My lights are charged. This still on?

Sunday nights :(

So I planned to try and ride today. Didn’t happen. Drinking happened. Had a couple on Friday night at the Six Day races in Manchester velodrome. Then again last night at home. It’s really not doing my head any good.

Does anyone have advice on giving it up?

Hi SR. Can very much relate. 2 years dealing with a slipped disc. So many doubts about riding and fitness. Even as I sit here I am giving myself a hard time over not getting any riding done.

I wish I knew the answer.

Does anyone want an entry into the Graythwaite round of the PMBA Enduro series? I just don’t think I’ll enjoy as my fitness is so far off the mark.

Really interesting post flaperon.

Can we all just take a moment to celebrate what a powerful tool the internet has become :

You do know that that’s one of our resident commercial pilots, don’t you?

Yes. Which is why I stopped reading. I expect a bit better from someone in his position. The 737 is a very successful aircraft, to call it a ‘crock of shit’ is poor. In my opinion. I’m really into aviation and some of the discussions have been very interesting. But also lots of assumptions

What are you trying to say?

I think that would be a good first step. I remember my mum finding empty blister packs of tablets not long after my first prescription. She asked what they were and I told her they were for my mood. I sometimes wish I’d spoken to her more about it and got more support back then.

Good luck.

Oh, and more bike rides with him. I wish my dad done stuff like that with me when I was young.

You do know that that’s one of our resident commercial pilots, don’t you?

Yes. Which is why I stopped reading. I expect a bit better from someone in his position. The 737 is a very successful aircraft, to call it a ‘crock of shit’ is poor. In my opinion. I’m really into aviation and some of the discussions have been very interesting. But also lots of assumptions.

New headset in the hardtail and weather looks okay. No excuses now.

Because the 737 is a crock of shit

Stopped reading there. You were doing well.

Was that the Marple trip where we made Daz bleed, or the one where there wan an idiot on a cx bike? (Hi!)

Yea, mentalist on a CX bike

You have to attribute how you feel now to your current job situation. Hopefully you can find a solution.

Hi flange. Sorry to hear that things aren’t so good. Share a lot of things you have said. Regarding work, I’ve been close to packing it in. The difference is that my work has been very supportive. Although I have a new boss who isn’t as forgiving as my old one.

I know it’s easier said than done, but I moved country to change jobs because I had bosses like you have described. It’s not worth the stress. I stayed in that job for nearly 13 years.

Hey bunnyhop. I’m okay, marginally better. Meeting some friends tonight at the Velodrome in Manchester to watch my first ever track event. Very nervous about being social later.

Sorry to hear you haven’t been great. Hope the pub quiz was good in the end?

Thanks again for all the replies. Up in the office today. Huge anxiety on the way in, sat in the car wondering if I should even go in. Feel sick, headache, sore eyes. It’s going to be a stressful day.

Sorry to jump in on this thread -does anyone know eddiebaby (John) personally? Sounds like he needs some help.

No, sorry. Hope he is okay.

there was one guy, a couple of times, who turned up to MNPR rides, proceeded to drop us all in overgrown twisty singletrack and then slagged us off on here the following day.

I can only imagine how you and others felt. That’s what I worry about alot. If it means anything, I’ve always had a great ride on any MNPR’s. Really friendly bunch. My last one was last year over around Marple, during the moor fires.

That’s a big problem with being based at home for work. Some weeks I don’t go out to customers much, others I’m out maybe every day. When I’m at home I quickly spiral into thinking too much and it gets out of hand.

It will be dark on Monday. Sorry.

I have decent lights. Well, if they still work.

FWIW I know what you mean about comparing yourself to others’ riding. I’ve been less troubled by such thoughts since I had an epiphany and gave up enduro racing a couple of years ago. There are just too many people faster than me to make it worth caring now!

Maybe this is something that is having a negative effect on me. I tried racing about 6 years ago and really enjoyed that access to trails I got, and I mainly enjoyed the atmosphere. The racing part was okay at the time, I feel that going against the clock makes me push myself, but afterwards I was very very hard on myself. This outwayed the positives.

I’m booked on the 2nd round of the PMBA at Graythwiate. Have been thinking of selling the place.

And no-one needs bastards as friends, so don’t ride with these people

Thankfully I’ve only met a few of these types. And not rubbed shoulders since.

Get yourself out into some sort of greenery, somewhere with trees, fields, sit down and look at the flowers, birds and nature. Something small such as sitting by a river or stream is so calming and easy to do

This is something that I have found helpful before. I have so much on my doorstep.

