Re: How do you find time for N miles a day?

[saki]

"wafflycat" <waffles*A*T*v21net*D*O*T*co*D*O*T*uk> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> "Maggie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
> > What about people who have families and their family members do not
>> ride bikes. Yes, it is a matter of priorities......and riding a
>> bicycle is not always the appropriate priority. People who do the
>> family rides and bike together, probably cannot understand why riding
>> a bike may be way down on the list of an individuals priorities.

> I do most of my rides alone. Yes, my husband & son cycle too, but our
> schedules mean that the vast bulk of our cycling is *not* done as a
> family. It certainly is a matter of priorities, and sadly, too many
> view the car as a priority.

I'm Maggie's age and have been cycling most of my adult life. Virtually
all my rides are alone.

My husband won't ride with me because he thinks I go too fast. My
younger son, age 11, rides occasionally when he can wake up early enough
(he'll have to learn to do this eventually; he claims he wants to ride in
the Tour de France). My older son (13) has no interest in riding.

I schedule my 14-mile rides between 6-7am. During the school year this
gets me back home in time to walk the boys to their school bus.

Occasionally when I have more time I'll do 21 miles (the basic route is
urban Los Angeles and the early hour helps me beat automobile traffic---
things are reasonably calm at that hour).

I've considered commuting to work, about a 16-mile RT, but there's no
shoulder on the main route to my office and cars are competitive, not to
mention dangerous. I admire commuter cyclists very much but even after
working out alternate routes I can't find one that's safe enough for me.

But the 6-7am timeframe seems a good solution for now.

----
[email protected]

 

[Maggie]

Rich wrote:
> Maggie wrote:
>
> > What about people who have families and their family members do not
> > ride bikes.
>
> Convert them.
>


Convert them?? OK, I am supposed to convert my family to bike riding?
How do I manage that one? My sons think bicycles are something for
indigents who can't afford a car, people charged with DUI's, or a means
of transportation when you have not reached driving age yet. My
husband just thinks its stupid. And he is an exercise freak. Every
morning faithfully since he was a teenager. Mostly free weights and
the treadmill for running. All of my family is athletic, but none of
them will be bike riding unless they have some type of personality
change in the near future. Bike riding is not something everyone is
into. They all exercise, they are all in shape, they lead active lives
but they are not at all interested in bicycling. The youngest son,
snowboards, surfs, skydives, skateboards, and work outs. That is an
athletic kid. I could never get him to ride a bike unless he was
desperate to get somewhere and did not have a car. My oldest rides a
motorcycle. My daughter works out at the gym and puts in long hours at
the hospital. You give me a method to convert my family to cycling.
I'll try it. We'll see if it works.

Maggie.

 

[Colorado Bicycler]

Cool, to me that is what it is all about, getting the exercise, no
matter what form.

 

[lowkey]

"Maggie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
>
>>
>> It's a matter of priorities. Excepting for workaholics people do have
>> leisure time. The choice - your choice - is how you choose to use it.
>>
>
> What about people who have families and their family members do not
> ride bikes. Yes, it is a matter of priorities......and riding a
> bicycle is not always the appropriate priority. People who do the
> family rides and bike together, probably cannot understand why riding a
> bike may be way down on the list of an individuals priorities.
>

It's still a matter of priorities. Oh. And organization.

A co-worker asked me [we being of the same age and 30-something spread]
about exercise as he wanted to lose his extra mass as I had - well most of
it , but he has three small kids and no time.

I suggested this.

Assuming you get along with your spouse; come to an agreement. For 30
minutes three times a week you ach have 'your time' to exercise. It doesn't
have to be cycling; swimming, jogging, whatever you wish. The point is the
other spouse takes care of the kids and anything else. Those 90 minutes a
week are _your_time_.

Surely even the busiest of working parents can handle the domestic load for
the other for 90 minutes a week so they can both exercise? Starting from
that and assuming you find an activity you like start expanding the
timeframe.

Secondly, in his case his youngest was getting old enough to ride with him
and the others on their own: TAKE THEM ALONG FOR RIDES. You get brownie
points for getting the kids out the spouse's hair; you are getting some
quality time and memories with the kids you will treasure in later years;
and you will be getting your kids into the habit of regular exercise so that
they hopefully will avoid the obesity epidemic.

