How do you fight monotony?

[Headwinds]

Where I live, there are only a couple of decent places to ride. One is convenient, because one can do an easy 30-40 mile loop and you get to see other riders, there are bike lanes, etc.

The other route is for long hauls, with the advantage that there is hardly any traffic. You could ride 100 miles with not many problems. But this route can get boring as well. We have no hills and most roads are long and flat.

After I ride 4 or 5 days in a row, I begin to feel bored as the scenery gets old and I don't get to see much. I also try to alternate between cycling and running, but this sometimes can get repetitive. Although I must confess, when I ride or run I am mostly into the workout rather than looking around. But, we are only humans...

On the other hand, I understand that some of you live in paradise and you can find paces to ride or run and never get bored. But what do you, mere mortals, do to fight monotony?

[Rich_W]

Keep my computer set on Average Speed, and fight like hell to keep it over 20...

I ride the same boring frikking loops daily... when I want to mix it up, I ride into NYC, or all the way down to the Jersey shore... but I honestly like riding my 40 mile 'control' loop, always with an eye on the average. Gives me a great measure of my performance.

[cydewaze]

Other than doing the loop in reverse, I dunno what to say. When I start to get bored with riding, I hop on the mountain bike. For some reason that always does it for me. Not sure if that's even an option for you though. Maybe find a pal to ride with?

Good luck man!

[Ray]

I feel for you and I gotta hand it to you - you're made of sterner stuff than I am. I love cycling more than most things in life. But if I just had flat, straight roads to ride, I'd be doing something else. I ride FOR the monontony in a sense, but my monotony is just a way to turn my brain down a few notches and enjoy getting into a rhythm and make some turns and climb some hills and scream down some descents and generally interact with an ever changing scene. When I go to the shore in the summer and do 2-3 flat straight rides in the week or so I'm there, I start to hate riding. I *never* take where I'm lucky enough to live and ride for granted. I did a beautiful group ride this morning and everytime I looked up and took in the views, I felt like I was on vacation.

So, good on you for hanging in there. Maybe books on tape in your right ear would help? Or music, as long as you can still hear traffic and stay safe. Or maybe ride a fixie - the best riding I ever do when I'm at the shore is when I take the fixed. At least gives you some limitations to contend with?

Good luck,

-Ray

[FlaRider]

Headwinds, as a fellow Miami resident, I agree that the routes can get monotonous. However, for me, that doesn't detract from the joy of cycling because I have training/racing goals that keep me motivated to ride, despite the uninspiring terrain. Perhaps you should try to train for duathlons or triathlons? If you can swim and run as fast as you can ride, I'd bet you'd kick some serious booty! :banana: Just food for thought.

[SoCalSteve]

How about an iPod Nano 4 gig with 700 of your favorite songs set at random?

Works for me!

Steve

[Samster]

1. ride less often

2. try mixing in a different athletic activity (e.g., rollerblading)

3. buy new bike stuff (or maybe even a bike)

if riding starts to feel like work, then what's the point of riding?

i stopped cycling once a long time ago because i found it extremely frustrating to ride in order to maintain conditioning/form. it's like exercising for the purpose of losing weight and it's ultimately futile, imo.

i'm back on the bike after a decade+ hiatus because it's fun and i absolutely love the equipment aspect of cycling. my conditioning/form is a result of riding my bike around, _not_ the goal.

good luck!

[CNY rider]

Have you gone on any cycling vacations?

Maybe a change of scenery for a week or two would reignite your enthusiasm.

Upstate NY is a great place to ride in the summer; you could ride every day for weeks up here and never repeat the same ride.

[catulle]

Provo, atmo.

[H1449-6]

I listen to podcasts (in one ear) as I ride. While I'm riding I'm learning something as well.

[Fixed]

bro get a work out programe going the same stuff everyday is not even good for you .i.m.h.o.

[bcm119]

make sure it isn't overtraining thats causing your mental burnout... I have a great variety of rides around here, but if my body needs a rest, they all just seem like work. Its amazing how much overtraining can affect your mental state. Just an idea. If thats not the case, I'd suggest intervals or some kind of structure... that always makes a long flat stretch a little more interesting for me.

[92degrees]

Steve beat me to it....one word:

iPod

[Johny]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=203979&postcount=1

[Climb01742]

do you have a goal you're training for? if not, would giving yourself one help? just a thought. good luck.