Thanks again for all the messages. Feeling a bit more normal, now that I’ve been reading through the replies. I know I need to explore options with my GP again.

You weren’t holding me up on that Nan Bield loop from Staveley, I seem to remember getting dropped on the climb and you breathing down my neck on the descent until my OTB.

😉

I was surprised that I managed the majority of that climb. I guess there is some fitness buried somewhere. Less so now. And apologies again for not catching it on the GoPro…..

Provisionally in. Better charge my lights then.

Well, I managed to get out the back and clean my bike. It had been annoying me sitting in the state it was.

I often forget that I should be just enjoying the fact that I am riding my bike. I place too much pressure to be a better rider, go faster on the downs, pedal all the way to the top. Always feel like I’m being judged, and holding people up. And doing one ride a month which is a big all day ride, is probably a bit much. As much as I have enjoyed those rides, having smaller/shorter rides should help.

Thanks for all the replies. Trying to get some work done, which is futile. Wondering if it is worth the effort today.

Binners, I once had an mtb coaching course and I was told to smile when I was riding. I was constantly worrying about making a mistake.

Thanks Stace. Always enjoy the rides.

Thanks binners.

What happens when I try to plan something I want to do. I start to over analyse it, think about how it can go wrong, how I might find it really hard physically and that I’m unfit and letting myself down (if planning exercise). I then worry that if I’m with other people will they not enjoy my company, or not like something about me. Sad, but that’s what happens in my head. I always seem to find a reason to try and stop myself from going.

I struggle to get outside when I’m like this. Even into the garden where nobody can see me.

Hi swdan, the forum also logged me out when I was trying to reply.

I have been put off massively going to my GP. My last few visits which were about my back injury, I mentioned my anxiety and depression and both times it was dismissed. I feel that they don’t care. I ended up getting help through work.

I feel like I keep coming back to this point every couple of months. I’ve been dealing with this, badly, for nearly 20 years now. Each time I get more exhausted with it.

Work have been great, but I’m letting them down. I’m not often off because of it. Sometimes I want to pack it in and just go and do something with no responsibilty.

Thanks Dezb. Will have a listen.

Harry, yes still in Manchester. I hope I can try and get out soon.

Watched the C4 highlights. Was tempted by the NOW TV offer…

The extended DRS seemed to liven things up into T3, but that was about it. Happy for Bottas, hopefully he can be in the mix this year. Stand out performance, or lack of, was Gasly. Miles off Max.

New cars look good, that bigger rear wing seems to balance it out more.

4 year old windows PC. Built for gaming, i5 4590k CPU, GTX1060 3gb GPU, single 1080p monitor. Still giving good performance on the games I play, but always tempted to get a new machine. No point in upgrading, the CPU and motherboard would become bottlenecks.

I have the Leon ST FR with the 184ps diesel, manual. I get around 48-52mpg depending on journey type. Can also confirm that bikes on the roof take 10-15% off the range.

I’ve got an Octavia estate ordered (company car) with the new 1.5tsi engine with DSG. I’m hoping for mid 40’s at best.

Not looking good for me this season. Not getting on my bike nearly enough and I fear I’ll suffer in the upcoming season :(

I’ve just got a mudhugger. First ride this Sunday in a very wet Peak district ride. Much better than the long endura guard I had before. Seems a solid fit too, doesn’t move around. Will reserve full judgement until a few months. Don’t really care if it’s shiny or not. It’s a mountain bike!

Was there yesterday. Rammed with people walking on it. Seen people taking photos, trowing balls for their dogs etc etc. Not bothered about a bit of graffiti, it’s the tubes that get stuck in the mud! In a few months it’ll all be forgotten.

I did a skid when I was down there, sorry.

How do you know it’s Sciatic?

L5/S1 prolapsed disc June 2017, relapse March this year. The sciatic pain is generally in my left calf, and if it is worse, my left buttock.

Did my first run in over 7 months on Friday. Unfortunately there was a bit of sciatic pain in my calf in the following days, so haven’t decided to run again. Very frustrating :(

Just treated myself to an Xbox One X. Not usually one for these types of games (normally sim racing on the PC), but this is tempting. I’m crap at following stories and RP games in general. Will I get bored, or will it pull me in?

Not particularly. South Manchester. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of things to do. I usually like the business of living around a big city. But local crime rates are very high and I typically feel uncomfortable that a break in, or criminal damage is just around the corner. We’ve had several incidents over the last 3 odd years of being here. Also, I’m not very close to riding trails.