Anyways, that's my take. Just call me Dr. Phil.



--
'Sir, if you were my husband, I would poison your tea!'
'Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it.'
-attributed to churchill and astor

 

[jj]

On 21 Jun 2005 02:46:27 -0700, "Maggie" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>
>Rich wrote:
>> Maggie wrote:
>>
>> > What about people who have families and their family members do not
>> > ride bikes.
>>
>> Convert them.
>>
>
>
>Convert them?? OK, I am supposed to convert my family to bike riding?
>How do I manage that one? My sons think bicycles are something for
>indigents who can't afford a car, people charged with DUI's, or a means
>of transportation when you have not reached driving age yet. My
>husband just thinks its stupid.

Does he also think the 'Net is stupid? Maybe you're not giving him enough
credit...he puts up with you, after all! <g>

>And he is an exercise freak. Every
>morning faithfully since he was a teenager. Mostly free weights and
>the treadmill for running. All of my family is athletic, but none of
>them will be bike riding unless they have some type of personality
>change in the near future. Bike riding is not something everyone is
>into. They all exercise, they are all in shape, they lead active lives
>but they are not at all interested in bicycling.

Quite often runners or other weekend athlete types turn to cycling when
they have an injury which prevents them from doing their chosen activity,
seeing the cycling as remedial or therapeutic aid. Frequently, it seems,
once they see the advantages and recreational opportunities that cycling
offers they become hooked and switch over to that as their primary
activity. It's got something for everybody, imo. ymmv.

>The youngest son,
>snowboards, surfs, skydives, skateboards, and work outs. That is an
>athletic kid. I could never get him to ride a bike unless he was
>desperate to get somewhere and did not have a car. My oldest rides a
>motorcycle. My daughter works out at the gym and puts in long hours at
>the hospital. You give me a method to convert my family to cycling.
>I'll try it. We'll see if it works.
>
>Maggie.

Screw it. I figure that spending 10-12 hours per week re-investing in my
own mental, physical and emotional well-being is not at all an extreme
amount of time. Even half that amount can pay dividends. If the fam can't
deal, tell 'em to cook their own meals.

jj

 

[Maggie]

jj wrote:
If the fam can't deal, tell 'em to cook their own meals.
>
> jj

I have not been the chief cook and bottle washer for many years. I work
full time and run my own business. Everyone cooks now. And I must
say, my sons are excellent cooks. So is my husband. He makes a mean
gravy. (for non Italians, that is the sauce that goes on spagetti) ;-)
He makes enough for a month at a time and jars it. My daughter can't
cook for ****.

The three men in my house are fantastic cooks. My father-in-law was a
fantastic cook. It is great. I had my share of cooking when the kids
were little, now its my turn to be served. I am very fortunate that my
father in law, my husband and now my sons do not see cooking as a
female thing. They love to cook. And I don't mean simple dishes. They
love to cook complicated dishes that require alot of preparation. They
all think they are Chef Boy r Dee.

Maggie.

 

[Claire Petersky]

saki wrote in message ...

>(he'll have to learn to do this eventually; he claims he wants to ride in
>the Tour de France).

My younger daughter wants to be in the Tour de France only so she'll get
kissed by cute podium boys.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referr­al/Cpetersky

 

[Claire Petersky]

lowkey wrote in message ...

> A co-worker asked me [we being of the same age and 30-something spread]
>about exercise as he wanted to lose his extra mass as I had - well most of
>it , but he has three small kids and no time.
>
> I suggested this.
>
> Assuming you get along with your spouse; come to an agreement. For 30
>minutes three times a week you ach have 'your time' to exercise. It doesn't
>have to be cycling; swimming, jogging, whatever you wish. The point is the
>other spouse takes care of the kids and anything else. Those 90 minutes a
>week are _your_time_.
>
>Surely even the busiest of working parents can handle the domestic load for
>the other for 90 minutes a week so they can both exercise?

Have you ever had three small kids and be one of two employed parents? I
agree in general that finding time for cycling does come down to
"priorities", but when the kids were babies and toddlers was the time of my
life in which I did the least amount of cycling. When kids are little they
are a tremendous amount of work, they don't necessarily sleep through the
night, and you spend most of your time in a half-dead, sleep-deprived state
of zombiehood, I swear. Now I live in the lap of luxury, having them be
normal human beings, and but I realize what hell it was when they were in
diapers.

