They don't get it

[Bron]

Yes, I know people like that.

Whilst my mother is great, she is not an athlete. During one of my calls home during Uni, she asked how I was, so I told her that I was tired because of all of the training we were doing in our rowing team. Her reply...."well, just don't pull as hard, then you won't get tired".

Bron

[Squeaky]

Since I've started biking regularly, I feel better physically and mentally, and I'm much happier it seems (go endorphins!!). I'm having fewer migraines and since my cardiovascular strength is building, I'm having fewer heart problems. I was taking 3 preventive medications a day and now I'm down to just one for my thyroid. All that after only 2 months.

Not to mention the gas money I'm saving, as well as the wear and tear on my car. And, I don't sit in traffic with stress levels rising by the minute.

hmmmm, what's not to get?

[Tater]

I think Geonz hit it on the mark. Many people have this notion that the car is the only way to get to where one needs to be and those of us who choose to pedal are either too poor to get a car, must have gotten a DUI, is a student or a 'hippie' on the fringe. They don't get that we may do it for the health benefits, for the environment, for saving gas money to spend on more bike goodies (or photography gear), or simply for that rush of wind by ones' ears and the fleeting feeling of being a kid again.

Now that the morning temperatures have dropped into the low thirties, there are only three other bike commuters (all male. Only two other gals ride in warmer weather). Every morning as I walk in, the security guards will ask if I am still riding 'in this cold weather'. Well, yeah, got to get to work!

[kaybee]

Oh Susan, I can SO relate! None of my coworkers or my family members "get it." Fortunately (I think!) my family members are 700 miles away, so I don't have to constantly explain to them. However, my coworkers are a different story. Every Monday morning one of the men in the office, who is at least 100 pounds overweight, asks if I rode my bike over the weekend. When I smile and tell him that I did, he replies that I'm going to get killed on that thing. Of course, the women don't get it either, and think I'm a nut to be training for a half marathon, when I could be spending all that time shopping or having my nails or something equally fulfilling. I can't wait to hear the response I get from my boss in a few weeks when I tell him I need to be off a couple of days to go to Memphis to run my half.

However, my hubby does get it (and tells my regularly that he's proud of me -- what a sweetheart), and every now and then somebody else gets it. I was talking to a gentleman at the gym this morning, and he called me an athlete! Now, that may seem like nothing to some people, but to me it was a huge compliment.

So, as theav said: "spend more time here, amongst people who do get it." I agree.

KB

[xeney]

We get this less about biking and more about other things, although when I mentioned the mountain biking class I took a few weeks ago, a friend did ask me what on earth was wrong with a nice flat paved bike trail. (She's pregnant with twins and has been on bed rest for months so I chalked it up to jealous, or to practice since she's having two boys and will probably be saying things like that for the rest of her life.)

But when my husband broke his leg rock climbing a few years ago, I got a lot of, "Why on earth would you let him do something so dangerous?" and "I hope you aren't going to let him do anything that stupid anymore." Which I found completely mystifying ... for one, I'm not the boss of him any more than he's the boss of me, and also, is he supposed to stay wrapped in bubble wrap on the sofa?

[limewave]

I go by a school bus stop on my way home from work. It happens to be the kid's personal driveway and his house is set not even a quartermile from the road. Everyday his mom is waiting for him at the end of the drive in a golf cart. A friggin golf cart! We are such a sedentary nation . . .

[kaybee]

I go by a school bus stop on my way home from work. It happens to be the kid's personal driveway and his house is set not even a quartermile from the road. Everyday his mom is waiting for him at the end of the drive in a golf cart. A friggin golf cart! We are such a sedentary nation . . .

That is really sad, it is exactly why this generation of children has a lower life expectancy than our generation does! God made our bodies to move and we as a society just won't do it.

KB

[SadieKate]

I go by a school bus stop on my way home from work. It happens to be the kid's personal driveway and his house is set not even a quartermile from the road. Everyday his mom is waiting for him at the end of the drive in a golf cart. A friggin golf cart! We are such a sedentary nation . . .

Limewave, do you know that the mother doesn't have some kind of disability that may make the walk too hard or impossible? I agree with all that's been said but I also am trying ever so hard not to just assume one and all are hale and hardy. Perhaps you know that this woman should be able to walk the 1/4 mile just fine, I'm just throwing this out there as a thought for consideration. I get just as urked as you about our lazy nation but then meet someone who can't walk the 1/4 mile even if they wanted.

[Python]

My friend's like that and she's not even 40 yet. She is really bad with arthritis, used to cycle a lot with her husband and two daughters but there are times now her knees just give way under her. She's fallen down the stairs twice in the last 6 weeks because her knees gave out under her. She has been put to the top of the waiting list for an operation on her knees which they hope will help her to walk better. The knock on effect is that she has put on so much weight she is classed as clinically obese so it's a vicious circle. She needs to lose weight desperately but can't exercise. She is so bad with arthritis she can't do the ironing. Her husband has to do it and most of the housework. She said the other night that she wished she could come out on her bike with me as she knows it would help her lose weight. She is under doctors orders to try and lose weight, eats very sensibly and is losing weight but it is a slow process and there's no way she can speed it up. She is on medication to try to help her lose weight. I would so love for her to come out cycling with me but know she can't

[btchance]

I go by a school bus stop on my way home from work. It happens to be the kid's personal driveway and his house is set not even a quartermile from the road. Everyday his mom is waiting for him at the end of the drive in a golf cart. A friggin golf cart! We are such a sedentary nation . . .

In my apartment complex two kids (who just happen to be overweight) were given motorized scooters to play with as if they were bikes. These were designed for people who can't get around, not for kids to drive around in the street. When I was growing up, it was always bikes or skateboards. I just don't get this.

But back to the original post - I get it all the time. Parts of my family can't understand why I would do this, and it scares them to death when I'm on the road with cars, or on the trails where I may fall. At least some of them understand why I have to be doing this, as a release from all the stresses of everyday life. Hey, at least they get part of it.

[Python]

Since I've started biking regularly, I feel better physically and mentally, and I'm much happier it seems (go endorphins!!). I'm having fewer migraines and since my cardiovascular strength is building, I'm having fewer heart problems. I was taking 3 preventive medications a day and now I'm down to just one for my thyroid. All that after only 2 months.

Not to mention the gas money I'm saving, as well as the wear and tear on my car. And, I don't sit in traffic with stress levels rising by the minute.

hmmmm, what's not to get?

YES!!! YES!!! and YES again!!!

I'm asthmatic and have noticed since taking up cycling I hardly wheeze at all and my lungs are so much clearer for many hours after I come home.

I find cycling a great stress reliever too.

Anyway ladies, I need to pop to the supermarket for a few things - by bike of course