Fatigue on way home

[Ming the Merciless]

Cycling and running fitness are not the same. Keep your commute up and you will get there.

Anecdote. I was contacted through our work cycle group by a woman who wanted to cycle to work but had tried the route she drove but too much traffic. As she lived on my route to work I offered to show her my route in. First day there had been an accident on a nearby motorway which lead to more cars on the back roads I used. I told her it would take 50 mins but it took 1.5 hours as she was not as fit. I thought well she will probably decide to get a lift home in the evening but no she was keen as mustard and rang to check what time to meet to head home. She struggled on the one long hill home and we had to stop three times before we got to the top. But she really enjoyed it and we rode together the next four weeks till she was confident to try it on her own. Our work times did not always coincide. By the end of those four weeks she was able to get up that long hill in one go. Her joy at that accomplishment was a sight to behold.

So keep at it consistently and the fitness on the bike will get there.

 

[lazybloke]

Have to agree with this.
I have been commuting longer still. My daily commute is always longer in the mornings (why rush to work) then the evenings. By the end of the working day I just want to get home.

Fascinated, as I'm the polar opposite.

For me, morning rides are:
Colder
Tight for time (after sorting the kids)
Joyless (only work to look fwd to)

Evening rides are:
More relaxed
Warmer
Lit by magical evening sun
(stars were good until late Feb too)
Stress-busting

God, I love riding home. Far better than my morning commute.

 

[cyberknight]

I think they have covered it all.
I work shifts and by the time of gohome some days I get the same symptoms.lack of food , sleep and fatigue all add up

 

[bladderhead]

The ride home is always better than the ride to work. The ride to work is always better than the drive to work.

Work is not the only way to get two rides a day.

Work is the curse of the drinking classes.

Oscar Wilde said that.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Work is the curse of the drinking classes.
Oscar Wilde said that.

Such a true statement. I'd much sooner give up working than drinking!

 

[MichaelW2]

Most offices are as dry as a desert. Have a big mug of tea an hour before you leave..

 

[Rosie 5678]

Thank you so much for your replies. I've cut back on the number of days I'm cycling to work with a view to build back up to cycling every day. I'm going to make sure I have more food before I cycle home and I will update you this week thanks again

 

[clf]

Well the good news is it never gets any easier, you just get faster.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Well the good news is it never gets any easier, you just get faster.

Not me

 

[Rosie 5678]

Cycling and running fitness are not the same. Keep your commute up and you will get there.

Anecdote. I was contacted through our work cycle group by a woman who wanted to cycle to work but had tried the route she drove but too much traffic. As she lived on my route to work I offered to show her my route in. First day there had been an accident on a nearby motorway which lead to more cars on the back roads I used. I told her it would take 50 mins but it took 1.5 hours as she was not as fit. I thought well she will probably decide to get a lift home in the evening but no she was keen as mustard and rang to check what time to meet to head home. She struggled on the one long hill home and we had to stop three times before we got to the top. But she really enjoyed it and we rode together the next four weeks till she was confident to try it on her own. Our work times did not always coincide. By the end of those four weeks she was able to get up that long hill in one go. Her joy at that accomplishment was a sight to behold.

So keep at it consistently and the fitness on the bike will get there.

Thank you so much for sharing this story. Out of curiosity, did she continue with her commute?

 

[ren531]

Fascinated, as I'm the polar opposite.

For me, morning rides are:
Colder
Tight for time (after sorting the kids)
Joyless (only work to look fwd to)

Evening rides are:
More relaxed
Warmer
Lit by magical evening sun
(stars were good until late Feb too)
Stress-busting

God, I love riding home. Far better than my morning commute.

Yes i remember years ago when i had a stressful job and no phisical work aspect to it i enjoyed my ride home more too i had forgoten that one, things are reversed nowadays low stress and manual work all day , its interesting how we can get different things out if a comutte depending on situations

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Thank you so much for sharing this story. Out of curiosity, did she continue with her commute?

Yes she kept going with commute and occasionally we would see each other in the lanes or leave office at the same time. I would start and finish 30 mins earlier than her so if one of us is running early or late we can catch each other. I prefer an earlier start and finish to each day. I have changed companies since so no longer do that commute now.

 

[hillrep]

Lots of good advice already, but not enough about drinking! Make sure you properly hydrate after you get to work, and keep drinking during the day.

 

[Rosie 5678]

[QUOTE="YukonBoy, that's really encouraging to hear. I'm genuinely shocked at how many miles you all do each year cycling to work. I really did think people just cycled to work a few days a week during the summer months when the weather was nice and the rest of the year they went by car. Despite owning a bike for a few years, Tuesday was the first time I'd used it when it was raining and that was only because I had no choice as I was at work. Needless to say, my next purchase is a set of mud guards

 

[I like Skol]

I'm genuinely shocked at how many miles you all do each year cycling to work. I really did think people just cycled to work a few days a week during the summer months when the weather was nice and the rest of the year they went by car.

Maybe we are all nuts?

My commute is 10 miles each way for 12hr night shifts and when I first started cycle commuting (9-10yrs ago now ) it took me a long time, maybe more than 6 months, before I got to the point where I was comfortable doing all 4 trips each week by bicycle. Before that I would mix cycling and driving depending on weather or how I felt.
I did build up to doing most commutes by bike but Mrs Skol doesn't like it! She worries about my safety and it also impacts on family life a little due to the extra time. The current 'agreement' is 50-50 bike/car but I push it as much as I can and some weeks still do all 4 when I can get away with it. The car days are handy because I can take in all the clean clothes and fresh towels etc and restock my locker in the changing rooms at work.

There is NOTHING better than arriving at work in the middle of a winter blizzard when everyone else is arriving late or not at all and someone asks you incredulously if you have cycled to work because the weather is awful and the roads at a standstill! I can honestly reply that I set off on my bike at the usual time and didn't experience any delays