Breaking out of a Lull

[rmhurley]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

I know most of us go to work, whatever that means for us, to keep the bills paid, food on the table and the family happy and comfortable, but I would encourage the OP to look to achieve a better work/life balance (I hate that term, but it's on point here.)

We all have bad days at the job, but if you find everyday is stressing you out, and you're burned up by the end of the work day every day, it's worth looking for something better. I'm not some kind of hippy that thinks everyone needs to have a "fun, fulfilling" job, but all of the major corporations these days have waken up and seen the value in providing their employees with more flexibility and a better balance in their work lives.

Too much stress on a daily basis will kill you. Been there, done that.

I agree.. Thanks for validating my intuition about it. Life feels unbalanced at the moment. and its too bad but Im not exactly the type to let that drag on forever... at a different point in my life I might have jumped ship by now but I tend to take a more strategic approach with these kinds of things anymore. I have a few lines in the water and ive had a few bites. Seems like everything I have applied for would be less stressful and more meaningful so *fingers crossed*

[rmhurley]

Originally Posted by redir

My advice... Don't let this happen to you. It's simply not worth it. Once you figure that out riding might be more enjoyable.

The other thing is, from my experience, most of the riding I did was training for races. Once I stopped racing I really didn't have any reason to ride. But I took up commuting to work and that has been very enjoyable. Doing 300k bike rides takes a heck of a lot of dedication so there is a reason why you might see getting on the bike as 'work.'

Riding is work I think? but hopefully valuable work. At least some of the time. Other sports, games.. football, baseball, golf.. they are played... but you dont really play cycling. it is work. its fun but its work.

I had much more time to train before this and that felt really great, but it basically was about the same amount of time as having a part time job. I never raced so it has always been about fun and seeing how far I can push myself. On long rides especially, Im a sort of slow-bake type as I try to just never let it burn

I had been steady putting in a lot of miles for years so getting up to 300K fitness was really just a continuation of that. The year before I surprised myself by completing a 600K which has been my longest brevet ride.

I just miss it all and it feels far away but its good to hear that it will most likely come back in the not-so-distant future.

[rmhurley]

Originally Posted by Turkle

Sounds like you need a riding buddy? Nothing like getting to shoot the breeze with some pals to get one suited up and ready for a ride.

You are correct but also I have so many riding buddies here, the scene is quite open and active in Humboldt County. Im super grateful for that and them and that's a big part of why it hurts to not be out there!

[rmhurley]

Originally Posted by shoota

I fight this all the time. I would argue it's not the click shifting that's got you de-motivated, it's the stress. Once I learned that all stress is stress I gave myself the freedom to do other, more relaxing activities and let go of the guilt of not riding. Then, in seasons of less stress I'll get back into the bike and enjoy it again. Give yourself the OK to enjoy other things, and take the time to learn about stress management.

Raised up with that catholic guilt Im afraid. Thanks for reminder that its a good thing to let go of! I will keep it in mind

[5oakterrace]

Originally Posted by rmhurley

Who out there has dealt periodically with a serious lack of motivation to ride?

This time last year, I was gearing up to ride the Humboldt Randonneurs Unknown Kings 300K--the 300 always takes place on Memorial Day weekend. I rode what is probably the best single day ride of my life that day. Even though I was so nervous and excited that I slept only a couple hours the night before, I ended up towing in the lead group for the last third or so, up the Avenue of the Giants back to Arcata. I even waited up at times and still finished before sunset, feeling okay with my group--a RAAM winner and my friend who was riding his longest ride ever who was more or less destroyed (I was still very proud of him for finishing and I don't regret not dropping everyone because rando is more fun with friends).

Fast forward to now, a year later, work has more or less destroyed me and my energy to be on the bike. I look at my bike clothes and I almost can't imagine even putting them on right now. I haven't gained weight, and I honestly don't think I have lost that much speed but admittedly my stamina is shot.

Definitely a few life changes have taken place. I started a new job last spring. For the first time ever at the age of 40 I work most of the day at a computer doing AutoCAD type things. After a few months of sitting and clicking all day in a somewhat time-crunched high stress environment, it often feels like more of the same going for a road ride where I am sitting and clicking, just, on the bike; on a different, but still sort of stressful environment of pavement around rush hour.

Maybe just for some solidarity, wondering if anyone else does computer work and feels a similar aversion to click-index shifting specifically. And more generally, how anyone breaks out of a funk. Should I turn back all my bikes to friction shifting? Or just quit my job? or maybe there is middle ground.

300k is a long day. Add in training and that is a lot of mountain to climb. Riding with buddies? You gotta keep up and go the assigned distance at the designated time. Even that can be a mountain of you are not motivated

I suggest just getting on the bike for 30 minutes. Your speed. Your route. Your time. See what happens. No expectations.

[weisan]

I have been riding for 40 years and still going strong. Here are the secrets to my longevity:

1. Variety is the spice of life. Don't fixate or focus on just one or two aspects about cycling, try a bit of everything. Road, gravel, MTB, commuting, foldable bikes, bikepacking, tandem, whatever.

2. Don't just ride solo all the time, try joining a group ride. Don't pigeonhole yourself as a certain type of rider...nobody was born that way, anything can change!

3. Not everything is about performance. Every once in a while, forget about speed, distance, whatever, don't look at your computer. Just ride for fun.

4. Do your own wrenching. You don't have to become a professional mechanic, but you should at least familiarize yourself with the machine that you spend so much time riding on and how it works. Learn some basic maintenance, it will give you a new appreciation.

