OK... slackers! Fess up...

[bikerchick68]

comeon now... tell me I'm not alone...

last year I rode a ton, and put a lot of miles on the bike... this year... well, not so much. I am just not riding as much. I'm not sure why... maybe I needed some "downtime" so to speak...

Instead I am spending a lot of time working on my house, which is good... but man, every hill I climb I realize that I'm a just downright slacking! :D

ah well... there's always next year...;)

[mimitabby]

oh, heck, i feel guilty leaving my bike at the shop for 2 weeks!
(I can ride my old bike)

[caligurl]

ok.... you'lll probably hit me... but i haven't been riding as much this year as last year... this year i only have about 3535 miles.... last year by this time... i had 4342 (gotta love bikejournal filters! lol!) so i'm waaaaaaaay off....

[limewave]

Last summer I rode at least 3x a week even though I was pg. This summer, I get out maybe once, twice if its a good week. My sister-in-law even volunteered to babysit once a week so I could do a group ride, but I find myself calling to cancel because I just don't feel like it. Some of it is mommy guilt too.

[snapdragen]

I don't want to talk about it.........:o

[brok]

I'm in - not too proud of it, but I'm definitely slacking. My excuse - papers due for a class I am taking and remodeling of the kitchen and family room - anyway, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it;) :( :o

[Brandy]

ok.... you'lll probably hit me... but i haven't been riding as much this year as last year... this year i only have about 3535 miles.... last year by this time... i had 4342 (gotta love bikejournal filters! lol!) so i'm waaaaaaaay off....

Dang caligurl!!! That's some sweet mileage you've got there :) How often do you ride and how many miles? Give me a week in the life of caligurl. Please :)

[caligurl]

Dang caligurl!!! That's some sweet mileage you've got there :) How often do you ride and how many miles? Give me a week in the life of caligurl. Please :)

lol! i TRY to ride 6 days a week.... i was going to back it down to 5 days a week.... and do succeed with that sometimes (moreso lately it seems)

naturally i tri to ride every saturday and sunday.... and try to ride longer rides those days... depending on the weather or what we have going on...

this year... mon-thurs... i ride immediately after work (trying to beat the dark in the winter... and just cuz if i come home and relaxe in the spring/summer... i may not get back off my duff to go outside and ride) i've actually only been riding an average of 15-20 miles on wordays this year.. thus the lower mileage..... last year i had a ton of 25-30 mile after work days!

sometimes i climb... sometimes i stay on the flattest areas (which still aren't completly flat)

most workday after work rides.... i ride alone.... sometimes hubby will meet up with me, if he commuted that day... and ride a bit with me...

hmmmmm a lot of weekends he'll ride with me at least one of the days... unless he's sick of going slow.... or has something specific he's working toward....

sometimes i get mad when he rides with me... cuz he acts like "evil coach hubby" pushing me GRRRRRRRRR why not just ride? lol!

for me... i started riding as part of my fitness program when i couldn't do aerobics (cuz i couldn't hardly walk cuz i dropped a bottle of wine on my toe... yes... the bottle of wine was ok!) i liked riding and a few days later bought my first road bike... so i have a different mindset then he does or a lot of riders have... it's not all about going fast for me... i prefer going longer and burning more calories so i can eat more (but then... i've gained weight since taking up cycling! EEK!)

i have my "i don't want to ride" moments.. had one yesterday! :rolleyes: but usually once i'm out there riding... i'm OK!

[Brandy]

Thanks caligurl. I love riding so much that I get itchy and antsy if I miss an opportunity to get out there. I'm even trying to plan ahead to when the kids start school and how I'll get rides in those days. I'm thinking that even if I can get up and riding by 5:45 a.m. that I'll be able to get at least 1.5 hours on the bike before I have to be back here to get them ready for school.

The 2-3 rides a week that I planned on is quickly turning into more and more...I'm totally addicted! I'm even skipping my beloved Spinning classes in favor of riding outside. I keep running into other gym members who are asking me what's up and why I'm missing class...I almost feel like I'm cheating on them ;) It's okay though, we invited the ginormously tall Spinning instructor man on our long ride for tomorrow morning so he knows that we still like him. :D

[Blueberry]

Cali and the other ladies who ride during the week - how to you do it?

I get up at 6 - leave for work at 7, get to work at 8, work til 6 (on a good day), get home at 7 - by the time I take out dogs, eat dinner and do one or 2 chores, it's time for bed (which usually doesn't happen until 11 or 11:30, which is NOT enough sleep). Other than moving closer to work (which would mean I live somewhere it's hard to ride), or sleeping less - do you have any words of wisdom?????

Any suggestions and advice appreciated! :):)

[Brandy]

I've been going to bed early and setting my alarm for 4:00-4:30 a.m. depending on how far I'm riding. Tiffanie and I start riding between 5:15 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. most days. It meant trading off my late night alone/internet time for early bedtimes.

