Forum menu
if any of you have read any of my previous posts about depression (not riding my bike) i have been having real problems with not riding my bike (partly laziness also i must confess 😳
recently i have been having real trouble with my sleeping patterns (have suffered with insomnia for a long time).have been sleeping 12 hours plus recently (during the day),i have recently started taking anti depressants also which have made me feel tired.
anyhoo sorry for the droning on.i haven't done much riding (have a new road bike that i got in november) and have hardly ridden it (the most i have done is 33 miles on it (very slow 33 miles too 😳 that was on xmas day.
as i woke up today at 8pm,i felt really peeved that my sleep patterns have wasted the daylight,so a thought came into my head.
"why don't i ride from devizes to bristol and back" the thought said 😯 (on the k & a canal/bath to bristol cycleway) "on my road bike 😯 😯
it's about 80 odd miles 😕 😡 😯 parp!
the idea has taken hold and it will not go (especially as the weather is lovely atm).
so 6am i will be leaving home and going on the longest ride i have done for a few years 🙂
i must say that i am really looking forward to it now.
if i do achieve the distance i will film myself riding through that long tunnel at bristol,and put it up on my youtube page as proof to myself 😉 that i did it.
apologies for the droning on,but i just wanted to write it down 🙂
Go for it and enjoy! Looking forward to seeing that vid!!!
good for you. Taking some time out to enjoy yourself. Hope it goes well.
Jeezo! Sounds a bit bonkers, ESP as I'm not sure you've had much sleep!
Good luck!
nice one...get it bagged! enjoy...
It will be an adventure either way. So long as you've got a phone and/or a bit of cash with you, what's the worst that can happen?
Good luck, hope you sleep well tonight.
go for it!!
Good luck but also a bit stupid (IMO) 0 - 80 miles is only going to put you off riding bikes, leave you feeling rough etc etc...
Why not just do 10 miles and set yourself a goal of doing 15 tomorrow?
After 80 miles today I reckon you won't get to sleep tonight, and then will sleep tomorrow.
Hello raceface. I'm sorry to hear that you're still struggling and haven't been riding. Autumn and Winter were pretty rubbish so do hope that this lovely Spring will help you.
Your sleeping habits do need to change but haven't a clue how you could go about that. I've resorted to using ear plugs and an eye shade at night-time. 😀
I reckon the longer you don't ride then the harder it becomes to reverse that. Worries about fitness become powerful and so easy to talk yourself out of riding.
Have you consulted with your GP recently to see if there is perhaps a different medication that may suit you better? A daily dose of vitamin D may help or you may be able to get the injections.
Please let us know how you got on and hope you have survived your challenge. 🙂
GO GO GO, don't forget pub for lunch!
I have been in a similar place to you for the last couple of years. .. I found myself not sleeping at night, my brain going over and over silly things. Feeling depressed and not riding because I couldn't get motivated. And all the other things associated.
Finally went to the doc who knows me very well and his prescription was get off my arris and get out on my bikes. It took a couple of months to get back to some semblance of normality but (before I fell off and been off the biike again... just started riding again this week, after 11 months) I ended up sleeping almost 5hrs every night and actually getting fit and having a more positive attitude to pretty much everything!
I say go for it! But don't feel bad if you don't make the whole distance, just enjoy the day.
Oh and a big +1 for what jekkyl said...
Good luck and let us know how you do
Hope it's going well, and yep as above you will have earnt a pint and lunch. Remember to stop and look around, it helps remind me why I ride
Have a great day!
Battled with depression myself but exercise is the best for it as you produce more endorphins (the stuff in the happy pills)* I was doing a lot of walking and spending time with friends doing it and that helped. So good on you for doing it and depression is nothing to be ashamed of.
Oh and don't forget to fill your rucksack with haribo and aldi's groovy biscuits 😀
Disclaimer
*I'm a lorry driver not a qualified doctor so I could of been wrong or misinformed.
Been in a simillar place once or twice myself.
Good luck & enjoy the ride mate. 😉
please please do this.. this is truly an impassioned and heartfelt plea
I have suffered deep and severe clinical depression over the years.. reversed sleep pattern, lethargy and much more..
There aren't very many easy ways to break the cycle and step out into the light... but I can assure you that riding your bike, although hard at first, is one of the very best ways that I have found to combat depression..
The oxygen replacing the glycogen in your lungs, increased blood flow, endorphins and being outside in the glory of natures creation fearlessly facing folk and a gazillion and one other good things physically and psychologically will begin to happen with immediate effect..
ride as often as you can.. force yourself to do so
you won't regret it
You say it's stupid, I say it's brilliant. Depression is a bitch and I'm owned by it, get on your bike and ride away from it, ride fast and don't look back. Hopefully like myself yours will take a while to catch up again, but it will catch up again so be ready for it. That's when you go for another ride to shake it again 😉
I bet you had a great day back in the saddle!. Whatever distance you mange today its good that you are back.
