Your Total Outside Miles 1/1-6/30/07?

[DarcyInOregon]

What are your total outside miles for this year, ending June 30, 2007, and not counting miles on a trainer, spinning class or fitness bike? What type of cyclist are you, for example, fitness/fun or racer? What are your proudest achievements with respect to your miles? Finally, how many outside miles do you hope to bike by the end of the year?

This thread is intended to draw in those of us who don't bother to post on Bikejournal and who don't necessarily post to this forum a lot because 1)we are busy cycling and 2)we have busy lives off the computer. And yes, please, those of you who chat in this forum a lot please post your tallies too.

I started a thread like this one at the beginning of April, and it was real fun.

Let me start. I biked 2436 miles. I am a fitness/fun cyclist, primarily a soloist, and I ride with biking buddies when I can.

For the total miles, I was off the bike for two weeks when I was travelling, and responsibilities in my life derailed me on quite a few additional days.

I've increased my number of miles per week. I went down a size in cycling shorts. My jerseys are looser. My HMO assigned me a new doctor who actually reviewed my medical chart and she made her nurse call me and force me into the lab for thorough blood tests because I reached age 53. I am proud to say that my focus on nutrition and diligence with respect to my cycling gave me lab results all in the optimal range, including a fasting glucose of 91, an A1C of 5.4, and a total cholesterol of 130 (with all components of the cholesterol in the optimal range.) Additionally, I got a body composition test and I have a real high lean body mass, and I only have 40 pounds of excess fat to lose. The fat is not my focus; I eat and exercise with respect to my lab numbers so as to remain healthy into old age, to prevent nutritional and stress related diseases, and thus the fat slowly dissolves over time.

I hope to pedal 6000 miles by the end of the year. By next year I want to cycle centuries that are as easy for me as 60 mile rides are this year.

Darcy

[lauraelmore1033]

my total for the year so far is 1515 miles. I cycle for fun/fitness. I have lost somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 pounds, but have decided that the number on the scale is not all that important to me even though it is still astonishingly high. The blood work numbers have always been good (cholesterol, blood sugar, etc...) so I imagine cycling will continue to keep them so. My proudest accomplishment was completing my first century 3 weeks ago on a cold, wet, miserable day. I was also pretty proud of myself for muddling through a very challenging (for me) tour of California in May (although I did resent remarks by fellow riders expressing surprise that I was "making it". --Insert fat lady rant #346 about stupid assumptions people make here--)

I started cycling again last march and I've come a long way away from that first uncomfortable 5 mile ride (sub 10 mph pace). I am now comfortable riding on the streets and with other riders. This is actually a huge change for me. Hills aren't so intimidating anymore. I have gained the patience to grind up them and the courage to fly down them. Most of the time... I haven't found myself in tears over a scary down hill for, oh, at least two months. Averaging ten mph was a challenge when I started, and now I can (but not very often) achieve 13-16 mph if I feel like pushing it.

I'm not sure what my goals are for the future. I guess I would like to continue getting faster and going farther--but only as long as it continues to be fun.

[Mr. Bloom]

I've not logged miles meticulously relying on my odometer, but then I changed and it got complicated...plus, I just got my bike in March, but the the weather would not have allowed much riding prior to that...

I've done about 1,400 miles since March for fun/fitness. Mostly solo miles as well. Had two 2 week periods where I was unable to ride at all because of obligations and weather (and I gained three pounds as a result).

Longest week was about 250 miles (flat but windy at the beach) and longest ride was the Horsey Hundred in Georgetown, KY.

My average ride is 20 to 30 miles with rolling, occassionally steep, hills. This is long way from my Dec 30 post where I was heaving after 10 miles

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ht=Silver+kill

[makbike]

Thus far I've logged 2329 miles on the road. My average ride is about 22.5 miles long and my average speed for the year is 15.5 mph. I've set a goal of 3,500 miles on my DF and 1,500 on my Giro. Thus far I've logged 2194 on my DF and sadly only 135 miles on my Giro. I feel confident I'll reach the goals I set for my DF but am not as confident about those I set for my Giro. I lost several months on my Giro when my back was really bothering me. I also am not as confident/strong on my Giro and certainly not as fast on it as I am on my DF. I've set a goal of riding it at least 25 miles 2 -3 times each week for the reminder of the season (most likely will be back on my trainer in November). However, even with the time lost due to my back and my recent surgery I feel like I'm having a very good year on my bikes so I have no complaints.

I mainly ride solo (fun/fitness) but I do try to join the club for a few rides each week.

My greatest accomplishment this year would have to be the increase in my speed.

