riding into the heat of july

[north woods gal]

Finished July way down on my miles tally from June, but that was by design, so a good thing. Still managed 622 miles for the month, but that's a bit hard to interpret because nearly 200 of those miles were off pavement and a good portion of those miles were some really technical and nasty single track and primitive roads. One thing for sure, when doing the hard stuff on the MTB, I end up panting and stopping to catch my breath, at times, something I very rarely have to do when on pavement and then there are all the bumps and bruises with the heavy duty MTB work. Whew! Physically, the mountain biking is such a very different kind of biking than road biking. Love them both, though.

[ny biker]

It's been years since I've ridden real single track, but a couple of years ago I did some cold-weather riding with my mountain bike on the bridle path that runs next to a long rail-trail in this area. It was definitely more work than riding the paved path, and not just because the paved path is flatter. I would do more of it, but that bike needs some work and I don't want to spend that money right now. But it is a good workout for a relatively short ride. (Also more work afterwards -- the bike gets so dirty!)

Have I mentioned that I know someone who has already logged more than 10,000 miles in 2016? He's currently leading his home state in the National Bike Challenge. I also know the #3 person in the same state. They do spend a lot of time in the saddle.

[north woods gal]

Yes, that translates to a LOT of time in the saddle. I did 10,0052 miles in 2008, but it took me all year, riding in the cold and snow and after dark on many nights. I did it just to prove to myself that I could do it, but it meant putting a lot of my other activities on hold to get it done. Fortunately, it did not burn me out on biking, but really not interested in doing it, again, not with so many other activities I do. Also, I was single, at the time. Be pretty hard on a relationship unless your SO was with you.

[emily_in_nc]

10K already is a LOT. My DH did over 13K in 2014, and I thought that was amazing. I did 7500 that same year, my highest ever. I will be happy with 3K this year!

I have done 153 miles in the past three days riding the Heartland and Paul Bunyan Trails up here in Minnesota. What gorgeous trails! I am ready for a couple of travel days and to let my raw sit bones heal up and my quads settle down. I hadn't been doing that long rides, or that many days in a row, so I am exhausted. I will enjoy the two days off thoroughly!

[ny biker]

That's actually a good way to approach travel days when you know you'll just be sitting in a vehicle and not doing much else -- wear yourself out with some good long bike rides.

The guy who's logged over 10K already commutes by bike, all year long, in all kinds of weather, and is pretty fearless when it comes to riding in traffic on bike-unfriendly roads. Then every weekend he does at least one century, sometimes a century and a half. The guy who's currently third in the state retired last year and is happy to spend it doing bike rides almost every day.

I know another retiree who averaged more than 10K every year for a long time. I think maybe last year he only had about 7K miles, because he had partial knee replacement at the start of the year. He's another one who rides almost every day, just because he loves it. Then there's the friend who surpassed 5000 miles last year even though she broke her femur in March.

Meanwhile I fell short of 2000 last year, though if two metrics had not been rained out in Sept and Oct I would have made it. And that's more than enough for me. Maybe if I wasn't working five days a week I would want to ride more often, but for now if I tried to do more I would get tired of it.

[Aromig]

My goal was to reach 5000 this year -- and I'm on track to do it -- but wow it's hard. I work full time, have two teenage boys in sports (but they can't yet drive themselves) and have an hour car commute each way. So it's taking a lot more free time and a whole lot more advanced planning than I'm always comfortable with (I'll often have the bike and ride for the hour the boys are practicing, etc.) I just want to prove I can do it. I've done two "events" this year RAIN at 160 miles and the Horsey Hundred at 100. I'd do better if I signed up for more of those, but all of the rides I want to do seem to fall on basketball or soccer tournament weekends.

I cannot even FATHOM riding 10K per year. Just WOW. I have to ride nearly every day to get where I'm at (albeit I often can only fit in 10 or 15 miles before it gets dark when I get home).

[emily_in_nc]

That makes sense, Aromig. I was only able to do the 7500 mile year because I am retired. I rode, not every day, but most days. I believe the most I ever managed when I was working full-time was 3400 or so, and that probably included some trainer miles. The 7500 did not as I no longer even have a trainer. 5000 while working full-time is a LOT, especially if you don't bike commute.