Training while commuting 5 days

[confusedcyclist]

How do you fit distance training in to your routine if you are commuting 5 days a week? I really want to fit some distance training in but don't want to burn out and tire myself for work/be too tired for the next days commute. I do squeeze in the odd pootle around in the evenings if I'm free and not too tired, but again, don't go too hard.

My commute is 17 mile round trip, and extending it is a possibility, but a bit nervous about this for the above reasons. Obviously, there's only the weekend left, but its my only opportunity to rest my legs! Just wondering how others fit it in?

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

"Why?" would be my question. I used to have a 40 mile round trip commute and found I was knackered with 5 days a week, so decided to do it 3 or 4 days and then I was ok for a weekend ride(100 km if 4 days 0r or 200km/300km if 3 day commute) .

Sometimes I rode 60-100 miles on my commute but not often, and when I did that I usually had a rest day afterwards. Now I just drive, and eat pies. I am a fat git but not knackered

 

[DCLane]

Why not extend your commute?

I use Saturday's as my 'long' ride day, but my 10 mile each way commute 5 days a week is often extended to a 20/30 miler a couple of times a week.

 

[Simmer]

I think to start with you can't. My commute is 15miles each way with a climb on the way in (I work in Macclesfield).. I've dropped my commuting to 3 times a week so I can have a long sunday ride and still enjoy my riding. so I cycle in tues, weds, friday. No doubt as I get more used to it I'll be able to do more, but for me personally I'd rather drive the extra days than risk losing interest in my weekend rides with friends

 

[Hacienda71]

I extend my commutes in the summer on the way home and still do TT's and weekend tempo rides of upto 60 or 70 miles. You get used to the longer mileage. Just make sure you fuel well as you will burn more calories.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Extended commute is the way forward, it's a really easy way of getting the miles in. This has been my biggest mileage year out of the 4 I've been road cycling and my progress has been massive. It's all down to extending what would be a straight 30 mile round trip to anything between 45 and 80 miles.

 

[BSRU]

When commuting longer distances you'll be amazed how much difference cutting your average speed down by 1 or 2 kph will make to how you feel when you arrive.
I've done 30-40 mile commutes riding easier than usual, felt really fresh when arriving at work, as if I hadn't ridden very far.

 

[dexter101]

Im in the same boat as you (I suppose you could say we are on a tandem...) and my thinking is that actually by keeping on cycling my commute I will increase my fitness to the point where I feel happy to extend my commute and/or do a weekend ride. If doing your commute is tiring you out, keep doing it until it doesnt and then plan to add in extra miles!