My March and April mileage is lowest - just me?

[deptfordmarmoset]

I was just looking at my spreadsheet since records began (3 years ago) and it seems like these two months are the worst for me. It makes no sense in terms of light, temperature or rain (these are usually my main reasons for crying off) because I seem to have regularly got out through Dec, Jan, Feb.

Perhaps it's an in between time for me - neither warm enough for those summer runs nor cold enough for the ''dig deep, dress up and face it'' challenge of winter.

I also have a low point around November as well - maybe it's the same in between thing.

Does anybody else find that this time of year needs a special effort to get out the front door?

 

[Banjo]

I think we all go through fazes of being motivated/unmotivated. Dont beat yourself up just enjoy what you do manage to do.

 

[DCLane]

For me February was less than Jan - it's probably about other things, such as work/home life.

 

[snorri]

Does anybody else find that this time of year needs a special effort to get out the front door?

No special efforts from me, if I don't feel like it I don't go. Actually this last January and February have turned out to be the lowest mileage months for some years due to weather and other pressures on my time, but I don't care.
Wot banjo said.

 

[ianrauk]

For the last 3 years February has been my worst month for cycling mileage. Mainly due to weather, this year and last we has snow, the first year my child was born.

The rest of the months seem to all be pretty stable apart from May last year when I sprained an ankle.

And I seem to be one of those lucky people that doesn't need a special effort to get out of the door and ride.

 

[BSRU]

I always find December the worst due to being off for Christmas/New Year and it is the flu season.

 

[TheSandwichMonster]

I've only just started keeping accurate records recently, so can't speak on previous years.

Jan: 330 miles. Good weather, not too cold, also put some good digs in on the turbo.
Feb: 270 miles. Still reasonable weather on the whole, but turbo sessions got neglected.
Mar (so far): 115 miles in 6 days. Days are light enough to start doing some commutes again. Bloomin' love it!

 

[400bhp]

Is it because of higher rainfall in those months? Rain usually stops me from going out on non-commure days.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Is it because of higher rainfall in those months? Rain usually stops me from going out on non-commure days.

I had wondered about that - March winds and April showers and all that - but if you scroll down and take a look at the graph here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/6296599), March and April actually have the lowest average rainfall of all the months. So it can't be that.

I'm not beating myself up about it though, I'm just surprised that I can't find a clear reason why I cycle less in these 2 months. And to keep me ''busy'' during my off-the-road days, I've been researching (well coveting...) a touring bike. I think I may pay Paul Hewitt a visit in the near future...

 

[User269]

It's Jan & Feb when my mileage diminishes even more. Many years, Nov & Dec are quite mild, sometimes better than March & April. My March mileage is always high as for the last 18 consecutive years I've gone to a training camp in Spain or Mallorca ! Going away in March gives me some motivation to keep going in Jan & Feb so's not to lose too much fitness, but I still end up doing very little.

I wonder if others find, as I do, that you get a bit 'run down' towards the end of winter?

 

[400bhp]

I had wondered about that - March winds and April showers and all that - but if you scroll down and take a look at the graph here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/6296599), March and April actually have the lowest average rainfall of all the months. So it can't be that.

I'm not beating myself up about it though, I'm just surprised that I can't find a clear reason why I cycle less in these 2 months. And to keep me ''busy'' during my off-the-road days, I've been researching (well coveting...) a touring bike. I think I may pay Paul Hewitt a visit in the near future...

Yes-but the BBC's average will be over a much longer period - you want to look at the figs for the years you have commuted. I don't know if it would show a significant deviation from the long term average?