Biking the distance - an update on my new commute

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, my office moved recently and the new commute is much longer - 8.5 miles versus my old commute of 2.5. Now that I've been biking this route for about three weeks now, I thought I'd share how it's been so far.

The distance

I'm someone who tends to just jump right into things once I've made my mind up. I didn't really train to prepare for the extra mileage past doing a few test rides to the new office and back to get a feel for the overall commute and which routes I could take. I knew I could handle it, since back in college I had a regular 7+ mile commute. The biggest challenge created by the distance was simply how much longer it takes - between 40 and 45 minutes, depending on how energetic I'm feeling. Additionally, the longer distance means more sweat, so I've been getting to the office about 10 minutes early to clean up before I start work. I'll go into more detail on de-sweating yourself in a later blog post, since I've found some things that have worked quite well for me thus far. We'll see how it goes when summer rolls around, though, since August in Charleston can get very hot.

The route

The route itself is interesting, because I have several options. When I started, I primarily went down a road that was narrower (one-lane each way), but with less traffic, but lately I've been taking the main road, which is more well-trafficked, but has three wide lanes each way. Contrary to my expectations, I actually feel safer biking along the busier, more central road because there is more space for cars to pass me. On the narrow road I started on, I frequently had cars either waiting to pass because the lane was too narrow (I don't like holding up traffic if at all possible), or squeezing past me when there wasn't really room because they didn't want to wait. I wasn't a fan of either option. On the wider road, though, cars have plenty of space to pass me without veering into the other lane, which seems safer for all involved. It just goes to show how important it is to try out different routes when you're bike commuting, because you may be surprised (as I was) by which you prefer.

On a related topic, so far I've been quite happy with how drivers have treated me. Other than a couple idiots shouting at me from their cars or careening past me when there was no room (one passed me as I was entering a roundabout, and nearly got t-boned by another car in the process), they have been respectful and fairly safe drivers.

My body

Like I said, I didn't really train for the extra mileage - I just started riding. However, I made sure not to push myself, since getting injured would just prevent me from biking. I'm pretty resilient, so the adjustment hasn't been too bad, but after cranking rather hard at the end of last week, my knees have been sore. Icing, stretching, ibuprofen, and pedaling in an easier gear is helping, though.

Knees aside, I've already noticed that I'm in better shape than when I started. I've shed a couple pounds and I feel healthier than ever - I'm not bike commuting specifically for the health benefits, but they're a huge perk.

Overall, what surprised me the most about this new commute was how much I've enjoyed it. If anything, I like it better than my old commute because it's longer. It gives me more time in the saddle and the longer rides put me in a better mood than ever. That said, it's been a challenge adjusting to how much more time it takes. I don't mind the long ride, but I miss having more time in the evenings to get things done. I've had to work to prepare meals more in advance (I do all the cooking, since it's something I love as much as biking) to avoid having dinner at 8:30. I've gotten better at it, but there's still room for improvement and I'm trying to get more done on the weekends to balance it out. I also haven't been able to post to this blog as often as I'd like to, which has been frustrating - hopefully as I get a better handle on the new schedule I'll make time for it again, since I really enjoy writing it.

What I hope is that this shows some of you that it is completely possible to bike to work on a regular basis, even if it's a longer distance. Not only is it possible, it's actively enjoyable and rewarding! It takes some adjustment, certainly, and you absolutely need to prepare (physically and in terms of what gear you have to cope with weather, a change of clothing, etc.), but it's completely worth it. Give it a try, and let me know how it goes in the comments section!