Help me find motivation

ozstriker
Posts: 230
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 6:31 pm

Help me find motivation

Postby ozstriker » Sun Jan 20, 2013 5:46 pm

I absolutely love riding but find the most ridiculous reasons not to ride.

The wind is too strong
It's too hot
I had a poor night sleep
I had a hard session to other day I really should rest

Am I the only one.

I find that I feel awesome after a hard session and love the feeling of being out for a ride but seem to always try and find excuses.

Sometimes I feel like I get tired of the same old boring route, but being where I live (toowoomba) if I try another route I have to do a ridiculous amount of climbing.

Please no HTFU posts, constructive ones only.

Benz250
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 10:37 pm
Location: Kellyville

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby Benz250 » Sun Jan 20, 2013 5:58 pm

Hi Ozstriker,
The year before last I had a year like this where I would look for excuses not to go out. Too cold over winter was the main problem!
Last year I decided that I would ride every weekend both days unless it was pouring rain, lucky it didn't rain much. I just had to focus on riding 80-100 km each weekend, as I didn't have the time to do this all on one day I had to get motivated to go out both days.
If I wasn't getting motivated enough & was being couch potato, I'd look out the window see it was a nice day and go do a ride. It was really about changing my mind set & once I did this it became easier to ride. Good luck, get out there!

User avatar
brentono
Posts: 3698
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:33 pm
Location: Perth DubyaEh.

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby brentono » Sun Jan 20, 2013 6:18 pm

It is probably because of the great meditational effect of Cycling
(joyfully calming and naturally stress relieving)
... that after you've travelled down the road a few kilometers,
you begin to enjoy your ride.
So you then cannot understand your excuses, they do not make sense.
Perception of fatigue can be considered a mind-body disorder.
The beginning of any journey, is the first step.
And that step is the one, to get out the door to your bike.
Enjoy.
:mrgreen:
Lone Rider- I rode on the long, dark road... before I danced under the lights.

g_dorazio
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:58 pm

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby g_dorazio » Sun Jan 20, 2013 6:23 pm

Ozstriker - you may want to consider a target - a race, gran fondo, or even a local group that you want to be quick enough to keep up with.

Then, choose a metric to measure yourself by - something objective - e.g. Heart rate or power...then, try to improve on your LT over time (eg higher speed for a certain HR, higher average power output)...that will give you the ability to track numbers and measure your improvement - once you catch the training bug, you won't want to stop!

ozstriker
Posts: 230
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 6:31 pm

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby ozstriker » Sun Jan 20, 2013 6:35 pm

g_dorazio wrote:Ozstriker - you may want to consider a target - a race, gran fondo, or even a local group that you want to be quick enough to keep up with.

Then, choose a metric to measure yourself by - something objective - e.g. Heart rate or power...then, try to improve on your LT over time (eg higher speed for a certain HR, higher average power output)...that will give you the ability to track numbers and measure your improvement - once you catch the training bug, you won't want to stop!
I think you raise a good point, at the moment I'm riding for nothing, I don't even ride with a group, I have been wanting to race for a while but have been waiting for that moment when I wake up and I am magically fast :lol: haha but as if that is ever going to happen.

Maybe I should aim for something.

User avatar
foo on patrol
Posts: 9008
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:12 am
Location: Sanstone Point QLD

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby foo on patrol » Sun Jan 20, 2013 6:36 pm

Do you want to grow old and regret how you through away your opportunities as a young fella, huh????????? :(

Now get your bloody finger out and stop making excuses. :evil:

Foo
I don't suffer fools easily and so long as you have done your best,you should have no regrets.
Goal 6000km

User avatar
DoogleDave
Posts: 519
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 7:56 pm
Location: Taylors Hill, Victoria

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby DoogleDave » Sun Jan 20, 2013 7:27 pm

All great advice but I feel the same as Brentono....the hardest part is stepping out your front door. 30 seconds down the road any second thoughts you had will be gone.

I, too, used to make excuses (especially when it was windy), but the wind is your friend, not your enemy.
It is a free tool to use at your disposal. It can allow you to do a hard workout on your outbound journey and when you turn to come home you get to ride with a tailwind and take it easier OR push even harder and mainain a high ave speed on the return trip.

Wind is a great equaliser and it makes sure you are working hard at all times. Slacken off a little and your momentum drops and you have to work harder to get it back and keep it going....just like climbing hills.

