Comment on What hobbies did you pick up during the pandemic and have you been able to keep them up?
njordomir@lemmy.world 9 months ago
I started taking biking more seriously around the time Covid started. I built my fitness up over the course of the last few years to the point where I can ride almost anywhere in my city if I have the time and the weather cooperates. Last week I did my favorite 40 mile ride for the 5th or 6th time in recent history and I now average around 80-100 miles a week. My mood is better and I physically feel much stronger.
The best part: all this fitness stuff is a side benefit because I originally started riding for the purposes of sunshine and exploring and just happened to stumble into better health!
rckclmbr@lemm.ee 9 months ago
Same! It eventually led to racing, which has opened up a fun new world I didn’t know existed.
Before covid I remember thinking averaging 20mph on my 10 mile commute was impossible. A couple weeks ago I averaged over 21mph for 100 miles.
njordomir@lemmy.world 9 months ago
I live near the mountains and have made it my goal to ride up a proper mountain. I am still early in that goal; still calibrating to where I think I am and where my limits are. I usually ride alone and get lost in the experience on a nice long path or trail. After the ride, stats, though imperfect, help me see a sense of progress and I don’t often feel a desire to compete with others, though I did go on a group ride with some roadies once through one of our most iconic regional landmarks and they pushed me so hard I haven’t ridden that much high intensity cardio and leg melting endurance in any ride since then. I absolutely want to do it again.
20mph sounds crazy fast for an average speed. I’m crawling up hills at 6-7 mph and the fastest I’ve ever gone on the downhill was 46mph, yikes! I think I average 12-15. You’re killing it! What’s the most enjoyable race course you’ve been on?
rckclmbr@lemm.ee 9 months ago
Yea I’m less into the competitive aspect more into the community. People who race just really love riding their bikes. I like office park crits more than anything just because it has a grassroots feel, and you’re always racing the same people so it’s really just an excuse to get together. I’ll average 14-16 on commutes because I’m not on an aggressive bike and don’t have my aero kit on and stuff, so don’t feel like you’re doing bad. I don’t like going over like 35, it’s scary… 45 is pretty insane