edge of your kneecap. If this drops behind the pedal spindle, move the saddle forward on its rails a little and re-measure. Don't move it more than 1/2" in either direction without a) checking saddle height is correct at this new location, and b) riding the bike for a while to see if it improves or makes things worse.
It's not a "carved in stone" rule - indeed there are more people who swear at it than by it these days, but it IS a decent starting point for people with "normal" leg lengths (and an average upper/lower leg length balance - some people have long thighs and short shins or vice-versa, which is where KOPS sort of falls down a bit)0 -
Thank you!! I will try all of this.0
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3/6: 15.20
3/8: 20.32
3/12: 12.21
3/14: 15.79
3/16: 24.57
MTD: 88.090 -
Count:
16 Activities
Distance:
265.41 mi
Time:
23:28:24 h:m:s
Elevation Gain:
5,231 ft
Avg Speed:
11.3 mph
Avg HR:
127 bpm
Calories:
20,601 C
Max Distance:
42.93 mi0 -
March 2: 11.7 mi spinning
March 3: 11.7 mi spinning
March 9: 11.9 mi spinning
March13:11.8 mi spinning0 -
Count:
18 Activities
Distance:
292.74 mi
Time:
25:38:29 h:m:s
Elevation Gain:
5,868 ft
Avg Speed:
11.4 mph
Avg HR:
127 bpm
Calories:
22,736 C
Max Distance:
42.93 mi0 -
3/3 - 19 miles
3/5 - 21 miles
3/6 - 17 miles
3/10 - 21 miles
3/11 - 15 miles
3/13 - 16 miles
3/15 - 5 miles - indoor MTB place
3/17 - 22 miles
Total - 136 miles0 -
3-1 15 miles
3-2 15
3-8 15
3-9 16
3-10 16
3-11 21
3-14 22
3-15 16
3-18 21 MTD 1570 -
The weather is super fantastic today. Had to take a break from work to get in a ride today.
...
3/13 - 30.55 miles, 94 min
3/15 - 20,3 miles, 63 min
3/17 - 20.4 miles, 63 min
3/18 - 22.6 miles, 70 min
MTD - 248 miles0 -
March 1 - rode 28.6 miles for a duration of 90 minutes
March 4 - rode 9.8 miles for a duration of 30 minutes
March 5 - rode 9.3 miles for a duration of 30 minutes
March 6 - rode 19.6 miles for a duration of 60 minutes
March 7 - rode 10.1 miles for a duration of 30 minutes
March 9 - rode 28.97 miles for a duration of 2:03:49
March 10 - rode 31.61 miles for a duration of 2:06:11
March 11 - rode 29.28 miles for a duration of 2:04:15
March 13 - rode 33.9 miles for a duration of 2:00:59
March 14 - rode 26.4 miles for a duration of 1:44:27
March 15 - rode 40.1 miles for a duration of 2:31:40
March 18 - rode 19.8 miles for a duration of 60 minutes
Total for month of March: 287.46 miles/17:31:21 hours0 -
3/2 16.4mi Road miles
3/6 9.8mi Mountain trail
3/8 26.2mi Road miles
3/17 12.3 Road miles
3/18 6.2 Mountain trail
70.9 miles so far for March0 -
03/03 - 20 miles spinning
04/03 - 20 miles spinning
06/03 - 32 miles
10/03 - 20 miles spinning
11/03 - 20 miles spinning
18/03 - 20 miles spinning0 -
March Target - 805km
1/3/2014 - no ride
2/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/117197010 72.0km
3/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/117469320 57.7km
4/3/2014 - no ride
5/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/117939394 30.8km
6/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/118200501 22.6km
7/3/2014 - no ride
8/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/118655468 61.7km
9/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/119044778 93.6km
10/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/119388172 43.0km
11/3/2014 - no ride
12/3/2014 - no ride
13/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/120266721 60.9km
14/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/120508987 62.8km
15/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/120805619 29.2km (active recovery ride only)
16/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/121142770 93.0km
17/3/2014 - no ride
18/3/2014 - http://www.strava.com/activities/121756240 33.3km
19/3/2014 -
20/3/2014 -
21/3/2014 -
22/3/2014 -
23/3/2014 -
24/3/2014 -
25/3/2014 -
26/3/2014 -
27/3/2014 -
28/3/2014 -
29/3/2014 -
30/3/2014 -
31/3/2014 -
Total - 670.6km (416.44miles)0 -
I commute to work and ride about 20 miles a day. Each ride is about 8.7 miles, but I usually tack on a few after work. I don't have any specific goals for March, but I'll make one: To complete the ride in under 40 minutes. I've done it before, but not since winter hit! For some reason, my times are always slower when it's cold.
