jsigone

I've been adding miles and some effort again but I can't seem to add time. Past month I've been averaging less than 6 hours per week and can't seem to break it. I have a good work week on the bike than I skip my saturday long ride or vise versa. Motivation seems lacking plus last week socal had a pretty nice heat wave diving into the 105+ range. I rode in it once in it and really didn't want to repeat knowing it was hotter. My old goal was 9hr weeks, somehow I need to get another 2-4hrs in I've been avoiding hills like kryptonite so I can build back up my base if you call it that

strava bubble by jsig1, on Flickr

WonderMonkey

Do you have a riding partner that you can socially compete with? It's amazing how a co-worker and I keep each other going.

Leebo

Can you bike commute to work? Errands on the weekend by bike?

MikeRides

Finding a ride buddy is a good suggestion, I ride once in awhile with a much faster rider who I used to work with, he easily leaves me in the dust but waits on the top of any major hills for me or whenever I fall back out of sight. When I'm not riding with him, my daughter is a good motivation to ride as she loves being on her bike as much as I do and we ride at about the same pace, although her little legs get tired out easily we rarely ride more than 2 hours at a time.

Commuting is a good way to get in the extra time on the bike and is a great way to "de-stress" after a 8 hour work day, if you live/work a reasonable distance apart. I get in 10 miles or about 40 minutes a day. I try to bump that up to 30 minutes but I've got hills on my commute which I suck at climbing. I often extend my afternoon ride home a bit by making a shopping run (grocery, hardware, pharmacy errands).

ill.clyde

+1 if it's possible.

I can get 6 hours from commuting alone if I can do 4 commutes per week.

superdex

pretty good read, and the workouts are quality:

The Time Crunched Cyclist

chasm54

But not much use to a man who is trying to rebuild his base.


@jsigone, there's not much many of us here can tell you about riding hard. And if it's the motivation to ride that is lacking, maybe you just need to roll with it and ... not ride very much until you want to.

In every year, for me, there'll be a period of a month or six weeks when I simply feel "bleh" about riding. Often, but not always, they'll come after a long high-mileage tour or (in each of the last couple of years) towards the end of the racing season when I've been putting in a lot of intensity. It worried me the first few times, but now I just relax and do what my unconscious is telling me - I ride little or not at all for a while.

I do take care for it not to become a habit, though. After maybe a month I make a deliberate effort to get back out there, rejecting excuses about the weather, etc., and so far I have always found that the enthusiasm immediately returns. I remeber why I liked this so much in the first place, and I get back into base training and churning out several hours at a time just for the pleasure of it.

So if I were you I'd relax. Do as little or as much as you want to for another two or three weeks, but set yourself a date when you're going to get back at it. Works for me...

ill.clyde

I've experienced that this year too ... and I did the same thing ... just stepped back, took some time off, sort of forced myself back to it after a little time and it's all good now.

FWIW, your signature often plays through my head when my sleepy brain is rallying against commuting in the morning.

salreus

Are you doing any "fun" rides. The type of rides that got me started was just leisurely riding around my neighborhood. I like to log my rides, but now i even put my GPS device in my bag so I don't know distance,speed....etc...My whole focus is just to enjoy the ride with my wife...

Another option is night riding. Brings out a whole new excitement... and not talking about getting ran over because people can't see you...

bbeasley

Uh Oh, wait till our buddy @IBOHUNT reads this.... you're in trouble for sure. He accepts no excuses for not climbing hills. He's on me like white on rice.

jsigone

I think @IBOHUNT gave me a hall pass last month when I started to ride again. Plus I have a 11/23 cassette fitted to the cross bike and in no way near shape or form to push that gearing up any bump longer than 2 mins

IBOHUNT

You get a hall pass for not climbing *HOWEVER* what you don't get a pass on is riding. While I totally get the lack of motivation after what happened, because I've gone through it as well, I needed something that would motivate me. That came in the form of races. Perhaps since it's cross season you can look to doing one in the near future for that carrot.

I get on @bbeasley for not riding "hills" because there is only one where he's from. Don't think there is a road in that state that has the word "mountain" in it

p.s. 2 minutes should get you 3/4mile @ 3% easily. Just saying there sparky...

Willbird

I'm fortunate in some ways to work second shift because I get my daily ride started by 830am at the latest:-).

Granturismonut

+2

IBOHUNT

Oh, and by the way @jsigone; I expect a 'breaking the double metric in about 6 hour ride time' report in a few months.

hint hint Mr. @bbeasley - you to.

jsigone

using last saturday's pace for 85mi, I'm a FAR 40min off your request...IF i can even ride that long

IBOHUNT

Then there is your carrot son. Go forth and train. Find a flat flat route, like 1200' over 125 miles, and make it happen

jsigone

Can't commute due to daddy duties before n after work. Errands by bike on weekends won't fly cuz 1/3 of saturdays is spent on the bike already. When I get home, I get ready and take my family out somewhere to get out of the house. Plus I don't have a bike worthy enough to leave in front of a store. Sundays is church and more family time.

bbeasley

Whew, have I got work to do.

jaxgtr

I've got a 12-27 if you need it....

jsigone

Thanks but I have one of those too plus a 11/26......the 11/23 is under mandatory leg/lung strengthening phase

TrojanHorse

You just need to get off you lazy ass and get riding! And get a damn road bike!

There, somebody had to say it. Enough coddling! Bicycling is serious business and needs to be treated with respect! Ignore the kid, shun the wife and get out there.








Or just reset your expectations for a month or two, I'm sure your motivation will return. I'm perpetually dealing with interruptions that keep me at or under 6 hours a week. Le Sigh.

IBOHUNT

Not much. Avg HR bottom of endurance I'm guessing. Push that a little higher and I think you'll find that you are closer than you think.

bbeasley

^hahahahahahaha

spdracr39

I ride 2 to 3 weekday rides of 2 hours each usually alone then look forward to the long social ride on Saturday. Our effort is adjusted for the weather conditions but we always ride 3-4 hours.