I’m looking to do a lot of riding this year and a solo 24hr. Like many people I have a full time, reasonably physical job and a busy life.

Fitting in training is hard, no different to anyone else tho, then I read you shouldn’t train when you’re tired. Mainly because you will get no benefit.

Well, I’m nearly always tired, almost certainly at the times I have available for training.

So, the question is, where do you draw the line? At what point are you too tired to train? How do you tell?

more sleep is the answer. if you can’t get more sleep arrange your lifestyle so you an get more sleep.

Ah, the eternal conflict that is running a pub, working ’til midnight then getting up at 8 or 9 to get the most from your day.

Tired meaning fatigued, rather than sleepy, if that helps! Ie nothing in your legs, generally feeling run down, ill etc.

If you’re just a bit knackered get yourself out there, you need miles in your legs for a 24 solo.

Can you incorporate cycle into your routine more? I guess you live near the pub, but if not, you could cycle to and from the pub to make the most of your travel time. Cycle to see mates / get the shopping whenever possible?

For me it’s quite easy to tell, as I simply wont feel like riding. I have to do a lot of miles in a short period of time i.e three days a week. These rides are key to anything I do and I never miss them.In order I don’t the bike and clothing must be ready the night before.I also never check the weather, I’ll ride whatever. Any spare time is a bonus.
I to have a physical standing jon, long hours and a familly.

You get more kip than me, I’m on 5 hours max.

Go out after work (yes I did see the bit where you said you finished at midnight). Start with an hour or two and build up. It’ll hurt at first but you’ll get used to it with time and it’ll be good preparation for night time laps on a 24hr solo.

When I was a student (in my late twenties) I spent a time working Friday nights graveyard shift at a filling station 11 to 7 folowed by 7:30 til 6 in a daytime job. After a few weeks of that I’d acclimatised enough to go clubbing on the Saturday nights afterwards.

MTFU…

Training is like fighting a sex crazed gorilla, you don’t give up when you’re tired you stop when the gorilla is knackered

Is this gorilla coming to SITS tazzy?

Think it could help us

Are you really tired? Are you listening to what your body is telling you or to what your mind is telling you? Probably the latter. You won’t know if you are too tired to train unless you get out there on the bike and put some efforts in. do that and then decide based on your performance if you are too tired to train or not.

I’m the opposite. I can feel fine but when I get on the bike a can’t hit my HR zones which is my body telling me its tired despite what my mind is telling me.

Good tip from Chris Boardman. If you are trying to decide whether to go out training or not get into your kit and get the bike out. Then take the decision.

Running a pub is an odd business, as it seems to require you to work 14+ hours a day 7 days a week.

Do you employ any staff who can run things for you to allow you to take solid blocks of time for training?

Good tip from Chris Boardman. If you are trying to decide whether to go out training or not get into your kit and get the bike out. Then take the decision.

Or, as Sean Kelly described it when asked what he would do if it was raining heavily: I’d get my kit on, and go out and do my ride. Then I’d come home and decide if it was too wet or not.

Wondered how long it would be for .. MTFU, always helpful.

We get the odd sex crazed gorilla in on a Friday night, so perhaps I’ll give that a go 😀

MB, that was a long time ago for me and I could do that then too.

oldgit, that’s when I finish work not when I get to bed, but I know what you mean.

I usually don’t feel like riding if I’m mentally tired, but that’s usually boredom.

Ride somewhere new and interesting.

Or just MTFU. Training is damn hard work.

Maybe focus your training a bit better tho? Depending on how much base fitness you have you might benefit from fewer hours doing more intense stuff…

EDIT: just seen, you run a pub. I don’t think there’s much hope for you then.. I didn’t think it was possible to do ANYTHING else at all whilst running a pub…

Be flexible with sleep and ride times. That’s what I’ve found now I’m self employed. I sometimes catch 40 winks till the phone goes or sneak out for a ride if it’s quiet. I quite often do a bit of work when I get back in from a night ride too but you may not have such flexibility. Tiredness goes away after a couple of mins with the wind in your face so just force yourself. Oh and make sure you pack in loads of vitamins too, they help you stop you running yourself down.
Giving up riding now would do my head in, I swear some days it’s the only thing that has kept me sane!

It’s a tough old sport we do. When your fit it’s great, and when your not but have been it’s hard. Ten of my mates I rode with five years ago don’t ride any more.

Good advice the Sean Kelly bit! Hardest bit is getting out the door. I to am training for a 24hour event. I always get my kit sorted and then tell myself I’ll ride for 20mins, then see how I feel. Generally I’m ok.

Tazzy’s nailed it.

I could hardly walk this morning. 0715 spin session and lunchtime Yoga.
The flippin gorilla wants to do a kettle bell session tonight.

I’ll rest afterwards.

Been there – nope you don’t want to over train – you will actually loose fitness by over training – If you are not strong enough to climb as your reserves are too low then is not better or actually worse than resting!

I give in to the gorrilla now n then as it’s quite nice to cuddle up to after it’s ruined me. Tricky yep if I can get my kung fu panda crazy feet super ss cadence back then I’ll be up for that, see how E6 goes

What you need to do is punch yourself in the face like the astana rider 7mins in

😀

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPHRIBu-qfI[/video]

Try coffee. I find a double espresso very motivating if I’m off riding after work.

Try (power) naps (before the coffee).