Keeping Motivated

[Holy Warrior]

Recently i've noticed a little bit of a slump in my riding. A week or two back I was topping 40 mile routes over quite hilly terrain. Now, though, I can't seem to pick myself up to do those kinds of distances or to top them and push for 50.


I'm relatively new to cycling and I have made good gains over the past month/ two months without doing a lot of riding, maybe twice a week, around 15 rides max. But now I just can't seem to motivate myself, probably because nowhere is new anymore. If I were to do 50 I would be just doing roads which i've already done and then hitting some stinking hills. It probably doesn't help that i've got to do it alone. A few may recall that me and a couple of mates are wanting to to the Coast 2C next year but it has only been me getting out on the bike and getting the miles in, with one other just starting now (but very sporadic and so he isn't capable of joining me on longer, harder rides).


How do you guys and gals keep it fresh?

 

[fossyant]

Mix it up - do some flat, some hilly rides, and get some good descents in - nothing worse than climbing a good hill, and getting no reward from a poor descent.

Many of us commute to work on the bike - that side becomes habit, but the getting out at weekends etc -make it interesting.

 

[BSRU]

You should thank your lucky stars that your in a position to go out for long non-commuting rides. I'd love to be able to go for non-commuting rides but it's just not possible.

For some of us, the only cycling we do is commuting, so everyday I'm basically cycling the same roads and on the odd rare occasion, time permitting, some alternative nearby routes, still great fun.

 

[calibanzwei]

Ai, I think I've hit the same wall recently - I ride after work (it being only a 2 mile commute), but I have particular routes based on 5pm traffic, distance and the ability to keep up a decent cadence. This past week I've just felt a bit...meh...
I went out yesterday with every intention to do the longest of my circular routes (26miles)... maybe it was me, maybe it was the constant headwind and warm air, but I was panting and well... bored. Only did 10.

I'll try and mix it up tonight

 

[Broughtonblue]

Recently i've noticed a little bit of a slump in my riding. A week or two back I was topping 40 mile routes over quite hilly terrain. Now, though, I can't seem to pick myself up to do those kinds of distances or to top them and push for 50.


I'm relatively new to cycling and I have made good gains over the past month/ two months without doing a lot of riding, maybe twice a week, around 15 rides max. But now I just can't seem to motivate myself, probably because nowhere is new anymore. If I were to do 50 I would be just doing roads which i've already done and then hitting some stinking hills. It probably doesn't help that i've got to do it alone. A few may recall that me and a couple of mates are wanting to to the Coast 2C next year but it has only been me getting out on the bike and getting the miles in, with one other just starting now (but very sporadic and so he isn't capable of joining me on longer, harder rides).


How do you guys and gals keep it fresh?

My aim from cycling (as well as being a very enjoyable hobby) is weight loss, so with that goal in mind every time I get out on my bike I get satisfaction from it. Do you have any cycling 'features' not too far from where you live that is reachable in a reasonable time by car? Where I live in Leicester I have a few which involve less than an hours drive, ie Rutland water reservoir, or an excellent sustrans route, Market Harborough to Brampton Halt (Northampton) look on a map I'm sure there are places of interest near to you aimed at cyclists. Keep it going or your coast to coast ride will never happen!

 

[MsLDN]

When I'm getting bored I try to find some new interesting routes (canal paths, woods, country lanes etc.) and places to go. A change of scenery and a break from the roads or at least the climbs might help? You don't have to be in 'fitness mode' all the time...

I treat cycling more as a hobby than as fitness training, so I plan lots of day rides (60-80kms for me for a pleasant day not pushing it) to do with my partner. We take a picnic lunch, stop off for a pint on the way home - that sort of thing.

When I'm getting bored of stupid 12 mile each way commute I buy stuff. Probably not the best way to motivate myself and pretty vein but I do find a nice new top makes me that bit keener to cycle into work.

I also focus a lot on the next holiday - keeping that in mind, planning, researching etc.

If you have a few months off cycling and then start again you'll have the memory of how unfit you got during the break to motivate you!

 

[PoweredByVeg]

As someone said earlier, mix it up.

How about doing a short route but really going for it, you know, really bust those legs

Maybe a nice scenic route you've never done before, practice your navigation.

Find a club/CC'ers/friends and just have an evening amble to the pub and back, good practice for night riding.

Try a different bike, after miles and miles on the road bike I really like getting on the mountain bike and do a green lane/back roads.

And watching the TdF or Vuelta gets me in the mood to go out and pretend to be good at it for once!

Or you could try a local Audax, something I want to do in the future

 

[coffeejo]

Another vote for mixing it up, though I've also found that cycling to a specific destination for a specific purpose helps, whether that's a coffee stop or an event, or somewhere scenic with a fast stretch or downhill as extra incentive.

I've also joined a cycle group, which has helped me push my distances, discover new routes and upped my motivation.

 

[captainhastings]

Another vote for mixing it up, though I've also found that cycling to a specific destination for a specific purpose helps, whether that's a coffee stop or an event, or somewhere scenic with a fast stretch or downhill as extra incentive.

I've also joined a cycle group, which has helped me push my distances, discover new routes and upped my motivation.

I second that did 18 plus miles to tesco last weekend for a bag of flour on my old marin instead of the road bike. Ending sticking in 3 stone of shopping which I just look at as all good training.
I have 2 shops with in a mile but whats the point of that

 

[Norm]

Different bikes, different routes, different surfaces - have you tried night riding? That'll get your juices flowing again.

Plan B, though, is so what? It's something to do for fun, for pleasure, don't beat yourself up over it or you'll always consider it to be hard work.