Love talking cycling!!!!0 -
March Target - 805km
1/3/2014 - no ride
2/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/117197010 72.0km
3/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/117469320 57.7km
4/3/2014 - no ride
5/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/117939394 30.8km
6/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/118200501 22.6km
7/3/2014 - no ride
8/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/118655468 61.7km
9/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/119044778 93.6km
10/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/119388172 43.0km
11/3/2014 - no ride
12/3/2014 - no ride
13/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/120266721 60.9km
14/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/120508987 62.8km
15/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/120805619 29.2km (active recovery ride only)
16/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/121142770 93.0km
17/3/2014 - no ride
18/3/2014 - http://www.strava.com/activities/121756240 33.3km
19/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/122059962 42.9km
20/3/2014 -
21/3/2014 -
22/3/2014 -
23/3/2014 -
24/3/2014 -
25/3/2014 -
26/3/2014 -
27/3/2014 -
28/3/2014 -
29/3/2014 -
30/3/2014 -
31/3/2014 -
Total - 713.5km (443.08miles)0 -
3/1 - 1.2 miles.
3/2 - 1.7 miles.
3/8 - 1.9 miles.
3/9 - 2.8 miles in little bits between chores.
3/10 - 2.0 miles.
3/11 - 2.4 miles.
3/15 - 2.5 miles. Building my speed back up a little. 9.5mph average today. Last year, my max was about 11.5mph average (and rarely got that fast). I'm happy with anything over 10.1mph.
3/15 - 1.9 miles for my second trip out today and got it to 9.9mph average.
3/16 - 2.7 miles.
3/16 - Did an additional 1.6 miles today.
3/19 - 1.7 miles.
MTD = 22.4 miles.0 -
i'm a year round rider, this September will be my 2nd year straight.
I have an alternating schedule, it's complicated due to the location of where I work now.
one week, I ride to the gym, workout, then ride to the train station. on mon, wed and fri, I do spin, then ride home
other week, I can't go to the gym (earlier schedule), just ride to/from work.
working out? roughly 7mi round trip, then spin approx. 16mi ea class.
7x5=35+ 16x3= 48 - 83mi
non gym week - 5mi round trip
5x5=25mi
83x2 = 166
25x2=50
216mi a month? woah.. I have never figured it out before... this is not including any extra rides I may go on, so as a standard I do just a bit over 200 a month.0 -
Yesterday, I stayed home due to a migraine headache (which I get about once a month). I found out that my wife was planning a hilly ride and I thought what the h*ll, I'll join her. The head pain was less during the ride, but came back once I got off of the bike. Nonetheless, I got some good training in.
The Hilly Ride:
Distance 38.3 mi
Moving Time 3:04:52
Avg Speed 12.4 mi/h
Avg Watts 129 W
Elev Gain 3,547 ft
The ride home from lunch:
Distance 7.6 mi
Moving Time 33:34
Avg Speed 13.6 mi/h
Avg Watts 102 W
Elev Gain 141 ft
Tonight, I'll feeling better, but not completely well. I did do my usual Wednesday Night recovery ride however:
Distance 21.1 mi
Moving Time 1:45:37
Avg Speed 12.0 mi/h
Avg Watts 123 W
Elev Gain 171 ft
March total now stands at 377.8 miles which more or less equals my 2013 total for March.0 -
Hoo boy. I used to bike commute daily on my Electra Townie. At one point it was a 45 minute ride each way on flat flat Florida roads, and then it was just a 15 minute ride...and then around this time last year I just stopped riding daily. Bummer. For several months my bike was in storage, stuck in limbo...unavailable. Once I got it back, I was knee deep in my first real winter in 13 years.
