Cycle commute
I gave cycling home from work a go yesterday. I had meant to cycle to and from work but was running a bit late in the morning and my wife said “Why don’t I drop you off and you cycle home?” I thought that was a mighty fine idea as it meant I wouldn’t have to shower again when I got to work.
This is the first time I’ve actually ridden my bike back from work and I think it might become a regular Friday event. I had planned on incorporating a large loop and making it about a 20km ride but the weather became a bit rainy and windy so I decided to go directly home. This meant it was just a short ride of about 4.5 km with 3 large hills along the way. Dead easy really even though I had to engage granny gear!
One problem I’ve got is that I’ve got a toddler seat on my bike and when it’s very windy it acts like a sail! Not so good when you are not travelling with the wind.
I don’t think I’m going to become a keen road cyclist but it is handy to have some form of cross training I guess and cycling is supposed to be relatively good.
I’ve also started the 200 squats challenge. This is similar to the 100 pushups challenge which I’m doing as well. First time on the 200 squats challenge and about 7th time on the 100 pushups challenge! I’ve got both the iphone apps for them and it’s quite good to get a few more exercises in even if I never make the actual targets. Although I have been getting closer every time I do the program!
The sun is just coming up here on Saturday morning so I’m off for a 10K run. Hope you have a good day wherever you are!
Comments
19 Responses to “Cycle commute”
Daily Mile
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RoadID
I live relatively close to my work (< 2 miles), so I bike most of the time during the summer, but I live in Alaska and it's in the middle of the winter here, so I'm back to driving
Thanks for the links to the 100 pushups challenge! hadn't seen that before, but it's definitely something I'm going to be giving a try!
.-= Brandon´s last blog ..Weekly Weigh-in #1 =-.
Twitter: SoLongFatAss
Nice one for cycle commuting! It certainly did get a bit windy yesterday…
.-= Aaron´s last blog ..Auckland City 50k Cycle Route =-.
Now you’re talking! I love my bike and the lake that I live on is just over 3 miles (5k) around once and there is not a flat spot to be found, its either peddling up a hill or cruising down one (I pedal hard down the hills as long as I can to make it up the next one easier) there is even some off roan sections
I just wish I didn’t live so far from any major cities! 13 miles is the closest city to me the rest is woods and hills!
As Ever
Me
.-= Zeusmeatball´s last blog ..Weigh in, Only 48 pounds from goal??? when did this happen!?! =-.
I’m reminded of a bad cycling incident when I lived in Pittsburgh. Started raining and I couldn’t stop on a downhill. Shot through a red light. Life flashed before my eyes.
Cycling rain=bad.
Twitter: livefitblog
Thanks for the links! I may give that a go.
I was cycling back and forth to the train for a while, until it was dark when I came home at night (no bike path, a bit scary fighting with the cars). It certainly helped push the envelope with regard to fitness! Enjoy!
.-= suzee´s last blog ..Defining “speed” =-.
Yeah, I understand how you feel about the road, it can get a bit hairy out there. Worse part is it doesn’t matter how sensible you are as a cyclist, you’re at the mercy of those idiots in the cars! I spend the majority of my time on very quiet roads, or bike tracks!
.-= Andrew(AJH)´s last blog ..Too hot! =-.
I love to ride my bike but admit to being a chicken with the cars. I just have known people who have gotten seriously hurt not by anything they did, but by the people in cars not paying attention.
I laughed when I read about the toddler seat acting like a sail. I can totally see that!
.-= Diane Fit to the Finish´s last blog ..5 Tips for Weight Maintenance =-.
Twitter: fittothefinish
I couldn’t ride my bike to work even if I wanted to, I live too darn far. It’s only 13 miles (21 km) but it’s all highway. If I wanted to ride I’d have to go on the back roads and I’d be looking at over 20 miles (32 km) one way. That just does not sound too appealing to me. Plus thrown in the 104 F (40 C) summer heat and the fact that I have to take my kids to school/daycare in the morning and you can see that biking is not much of an option.
But once I lose the weight I’ll be doing some running for sure!
.-= Greg´s last blog ..Nutrition – 1427 Calories =-.
Twitter: gregstransform
I would love to be able to ride my bike to work. But unfortunately it’s a 50K trip each way. I think I would just be exhausted if I even made it half way there!
.-= Steve@ Weight Loss Weapons´s last blog ..New Years Resolutions 2010 =-.
Twitter: Steve_wlw
I was thinking of giving the 200 squats program a try too, but with all the running I’m getting ready to do, I’m afraid of how it might actually impact that. I’m thinking of doing the 200 sit-ups though, but I want to finish the 100 push-ups first!
Twitter: runningbecause
I help my dad with a delivering job which involves biking about 4-5 days per weeks, for 2-4hrs depending where and how much there is to do – its only ever slow biking (obviously, as going between letter boxes
), but I think it does a world of good to the running muscles, I just about always go out on a Monday which is often after a long run Sunday and it seems to do the job of loosening everything. My sister rides an exercycle after every run as per the physio’s instructions as it builds thigh strength which holds together her knee (the knee being the injury proned part of her body). So, all that gabbling to say – well done with the biking, I think it will do the world of good!
I was just telling my 18yo son about that push-up challenge the other day and said I would hunt down the link for him, so thanks for that … I’m going to look at the squats one
Hope the 10k was a good one!
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Happy Birthday to Me! =-.
It was glorious!
Twitter: AndrewENZ
If I wait till I finish the pushups program I’ll never start any other program I reckon!
Twitter: AndrewENZ
Awesome idea on the weekly bike ride, especially on the nicer days.
I keep ‘cycling’ through the challenges, too. I’ll do them for a while, until they get boring, then I’ll move onto something else. As you said, each time through gets better.
.-= Cammy@TheTippyToeDiet´s last blog ..And the Progresso Soup Gift Pack Winner Is… =-.
Twitter: tippytoediet
WooT to cycling! I need to dust off my bike (and get a helmet) and start doing some actual biking. The exercise bike gets boring.
Twitter: 265andfalling
[...] 9, 2010 · 4 Comments I recently learned about 100 push ups while reading a post over at Andrew is Getting Fit. In a nutshell, 100 push ups is a 6 week training program that claims it can help almost anyone do [...]
Nice work on incorporating the bike into your commute! I’ve been biking to work longer than I can remember (my entire working life I suppose) and can’t imagine doing it any other way. It’s not for everybody, given the traffic for instance, but I love it. Though I have also incurred knee pain from too much biking at various times – quads get strong, but not all the quads, and hamstrings don’t work so much. Be careful, but have fun!
When I first started exercising it was on a bike, and, before day #1, I was thinking I would start biking to work. 20 miles round trip. First exercise in 15 years. In reality I am sweating profusely after 15 minutes and there are no showers at work. But it did jumpstart the behavior, as bold ignorance often does on my part.
The first trial run was on a day off thankfully and I collapsed on return, of course.
.-= David´s last blog ..New jQuery 1.4 is out! =-.
[...] recently learned about 100 push ups while reading a post over at Andrew is Getting Fit. In a nutshell, 100 push ups is a 6 week training program that claims it can help almost anyone do [...]