Exercising for the sake of it. – Page 2 – Chat Forum

JonEdwards · 2013-12-12T13:18:58Z

I'm one of those people who's always been lucky enough to be fairly fit just by day to day life. However as I'm getting older I'm finding that's less effective, especially to keep in "peak" condition, rather than just bumbing along. (if I miss a week's riding, I feel like I've lost all my top end power, if I don't climb at least weekly I drop grades etc.), and this really pees me off, and I end up hating myself for being fat/lazy/slow/stupid. But I absolutely cannot get my head round just doing exercise for the hell of it. Being bike fit is a side result of enjoying riding bikes, not the end in itself. I climb because I love the head games and the movement, nothing to do with the strength it brings. So if I either don't want to (crap weather) or can't (silly season at work) ride, I just get slow/fat/lazy. I have a turbo trainer, but it just sits there. I just can't visualise grinding away indoors in the cellar. Just, why??? I've thought about taking up running, but again, no motivation to do so. I don't actually enjoy running, and I can't just go and "go for a run" because I haven't run anywhere for 20+ years and I know if I do it for more than 20 minutes, I'll be crippled for the next day or 2, which will put me off doing it ever again. I know there's a large element of HTFU in this, but I can't get my head round a reason *to* HTFU. I don't have any targets, I don't race (nor do I want to). I'm doing the Transprovence Tour in June, but I'm pretty convinced that doing 1400m+ climbing a day for a week won't cause me any undue issues (have done it before with no probs). I "assume" I'll get away with it, because I always have, but surely I can do better than "get away with it" (until it's raining next time I want to go out on the road bike, when I'll sack it off)? SO what makes you exercise, just for the exertion?

JonEdwards

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Anything to stop you leaving home at your "old" time and doing a 10-30 mile ride before getting back in to start work ?

The theory is nice, however, having tried it:-

The distance was spread over at least 2 journeys (office & return), sometimes 4 or 6 depending on how many places I needed to be.

Getting up at 0545, to leave the house for 0630 on a cold nasty winter morning? To go for a ride up on the moors in the pitch black for no discernible reason? Nah. Never going to happen.

I'm already up at 0600 a minimum of twice a week when I'm in the office, and those days usually have late finishes too, so I'm no desperate to add on more earlys.

The sheer faff of going for a 1/2 hour or an hour "proper" ride just never seems worth it. I've not been night riding in about 2 years because I just can't be arsed with the whole bike & kit cleaning shenanigans afterwards. (And no, SS isn't the answer - I have proper hills to deal with, and they still need cleaning). Even a lunchtime road ride, there's 20 minutes of faffing before hand, then 10 or 15 minutes of fannying when I get back.

I suspect a large part of the problem is that I'm a billy-no-mates and always ride on my own (and frankly prefer it that way), so there's nobody else to let down when I try and pussy out, and nobody else I'm trying to outperform.

Posted : 12/12/2013 5:29 pm

davidtaylforth

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Sounds just like me again, havent been on a mtb night ride for two years, infact havent ridden my mtb for two years due to the faff and time it takes.

but judging by your earlier post, sounds liek your "work/life" balance is a bit out of whack anyway. Not surprised you can't be arsed riding.

Posted : 12/12/2013 5:34 pm

ianv

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If I was paying a load of money for the TP tour, I would definitely want to be in decent physical condition so I could enjoy rather than endure it. 1500m climbing days in that part of the world are tough and if you are killing yourself on the climbs you will miss the beautiful landscape and not be able to enjoy the descents as much.

You just need to develop a routine, the first few days will be hard but it will gradually get easier.

Posted : 12/12/2013 6:08 pm

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