5. Be a child again. I found cycling while I was a kid. I still remembered the first moments of anxiety mixed in with exhiliaration when I took off riding on my own without training wheels or my dad holding me in the back....it was an incredible feeling. I don't ever want to lose that.

Bottomline: too many people pigeonhole themselves into certain category, too focus on performance - when the day comes that they found themselves no longer able to fit that category they have defined for themselves or able to meet the performance goals, they give up and leave the sports. Too bad. It doesn't have to be that way.

Life is a marathon, not a sprint.

Hope this helps.

[paredown]

Originally Posted by weisan

I have been riding for 40 years and still going strong. Here are the secrets to my longevity:

1. Variety is the spice of life. Don't fixate or focus on just one or two aspects about cycling, try a bit of everything. Road, gravel, MTB, commuting, foldable bikes, bikepacking, tandem, whatever.

2. Don't just ride solo all the time, try joining a group ride. Don't pigeonhole yourself as a certain type of rider...nobody was born that way, anything can change!

3. Not everything is about performance. Every once in a while, forget about speed, distance, whatever, don't look at your computer. Just ride for fun.

4. Do your own wrenching. You don't have to become a professional mechanic, but you should at least familiarize yourself with the machine that you spend so much time riding on and how it works. Learn some basic maintenance, it will give you a new appreciation.

5. Be a child again. I found cycling while I was a kid. I still remembered the first moments of anxiety mixed in with exhiliaration when I took off riding on my own without training wheels or my dad holding me in the back....it was an incredible feeling. I don't ever want to lose that.

Bottomline: too many people pigeonhole themselves into certain category, too focus on performance - when the day comes that they found themselves no longer able to fit that category they have defined for themselves or able to meet the performance goals, they give up and leave the sports. Too bad. It doesn't have to be that way.

Life is a marathon, not a sprint.

Hope this helps.

Good list, Weisan-pal.

A couple of years ago, I started grabbing a bike and riding around the nabe in whatever I was wearing--just a toodle. Last year I put flats on one bike to facilitate this. This is channeling your inner child...

My aim was to reduce start-up "costs" -- the effort to get the full kit on etc -- and just try to make it spontaneous again. (I wished I lived in an area where I could ride somewhere to grab ice cream or coffee-that would make it even better!)

A lot of folks on this board have a 'townie' of some description for doing this--it makes riding less of an 'event' (and to use your word, less like "work".)

[redir]

Originally Posted by rmhurley

Riding is work I think? but hopefully valuable work. At least some of the time. Other sports, games.. football, baseball, golf.. they are played... but you dont really play cycling. it is work. its fun but its work.

I had much more time to train before this and that felt really great, but it basically was about the same amount of time as having a part time job. I never raced so it has always been about fun and seeing how far I can push myself. On long rides especially, Im a sort of slow-bake type as I try to just never let it burn

I had been steady putting in a lot of miles for years so getting up to 300K fitness was really just a continuation of that. The year before I surprised myself by completing a 600K which has been my longest brevet ride.

I just miss it all and it feels far away but its good to hear that it will most likely come back in the not-so-distant future.

I can't even imagine riding 600k

Things come in waves. I used to be VERY into caving (spelunking) and it took me around the world. Then I took up cycling and that was a 15 year jaunt. Before all of that I was sailing. Just yesterday I was thinking about cleaning up the old Laser so I can take her out on the water again for the first time in IDK how many years.

So yeah the spark will probably come back.

[holliscx]

Go see Dead & Co at the Sphere and ask yourself during Shakedown Street

[rmhurley]

Originally Posted by weisan

..

1. Variety is the spice of life...
2. Don't just ride solo all the time..
3. Not everything is about performance...

Thank you! this all resonates. Agree 100% re: variety... I try and ride all over and tbh it might be possible that this particular lull actually began right after a long road ride followed a couple days later by a much much shorter but somehow much more satisfying "MTB" ride--(I call it a MTB but really its just a rigid big knobby tire flat bar bike, I have been looking around for a decent hard tail but I have never had a suspension bike! If I am being totally honest, I think I am little afraid to start mountain biking because I think I might give up road riding altogether hehe..)

As for performance, it is a funny thing because while I have always been into long rides, I never even had a bike computer until a few years ago (im 40 now) and that is when I really started to think about performance. Before if i even cared, I would just time myself on certain routes and do the math to see about how long it took me. It wasn't long before I was logging my rides to the supermarket which in all honesty is a little bit embarrassing.

It's wild becuase I rode my bike across the country and I most certainly didnt have a computer then. Or strava or anything like that. And we arent talking about pre-tech either... I used a iPod touch to take pictures and check the map whenever I could get on wifi and also send emails from there. What a glorious time that was.

edit: I wanted to add that yes, wrenching is a great way to interface with bikes even when you dont feel like pedaling. Before I moved I spent every saturday at the bike kitchen in Ukiah, CA and then I would do a little ride up Masonite Road to Jacks Point. There is a bike kitchen in Eureka but its a little different vibe and theyre open only on a couple weeknights for a couple hours.. doesnt work for me timewise. I guess I haven't really taken that aspect into account in all this.

[LIRider]

There’s a lot of good advice in this thread. I’m not sure what I can add, other than lulls are normal. Don’t agonize about it; when you’re ready to ride, you’ll ride. As others have said, try changing things up - shorter ride, new course, new people. I’m just getting back from a two year hiatus myself. The joy is back, but it’s still not translating to enough time on the bike. I decided not to beat myself up about it and just enjoy the time I do spend cycling.

[Deanhorsfall]

I am amazed no one suggested going and talking to your doctor. If your thinking about getting back into riding or training maybe talk to your doctor. They might be able to assess your mental state and suggest blood work.