Advice for the commute home.

CyclingObsession

I am full of energy for my commute in my commute home is a diff story I'm obviously tired from a days work, I am usually hungry and sometimes i don't think I'll be able to do the commute home, it's a 12.5 mile commute, I'd love some advice on how to combat this?

night_porter

The way I look at it is I spend all day looking forward to getting out on my bike and the commute is for pleasure not a chore.

You might want to have a small snack about 1 hour before you leave (similar to your breakfast) to give you a little more energy but apart from that just use positive mental attitude.

After all you have loads of energy and enthusiasm in the mornings so you could replicate that for the ride (not commute) home

CyclingObsession

Might try that out, I do love commuting seeing every1 stuck in traffic, I might try and get some sport drinks to see if that'll help

corshamjim

I've found I do need to eat something late afternoon to give me that homeward boost!

danlikesbikes

Its quite a common thing to get a mid afternoon slump in energy - the best thing I found was a sweet snack late afternoon e.g. homemade muffin, flapjack etc and a good cup of coffee and I'm good to go for the commute home.

wod1

My direct commute is only 5 miles, In the morning I often do a bigger loop maybe up to 20 miles but on the way home always straight home. Plenty energy and enthusiasm for the way in and generally fine to cycle home, I try and ride home very quick before my young son goes to bed. If it is a headwind after a long day at work it can be harder to have motivation but always better than sat in a car.

Azhar

Hello buddy,

Just as the first post mentions after yours is to treat the commute as something you look forward to. I know I certainly do when it's nearly time to finish work. I usually have a a chocolate bar and a banana about an hour/45 minutes before in on the bike and find that it gives me bags of energy for home. Also, it's great seeing all the cars stuck in traffic and you're whizzing past them, a constant motivation fuel that keeps me pedalling. Also, the pressure of cars stuck behind me and cars stuck in traffic going in the opposite direction when I'm going up a hill always makes me perform slightly better and therefore getting a better workout.

If you were to try one thing I'd deffo try the chocolate bar about aN hourish before you get on the bike and you'll feel the difference.

sreuk72

I have always been the opposite I hate any morning where I am woken up by an alarm I am tired out, lethargic and cranky for at least an hour or maybe more and any ride is a chore especially windy / rainy grim days

As for ride home, if you are in a set break job have something lite to eat on afternoon break and maybe some fruit (banana always good for cyclists so I have read) or slow release energy bar type, just make sure you are fueled ready for the ride, and as for motivation, I ride as fast as I can to get outa work clothes and into a warm home with tv and a hot evening meal and a beer works for me.

gosport_commuter

As already stated a snack 45 mins to an hour before leaving gives me the energy boost I need to get me home - if i don't have it I feel slow, worn out and dead after about 4 miles.

I tend to have a slice of malt loaf or a small chocolate bar - Taxi, blue ribband, gold bar or similar.

CyclingObsession

Should I eat the amount of calories I will burn before the ride so I have the energy, and should I do that before any long ride also?

gosport_commuter

No - no need to eat the whole ride, most of the energy you use should be from stores in your body, and food ate normally (i.e. lunch) I eat about a third or so of the ride - but I wouldn't hesitate to ride twice as far on the same snack - then I eat more at the other end (dinner obviously on way home - banana in the morning at work)

EDIT: I think, if nothing else, my breakfast and afternoon snack alert my body to the fact that I will be exercising soon, and my metabolism kicks off - cos if I have the snack on an off day, even though I don't cycle I get hyped and full of energy - energy which presumably my body has learnt to release for the ride.

Kieran_Burns

So you are all full of energy and enthusiasm when you wake up and are going TO work; then you are lethargic and p*ssed off when you've finished at work and are on your way home?

Have you considered that you are mental?

Being serious. I see it this way, and it works very well for me:

Cycling is my time. When people commute in by car their work day starts the moment they leave the house and ends only when they get home.
When you commute by bike, your work day only starts when you get to the office and ends the moment you get on the bike.
You get HOME later but you finish work sooner

My commute is just over 12 miles each way and sometimes it is a slog but it's a slog I always bring something positive back from (even if it's just DOING it!)

As above though, have something sugary to give yourself a little kick for the ride home.

CyclingObsession

I love my commute in and home I always push myself hard usually takes me 45 mins to do the commute I just want to contour the last mile or two at the same pace unfort it's a hilly at the last leg always gets me

alidaf

I find the same - the 15 mile cycle home is more tiring, but I also find that my average speed is also a lot higher. I must be so desperate to get away from the office that the hammer goes down. One piece of advice offered to me in the past was to have slow days and try to meander a little off course to make things a little more interesting and focus less on just getting home. The slow days really help recovery during a week chock full of commuting. A heavy lunch makes things much worse so I keep the lunch light and snack on nuts. I keep a few mini flapjacks for emergencies and always keep at least half a bottle of electrolyte. Occasionally I'll switch to a bottle of Lucozade revive. They are very light and quite refreshing, even when slightly warm.

twoshots

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Cycling is my time. When people commute in by car their work day starts the moment they leave the house and ends only when they get home.
When you commute by bike, your work day only starts when you get to the office and ends the moment you get on the bike.
You get HOME later but you finish work sooner

+1

I do like to have a cheeky espresso 30 minutes before I leave my desk and later in the week that'll become a full hot chocolate.

clarkey cat

I know what you mean, my commute on the way home is fun save for the last 5 miles when there are no other cyclists around and I just have to grind into a headwind. I sometimes stop for a couple of minutes and check my emails or give a mate or a family member for a chat on a park bench if I'm really down with it. Don't put pressure on yourself.
Having a bite to eat before you head off certainly helps.

father_jack

wouldn't eat too much though. A banana 15 minutes before you head out.

desweller

EPO. It will perk you right up.

Orion41

Kieran_Burns wrote:

So you are all full of energy and enthusiasm when you wake up and are going TO work; then you are lethargic and p*ssed off when you've finished at work and are on your way home?

Have you considered that you are mental?

I'm the same way. I'm completely mental.

My income is below the poverty line so I look forward to making money (going to work) so I can buy food. Since eating is what I look forward to all the time, when you bike 2 hours a day to work, uphill, through strong winds, in below zero wind chills.

My job at work is physical and can demand a lot of exertion. Other days I can be just standing the entire shift, which wears out my legs. I'm also Type 2 Diabetic with chronic Candida (Diabetic complication) which produces toxins that greatly increase joint pain and lethargy. Basically the same toxins produced from a hangover. Add to that a torn ACL and standing for long periods and it is very painful. So after work, getting on a bike and riding 1 hr+ (depending on grocery run) is not something I have a lot of energy or enthusiasm for.

beverick

DesWeller wrote:

EPO. It will perk you right up.

Just ask Lance.....