threshold philosophy?

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how do you get out the door? for me, I put one foot in front of the other, taking care of any in-home tasks & requests, making small decisions about where to ride, what bike to use & what to wear. eventually, there's nothing left but to walk over the threshold into freedom

I've read other's philosophies such as "just put your shoes on"

when I've encouraged family members to get up in the morning for work or school, I've been known to say: "just put your feet on the floor". meaning, getting over that one small hurdle, will lead you the rest of the way

what's your philosopy for getting out & on the bike?
 
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Slick

Guru
I've never really had an issue with motivation. I reckon it's because I spent most of my working life having no choice but to drag my sorry ass out of bed and start throwing steel around until it was time to go home again. Once you have done that for 30 years plus, getting up and at em for a 6am commute seems like pure luxury so no real additional motivation is required.
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
during the week its cycle to work or not get there , weekend club rides make me get out although the last couple of weeks no club rides and the weather has been really cack so its been a mmmm nah
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
If I’m going out for a long ride I always make sure any chores are done before I head out. If I’m heading out early I’ll put my cycling clothes on immediately. I’ll put the bike out, fill water bottles, then have breakfast. Any chores are then done and then away before I sit down again.

I don’t have a problem with motivation but can get distracted. If the bike is sitting outside ready to go I’m less likely to get distracted.
 

Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
Your brain will play tricks to avoid putting your body through hard work. You need to not let it. You do that by making exercise habitual. It needs to become as much part of your routine as eating, or breathing. I walk about 3 miles every evening with the dogs. I never question whether I need to, because after my supper they are sitting looking at me, waiting for me to move.

Cycling is a bit more hit or miss, but as said above taking the steps to prepare helps. Looking out your kit, then getting up and putting it on leads you down a route where it is going to happen, and there isn’t a choice.
 

united4ever

Über Member
Commuter here, so getting to work is generally required but may have to WFH next year and I worry about keeping it up with such regularity. Going to prioritise it. Must admit I do like cycling with a purpose in mind I.e. committing, shopping etc so need to convince myself that aimlessly exploring country lanes is a good use of time when life is busy.
 

C R

Guru
Location
Worcester
Commuter here, so getting to work is generally required but may have to WFH next year and I worry about keeping it up with such regularity. Going to prioritise it. Must admit I do like cycling with a purpose in mind I.e. committing, shopping etc so need to convince myself that aimlessly exploring country lanes is a good use of time when life is busy.
I've been exclusively WFH since end of March. Up until September the children were home, so we were riding as a family in the evening, or I would go on my own for a quick circuit if the children could not be motivated.

Now I am on my own during the day. I go out at least two lunchtimes a week to compensate for not cycling to work. I have the cycling clothes next to me from the morning, so come 12:30 it is just routine to change and go out. I don't allow myself to think about it, otherwise half the time I would skip the ride.
 

Cirrus

Veteran
I struggle with it, am a fair weather rider and if it's inclement then I'll probably go for a run instead. One thing that does motivate me is if I am going with another person, so am more likely to get out if conditions aren't great if I have some company.
 
If I didn't turn up at work, I would not be able to pay my mortgage, and the missus would not be happy. That's motivation enough for me. As for training rides, the motivation to shift my excess podge helps too. :laugh: Since C-19, I'm not commuting as much, so the weight crept up on me.

More calories I burn, the more I can eat.
 
I put out my cycling clothes in the evening before going to bed.

In the morning I get up and dressed on autopilot. Look in the mirror and think " It must be a cycling day".
Yeah that works quite well for me. Of course it's only useful for early rides!
Which probably explains why I get very few rides done later in the day - the exception being commutes; I do a lot of extended evening commutes, they often make up half my weekly mileage. But if I come straight home I find it INCREDIBLY difficult to get out again, even on the longest summer evenings.

Having a club/group ride to get to also helps me get out of bed on time.
Sofa Sloth by nature, but always love it once I'm moving!
 

Chief Broom

Veteran
Hmm A yawning nothingness behind and a yawning nothingness ahead with a thin sliver of existence in the middle... Gotta move...see whats going on.....hows the weather doing.... walk down the beach.....see the dogs running for joy....gotta laugh....gotta smile.... hell why not! :laugh:
 
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