Motivation after snow

theslowone
theslowone Posts: 57
edited April 2013 in Commuting general
I had progressed to commuting by bike every day (17.5 miles each way) and felt good. But I have found that I am completely lacking in motivation since the forced rest caused by the recent snow and now I feel terrible.

First I decided that riding in Snow was no good
Then I was worried by Ice
Then I worried by low sun (my commute is stright into it both ways)
Now I am worried that I have lost so much fitness that I will really suffer

These even sound like feeble excuses to me. So how do you guys get your mojo back when it wanes, or are you all double hard and I just need to MTFU?
Surely the best way back into it is to post on an internet forum from work after driving in :roll:

Comments

  • BelgianBeerGeek
    BelgianBeerGeek Posts: 5,226
    Just do it.

    I had a bit of a self-imposed absence from the commute due to a chest infection and feeling terrible. As you say, mojo completely gone.

    So I told myself to do it. And thoroughly enjoyed it. I had been off the bike for weeks and I thought I would suffer, but didn't. Unless you have been really unwell, it is surprising just how long it takes to lose your fitness.
    Ecrasez l’infame
  • matt@theforce
    matt@theforce Posts: 647
    Why did you stop because of the snow? I've kept going despite cycling in the Peak District.

    I put alot of people to shame who couldn't make it to work because they couldn't get their car out for the 4-5mile commute to work by arriving in work using my bike commuting 17miles each way. Granted I did have to walk quite alot (waist/chest deep snow drifts) and my journey was a couple of hours longer than normal but I made it and had great fun doing it. Roads were really quiet too :)
  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,218
    Just do it, maybe not the full 5 days straight off.

    If you're worried about the low sun then just ride with your rear lights on. This week the weather's been fantastic here: The roads are surprisingly dry except where the snowmelt is running off the fields, and it's a bit chilly again in the mornings now the clocks have changed. The evenings are light and warm.

    Last week's snow wasn't too bad in the end for riding as the main roads were all clear, it just meant carrying the bike down to the main road. It's not like I could get the car out to drive anywhere....

    Make the most of the nice weather, it's starting to go dark and cloudy here so it'll be raining again before you know it.
  • lockstock666
    lockstock666 Posts: 131
    I usually find that after a rest of a week or so my legs seem to have lost a lot of the accumulated fatigue and that I have a reserve tank of power-awesome again!

    Of course that reserve tank is usually smoked on the first or second commute as soon as you see another cyclist and use it all up on SCR, but it was fun while it was there.

    I do admit that the more days off you take the more tempting it is to drive again - and I'm only doing short distance.

    Just get on your bike!

    I'm pretty sure your fitness will not have decreased by much, you will probably feel better than ever.
  • twoshots
    twoshots Posts: 58
    Psycologically I find it's easier to start on a Friday (have a rest weekend afterwards) or a Monday (get one in early so you have chance for a rest before you do it again and still get multiple commutes in one week). I also like to make sure everything is ready by the bed so I can fall into my Lycra. Far too many times I have not had the right kit to hand, no spare shoes at work, etc etc.

    Either way, I always feel better once I've done it. Doesn't always make the decision easier as you look out of the window at the frost on the cars and the wind blowing the trees horizontal though...
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    I motivated myself to continue commuting in the winter by working out the cost of driving and "awarding" myself a proportion of this cost (with a bonus for full 5 days) each time I rode.
    This money I could use on improvements for the bike ... easily justified because I'd "saved" the money from fuel costs.
  • theslowone
    theslowone Posts: 57
    Cheers guys
    I have promised myself to crack on and get on the bike tommorow (happens to be Fri so can look forwards to a rest)
    I have three main concerns which stopped me cycling in the snow

    1. I am a wimp
    2. I don't consider the combination of rinding into a rising sun whilst cars have salted windsreens and frozen washers to be safe
    3. I am a wimp

    I will report tommorow on my progress and expect shame and humilliation if I end up in the car again :oops:
  • matt@theforce
    matt@theforce Posts: 647
    I have to admit to being lucky with the rising sun, My commute starts at 5am so I'm still cycling in the dark.

