My motivation is seriously flagging

[peanut]

thats my biggest problem SD . i can't go out early because I need at least 1.5 hours for my back to wake up Once i've been up for a couple of hours and moved around my back is fine.

There is a cycle club in my village that does a Sunday ride from the post office 200 feet from my door but they leave at 7am

I'd have to be up at 5am to have any chance. Its a big blow but there it is . So near yet so far.

I'm going to try contact the club and see if anyone wants to go out a bit later on in the day.

Like you I have been concentrating on hills and have improved a lot but still have a long way to go

 

[Sittingduck]

Like you I have been concentrating on hills and have improved a lot but still have a long way to go

Absolutely! A long and difficult journey but the payoff when we're able to skin these skinnies will be all the sweeter Bwahahahaha......

Must admit that getting up at 5 on a Sunday would be a tad naughty, even for me! Maybe sunset rides or something might work?

 

[peanut]

thanks Ian
you are quite right of course. I know what i need to do its just I have no motivation . All my get up and go has got up and gone

I have decided to turn the tv off and spend less time on the pc .

Tomorrow I am going to write out my cycling goals for the next 6 months and set some targets and personal goals .

I'm also going to draw up a list of jobs around the house and garden etc to keep me busy and off the PC . Hopefully this will kick start me to get off my butt

I'll also make some enquiries to find a cycling buddy which will help a lot

as op's have said Peanut, try to organise a ride with others. There must be some organised ctc rides in your area which are more often then not non racing rather then touring and pootling rides.

I'm not one for enjoying cycling on my own, after a while I do get bored, and so much enjoy cycling with company. Makes the miles and the hills go by faster and easier. So find a cycling buddy(s).. Keep yer chin up and get out on that bike...

 

[purplepolly]

Do you ever go for short walks 'round the block'? It's a lot less effort than going for a ride but but can be a help if you're feeling tired and needa bit of daylight. I started doing this when I had lower back problems.

 

[ianrauk]

Good stuff mate.
I have met a lot of very good people on this site. There must peeps on this forum local to you who would be more then happy to meet up for ride.. So come on CC'rs local to Peanut, show yourselves and meet up with Peanut and help get him get out to help him enjoy his cycling again.

I'll also make some enquiries to find a cycling buddy which will help a lot

 

[peanut]

Do you ever go for short walks 'round the block'? It's a lot less effort than going for a ride but but can be a help if you're feeling tired and needa bit of daylight. I started doing this when I had lower back problems.

can't walk more than 100 yds unfortunately . Its too painful as i've lost a disk in my spine.
I don't get any pain when cycling though and it doesn't restrict me at all thank god.

 

[Speck]

Peanut,
We need to do another Somerset levels type ride. I do 15 miles or so around here in the Mendips but every road in and out of the village is pretty hilly. it's been so windy around here lately.

Not keen on some of the main roads, a cyclist was killed down the road on Saturday.

http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/Cyclist-killed-collision/article-1198148-detail/article.html

I will keep an eye on the weather and give you a ring or PM you.

 

[peanut]

Peanut,
We need to do another Somerset levels type ride. I do 15 miles or so around here in the Mendips but every road in and out of the village is pretty hilly. it's been so windy around here lately.

Not keen on some of the main roads, a cyclist was killed down the road on Saturday.

http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/Cyclist-killed-collision/article-1198148-detail/article.html

I will keep an eye on the weather and give you a ring or PM you.

thats awful news. same age as me as well !.
I have so many near misses every time I go out I'm beginning to think its no longer a question of if I'm going to be hit more when the inevitable is going to happen.
I was nearly wiped out by a huge range rover and trailer Saturday.

Fortunately the levels are very quiet and I often see only 2 or 3 cars in a 10 mile ride. Its a 10 mile cycle to get there but well worth it.
We should find somewhere mid way in the levels to meet . I don't mind chucking the bike in the car and driving somewhere.

 

[peanut]

Do you ever go for short walks 'round the block'? It's a lot less effort than going for a ride but but can be a help if you're feeling tired and needa bit of daylight. I started doing this when I had lower back problems.

how is your back PP ? I wish i could walk because the village where I live is beautiful and I could take my camera and take some pictures . A sort of seasonal record of a year in the life of Merriott.

There now you've given me an idea I might try to see if I can do some short walks and gradually build up the distance. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[661-Pete]

Hi Peanut.

