Thursday, May 13, 2021

Reunited with the Road


Oh, has this been a long time coming!

I don't think it's a secret how much I love biking. Although I had Sebbe, my indoor bike, to entertain me over the winter, my first (biking) love is the outdoor scene. 

Unfortunately, Momma N has been more than generous with unseasonably cold temps (complete with wicked wind), so my 2021 rides have been pretty sparse...thus far. But that hasn't made them any less exhilarating.

While running will always be my first-and-foremost favorite sport, biking has become a contender for a close second (there's also stair-climbing and simple power walking, both vying for said honors). Honestly, I am a self-proclaimed cardio junkie, and I'm not ashamed in saying so.

So, even with the biking season barely underway, there are many things I'm over-the-moon excited for. Care to hear a few (or five)? Glad you asked....

First off, this was the first year that biking played a (minor) part in my Week of Pi Challenge. Since I was doing all things Pi that week, and the temps were ideal, I took Gustavas out for a very quick 3.14-mile ride over my lunch break one day. I kid you not. A 3-mile ride is over and done pretty quickly, but that just made the novelty of it that much more significant. Also, I got to wear my new Quad Cities Marathon bike jersey, so what was not to love?


Speaking of bike jerseys, I gotta bikefess, biking gear is (often times) a lot more fun to shop for than running gear. There, I said it. Obviously, I'm more drawn to the colorful and funky-patterned jerseys. The bike shorts, though... not so much. I do have a couple pair, and I'm not a fan. I'm slowly accepting that the dorky padded shorts serve a valuable purpose, especially for especially long rides. But, ugh. The diaper-butt is so not flattering on anyone.


Biking is one of the sports that the hubby and I enjoy doing as a couple. Sure, dinners out and drinks are fun, but I'd rather be pedaling my wheels than guzzling a brew.


 My recent running races (several in 2019, a handful in 2020, and the few 2021 ones, so far) have reflected overall faster finish times. I haven't really changed much with my strength work, nor have I been doing intense speed-training...but I have been biking more, a lot more. I don't think it's a coincidence I've become a stronger runner. I utilize most of my biking on non-running days, so it's more of a cardio fix than an ongoing "training" vice, but it's kept my legs strong and given my "running muscles" some downtime.


And, if I want to really work the legs? I have the bike trail, west of town. It's approximately a 14-mile round trip from my driveway. There are a few gently rolling hills (which really don't count, in my opinion) and there's four big hills going out, and 7 nasty ones on the return. If it's a windy day, there's no coasting but non-stop pedaling (and, often times, cursing). The feeling of victory after the ride ends, though, is pretty euphoric.


...and, here's a bonus feature...last fall, due to all the Covid cancellations, several of our friends joined us for group rides on the weekends. These rides really became fun get-togethers, each weekend. Heck, we didn't have any football games to go to (or even watch on TV), so the biking filled a huge void and blessed us with a lot more fun (and fitness) than we could have imagined.


So, yeah. Although I plan to do a lot of running from here on out (stress fracture is officially over and done, thank you very much), I am also hoping to do a lot of biking as well. It's served me well, and I want more!

A few related posts:

Talk to me...
I realize biking is not everyone's gig, but have you tried it? Ever done a group ride (either an official event or just riding with friends)? If you're into biking, how many jerseys do you have? 

I'm linking this with MichelleReneeDarleneJenn and Zenaida for the Fit Five Friday Link-up.


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22 comments:

  1. Yes, biking is my second love, too!
    Now that we are back in Switzerland, I can't wait to get on my mountain bike and ride up a few hills. I agree that it's great cardio training and supports running fitness.
    I don't have many biking jerseys - I love yours!

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    1. I think the biking jerseys are fun! I don't wear them for every ride, but they are handy for holding my phone, a snack, or the lipstick. You know, priorities LOL!

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  2. I love outdoor biking as well. With no tri race this year, I've been slower to move outside but it will happen especially as the temps go up.

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    1. Our temps have been all over the place, but the wind has remained consistently annoying. Lately, the wind feels like it's coming from every direction...

