The Quickie

As much as I like riding bikes, I hate doing quick bike rides. From a training standpoint, the "quickie" makes a lot of sense as an efficient way to meet a certain objective (recovery, intervals, etc.). It also make a lot of practical sense for those that don't have the luxury of going on longer rides due to work and family (all other reasons are cop outs). But despite all these logical explanations for going out for a quick spin, I will never enjoy the Quickie.

The Quickie is a total boner kill. It takes all the fun away from the simple act of riding a bike and is a waste of chamois cream and lube. I'm not saying that riding with a certain objective can't be fun. It's only when the objective is a simple time limitation that all the fun of riding goes erm... soft. Without an epic ride, how is a cyclist supposed to daydream about racing in the Tour of Flanders or climbing in the Pyrenees? How are you supposed to develop those oh-so-pro tan lines, including the enviable raccoon eyes from wearing sunglasses too long? Sure, you could take 'shrooms before you ride and "daydream" about practically anything. And you could substitute your sunscreen for tanning oil, (or in my case, Crisco) to fast track that super tan. But I say that's no substitute for spending 3+ hours in the saddle.

Unlike the Quickie, the focus of the longer ride is to take pleasure in the experience of riding. Enjoy the warm-up, take the time to draw the blood into your legs and tempt yourself with a few quick stomps out of the saddle. Then kick it up a notch to the point where you're going fast but not going to explode too quickly. Maybe you take an intermission and stop for a snack (I usually do). Then you come up to your favorite climb or your own personal sprint circuit and just let loose. Finally, cool yourself down, get some water, and ride home with a giant smile on your face knowing that you've had an excellent ride. Whether you're doing intervals, riding tempo, or just out enjoying the outdoors, it's all about loving the bike ride, not putting limitations on it.


[Ed. - I totally got blue-balled on my past two rides, hence this post. Also, it's late, hence the retarded nature of this post. Long ride tomorrow. Laterzzzzzzz]