Bike Journal - Journals

[yellow]

Well, I'm very new to BJ and really haven't had much occasion to use it yet. I really signed up in response to peer pressure and to add miles to the Amici Veloci group. I'm not sure how I'll use it once I start actually riding outside (I don't track trainer miles). I think mine is public, though I'm not sure anyone would really be all that interested in it. I haven't read anyone else's, though it sounds like I need to read Jobob's!

I have a pretty nifty personal spreadsheet that I use to track ALL of my activity since cycling is not the only or main thing that I do. I'll probably start with just miles this year on BJ and see how it goes. I track routes, average speed, and total miles on my spreadsheet so that I can see how I progress over the season. Since all my bike routes will be new this year, it'll mostly just be "data".

I don't think I'll ever be that detailed other than that as my fitness goals are pretty simple and can't be measured in average HR, etc: stay healthy so that I can continue to enjoy life now and post-retirement and to control life stress. And fitness must be fun. I have historically been waaaaaay too hard on myself and a chronic goal non-achiever (mostly because my goals were not reasonable). I don't want to play that game with my head anymore. I think the real reason I track stuff in the spreadsheet is to prove to myself that I am staying active, which will keep me healthy and happy.

I will caveat my "fun" requirement with a confession that I do go to the gym, which I don't really find all that fun. But I go because if I don't go with him, DH doesn't go. And it's interesting people watching, especially this time of year with all of the resolutionaries hanging about. And I know that I benefit from the strength training, so I can hack it a few days a week anyhow.

[nuthatch]

I never even thought about looking at someone else's journal! And I never bothered to make mine private - why would anyone look at it? Ha! Of course, this thread had me rushing right over to BJ to see who had a public journal.

I'm really only interested in using my own journal as a historical record for myself and browsing the forum, which seems friendly and supportive for the most part as well as having the manly perspective. I don't keep track of statistics anywhere else but BJ so it's important; accessible from anywhere I'm visiting via the internet and worth the annual fee, I think.

[pkq]

Do you read other folk's journals?

Rarely.


Why do you keep yours public/private?

Private. I don't want some to know how I'm training. Too much info will make me unsurprising, bland, predictable, defeatable.

My average speed isn't meaningful because I warm up and cool down on the bike. I throw in junk miles, too, on many rides. Riding lots of hills w/ steep grades is hard to compare with others, too.

What categories do you pay most attention to in your journal? In other folk's journal?

My journal, hmmm, depends on the ride. Usually heart rate stuff, miles, and how I felt. I like to track how I do on the same training routes, especially the hill repeats.

Others journals, hmmm, depends on what looks like useful information.

As an aside, I use the enhanced graphs to see trends. It's a great tool to see max speeds, too, for descents. I'll look at the graph for mileage, too, which has shown a decrease in miles/ride occasionally.

I do enhanced stats to see where some of the women are relative to me, like Rookie, TalimenaTammy, and a few others I have met. But I don't do that very often. Of course, if I am in a dead heat with Rookie, I will look often.

[CorsairMac]

Now Corsair I would love to see your journal because you've been doing the unsupported centuries which I think is so cool.

V.

Wow V - thank you very much! That means a lot to me!

[SadieKate]

My average speed isn't meaningful because I warm up and cool down on the bike. I throw in junk miles, too, on many rides. Riding lots of hills w/ steep grades is hard to compare with others, too.

Yep, this is why I don't use the general rankings for competition. Everybody plays by different rules. For instance, a mile of technical singletrack isn't worth any more than a mile of skinny-tired pavement on BJ and it definitely affects your average speed. I read mostly to see where people ride and if they had fun. Some of the comments can be pretty funny, though I wonder about someone who records their rank after each ride. It's strikes me that it is the same mentality as racing a century course and bragging about beating someone who wasn't racing it. Just me, but I think it is odd. Reading the journals is like people watching at the airport.

[Bike Goddess]

My journal is public and I've never had a problem. I haven't a clue of how to set up my own spreadsheet and the BJ seems to handle what I would need anyway to track my progress.

With regards to comparing my rides, that is difficult because some days I have to deal with a strong wind one way and another day, it might be the same ride, but different wind conditions. No two days ever seem to come out the same! Of course that is why I enjoy riding- never know til you do the ride how it is going to be!

I seldom read anyone else's journal. What I do read, however, are people's reports on the metric century thread as I have been active on that thread and post my metrics on that thread. If I have a funny story, it goes there for others to read. I also stated a goal with that group so I will add my metrics in there to keep track of my progress. I will also comment on other threads if I find I have something I wish to speak about.

One thing I do like about the BJ is we can send other riders comments. I love to be able to tell someone how much I enjoyed riding with them or how I enjoy reading their comments on a particular thread, etc and I enjoy getting feedback from others (even though I am always surprised when someone sends me a message).

I have met folks from all over the country (and am about to meet some more) from my involvement with BJ as with this forum. Every person I have met so far has been a delight. We have traveled many a mile together on our bikes and I am thankful for the companionship.

Yes, I too would love to hear about others' travels, BUT if people want to keep their journals private, fine with me!

I look at stats more for fun than anything else. Sure, it does motivate me, but I'd ride anyway if I didn't ever have that part of the BJ.

By participating with the BJ I have a cross section of cyclists that I wouldn't have if I just wrote in this forum. Yes, when my membership comes due, I'll ante up. It's worth the money for me!

[caligurl]

actually.. the comments section is just for riders that have ridden with you! slantz even bolds the word ridden (the formatting didn't come through when i cut and pasted the snippet!)

"If you have ridden with this member, please leave a message about your experience."

i would like to see a PM on the forums.. like they have here! people have used the "add me to your buddy list" to send me messages... but once you hit add.. you can't do that again! PM would be awesome!

i have a "stalker" from another board that follows me around and then starts trouble back at another board.. NO WAY am i putting my info out there for people like that to see where i ride.. what i do! besides.. my journal is for me and my comparisons! (now that my rides are finally coming around again... i.e. borrego to the sea... fall metric.. etc.. that i did for the first time last year.... it's nice to go back and see if i've improved or *gasp* gotten worse!)