I have also managed to drop 5 pounds this summer (thanks to my ex-BF ) and my clothes fit so much better. I had set a goal at the end of the school year to drop 7 pounds and to get back to what I weighed when I graduated from high school 27 years ago - just 2 more to go and 4 weeks until we return to school!

[silver]

thanks for this thread, Darcy!

3,007 as of 6/30/07

I ride for fitness and love of being on the bike. I also train for triathlons. I love riding long miles!!!

My proudest achievement on the Bike is inspiring my hubby and son to ride too. I'm also thankful to even be riding again after my wreck last year.

My original goal for the year was 3,000. I've now upped that to 6,000 and am happy to have a new 6,000 mile goal buddy in Tater. Anyone else like to join us?

[Geonz]

I sold my car 5/30 and haven't gotten around to replacing it yet, so I use my bike for transportation as well as recreation and fitness and my main social outlet/inlet. My addiction is a 100+ mile/week habit, with short and extended binges; my tally hit around 4200 at the end of the month. (I live in a very good place for cycling - lots of long, flat roads and not a lot of traffic.)

[IFjane]

(I live in a very good place for cycling - lots of long, flat roads and not a lot of traffic.)

You need to come back to Madison, Sue - what's cycling without hills??

I was off the bike for 4 weeks & it took several more to regain my stamina. So far I have logged 1800+ miles. My goal for '07 WAS 2500.....guess I'll have to bump that up, huh?

[Gowest]

I have ridden about 1800 miles this year.

I ride mostly for fitness and pleasure - I just started racing time trials. I have been riding for a little over a year.

My largest accomplishment this year was to ride the Assault on Mount Mitchell - which I did. And I had a great time!!!

My goals for next year are to find a significant other who wants to share my love of riding. ( I just ended a long term relationship with a racer who kept lowering me down the priority list - until I felt like nothing other than a convenience to him) If this doesn't happen, then I will continue to ride just for me.

Debi

[Thorn]

1688 outdoor miles. Ride for fun. Aim for 130-150mi/week.

We (DH and I) ride for us alone. We don't race. We don't compare ourselves to others. We do it for fitness and as a stress reliever. Nothing better than a fast 30 miles on Friday night to get rid of the week's stress, except maybe a long ride on Saturday or Sunday.

I do keep track of indoor and outdoor miles on bikejournal, but more for curiousity than anything else.

[li10up]

I have over 1500 miles so far. I'm a recreational rider but want to get faster and go longer distances. I like riding with my friends but do go solo when schedules don't mesh. We've had rain nearly every day for the past 2 weeks so I haven't done much riding. My usual ride is about 20 miles long but my last two rides were 30 and and 37 miles. I wish I could report weight loss but I am probably the only person here that hasn't lost a single pound. I'm very disappointed in that fact. My goals for this year are to ride 3000 miles and to attempt and complete my first century.

Thanks for the thread Darcy...and congrates to all who posted on your mileage so far!

[Crankin]

I've ridden 1348 miles since January. Almost all of them have been on my road bike, with about 50 miles on my errand bike or my mtb. I ride for fitness and fun, but sometimes the fitness aspect starts to take away the "fun" part, so I back off. I don't have a firm goal for the year. Last year my goal was 2500 and i made 3000, due to a combination of very warm fall/early winter weather and doing a century in the fall. Now that I am no longer working, you would think I would quickly up my mileage, but I have found that i just can't make myself do long miles every day. I'm hoping to make 3,000 again and if it comes to more than that, that will be good, too. This year I am also trying to work on some of the technical aspects of cycling that I know I won't get better at, unless I actually make an effort (descending, etc). I mostly ride with my husband and/or another couple that we are friends with. I also have 2 weekly group rides that I do, but I can't seem to get into a regular rhythm of doing them. One usually involves driving someplace not that close for the ride start and I can't justify using the gas just to get to a ride, when i live in a great area to ride right outside my door. I also ride with TE people every so often. Once in awhile I ride alone, but that seems to have decreased, since for the first 3 years i rode by myself almost all of the time. I live in perpetual fear of mechanical issues, so that's my way of dealing with it. Yes, I know how to fix a flat, but no matter how much I practice, it is very difficult for me to get the back wheel on.
So, I seem to be in a constant battle with myself. I try to make cycling fun, but one part of me is a little bit competitive. When I get competitive, I tend to over train, injure myself, or burn out in some way. So then I will ride more slowly and/or less and comment how much fun it is, but I don't like the numbers...

[Aggie_Ama]

Just shy of 1,500 miles right now, I don't know the exact number but it is over1,400.

