How often do people get out on a ride after you’ve done all your household jobs and obviously working full/part time.
Its now 1730 on my last day off and i had planned to get out and ride sometime today but its not happened. For my two days off i planned to get the house tidied and cook tea yesterday and freeze the rest for tonight and spend some time with the missus and today i was going to have a ride, as ive only rode my bike twice since i had knee Surgery in december.

Now due to my Dad being rushed into A&E yesterday (gall stone blockage) i spent most of yesterday with the missus running around and also making sure my Dad’s wife who had a major stroke last Feb and my sister were all sorted and had everything they needed etc. This is fine, and couldn’t be helped.

But now i have my family sorted and the house is semi tidy, and after necking some painkillers for a headache i now have some free time, till 1945 when the missus gets home from work. But i have absolutely no motivation to get out in the dark and wind and go for a ride.

Normally i work a mixture of three early shifts 0730- 1500 and two lates 1330 – 2130 and have two days off. And in the summer i try my best to get out on a ride after a early shift. But during winter I seem to have no motivation what so ever.

The cold seems to set me off with a horrendous headache even when wearing a hat to cover my ears.

So how do others manage? Do you get out for a ride often? And during winter do you ride. I’m considering waiting till spring when its lighter for a bit longer after work.

Once a week or 2-4 rides when staying in the in-laws caravan in Wales when having a week off.

Find it harder in winter to motivate myself. It’s all too easy to not bother riding when I’ve had a hard day at work and I know the trails will be minging.
I do try and get out a couple of times a week though, usually take he dog for a ride as it involves less time than walking so kills 2 birds with 1 stone.
Harder with rides with mates, today for example I had a tough working day then had to get home and walk dog as wife is away. To then rush around and get to Lordswood in time for this Eve’s ride was just too much, can’t just take dog with me as the ride doesn’t suit it.
Summertime is easy, there’s loads of light, everything seems less effort, always seem to find time…

I’m a student, when I was working I’d ride to work everyday, had a nice offroad route home. Now I’m back at uni for my final year and I haven’t ridden the damn thing this side of Christmas…. Talk about depression!

It’ll end soon though! I’ll have graduated and will hopefully have a summer on the trails 😀

Good its not just me then. I seem to have a serious lack of motivation in winter. But when its lighter for Longer (mid March onwards) i’m fine, some days after a really stressful shift, all i want to do is get home, have a brew and mong on the couch for a few hours, then cook tea.

My plan was to go for a ride along the canal tonight and up to ASDA in Blackburn offroad. But its cold, its still quite windy and frankly the only Mountain biking ill be doing is dreaming about it. Roll on Spring.

If your ward worked long days they would save money on the big overlap in the middle of the day and you’d get 4 days off…

My house is an absolute tip but I do get 150+ road miles in a week. House work will always be there tomorrow.

Crikey- I’d prefer Long days, but apperantly its too much doing a 12 hour shift on our ward (Orthopaedic Trauma) so they won’t let you do them. They do on SAU though.

I feel i have to attempt some house work, as i’ll only get whinged at. Apperantly, 8 hour shift on a Ward isn’t as taxing as 12 hours in a Nursing home according to the missus. And as for her daughter doing any house work!!!! well their is more chance of the cat doing it.

Easy to say this I know, but the motivation to get out shouldn’t be the thought, the fact that you rarely if ever feel worse for getting out should be the driver. If anything, not going out and then feeling like you should have is the worst. Once you’re out, it’s great. Even 45 mins in bad weather helps clear the head.

Having a grab ‘n’ go hack for that kind of thing helps, a SS CX or simple MTB etc. If time is short, get set up for quick blasts. I assume you have some doorstep riding of sorts?

I have a turbo set up in the garage just to get the exercise fix mid-week, and a road bike for the weekends when more MTB slop / slog doesn’t appeal much.

Can you not ride to work? makes the most of the time available.

With a wife with post-natal depression, a new baby, household chores and freezing weather my cycling action has consisted of runs to the shops. I am itching to get back into the commuting routine with the occasional mtb explosion. Roll on warmer, sunnier weather……

Jameso the riding round here is magnificent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxZxRwqJXs4 About 15/20 mins uphill to Darwen Tower then blast back down. Or Head over the hill to Tockholes/Roddlesworth with Rivington beyond. Its a bogfest on the moors at the moment though and its quite windy also.

