every ride is a race, right?

boomco21
boomco21 Posts: 22
edited June 2014 in Road general
I dont do training but I, ve got a number of local loops that vary in distance and terrain. As long as I go hard every time I, ll keep improving wont I ?

Comments

  • Improving what?
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Sounds like training to me.

    Only rides that you are racing in are races, otherwise they are just rides.

    Any ride can be a race though.

    I would not 'go hard' every time.
    Much better to vary your rides in terms of intensity as well as distance and terrain IMO.
  • A race against yourself, perhaps?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Get a Garmin with virtual partner if you want to improve racing against yourself ;-)
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    boomco21 wrote:
    As long as I go hard every time I, ll keep improving wont I ?

    If all you ever do is batter yourself, you will plateau very quickly and tire even quicker. Mix it up.
  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    Obvious troll is obvious.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Agree with above posts, you need to define your target and then have a structured training plan to work towards it. For instance, if you want to be good at racing then simply doing the same loop flat out won't help much.

    Start with your target and work your way back, not forgetting that diet, rest and recovery are essential parts of training. If you keep battering yourself then you are more likely to give up cycling altogether as your mojo needs a lovely enjoyable ride in the sunshine to recharge it!
  • whoof
    whoof Posts: 756
    Riding your bike in order to get better at it, sounds like you are trying to training to me.
    If you don't want to train just ride without any thought as to it's impact on your speed/endurance/strength/technique. Out to the tea shop and back whilst listening to the birds whistling and enjoying the view should do it.
    If you do want to get better you need to train but not in the way you are currently doing it. Do a search, there is loads of advice here and elsewhere.
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    To improve vary your riding between shorter sprints and longer endurance riding. Also don't forget to have rest days or you will not get the full benefit of your training.
  • Brant
    Brant Posts: 41
    Variety is key in any and all training, if your body gets too used to the same old routine it'll stop developing as effectively and you'll plateau a little. Challenge it instead each time you train. Some days I like to try and climb certain hills nice and steady, others I'll try and replicate breakaways and sprints on them. Same on the flat. Generally I'll pick lengths of road with few openings and side roads for the fast stuff and concentrate on steady spinning on the busier stretches.
  • Old_Timer
    Old_Timer Posts: 262
    As well as the thoughts above, if you keep making every ride a hard push or race, even if against yourself, you are going to burn out on riding. Alternating some easy or moderate rides and regular rest and recovery days, will allow you to refresh and rebuild your body and your mind.
    Lets just got for a ride, the heck with all this stuff...
  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    Every ride should be a laugh and leave you with a smile on your face and love in your heart. Pointless otherwise.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    mm1 wrote:
    Every ride should be a laugh and leave you with a smile on your face and love in your heart. Pointless otherwise.

    What a load of twaddle.

    Life is generally about comparisons IMO. You never really feel well apart from when you have recently been ill.

    OK, riding may be better than say working so that may make every ride good, but without miserable (for whatever reason) rides its impossible to fully enjoy the really good ones.
  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    Fast, slow, easy, hard, wet, dry its about having fun, no? If not, maybe it's time for a diffrerent hobby?
  • neilo23
    neilo23 Posts: 783
    mm1 wrote:
    Fast, slow, easy, hard, wet, dry its about having fun, no? If not, maybe it's time for a diffrerent hobby?

    Not always. I wouldn't say that a really hard session is necessarily fun. However, training hard to improve ability can result in having more fun. I'm also sure most of us have had that "why am I doing this?" feeling on a long climb on a wet and windy, cold day, but enjoyed climbing the same hill on a sunny day with a tailwind.
  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    Hmmm...I'm 50 (erm...something), and after 40+ years of athletic mediocrity my knees, back and neck are all shot and even if I ride so hard that I puke and nearly pass out I can't get within 3mins of my p.b. for a 10 - which was nothing to write home about in the first place (and as for any real racing forget it), but every ride is a blast...maybe I'm doing something wrong...?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Just sounds like you are seeing it through rose coloured glasses.
    Almost like you want every ride to be great, rather than it is.

    I of course do not know how happy it actually makes you and hope it is always that great as would want you to have loads of fun cycling ;-)

    Equally though, you do not know how happy it makes me and I could easily get more enjoyment out of it as a wholthan you, even if I admit to not enjoying every ride that much.

    As I said, the good rides feel that much better because of the rubbish ones, so its far from pointless :D
  • vs
    vs Posts: 468
    Carbonator wrote:
    Just sounds like you are seeing it through rose coloured glasses.
    Almost like you want every ride to be great, rather than it is.