I ride mainly for the enjoyment, my DH is nudging me to get a little faster. I enjoy the time with him. We have a goal of 100 miles a week, but right now we are going longer than that. Our weekday rides in the summer average from 15-30 miles depending on how quickly he gets home. On weekends we work in at least one 50+ miler, try to do that both days.

I spent much of the fall dealing with stress (by eating) and entered the spring in poor shape. I am working on that!

Biggest accomplishment so far is completing the horrendous 85 mile suffer fest they called the Shiner GASP. Rain, hills, humidity, headwind, then heat. ICK! I didn't SAG and I can honestly say I wanted to. We have 3-4 centuries planned, depending on whether my husband can get off. Three of the centuries are hilly.

Total goal for the year is 3,500 miles, with mild winters I know I can do it.

[GLC1968]

So far for the year, I've totalled just shy of 1300 miles. Not a great number, but considering that I've been off bike for about 3 months (on and off) of that time, I'm ok with it. Total climbing is over 35,000 ft.

I ride mostly for fun and fitness, but I also commute to work as much as possible. My #1 cycling goal is to climb mountains on my bike, so this year, I've got my first mountain century planned. I'd planned on one in May, but had to miss it due to work, so the next one that fits my schedule is the 6 Gap Century in September. In addition, I plan on riding the same two organized centuries I did last year (one in August and one in September). Lastly, my goal is to drop the 20 lbs I gained when I picked up biking 2 years ago.

So far, my biggest accomplishments are the following - 1) I climbed my first 'mountain' locally on a ride with my husband a couple of months ago and 2) I have increased my avg speed on my lunch ride route by 2 mph overall (vs last summer).

My overall miles goal for the year was 2500, but I'm upping that to 3500. Now let's hope that my work schedule stays out of my way!

[indysteel]

First and foremost, let me just congratulate everyone on a great year so far.
Well done!

Since March 11th, I've done 2225 miles on the road. My goal for the year is 4500, and short a long stretch of bad weather, I think I'll make it (knock on wood). This is my first full season riding, and so far I'm having a much better year all the way around than I ever imagined.

I typically do two longer weekend rides (60 miles on average) and two shorter (28-32 miles) weekday "training" rides each week. On most weeks, I get at least 150 miles in and have some weeks closer to or in excess of 200, too. What's great is that long rides seem less and less taxing, and I'm now started to push harder and harder on them, having a better idea of what kind of energy I have at my disposal.

I also wanted to get faster and feel like I'm making progress on that front. As long as I'm working in a fairly efficient group, I'm averaging (on the flats mind you) 19-20 mph and am averaging over 18 mph for my solo rides. As I've said in a few other threads, the speed alone wasn't a goal of mine, but I wanted to be able to ride comfortably with more and more friends and groups. It's nice to be able to show up at a group ride and know that I can hang at or near the front. Also, given how flat Indianapolis is, it's also one of the few ways that I can continually challenge myself.

My biggest goal, however, is that I wanted to get better at climbing. I simply didn't have the strength or aerobic base to climb well last year. My first really climbing ride at the Hilly Hundred last October was a disaster. I've made it a point to do all the the rides offered by my local club that involve hills (keep in mind that you have to go out of your way to hit hills in Central Indiana). I also went to the Horsey Hundred in Kentucky over Memorial Day and did my first century. I'm happy to report that I am getting better. I think the hills (especially the short and steep variety that we have in Southern Indiana) are as much a mental thing as a physical thing. So, as my technique and fitness level have gotten better, my confidence level has gone up, too. I was even complimented by a group of guys I passed on a short, steep hill at the ride I did on Saturday!

I lost a few pounds when I first started biking last summer and got back down to what I consider to be my ideal weight. I've been able to hold it steady for the most part since then. I've gotten better muscle tone in my legs and, thanks to yoga, my upper body looks better than it ever has too. I would stress that until last summer, I was a bit of a couch potato. I had no energy and spent way too much time doing nothing much at home. I wouldn't say that I was depressed exactly, but you'd never know it from my lifestyle.

Cycling and yoga (which I started doing at about the same time) have utterly changed my life. I don't miss any of my old bad habits or way of life, and feel like I'm in the middle of a miracle every time I get on my yoga mat or get on my bike. I feel fit and energetic. My body is toned and strong. I've made new friends and challenged myself in some many ways. In short, I think of myself and my life in a totally different light.



Kate

[Cyclesome]

My total miles this summer is 500 miles. I thought I was doing well until I read the preceeding posts. WOW! My goal this year is to ride 100O miles and a complete a Century. I ride a hybrid but would love to own a road bike. My average spped on my hybrid is 14 mph. I ride for fun / recreation / fitness. How many miles do you need to put on a hybrid before you earn the right to ride a road bike? Just wondering. Lusting after a road bike.