Passing Bikers While Running

Yeah it's awesome especially up a good hill.

It's good, but it is actually easier to jog/run up a hill than cycle up a hill, unless you are a pro. bike racer who trains 5-8 hours a day on the bike. Even good runners will realize that cycling up a hill requires a lot of power, even some power in the arms from pulling on the handlebars. It is a different kind of endurance and pain.

well the story is mildly funny- i can relate. but what i find funnier is that you refer to yourself as a "punk kid" in your post. i had seriously always pictured you as a disgruntled forty-something because of your previous posts. strange world.

you passed about the equivalent of 20-25min 5k runners. big deal. Thats like a biker bragging on their forum how they beat "real" runners at the end of a duathlon or something. Unless the hill was nearly straight up I am pretty sure you have no chance at all beating me if im on my bike. Ive done 3000ft mountain climbs several times and never have averaged under 20k going up (training, not racing too). Under no circumstance would I believe youre running 5 min pace either up hill or at the end of 15 miles or else you wouldnt call yourself "punk kid"

thefirstme wrote:

you passed about the equivalent of 20-25min 5k runners. big deal. Thats like a biker bragging on their forum how they beat "real" runners at the end of a duathlon or something. Unless the hill was nearly straight up I am pretty sure you have no chance at all beating me if im on my bike. Ive done 3000ft mountain climbs several times and never have averaged under 20k going up (training, not racing too). Under no circumstance would I believe youre running 5 min pace either up hill or at the end of 15 miles or else you wouldnt call yourself "punk kid"

YEAH, what he said! And there's no way you could drop me while I'm using my MACHINE: a 99 Honda Civic. I'm an athelete behind the wheel! BLEH! I spend thousands to appear atheletic while driving! Eat my exhaust!

I occasionally pass bicyclists. I don't give a crap if they're out of shape; they still have a huge advantage over me, and I love the look of shock when I go by.A little sensitive, aren't we Mr. Lemond?

thefirstme wrote:

you passed about the equivalent of 20-25min 5k runners. big deal. Thats like a biker bragging on their forum how they beat "real" runners at the end of a duathlon or something. Unless the hill was nearly straight up I am pretty sure you have no chance at all beating me if im on my bike. Ive done 3000ft mountain climbs several times and never have averaged under 20k going up (training, not racing too). Under no circumstance would I believe youre running 5 min pace either up hill or at the end of 15 miles or else you wouldnt call yourself "punk kid"

As much as it blows my mind to see weekend warriors blow thousands of dollars on biking equipment when they haven't even yet achieved brisk walking level fitness, I figure that at least they're trying.

I'm no elite runner, but I have run decent times (sub 15 and sub 31)....I have to say that bikers are always extremely friendly when I see them on the road. Why would anyone want to purposely "rub someone's face in it" while out on a run...be it an out-of-shape biker, or another runner?

I don't care if you were cruising 5 min pace at the end of a 15 miler...unless you're one of the best, there's always somebody who could pass your ass like you were painted on the road as well.

dean m, I suppose the equivalent would be when I pass a farm implement while cycling: I don't get any particular thrill because I know it's going as fast as it can. The only thrill I get is if I can catch them before they turn off into a field or down some road.

As for cyclists being rude...I used to think that way but since I've been around a fair number of various ability (Cat 1 to recreational) the past 5 years, I've learned there's as many different personalities/tempermants in both sports. Most serious cyclists take great care to be safe and'll go out of their way to avoid 'obstacles.' Those that don't are like runners who're oblivious to the world about them.

What I DO get a kick out of is beating other cyclists to the city limit sign at the end of a good training ride.

I don't judge people on their speed anymore, not that I particularly did before either, because I was seriously injured recently and even now half the time when I run I feel like the slowest person on earth and grannies can pass me. When I was first coming back I would run on the track infield for the soft surface and I would be running like these slow ass 8+ minute miles and I'm sure people were laughing at me thinking that was me doing a speed workout or something.

So you don't know why people are slow, so I don't laugh at them when they are.

"...since bikers are usually so rude and unfriendly..."???

My guess is that you are probably projecting your own rude attitude onto them. I don't know what world you live in bud, but it's not the same one I experience, where bikers and runners get along great (and are often the same). You must have a very fragile ego and low self esteem to take such satisfaction in nebulous "victories" such as you described. I'll bet you are also a road rager in your car. Anyway, you have a lot of growing up to do.

It is no fun to be out of shape and we all are slow at one time or another, you don't make excuses. When someone passes you on an easy day through the park do you shout "last night I was on track doing 800's so I am recovering." That just sounds silly. You watch them go by. You don't try to build your self confidence by picking up the pace or making some excuse. Some weekend warriors take themselves way too serious. I know exactly what you are saying. I get a kick out of passing certain bikers as well. The comment she made about the distance is what tops it off.