[chickwhorips]

yes i am a slacker too... i must confess.

you name it i have the excuse:
-to windy (blowing over 25 kts)
-to rainy
-the bears are on the road system
-just dont feel like it
-i'll go tomorrow

the thing that's hard is the first two are mainly every day. boo! with a late salmon run the bears are hanging out WAY to frequently near the road. tried to ride yesterday and got about 4 miles out of town and a sow and two cubs were right there. so much for that ride.

then comes the trainer excuses - i only have one bike and to change out the back tire so that its slick for the trainer just gets way to hard.

ok so i'm ready. someone tear down my excuses.

[caligurl]

Cali and the other ladies who ride during the week - how to you do it?



it's hard.... i neglect things! lol!

i get up every workday morning at 4 a.m. to workout... (weights, kickbox, aerobic, etc... i refuse to give them up... i was doing that stuff long before i started riding! but that's in another thread!

(in the summer i also get up at 4 a.m. on weekends so i can get ready and ride early... but not what you are asking!)

i come home from work... let the dog out... change into cycling clothes (i get off at 4 and i'm home by 4:15ish).... then i leave... i've been riding at that time even with the high temps.. cuz i'm "afraid" i'll get comfy and not go out later when it's cooler (i think i said that already earlier.. sorry to repeat myself).... then i come home and get dinner... usually something relatively fast to prepare cook... although healthy! by then it's time to relax and i fall asleep watching tv :rolleyes: i go to bed between 9 and 10.... usually closer to 9... so... no... not a lot of extra time for other stuff!

[caligurl]

then comes the trainer excuses - i only have one bike and to change out the back tire so that its slick for the trainer just gets way to hard.


i tend to go outside in wind or what i consider cold... or the heat.. cuz i TRUELY HATE the trainer!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fredwina]

CA_in_NC,
I have a similar schedule. Leave home at 7AM, don't get back till 7PM, Not fun.
I'm like Brandy in that my alarm goes off at 4:30am. I can usually get on the road by 4:45. I'm dressed like a total Fredwina(what else?) with a construction worker's vest and a helmet that covered with reflective tape in addition to lights. The traffic is light, and (right now) I can avoid got out when it's 103F. I also have very fair skin, so it save a lot of money on sunscreen, too.Plus, I'm going to try and try do a Brevet series next year, so i've been using rides to try out new stuff. It's a matter of making time/ setting priorities. Sometimes, cycling will lose.

[Dianyla]

Oooh, I am so busted. :o

I've been off the wagon for a month, now. First I got derailed by final exams, then by this intensive Chemistry class I'm taking this summer (9 weeks consisting of 10 hrs lecture + 9 hours lab time, this is on top of a fulltime day job). Not to mention New Relationship Syndrome - what can I say, I've been busy riding other things! :p :o :rolleyes:

So I got on the scale the other day and... :( :eek:

[bikerchick68]

Cali! :mad: Get outta this thread immediately! :mad: :D sheesh... 3500 miles... LOL I know last year you put up some big numbers tho, so this probably does feel like slacking to you...

the rest of you have some pretty good excuses... I just don't. LOL... I'm not even making excuses anymore... if I don't feel like riding... I don't. :o Fortunately I am riding enough still to go out and do a long ride if I feel like it... I'm just slower up the climbs more than anything... ah well...

guess what? I'm not riding tonight either...;) :D (I DO have a meeting tonight at 6pm tho...)

[mimitabby]

yes i am a slacker too... i must confess.

you name it i have the excuse:
-to windy (blowing over 25 kts)
-to rainy
-the bears are on the road system
-just dont feel like it
-i'll go tomorrow

the thing that's hard is the first two are mainly every day. boo! with a late salmon run the bears are hanging out WAY to frequently near the road. tried to ride yesterday and got about 4 miles out of town and a sow and two cubs were right there. so much for that ride.

then comes the trainer excuses - i only have one bike and to change out the back tire so that its slick for the trainer just gets way to hard.

ok so i'm ready. someone tear down my excuses.

well, your trainer excuse is pretty lame, but BEARS!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
YOU WIN!!! the most serious, credible, reasonable excuse..
Can you throw them snickers bars or something?

[Ninabike]

I have really slacked off this year compared to last. I rode a lot more after work last year. Right now my excuse is the heat. It was 97 F last night when I got off work.

Speaking of heat, Cali, are you anywhere near that fire?? Stay safe!!

Nina

[snapdragen]

yes i am a slacker too... i must confess.

you name it i have the excuse:
-the bears are on the road system

with a late salmon run the bears are hanging out WAY to frequently near the road. tried to ride yesterday and got about 4 miles out of town and a sow and two cubs were right there. so much for that ride.


Not many of us can use this excuse!:eek:

[SnappyPix]

Ooops. Rumbled.
My training's been a bit rubbish lately, primarily due to apathy and lazyness.
I'm now officially in training though, so things are about to change on that score (yeah, right!). :o

[chickwhorips]

yup bears, bears and more bears.

haven't tried throwing them chocolate, though that stuff is pretty precious here. i rather throw something else. thought about taking salmon with me to throw at them to make the go after that, but then realized it would probably draw them closer to me. oh well.

bet i'm the only one that rides packing a gun.

