Cycle commute or into town?? Counts as training mileage or no?

[clouddog]

Hi I today rode about 10 miles in short doses of 4-5 k's Tomorrow I'm doing 12 miles on a ride but I don't know if both were the same mileage are they even in training? Can I look at my newfound daily routine cycling ie on the way to the pool or to the shops as short training days? Should I limit this type of cycling ?(it's early days)

 

[daveryanwyoming]

If you're riding your bike then it counts.

Whether it's a substantial part of your training or is likely to influence your overall fitness depends a lot on how much total riding you're doing, how hard you're riding on other rides, and your training history. At the beginning every bit of riding helps as you ride longer and harder these kind of filler rides can still be good as active recovery to spin the legs out on easier days but may not provide enough training stimulus by themselves to have much impact on your overall fitness.

But all in all it's almost always a good idea to be on the bike more if you're not burying yourself in over training by trying to ride too hard all the time. IOW, these shorter easier rides are almost certainly a good thing to add into the mix and they get you on the bike more often which is good.

The more you make cycling a part of your normal life whether that's commuting or running quick errands the better off you'll be in the long run with things like bike handling and just being comfortable getting out and about on the bike.

-Dave

 

[FHII]

I use mapmyride.... Yep, it counts. I'd rather go on long hard rides, but I journal everything. Right now, I'm trying to win a Trek bike so I do log everything and I have to drink chocolate milk. I'm not a big fan of chocolate milk, but I want that bike!

Log everything.... Every ride is a learning experience. It either teaches you something new, or reinforces something you already knew. But it always makes you better.

 

[vspa]

i have another approach, i don't log commuting rides and see them as a bonus, in that way you get the benefits of commuting those miles but you don't get confused on your regular training schedule,

 

[Volnix]

Originally Posted by FHII .

Right now, I'm trying to win a Trek bike so I do log everything and I have to drink chocolate milk. I'm not a big fan of chocolate milk, but I want that bike!

Lol /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

[clouddog]

Hi Thanks so much everyone for your opinions I think for now I can call 10 miles in a day in short bursts as an easy day It is virtually impossible to go from 0 miles in a week to 10 & a 45 min cycle for an easy day I'm only in week 5 and the first 2 weeks was 3 walk run walks Day 18 of my every day tri ing I didn't realise how liberating it is to see every day habit as not unreachable I am hooked