What's your average distance, pace, etc?

[Aggie_Ama]

Signs of over training: (yeah - unfortunately they can all be symptoms of other things too... I think elevated resting HR is one of the better indicators)

elevated resting HR
Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
Mild leg soreness, general aches and pains
Pain in muscles and joints
Sudden drop in performance
Insomnia
Headaches
Decreased immunity (increased number of colds, and sore throats)
Decrease in training capacity / intensity
Moodiness and irritability
Depression
Loss of enthusiasm for the sport
Decreased appetite
Increased incidence of injuries.
A compulsive need to exercise

Thanks for posting this! I realized when I used to run all the time I ended up with almost all of these. Since I never led an active life before 2004 I am a little out of touch with my body. Good to keep in mind.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I just got back from a lovely 34 mile ride with my husband. Sunny day in the 60's, rolling countryside....just beautiful!
We goofed off a lot, taking pictures, stopping to chat with people....but even with all that I am really tired now, but in a good way. My legs especially feel like they got a good workout, there were a few good little hills in there.

So here's for all you jackrabbits that whine about your 'slow' speeds .... our speed on this 34 miler today?- average 8.9mph. (ok I'm usually more like a "blazing" 10mph)
Do I care?- not really, because I got several hours of great healthy exercise and got to enjoy a gorgeous day out in the country doing what I love.

[kelownagirl]

I just got back from a lovely 30 mile ride with my husband. Sunny day in the 60's, rolling countryside....just beautiful!
We goofed off a lot, taking pictures, stopping to chat with people....but even with all that I am really tired now, but in a good way. My legs especially feel like they got a good workout, there were a few good little hills in there.

So here's for all you jackrabbits that whine about your 'slow' speeds .... our speed on this 30 miler today?- average 8.9mph. (ok I'm usually more like a "blazing" 10mph)
Do I care?- not really, because I got several hours of great healthy exercise and got to enjoy a gorgeous day out in the country doing what I love.

I LOVE those kinds of rides. Erik and I have been riding downtown and along the boardwalk every Sunday for the past few weeks. Avg speed about 18-20kmh. (11 mph)

[Geonz]

I just got back from a lovely 34 mile ride with my husband. Sunny day in the 60's, rolling countryside....just beautiful!
We goofed off a lot, taking pictures, stopping to chat with people....but even with all that I am really tired now, but in a good way. My legs especially feel like they got a good workout, there were a few good little hills in there.

So here's for all you jackrabbits that whine about your 'slow' speeds .... our speed on this 34 miler today?- average 8.9mph. (ok I'm usually more like a "blazing" 10mph)
Do I care?- not really, because I got several hours of great healthy exercise and got to enjoy a gorgeous day out in the country doing what I love.

Amen!!

I was a little sluggish today because both wheels were dragging, I found out when i took the bike into the bike coop...

Tryin' to keep our club from devolving into a "fast riding only!" club ...

[Fredwina]

Remember, not everyone is riding for speed or for a personal best every time we click in. Some of us like to look and see where we're going (and then take photos )

[indigoiis]

I don't have a computer on the bike that I ride the most. And it's good that I don't. Some days I jam right along, some days I don't. But I know I am faster than last year, I am on my bike more this year than last year, and I'm being taken seriously as a "cyclist" by people at work and my own family.

I think sometimes the bike just doesn't want to go.
It's psychological.
Today I rode in to work, 25 miles, and because it was a Saturday, there was no traffic, no people, just me and the bike. And it took me ten minutes longer than it usually does.

I don't know why.

Think about this, though. Every ride is different. Sometimes, we tank up on water and maybe good food, and the combination of a good night's sleep and a tuned bike leads to a nice clip on the road. And sometimes, we wake up and we can't find our favorite shorts, and the dog won't come when called, and it's a little colder than yesterday, and our watch might be three minutes fast, and we might eat oatmeal instead of cheerios, and we might be a little dehydrated, and we might have ridden "too much" the day before, and man, it's just a drag getting on that hard little saddle and GAWD, didn't I JUST ride up that hill LAST NIGHT??? And the commute is not speedy nor is it particularly enjoyable. But it's still freakin' better than being in a car. I don't care what anyone says.

Stop thinking in terms of training.

Remember why you started doing this.
If you are like me, cycling saved your life.
So don't worry too much. Just love your bike. It's all you can do.

[Mr. Bloom]

Stop thinking in terms of training.

Hmmm...you're making it sound bad

For the Silvers, a big part of the enjoyment comes from pushing ourselves to new limits...if it's not fun, we slow down.

On a more positive note, my year to date miles = >210,000 calories burned which equals > 70 pounds consumed. So, since I haven't lost 70 pounds, I guess it would be said that I ride so I can eat

[7rider]

Hmmm...you're making it sound bad

For the Silvers, a big part of the enjoyment comes from pushing ourselves to new limits...if it's not fun, we slow down.

On a more positive note, my year to date miles = >210,000 calories burned which equals > 70 pounds consumed. So, since I haven't lost 70 pounds, I guess it would be said that I ride so I can eat

That's pretty much how DH and I view it, too. Challenges. Goals. Oh..and ride to eat!

[SouthernBelle]

Unless you ride cyclocross, I can't imagine what you are training for this time of year!

[kfergos]

Hmmm...you're making it sound bad

I think it can be bad or good depending on your mindset. If getting faster, stronger, etc. becomes an obsession, training is no longer a positive thing. If you can keep it as an enjoyable activity, a way to challenge yourself without it becoming a compulsion, that's wonderful. But I know personally that if I start trying to push myself, I will inevitably push too hard, become totally focused on the numbers, and ultimately stop enjoying the activity. So I try not to worry too much about my speed, but instead focus on enjoying myself. I have had a very hard time letting go of the expectation to go a certain speed, and now that I have let go (mostly), it's a matter of constantly remembering what the goal is: To have fun. We all are here to have a good time on two (or three) wheels, and whatever that means for each of us -- no matter how different -- is great.