Been trying to train hard over the winder (road miles mostly riding on my own) for our JOGLE. Now its 2 months off I finding it hard to summon the enthusiasm to carry on pushing really – Perhaps its the cloudy foggy weather that we have here in the SW making going out uninspiring? Have got some Audax’s and sportives planned over the next few months but its even affecting my MTB enthusiasm 🙁 Anyone got any spare?

No. Jaded would be a positive step forwards for me.

How come aracer?

Happened to me last year, I think I basically overtrained, but it was more noticeable of just getting mentally tired of it all rather than physical symptoms. I basicly had the 2nd half of last year off from doing sport just because I couldn’t raise the motivation.

This year I am making sure I schedule in enough rest periods, I am making every third week an easy week, and mixing up the sports I do a bit more as well.

having had an enforced rest that’s made me feel antipathetic to the mtb at best i’m gingerly making my way back onto the road. altho it’s only been a few short miles and the likelihood of my stupid knees betraying me is high i find i’m already back scoping wee off road loops on the map.

so a) be glad you can cyle at all
and b) maybe a wee week off might recharge the batteries a bit

Yes MSP I think your prob right – I have tried to work in rest and also I have not had any time off Since Xmas – I have next week off on hols and taking my bike & Wife to the Lakes so maybe that will sort me out 🙂

Trouble is not if I dont do a long ride at the weekend I feel guilty that I am not putting the effort in when my other members of our JOGLE team are 🙁 Stupid really but it becomes a way of life I guess?

@ Swiss – Oh I am grateful that I can ride (apart from the usual midlife type aches and pains) – its just mental I reckon 😉 Hope your get some gusto soon 🙂

Maybe take a week off training, and spend some time going out for a fun ride?

Maybe go do some skills training with a mate? Or go see Jedi?

Drink some coffee, watch some youtube videos, get some music on your mp3 and go out for a hard ride?

Do a race?

I know how you feel, I trained for 24 weeks following a plan last year, and got really fed up of it – to the extent now that I’m riding more but only for fun, and looking at technique and skill 🙂

If your base fitness is now high enough, why not take a break to get your head back into it?

I found that planning a ride, rather than clock watching helped too. So I’d plan a route that I knew would take 7 hours and go out and do it, and never look at my watch – as I’d be thinking ‘5 more hours to do’, ‘still 3 more hours to do’.

Anyway, I’m sure others will tell you different. But I’m enjoying riding much more and riding more often because I’m riding cause I want to, I’m a human not a machine 🙂

I think after the event I will be riding more for pleasure and I expect my fitness is adequate now for it – tiz the guilt thing I guess but of late, training on my own, results in clock watching as you say – Too true 🙂

I don’t “race” ATM – I have done races – doing a sportive Sunday with a mate and I think we’ll have “fun” 🙂

For me, and it’s obviously different for everyone, I found quality time on the bike, rather than quantity of time really made a difference.

There is a school of thought that says base miles are just a waste of the time you could spend doing intervals, tempos and all that jazz.

If you beasted yourself for 2 hours, instead of plodded for 6 would you feel better and not guilty?

I know what you mean about feeling guilty, it even got to the stage where I would turn down going away with work so that I could get my training rides in. Bonkers really. It’s just a hobby, given something that is better when you ride well, but all in perspective – you need a life too; and if you’re not happy, work out how to be happy 🙂

Your race at the weekend, what if you raced your mate instead? Or maybe mixed it up with intervals in the middle? and some tempos and threshold work? set some ad-hoc goals? Think about carving the road bike on corners better?

All good words there Rickon – I do shorter rides and push them much more but I guess it boils down to doing av 120 miles / day on the JOGLE is was is making me feel guilty. During the week I have been doing either hard 1 hour turbo / spinning class sessions and about 1.5 hour local MTB trail riding at night – perhaps I have been burning the candle too much!

I went to my friends over the weekend – got a short 1.5 hours hard ride in before we left – I was tired when I met my friends and was a miserable bugger Sunday – weather was nice and just wanted to go ride – could you call it an addiction? I apologised to my friends but felt a bit guilty when I got home.

[confessions of a cycle addict]? 😳

clock watching! a couple of years ago i was well into my computer and have never hated cycling as much. i put loads of psychological pressure on myself and really didn’t enjoy it.

these days i don’t use the computer at all and, while i may time myself the odd time, i find i’m doing shorter rides but pushing myself a lot harder – i don’t find i want to look at the clock when i’m doing intervals

similarly if it’s awful outside trainer sessions can do the trick. generally if the intensity is such i want to be sick in the sink it’s probably about right and after that (as well as getting the benefit of a short but horrendously aerobic session) an outside road session seems like a treat!

