Trying to get back on the bike...

[milkbone]

I've had to take, oh, almost the past year off...mostly medical reasons. Gained about 10 lbs or so in the process.

Any hints to get motivated and get back. I'm frustrated - I know where I once was, and I am so far away from that now lol.

Thanks!

[Owlie]

I wish I could help. Has your motivation run off with mine?

Take a short, no-pressure ride. Don't try to accomplish anything. Just ride.

[smilingcat]

It's okay to think of where you were last year. If anything just make a mental image of where you want to be. Just remember that you will get there and it isn't going to happen overnight. Go ride a shorter distance and work your way back up like the first time you started to ride. Unlike the first time, you will "improve" much faster. Each week lengthen your ride and or your speed.

Try not to think in terms of dread but rather think in terms of I'm getting closer to where I used to be. And enjoy your ride instead of I have to work out to get there.

keep a positive outlook to your ride

[Pedal Wench]

leave the bike computer at home

[MomOnBike]

Take the bike out for a no-pressure ride to, say, lunch with friends. A non-bike goal and companionship is a great way to ease back into things.

[ClockworkOrange]

Hi milkbone

What a lot of sensible and thoughtful answers.

Fully empathise with you, am in a similar situation and because I cannot ride until the end of next month, I have just bought a cheapy exercise bike, maybe you could start of with one of those?

When you do go out, just enjoy and let us know how you get on.

Clock

[milkbone]

Yes I love that suggestion! Thank you! I am so addicted to my computer when I ride..thank you for all the suggestions, going to head out on my next day off (Wed) and let you know how it goes.

Going to try to get my mojo back by remembering why I love cycling in the first place. No computers, no distance, no set speed.

Thank you again for the encouragement.

[DarcyInOregon]

Milkbone, I don't get why you would want to leave your bike computer off the bike if you are recovering from an illness. You need to track your improvement, and your first day back on will show you how much fitness you lost, and then you can watch the improvement over the weeks. It doesn't matter that you lost fitness because it is to be expected.

Last November I was knocked sideways off my bike by a side gust, was unconscious for 90 minutes, and spent the weekend in the trauma center with a fractured rib cage, a punctured deflated lung, and a severe concussion. On January 1 I was back on my bike. Sure the computer numbers were quirky, but then I was laboring with a right lung that wasn't totally healed and hurt with the mending bones. It was pure delight to watch my progress via the bike data and in only two months I was able to go up a 13% grade with my lung inflating and oxygenating my blood normally. It is FUN to regain fitness, not some big nasty chore.

This forum has a lot of negativity regarding bike computers, but it doesn't mean the advice has to make any sense for you. It makes sense for others for whatever reasons, but gosh, if you are recovering from a medical condition, the bike computer is a plus, not a negative. If you want to watch your physical improvement, and to know exactly how bad it is on the first day, then use the bike computer. Using a bike computer doesn't mean you don't ride. It merely provides the data to show how you are doing on any given ride, and you can track the data over time if you desire, or not if you don't desire.

[Pedal Wench]

Milkbone, I don't get why you would want to leave your bike computer off the bike if you are recovering from an illness.
<<>>
This forum has a lot of negativity regarding bike computers, <<>>

Don't get me wrong - I typically don't leave home without my 705, and been known to double-up with that and a Cateye double-wireless to make sure I've got everything covered.

BUT... if someone is unmotivated and discouraged about where they are, going out the first few times, without a blatant reminder of how far back they might have fallen, is a great way to just get back on the bike. Tracking fitness comes later, once you're back in love with the joy of just being on the bike.

[marni]

been there done that several times and will probably repeat myself.

Speaking just for myself. Each time I start up aagain after a pause whether for injury or just for life, I leave my computer at home- I don't need to be riminded of where I am vs where I was, I just want to fall back in love with the whole experience first and remember why it is I ride, and train and track statistics. I wait until I find myself counting pedal strokees between points and working out rough distances before I put the computer back on the bike. I also leave my watch at home because I want to learn to listen to my body and not worry about when I have to get back or what I have to do when I get there.

Either way, I hope the joy returns soon.

marni

[DarcyInOregon]

BUT... if someone is unmotivated and discouraged about where they are, going out the first few times, without a blatant reminder of how far back they might have fallen, is a great way to just get back on the bike. Tracking fitness comes later, once you're back in love with the joy of just being on the bike.

The reason I disagree is because I went through it, the injuries and regaining the fitness. It is like someone is trying to lose weight, fell off the wagon, and the advice is to say, hey stop keeping a food diary. It makes no sense. Regaining the fitness is a time of joy. The bike computer is just a tool to track data like the food diary. The cyclist doesn't have to look at it. But the data is extremely helpful. Telling someone not to use the computer is like saying, hey something is really wrong with you, your data will be bad, and that is going to make you feel terrible. Now why should it? It is merely data, and shows how the first ride back on the saddle went. The fitness level decreased due to illness, therefore the data will be different, so why should that be a terrible thing that makes a person feel bad? And the first ride is awesome. So what if the speed is slow and the distance is low or the cadence is out of whack. Regaining the fitness brings back all of the joy of that first year on the bike, except now the cyclist has the knowledge and wisdom of experience. It is an exciting time, having a bike ride that is only 8-10 miles instead of 50 miles, and experiencing the joy of that first ride again, even if the average speed is only 10 mph. Regaining the fitness isn't a bad thing; it is awesome and exhilerating and incredibly fun. Take the bike computer, just like you record to the food diary, and then use the data or don't use it, but don't leave the bike computer at home. Getting back on the bike and regaining the fitness is a matter of the heart and has nothing to do with a tool that records the data of the ride.

[Crankin]

Marni, I am totally in agreement with you. It's not negativity; when I have been trying to "regain" fitness, I don't need the computer to tell me that I suck. I also don't need it to know when I am moving in the direction I want to go. While I have never taken the computer off, i simply don't look at my average when I am done, or I keep it on clock, so I don't see my rolling speed. I only look at total miles completed.
Three years ago i lost a huge amount of fitness/speed when i was sick. Every time I saw my average the next season, it was painful for me to accept. I still rode my usual number of miles, but it made me want to quit. Last year i changed my way of looking at it. Instead of trying to improve, I just rode. I did lots of farm stand and errand rides on my hybrid, about 300+ miles of my total. I really got into the winter sports I do. When this season started, I felt I got my mojo back. My speed still isn't quite what it was, but I really don't care anymore. I can still climb like I used to, I weigh the same as I did when I was 16 and I feel fit, and I enjoy riding, so I am happy.

[hirakukibou]

Milkbone,
I can really relate to losing motivation and mojo. I find that when that happens, I have to find the joy in riding again. How to do that is a personal journey, I believe. Personally. when I am trying to get back my joy I disregard the speed and the distance and focus on going some place beautiful, often with a friend or riding buddy. My goal becomes "to have fun." Hope you find your way back to the joy soon.

[jessmarimba]

I don't even wear a watch when I'm recovering from something mental or physical (running/biking). It's good to learn to listen to your body and I find that really difficult if I have any source of "numbers" around me, whether I'm trying to use them or not.

Good luck - you'll be back where you were, and I hope you find the fun in it while you get there!

[sundial]

I've had to take, oh, almost the past year off...mostly medical reasons.

Hi Milkbone, it's good to hear you are wanting to get back in the saddle.

A few tricks that helped me get motivated to ride was to find a bike that makes me want to enjoy a slower pace.....putting my Garmin in my back pocket.....discovering the joys of back country roads....planning a route that includes a little diner....calling a friend who likes slow rides. Hope you are feeling better by the day and that you'll soon enjoy those long leisurely rides.