[caligurl]

Cali! :mad: Get outta this thread immediately! :mad: :D

http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/115.gif

you don't luv me??????????? http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/206.gif

[caligurl]

i rode tonight.... 112 degrees when i left... and icky headwind...... but i like to EAT!!!!!!!!!! and i took pics of the smoke from the sawtooth (pioneertown/yucca valley) fire!

[caligurl]

Speaking of heat, Cali, are you anywhere near that fire?? Stay safe!!



hi nina... about 25 miles away... so it shouldn't ever reach us! unfortunately... since it's in such a remote area.. .which is SO hard to fight.. they may not be able to contain it til it threatens or even consumes some more populated areas.... the sky is beautiful in an eerie sort of way.... the pics on the news/newspaper sights almost had me in tears this morning... our favorite mountain bike areas are burning! one of the guys we MTB with.. whose house we part at... was under mandatorey evacuation.. but thank god didn't lose his house.. just all his outer buldings....

[Brandi]

I am a slacker for about a month now. I have been riding alot before that getting ready for my tour.But I am working more right now and I have a cold right now. But you know living in California I can ride almost every day of the year. Even on rainy days you can find a space between storms to ride. I went on a big ride onSat and sunday got sick monday. Right now all i want is rest. But I leave for a 10 day job next week so i have to get my house ready. i would rather just lay around and read and do nothing till I get better. I am going to go to the beach tomorrow and relax though.

[WrensMom]

Chickwhorips--Yeah, I agree that BEARS are certainly a valid excuse to slack!:eek: I have ridden with a knife, but not a gun:p

[iFKA]

the rest of you have some pretty good excuses... I just don't. LOL... I'm not even making excuses anymore... if I don't feel like riding... I don't. :o

guess what? I'm not riding tonight either...;) :D (I DO have a meeting tonight at 6pm tho...)

LOL :D :D :D

It's interesting to read all your answers, usually I just get depressed when I read how many miles you do every day an I'm such a lazy... this is really refreshing :)

I haven't been riding so much cause it's boring to ride alone every time. My darling is either working or tired of work. But when he has the time and will we have so much fun and we catch up for all the days I spent just sitting home and reading about your rides.

But, few days ago I met another bike rider (girl) so we drive now every day - so I'm out of excuses for now. I hope I wouldn't think of something soon :D

[Geonz]

Not sure I could get up that early... but I know I can do my nine mile loop in 35 minutes or so and some chores just wait. I felt like a slacker yesterday 'cause I got a ride home because it had been pouring for over an hour so there were floods, and there was lightning and thunder... but then by 6:00 it cleared out, so I could have stayed and done stuff... but of course I didn't know that. So I only got 7 miles in.

I got addicted when I was unemployed and I like the level of fitness so I've striven to keep it up. It helps that my job really is 9 to 5. My problem is cutting back on the riding to get other stuff I really need to do done.

[Geonz]

hi nina... about 25 miles away... so it shouldn't ever reach us! unfortunately... since it's in such a remote area.. .which is SO hard to fight.. they may not be able to contain it til it threatens or even consumes some more populated areas.... the sky is beautiful in an eerie sort of way.... the pics on the news/newspaper sights almost had me in tears this morning... our favorite mountain bike areas are burning! one of the guys we MTB with.. whose house we part at... was under mandatorey evacuation.. but thank god didn't lose his house.. just all his outer buldings....

Reminds me of lyrics to "Boulder to Birmingham"

"The last time I felt like this
I was in the wilderness
And the canyon was on fire.

And I stood on the mountain
In the night and I watched it burn....
I watched it burn...
I watched it burn..."

Emmylou shore can sing :-)

[EvilTwin]

So nice to hear I'm not the only slacker here. I'm supposed to be training for Bike Idaho which is in 2 weeks. I haven't been on the bike for a week.... Between work, my daughter's wedding (2 days after I return from BI), not wanting to ride alone, etc... And the weather has actually been great for riding lately... not to hot, not to cool.... anyway, a seriously certified slacker here.

[eclectic]

Thanks for all your posts, I thought I was the only one who wasn't constantly motivated.

I have only ridden once in the last 10 days :( - with no good excuses other than I just didn't feel like it. (although for 4 days running I had to be at work at either 6AM or 5AM and I am NOT an early morning person so didn't accomplish anything when I got home)

I was looking forward to the club ride last night and wouldn't ya know it we got the much needed rainstorm, lots of thunder, lightning and downpours, so that ended that.

Today I needed to pick up an order and thought - it isn't a hard ride, save some gas and get er done. Also after reading this post I thought "I need to get moving again" I am doing CANDISC in 3 weeks so need to stay ready.

Did the ride, stopped at the LBS for some alterations, so now my new excuse is "both my bikes are at the LBS, I have not a thing to ride":rolleyes: