Mileage Update: March 2020
I am struggling with mileage with no commute. This is not something I ever could have prepared for. It's been very challenging to feel good about my rides when I know it means that have to leave my husband to parent my kid or somehow convince her to go out with me. R is a hearty sort of kid. However, at three, she'd much rather ride her own bike. So, we're getting to the point that she's fighting me about the trailer. I am thinking a Weehoo or other such bike trailer might be in our future but we're not ready to deploy that now. She gets around really well on her balance bike with me now having to jog a bit to keep up. I think by the end of the year, she will be on a bike with cranks. However, it's going to be hard for anyone in my house to match my speed right now. If there is anything good to come of this, it's been that I have to push myself to get in all of my mileage on my "lunch break" or immediately following or before dinner. I average between 16 and 17 mph on a lunch ride. That is fast. I do not even know how I got there. I am usually not using assist much on the flat, obviously, but still regularly keeping my e-bike going. That's no slack because it weighs 46 pounds. Hills, understandably slow me down on my Surly, but I get up speed a lot easier on the flat, too. It's kind of a wash. That motivation has kept me going. As of March 31st, I had ridden 601 miles. My speed has increased markedly since January where rides like this would have averaged 15 mph and commutes, now up to 15 mph, would have averaged 13 to 14 mph. That's progress. We will figure out how to deal with the speed and toddler issues once the crisis is over.