Well, this month I sold my car, and walked to work a few times. I even tried bicycling in the snow once, just to give a hale and hearty F-U to winter. Winter fought back, and the ride was more of a miserable pull/shove hike with a heavy bicycle over snowplow mountains.
Well, today I rode again, on fairly clear roads (it snowed again, of course). I tell you, I haven't really experienced hills in awhile, either. I really struggled, and I walked some of the hills, but I made it there and back again in the chilly rain.
Today: 5.2 miles, uphill both ways, in light rain/mist0 -
Today: 5.2 miles, uphill both ways, in light rain/mist
It's curious how the road manages to do that sometimes, isn't it... Sometimes 5 miles can be more impressive than a Century Ride - well done for getting out there and riding.0 -
3/3 - 19 miles
3/5 - 21 miles
3/6 - 17 miles
3/10 - 21 miles
3/11 - 15 miles
3/13 - 16 miles
3/15 - 5 miles - indoor MTB place
3/17 - 22 miles
3/19 - 17 miles
Total - 153 miles0 -
So far in March (yay for the weather warming up!)
167.7mi 9h 22m - AVG 17.9MPH0 -
March Target - 805km
1/3/2014 - no ride
2/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/117197010 72.0km
3/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/117469320 57.7km
4/3/2014 - no ride
5/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/117939394 30.8km
6/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/118200501 22.6km
7/3/2014 - no ride
8/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/118655468 61.7km
9/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/119044778 93.6km
10/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/119388172 43.0km
11/3/2014 - no ride
12/3/2014 - no ride
13/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/120266721 60.9km
14/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/120508987 62.8km
15/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/120805619 29.2km (active recovery ride only)
16/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/121142770 93.0km
17/3/2014 - no ride
18/3/2014 - http://www.strava.com/activities/121756240 33.3km
19/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/122059962 42.9km
20/3/2014 - http://app.strava.com/activities/122345964 33.6km
21/3/2014 -
22/3/2014 -
23/3/2014 -
24/3/2014 -
25/3/2014 -
26/3/2014 -
27/3/2014 -
28/3/2014 -
29/3/2014 -
30/3/2014 -
31/3/2014 -
Total - 747.1km (463.95miles)0 -
I was pumping up my tire when my valve broke! I lost all the air in my back tire. To make it worse, I phoned our two sports stores and neither had the right type of tube! Luckily a friend had one I could borrow. So, last night was changing the tire night! I hadn't done it since summer and it took a while!
10 minutes Monday night
10 minutes Wednesday night
205 total.0 -
3-1 15 miles
3-2 15
3-8 15
3-9 16
3-10 16
3-11 21
3-14 22
3-15 16
3-18 21
3-20 16 MTD 1730 -
March 2: 11.7 mi spinning
March 3: 11.7 mi spinning
March 9: 11.9 mi spinning
March13:11.8 mi spinning
March20: 27.5 mi road0 -
3/1 - 1.2 miles.
3/2 - 1.7 miles.
3/8 - 1.9 miles.
3/9 - 2.8 miles in little bits between chores.
3/10 - 2.0 miles.
3/11 - 2.4 miles.
3/15 - 2.5 miles. Building my speed back up a little. 9.5mph average today. Last year, my max was about 11.5mph average (and rarely got that fast). I'm happy with anything over 10.1mph.
3/15 - 1.9 miles for my second trip out today and got it to 9.9mph average.
3/16 - 2.7 miles.
3/16 - Did an additional 1.6 miles today.
3/19 - 1.7 miles.
3/20 - 1.4 miles.
MTD = 23.8 miles.0 -
3/1 - 1.2 miles.
3/2 - 1.7 miles.
3/8 - 1.9 miles.
3/9 - 2.8 miles in little bits between chores.
3/10 - 2.0 miles.
3/11 - 2.4 miles.
3/15 - 2.5 miles. Building my speed back up a little. 9.5mph average today. Last year, my max was about 11.5mph average (and rarely got that fast). I'm happy with anything over 10.1mph.
3/15 - 1.9 miles for my second trip out today and got it to 9.9mph average.
3/16 - 2.7 miles.
3/16 - Did an additional 1.6 miles today.
3/19 - 1.7 miles.
3/20 - 1.4 miles.
3/20 - Another 1.4 miles this afternoon.
MTD = 25.2 miles.0
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