Strava

[militantmandy]

Sorry for the overload but I've spent the last couple of weeks traversing Costa Rica from the Pacific to the Caribbean Coast. Thought some might be interested in the terrain. It was a mixtue of cycling, walking, rafting and kayaking. We had only a small drybag on the raft so that bit is not included, the rest is there though.


https://www.strava.com/activities/303233467

https://www.strava.com/activities/303232711

https://www.strava.com/activities/304050579

https://www.strava.com/activities/304603615

https://www.strava.com/activities/304603712

https://www.strava.com/activities/307253125

https://www.strava.com/activities/307252842

https://www.strava.com/activities/307252751

https://www.strava.com/activities/307778894

https://www.strava.com/dashboard/my_activity/20

Perhaps stating the obvious but Costa Rica is a STEEP country!

[Dizeee]

I clicked a random link in the middle and was worried about what I saw. That's pain.

20 miles yet 3500 feet. Nice.

[militantmandy]

Hahaha. Aye, it was a trip that involved a lot of climbing. Something like 8500m! There were certainly significant bits during the hikes that would have been physically impossible (for me at least) to cycle up.

[nammynake]

Hill fest club ride today.

[Devil2575]

nammynake said:

Hill fest club ride today.

That's something of an epic ride!

[TwistingMyMelon]

Dizeee said:

The issue isn't finding time to ride, I have that in abundance, and am regularly doing 150 - 200 mile weeks, the bulk of which is as you say, commuting.

The issue comes committing to events. Every weekday from 5pm onwards is ruled out. Either at work, or if not, then my other half is and I am at home minding 2 toddlers. That's every single weekday without fail as me and my other half struggle to balance two set's of shift's around childcare.

Weekends are 50 / 50, but even then, heavily time constrained for the same reasons and if I do get out it is only locally and for a couple of hours before I have to return either to go to work or take over childcare. Many weekends that I have off from work I don't get out at all, due to the other half working. I haven't even factored in yet family trips to the coast to see her family or weekends away.

I am OCD, over the top and throw myself at whatever I am passaionate about ( road riding being a key example, I only found it three years ago and am on my way now to my third year of around 7k miles ). There is no way I would want to be throwing myself into a sport where I had to continually say "no I can't make that sorry" or "not this weekend I have the kids". To be able to make 1 in 5 events would not suffice for me and it would drive me absolutley nuts!

Those who know me and see my rides on Strava will know I am not shy about putting the miles in, and TT's local to me work well (when I can make them) so I am more than happy to pin a number on my back and have my arse kicked too, but, to delve into the racing route is something I would want to take on when I can commit the amount of time to it that I would want to.

Indeed I cant commit to specific events at the moment, because they write off the day, I have to fit my cycling around everything else!

Plus I gotta pace myself for family duties, the minute I get in from a 80 mile club ride on Saturday the misses plonks my (wonderful) baby daughter on my lap and says "YOUR TURN", no chance for recovery or to take it easy with a crying hyperactive baby/toddle wanting entertaining afternoon, I then have my two dogs howling at me demanding a long walk, followed by teenagers wanting taxi trups!! I've even started pacing myself on long rides to make sure I have loads of energy left AFTER the ride for family duties!!

Plus riding is ok , I never get a chance for any maitainence on bikes at home as there is always something else that needs doing, or comes along to interrupt it!

On the plus side I get a nice commute to work to keep the mile up.

[Devil2575]

TwistingMyMelon said:

Indeed I cant commit to specific events at the moment, because they write off the day, I have to fit my cycling around everything else!

Plus I gotta pace myself for family duties, the minute I get in from a 80 mile club ride on Saturday the misses plonks my (wonderful) baby daughter on my lap and says "YOUR TURN", no chance for recovery or to take it easy with a crying hyperactive baby/toddle wanting entertaining afternoon, I then have my two dogs howling at me demanding a long walk, followed by teenagers wanting taxi trups!! I've even started pacing myself on long rides to make sure I have loads of energy left AFTER the ride for family duties!!

Plus riding is ok , I never get a chance for any maitainence on bikes at home as there is always something else that needs doing, or comes along to interrupt it!

On the plus side I get a nice commute to work to keep the mile up.

I've paid the price after a tough ride for exactly the same reasons

Even after my commute I go straight into baths and bedtime stories before I even get a shower.