It is on par with beating that guy at the race who shows up in a Nike Internationl uniform, eyejackets, and a huge bag full of stuff. He does 20 strides at about 4:20 pace to make sure everyone notices him. The people who just try to play the part of athlete but just don't really have the fitness to pull it off. Gray t-shirt, black shorts, and trainers work best against such show offs.

I'm not fast enough to pass a bike, but have passed a few roller-bladers. I would much rather run up a hill than bike up one, though! I have a mountain bike I tool around on for fun every once in a while and hills suck! The trail I run on is a rails to trails and very flat and paved, so there are tons of bikes going super-fast on it. They are usually pretty cool and let you know they are coming, but there's this one girl that rides every Tues. and insists on crossing over the center line into my lane (head-on) so she can keep talking to her friend and looks at me like I'm some sort of a$$hole for being in the middle of the right side!!! Not really relevent to this discussion, but just wanted to vent.

your such an idiot...not all bikers are asses...just like not all runners are asses. it goes both ways. mabe you should think bfore you open your damn mouth...

cycling up a hill IS much harder then running the same hill. I think the reason is b/c that they have to get the weight of the bike up there as well.

If you catch'em on the downhill.... well that's somthin.

Catchin' Bikers is fun, but the best is catching the horse and buggies out in the Amish Country around my house. Nothin' like claiming you can out run a horse! and not be lying about it.

[quote]no pride wrote:

cycling up a hill IS much harder then running the same hill.quote]

Since when? When I am running up a steep hill I often wish I had my bike. Maybe if I was riding some single speed 40 lb monster I would rather run. The mechanical advantage of a bike if using the proper gear and cadence makes hills smooth and fast.

If you can pass someone on a bike while running on a downhill that cyclist needs to get his hands off the brakes or is in desperate need of a tune up.

shut up wrote:

your such an idiot...not all bikers are asses...just like not all runners are asses. it goes both ways. mabe you should think bfore you open your damn mouth...

Man, I had no idea that some people would be so sensitive about this.

I am just saying that I enjoy passing bikers... and I think I angered the bikers that I passed that frequent this board.

A couple points.

A) Yes, most bikers could beat me in a race of pretty much any distance if I was running. Then again, I could eat a ham sandwhich and bike at 5:00 pace.

B) Bikes are specifically designed to maximize power input, so while biking up a hill is hard, you should be able to outbike someone on foot. If you can't, I will quietly pass you and love every second of it.

C) thefirstme- As pathetic I am for enjoying passing bikers while running, I think you raised the bar for bragging about your cycling speed versus my running speed.

D) Hypo- I'll work on that "growing up" I need to do, since you know me so well. I have seen bikers flip out on women walking strollers because they won't get out of their way, flip off cars when they are biking in the middle of the road, and I have been hit by a cyclist who didn't offer a "sorry" or even a "are you OK?" I have never seen a runner do any of these things. Most bikers think that everyone needs to get out of their way, and while they may be right, chances are a 30-something woman walking with her kids isn't going to know the intricacies of "right-of-way".

I know many bikers, and they all have a chip on their shoulder about cars and they think that everyone is out to get them. Not true. It's just that the world is filled with crappy drivers that don't know any better. I would never dream of traveling IN the road when I'm not on a car or motorcycle.

E) I was cruising at the end of my run, but I don't believe that 5-minute pace at the end of a 15-miler is mind-blowing, especially when the Pre-Nats champ lives a mile away, and he appears to run that fast four or five times a day.

F) I will enjoy passing bikers even more today than I did yesterday.

that's funny! wrote:

well the story is mildly funny- i can relate. but what i find funnier is that you refer to yourself as a "punk kid" in your post. i had seriously always pictured you as a disgruntled forty-something because of your previous posts. strange world.

People said this to me all through college!

"You're an old man trapped in a college kid's body."

I can't grow facial hair, and I have a baby face, so even though I am 22 I get carded at rated "R" movies all the time. Ironic, because if I wrote them a note, they would probably think I was a disgruntled forty-something.

Winners of the 2005 Mt. Washington Road race (a run) and 2004 Mt. Washington Hill climb (a bike race). The 2005 hill climb data would not display. Time and pace are shown. I assume these are the same distance (7.6 miles).

SIMON, GUTIERREZ 1:00:54 0:08:01 Mt. Washington Road Race (run)

England, Justin 0:58:50 0:07:44 Mt. Washington Hill Climb (bike)