will commuting be more or less help to my fitness?

ianbar

i have started this week to commute to work, it is only a 3 mile route pretty much downhill on way to work and uphill on way back. i tend to have 2 proper ride in the week say tuesday /thursday then long ride saturday.usually that would add up to near 90 milesish. i guess i will only know in time if its a bad thing for my training as in theory i don't get much of a rest...forgot to mention i work nights so this week i have not had a rest day since friday. i have already thought i shoulnt ride after my long ride on saturday till monday night to recover.

16mm

ianbar wrote:

i have started this week to commute to work, it is only a 3 mile route pretty much downhill on way to work and uphill on way back. i tend to have 2 proper ride in the week say tuesday /thursday then long ride saturday.usually that would add up to near 90 milesish. i guess i will only know in time if its a bad thing for my training as in theory i don't get much of a rest...forgot to mention i work nights so this week i have not had a rest day since friday. i have already thought i shoulnt ride after my long ride on saturday till monday night to recover.

3 miles isn't anything. Spinning your legs out should not do any harm, just don't put any effort in.

amaferanga

An easy ride the day after a hard ride is good for recovery. But I agree, 3 miles barely counts as a bike ride. Can't you extend that a bit? My direct route to work is only 4 miles, but I rarely go that way and usually take an 11 mile route which at least burns a few calories and just about counts as a proper bike ride.

zn533

If you go as fast as you can for every inch of that 3 miles, you will definitely get fitter. Make sure you stop at lights and junctions though. Accelerating hard does wonders for your power output.

amaferanga

zn533 wrote:

If you go as fast as you can for every inch of that 3 miles, you will definitely get fitter. Make sure you stop at lights and junctions though. Accelerating hard does wonders for your power output.

I'd probably want to warm up for, oh I dunno about 3 miles, before riding as hard as I could

DavidJB

amaferanga wrote:

zn533 wrote:

If you go as fast as you can for every inch of that 3 miles, you will definitely get fitter. Make sure you stop at lights and junctions though. Accelerating hard does wonders for your power output.

I'd probably want to warm up for, oh I dunno about 3 miles, before riding as hard as I could

Yes it will be damaging if you go all out for that 3 miles because you wont have warmed up, just cycle but pootle along and put in zero effort.

And 3 miles is not a warm up...takes me 45 minutes to warm up!

ianbar

i know 3 miles is not a ride, but it is pretty much all extra to what i ave already being doing, it was more the fact i was worried my legs are getting no rest day at all but understand that its not a distance.i will jut take it very easy, trying to save some fuel money to spend on other things ;-)