Comparing ride data - any high-mileage riders to compare?
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29,603 was the official world record set in 1939 by Billie Fleming. This was what Amanda initially intended to break and had a year to do it. However, she broke that record in just over four months. That left her with almost eight months to finish her year and decided to see just how far she could ride. When she broke Kurt Searvogal’s 77,000+ mile record with over a month left, she decided to continue until her 365 days were up. With just under 14,000 miles to reach the 100,000 mile record, she decided to shoot for that one as well.
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29,603 was the official world record set in 1939 by Billie Fleming. This was what Amanda initially intended to break and had a year to do it. However, she broke that record in just over four months. That left her with almost eight months to finish her year and decided to see just how far she could ride. When she broke Kurt Searvogal’s 77,000+ mile record with over a month left, she decided to continue until her 365 days were up. With just under 14,000 miles to reach the 100,000 mile record, she decided to shoot for that one as well.
I said above that no matter how much you ride, there's always someone who rides more. I stand corrected.
The best part of that story is the "just under 14,000 miles" part, makes it sound like spare change.
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#78
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Well, she was doing around 7,000 miles a month-- averaging 237 miles per day-- during her HAMR Year effort.
I still contend she did a mileage challenge in the absolute smartest way possible: ride a lot of miles without actually going anywhere. No traffic, no stoplights, no support vehicles, no mountains.
Just ride laps around Flatwoods Park 14,000 times.
I still contend she did a mileage challenge in the absolute smartest way possible: ride a lot of miles without actually going anywhere. No traffic, no stoplights, no support vehicles, no mountains.
Just ride laps around Flatwoods Park 14,000 times.
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#79
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52 weeks in a year. Two weeks vacation. That's 250 days. Subtract 10 days for holidays. That's 240 days. Commute a daily 25 miles to work and back. That's 6,000 miles. I did that for several years until the office moved closer.
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I only had about 5500 this year, as i missed some time with a separated shoulder, but was just north of 7000 miles in 2018. I commute every day, year round, and throw in one or two recreational rides a week when the weather is nicer. To average 7000 miles in a calander year averages to just under 20 miles a day, which is not all that difficult when the average daily commuting miles are 15-18. Throw in a spattering of 20-50 mile fun rides, and the miles pile up quickly. The key is to ride everyday. I believe i only missed one day of riding in 2018, and might have only had one or two weeks where i was under 100 miles total for the week....Iowa winters can be brutal at times. When you are replacing time spent in the car with time on a bicycle, it doesn't seem like such a big chunk of your day is being used up.
I think my average speed was in the 14-15 mph range for the year, and i celebrated my 40th birthday last year.
I think my average speed was in the 14-15 mph range for the year, and i celebrated my 40th birthday last year.
Last edited by SalsaShark; 01-06-20 at 09:33 PM.
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Don't skip days.
Rest on Sundays.
I rode over 7000 miles in 2015 and 8000 in 2016. Got caught up in work 2017-2018 and am working on getting back in shape.
Last edited by Drew Eckhardt; 01-06-20 at 10:26 PM.
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Well, she was doing around 7,000 miles a month-- averaging 237 miles per day-- during her HAMR Year effort.
I still contend she did a mileage challenge in the absolute smartest way possible: ride a lot of miles without actually going anywhere. No traffic, no stoplights, no support vehicles, no mountains.
Just ride laps around Flatwoods Park 14,000 times.
I still contend she did a mileage challenge in the absolute smartest way possible: ride a lot of miles without actually going anywhere. No traffic, no stoplights, no support vehicles, no mountains.
Just ride laps around Flatwoods Park 14,000 times.
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#85
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If you're wondering how 7,000+ miles a year is humanly possible, try wrapping your mind around 86,573 miles (237 miles/day, average) in 365 days. It was done by Amanda Coker on May 15, 2017 and is currently the Guinness World Record for most cycling miles ridden in a single year. She went on to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest person to reach 100,000 miles, which she did in 423 days; 77 days sooner than the 500 day record (Tommy Godwin, 1939) which stood for 77 years.That's her standing next to me in my avatar. She's the tall one.It was taken the day she broke the 29,603 mile, woman's world record (Billie Fleming, 1939) which she did in 130 days.
Well, she was doing around 7,000 miles a month-- averaging 237 miles per day-- during her HAMR Year effort.
I still contend she did a mileage challenge in the absolute smartest way possible: ride a lot of miles without actually going anywhere. No traffic, no stoplights, no support vehicles, no mountains.
Just ride laps around Flatwoods Park 14,000 times.
I still contend she did a mileage challenge in the absolute smartest way possible: ride a lot of miles without actually going anywhere. No traffic, no stoplights, no support vehicles, no mountains.