[bironi]

Headwinds,

I hate the flats with a passion. I love to climb and descend, and scenery up and down. I would have to move! Variety really is the spice.

[champlemon]

With all due respect... I don't listen to music while on the road... IMHO, it's dangerous! I find that I want all my senses available to safeguard my skin... Here in Miami, it's survival of the fittest in one of the most used bike routes, the Key Biscayne loop... We have to fight it out with large pick up trucks pulling huge boats, SUV's full of beach goers, large Mercs and BMW's way over the speed limit, etc, etc...

I use the time to pray... meditate... suffer! :rolleyes:

[andy mac]

after my crazy job i kinda like the monotmony of repetitive exercising - how new age of me.


hey, be glad you're not a swimmer. that black line...

[SoCalSteve]

With all due respect... I don't listen to music while on the road... IMHO, it's dangerous! I find that I want all my senses available to safeguard my skin... Here in Miami, it's survival of the fittest in one of the most used bike routes, the Key Biscayne loop... We have to fight it out with large pick up trucks pulling huge boats, SUV's full of beach goers, large Mercs and BMW's way over the speed limit, etc, etc...

I use the time to pray... meditate... suffer! :rolleyes:

Maybe I should have qualified my statement with saying that here in Los Angeles there is a very, very long bike path that goes from the northern part of Santa Monica all the way to the southern tip of the South Bay. If you include the Ballona Creek bike path, you have about 50 miles round trip of uninterupted (for the most part) bike path.

This is the BEST place to listen to music, on a bike path with no cars.

Steve

[fiamme red]

Get a fixed-gear!

[PBWrench]

Switch to Shimano.

[Dr. Doofus]

pretty simple

just don't get bored

[victoryfactory]

Youse I-pod guys....
Please stay away from me on the road

VF

[shinomaster]

I had the same problem in Boston. I always did the same loop around Concord. Try riding with a different super-model on every ride. That should help.

your pal,

Shino

[mosca]

"If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all." --John Cage

[92degrees]

re: iPoding on the road. i was leery at first, but after switching to the buds that go perpendicular to your ear, i'm now certain that i hear cars and approaching cyclists no worse than before.

[Headwinds]

OK, OK...

I like most of your suggestions, but these are my favorites:

Switch to Shimano.

pretty simple, just don't get bored

I agree with ChampLemon, no music for me. It's way too dangerous around here for that, even though I see some people riding with iPods!

[Brons2]

it's easy for me, I don't ride at all in the fall.

all my free time goes to football.

HOOK EM HORNS!!!!!!!!!! :D

(well okay I do ride a little bit) ;)

[wwtsui]

Maybe you could make like Floyd and learn some tricks? Apparently, he can pull a wheelie for a half mile uphill or something...

[Ken Robb]

have at least 2 bikes with very different positions: road bike, cross bike, tourer, mountain bike if there are any places to ride them near you.

I like to ride one of my multi-purpose bikes instead of a pure road bike; ie. the Hampsten or Riv Allrounder and take off on some paths or unpaved tracks for part of the ride.

Another "refresher" is riding my 1981 bike with Nuovo Record group. It's so different that the same old roads are newish. Same with a fixed I guess but I'd be very limited due to my inability to climb our hills w/o gears.

[97CSI]

Mistresses. Several. :D

[Headwinds]

Mistresses. Several. :D


I'd like that.... But just one question, do they all have to ride bikes too?

[RichardSeton]

Well, you could always move out here to paradise..

Richard "Late to the thread" Seton


<snip>
On the other hand, I understand that some of you live in paradise and you can find paces to ride or run and never get bored. But what do you, mere mortals, do to fight monotony?

[SoCalSteve]

Youse I-pod guys....
Please stay away from me on the road

VF

I live and ride 3,000 miles from you. This will not be a problem.

Steve

[scrooge]

Chew gum.

[stevep]

never bored on a ride. a million great routes out here.

[fstrthnu]

Ipod.

Fstrthnu

[Headwinds]

Well, you could always move out here to paradise..

Richard "Late to the thread" Seton

On my way... But, do I have to take the Mistresses with me?

[RichardSeton]

Yes. Bring them on out. We'll take care of them for you while you're out riding....


On my way... But, do I have to take the Mistresses with me?

[fiamme red]

Ride with Tailwinds. Should make things more interesting! ;)