    I of course do not know how happy it actually makes you and hope it is always that great as would want you to have loads of fun cycling ;-)

    Equally though, you do not know how happy it makes me and I could easily get more enjoyment out of it as a wholthan you, even if I admit to not enjoying every ride that much.

    As I said, the good rides feel that much better because of the rubbish ones, so its far from pointless :D

    You must be the life and soul...
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    mm1 wrote:
    Every ride should be a laugh and leave you with a smile on your face and love in your heart. Pointless otherwise.

    I think you'd really enjoy Disney films... try Snow White, Dumbo, or Bambi. (You might want to edit the last one in particular though as some of it is sad and you might not enjoy those bits).
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    mfin wrote:
    mm1 wrote:
    Every ride should be a laugh and leave you with a smile on your face and love in your heart. Pointless otherwise.

    I think you'd really enjoy Disney films... try Snow White, Dumbo, or Bambi. (You might want to edit the last one in particular though as some of it is sad and you might not enjoy those bits).

    If you knew mm1 you wouldn't be taking the wee-wee like that. What's wrong with loving cycling, and using it as a release?
    I agree with carbonator - you're going to enjoy each ride by varying amounts and probably for different reasons - if they're all in the sun with tail wind it'll soon become boring and you won't enjoy it as much as if you do some hard hills into the wind and rain some of the time ..... Because your benchmark for enjoyment is that much lower ..
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    I've had a fair few commutes where I've been glad it's over - but also satisfied that I've done them ...
    Same this year with TTs - I'm in pain and most certainly not enjoying the ride - but pleased (sometimes!) with the result...
    It's not all about enjoyment - there's merit in an unpleasant ride - but I'd never want to get to the point that I'd dread getting on the bike again ...
  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    In the words of the incomparable Padraig Brady:

    "What I continue to marvel at is the way a simple device meant for transportation has allowed us to discover so much more, not in going or arriving, but in doing. The doing is enough for which to be grateful."

    http://belgiumkneewarmers.blogspot.co.uk/2008/11/thanksgiving-ii.html

    Ride hard, ride easy, but just ride (and spare me the boring anglo saxon killjoy Crapha Kings of Pain bolleux while you're doing it).
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    mfin wrote:
    mm1 wrote:
    Every ride should be a laugh and leave you with a smile on your face and love in your heart. Pointless otherwise.

    I think you'd really enjoy Disney films... try Snow White, Dumbo, or Bambi. (You might want to edit the last one in particular though as some of it is sad and you might not enjoy those bits).

    If you knew mm1 you wouldn't be taking the wee-wee like that. What's wrong with loving cycling, and using it as a release?

    In answer to your two part question, nothing is wrong with loving cycling and nothing is wrong with using it as a release. But regardless to that, the wording was ridiculous and funny, read it again: "Every ride should be a laugh and leave you with a smile on your face and love in your heart. Pointless otherwise." ...in order to point out which parts of the wording in particular were funny I have highlighted these daft bits in bold.
  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    It was meant to be light hearted, but also deadly serious.

    When my Dad retired to his home town in Italy, an old school friend who was a plumber helped to refurbish the house. His friend happened to have ridden the Giro 7 times and couldn't look over his shoulder anymore because of all the crashes he'd had as a pro, but every Sunday he'd be out getting the miles in with his mates - having fun! Why is it on here that people drone on as if hardship is all there is to the sport? We're talking about men (and women) in tights spinning wheels ffs its supposed to be fun, especially when its hard.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Yes, but saying "Every ride should be a laugh and leave you with a smile on your face and love in your heart. Pointless otherwise" sounds like something someone on Songs of Praise would say, perhaps you have Jesus in your heart, or perhaps your writing style is influenced by a love of Disney.

    I think a lot of people do enough cycling that they are out in all moods, generally it lifts your mood if you're doing something you like of course and can distract you from things you were naffed off about. If I ever do something then exclaim that I felt like I "have love in my heart" doing it then I hope that hearing it there is someone at hand to restore some balance by giving me a good hard slap in the head.
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    I think it was beautifully put.. Summat to put on a fridge magnet. So let's STFU over someone's use of the English language and move on shall we?
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Mikey23 wrote:
    I think it was beautifully put.. Summat to put on a fridge magnet.

    Thanks, it took me a while to phrase it.
  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    Don't worry, be happy.