motivation on early mornings

[Newcyclist]

hi all

How do you get motivated cycling to work on a early morning? ive had to stat work early all week and had no motivation (ended up going in the car) but by the looks of things ill be starting early again next week.

cheers

stu

 

[corshamjim]

Get rid of the car, and then think of all the money you're saving.

 

[ianrauk]

motivation? to get on a bike? Blimey the mind boggles...

Sorry for the facetiousness of my reply... just that I am happy to cycle at anytime of day in all weathers.... there are a lot of us like that and a few that are not.

What is it that you don't like about your bike commute? Why do you need motivation?

 

[marinyork]

What is it? Cold legs? Feeling sleepy? Feeling groggy and woozy? Only two or three hours sleep?

It's normally fine five minutes into the ride. It's just a case of getting out of the door and at an early enough time not to stress you out.

 

[potsy]

4.45am I set off for work, getting out of bed is the hard part, once you're up it's all gravy

 

[Danny251]

Initially being so reliant on a car you might be inclined to use it a lot more, but once you start cycling to work frequently you will notice that you prefer commuting by bike. If you really miss your car after cycling for a while then maybe cycling isn't for you.

There are so many advantages over commuting by car. Take a while to really think of everything you can gain by cycling and I am sure you will feel motivated then.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

These days I'm on lates, but I did early starts for many years, no problems with motivation I used to enjoy getting my commute in before the roads got busy, I would be out the house between six and six twenty am.

 

[Dave W]

I got rid of the car, I only used it for work anyway and considering I can ride in the same time as I can drive it's a no brainer.

In addition I like to focus on the fact that I feel far more awake and alert after riding to work rather than driving. Not to mention that I never have to mess about finding somewhere to park or worry about my car being pinched.

In fact I like cycling to work so much that if I can do it under an hour I'll never buy a car to get to work again.

 

[Strick]

but once you start cycling to work frequently you will notice that you prefer commuting by bike.

Amen to that.
Im relatively new to cycling to work, and still building it up. But I did find the drive in the other morning to be a tad "dull" in honesty. And for whatever reason I was (more of) a grumpy git that morning too.
This morning I really couldnt be bothered to cycle in - being my first time doing two days back to back may not have helped. Yet, by the end of our road (50 yds) I was into it. Had a really good ride in, got here earlier than expected, so after I changed, I decided a bacon roll from the cafe over the road was in order. Damn it was nice.
IMHO, pack your stuff the night before for cycling in, and you will be more likely to just do it in the morning.

 

[colly]

I don't commute to work (sometimes I wish I did) but I do get up very early some mornings for a ride. Waking up in a nice cosy warm bed and getting out of it when you don't have to can be difficult even if there is a ride in prospect.

I find that if I think of the ride just before I go to sleep imagine what's positive about it, why I enjoy it, etc etc why it's great a way to start the day.
Set the alarm say, 4.45 then 7 times out of 10 I will wake just before the alarm ready and raring to go.

 

[Willo]

It can be tough if getting up early. Other than the odd weekend ride, work, family etc. limit me to getting out at 6am to take the long and scenic route to the station. This week I set myself a mileage target as am taking part in the TfL cycle challenge with a few colleagues. That helped get me out of bed this week and I always felt better afterwards.

As has been said, the hard bit is getting up and out. I also find you need to keep the routine going; make it habit to get on the bike without thinking otherwise.

 

[Andrew_P]

I do understand what you mean, tired etc. I have the knowledge that 9 out of ten times I will be going in to a headwind in the morning. BUT when I do drive, I feel incredibly guilty and really miss that feeling of euphoiria and miss the whole de-sweating changing and popping down the road for a nice milky coffee thing. Inportantly I always regret not having taken the bike, plus my garmin 30 day stats start going backwards!!

So I hold that in my mind, get on my bike and ride.

 

[ACS]

I commute 4 days a week; on Fridays I have to use the car. I hate travelling to and from work on Fridays.

Take a challange. Make a commitment to commute 4 days a week, for at least 3 weeks. Then come back and tell us taking the car is still the prefered option. To celerbrate buy something nice with the money you save on fuel.

 

[Barrow Challenge]

Stop filling the car up with liquid gold, spend the cash on bike porn or stuff to ride in, then when the car does not have the fuel to get you to work and back you have no choice.

 

[Andrew_P]

I forgot to mention the habitual part, the more you do it the easier it gets so less motivation required.


Last year I never di any consecutive all week commuting, this year I am doing it almost all the time.