Just ride laps around Flatwoods Park 14,000 times.
I concur - the math shows that to be around 237 miles per day average.
Regardless of where that mileage occurs, even if it was on an indoor track with a couple hundred thousand laps (pretty boring, but indoor = controlled climate = no weather delays) that is a questionable number. Even if that was on an indoor trainer with very minimal resistance - the motion of moving ones' legs burns calories
Is there any formal documentation that supports the validity of the mileage claims?
What I questioned when I opened this thread was how people could get up to the 7-10k mile range in a year - and the time commitment to achieve that. The answer to it largely comes down to a lifestyle that relies heavily on riding routinely. For those of us that have lifestyles that do not include a heavy reliance on cycling the riding we can get in is what we can do. So at the end of the day, and again - I was curious, I wasn't trying to say "my mileage is low how can I multiply it many times to get to x amount" - it comes down to "lifestyle".
However, I go back to Amanda Coker's apparent mileage - and that is 8 times more than that "10,000 mile/year" number that I would consider "very high". So if one's lifestyle relies heavily on riding and nets 10,000 miles, or a bit north of that, a year - how is it possibly to multiply that by 8? People have to eat, go to the restroom, sleep/rest, etc - just to function.
Someone at one point in the thread mentioned the term "if there is a will, there is a way". I also agree with that phrase. It just baffles me someone can ride so much.
Every once in a while I hear of people that conquer a "double century" = 200 miles in 1 day. I would say for most of us getting to the century point would be a "big ride". For me I haven't done that in about 4-5 years. To think of doubling that is unimaginable in my realm. To those that go "light and fast" maybe a double century to them is akin to a century for me - a big ride but possible.
Going back to Amanda's claim - averaging 237 miles - 37 more miles than a "double century" - in one day, each and every day for 365 consecutive days, on average (some days higher some days lower). So again - how is that possible? Going back to just the motion of moving ones' legs - it takes energy to do that alone, not to mention either spinning an indoor trainer or propelling ones' self and bike against all resistances. That's just mind boggling.
29,603 was the official world record set in 1939 by Billie Fleming. This was what Amanda initially intended to break and had a year to do it. However, she broke that record in just over four months. That left her with almost eight months to finish her year and decided to see just how far she could ride. When she broke Kurt Searvogal’s 77,000+ mile record with over a month left, she decided to continue until her 365 days were up. With just under 14,000 miles to reach the 100,000 mile record, she decided to shoot for that one as well.
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237 miles/day = ~12k calories/day. So she probably biked 8-9 hours, then spent the rest of the day eating.
#87
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Because she eliminated as many variables as possible (she barely climbed 100,000 total feet during the HAMR year) and was on what amounts to a closed course (the 7 miles lap around Flatwoods Park) her moving average speed was a little bit north of 20mph.
Her ride plots are exactly what you would expect: efficiency, not brute force. She spent entire days in Zone 1, basically using little more energy than would be required for walking at a normal pace.
Riding 237 miles a day is a twofold challenge: the physicality of enduring that much saddle time, and the mental strength to not simply go insane by riding the exact same lap 14,000 times.
She just rode 12 hours a day, every single day, rain or shine, dividing time between a conventional road bike and a recumbent. Unless they change the ultra endurance rules and allow mileage to be recorded indoors, I don't see Coker's record being challenged any time soon.
Her ride plots are exactly what you would expect: efficiency, not brute force. She spent entire days in Zone 1, basically using little more energy than would be required for walking at a normal pace.
Riding 237 miles a day is a twofold challenge: the physicality of enduring that much saddle time, and the mental strength to not simply go insane by riding the exact same lap 14,000 times.
She just rode 12 hours a day, every single day, rain or shine, dividing time between a conventional road bike and a recumbent. Unless they change the ultra endurance rules and allow mileage to be recorded indoors, I don't see Coker's record being challenged any time soon.
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However, I go back to Amanda Coker's apparent mileage - and that is 8 times more than that "10,000 mile/year" number that I would consider "very high". So if one's lifestyle relies heavily on riding and nets 10,000 miles, or a bit north of that, a year - how is it possibly to multiply that by 8? People have to eat, go to the restroom, sleep/rest, etc - just to function.
With a normal sized bladder I can go for four hours and 1.5 liters of water between restroom stops.
Amanda averaged 20 MPH on a triathlon bike, which is only 12 hours of riding daily. A pair of 5 minute stops would only bump that to 12:10.
Aero bars can cut your drag by a third, and her course was a dead flat 7 mile loop.