A lot of the training programmes I seen (3 or 4) adjust how much you train each day by how tired you are. That might work well for you…

I’m thinking Training Peaks, Two Peaks etc…

I’m sure you know Dave Buchanan, I may be dropping him in it here – but he would be a good chap to have a chat with about this. He’ll have been through exactly what you’re feeling and be able to provide some guidance, he’s like a training oracle at times 🙂

My advice: A change is as good as a rest

Over the winter we’ve tended towards shorter blasts. Due to this we’ve tended to opt for linking up the most GGGNNNNAAAAARRRR descents. So every ride has become Massive climb > daft technical downhill > Massive climb > daft technical downhill > Massive climb > daft technical downhill. Repeat til knackered/out of battery life. We just try to squeeze a lot in

Last Saturday however, it was a lovely day, we had a friend of a friend riding with us. We didn’t know what his level was so we backed the pace right off. Instead of mental rocky stuff we stuck on the main bridleways.

Best ride I’ve had in ages! I really enjoyed it! Really social. Took in all the scenery. Still ended up doing plenty of miles. Still with some fairly major climbs and descents. It was just a different attitude. Made the route up as we went along. No rush – we’ve got all day. Had a few beers in the pub afterwards. It was great!! 😀

I’ve pretty much given up tb, so hard to get/stay vaguely fit since I got CFS. Had a good summer last year so hopefully I’ll get back into it again.

Thanks guys

I do know Dave but not to talk to – maybe a good idea – Thanks for not MTFU me 😉 I will try and chill a bit I think and go with the flow – I have a new MTB build waiting a few parts and I think that will inspire me when its on the track – need a break from it all I reckon 🙂

im full of enthusiasm and ready to rock, also my new road bike has just arrived shame my broken foot has now swelled to twice its normal size and turned purple 😯

Two weeks off the bike with a cold in Jan, another week off wih same at the end of Feb, nearly two weeks off this month too. Dunno about jaded, PI$$ED OFF covers it though.

I want nothing more than to go on a road ride tonight…however, my bike is in the shop having some work done that seemed insignificant but now seems to require power tools.

I’m chomping at the bit for any riding !

Still have a wrist and thumb in recovery after 7 weeks with at least another 3 to go following a stupid off.

Jaded, you want to count yourself ‘lucky’ you’re still riding. Anyway road riding does suck try soemthing else.

The other posters like fastindiam have my sympathy though.

Are you doing the Teign Valley hilly 23 mile TT? Good thing to aim to do well in I reckon.

Saturday/Sunday/Monday was lovely. Since then it’s been pretty crap, but it will clear up soon. Have a few days off, you’ve probably deserved it.

Perhaps its the cloudy foggy weather

Don’t knock it, yesterdays ride started that way, twas good, then it turned sunny – in yer face midday sun, being dressed in black didn’t help, I prefer cool cloudy days. Pine woodland in fog looks so cool.

Ahh found it – 6/4 – http://93.89.95.137/Account/Logon/52927

Ahh – Bank holiday? I will investigate – Cheers Realman 🙂

Not moaning – and I sympathise with anyone who is off their bike for whatever reason!

just getting my thing on ! always seem to loose the plot post christmas but spring is in the air so even an old duffer like mee gets a rise about now ! given up training just ride for fun and to keep the belly at bay

I thought you bought a brand new frame / bike. That should be enough to get your arse in gear.

Sunny and nice in the NE the last couple of weeks.Did 30 on the ncn 1 today.Tan coming along nicely. 😛

Weirdos, why not just ride for fun and stay reasonably fit? Jaded about training? Are you guys semi-pros? I’m jaded in Hawkeye Pierce kind of way but that’s it.

Roadies make me jaded. What he said ^^^

I’m not a roadie – well I am at present – I am riding From John O’groats to Lands End for Charity in May hence the training – after that I aim to do some great MTB events 🙂

Janesy – I am building one up and usually this would give me a buzz like some class A 😉 However I am missing some vital parts and its getting frustrating – maybe that’s a contribution 😉

Saturday/Sunday/Monday was lovely. Since then it’s been pretty crap

pfft! the w/e was fantastic, for sure, but this week’s been fine. reasonably mild, generally quite still, and it’s only rained at night. the evenings are drawing out nicely. it’s flippin’ march FFS! the weather’s been great!

as to the OP – do some more social rides.

Del – well I have quite a few events booked now with friends so not much riding on my own now upto the JOGLE – so I’ll prob pick up – maybe just a “low ebb” 🙂 [tries not to sound like he is whining or feels sorry for himself] 😳