Today's Bike Ride

[molehill]

5 weeks exactly since my last ride and start of Covid, so a short ride and peddle about the local MTB course (but not down it). Easy to tell who has been eating all the pies these last weeks 🙄 but 9.3 miles and 1230 feet.
Ambling up the long hill strava segment I find I have broken the V70 record by 31/2 minutes , think I am going to enjoy old age - for a little while!

[Llani Boy]

Last year I rather neglected the bike, only treading 1,065 miles, and I think my running suffered for it as my legs did not benefit from the cross training effect it gives.

So this afternoon as the sun was shining, although a bitterly cold wind was blowing, I set off on the gravel Arkose up to the High Peak Trail. Once on the trail I was reminded it was a bank holiday as it was snided with folk, many having no consideration of others. One group, four abreast across the trail and walking towards me like Cock's of the North in their new Christmas trainers and Rab puffa jackets had no intention of moving and caused me to come to halt in front of them. They were obviously looking for a confrontation, and bigger than me, so I forced my frozen face into a smile and bid them a HNY as one of them tried to nudge me with his shoulder as I squeezed past. Why don't these people go to a football match or the Trafford centre instead of littering the countryside with their presence.

Apart from children, dogs and many deaf people, especially where bicycle bells are concerned, wandering about the rest of the ride was uneventful and I was glad to get home into the warmth of my house.

A decent start to the year of 30 miles, 1,444 feet in 2hrs 12 minutes.

[Travs]

Last year I rather neglected the bike, only treading 1,065 miles, and I think my running suffered for it as my legs did not benefit from the cross training effect it gives.

So this afternoon as the sun was shining, although a bitterly cold wind was blowing, I set off on the gravel Arkose up to the High Peak Trail. Once on the trail I was reminded it was a bank holiday as it was snided with folk, many having no consideration of others. One group, four abreast across the trail and walking towards me like Cock's of the North in their new Christmas trainers and Rab puffa jackets had no intention of moving and caused me to come to halt in front of them. They were obviously looking for a confrontation, and bigger than me, so I forced my frozen face into a smile and bid them a HNY as one of them tried to nudge me with his shoulder as I squeezed past. Why don't these people go to a football match or the Trafford centre instead of littering the countryside with their presence.

Apart from children, dogs and many deaf people, especially where bicycle bells are concerned, wandering about the rest of the ride was uneventful and I was glad to get home into the warmth of my house.

A decent start to the year of 30 miles, 1,444 feet in 2hrs 12 minutes.

This is interesting...

My running improved markedly around 2018 when i stopped all cross-training and really started a concerted effort with regards to weekly mileage (i think i was aiming at 40miles/1000ft per week back then).

Before then i was possibly only doing 20 miles a week running, but plenty of cycling and other cardio in the gym (elliptical, etc)

Probably not remotely comparable, as 20 miles a week clearly wasn't enough so i was bound to improve with consistent mileage.

Perhaps as i age i might need to resort back to cross-training in future years for preservation.

[Graham Breeze]

Perhaps as i age i might need to resort back to cross-training in future years for preservation.

Probably.

You get good at running by running but that is progressively damaging vulnerable bits of your body.

My knee surgeon told me that all fell runners eventually destroy their knees - it is the consequence of a lot of running fast on hard surfaces down hills, which is not what your body is designed for.

But eg cycling can maintain a good cardiovascular system without wrecking your knees and when you no longer have the body of a spring lamb it can play a part in keeping you running. If that is what you want to do, although some might think cycling is a lot more enjoyable.

[Marco]

Perhaps as i age i might need to resort back to cross-training in future years for preservation.

Probably.

You get good at running by running but that is progressively damaging vulnerable bits of your body.

My knee surgeon told me that all fell runners eventually destroy their knees - it is the consequence of a lot of running fast on hard surfaces down hills, which is not what your body is designed for.

But eg cycling can maintain a good cardiovascular system without wrecking your knees and when you no longer have the body of a spring lamb it can play a part in keeping you running. If that is what you want to do, although some might think cycling is a lot more enjoyable.

When I started running I quickly found that I could not do a lot of mileage without getting injured, and developed a strategy of doing my 'long runs' on the bike, and doing as much of my running as possible on grass.

Later, when I found a consultant who really understood my hip condition, I was told I had exceeded the normal maximum life-span (before surgery) for the joint by 14 years. My take on this is that some running is actually good for joints, and it is excessive mileage that is bad for the joints of the leg (usually starting with the knees). The problem with this is that 'excessive' varies from person to person, and the value probably decreases with age too.

In terms of enjoyment, I would rate road cycling slightly above road running, but a long, long way behind fell.

[Llani Boy]

In terms of enjoyment, I would rate road cycling slightly above road running, but a long, long way behind fell.

I agree with you 100% Marco

[Mike T]

My knee surgeon told me that all fell runners eventually destroy their knees - it is the consequence of a lot of running fast on hard surfaces down hills, which is not what your body is designed for.

I would be interested to know what his evidence for this is - he will of course only see those fell runners with dodgy joints - those with healthy joints will not need to go anywhere near him.

[molehill]

The problem with cycling is that bits of bikes are always breaking, need cleaning or in need of other TLC, my bike currently awaiting parts in the post. But so long as you don't fall off then injuries seem rare.
The problem with running is that my body is always breaking or in need of TLC, currrently achilles repairs (no new parts availble). But running kit tends not to break, doesn't need cleaning and lasts for years. Other than shoes.

[anthonykay]

The problem with cycling is that bits of bikes are always breaking, need cleaning or in need of other TLC, my bike currently awaiting parts in the post. But so long as you don't fall off then injuries seem rare.
The problem with running is that my body is always breaking or in need of TLC, currrently achilles repairs (no new parts availble). But running kit tends not to break, doesn't need cleaning and lasts for years. Other than shoes.

I should really put you in contact with my wife, so that you can explain to her that my running kit doesn't need cleaning. [Currently the socks from my last run are soaking in a bucket of water to await having the mud scrubbed off (by me), while the rest of the running kit from that run is in a separate bucket because it can't be allowed to contaminate the rest of the clothing in the laundry basket.]

As for my bikes, they do seem to survive with very little cleaning or TLC, but I do seem to be getting increasingly neurotic about punctures or other failures during rides.

[Marco]

The problem with cycling is that bits of bikes are always breaking, need cleaning or in need of other TLC, my bike currently awaiting parts in the post. But so long as you don't fall off then injuries seem rare.

I went out on New Years day, my first ride in over 3 weeks. The roads were wet after overnight rain, and the bike came back cleaner than it when it went out. That gives you some idea as to how often I clean it (with the exception of the chain which I run an old cloth over after wet rides, and occasionally oil). And it doesn't have clearances for mudguards.

The bike has a very, very slow front wheel puncture. I've known about it for a couple of months, but I just slightly over inflate it before a ride (and I did 33 miles on Sunday). I guess this is like having a hole in the upper of your running shoe; you know it needs replacing, you'd just like to get a bit more out of it before you do so.

As for breakages, I can't recall a single mechanical failure since I snapped one of my saddle rails near the France/Switzerland border in 1992. Much to Graham's displeasure, I buy kit made by Japan's top fishing tackle manufacturer; and I don't even buy from their best ranges either anymore, as even their low-end products are really durable too.