    I do exactly the same as Slowbike :) with regards costs/rewards
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    matt@theforce wrote:
    I do exactly the same as Slowbike :) with regards costs/rewards
    I don't do it now - because I bought a new bike so I'm in serious negative equity here!


    @ the OP - hide your car keys (or get the GF/Wife to hide them) ...
    Put on warmer clothes - esp gloves & headtube/buff so it's not so cold when you leave (btw - it's warmer now)
    Rear lights on
    Promise yourself a doughnut/coffee/cake/whatever upon getting to your place of work

    Last, but not least - feel smug about riding in all day - and not forgetting that extra portion when you get home ... (you decide what the portion should be of! ;) )
  • theslowone
    theslowone Posts: 57
    Well I did it :D
    not too bad this morning although about 5 mins longer than normal, I will put that down to the wind not the fat. I did get cold toes as no shoe covers. Looking forwards to the ride home.
  • BelgianBeerGeek
    BelgianBeerGeek Posts: 5,226
    Nice one theslowone.

    Like you, I also head into the sun on the way in to work and on the way home. When there is any sunlight, that is.

    Recently, that means heading into the evil headwind that has been a feature of UK weather for ages now.

    The consolation is a tailwind home!
    Ecrasez l’infame
  • raymondo60
    raymondo60 Posts: 735
    I find that by getting all my riding stuff ready the night before - clothes, tools, backpack etc - I find it very difficult NOT to ride into work the following morning. And we all know that, once actually on the bike, we feel great!
    Raymondo

    "Let's just all be really careful out there folks!"
  • dee4life2005
    dee4life2005 Posts: 773
    Packing all the kit the night before, including lunch, is a big motivator for me.

    I also like to do the commute on a monday, whatever the weather, as this means it's more likely I`ll do two or more (20 miles each way direct route). I usually try and judge it so that if I take the car then I'll take spare clothes etc. and swap with the stuff in work ... or if all else fails I do this on the bike on friday. With the extra effort this involves I at least have the weekend to recover.

    I got myself a set of Marathon Winters for the Hybrid, so I had no excuse not to ride all through the winter - even when -5c with ice everywhere. Didn't enjoy cycling in the snow though, the bike kept trying to dismount me despite the spikes !!
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/307297
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    I've been off the bike after a mechanical failure for a few days. Partly the long wet summer followed by long cold Winter's fault, seized my rear hub and wrecked my drop outs. It's taking it's toll, and I now have withdrawal symptoms and am being drawn to the man cave...

    So I am about to go and swap some of the parts onto my son's hardtail so I have something to tide me over until the real motivation turns up some time next week.

    For riding in the snow and ice you need to drop the pressure in the tyres, as low as 025-35psi so you have more spikes in contact with the surface at any given time.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • cheshiren
    cheshiren Posts: 6
    Easy solution! Get rid of the second car! Its surprising what you can do if the only option is to take the bike (the Mrs uses our only car for work)
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    2 bikes (or more) is the answer to mechanicals that prevent you from riding....

    It's dry here atm so I'd normally be riding my road bike ... but as I'm doing a sportive at the weekend I want to ensure the road bike is ready for that - so I'm on my CX with slicks instead....
  • theslowone
    theslowone Posts: 57
    Well thats another day on the bike and feeling good. Tommorow will be drive in because need to get back early to look after kids whilst the wife goes to Zumba.
    I like the idea of dropping the second car. I have one good car and one cheap car, when the cheap car fails an MOT or starts to cost money I don't think it will be replaced. That would also mean that I would get to ride even when the missus decides to take up the next fittness fad.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    One car is quite a motivation ...

    Although we have two - the wifes car was unavailable today (towbar fitting) so she took mine ... never any question of how I was getting to work - she just assumed ...
  • cheshiren
    cheshiren Posts: 6
    when we got rid of our second car we had the discussions around how we would cope etc and agreed we would rent a car if we had to....4 years later and we have never had to rent a car! I appreciate not everyone can come to this arrangement but a lot of the 2nd car stuff is keeping up with the Jones etc (we fell into that trap) Its interesting at my work there were a couple of us cycling in 4 years ago, now there up to 10 coming in regular

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