How unfit am I?

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RIP
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Re: How unfit am I?

Post by RIP »

This is fun :smile:

I always find your skills and expertise really valuable and interesting Alp, joking aside.

It seems that what we might be presenting here for Rob and his gloves to consider is two viewpoints about 'fitness', possibly at different ends or sides of the bikepacking spectrum. Expert technician and expert layabout perhaps. Or sports cyclist and proper bikepacker maybe... JOKE! :lol: . Both skillsets providing 'fitness', as I defined it above, for the appropriate purpose.

What most people are after is probably somewhere in between. But my '[un]fitness for purpose' definition still stands for all positions on that spectrum. Actually, 'race' bikepackers are perhaps different in that the effort goes on for long periods with little rest whereas us layabouts do a big bit of effort then slump for long periods in cafes or on riverbanks staring at the sky. Different 'fitness' required. The layabouts are nearer to 'cavemen' fitness - short intense spurts of food sourcing then lying around for ages snoozing, eating, drinking, shouting, procreating. Come to think of it the parallels are uncanny.

So, I'd offer that one answer, call it Reg's answer for sake of argument, to RMG is that 'unfit' does not really mean slow, lots of stops, low mileage, etc and therefore not necessarily to be worried about if other riding factors 'fit' the purpose more closely.

One more passing comment is I think there's a fine line between extreme-training enhanced performance and drugs/potions/powders enhanced performance. Indeed why not let contestants win by using any enhancements they wish? What's 'natural' and what isn't? From my tramp/layabout point of view anything above the background physical 'fitness' of a normally exercising person is 'un-naturally enhanced' :wink: :grin:
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: How unfit am I?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

In other words, loads of riding doesn't necessarily make you a stronger rider. It's also (or even more) about how intense the rides are.
I agree that HI rides will usually produce greater 'fitness' results but my point was that, any riding and time spent on the bike will have a positive effect on fitness when the second option is, not doing. :wink:
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sean_iow
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Re: How unfit am I?

Post by sean_iow »

When I was 'training' I used to just ride more and do the odd run. I'd aim for about 12 to 15 hrs riding/running a week which included my commutes.

If I was tired I'd go the flat way straight home from work and call it a recovery ride, if the weather was good I'd head out for 3 hrs on the way home from work. If the weather was really bad I'd head out for 4 hours :lol:

Intensity would be based on route choice, it would be a harder ride if I went the hilly way. I'd also try and get out for a longer ride say every other weekend and certainly once a month (say 100 miles mixed on/off road) but mainly because I enjoy riding my bike.

I never had a training plan, no nutrition plan (took whatever was in the cupboard) and no science to it. Could I have been faster if I'd taken a more structured approach? Maybe, then maybe it also wouldn't have been as fun as just riding my bike so maybe I'd not have kept it up/stuck to it anyway and been worse off.
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tobasco
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Re: How unfit am I?

Post by tobasco »

Last winter after listening to my son who is young and into fitness training, I spent a good bit of time on indoor trainer - a wahoo kicker hooked up to software and tv screen. First time I’ve used a trainer, and my routine was to pedal up one of the Pyrenean cols which I know well - 14km of continuous 7%. The OCD in me enjoyed doing the same route repeatedly (about 3-4 times a week) and experimenting how best to reduce times*. Trainer had benefit of being able to get an hour in without getting me and bike filthy and all the extra hassle required of winter rides.

Once the days lengthened and I started going out day (we’re talking 30-50 miles here, small backroads in hilly Shropshire, not the epics of some round here), I was surprised at how tired my legs felt. I thought the trainer would have had more effect than it did. After a few months with a couple of longer rides a week the time to knackeredness onset subsided.

So my theory is that the training schedule stuff works well for people with specific goals - my son has all sorts of gadgets and stats and schedules. For folk like me, (old fart now), who just want to not get knackered whilst the day is young, I find there’s no substitute for miles in the legs.

* I started by setting a time up the col riding at a pace that didn’t floor me, and then tried different strategies of improving on it. I found that even if I went as hard as I could, having to lie on floor to recover at end with Louise looking for the insurance policies, I could maybe knock a couple of minutes off of 60 minute ride at best.
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ledburner
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Re: How unfit am I?

Post by ledburner »

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 1:58 pm
Definitely need to start cycling more.
I believe that is key. Two years (or maybe three), I could happily ride a 14 hour day, sleep in a ditch, get up and do exactly the same.
However, as Sean and Phil say, I had a good time regardless :-bd
next time take Stu's advice and sleep in a ditch.
It'll do wonders to stimulate your immune system and energy level next day... :grin:

if you enjoy it you do more, like training but you don't notice it. :-bd
I hope you think you know, what I might of exactly meant.
Warning - may contain value odded typos & ither mythspellings..
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