Analysing My Routes To and From Work
I like that each and every day I can look back on my rides to and from work to see how fast I was, what my average pace was, and the distance I travelled. I have two routes that I can travel, and each one has its own challenges. The one route, which is more flat, often gets much more wind which requires more work. I live by the sea and the wind off of the fjord can be quite strong. The second route is through a gorgeous forested area but has a lot more hills. My legs get a stronger workout, as does my heart and my heart rate tends to skyrocket on this route. I try to mix the week up and pick one of the two different routes each way.

Garmin Connect

Garmin has released a new website that allows users to connect their Garmin devices up to their computers and easily upload previous runs and rides for tracking and further analysis. I have been doing this and it is pretty cool. It seems a bit buggy right now, as not everything works all the time, but overall it is interesting. One particular feature is the ability to play a video that highlights the route you did, including data on pace, altitude, time, and distance.

Below is a screen capture of the video that a user can view:

I look forward to continuing to use the Garmin Forerunner 305 in my daily commutes to and from work and in my trek to lose weight and get fit.

To be totally honest, it is a great part of my day.  It totally wakes me up and then allows me to wind down and switch from that intense work guy to fun to be around super dad and husband (most of the time!).

The Route

The route I take is 10.5 kilometers each way which when I first started took me about 40 minutes.  After a year of riding I have been able to cut that time down to between 32 and 34 minutes depending on the wind and how much energy I have.  The best part (although I don’t always think so) is that the route is not flat, but rather has a nice combination of real steep intense hills which require me to mash up out of my saddle and longer hills that brings a wicked burn to the quads.

My Bike

Ahhhh my sweet ride – it is the one in the picture above.  I decided to go with a mountain bike because they are more versatile.  There are a lot of great trails around my house and a road bike or even a hybrid just wouldn’t be able to cut it.  It is a locally made bike by a company called Bike Brothers.  It is light, quick, and very comfortable to ride. I love it.

The Effects on My Weight

My daily rides are all about burning calories and using my heart and leg muscles which I have found to be a positive influence on both my weight and leg strength.  At first I found that I lost a lot of weight with these rides, simply because I was burning all those additional calories every day.  However, now that I do it every day my body has adapted and rather than continuing to lose weight I have been able to keep my weight relatively stable.  I have added running (for a future topic) and some other activities to keep things new and my body guessing.

(Photo Credit)