Cycling progress

[lethargic_man]

A few years ago, I managed to snap the mileometer off my old bike. When I got my new bike, did I get a new mechanical mileometer? No, because it would only have been a matter of time until I managed to snap that off too. And did I get a new computerised mileometer? No, because it would have meant extra faff attaching and removing it every time I left the bike somewhere vulnerable.

Actually, the above two reasons are lies. It never occurred to me to do either of the above until I'd already put plan C into operation, which was to write a CGI script on a webserver at work, which I updated, via a web form, every time I come into work, with whether I had cycled to work (known distance), and a guesstimate (aided, if necessary, by Google Maps) of how much non-commuting cycling I had done since the last time I filled in the form.

Having just upgraded the script last night to graph the output, I thought I'd post the results:

Weeks covered:	39
Average weekly journeys:	2.62
Average weekly mileage:	34.69 miles
Average mileage on full weeks:	40.58 miles
Total mileage:	1338 miles

Key:

1. Acquired bike at end of week.
2. Ill.
3. Stockholm trip.
4. Limmud.
5. Bumped up from cycling to work three times a week, to cycling four times. The first week was also the one in which I cycled several times to shiva for R. Wittenberg's father.
6. Week incomplete.

My three-times a week commute (up to point 5) covered 36 miles a week. Before I started keeping records, I assumed I'd be averaging 36–40 miles a week in total. What I discovered to my surprise was that in the summer, when the weather was good, I'd be out and about and going places on a Sunday, such that I averaged 45 miles in the first few weeks. Then when the weather got colder and wetter I stopped going anywhere on a Sunday if I could avoid it, and my average dropped to barely above 36.

It's going to be interesting to see how things change now I'm cycling to work four times a week; I may be more leery of cycling places on a Sunday, due to not wanting to wear myself out by the time I leave for home on a Tuesday evening...

Comments

[green-knight.livejournal.com]

Geek.

I've always found that low mileage cycling (2-3) had absolutely no effect on exhaustion levels.

This place is full pf bikeshops. They range from 'who cares what size frame you're buying, as long as it fits you more or less?' to 'this is what you should look for in the particular bike you want' to 'just bring some time and you can go and test ride the bikes we have in stock'. Unfortunately, time and weather have not cooperated for a visit to the last.

I've decided not to rescue my old bike after all. It would need some serious maintenance, and the money I'd have to spend on that will go a fair way towards a brand new one that is *right here*. Must have good weather so I can buy a bike.

[lethargic-man.livejournal.com]

Geek.

<bows (http://mfile.akamai.com/14142/wm2/muze.download.akamai.com/2890/us/euwm2/966/3102966_1_10.asx?obj=v41129)>

I've always found that low mileage cycling (2-3) had absolutely no effect on exhaustion levels.

It's the low mileage added on top of the high mileage that I'm concerned about.

[green-knight.livejournal.com]

It's the low mileage added on top of the high mileage that I'm concerned about.

It's not cumulative unless you're stretching yourself to the limits of your endurance on 'cycle to work' days and need a day to recouperate after the effort. If cycling to work is within your range of fitness - you come home at the end of the day feeling you've had a good workout but basically able to do another five miles at least - then doing two or three miles during the week should have no noticable negative effect, in fact, they will build your fitness much better than doing long stretches.

Intervall training is a complex beast, but in my opinion - and my experience - you get the best results training little and often, and not getting to the boundaries of your fitnes. The edge is where you do muscle damage and the body needs time to repair afterwards; inside the range is where you improve your strength/muscle tone/general endurance most easily.

[lethargic-man.livejournal.com]

That may be the case, but the fact of the matter is that after cycling to work two days in a row, I feel fairly worn out, and going up to a third day in a row, I don't enjoy it at all coming back home uphill. It's only six miles each day, and I know I can do more—I've managed up to seventy-five miles in one day, the day of my Berwick-to-Newcastle ride, and 105 miles in that week—but regular commuting of short distances plus the normal wearing-out effect of a day's work, non-physical though it be, does leave me feeling worn out after a few days.