burnt out beginner

[half_life73]

Hi ive been cycling for a few months now.i joined a local club and the wed evening beginners ride would be anything from 18 to 23 miles which i managed to do.There bun run on a sat morning is 35 miles and a faster tempo with club riders etc.i found this difficult to do .i went for a spin sat evening and got lost for a few miles and it got dark too.i had done 33 miles by the time i got home.i have been physically drained and weak all week.i know now i made a huge mistake.Should i just stick to 18 to 25 miles fairly easy over the winter.

 

[ScotiaLass]

You need to go at your own pace and not try to keep up with anyone.
Do what's comfortable for you. I found I was making the mistake of counting miles and trying to increase them. It wiped me out.
Now my usual is 15-20 miles, and the occasional 30+ ride. I'm happy with that and my body generally is too!

 

[PradaMTB]

as long as you keep the calories up and rest when YOU need to, distance shouldn't really play much of a restriction, i'd say its keeping up with the more experienced that's killed you off mate. I started at 2x 13mile trips a day to work and back, now i can do +40miles in a single ride on my MTB mainly offroad without any fatigue afterwards the rides i do now outrun the battery lift for a strava recording on my smartphone). The more you ride the better you get i was surprised how quickly my fitness increased from just a month of work commutes.

 

[DCLane]

You need to make sure that if you're upping activity, you're eating more to compensate. From what you've posted it's not just the extra distance but also the increased speed = more effort.

Also, it'll be harder to start with and then get easier. I had 3 goes at getting 100+ miles and always got stuck at 80-85; when I finally got over 100 it was fine and I'll happily ride that distance now.

 

[welsh dragon]

Its up to you how far you go. Just ride at your own pace, and at a distance that you enjoy. Forget about everything else. If you want to go further, then take it slowly, and make sure you eat and drink enough.

 

[Sharky]

Keep turning up for the Saturday run. Once they know you are a regular, they will accept you and look out for you. As you sort out the food intake and learn how to ride in a bunch, you'll soon last the distance. Don't be worried about calling out if the pace gets too fast. It's better to shout before a big gap opens, once that happens, you never catch up.

Good luck,
Keith

 

[User269]

Hi ive been cycling for a few months now.i joined a local club and the wed evening beginners ride would be anything from 18 to 23 miles which i managed to do.There bun run on a sat morning is 35 miles and a faster tempo with club riders etc.i found this difficult to do .i went for a spin sat evening and got lost for a few miles and it got dark too.i had done 33 miles by the time i got home.i have been physically drained and weak all week.i know now i made a huge mistake.Should i just stick to 18 to 25 miles fairly easy over the winter.

Don't worry, just keep it up. After the first 30-40 years you'll start to feel fine.

 

[Cycling2Live]

It takes time to build up endurance and especially build up speed + endurance. I sometimes chase a faster group for as long as I can and then get dropped. I'll know the route and not get lost and I'm good riding alone but it's more fun if you can find at least one other who will chase and get dropped with you. For those nice social rides, hook up with a group that will ride at your pace for your distance. Most importantly, keep spinning.

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

A few months is no time at all. You're not burnt out, just tired!

As cycle2Live said, keep spinning and be patient. If you persevere, next year at this time, you'll be wandering what all the fuss was about.