how to get myself motivated to ride

[surgtech1956]

I need some help to get myself motivated - to ride. I ride by myself - no riding friends. I have a knee injury - so the riding would be OK for my knee - have been off work since January(worker's comp). Kind of depressed about the whole injury thing - and worker's compensation, need to lose weight. I'm just not consistent about riding. Any suggestions???? Thanks Nancy

[Starfish]

I mostly ride alone, too...and I have weight to lose, too. For me, it is all about having a goal, and having support.

I am motivated by having a goal ride to train for, and by telling everyone so that I can't back out when I feel like it. With charity rides often having very short options in addition to their long rides, people of all levels can find good goal events.

Also, I recently had the great good fortune to find an online training buddy...nothing formal, but we swap emails, and I find it extremely helpful to know that there is someone out there I need to report my efforts to. These forums are wonderful for finding encouragement and support.

Finally, I find that when I have support in all areas of my life (whether it is through a prayer group, al anon, a counselor, what-have-you), I do better about taking care of myself through biking.

Hope this helps!

[suzieqtwa]

I also ride mostly by myself ,and like Starfish I use Charity rides as motivation. If I don't ride in the morning on the weekends I wont ride. I just get up ,and put on my stuff ,and go. I always feel better about myself after I've done it. If you do it about the same time every day it will become a habit. Sometimes I look at other runners/ riders as motivation. Once you get out there it will become easier.

[KnottedYet]

Start using the bike for errands.

Park the Jeep for a while, buy a rack and a set of panniers. Use the bike to go to the library, the store, to visit friends, go out for coffee.

I do rides in all sorts of ways, but the rides that make me feel all warm and fuzzy are the errands and commutes! That's where I get my greatest satisfaction.

(your "it's a Jeep thing" line makes me laugh, cuz my car club had a sticker that said "I got your Jeep thing, and now it hurts when I pee.")

[DarcyInOregon]

I am like starfish and Suzie, I use event rides as my goals, and then my daily rides are training for whatever future ride. And Suzie is my TE email buddy, plus a riding companion for some of the event rides and an occassional weekend ride. And Ellen, another TE friend, is good for an occassional weekend ride.

Try to find some TE ladies in your area and get to know them. Once you share a ride with someone, you will bond really well.

All you need to do, as you read through the forum, if you see a TE lady who lives in your area, send her a private message through TE.

Here is the link to find an event ride in your area:

http://www.bikeride.com/calendar/events.asp

Or a lot of people who are part of this forum belong to clubs, and they can tell you how to find a club in your area.

Darcy

[cosc]

Surgtech, I can understand your lack of motivation. After an injury it is so easy to find a excuse not to ride-speaking from my history. (I might reinjure ailing limbs, too windy, cold, rainy, might storm, not enough time and you know the play-back that goes through our heads. Regina is right on with setting a daily time with whatever works with your schedule and just do it. Don't over think it! Try to have your bike road worthy before time to get out the door. Keep gear and apparel organized so you won't get slowed up when your rarin to go. Keep only positive thoughts about how much fun and benefits you'll reap to be a more confident, stronger and contented woman. Do set realistic goals that are doable for you and build from there.

[RoadRaven]

Hmmm, very hard to get motivated sometimes... I understand this too

I do most of my riding on my own too

It is about little goals, baby steps and keeping your eye on the prize

little goals: Getting up to the top of the hill in a bigger gear than last time... or complete a course a few seconds faster...

baby steps: Fitting in the rides I can and being pleased, even though they are not always the length I want.

the prize: Well... two prizes for me... weight loss to regain self-esteem as well as be able to climb/race better... second prize is to move up grades in my club... from G, to F (where I am now) to E, to D. I'd be thrilled to be competitive in D grade in road races, and to do TT times that belong in C.

[northstar]

I second Knot's advice on errand running. (I can get back to this now that I've replaced my stolen hybrid with a 197X Schwinn Suburban 10 speed...shiny blue with skinny tires and fenders! It's older than I am and in great shape.)

Errands feel like a treat for me when I get to do them on my bike. I get to listen to the birds and ride right up to the door without messing with parking lots (or the 3.25 gas here this weekend!). It makes me realize how lovely riding is, and I can't wait to get out on my road bike and really fly.

Sometimes it helps if I give myself a destination on my road rides. I'm going to get to X point (hopefully by a certain time) and rest by the lake. Or have a latte. Or visit a friend. (I'm not a hard core roadie!)