It is also good for practicing your handling skills (particularly in strong cross winds).

If you're not into measuring data then have a think about what targets you could set yourself...say x number of rides during the week and/or on the weekend, or x no of km's ridden per week. Something that isnt too easy. But will get you out there striving to complete your targets. It could even be ride with a friend or local club once a week for something different.

Most of all, just focus on enjoying riding. If it stopsbeingfun you're not doing it right!

Dave
2012 Felt F75 | 105 | ProLite Braccianos | GP4000S
Image

Marty Moose
Posts: 1421
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:00 pm
Location: W.A

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby Marty Moose » Sun Jan 20, 2013 7:37 pm

Go racing its a great motivator.

Sent from my MB526 using Tapatalk 2

User avatar
toolonglegs
Posts: 15463
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby toolonglegs » Sun Jan 20, 2013 7:44 pm

DoogleDave wrote:All great advice but I feel the same as Brentono....the hardest part is stepping out your front door. 30 seconds down the road any second thoughts you had will be gone.
I would even go so far as to say the hardest step is putting your knicks on... once you have done that you will go out the door.
Oz... when all the questions pop into your mind just push them back for 5 minutes while you get dressed... just tell yourself to stop making excuses, because once you are on the bike you quickly realize you were being silly.
Saying that I struggle to sometimes... especially this time of year... I use group rides, strava, wind in the right direction, hill climb challenges... any thing I can think of to forget I am going to get really cold over the next hour or two :lol: .

User avatar
Apple
Posts: 3513
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 4:00 pm
Location: sydney

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby Apple » Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:29 pm

I know how you feel. I often lose that Mojo, and when I think I find it, its gone again. At present Mojo is back and is a killing machine but I don't know for how long :shock:
Get your gear ready make a programe for your self, ride with friends, if you have anyone that rides. Or find a Group.
Find an event to book into, that always helps me. :D
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
Speak your mind,Those that mind dont matter, Those that matter dont mind!!

User avatar
ColinOldnCranky
Posts: 6734
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:58 pm

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:40 pm

The trouble with motivation is it waxes and wanes.

Now I'm the wrong side of sixty. I have always been more inclined than most with sport, training for sport and generally working out. Pretty since I was in lower high school. Yet I still find reasons to apuse. And while that id not so bad, I find that it can quickly get to become my new habit until I realise months later that I am sliding.

So, an alternate strategy is to make things non-optional. Regardless of conditions, circumstance and so forth, it has to be done. Just like eating, sleeping and going to the dunny.

It is not possible for all things but, if you can manage it, it works a treat.

I have not gone to work withiut the unicycle since Nov6, 2008. Regardless of weather, health, appointments or anything else. My first thought in the morning is attend to the dog and then get riding.

If you can manage it, develop your task into a non-optional part of something that is unchanging. Like going to work five days a week for example.
Unchain yourself-Ride a unicycle

User avatar
PeteV
Posts: 167
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:01 am
Location: Northern 'burbs, Adelaide

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby PeteV » Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:47 pm

Sorry to thread bomb but I can totally relate but at the moment I am pretty unfit but have more motivation than ever. Any ideas on what distances I should be aiming for when starting out & what speed should I be pulling? I try to sit on around 65-75 gear inches on the flats at a cadance of 80-90 rpm. I get pretty puffed (AT) my longest distance (after 2 rides this weekend) is 15km. I feel really slow especially when overtaken by the lycra crowd.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

ozstriker
Posts: 230
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 6:31 pm

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby ozstriker » Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:49 pm

Thanks for the responses, it's reassuring to hear that it happens to a lot of people.

I think starting group rides could be fun, and maybe trying to find a cycling event to participate in.

Does anyone know where I can find events that are on in south east qld. There seems to be plenty of mtb events and not so much road events.

mjd
Posts: 266
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:08 am

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby mjd » Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:58 pm

Set some goals for the season & get to work! Nothing like having a target to hit to get you out the door. I am riding 6 days a week most of the time & I must say every thought you have I have but like TLL said push it to the side & put your knicks on. I have to say having a training plan for each days workout keeps me on my toes. Tracking your improvement over the season also makes you want to work harder so you can improve more. Join a club & start racing, you will always be racing people at your own level & you all push each other to improve, meet new people to ride & train with its a win win. Good luck sounds like you just need something to light the fire :)

Nobody
Posts: 10316
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:10 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby Nobody » Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:35 pm

ozstriker wrote:I absolutely love riding but find the most ridiculous reasons not to ride.

