Just curious...miles per year?

[Bike Goddess]

I started riding in August of 03. My first full year (2004), I did about 3000 miles. This is when I discovered I could do century rides and feel good afterwards. I even managed a double metric that year, much to my surprise.

Last year, I clocked in just under 7500 miles. BUT, I did a lot of cycling to make that goal. 5AM rides, longer rides on my days off, lots of century rides. Since I have a full time job (37-40 hrs/wk) cycling has to fit into my work schedule.

This year, my strategy is a little different. I haven't been doing early morning rides. Instead, when I have a day off, I go out earlier than the rest of my riding pals so I can get in more miles (metrics) and still socialize with them on the way home. My original goal was 2 metric centuries a week. March weather has put a dent in that so we'll see if I can catch up later. My goal this year is 7500 miles. If it ever stops raining around here, I MIGHT make it!

In December '05 I got a new bike (Scott CR1)which is lighter and more appropriate for my riding style. Now I'm contemplating doing more double metrics and at some point might even try a double century (just to see if I can do it). For me, it all started with 10 mile rides which turned into 20 miles, and then pretty soon it was metrics, then centuries, then double metrics. I just keep looking for where my limits are. So far, so good!

You gotta start somewhere, so don't let those of us who have been riding awhile intimidate you. Just know we were all newbies to this at one time or another in our lives and we also wondered how others racked up those long distances!

[songlady]

My first year of focused cycling was 2004, I was riding a Trek hybrid and managed 1600 miles. Feeling very pleased with myself, I tried to work a little harder in 2005. On Dec. 31st, I sat down and added up the miles with my calender and calculator (just to double check) and got 1993.5 miles. If there had not been snow on the ground and a bitter (single digit) wind chill, you bet I would have been out there for those stupid, measily 7 miles!!
Got my first road bike a month ago, absolutely loving it. Should be interesting to compare mileage this year!

[Geonz]

When I got my first bike-shop bike with a computer, it was over a year later I think when I went back for a new helmet to celebrate 1000 miles. (The helmet was older or it didn't fit or something.) Probably rode a little more the next couple years but it was mostly summer. THen I added sometimes commuting (2.5 miles each way) to work.

It's gradually taken over. I'm up to 7500 + for the last two years, but this year that Xtracycle (well, and the state of the world) has pushed me across a threshold of reluctance to use the car for anything at all close. I'm only 7 miles from work, but often I take a 15 mile route to get here. I hit 1000 miles in mid March, my earliest, and I'm 'way ahead of the car (1275 bike - 596 car). I'm afraid that 30 mph winds and thunderstorms weren't enough to get me in the car this week... I've found I don't dissolve (or get cold) in the rain.

There are lots of creative ways to commute, though: "park and ride" at either end, etc. At least find a route so that on a really nice day, when you feel like it, you can make it a great bike day and ride in. Give yourself that extra 15 minutes for cleaning up... maybe let 'em know hey, you're trying something new and might be late (have a cell phone?).

Also figure out how to use the bike for all the little local stuff, though there are some parts of this town I really don't like to drive to... but my tolerance has been getting better and I'm getting more willing to negotiate traffic. Drivers are still amazingly nice. I think the main thing is to gradually increase what you do (like all addictions - you don't start out thinking you'll end up obsessed! It sneaks up on you!), at your pace.

We have this idea that cars are *so* much mroe convenient than bikes, but actually it's because we've gradually developed habits. I realized that now, the car is almost less convenient than the bike because *it* is the thing that is different and I have to ask myself "okay, what do I need to have?" I'm the most disorganized absent minded slob (spontaneous, creative genius?) yo'ull ever hear about... but I count off on my fingers "helmet, sunglasses, water, keys, pump, gloves, phone" and I'm out there (usually without at least one of those thigns because I can't find it, but at least I know I can't find it).

[betagirl]

I rode about 2800 miles last year, which was from about the end of March til the end of September. I live in Chicago, so we have a rather short season. Well, where it's warm enough for me to ride The year before that I did about 2000 miles.

I set my goal on Bike Journal for this year at 5000 miles. I recently moved where I'll be doing a lot more riding, so I hope that that means I am able to meet that goal. We'll see

[tjodit]

Well, I don't know if I'll ever be able to put up miles like you ladies, or should I say cycling machines, but at least I already have half the miles I had for the whole of last year! I've decided to give up one of my racquetball days for cycling also. Keep up the good work everyone!

