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Make plans for a group ride. We were out on Monday and it only rained for first 30 minutes then turned out ok. Had a great ride, but we all said we’d never have went out on our own.
Peer pressure works.
In 2017 and 2018, before I bought the turbo just before Xmas, I used to do intervals on the various ramps in Midanbury that you're not far from, WCA.
Lower Copsewood with Dell Rd (hits ~20%, steepest incline I know of in Southampton)
Full Copsewood
Dimond with Castle Rd
Bond Rd and Norris Hill
wakefield Rd (from Meggeson end) with Litchfield Rd
Vanguard Rd
Witts Hill
Thorold Rd
Rossington/Rosyth/Montgomery
Woodmill La (usually by far the busiest in terms of motor traffic)
etc.
Back then it was on the fat bike, with various wheel/tyre combos, it was more about the workout rather than times.
Very rarely do any of them these days even on the road bike, if I can't get myself out to the South Downs lane, I'm much more likely to jump on the turbo in the winter months.
A mate and I signed up for one of the Southern Enduro events (alternatives are available) in Spring as incentive to keep riding and getting better over winter. So far it's working very well, I'd encourage anyone struggling for motivation to do the same.
Just pray for a mild spell without too much rain, was out today for the first time in a month (illness and christmas), it's just treacle out there, think i'll get the ebike back out for the next trip!
Went out tonight. Forgot to change my bar mount over so helmet light only. Trails were 70% clag, 20% Greasy Snot Death and 10% traction-less ditch finder. It was cold as well.
Slithered round 12k with 500m of climbing. Didn't even go to the pub. But it was around 100 times better than the turbo. Much prefer to ride with my mates. Once I was out didn't regret it for a moment.
Rain tomorrow tho. So back on the turbo 🙁
Trousers have been a revelation this year. Muddy trousers get taken off in the garage and stay there. Muddy shoes go on the boot dryer. Muddy jackets come off in the garage and stay there. Muddy bike has putoline on the chain so doesn't need immediate attention. Fairly clean me goes in the house and gets less of a row from the wife.
Stopping cleaning filthy kit saves so much time, this really helps me stay motivated for night rides.
@integra not the most generous but not the tightest. I have a big muscly bum and thighs and I'm 180cm and the large only just fits. I lost a few kgs over the summer and they fit ok but now I've gained over Christmas and they are a bit tight again.
They do have the optional braces which are well worth it as they solve any bum dropping issues (you'll know what I mean if it affects you!). Overall superb but size up.
Zwift has been a godsend for me, there's one thing I'm not doing at 7pm after getting home, eating, etc and that's going out into the dark cold night, on my own, to get covered in mud.
An hour on zwift with a training plan, yep that's much better.
If it's not raining one day of the weekend then I'll do a local ride for an hour or 2, and if there's a group night ride then that's something to look forward to.
weeksy
Full Member
Not today you can’t…. i’m post-booster jab and feeling like poop…. today, i’ve nothing to give to anyone apart from a request for sympathy
Yeah,I wouldn't wish feeling like me on anyone.😀
OP, I know how you feel. I'll be setting up my zwift setup again asap. It really helps me over the darker months, not just with fitness etc but with "head stuff" too.
I used to motivate myself to ride in the winter for years but the last couple I just haven't. If you have to motivate yourself to go out.you probably just don't want to, there's 100s of other things you could spend your time doing.
It's funny, something about cycling seems to pressure us all into thinking we can only either do it as a full time hobby or not at all but in reality how many other hobbies do you have that you only do now and then when it takes your fancy?
Work is something you have to motivate yourself to do, not recreation!
reality how many other hobbies do you have that you only do now and then when it takes your fancy?
Interesting point, but I'm probably the opposite - anything I would describe as a hobby, if questioned, I do all of the time. I ride several times a week, play guitar every day, read a book (or part of) every day. (In fact I wouldn't describe reading as a hobby because I do it all of the time, just like breathing..)
Off the top of my head I can't think of anything that I do occasionally that I'd describe as a hobby. eg I wouldn't describe surfing as a hobby because I only do it a few times in summer. Perhaps I'd describe cooking as a hobby. Despite doing it every day and normally enjoying it, that's just because it needs to be done every day, but it's only occasionally that I'll do some research and cook new stuff.
I've just realised that I've got obsessions, not hobbies.