The wind is too strong
It's too hot
I had a poor night sleep
I had a hard session to other day I really should rest
I know this is going to be the flip side to most other peoples' posts so far, but are you placing too much pressure on yourself to perform to a certain level?

All the excuses above relate to reduced performance. If this is the issue then I suggest stop making every ride an ITT against yourself, where you have to beat your previous time. So ditch the measuring devices. Don't even take a watch. Just ride. Remember that something is better than nothing (unless you are over-training). I don't time my rides anymore and sometimes I tell myself that I'm going out for an easy ride. I know it probably won't really happen, but it gets me out the door.

User avatar
bychosis
Posts: 7250
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:10 pm
Location: Lake Macquarie

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby bychosis » Mon Jan 21, 2013 6:33 am

Perhaps a range of bikes/gear? n+1 is always good :wink: . Different moods, weather can call for diferent equipment. If you feel as if your good bike shouldn't be out in poor weather get a beater, feel like cruising instead, have a relaxed frame on standby.

More seriously though some sort of target that you can track is probably the best motivation. My target for this year is 3,500km. Not all that high compared to some of those in sig's here but what time will allow for me. I put the sig thingy on my posts to help with motivation too, right I'm off to drive to work - todays excuse car needs a rego check, tomorrow I'll be back on the commute I promise :?

More than a few of the kms in my target are rides with kids too, everything counts!
bychosis (bahy-koh-sis): A mental disorder of delusions indicating impaired contact with a reality of no bicycles.

hosko
Posts: 389
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 4:12 pm
Location: Gold Coast

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby hosko » Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:06 am

Another option might be to give yourself an indoor option on days you don't feel like riding .ie Rain or lots of wind.

Set of rollers and some Sufferfest videos. Always a great way to get the heart pumping.

You can't escape that way!

After a few Sufferfest videos and learning how to ride on the rollers (which is an experience!), you'll want to ride outside anyway :P
2013 Malvern Star Oppy Di2

Karati
Posts: 242
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:28 pm

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby Karati » Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:00 pm

Marty Moose wrote:Go racing its a great motivator.

Sent from my MB526 using Tapatalk 2
+1

Racing never fails to motivate me to get out and train. That and doing silly things like playing catch with other riders when I'm out on my own. Strava isn't a bad motivator either, logging all your kilometers ridden and time spent riding and watching as you start moving through the segment leader boards.

Crawf
Posts: 2004
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:20 pm

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby Crawf » Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:19 pm

hosko wrote:Another option might be to give yourself an indoor option on days you don't feel like riding .ie Rain or lots of wind.

Set of rollers and some Sufferfest videos. Always a great way to get the heart pumping.

You can't escape that way!

After a few Sufferfest videos and learning how to ride on the rollers (which is an experience!), you'll want to ride outside anyway :P
I'd rather ride in the rain for 3 hours :)

ozstriker
Posts: 230
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 6:31 pm

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby ozstriker » Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:26 pm

hosko wrote:Another option might be to give yourself an indoor option on days you don't feel like riding .ie Rain or lots of wind.

Set of rollers and some Sufferfest videos. Always a great way to get the heart pumping.

You can't escape that way!

After a few Sufferfest videos and learning how to ride on the rollers (which is an experience!), you'll want to ride outside anyway :P
I just bought the three for 30 sufferfest pack, and just did the downhill spiral workout.
Man it sucks, it's hard to keep the hammer down whilst resisting the urge to puke

User avatar
brentono
Posts: 3698
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:33 pm
Location: Perth DubyaEh.

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby brentono » Mon Jan 21, 2013 4:09 pm

ozstriker wrote: I just bought the three for 30 sufferfest pack
Just get a copy of the Armstrong/Oprah chat video, and keep re-watching it, that's a sufferfest. :roll:
:mrgreen:
Lone Rider- I rode on the long, dark road... before I danced under the lights.

User avatar
Livetoride
Posts: 2206
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 6:47 pm
Location: South Eastern Melbourne

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby Livetoride » Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:16 am

It's hard getting into it mate especially wen it's early morning when you get out. Like a few have said set targets, weight lose, time over distance, amount of rides per week. Set yourself weekly targets and long term ones. Weekly targets are important as you will see ad feel the results quickly and that'll give you the feel good factor.