[SadieKate]

I really want to offer encouragement to everyone who is concerned about how her yearly mileage compares to others. Remember that it isn’t the number of miles a year you ride but that the miles you ride are satisfying and help you attain your goals. I’ll offer an example. Over the last 7 days, I rode 141 miles. Sounds wimpy by some of the posts above, right? But those were all mountain bike miles at 5,000 ft or higher altitude. I would have to have ridden about 300 road miles over the same 7 days to come close to the same effort level. In other words, my mile is not the same as your mile or anyone else’s mile unless you were there with me under the same conditions.

The miles I rode prior to these 7 days were what I needed to ride to accomplish my goal of having a sufficient fitness level to ride a very hilly metric at the end of March and to enjoy my mountain bike trip. I rode the mountain bike trip at a leisurely and fun pace but used the hills as training for a double metric I hope to ride at the beginning of May. This all builds to another mountain bike trip at the end of May and a flat century in June. Pardon me, but I really couldn’t give a rat’s patootie about the total mileage for the year. Yeah, it is a fun number to see building but the really important numbers are the ones you need to hit organized rides, general fitness goals, conquering that hill, lessening the puke factor, whatever. Focus on the intermediate goals and ride your ride. You’ll remember those accomplishments more fondly and have better stories in your old age.

[maillotpois]

I really want to offer encouragement to everyone who is concerned about how her yearly mileage compares to other. Remember that it isn’t the number of miles a year you ride but that the miles you ride are satisfying and help you attain your goals. I’ll offer an example. Over the last 7 days, I rode 141 miles. Sounds wimpy by some of the posts above, right? But those were all mountain bike miles at 5,000 ft or higher altitude. I would have to have ridden about 300 road miles over the same 7 days to come close to the same effort level. In other words, my mile is not the same as your mile or anyone else’s mile unless you were there with me under the same conditions.

The miles I rode prior to these 7 days were what I needed to ride to accomplish my goal of having a sufficient fitness level to ride a very hilly metric at the end of March and to enjoy my mountain bike trip. I rode the mountain bike trip at a leisurely and fun pace but used the hills as training for a double metric I hope to ride at the beginning of May. This all builds to another mountain bike trip at the end of May and a flat century in June. Pardon me, but I really couldn’t give a rat’s patootie about the total mileage for the year. Yeah, it is a fun number to see building but the really important numbers are the ones you need to hit organized rides, general fitness goals, conquering that hill, lessening the puke factor, whatever. Focus on the intermediate goals and ride your ride. You’ll remember those accomplishments more fondly and have better stories in your old age.

Here here! This is SO true. Anyone's 10 miles are not the same as anyone else's. There are so many variables. Wind, hills, elevation, bike and equipment, tire pressure, what sort of day you had, what you ate the day before, etc. ad infiniutm. I've done doubles that were "easier" than some 70 miles rides I've done. Ride your ride, compete with yourself if you want. But make it fun.

However, I have to disagree with SK about the whole "lessening the puke factor" thing. How else are we to lose weight and improve speed on hills?

[tjodit]

I really want to offer encouragement to everyone who is concerned about how her yearly mileage compares to others. Remember that it isn’t the number of miles a year you ride but that the miles you ride are satisfying and help you attain your goals.

I totally agree with your advice and appreciate the encouragement. However, the reason I (and probably other newbies) am curious about this is not to compare myself to someone else but to see if I am progressing at a "normal" rate. What I mean is it would be comforting to know that all you biking machines started out only being able to ride 15 to 20 miles at a time and at a speed less than 15 mph. I've started keeping a bike journal and can now see that I've gone from an average speed of about 12 miles an hour to 14.x an hour. Yesterday's ride broke the 15 mph avg. barrier! I've gone from being able to comfortably ride 12-18 miles to being comfortable at 20-25 miles. I know these aren't hugh strides but I am making progress. I think we newbies want to hear that everyone started out like this. That we're normal and not just worthless couch potatoes with no hopes of ever riding a century! At least I'm hoping ya'll didn't just jump on a bike one day and were able to crank out all those miles. Sometimes I wonder if the truely new folks are reluctant to write about their miles and speed...I know I am ...you ladies are intimidating...and I mean that in a good way...I'm very impressed with what ya'll can do. And I hope one day I can say I accomplished some of the things you ladies have.