Ready For The Longer Commute

[G-Zero]

The full mudguards came off earlier today and the bike has been cleaned and lubed ready for the first cycle trip to my new office, tomorrow night.

It's my last nightshift of four and now that I'm back driving, I'm already missing my recent regular commute, so I thought I'd ease myself in to the 24 miler by doing one or two out of each set of shifts.
I would love to think that by the time I get my road bike, that I could be ready to do most shifts on the bike, but a lot of the time, I'm restricted with the time needed for the longer commute, rather than the miles being a problem.
I'm also getting my roof rack ready to enable me to take the bike in one day, cycle home, cycle back the next day and drive home.

The next few months should see what works best.

 

[paulw1969]

sounds like a plan to me. Is that 24 miles round trip or each way?

 

[G-Zero]

sounds like a plan to me. Is that 24 miles round trip or each way?

Each way, which isn't a problem for a lot of racing gurus on the forum, but I've got a long way to go before I reach that status.

 

[paulw1969]

that distance would scare the hell out of me to be honest........

 

[jonny jeez]

The full mudguards came off earlier today and the bike has been cleaned and lubed ready for the first cycle trip to my new office, tomorrow night.

It's my last nightshift of four and now that I'm back driving, I'm already missing my recent regular commute, so I thought I'd ease myself in to the 24 miler by doing one or two out of each set of shifts.
I would love to think that by the time I get my road bike, that I could be ready to do most shifts on the bike, but a lot of the time, I'm restricted with the time needed for the longer commute, rather than the miles being a problem.
I'm also getting my roof rack ready to enable me to take the bike in one day, cycle home, cycle back the next day and drive home.

The next few months should see what works best.

Sounds like a good plan...all the best, let us know how you get on.

 

[MattHB]

It'll be fine. Just listen to your body, if you feel your overdoing it take a break.

The break in between your yes will help loads, You'll be breezing 4 in a row in no time. I'm quite jealous, I have a tiny commute so have to fit in 100+ miles a week in other ways which takes a lot of time. It would be great to be able to build up base miles that way.

 

[G-Zero]

that distance would scare the hell out of me to be honest........

The distance as a 'one off' isn't a problem, but I have to admit that the thought of it twice a day, every working day is still a bit daunting.

PS.... Liking your sig

 

[G-Zero]

Sounds like a good plan...all the best, let us know how you get on.

Cheers, I'll have a better idea of how it feels when I get home in the morning and will drop a line on here when I get up.

I need to be home for 0800hrs tomorrow when the boss lady heads out to work, so that I can see little one out to school, so just to be on the safe side I'm doing a 2100hrs shift start tonight to be back on the road at 0600hrs tomorrow.

 

[G-Zero]

It'll be fine. Just listen to your body, if you feel your overdoing it take a break.

The break in between your yes will help loads, You'll be breezing 4 in a row in no time. I'm quite jealous, I have a tiny commute so have to fit in 100+ miles a week in other ways which takes a lot of time. It would be great to be able to build up base miles that way.

That makes good sense, but I don't think I'll be commuting both directions for all shifts, for a while yet due to the time required at each end of them, some of which are 10 hours long; and due to other responsibilities at home, I daren't dedicate that amount of time to the bike...... YET !

 

[paulw1969]

The distance as a 'one off' isn't a problem, but I have to admit that the thought of it twice a day, every working day is still a bit daunting.

a one off of that distance would scare me at the moment....... i totally agree day in day out is daunting.....but i reckon you will get there, just take it easy to start with and ease yourself into it when commitments allow

PS.... Liking your sig

Ditto.........

..i've got wild staring eyes........ and i've got a strong urge to fly.....but i have nowhere to fly too........

 

[Cubist]

Can I diplomatically point out that it's "I have become comfortably numb"......?

 

[paulw1969]

Can I diplomatically point out that it's "I have become comfortably numb"......?

whoops.......you may..........makes more sense now....... kept looking at it and it didn't seem right.......there is a reason i f$$ked up but i wont go there......like your sig by the way............

 

[G-Zero]

Well the ride in went ok.... apart from the bit where I fell off.

Fortunately it was a steep uphill and the lack of speed meant it was more of a sideways tumble to the tarmac, with a little bounce.

No damage, minor bruising to elbow and a pulled calf muscle, but most annoyingly.... no registration number of the little prick that forced me off the side of the tarmac in to a rut.

 

[TheSandwichMonster]

I am one of those with a "longer" commute to work: Anywhere between 18 and 25 miles (one way) depending on which variation of the route I choose. If any of you are members of the CycleChat Strava group, you'll be able to see them as I log them, as I've just started back this week.

I don't ride every day. I would if I could, but family commitments/meetings/real life get in the way. I'm normally guaranteed Tuesdays & Thursdays and can usually nab Friday too. I find that my biggest issue is (especially at this time of the year when I'm just getting back into things again) is reining myself in. Riding solo (especially with thoughts of the impending race season running through my mind!), I normally find the speed creeping up as the ride goes on. Whilst it's good training, the knock-on effect into consecutive days can make my legs grumble and I don't want to end up over-training myself and spoiling my enjoyment.

As an example, yesterday started really well. A friend who also works in Exeter joined me on the ride in - and he's lacking some fitness so that meant that not only did I have company, but I also rode at a more sedate pace. On the way I back, I tried a slight change to my "normal" route that meant I ended up horsing the ride from start to finish, only to arrive home with achey legs to find a knackered girlfriend and a poorly four year-old. After a very interrupted night's sleep, and waking up to thick fog, it didn't take a massive nudge to make me decide to drive today!

 

[G-Zero]

.... Whilst it's good training, the knock-on effect into consecutive days can make my legs grumble and I don't want to end up over-training myself and spoiling my enjoyment....

That knock on effect makes sense, as I found when I was doing my 21 miles a day commute. By the end of the week, I could really feel it, yet the daily miles were a lot less than my single ride figures.

My legs feel worse today after 2 x 24 miles, than they do when I get in from my 56 or 63 mile treks and even though I'm into rest days now, I wouldn't fancy getting back on the bike again tonight. Who knows how much of that is down to lack of recovery or psychchological after being up all night working, when the body should be resting ?