I would attempt to ride to work, but there is no decent changing facilities and my fitness isn’t great at the moment as i’ve been off the bike from November till Mid January, managed about 7 miles on my last ride. Had A menisectomy and Microfracture of the knee to repair the articular Cartilage.

I commute 4 days a week, 17miles each way and usually get out saturday sunday. Girlfriend works night shift so don’t feel guilty disappearing for a few hours while she is asleep at weekend.

No kids, so don’t know if that makes a difference, rephrase, i don’t know how much difference that would really make.

every day…..if you want it enough, you find time.

Work life balance? I would need a life first all I seem to do is work at the moment, it is getting tedious and I need to make changes quickly.

IMO it helps to have one’s gear sorted in advance for the next ride. I’m talking about everything you’ll need; bike, camelback or whatever, tools, water bottle, food, clothes, shoes blah blah. That way, you have everything in place without having to faff around.

That’s what used to help me … before having a 3 yr old anyway.

You don’t have to ride if you don’t want to. It doesn’t make you any less of a bike rider. If you want to you will take some meds for your headache, put on your waterproofs and go out. If you don’t want to you’ll post on here.

The trick is doing what you want to do and not feeling guilty or inadequate about your choice. I skipped my commute today cos my right knee is sore and riding to work everyday isn’t helping. Probably won’t go near a bike for a good few days now. Happy days.

I sort of feel guilty within myself if i don’t get out and ride. I know when it starts to get warmer and lighter ill be out. I don’t mind the rain, i don’t mind the wind. I don’t however like it when its cold. Even with plenty of layers on, i’m still cold and miserable. And the wind blasting means i don’t enjoy it.

However a crisp, cool spring morning or evening i don’t mind. However a nice muggy summer ride i love. Even when it rats it down. I seem to get very demotivated and unhappy during winter. Its dark going to work, and its getting dark when i come home.

if it’s the riding – and getting dirty – that is the faff hiccup — try just going for a walk instead, it sometimes work for me ..

people tidy up!

This wind and rain combo hasn’t made things easy. Knowing the trails are going to be flooded / waterlogged doesn’t help. Just do urban rides when I can.There’s always a way or place to ride. You just need to find it and have a plan for different conditions and schedules.

I seem to get very demotivated and unhappy during winter. Its dark going to work, and its getting dark when i come home.

So going for a cold, wet ride in the dark which will inevitably involve cleaning your bike as well somehow doesn’t appeal?

Welcome to the rational world 😀 maybe you have that seasonal disorder thing? Sounds from your OP like you have other family stuff going on too.

Stop beating yourself up, the trails will still be there in a couple of months time. If you really want to get some miles in start commuting, the lack of facilities can be got around. Personally I use long meetings as an opportunity to pick bits of mud off my calves under the table.

Get a riding buddy. Some days they’ll be up for it and you won’t and vice versa, but you end up dragging each other out and not wanting to let each other down, especially if you stick it in the diary at the start of each week. Much more fun with two too. 🙂

After getting into fell running i just can’t be arsed with all the faff of mtbing after work in winter. I run in the week and save the bike for weekend. Can’t wait for dryer weather tho.

I go running twice in the week in the evening, mixed with a few sessions on the turbo and a couple of commutes 13 mile each way. Roadbiking and running requires so much less preparation before and cleaning up after, so I don’t mtb much over winter any more unless I’ve got friends to go with.

This:

Having a grab ‘n’ go hack for that kind of thing helps, a SS CX or simple MTB etc. If time is short, get set up for quick blasts. I assume you have some doorstep riding of sorts?

I have a turbo set up in the garage just to get the exercise fix mid-week, and a road bike for the weekends when more MTB slop / slog doesn’t appeal much.

I’m unemployed at the mo so my mileage is at least double what it is normally. Would still rather be working though 🙁

If you are depressed in winter it could be SAD seasonal affective disorder. I have to start taking St John’s Wart in October /November time. Works a treat

I work to live. That’s partly why I do continental shifts. 2 days, 2 nights. So 182 days a year minus 24 days holiday. Take 4 days holiday, away from work for 12 days. Compare that to 5 day working with weekends off. 260 days a year minus 25 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays.

