datlas 

The other issue you have to ask yourself is what are your goals?

If you just want to ride for fun, you can do that on weekends.

If you want to be competitive you may need to find some training time, somehow.

If you want to race cat 3 by 2013 you may need to reconsider your options.

hybridized

Just so y'all understand my goals I am not planning to do any races maybe one day would like to compete in a triathlon but that is a ways off.again the nature of my position is such that oi have to drive so a commute is not an option but I will probably invest in a trainer for the winter months. For me this is for fitness and I have always enjoyed cycling and want to do this for fitness/hobby.

Garfield Cat

There are times that all I could squeeze in is a 10 mile ride in the morning.

david58

The parents of a friend of my youngest son, a college sophomore, were musing about how many couples had gotten into cycling after the kids left the house. That's where we are - no more soccer, etc, and we have time to devote to a sports pursuit that you do for long periods of time because it's fun (never ran on purpose for hours on end because I loved it so).

I have a coworker who has two children under 12, and has done six or seven Ironman events. It's been like taking on a second job, time-wise. The key for him has been that the kids are interested in bikes and racing, so it becomes a family affair. But the kids became interested because dad was doing it - he did not push the kids to participate. I think his wife would tell you it is still a strain - it isn't her favorite activity. I say all this to suggest your starting spot needs to be with your spouse, to discuss what you want to do and how much time it will take.

I used to referee soccer, pretty well in my humble opinion (don't ask any local coaches, though). The time invested was huge, and it had a negative impact in the family I didn't notice until it was bad. Family is more important than miles, and if you can avoid repeating my mistake and make sure there is peace at home, your miles will be even more stress-relieving.

dr_max

Work hard, party hard. - if you're not a cyclist
Work hard, train hard. - if you can take it

sced

Since you live in fabulous Wilmington NC (truly), the weather is pretty mild, so you should be able to ride outside most of the year. For cold weather I've found that keeping the wind off of your skin makes a big difference in comfort, so the proper gear will get you outside more.

seypat

I hit the gym at 4:45-5:00am on Mon., Wed., & Fridays. I crosstrain between the stationary bike, pool, basketball court and the other stuff. I hit the shower at 6:30 and am out in my car by 7. During the week I do all of the honeydos I can after work to free up weekend time.Then on the weekend it is either early morning or after my wife gets home.(she works every 3rd weekend.) Here is another key. If I take up a chunk of free time I do something to give the spouse some free time. For instance, one day a week and on Sundays I take the kids to the gym pool in the evening for an hour or 2. That way the wife has some time without the kids. During the summer when I get home from work I gauge the evenings activites. If nothing is going on that evening I eat quickly then take off for a hour's ride. I'm back in time to take care of kid's baths, etc. On the weekends that my wife works she gets home at 4:00pm. It is understood that when she gets there I will be taking off on a 2 or 3 hour ride.

Today for instance, she is working. So I am doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms, etc. so when she gets home she has nothing to do. When she gets here I will take off. Then when I get back, I will take the kids to the gym and she will tag along or not. You do what you have to.

Commodus

Those are tough hours.

I chose my career specifically because the hours allow me to engage in hobbies and activities.

I like to say it like that, "hobbies and activities", because it makes me sound like a balanced, well-adjusted person. In reality there's only cycling.

hhnngg1

Hope you know how to swim well already. If you don't, prepare for some serious struggling in the pool just to get to a respectable back-of-the-pack speed. For those with a nonswimming background, it makes cycling and running look like a cakewalk, since it's so unnatural to learn and get good at.

CCrew

I commute to work on the bike. I'm on it @ 2:30am, ride 24 miles to work, and get off in the afternoon and ride back.

baj32161

I used to work in customer service as well, first as a phone rep then as a training coordinator. While working that job, I treasured my evening and weekend rides for the very same reason you mention. They were, indeed, therapeutic, especially the ones I managed to get on the weekends.

Cheers,

Brian J.

seypat

Update to my previous post today. The wife just called and said she has to stay till 6. So no ride today unless she tags along to the gym/pool and sits with the kids while I ride a stationary. On the flip side I earned a few more man points.

Just remember, if mama isn't happy nobody is happy.

roadiejorge 

I'm pretty lucky because I can ride to work so I get in 40 miles a day, having my own office allows me to keep my bike there plus a place to change. My commute doesn't interfere with family time at all and I make my daughter's lunch in the morning so it's pretty busy early in the day but well worth it.

Paul Y.

Riding in the dark is trouble. If you can do a trainer. Save some strength for the weekends.

mtalinm

I too have found the shower/cleanup thing to be a bit of a red herring. And I commute 13m each way.

I start the day with a thorough shower, and then I don't push it too hard on the way in. When I arrive, I strip off the cycling gear, towel off, and reapply deodorant. (Oh, and put new clothes on!). Seems to work for me.

That said, having to arrive by 7am means lots of dark commuting in the winter...though probably with few cars.

hhnngg1

Consider yourself lucky - with kids, ANY ride >>>> no ride, which happens to me more often than I'd like. I'd actually be totally fine and happy with your situation - more often than not, if wife is late, I'm stuck and can't even get in the workout.

coachloren

I will pray for all you who are riding in the morning or evening darkness. I live in Orange County CA. We have had 3 riders that I know of killed by cars in the dark in the early morning so far this year.

Ultraslide

I try to squeeze in three 2 hour trainer rides during the week. Either morning before work or evening after the kids are in bed. On Saturday I let my wife sleep in, we have a 5 mo old baby, and ride around 2 hrs in the later morning. On Sunday I have a weekly team ride from 8-11. My weekly training load is around 10-12 hours. Once the baby is sleeping through I can up it by a couple of hours. It's all about compromise.