I think I recognise your condition. It looks like a form of depression. Familiar to me as I'm a sufferer too (as are others in my family). My other hobbies, the astronomy in particular, are also losing out to this.

You've had a lot of good advice here, may I suggest a different angle? Don't try to team up with anyone, for the time being. Ride on your own, then you're never in any sort of 'competition' with anyone. If another cyclist passes you on the hill, let them pass and then just forget it: 'ships that pass in the night' sort of thing. This is not being anti-social, just practical: set your pace without any outside influence and when you get to the end of your ride be thankful to have done it, whatever.

And don't get kitted up. Do you use clipless? If so, perhaps swap the pedals for flat ones (or toeclips if you prefer); then you can just get on the bike with ordinary clothes, it takes only a few seconds, not long enough for you to change your mind! And if you go only a few miles it won't matter that you're not in kit. Indeed a few miles' ride is enough to re-fuel the motivation bit.

These are the sort of things I do. And I'm about your age too (59) and also overweight.

Please understand, I am not suggesting these as permanent measures! Just something to try and get you going again.

It is a pity that the back is giving you so much grief. I have bad sciatica problems at times, also a hamstring is troublesome on my knee though that doesn't affect cycling too badly. No slipped discs for me yet, thankfully! Can you build up the walking, so that you can do more than 100 yards: and how does walking up and down hills go? I was feeling very 'down' on waking up yesterday, but managed to summon enough energy to get up on the Sussex Downs with my wife, on foot. The myriad of butterflies that we saw were certainly uplifting (in a sense).

Good luck, anyway.

 

[peanut]

Hi Peanut.

I think I recognise your condition. It looks like a form of depression.
Can you build up the walking, so that you can do more than 100 yards:

I was feeling very 'down' on waking up yesterday, but managed to summon enough energy to get up on the Sussex Downs with my wife, on foot. The myriad of butterflies that we saw were certainly uplifting (in a sense).

Good luck, anyway.

Hi Pete yes I think you are right it is a form of depression. I can't seem to snap out of it at the moment. It has been with me now for over 6 months.
I'm getting a bit desperate so yesterday I decided to make a big effort to break out of the loop.

i cancelled Sky+ today I can still hardly believe it . I'm going to watch less tv and surf less .
Started setting some goals and targets too. Quite exciting.
thanks very much for your advice and support .

 

[scots_lass]

Hi Peanut,
You seem to have gotten a lot of very sensible advice. My situation is a bit different as I am a first-time beginner at the age of 55! But similarities are there. I started off with a target of 20 miles in the first week, increasing that by 5 miles a week. The first week was so scary - sometimes it would take me an hour of talking to myself to go out on my bike but once I had done it I felt great.
I always cycle on my own - I can go at my own pace, take breaks when I want to and not be stressed out by trying to keep up with someone. Is there flattish cycle paths or countryside you could get to by car? If so stick with that for the first few weeks and get your miles in and routine set. Then you could add in one hilly ride a week. Slowly slowly.
I am now doing 55 miles a week - not a lot but fine for me and I so much enjoy it when I am finished! I'll never be a long distance cyclist nor a fast one but hey ho, there's room in this world for everyone regardless of fitness or ability. Some days I don't even bother getting changed - just go out in whatever I have got on (and that makes the ride less important in my head which means less self-induced stress).
I hope that you will get over this hump soon and get back your enjoyment in cycling. Good luck!

 

[Jane Smart]

Joan that was a lovely post. I too don't think that I will be a long distance cyclist. I just go out and do what I am capable of on that day. Some days I go short distances, other days longer. I am glad that I have proved to myself, I don't need to hammer on, on days when I am not in the mood, there is always tomorrow

Chin up Peanut, you have your pals on here to listed to you We are with you in mind, if not in body.

Shame you did not live closer, I would chum you along on some rides

 

[peanut]

thank you lee for your stunning insight and acumen as ever good luck with your exams. I had over 150+ hours of exams so know a thing or two about procrastination and last minute cramming

 

[MrGrumpy]

I had a poor start to the year and really never got going, illness kept me of cycling to work the whole way for 2-3 months. Had to use train and bike . However just back my holidays been watching TDF on TV and feel ready to rock and roll. In fact want to nip to EBC and get myself some overshoes for the typical Uk summer.