Why we Exercise

When listing the reasons we climb on our bikes, we often feel the need to justify "having fun".

For some, daily exercise -- like brushing our teeth, eating our vegetables and getting to bed early -- is proudly proclaimed to be yet another example of our well-developed self-mastery. We let others believe we force ourselves to exercise.

For some, it is the austerity and shrewdness. The bicycle is the most efficient form of transportation, placing the smallest demand on limited resources, taking little room, and able to be repaired on the roadside.

An article in the New York Times yesterday suggests there might be other reasons we exercise.

The article points out that when exercise is seen as a chore, people might toy with exercise, but because it is seen as a chore with intangible benefits, this motivation isn't sufficient to keep them coming back, and the exercise is soon dropped.

I don't mind telling people that I ride my bike because it's fun. A big part of the fun is enjoying the ride with others. The article shares the stories of several people whose social lives are knitted together by exercise: workouts with the spouse at the gym, aquacise classes for widows, daily walks with friends.

I would probably still ride even if no one else did, but I wouldn't ride nearly as many miles. I've gotten excited once again about cycling because over the past few years, so many more Atlantan's are getting on their bike. Chances are there is someone you know who isn't riding now but would like to start.