August Cycling Challenge 2013

Wow! This is our 15th month of cycling threads! Welcome back to Anyone who is coming from previous months. And Welcome to anyone who is just joining us for the first time. This is a very casual challenge for anyone who wants to push a bike pedal. We welcome EVERYONE! If you are a warrior who rides 101 miles a week, we want you to post. If you are struggling to pedal up the driveway, we want you to post. If you are an avid spinner, we want you to post. If you're pulling the trailer to get you children to the park, we want you to post. Commuting? Great! Mountain biking? Fantastic! Recumbent bike while you're watching Dr Phil? Wonderful! Whatever your level, whatever you're pedaling, we welcome you!

You may post whatever you want: distance, time, terrain, soreness, WHATEVER! Some people have kept a running total, some people just post whatever ride they made that day. Others use tickers. However you want to post and whatever makes you want to post is the correct way. So put on your cushion shorts, get your water bottles, and push those pedals.

Replies

BrittNelson86

HI everyone, I love cycling, fairly new still. I have a ride this Sunday that is going to be 40 miles and then I am hoping to do another organized ride in September that is 62 miles. I can easily ride 25-30 miles now, but the 40 miles is still a push for me. I plan on riding today about 22 miles, I live in Northern California, so right now it is a challenge due to forest fires and smoke in the air, so I try to ride on days where the air is better. I don't like riding indoors, I like feeling the breeze in my face and being on the open road. I love getting lost in my thoughts on a great ride. This year my kids are big enough to ride their bikes the short distance to school, so I will ride my bike with them to school and back. Have a great day everyone.

swonn

My goal again is 150 miles.

8/01--14 miles

Total--14 miles

Birdiebull

I'm so excited to have found this thread. I got into cycling a few years ago to get healthier and save money on transportation. Now I'm hooked and I even started racing late last year! I want to end summer (or start fall, which sounds less negative) on a high note: 1000k (~620mi). I road about 500mi in July thanks to lots of training days and weekend long rides, but keeping the motivation to log even MORE miles now that race season is winding down will be a challenge. But I did 30mi today!

CricketKate

I rode 9.5 miles this morning. My goal for July was 150 miles and I finished with 255 miles. I'm keeping the 150 goal again this month because I know that, with school rapidly approaching, my time availability is going to seriously drop.

autumnlily31185

I am changing things up quite a bit with my program. In December I am going to be visiting my parents in FL and this gave me an idea that I was too scared to really commit to, but am officially putting it out there in order to be held accountable. I am going to bike the number of miles between us by the time I leave for the trip. So I will have a monthly goal as well as a year end goal to work towards. I will need all the support and motivation I can get

August goal - 266 miles
Year end goal - 1328 remaining after July total

autumnlily31185

August goal 266 miles

8/1 -6.5 miles (30 mins)

RagtimeLady

My goal is 500 miles for August. Hope to do more, as I'm trying to build up my stamina for a century ride. Don't think I'll accomplish it this year.

8/1 - 25.32 miles

Ekboriqua

My goal is to try to do 200 miles and burn as much calories as possible, and see as much of the town I live in taking different routes every time. Today I rode by a canal and saw and alligator swimming, stopped to take its picture and tried to take a video but by then I started to annoy it and it started to swim towards me. Of course I said no dinner here gator and I got back on my ride.

08/01 - 9.06 miles - 590 calories

sajeffe

Thanks for the thread, CrickettKate.

August goal = 100 miles. Love riding, but my right knee and my left hip protest a lot after riding.

8/1 - 0

Goal = 100 miles.
Accomplished MTD = 0 miles.
Remaining miles = 100 miles.

For anyone who doesn't know about MapMyRide.com, check it out. I just found it a couple weeks ago.

reggiepe

8/1 - 8.46 miles

Goal - 200 miles
MTD - 8.46 miles

whereismiranda

I've been using a stationary bike three times a week and going about a mile each time. I'm thinking about quitting that and running instead because I don't feel sore afterwards, just tired and I'm worried that it's not doing anything for me. Maybe I'm not using proper form? I put the resistance up so I know it's not too easy..

BEEUK

New goal is Land's End to John O' Groats, UK. I cycle 10 miles to work each day and try and get a 45-50 mile in at the weekend.

i would LOVE to cycle Sri Lanka, but raising the cash is the issue. You need over 3K!

FruityLoops

Joining in again this month! Going for a 100 mile target again :flowerforyou:

01/08 - 3.73 miles (recumbent stationary)
02/08 - 5.56 miles (road)

MTD = 9.29 miles
Remaining = 90.71 miles

RagtimeLady

My goal is 500 miles for August. Hope to do more, as I'm trying to build up my stamina for a century ride. Don't think I'll accomplish it this year.

8/1 - 25.32 miles

Testing out my ticker:

RagtimeLady

My goal is to try to do 200 miles and burn as much calories as possible, and see as much of the town I live in taking different routes every time. Today I rode by a canal and saw and alligator swimming, stopped to take its picture and tried to take a video but by then I started to annoy it and it started to swim towards me. Of course I said no dinner here gator and I got back on my ride.