Every once in a while I hear of people that conquer a "double century" = 200 miles in 1 day. I would say for most of us getting to the century point would be a "big ride". For me I haven't done that in about 4-5 years. To think of doubling that is unimaginable in my realm. To those that go "light and fast" maybe a double century to them is akin to a century for me - a big ride but possible.
Cool records and I can see the theory - if on a roll why stop? However, again, how is it possible? Is there formal documentation that explains the technicalities of making that happen?
Short term or acute training stress accumulates similarly, but decays over a shorter period, seven days on average.
Stress balance is long term minus short term, and is essentially your freshness. You gain fitness when it's negative but have problems when it gets too negative. You lose fitness when its positive. With zero difference you can handle that volume every day whether the average is sitting on your couch doing nothing or riding two hundred miles.
Eric Bannister figured this out based on heart rate with TRIMP. Andrew Coggan and Phil Skibba have system built around measured power output for cyclists.
Old timey coaches intuitively viewed it in terms of fitness and freshness.
Last edited by Drew Eckhardt; 01-08-20 at 12:01 AM.
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Just to clarify:
The reference for my statement is below - with the pertinent info highlighted.
237 miles each day on average is over a "double centrury" in one day, not 1 week.
Back to your statement of a "double century" occurring over the course of a week (7 days) - I agree that mileage is attainable. Even I could do that when working a full time job with a 60-80 mile ride on the weekends.
However, 237 miles x 7 days comes up to 1,659 miles per week. That is a world of difference than 200 miles in the same time period.
Every once in a while I hear of people that conquer a "double century" = 200 miles in 1 day. I would say for most of us getting to the century point would be a "big ride". For me I haven't done that in about 4-5 years. To think of doubling that is unimaginable in my realm. To those that go "light and fast" maybe a double century to them is akin to a century for me - a big ride but possible.
Back to your statement of a "double century" occurring over the course of a week (7 days) - I agree that mileage is attainable. Even I could do that when working a full time job with a 60-80 mile ride on the weekends.
However, 237 miles x 7 days comes up to 1,659 miles per week. That is a world of difference than 200 miles in the same time period.
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When you normally ride 200 miles a week, a double century in one day making that week's total 350 is not a big deal although the logistics are more complicated than riding just 100 miles or 200 km.
Riding 200 miles a week otherwise a double isn't more difficult than a century. Just the logistics are more complicated - the time needed means you're more likely to start before sunrise or finish after sunset, which requires lights, reflective clothing, and perhaps warmer clothing you can take off as the sun climbs higher. You may also need some bag space for energy bars.
Supposedly at 200 miles a week you can ride any distance.
I had at least another 100km in my legs after my first unsupported 200.
Taking into account the rule of thumb that 1000 feet up = 10 miles horizontally, on the next one I hit two of the three highest paved peaks in my area.
My legs still felt great, but the rough descent set off a nerve - the MRI showed the space getting tight between two of my cervical vertebrae.
Last edited by Drew Eckhardt; 01-07-20 at 11:25 PM.
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#93
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Looked up some of her Strava files from the HAMR year, a typical 100 mile stint was just a hair over 5 hours total time (including stoppages) having less than 300ft of elevation change per 100 miles. Her average moving speed was 20.6mph and her average HR was 122bpm.
My favorite field from the Elevate stats: on a 260 mile day, Time climbing 00:02:51 (0% of time)
My favorite field from the Elevate stats: on a 260 mile day, Time climbing 00:02:51 (0% of time)
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#94
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My highest year, 2016:
Distance 7,029.7 mi
Time 446h 53m
Elev Gain 318,967 ft
Rides 203
last year:
Distance 6,569.8 mi
Time 415h 53m
Elev Gain 291,378 ft
Rides 178
these are moving times, Garmin auto pauses when I am stopped.
Distance 7,029.7 mi
Time 446h 53m
Elev Gain 318,967 ft
Rides 203
last year:
Distance 6,569.8 mi
Time 415h 53m
Elev Gain 291,378 ft
Rides 178
these are moving times, Garmin auto pauses when I am stopped.
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Originally Posted by [url=https://www.bikeforums.net/members/drew-eckhardt-192132.html
Drew Eckhardt[/url]]The record was verified by the World UltraCycling Association including GPS tracker monitoring.
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totally believable for me. just keep pedaling in zone 1 or 2 and you could go all day
if you have the time and desire, most don't, but there such a thing in life called balance
I'm sure there are people that watch media the same amount of hours daily that she is riding
if you have the time and desire, most don't, but there such a thing in life called balance
I'm sure there are people that watch media the same amount of hours daily that she is riding
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I still contend she did a mileage challenge in the absolute smartest way possible: ride a lot of miles without actually going anywhere. No traffic, no stoplights, no support vehicles, no mountains.
Just ride laps around Flatwoods Park 14,000 times.