158 v 227 days. Gives me plenty of time to ride and still do family, volunteer and teach Life Saving.

As others have said, riding with someone else “forces” you to go out so your not letting others down. Make plans to go next Thursday with others and you’ll end up going. But if you don’t want to go, would rather slob out and do nothing then that’s OK if that was your planned riding day.

I cycle commuted for 16 years, not able to now unless I want to extend my 14 hour day in to a 16 hour day. For a while, and even now, I shy away from riding in the cold wet slop. It’s not the law you must go out.

@ds3000 – hope the missus gets better soon. Must be tough for you both.

I choose to do the minimum amount of work possible to pay the bills and give me a few £ spending money and whether i spend the rest of my time out on the bike, or reading, or dithering about the house, or trying new recipes, or daydreaming out the window, or visiting friends, or taking the dog for a walk, or taking my mates kid out for a bike adventure in the big bad bear infested woods (he’s six), or helping friends out, or sitting and listening to music or making music or just taking time and being grateful for what i’ve got.

Work gets in the way of having a life.

My Gp said I may have SAD a few years ago. I got really depressed one year during winter, I was also doing 48hhours a week on nights and hardly saw daylight.

My running days are over, had a orif to my tibia in 2006 and a hip screw after a heavy crash on motorbike, also ended my Army career. So cycling and walking the dog are my outdoor activities.

Planning a ride for Monday after work, dug out my stuff ready for Monday. Gonna do a new route even if it is just along the canal (Leeds and Liverpool ) from Ewood in Blackburn to wherever it goes nearby or till I freeze.

Considered getting a road bike also but money is a bit tight till April.

Having people to ride with really helps. In winter I am most motivated to ride in winter when it’s our regular weekly club ride. 2-2.5 hours on the bike, hour in the pub and home.

High stress long hours job for me but a ride is a great sanity improver. It barely affects any thing at home as I am often home after kids go to bed anyhow and its holby on telly so I can think of no better reason to be out of the way!

Have had some Locals ask me to come out for rides round Darwen. But I’m conscious I will slow them down. Only moved to Darwen a couple of years ago after living in Bolton.

Agree with loads of the above.
I’ve ridden less this winter than any before it for the past few years.
I’m not beating myself up about it though – there is zero motivation for MTB at present for me – The weather has been really sh1t, I’ve got a house to renovate.

The key is keeping your fitness up efficiently though.
Once the weather imrproves I want to be fit enough to unleash that pent up MTB motivation. I’ve been doing a running commute into work 2x per week since Xmas ,which incidentally I have really been enjoying, as it is something different to cycling as much as anything, and doesn’t involve any appreciable time / faff / expense.

Leaving aside things like the OPs dad getting rushed into hospital, which is where everything else gets put into perspective (and I hope the old chap is okay I should add) the work life balance thing is simple.

If you want to work long hours then do so, but don’t complain about it. I choose to work shorter hours which means low wage rises and no promotion. I still work enough to give me an okay standard of living, and to pay for my bike bits, but beyond that there are far more important things in life than sitting in he office.

Those important things aren’t just riding my bike. There’s time spent with family and friends too and stuff like that. And of course the time I waste on here, but that’s another story.

I make less money now but am far, far happier, and to me that’s more important than any job.

work life balance? we dont get it right in the UK do we. my day starts at 6, dont get home till 7pm at best. On a crap salerie to boot, and I should be putting more hours in if i want to progress at work. Booked last friday off, ended up going in for half a day because I was going to be away for 4 days on a training course this week. god knows what mess im going back to tomorow. deff need to go to bed.

My minimum wage job allows me to ride my bikes 4 hours a day.

Life’s hard, I’m happy.

Might start a family, work harder, cycle less. As I see it, suffer the breaks.

I enjiy my job. But im always looking at internal vacancies and nhs jobs to get closer to homrm shorter commute. Royal blackburb is the closest hospital.

Craig, I presume you are actively looking for another job then? Good luck if that’s the case.