My motivation is seriously flagging

[peanut]

anyone else get periods like this ?

I want to get out on the bike and I know i will love it once I'm out there and I feel great when I return after a hard ride. I really feel a sense of achievement and satisfaction .

Why is it so difficult for me to get ready and go out ?

I find any excuse not to go. If it looks like rain or a bit blustery or overcast or I'm feeling a bit tired etc any excuse and thats it , I decide I'm not going out and its a huge sense of relief

I have got a bladder infection at the moment and I'm hypothyroid both of which make me very tired all the time but its not physical this is more mental, psychological.

I thought about joining a local club which would be a brilliant motivator but because its hilly round here I'd never keep up and it would be complete misery.Cyclists that are not unfit and extremely overweight just cannot imagine how hard it is to climb even the slightest slopes. You are constantly on your limit and in a group ride you never get a chance for recovery as you do on your own.
You are always going harder than you should because you are concious of holding everybody up so you end up blowing up

Maybe I just need to stop whineing and making excuses ,kick myself up the butt and get out there . ....

 

[fossyant]

If you are not well, then it's no surprise. Take it easy if you do go out.

 

[oxbob]

2 bits of advice (feel free to ignore) Get a cheap turbo trainer it will keep your general fitness up(don't go mad just half hr session maybe twice a day) join a local ctc group their rides will be at a easier pace than a dedicated road club, and you wont be dropped ctc clubs always have a sweeper at the back who will ride at your pace

 

[ColinJ]

2 bits of advice (feel free to ignore) Get a cheap turbo trainer it will keep your general fitness up...

The trouble is that it can be even harder to motivate yourself to get on a turbo trainer than to go out on the road! I have a gym bike permanently set up in the corner of my room but I still make excuses not to use it.

If you do buy a turbo trainer, keep a towel handy to mop up the sweat and use a fan to try and keep cool. I find listening to fast/loud music really helps me to get stuck in.

PS

I'm sorry you feel like that peanut. To answer your original question - yes, I do suffer from the same sort of problems. Sometimes I can drag myself out on pretty dreary days. Other times, I sit indoors all day even if the sun is shining.

One thing I do to motivate me is to organise scenic forum rides round here. For example this one, this one, this one and this one.

I've met quite a few people off CycleChat, Bike Radar and the old C+ forum this way. I always make it clear that I am slow on the hills and the rides are social affairs not races! The fit riders either wait at the tops of the hills for me and the other slow riders, or they just ride up slowly with us chatting as we go. It works for us!

 

[marinyork]

Well I hope you feel better soon Peanut. The best way I find is to just pretend to yourself that you'll go round the block and not care where you're going. Then once you're out there it morphs into a more proper ride and you enjoy it for having a ride out you'd not planned .

CTC rides are good for hill pace, can take anyone.

 

[Fab Foodie]

JUST GET OUT THERE YOU BIG WUSS !















Did that help?

 

[postman]

Stick in there.We all go through it.

I got the hump a couple of weeks ago ,over something silly.
Really cheesed me off.
Have some time out.Try doing something else go to the cinema or for a meal .

Couple of drinks.You will be ok .

 

[peanut]

thanks guys thats cheered me up a bit if nothing else.
I have thought about another turbo trainer although I did tend to leave my previous turbo in the corner.
I have a cycling neighbour down the lane perhaps I can persuade him to go halves on one for the winter. he already has a multigym in his garage/bike workshop.

I like the idea of creating some scenic rides .I did try to get some CC Somerset Level rides going but they never came off despite loads of work.
That would really really help to motivate me to join others .

There is unbelievably a cycle club in my village (only 700 residents
unfortunately they go out at 7am on a Sunday and my back would never be ready so early. I'll have to make an effort to contact some of the riders and see if they would be interested in riding later in the day or evenings.

I have some fantastic rides around here ,possibly the best to be found anywhere its just my apathy at the moment thats spoiling it. I'll kick myself come winter at all the missed opportunities.

 

[RedBike]

Find somewhere new to ride / set yourself a challange or goal.

 

[Speicher]

Peanut, I think that would be a good idea to contact the existing club members. Some of them might prefer to go out later in the day, and then some more new people might join. Could you use the routes for the 7am group, then people might get ideas of their own, and you could use your routes.

I am sure you could find somewhere to end with a cup of tea (cakes optional). The problem with Cycle Chat rides is that people are spread about, even if they live in Somerset. If you have a regular slot in your village group, say the second and/or fourth Saturday or Sunday, people can plan ahead better.

A group of walkers around here often does a "figure of eight" walk. This means beginners can do a short route, and then carry on to do the rest if they wish, rather than committing to a longer route. With more people either not working, looking for work, working from home, or retired, you could do a cycle meet up in the week, perhaps.

I wish there was a gentle cycling group near here. One started up, doing short, and I mean short rides, but soon he was organising longer and longer rides, and the start point meant putting the bike on the c*r. Which to me defeated the object.

I also think the weather does not help. We are all expecting sunny ish days, not wet and windy like it has been. I would also say, do not push yourself too hard, if you are not feeling well.

And have a virtual hug from me, but don't tell Mrs Peanut.

 

[peanut]

Find somewhere new to ride / set yourself a challange or goal.

I have devised and printed out over 12x different routes and set myself lots of targets goals etc incl a graph and excel spreadsheet of all ride results .
The problem is I lack motivation

if the truth is known i'm probably not enjoying riding at the moment . Wherever i go there are big hills and at my weight its just pain and suffering. I think I need riding companions to encourage me to get out and ride.
I've lost a stone but I need to lose another 2-3 stone before I have a chance of enjoying it

 

[Baggy]

Could you swap your cassette to take some of the pain out of the hills?

Riding companions really help keep me motivated - but lack of motivation is something we all suffer from. The weather really doesn't help at the moment...

 

[peanut]

I also think the weather does not help. We are all expecting sunny ish days, not wet and windy like it has been. I would also say, do not push yourself too hard, if you are not feeling well.

And have a virtual hug from me, but don't tell Mrs Peanut.

thanks for the virtual hug mrs peanut is away this w/e horse and house sitting for a friend. its just me and the cats.

I think you are right in all you've said. So sensible. i'm sure the lack of sun is making me even more depressed than usual.

I'm going to give myself a virtual kick up the bum and turn the PC and TV off and make some plans and set some goals.

thanks everyone your positive vibes have really helped.

 

[trustysteed]

They always say the hardest part of a riderun is getting to the front door! I felt like that today, it was grey, a bit wet and I had a niggling headache. But I got my kit out and went and did an hour of hill training. Still felt rough when I got home but also proud of myself and nothing beats that feeling when you're lying in a nice hot bath afterwards.

So beat the challenge of the front door and you're halfway there!

 

[accountantpete]

I packed the cycling game in for 5 years -tiredness added to getting bored with the same routes and lousy weather just got too much.

Nowadays I take it a lot easier and try and mix it up a bit - variety is the spice of life Peanut!