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#98
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I'm not super high mileage or particularly fast, but clocked just over 6,000 miles in 2017 and 2018. Those years, I came out around 400 hours of riding time.
Those years, I rode nearly every day in the summer and most days in the winter. I also rode a handful of centuries, added miles to my commutes, and rode regularly with groups. Longer summer daylight hours in the north helped, as I could leave at 6PM and throw down 40-45 miles before sunset.
I'm not very fast, but have managed 19-20MPH averages both on my own and with groups on road routes without traffic and stops. If you can get in shape for a slow A/fast B group or find similar training partners, 20MPH = 30 miles in an hour and a half. Do that five days a week, 50 weeks a year, and you've got 7,500 miles. Add a few centuries and commutes, and congrats, you've got a lot of miles.
People I know in real life and on Strava who do really high mileage tend to (1) ride almost daily, (2) ride exclusively on roads, (3) regularly do long rides (80+ miles), and (4) increase average speed by going to low-traffic areas with few stoplights and riding with fast groups. There are exceptions to (4), including some members of this forum.
Those years, I rode nearly every day in the summer and most days in the winter. I also rode a handful of centuries, added miles to my commutes, and rode regularly with groups. Longer summer daylight hours in the north helped, as I could leave at 6PM and throw down 40-45 miles before sunset.
I'm not very fast, but have managed 19-20MPH averages both on my own and with groups on road routes without traffic and stops. If you can get in shape for a slow A/fast B group or find similar training partners, 20MPH = 30 miles in an hour and a half. Do that five days a week, 50 weeks a year, and you've got 7,500 miles. Add a few centuries and commutes, and congrats, you've got a lot of miles.
People I know in real life and on Strava who do really high mileage tend to (1) ride almost daily, (2) ride exclusively on roads, (3) regularly do long rides (80+ miles), and (4) increase average speed by going to low-traffic areas with few stoplights and riding with fast groups. There are exceptions to (4), including some members of this forum.
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Just to clarify:
The reference for my statement is below - with the pertinent info highlighted.
237 miles each day on average is over a "double centrury" in one day, not 1 week.
Back to your statement of a "double century" occurring over the course of a week (7 days) - I agree that mileage is attainable. Even I could do that when working a full time job with a 60-80 mile ride on the weekends.
However, 237 miles x 7 days comes up to 1,659 miles per week. That is a world of difference than 200 miles in the same time period.
The reference for my statement is below - with the pertinent info highlighted.
237 miles each day on average is over a "double centrury" in one day, not 1 week.
Back to your statement of a "double century" occurring over the course of a week (7 days) - I agree that mileage is attainable. Even I could do that when working a full time job with a 60-80 mile ride on the weekends.
However, 237 miles x 7 days comes up to 1,659 miles per week. That is a world of difference than 200 miles in the same time period.
During the late spring, summer and early fall months, I regularly ride at least 200 miles every weekend, and I usually do that by doing 125-150 miles on Saturday and about 78 miles (the round trip distance to where my son lives) on Sunday. That's strictly doing daylight hours and with a lot more elevation than Amanda Coker did. I also did not shoot for maximum efficiency, often riding very fast outside of the cities and much, much slower in urban areas. I have little doubt that if I paced myself and allowed the ride to slip into pre or post daylight conditions, I could do 200 miles in a day. I also know that 150-160 miles is about the point where I get really sick of being on the bike, and don't want to.
Obviously, these records are huge outliers and would seem to be, at first glance, implausible if not adequately documented. The most amazing thing about them, however, is the stringing together the number of such days without any recovery time. That's both an incredible feat of physical and mental discipline.
I suspect, btw, that even the lower calorie estimate is probably high depending on how much of this was done on a recumbent. A lot of calories on a diamond frame are consumed fighting aerodynamic drag, and obviously that's reduced on a bent.
#100
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Not an easy task. I ride there as well. While there aren't any mountains or hills at Flatwoods, there is wind; lots of it and it's constant. The wind there is, on most days, pretty constant and brutal; especially during the late morning and early afternoon. Not sure about others, but I would take hills and mountains any day over constant wind gusts. She also rode through two major storms and one approaching hurricane. On those days, she only did centuries. After that, her parents pulled her out. If I'm not mistaken, during the hurricane century, she had winds of up to 60 mph.
Not claiming it's an easy task, but can't help but note that on a loop, wind gusts work both ways.
Personally, if I'm looking at gusts in the 25 mph range or more, I'm probably not riding that day because I don't want to deal with the safety issues of such a strong crosswind so I'll go to the gym instead (I don't count indoor "miles"). She's truly amazing to do that stuff and the records probably won't be broken in the lifetime of anyone posting here.