08/01 - 9.06 miles - 590 calories

Ohmygod!

jssapienza

I love that this thread is here. i am a former runner who now has bad knees and a totally replaced hip, so running is sorta out.

My wife and I got bikes 6 weeks ago for Father's Day. We got Trex Recreational Bikes, and have gone crazy! In 6 weeks I have ridden mine about 550 miles and she has ridden hers about 490 miles. We are very fortunate to live right next to a wonderful riding trail which is 45 miles long and ten feet wide. (it is the Virginia W&OD Trail, and is an old railway bed http://wodfriends.org/trail.html ). We try to do at least 10-13 miles 5-6 times a week and one longer one on the weekend. Our ultimate goal is to make it to Mt Vernon later in the fall, which will be about an 80 mile round trip. So far our farthest ride is 31 miles last weekend, but that was at a better than 12 mph pace.

My wife has been a little slower than I in dropping weight, but now it is coming off her as well. In the 6 weeks I have come completely off Cholesterol medicine and my wife has reduced her blood pressure medicine.

Our only concern is what happens when the winter comes!?

TeamDale

I try to ride at least 100 miles each month. I have ridden 726 miles so far this summer, so count me in!

IronPhyllida

Oh I fancy joining this one, just done 1000 miles on bike since I took up cycling as part of my commute, started in March - in the snow...
1st Aug - 31.4miles
2nd Aug - 20.8 miles

Total: 52.2miles

IronPhyllida

I love that this thread is here. i am a former runner who now has bad knees and a totally replaced hip, so running is sorta out.

My wife and I got bikes 6 weeks ago for Father's Day. We got Trex Recreational Bikes, and have gone crazy! In 6 weeks I have ridden mine about 550 miles and she has ridden hers about 490 miles. We are very fortunate to live right next to a wonderful riding trail which is 45 miles long and ten feet wide. (it is the Virginia W&OD Trail, and is an old railway bed http://wodfriends.org/trail.html ). We try to do at least 10-13 miles 5-6 times a week and one longer one on the weekend. Our ultimate goal is to make it to Mt Vernon later in the fall, which will be about an 80 mile round trip. So far our farthest ride is 31 miles last weekend, but that was at a better than 12 mph pace.

My wife has been a little slower than I in dropping weight, but now it is coming off her as well. In the 6 weeks I have come completely off Cholesterol medicine and my wife has reduced her blood pressure medicine.

Our only concern is what happens when the winter comes!?

Thick gloves and socks :bigsmile:

Wuggums

Wish I would have found this thread sooner!! Most of my workouts this summer have been hiking and biking and I'm totally addicted. I didn't track well in April or May, but my stats for the last two months:

June: 270.49 miles
July: 333.44 miles
August: 400 mile goal

Also working on increasing my speed and incorporating more hills. My average speed in the spring was about 13mph and I'm up to about 15.5 mph average on most 30-40 mile rides.

CricketKate

Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! One and All!

Just_Ceci

8/1 Rode 16.56 mi
8/2 Ran/walked 6.24 mi

I want to hit 200 mi including runs this month

CricketKate

I got in 12.4 miles this morning. I"ve really struggled with my rides since my blood pressure problem 2 weeks ago. They feel a lot harder than they should and I haven't been able to get my miles up to where I want them.

autumnlily31185

I've been using a stationary bike three times a week and going about a mile each time. I'm thinking about quitting that and running instead because I don't feel sore afterwards, just tired and I'm worried that it's not doing anything for me. Maybe I'm not using proper form? I put the resistance up so I know it's not too easy..

How long does it normally take you to complete the 1 mile?

There are several ways to cycle in all depends on what your fitness goals are. You can lower the resistance and just cycle for 20-30 mins. You can also go hard for 1 min then light for 2 mins...etc.

416runner

Can I come in? I'm trying to spend more time on my bike since my body is fighting me on running.

My goals for August are at least 100kms outside and 10 hours indoors (on my trainer or in spin class).

Keffinger22

What is a good goal for a beginner? The last time I rode I did a mile but felt like death afterwards....any suggestions would be greatful!!! I have a bad knee and my doctor said I should bike for cardio instead of running and that it would also help build muscle around me knee and strengthen it. I would really like to get into riding and building up my miles! I have a hybrid bicycle.

Thanks in advance!!!!

cyclist_44060

This is a great thread. I have ridden about 1,200 miles so far this year. I have a goal of 300 miles in August leading up to my first Century ride in mid-September.

dorrien12

Oh wow, I just started cycling for exercise (I was mostly riding 30 min to an hour a few days a week). I am glad to join in:

June 36 miles
July 80 miles
Aug 150 mile goal (4 miles so far, better get moving)

dorrien12

What is a good goal for a beginner? The last time I rode I did a mile but felt like death afterwards....any suggestions would be greatful!!! I have a bad knee and my doctor said I should bike for cardio instead of running and that it would also help build muscle around me knee and strengthen it. I would really like to get into riding and building up my miles! I have a hybrid bicycle.

Thanks in advance!!!!

Don't fret, when I first started riding in May of this year, I could only do 15 min, then 30, and now at 1 hour. I will continue to push myself. You will get there.