When I talk to my cycling pals, I always feel a bit lazy compared to them. I probably do about 3,000 miles a year on my bikes but many of them are doing 8,000+ miles.
It's a different story talking to non-cyclists though... Yes, they think that riding 5 or 6 miles is a big deal. As for riding over the kind of hills we have round here in Yorkshire - they think that I'm mad (especially because I'm a bit of a lardy lad).
In June 2007 I cycled down to Coventry to visit my mother. I had to ride over some tough Yorkshire hills to get to Holmfirth, then I tackled Holme Moss, Snake Pass and the entire length of the Peak District. After that I passed through parts of Staffordshire, then North Warwickshire before finally turning up at about 20:00. My mother's carer had just arrived and as I walked into the house with my bike she turned to me and said "Oh hi Colin - I see you've brought your bike down on the train for this visit." (She knows that I don't drive.) "No I haven't!" "She laughed - "What's that then, a pair of roller skates!" "No, it's a bicycle but it didn't come down on the train!"
She looked really gobsmacked. "What... you rode it down... from Yorkshire... how far is that!"
"About 140 miles, and 13,000 feet of hills!"
I tried explaining that anybody in reasonable health could do that if they put their mind to it and spent a few months building up the necessary fitness, but she wouldn't have it. I think most people are completely unaware of their own potential and that's why we get these "You did what!" comments.