Epiphany - I don't have to ride

[gabriellesca]

long rides. This is news to me. I just went clipless and I've been riding in my old hometown getting used to them. Riding slower than before I got the new pedals but I'm sure thats because I'm so paranoid. But so far only one time that I got super nervous. Though I do fear speed more than before.

Anyway - as I was doing my regular route, which is a very slow ride - 13 miles in 50 minutes - I was enjoying the scenery and my bike and it dawned on me ... I don't have to find a group to ride with, I don't have to do another century, or a metric, or a 50 miler. I can just be happy and enjoy riding this way.

I know this is silly - but training for that Century and having a BF who is a super cyclist, and pressure from others asking about when my next long ride is was making me feel like I had to keep going on a level that maybe I'm not interested in.

Just thinking out loud - nice to realize I can still totally love riding, love my bike, love the sport without having to be so intense about it.

[shootingstar]

congrats., gabrielle.

Then pretty soon, you will cycle better without realizing it. If you go farther on your own/at your pace and do it regularily, you will get better than now. You will surprise yourself.

[ny biker]

Good for you.

You can always decide later that you want to set a goal for a longer "event" ride. Next year, or the year after that, or whatever. But having fun should always be your goal no matter what else you do.

[malaholic]

Yes!!! It's not about the BF or the other riders asking you about the next long ride. It's about you, and about riding the style of ride that *you* enjoy. Congrats on a great ride!

[Bike Chick]

Sounds like you just realized how satisfying it is to ride for you and not for someone else.

There is nothing written that says if you are a cyclist you have to ride XXX miles a week, keep training logs and maintain a XX mph average. After a while it's exhausting and takes the enjoyment out of it for me. It's good to challenge yourself and set goals as long as it's what you want to do and not what someone else expects you to do.

Flying down the road in a paceline is fun but all you see is the back of the person in front of you and the tread on his/her tires. Sometimes I just like to take my time and watch the sun come up or the turtles sunning themselves on a log. The journey is usually my focus, not the destination.

Enjoy riding for you.

[redrhodie]

I rode about 4,000 miles last year, and don't think I did a single ride over 40 miles. I feel like riding this way, 1-2 hour rides, several times a week, is really healthy. It's not hard on the body. If this way of riding works for you, go with it!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Anyway - as I was doing my regular route, which is a very slow ride - 13 miles in 50 minutes - I was enjoying the scenery and my bike and it dawned on me ... I don't have to find a group to ride with, I don't have to do another century, or a metric, or a 50 miler. I can just be happy and enjoy riding this way.

I know this is silly - but training for that Century and having a BF who is a super cyclist, and pressure from others asking about when my next long ride is was making me feel like I had to keep going on a level that maybe I'm not interested in.

Just thinking out loud - nice to realize I can still totally love riding, love my bike, love the sport without having to be so intense about it.

Wow, that the way I feel. In fact, this year I decided not to even keep track of my yearly mileage anymore. I just ride when i want to and how long i want to- it's so liberating! I don't think of myself as a cyclist, I just think of myself as a woman who loves riding her bike. Just like when I was a kid, except now I can go wherever I want and come home whenever I want.

[Zen]

It does my heart good to hear this.

my average speed today was 8 mph
I like to look at things and sometimes when I dismount to take a photo I'll stand there a while just to listen to the birds.

[Crankin]

I hardly did any long rides last year and my mileage ended up exactly the same as the year before. I did use my hybrid for lots of around town farm stand and errand rides and that made the difference, I think. None of those rides were more than 18 miles. Mostly my rides are between 15 and 35 miles. I did 2 50 milers last year and a few 40, but not many. I do have a goal of doing a few more long ones this year, with the idea of doing the Seacoast Century again, in September. But, it's flat and last time I did it with no special training... no rides over 65 miles before.
Funny, when I stopped logging my miles on BJ and generally relaxing, my riding improved. I want to ride my mountain bike more this year, too and do some running.
Gabriellesca, you got burned out by training with that group who was really focused on speed and racing last time. I've never ridden with people like that, so it's never been an issue for me. I can smell the roses or work on my speed, or do whatever I want. I have found a group who ride at my speed for when I want to ride with a group; otherwise, I don't really care that much.

[chicagogal]

I just started racing this year, and already I have so many times heard my teammates say things like, "if I do that race, it'll just be for fun." And I think to myself (or out loud), what race would you do NOT for fun. We aren't pros or anything. We are amateur racers enjoying some friendly competition in the midwest, happy when we win back our race registration fee with a podium finish. It is ALL for fun, even a big event/target race. And the minute it isn't fun any more, something needs to change!!!!!

[gabriellesca]

Thanks guys. You know, Crankin' you're spot on. I think, because my introduction to cycling was such an intense and focused effort with people who are really into their team and speed, etc. that it did make me feel like I couldn't really ride unless I trained for something. I know that I do everything better if there is a goal at the end - like training, even for a 30 mile ride. And I did LOVE the experience of the ride itself so much. But the guilt I've been having about not riding longer than an hour or 15 miles is just silly.

I would like to do the Seacoast Century as well ... but I'd like to do one of the shorter distances.

Anyway - nice to realize that even with my fancy gear, new pedals, new shoes, etc. - I can still tool around at 12 mph for an hour 2 times a week and enjoy myself!

[nscrbug]

Last season (and for a short while at the start of this season), I felt the exact same way as you, Gabriellesca. I logged about 5,500 miles last riding season...2 rides were centuries, but the remaining were mostly in the 70+ mile range. I had gotten SO neurotic about mileage, that if we didn't do AT LEAST 65 miles every ride...I felt like I was "slacking", and that it wasn't even worth riding. Yeah, that messed my head up pretty good.

At the start of this year's riding season (early March for me), I had to build up gradually after not riding for most of the winter months. We started out with 30-mile rides for a few weeks, then slowly built up to 50 or so. But my neurotic self started getting frustrated. I looked back on my ride logs from last year, and seeing that we had already been riding 70+ mile rides by this time last year...once again, made me feel like I was "slacking off" for not yet reaching those distances this year. But something has changed in the last few weeks (for the better) and suddenly, I find myself not obsessing about how far we have or haven't ridden. Today, I rode with my cycling buddy like I normally do on Mondays...it was drizzly and cool out, so we shortened the ride up a bit (38 miles)...and I was okay with that. I didn't freak out like I normally would. I hope I can get through the rest of this riding season NOT focusing so much on mileage, and instead just enjoying the ride.

Linda

[Bike Chick]

I just started racing this year, and already I have so many times heard my teammates say things like, "if I do that race, it'll just be for fun." And I think to myself (or out loud), what race would you do NOT for fun. We aren't pros or anything. We are amateur racers enjoying some friendly competition in the midwest, happy when we win back our race registration fee with a podium finish. It is ALL for fun, even a big event/target race. And the minute it isn't fun any more, something needs to change!!!!!

Very good point, chicagogal. I've heard people say that many times and you are right, if we aren't doing it for fun, what are we doing it for?

[OakLeaf]

There you go.

It got so not-fun for me that I burned out so hard I didn't ride at all for 12 years. I'm lucky to be back. Don't be that person.

[Tri Girl]

Good for you for the epiphany!!! About 5 years ago I got so caught up in mileage/avg/competing and it totally burned me out. I didn't do anything for almost a year. Now I ride for fun and because I want to. I still do triathlons and hang with the same crowd, but I'm SOOO much slower now. I don't even care. I want to do it for fun and because I like it.
Good on ya!!