I've got a few TDF stages recorded o watch from time to time of solo break aways, they always work as a motivation the night before a long ride, but that's me.

LTR
Happy Days

User avatar
foo on patrol
Posts: 9008
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:12 am
Location: Sanstone Point QLD

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby foo on patrol » Wed Jan 23, 2013 8:10 am

ozstriker wrote:Does anyone know where I can find events that are on in south east qld. There seems to be plenty of mtb events and not so much road events.
Where abouts in SEQ are you? There is stuff that happends at Caboolture through the week, Chandler and at Nerang.

Go to the web sites of Balmoral, Kangarroo Point, Sunshine Coast, Hamilton Wheelers, Ipswich City Amature Wheelers, Toowoomba and I think Caboolture has a Club to. :idea:

Foo
I don't suffer fools easily and so long as you have done your best,you should have no regrets.
Goal 6000km

User avatar
nickobec
Posts: 2271
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Perth or 42km south as the singlespeed flies
Contact:

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby nickobec » Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:04 pm

Another +1 for racing as a great motivator

You do not start out magically fast, you go training 5 days a week or more to get magically fast or just to beat those people who just beat you last week and the week before.

If you have not ridden in a group before you go racing, you are at a disadvantage, much steeper learning curve, however it can be done, I did it. But I would recommend riding in a group 1st, ask at your LBS.

Indoor trainers, some people love them, some people hate them. I am in the later camp, but will use mine if face with 3 hour ride in rain, One hour rainy ride or 40C I will take the real world ride.

User avatar
g-boaf
Posts: 21318
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 6:11 pm

Re: Help me find motivation

Postby g-boaf » Sun Feb 03, 2013 8:44 am

DoogleDave wrote:Wind is a great equaliser and it makes sure you are working hard at all times. Slacken off a little and your momentum drops and you have to work harder to get it back and keep it going....just like climbing hills.

It is also good for practicing your handling skills (particularly in strong cross winds).

If you're not into measuring data then have a think about what targets you could set yourself...

....

Most of all, just focus on enjoying riding. If it stopsbeingfun you're not doing it right!

Dave
All good points! Head wind is just demoralising and nasty - you just can't ease off at all. :oops: Cross-winds are scary - but they don't freak me out as much as they used to. I guess the wheels I have now are sort of the worst type for cross-winds. :lol:

Measuring data with a Garmin and Strava is very motivating - especially when you see the improvements. When you get your first KOM, especially if its one that is a proper KOM going up a hill for a reasonable distance, that really motivates you even more, especially when it's 8 seconds faster than the 2nd place guy. 8) And then you go up the same hill on other rides, maybe not as fast as your KOM effort, but almost always faster than the 2nd place time. Then you know you are doing something right. You don't have to ride fast all the time, and some times I don't - I just get along slowly at 25-30km/h.

But the best motivation is when you've been off the bike for a few weeks, that just makes you really eager to get back to it again. :)
Karati wrote:That and doing silly things like playing catch with other riders when I'm out on my own.
Haha, I do that too sometimes - especially when it is someone I know. :lol: Some others have used me as a target too, but I didn't feel easy with someone I didn't know tagging along close behind me - so I just sped up from 33km/h to 40+km/h and held that speed for a while. Looked back, the other two were way back. :twisted: Got to my turn around point with enough time to turn around and wave to them as they went by. See you later lads, that was fun. :P I'd overtaken them a long way before and I guess they used that as motivation to try and catch me again.

I've also been doing time-trial like efforts - that's a hard work out and it has paid dividends in my average speed improving quite a bit along the same course. I won't get 1st place though, that's held by someone who wears the rainbow stripes (an actual world-champion). I'm about 6km/h average speed slower, but considering the fact I didn't do much proper planned training, it's not bad. Now I have been working out a proper training plan to follow, so I assume I'll start picking up more gains.

Other than that, any riding you can do is fun!
hosko wrote: After a few Sufferfest videos and learning how to ride on the rollers (which is an experience!), you'll want to ride outside anyway :P
Riding on rollers or on computrainers is just evil, the worst kind of nasty. Especially when guy watching over you presses a button on the computrainer console to increase the percentage level by 5% or so. :evil: That's just torture. :) First time I ever did try that, I left the place with dead legs after one hour of intervals on that. :lol: It didn't matter what you did with the gears, that device just maintained the load.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users