My longest ride so far...short for most

[aberal]

Not trying to steal your glory, but I also did my first ever "long" ride today. I started riding in February 2011 but broke my hip the first time I used clipless pedals, so spent 5 months on crutches

I bought a new bike in the Summer to motivate myself to get fit and lose weight (a Condor Titanium touring bike). Been commuting (8.5 miles each way) for the last few months but today I did a 35 mile ride (averaging 15.5 mph) in the Hertfordshire countryside.

It was absolutely amazing and I am chuffed to bits! Loved every minute of it...

Aiming for 50 miles next weekend.....

Bloody hell! That's the worst clipless moment story I've come across. Best not repeat that too often to the clipless virgins out there.

Congrats on your mileages though - sounds like you are doing really darn well. See my response above though about upping your mileage too much. It may be possible, but it does get harder once the mileage creeps over 30 or so. Make sure you drink enough and take something to eat - at least enough to eat every hour.

 

[onlineamiga]

Congrats eml1909. Very unlucky to break a hip coming off clipless pedals. I came off twice but was at a standstill and just kinda plunked to the ground and did nothing worse than scuff my knee.



To the OP: 20 miles is really good going. Don't compare yourself to others who will sit and quite happily pull out 100 miles in a day. No matter what you do, there is always someone better, but rejoice on the fact that there are millions of people behind you who wouldnt even consider cycling 20 miles. So good going

 

[eml1909]

So I did 36 miles today! Feeling really great

I was going to do another 14 miles, but time was against me unfortunately as I had left my wife at home with the kids.

Slightly disappointed with my average speed (14.8mph) - it seems a bit slow even though I was really putting in a lot of effort. It's hard to see how I could do it much faster than I did, but I suppose that's what training and fitness is all about!

Anyway, off to start the BBQ - yes, I know it's freezing cold, but I feel that I deserve some lamb chops (but with no alcohol, sadly ).

In case you're interested, here is my route: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/57735782/?new_route=1

 

[martint235]

Well done. Just how fast were you expecting to go? 14.8 seems reasonable to me. Whenever I do a long ride I use 15mph as a guideline

 

[Willo]

I think 15 mph is a reasonable average, particularly if you're cycling on your own, well done

 

[hotfuzzrj]

I am fairly new to cycling, I have just been commuting a very easy 7 miles a day for about 4 months. Then more recently I did a 24 miler to Lichfield and then last week a 35 miler to Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire.

The only down side is both times I've stopped at the goal point and had a rest, and looked round the area, I went to see a roman villa site and then a lovely stately home. I have now joined National Trust in an attempt to get me cycling more :-)

I'd really love to get more miles in and hopefully do a small cycling trip next year.


Regarding speed times; I normally go through those speed detector things hoping to get a reading and being disappointed, then the other day I finally got a reading of 20pmh!!! Only to then hear a car drive (slowly) past me! Grrrrr... lol

 

[BrumJim]

The only down side is both times I've stopped at the goal point and had a rest, and looked round the area, I went to see a roman villa site and then a lovely stately home. I have now joined National Trust in an attempt to get me cycling more :-)

Sounds like a good excuse for a bike ride!

 

[deanE]

Completed my first 100K ride at the weekend. Started cycling just 5 months ago, buying myself a road bike as an early retirement present, and weekend ride brought me up to 997 miles. Could be some time before I try a 100 miler though.

 

[Night Train]

Well done on the distances.

I started off with very rare 3 mile rides whenever I took the car to be serviced. The furthest I walked, by choice, was from my front door to the car!
I have recently been happily doing 25mile rides without concern, though my regular rides are still less then 5 miles.
My plan is to build up to a 100mile ride in 2012 and get an imperial century under my belt. Skipping the metric century as I am old school!

 

[Scousegaz]

Congrats to all the posters who are achieving there respective goals on distance etc. I am fairly new to my road bike cycling although I have had a mountain bike for years. I have joined a local club recently and find that riding in a group on a club run is a massive help and the miles just dissappear behind you in the distance due to the conversation en route etc when your not on your own counting the miles which can be a bit of a downer. 50 and 60 milers are a regular thing now and a steady 15 mph is a decent average

 

[Alexvs]

I've been going out every weekend now and have a nice mapped out 28-29 mile route which I've managed to do 2 weeks on the trot with no stops so when the weather starts clearing up I'll hopefully be fit enough to extend that loop. Each time I've been out I'm starting to see regular faces going the opposite way so seems a popular area and also saw 2 big groups going the other way on Saturday and starting to think I should try out a club run as you say Scousegaz the miles will probably fly by when social. I'm off to google local groups

 

[Paul_L]

well done those hitting the miles. I've been cycling for 3 years and i often recall my first "long" ride. 26 miles, albeit with a few hills. After 20miles i was absolutely destroyed. Didn't know how the hell i was going to get back, but i struggled on. I wondered how was it possible for folk to go out and do regular 40, 50 or 60mile rides a weekends. But keep at it. Build up slowly and make sure you eat and drink enough and those longer distances will soon come to be normal.

Set yourself a target. Enter an early summer 100k sportive, and more importantly carry on enjoying yourselves.

You'll soon see a 20mile bike ride as something you can just squeeze when you don't have time for a longer one.

 

[Part time cyclist]

well done every journey starts with a small step.... i too came back to cycling this year (april) after several weeks of training and kept pushing myself i acheived the BHF london to brighton 54 miles approx....... and yes it is very addictive i now love my cycling more than running i get out every lunch hour and push out 15 miles and at weekends i try for a 40 miler all this from a couple of miles ride at the start.... keep up the good work...

 

[arallsopp]

Doing great Alex. Keep it coming. With company the miles pass faster and easier.

Lots of cyclists around MK, but watch out for recumbenteer Rich Forrest. The man has no notion of distance...

 

[teletext45]

Well done! My first ride was like 2 miles and it almost killed me! I'm now comfortable doing anywhere from 20 to 100 miles.

It may hurt when you start pushing yourself but remember cycling isin't about pain it's about how much you're willing to suffer