[Dizeee]

There's no doubt kids ruin cycling... in fact your life.

[ewenm]

Dizeee said:

There's no doubt kids ruin cycling... in fact your life.

The issue with cycling is that the training takes so long. I've managed to maintain decent running form despite the sprog but then I only need one run a week over an hour, the rest can all be <= 60 mins.

Kids don't ruin your life, but they do make it more difficult to train for sport.

[scubadude]

ewenm said:

Kids don't ruin your life, but they do make it more difficult to train for sport.

Exercise bike, TT and now rollers in the spare room for varied cycling workout while baby sitting- thank goodness for night vision video baby monitors! No segments to be had though...

Oh and my long weekend rides are 5-9am followed by whole day of Dad, got back from fast 50miles on Saturday for my toddler to declare he wanted to go swimming- now I know why Triathlons have the swim first, OMFG thought my legs would fall off :-)

[Devil2575]

ewenm said:

Dizeee said:

There's no doubt kids ruin cycling... in fact your life.

The issue with cycling is that the training takes so long. I've managed to maintain decent running form despite the sprog but then I only need one run a week over an hour, the rest can all be <= 60 mins.

Kids don't ruin your life, but they do make it more difficult to train for sport.

Kids don't ruin cycling, you just have to accept that you aren't going to have the time to train hard, hold down a full time job and spend time with your family. To be honest it's not just kids that do that. Having a job and being in a relationship are also pretty good at doing that

[ewenm]

scubadude said:

ewenm said:

Kids don't ruin your life, but they do make it more difficult to train for sport.

Exercise bike, TT and now rollers in the spare room for varied cycling workout while baby sitting- thank goodness for night vision video baby monitors! No segments to be had though...

Oh and my long weekend rides are 5-9am followed by whole day of Dad, got back from fast 50miles on Saturday for my toddler to declare he wanted to go swimming- now I know why Triathlons have the swim first, OMFG thought my legs would fall off :-)

Absolutely. Most of my running is either early morning or late evening with the occasional lunchtime run. It's a lot easier to fit running in than cycling though

[TwistingMyMelon]

Hahah I'd never say kids ruin your life , they just dominate it! I'd probably rather spend the morning with my daughter than go on a ride, no amount of pedalling could replace her little smile!

[okgo]

ewenm said:

The issue with cycling is that the training takes so long. I've managed to maintain decent running form despite the sprog but then I only need one run a week over an hour, the rest can all be <= 60 mins.

Kids don't ruin your life, but they do make it more difficult to train for sport.

While 'ruining your life' is a bit dramatic (why have them in the first place?) - it certainly won't help with cycling, BUT many guys I know get by on 6-8 hours a week which really isn't much, you just have to make sure you're doing the right things!

Matt Bottrill has two kids or maybe even 3, and he still manages to improve and operate right at the top of his game week in, also loads of elite racers I know have kids also. However as Dizeee has said, his work is quite a rare situation and certainly would make it difficult.

[ewenm]

To be clear - I don't think kids ruin your life (that was Dizzee's suggestion). My daughter has enhanced my life immeasurably. However, I also won't pretend I can train like I used to while holding down a job and spending time with the family. I can't run 80-100 miles a week any more, but then as I'm approaching 40, I suspect that's a good thing! Finding the right balance is key - I can comfortably average 40-60 miles a week, still have plenty of family time and only run once at the weekend.

[Devil2575]

TwistingMyMelon said:

Hahah I'd never say kids ruin your life , they just dominate it! I'd probably rather spend the morning with my daughter than go on a ride, no amount of pedalling could replace her little smile!

This.

[Devil2575]

ewenm said:

Finding the right balance is key

When I think about some of the very keen cyclists I know I don't think balance comes into it

Unless by balance you mean, every waking hour not in work spent on the bike!

[ewenm]

Devil2575 said:

When I think about some of the very keen cyclists I know I don't think balance comes into it

Unless by balance you mean, every waking hour not in work spent on the bike!

So single or with very understanding partner/family

[Devil2575]

ewenm said:

Devil2575 said:

When I think about some of the very keen cyclists I know I don't think balance comes into it

Unless by balance you mean, every waking hour not in work spent on the bike!

So single or with very understanding partner/family

Yes

[Dizeee]

Yes kids and shiftwork strikes the most difficult situation. Finding time to train is fine it is making the events that is the issue.