My husband used to give me 30 minutes three times a week, and I used to use
that time for things like zoning in a hot bath or taking a nap. That was my
idea of "priorities"!


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referr­al/Cpetersky

 

[C.J.Patten]

"Maggie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Convert them?? OK, I am supposed to convert my family to bike riding?
<snip> Maggie.

Hey Maggie. That sucks. I figured most fitness oriented people had biking in
the mix. Certainly my extended family does. (parents, sister, nephews
etc...)

One thing for your son: has he tried extreme mountain biking? If he's in to
extreme sports, have him look at some of the videos of extreme mountain
biking featured online.

Don't know if it would spark his interest but I don't know any adrenaline
junkies who don't downhill. http://www.petefagerlin.com/video_gallery.htm.

I think these guys are off their stick but I love watching them. ;p

(Google "mountain biking video" for scads of them)

Just a thought!

C.

 

[Maggie]

C.J.Patten wrote:
>
> One thing for your son: has he tried extreme mountain biking? If he's in to
> extreme sports, have him look at some of the videos of extreme mountain
> biking featured online.
>
> Don't know if it would spark his interest but I don't know any adrenaline
> junkies who don't downhill. http://www.petefagerlin.com/video_gallery.htm.
>
> I think these guys are off their stick but I love watching them. ;p
>

Both of my sons have been into dirt biking. I think that is something
like extreme mountain biking. At least they were in the woods and on
dirt bikes. Maybe it's sort of the same. The day my son told me he was
going to skydive, I realized I had raised a couple boys who are off
their stick. ;-)

My one son traveled to Ohio or something so he could go to that
amusement park which is all roller coasters. He brought home some
video, I thought he was nuts.

My youngest son is the worst though. He loves extreme sports. He
started out stateboarding when he was about 7 years old and it
escalated from there. He is a real daredevil. He loved skateboarding
and because of that, his main mode of transportation as a kid was not a
bike but a board. Ask me how many times he was taken to the police
station for doing some type of stair jump on someones front
steps......Glad those days are over.

Maybe as he gets older he will look into cycling, but right now, at 21,
he loves jumping out of planes and snowboarding. Maybe if he has kids
someday, he will change his attitude about his chosen sports.
HOPEFULLY. To me, that kind of spirit is in the blood.....he has been
like this since he was a little boy. When other kids his age were
crying on thrill rides, he was holding up his arms and laughing. He
also loves mountain climbing and the tamest thing he does, is scuba
diving. He went to the islands last month and did alot of that.

I have no clue, why he has that personality. I certainly don't.

Maggie.

 

[Bill]

Maggie wrote:

>
>
>
>>
>> It's a matter of priorities. Excepting for workaholics people do have
>> leisure time. The choice - your choice - is how you choose to use it.
>>
>
> What about people who have families and their family members do not
> ride bikes. Yes, it is a matter of priorities......and riding a
> bicycle is not always the appropriate priority. People who do the
> family rides and bike together, probably cannot understand why riding a
> bike may be way down on the list of an individuals priorities.
>
> If you have parents, a spouse, kids, grandkids and a full time
> job......there actually may be choices to make that do not include
> riding a bike. Choices and responsibilities. In a perfect world, we
> may all be able to do whatever we want with our leisure time, but it's
> not a perfect world.
>
> The only people I know who ride whenever and wherever they want, are
> single with no children. Or people who ride with the family. To me
> that would be the perfect world The one where the family all rides
> together. I love reading Clare's posts about family rides. But it's not
> that way for everyone.

I am back in a small way here and have to admit that while my wife and grown
kids won't ride with me, the grandkids love to, but not on anything past 20
miles, which seems to exceed their endurance. For me these are not training
rides since the kids can't all ride fast and are always stopping to look at
something. Right now is blackberry/raspberry season in California so there
are lots of snack stops. Long rides tend to be loners since all my family
and friends are car people. ,sigh>.
Bill Baka
>
> It was a beautiful weekend and I was only able to get 2 hours out of it
> to bike. Unless I wanted to forget it was Fathers Day on Sunday and
> leave all my company and go out on my bike.....or take off when my
> Sister in law was visiting on Saturday.
>
> Not all of us can put riding a bike as a top priority during leisure
> time.
>
> Maggie