Originally Posted by
bpcyclist
Interesting. I never do group rides, though I probably should give them a try again. I am not an antisocial person. But I really enjoy riding alone. It's peaceful and relaxing and even when I am pushing myself, which I often do, it is just for me. Nobody else. And I kind of like that.
I just started but feel the same way. I like to just be alone with my thoughts, take in the sights, it’s a great time for solitude.
Also, I’m usually pushing myself to make gains in my strength and wind so Im consistently “winding” myself during the ride and I don’t think I could really chat much.
But, I can definitely see how it would be fun and relaxing to ride with others and look forward to it in the future.
As far as worrying about my heart. I don’t use a hr monitor, it would distract me. I just don’t push too hard too long and make sure my breathing is always measured even when pushing. I’ll usually check my heart rate about 5 minutes after my ride to see if it’s coming down. And then maybe a few hours later.
I was in decent shape before I started riding just 4 months ago but I think my resting hr is already edging down a little. I was usually only doing 30-40 minutes of cardio because it was so boring at the gym but with cycling, I actually enjoy an hour or more.