Cycling apathy

redrocket said:

Sounds like a virus doesn't it? Really when I come from a hard days work I just don't feel like biking. This is my first summer since biking that I have experienced this and quite frankly it is a little unsettling. Has anyone else faced this and if you did how did you overcome this?

Don't push yourself if you are sick or hurt, but make it a ritual and go out even if you don't really feel like it. I get home tired and cranky a lot of the time and feel like just lying down on the couch, but I make myself get out on the bike because I know that I'll feel great when I get home. At least for me its lack of activity (desk job) that makes me feel sluggish so, I would only worry if I got home from the ride and I still felt really bad.

redrocket said:

Sounds like a virus doesn't it? Really when I come from a hard days work I just don't feel like biking. This is my first summer since biking that I have experienced this and quite frankly it is a little unsettling. Has anyone else faced this and if you did how did you overcome this?

I totally understand what you are talking about... sometimes after a long day it seems like too much of a PITA to get your gear together, get dressed, and prep the bike...but I have found that two things are very important to overcome this: 1) find a regular ride that is with other cyclists that pushes you 2) The other thing to do is look forward to the ride all day long, is sounds lame but I find that when I am having a long day if I look forward to the ride, it gives me the push to change and head out, once you are on the road no matter how tired you were it feels so much better, and when you get home you feel like a new man/woman/person.

Break it down into simple stuff - (a) If you don't go, you'll be [censored] with yourself afterwards; (b) If you do go, even if you have a pretty crappy, low effort ride, you'll be happier because you did it. With option (b), you'll be 1 ride better off than you would with option (a).
In terms of getting started, just switch to automatic - get home...get changed...get on bike...ride...and then start thinking about whether you want to be doing it.

i found this local rider who has a background in mtb, 24 hr events, and is a 7x death ride veteran. as we do extended climbs, he is chatting away nonstop while i am breathing a bit too hard to be conversational without panting.
my main riding buddy finds this guy annoying, not because of his strength but his continual reminding of his vast accomplishments.
i bailed on this guy as he prepared to turn off at his exit by jumping hard and sprinting up to 18++ on an 10% grade. this took him by surprise as i had snuck it into the big ring, preventing him from responding in kind, but there he was alongside after i was blowing up after 'bout 20 seconds.
the main thing that annoyed me about this guy is he was asking me about other locals and comparing me to them. doesn't he realize i have a list of excuses today for not being at my best?

why do i go on about this you ask? this guy is a blessing. find someone like him and you will have the motivation to transform beyond your previous capabilities.

redrocket said:

Sounds like a virus doesn't it? Really when I come from a hard days work I just don't feel like biking. This is my first summer since biking that I have experienced this and quite frankly it is a little unsettling. Has anyone else faced this and if you did how did you overcome this?

When I was riding regularly, I had a mate who was a few rungs up the ladder from me - did a bit of velodrome racing on weekends, worked out a lot. He was a loner and no girlfriend, I was a bit that way too. We egged each other on, neither wanted to look slack to the other. I'd do things like you said, sneak up behind on a steep hill with the big ring and sprint past. He'd have no time to change up and would be spinning like mad trying to catch up. A bit of competition makes all the difference.

These days, I ride alone because there just aren't other riders around here. I mean, there's one or two that I see but they tend to be early morning or late afternoon. I ride mainly in my lunch break. It does get hard to drag the gear on, especially as it's almost winter here now. I just tell myself to get out there because tomorrow it might rain. Make the most of the sunshine. It really is worth it once you get out there and I've yet to regret it once I've gotten off my [censored].

And there's always the chance I might come across another rider and whip their butt!!

redrocket said:

Sounds like a virus doesn't it? Really when I come from a hard days work I just don't feel like biking. This is my first summer since biking that I have experienced this and quite frankly it is a little unsettling. Has anyone else faced this and if you did how did you overcome this?

To be honest it sounds like the classic symptoms of overtraining : " no pain , no gain " has hurt more people than almost any other phrase in recent years .
either way give it a couple of weeks then try this - put the bike on the trainer and give it a gentle 15 minutes to see how you feel , if you feel good or just OK then go for a gentle ride . DON¨T rush it , just take it easy until you get back into the swing of things and don´t think you have to ride everyday if you don´t feel like it .

That aside depression can also cause similar symptoms to a virus as can stress or overwork or just sleeping badly - get out in the sun if you can , the winter blues are well known and the best cure for that is bright light .
hope you feel better soon . 🙂

I normally ride (most) Tuesdays and Thursdays during the week...I'm ALWAYS tired after work 🙁 , so the only thing that works for me is get home, straight in the shower, put my cycling stuff on, pump the tires up on the Bike and GO!!

In fact, I give myself 15 minutes between getting home to leaving again...and I'm ALWAYS glad I did...I spin my way through my tiredness and feel great after 15 mins... 😎

Try getting up early and riding before work. I have the same problem with being totally unmotivated to ride after sitting at my desk all day. When I ride in the morning, I come in here with a lot more energy. There also tends to be a lot less traffic in the early morning.

artmichalek said:

Try getting up early and riding before work. I have the same problem with being totally unmotivated to ride after sitting at my desk all day. When I ride in the morning, I come in here with a lot more energy. There also tends to be a lot less traffic in the early morning.

Ah it sounds so good and like such a great idea, until the alarm clock goes off... While I can manage to drag myself out after work, I have never been able to drag myself out of bed.

Thanks for the advice annf from the poster from down under I hope your winter will be not that severe like it was in CT

Man, I can't wait to get on the bike after work. All the [censored] I have to deal with... an hour or so of solitude is just what the doctor ordered.

The only regular time I can find with four children at home (ages 2, 4, 10, 12) is at 5am. Husband needs to get up at 6, and Mr 2 usually wakes up then, so its my precious hour. A 40 min ride and then shower and get their brekky started🙂 Its hard when alarm goes off at 4.55, but I have found just set self to auto pilot - I get ready night before, so I'm dressed and heading off at 5.05, mostly awake. Bike trails make it safer too....