Approach to commuting
- ve safari
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Approach to commuting
Postby ve safari » Thu Feb 11, 2010 3:28 am
My own observation is that when I go hard on the commute, my energy levels at work suffer and take a while to recover, which kind of impacts my ability to function and peform at a high level. Curious to see what everyone else does.
cheers
For one to conquer oneself is the first and noblest of all victories!
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby Max » Thu Feb 11, 2010 6:43 am
I sometimes push myself on my commute, but as you have observed, it leads to tiredness at work. And that tiredness generally makes me not want to ride home. I live on the opposite side of town to where I work, so it's not straight-forward to get a lift home. I must get myself home. So I set aside any desires to set speed records, and just noodle along at a sustainable pace.
Max
Cycling is sometimes like bobbing for apples in a bucket full of dicks. - SydGuy
- Redbull
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby Redbull » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:38 am
50km morning - 3 x 15 min intervals
60km evening - easy spin (thats the plan, but sometimes the wind is just blowing in the right direction and I can't help myself)
Spin home due to TT on Wednesday night.
- casual_cyclist
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby casual_cyclist » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:57 am
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby Missy24 » Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:04 am
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby provoked » Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:53 am
I don't feel tired as such at work, my legs feel stiff for a while though. I feel worse when I don't ride in or just "cruise" in.
The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven. - John Milton
- deryans
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby deryans » Thu Feb 11, 2010 12:34 pm
2007 Giant Bowery commuter
- ve safari
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby ve safari » Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:34 pm
For one to conquer oneself is the first and noblest of all victories!
- goneriding
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby goneriding » Thu Feb 11, 2010 3:43 pm
I tend to push fairly hard on every ride especially on the hills. When I first started commuting I did struggle at work with being tired but I am now used to it and don't find that my work suffers (apart from having to put up with me!) but then I have a sedentary job.
- Pax
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby Pax » Thu Feb 11, 2010 4:18 pm
Yes, well...commuting is "training" for me in the sense that everything done on the bike is training for whatever target-event I am working towards, or simply being fitness focussed.
Due to all of the variables on the commute that are outside my control (traffic & traffic lights primarily) it is hard to be too specific with "training" targets however this is my approach:
I set myself intensity targets, ie ride at a perceived intensity of X (pick a number between 1 and 5...with 5 being full intensity and 1 being so slow that grannies overtake me). I generally aim for 3-4 with a bit of 5.
Sometimes it it an intensity target for the whole ride, sometimes it is just for the hills.
Someitmes I set technique targets: eg focus on pedal technique or particular cadence levels
I generally ride relatively high intensity Monday to Thursday and take Friday easy because I do a long ride on Saturdays, so having an easier Friday is a good idea.
I don't find that hard trainig in the morning leaves me tired at work, if anything it is the opposite, I am energised. Lack of sleep has a bigger impact on my tiredness than training does (but maybe that means I am not commmuter-training hard enough????)
Having said all of that....ENJOYING THE COMMUTE is the most important thing
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby Fletcher » Fri Feb 12, 2010 5:12 pm
I time myself, keep note of my relative speed and cadence(it's an estimate, I don't have a meter).
Right now, I don't aspire to race. However, it would be nice to have that option if, one day, I'm good enough and if I get the racing bug. If I ever do, It'll have to be vets though
Edited because it was thoughtless post and read like gibberish.
- ve safari
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby ve safari » Fri Feb 12, 2010 5:33 pm
No need to be embarassed about that!Fletcher wrote: It'll have to be vets though
For one to conquer oneself is the first and noblest of all victories!
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby Fletcher » Fri Feb 12, 2010 5:50 pm
Cheers, I've never raced before. At the age of 39 I've just gained interest in it. It'd be an interesting exercise getting amongst vets who've been racing since their teens. I guess that's why some clubs probably have an E grade for vets - for when blokes like me turn up.ve safari wrote:No need to be embarassed about that!Fletcher wrote: It'll have to be vets though
- justD
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby justD » Fri Feb 12, 2010 6:37 pm
I have the same problem. At first I was riding harder in the morning and taking it easy in the afternoon, but finding that I struggle to stay awake at work, I've swapped it around. Now I do 23kms in the morning at an easy pace and 36kms in the afternoon at a higher pace. My aim is to do that 3 days per week with a fourth day of casual/slow in both directions, but as I've only just sorted out my knee pain (I hope), I haven't done that a full week yet.ve safari wrote:
My own observation is that when I go hard on the commute, my energy levels at work suffer and take a while to recover, which kind of impacts my ability to function and peform at a high level. Curious to see what everyone else does.
I think it will improve with time though. When I first started doing 23kms in the mornings (even at crawling speed), I struggled to get through the day, but now it's pretty easy. I've read other people saying that you need to ride hard for it to mean anything and I agree that it has much more benefit, but I ride for the love of it and I think any time on the bike is better than on the couch.
cheers,
Dirk
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby martinjs » Fri Feb 12, 2010 8:48 pm
Martin
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby Max » Fri Feb 12, 2010 9:41 pm
+infinityjustD wrote:I ride for the love of it and I think any time on the bike is better than on the couch.
Max
Cycling is sometimes like bobbing for apples in a bucket full of dicks. - SydGuy
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby Cranky Jim » Fri Feb 12, 2010 9:50 pm
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby recumbenteer » Sun Feb 14, 2010 12:59 pm
fitness...weightloss...n enjoy the scenery. ...why rush. ..its only work...it aint going anywhere,
Rotovelo Across Australia
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby Baalzamon » Sun Feb 14, 2010 8:21 pm
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby gdl_gdl » Sun Feb 14, 2010 8:24 pm
However I use my HR monitor and make sure I sit on at least 140 - 150bpm (after a 10 minute warm up on the commute) so I know I'm having a good work out irrespective of what the climate is doing. I'll also do intervals at random points when I hit clear stretches of the road or PSP.
I know a few people who are obsessed with getting a pb for his commute home. I know one person has a pb time from when there was a SW tailwind of 50km/h+! In my view such targets are meaningless and a ride in June / July in rain and headwind would be a far greater fitness test than a coastal cruise!
My tip would be too buy a HR monitor if you were keen to measure the effort of your ride.
Cheers,
Gary
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby Aushiker » Tue Feb 16, 2010 3:32 pm
I generally use two morning commutes as interval training sessions (fartleks), the remaining morning ones are LDS rides. Sometimes go for PBs; really depends on the day.
Ride "home" in summer are just survival rides into the Fremantle Doctor; unlike Gary
Andrew
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby gdl_gdl » Tue Feb 16, 2010 4:23 pm
Survival for me as well mate! You try and keep below 40 km/h when you have a SSW behind you! (As per the forecast for tonights ride home)
Cheers,
Gary
- ve safari
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby ve safari » Tue Feb 16, 2010 5:13 pm
For one to conquer oneself is the first and noblest of all victories!
- Toolish
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby Toolish » Wed Feb 17, 2010 8:47 am
For those who treat it as training wat are you carrying in. I can't imagine training hard carrying a backpack like I am currently.
Also I commute in 'normal' clothes...can't imagine the looks I would get showing up here in lycra!
- provoked
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Re: Approach to commuting
Postby provoked » Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:36 am
Extra weight = harder work = better resultsToolish wrote:I have just started commuting this week and have ben using it as a casual roll into work.
For those who treat it as training wat are you carrying in. I can't imagine training hard carrying a backpack like I am currently.
Also I commute in 'normal' clothes...can't imagine the looks I would get showing up here in lycra!
That said I don't carry much anymore. I recall carrying the laptop and always felt slower when I did.
The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven. - John Milton
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