I know where you're coming from. Enjoy a day out, but don't get sucked into a zoom-bust cycle. Little and often if you can. Tell us how you're getting on.
PS twelve miles yesterday, first since Dec. Oh, and all the sunlight might help reset your body clock.
I'm not far from Devizes if you need a riding buddy later in the year when I'm back in blighty I'm up for getting out and about doing silly shit on bikes.
thanks for the kind words everyone 😀
well i managed it (just 😳 am now walking like john wayne 😆
i also have a lot more respect for those paris roubaix riders (it's just slightly uncomfortable on the k & a canal (riding my tarmac),but it was great to be out on the bike.
by the gods there were loads of people riding on the cycleway (bath/bristol).
anyhoo i left at 8:55 am and came back home at 5:47 pm (i reckon i spent roughly an hour eating/resting e.t.c.
the weather was fantastic (a rare occurrence in the uk 😉
i reckon i did slightly more than 80 miles (but cannot prove it 😉
i did take a couple of videos/some pics as the cycleway is really great for sculptures,and i saw a steam engine too 😀
i'll shut up now and leave you with the videos/pics,but i am most glad that i did the ride today 🙂
[URL= http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h365/racefaceec90/DSC00854_zpsbfee0dc2.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h365/racefaceec90/DSC00854_zpsbfee0dc2.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
[URL= http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h365/racefaceec90/DSC00851_zps9492ebdd.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h365/racefaceec90/DSC00851_zps9492ebdd.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
[URL= http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h365/racefaceec90/DSC00849_zps66efda68.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h365/racefaceec90/DSC00849_zps66efda68.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
p.s thanks parkesie for the offer.i would definitely like to take you up on that (if you can cope with a slow rider 😳
Great pics! Looks a cracking day!
Well done.
Like
looks great
(oh, and - sudocrem ASAP !!)
Good effort that man. Now keep it up if you can.
I'm a poet and I didn't know it! 🙂
Excellent stuff!
Well done mate.
Well done, excellent that you (a) wanted to do it and (b) did it. You can't be that slow - nobody I know who says they're slow can ride 80 miles!
thanks again for your kind comments 😀
it's really annoying,but my monthly internet allowance (i get 15gb 3 mobile dongle) and it won't be renewed until the 9th,so if i do not reply,am not being rude.
i'm quite surprised that i made it tbh as i haven't ridden my bike very much recently(and when i have it's either to the shops,or undr 20 miles to the bike shop where i'm paying the tarmac off),but it's true what they say that if you put your mind to it,it's surprising what you can do sometimes.
i accepted that i would take a long time to do the ride,but i was just focusing on keeping the pedals going.and when i was knackered i just pedaled then i would coast (then repeat).i've had plenty of practice at it 😉
Keep it up.
Nice one...looks good weather and the pics are rather good...I'm off out tomorrow to try sort my head out and get the legs going after seeing that!
Great pics, good riding. I've done that path twixt bath n bristol, it's great but does get busy with lots of families. Did you know it was the first Sustrans route? Also there's a lovely pub right next to the track at Saltford, loads of seats outside for sunny days, does good food too. :o)
Fantastic.
Hi five that man!
[img] 
[/img]
Love it. Nicely done and hope you had a great day. 8) and I for one think that deserves a beer or two!
Nice one, rf, and thanks for sharing the pics and vids.
Aw - that was lovely - thanks for sharing! Great to see so many folks out on their bikes. Keep up the good work - you know it makes sense 😀
Silly rides are always best! Well done for doing it mate 🙂
Done a couple of mad ones and they have always been the worst planned best rides ever.
Keep it up!!!
well done crackiing getting back out only just back ini the saddle myself
In all seriousness you are probably fitter than me, I don't think I could do that ride as quick as you did.
Pinged you a email I'm fairly new to the area so haven't built up much in the way of local trail knowledge other than Salisbury plain so will be good to get out and about.
Wow! Fantastic achievement raceface, well done Sir. 😀 Now bottle that euphoria and reach out to it when you need to.
parkesie - there's lots of nice riding in Wiltshire but so much, imo obviously, is weather-dependent.
The Marlborough Downs is wonderful as is the Pewsey Downs. The Wylye Valley is another lovely area. Need to make the most of current conditions. 🙂
Well done Chief. Inspiring stuff.
Moved there 18 months ago and have spent most of that time away hope to get some exploring done when I eventually get back.
Well you've made me smile 🙂
Forgot to add, I've read that light spanking helps too!
Disclaimer: it was in The Sun..
I like this thread. Good on you. I'm glad you did your silly miles ride - I'm scuppered from doing the ones I have planned while I have an injured knee.
Well done RF, good effort, it's good to do something bonkers once in a while to really shake yourself up, need to do a silly big ride myself soon, hmm......wonders what......
Well done sir !!!