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  3. I used to bike everywhere, just for transportation purposes! but we have a great infrastructure for biking here in the Netherlands so for me it makes no sense to drive when I can ride! Ok the weather is not always friendly and nowadays biking is less since we are home alllll the time, but I'm hoping that in 2022 I'll be back where I was a few years ago with cycling.

    I haven't done any group rides and I have just a "normal" touring bike but I've been on plenty of long rides and definitely own diaper shorts to help ease the pain of a few hours on the bike ha! I don't have a ton of bike jerseys, but, you can probably guess that they all have the color pink in them ;)

    And I 100% believe the biking is an excellent cross-training for runners. Most runners I know here in town also bike. We gotta stay in tip top shape!

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    1. My only regret is not starting sooner. Poor Gustavas spent many years in storage until I finally got him out a few years ago. My bad!!The hubby wants to get me a road bike or a hybrid...but I've become quite fond of the mountain bike! A lot more resistance training ;-)

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  4. I am not a big bike fan. I have so little time that when it is nice, I go for a run.

    I do have two bike skirts (the skirt covers the padding) but no bike shirts.

    I bike alone since I go so slow...not ready for a group or even a buddy.

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    1. It took me awhile to come around with the biking thing. I'm glad I finally had my awakening (a few years ago), or last Fall's stress fracture would have been a major buzzkill.

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  5. I went through a phase where I was cycling a lot but then went through a phase where I never wanted to see the bike again- and I still feel that way about my road bike, but just this past week I dug my hybrid out of the garage and brought it in for a tune-up. I'm actually excited about getting out on some gravel trails with it! I agree that it's great cross training.

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    1. The hubby wants to get me a hybrid, and I'm on the fence. We have a lot of (hilly) gravel rods in our area, so there would be all kinds of possibilities for challenging rides!

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  6. Well, I biked as a kid, but I didn't even like it then.

    OTOH, that's awesome that you do it with your husband. For me it would be another solo endeavor!

    It really is good to have variety in your fitness routine.

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    1. I agree, it's great to have some variety! Biking has really been a fun addition to my arsenal ;-)

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  7. I bikefess I haven't been on a bike (outdoors) in years! But never say never...

    I love that you and your hubby ride together and those groups rides look like fun!

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    1. The group rides just kind of happened by accident. We asked a few friends if they want to join us, then a few more...and a few more ;-)

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  8. It's great that you've learned to like biking so much! I don't have an outdoor bike, mostly because we don't have good places to ride around here. Looks like fun though!

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    1. Biking really has been a lot of fun! It's been a great way to be outside, and get a bit of cardio and fitness in on my non-running days. Ironically, my legs actually feel better after a ride, as opposed to total rest, following a long run.

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  9. I wish I felt better on a bike. I also wish it was safer to ride here. Where I live everyone drives like a maniac and it's just so nervewracking.

    I love that you love it and I love that you can do the activity with the husband.

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    1. It's a fun activity with the hubby, and especially with other couples. It's usually pretty easy to chat while we pedal, so there's always great conversation ;-)

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  10. Dorky padded shorts. LOL!!! I think they look pretty cool actually. At least people know you're a serious cyclist when you wear them :) Love your jerseys! I need to get a flat fixed on my bike. I miss riding!

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    1. At your suggestion, I also got a silicone (?) padded seat cover LOL...so sometimes, I'm double padded. I don't bother with the padded shorts for anything under 20-ish miles because the seat cover suffices. And, I think the shorts look stylish...from the front LOL

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  11. I had a bike when I was a kid. Then borrowed one of my siblings' when I was older. My fear of the bike is falling. When I was in Ecuador my friends and I rented bikes and well, that did not end well. But it was still fun! Now I use my indoor bike.

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    1. I don't have much fear of falling, but I flat-out refuse to use clip-in shoes. I would have all kinds of anxiety and fear if I didn't have the freedom to dismount immediately (I don't think I'm coordinated enough to "unclip" fast enough LOL). I've heard more stores of injuries from being clipped-in than from falls that happened without.

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