how much do i need to do?

john74

i currently ride about 2 or 3 times a week for about an hour each time at a hardish pace with alot of short sharp climbs. is this enough to build my fitness as im fairly unfit anyway? i am slowly losing motivation because im alway tired at the end of rides so my fitness does not seem to be improving. :?

jpembroke

Perhaps you need to change your approach - tell yourself you are going out for a nice ride, to explore some new roads, and to not worry about speed. If you are attempting to push it too hard then you will get tired and you will inevitably lose motivation. I think you need to learn to enjoy being on your bike - otherwise what's the point? Take it easy, get some mileage in, enjoy the fine weather and the fitness will naturally come. You can't expect to leap on a bike and instantly become a top class athlete. If you keep flogging yourself, time trialling around the same old circuits you will not only lose motivation but you will begin to look for excuses not to go out.

cjw

You need to have fun rides, at least as many as 'hard' training type rides or you will just get pissed off.

At the moment I'm doing 3 interval sessions during the week (about 40 - 45 mins each). Then at weekend do two longer, but fun runs to build up general stamina but more to have fun. These tend to be between 15 and 20 miles but I don't try to push hard. Just enjoy myself.