Burnt out?

[Jiffer]

I don't think you should have guilt for not "feeling" like riding. You are doing other things. As long as you are doing something to keep yourself fit and enjoying THOSE things. By the time next season rolls around, you might find yourself longing to be on the bike more. Or maybe not. Variety is good for this very reason. I think it's normal to get burned out on something you do so much of ... even if you have loved that thing so much.

My husband runs as well as rides. He goes through periods where he does both fairly equally, or one or the other predominantly. Right now, he is in full on running mode and has hardly ridden his bike this year, his extremely nice Cannondale System Six. He has no guilt, nor should he. It's there when he's ready to spend more time on it.

If you get to a point where you want to try to motivate yourself to get on the bike consistently and find a way to really love it again ... other than the already suggested "ride for fun" and "notice the scenery" and all of that, which is great .... challenge yourself in ways that you haven't really done before (if that's possible ... not sure of your history). If you have always been about building up mileage, then switch to being about your speed. Going shorter distances at a faster speed ... or even longer distances at a faster speed. Or work on being the best climber you can be. Maybe do a time trial if you never have. Explore places to ride that you never have. Think of goals that would be different than the goals you have had before. Maybe try mountain biking if you haven't done that.

My husband does road biking, mtb, street running and trail running ... oh yeah, and triathlons. He mixes it up and gets to experience a lot of different things that way. I, for now, am all about the bike. It's new enough to me that I'm in no way burned out.

Another thing is to find good people to ride with, unless you already have this. I ride at least twice a week with a friend of mine. It motivates me to get up and get going in the morning when I know I have my friend meeting me to ride and it's so much more fun to do it with her than by myself. On the weekends I look forward to the club rides where I'm beginning to know more and more people and socializing with them, challenging myself to keep up with the faster riders. Or for you, it might be challenging yourself to hang back with the slower riders and take in the sights!

[tulip]

Aggie, I've taken a break from riding lately. I just don't feel like it. I've been traveling some for work and my schedule's been all wacky. And now it's gotten cold, which gives me one more reason to hesitate.

I know that riding in the fall when the weather is brisk and the light is perfect is wonderful, but I'm having such a hard time getting my butt out the door! I have one more travel day tomorrow--long, long day--but after that I'm travel free for a few weeks. I'm going to do my best to get out for a fall ride at least twice during the week (I do ride on weekends because I ride with my honey, but we only see each other on weekends).

I try not to beat myself up about it, but it's a pattern that I find all-too-familiar.

[Crankin]

I always get burned out. Every year. So now I just accept it. I slow down and smell the roses. It seems like my body breaks down after whatever big ride/vacation we do after it's over. I should have taken time off after my 4 day tour, but since it was August, I didn't.
I am looking forward to hiking, maybe a little mountain biking, weights, and the snow.
And in the spring, I am going to work on building those base miles.

[emily_in_nc]

I'm with a lot of the others here... as long as you're still moving, who cares if you're riding all the time? Be gentle with yourself. If you're not feeling it, do something else!

I used to be pretty hard line about that sort of thing, but I'm a lot more relaxed about it all now. I used to road ride, period. 4-5 times a week, about 3000-4000 miles yearly. I had a serious accident on the road in 2005, and since then, I just haven't been nearly as interested in road riding. I might become so someday, but for now, I ride a mountain bike on trails more like 300-400 miles yearly. I don't even bother riding in the winter unless we have an unusually warm day. I also run, hike, sail, lift, walk, and most recently, do Pilates (just started a class at work). Oh, and I'm doing the One Hundred Push-Ups program lately too. So, I'm still very active and fit, and I don't seem to get injured any more because I switch up my activities. I love it all! Sure, right now I'm not able to do a century ride or a long bike tour like I could before my accident, but I couldn't run a mile then either!

It might sound blasphemous to post this on a cycling site, but there really is more to life than riding!

[Aggie_Ama]

There are so many wonderful suggestions in this thread and it is nice for anyone to know they aren't alone. I am still not riding much been landscaping, running, visiting friends and just busy. But I did let go of my guilt. I tend to be a bit hard on myself, a bit OCD. Letting go of pressure I put on myself is hard.

But I am content, I might do 2,500 miles this year but I may not. It has still been a great year. Next weekend I am spending Saturday riding back on my Dad's Harley to LUckenbach, Texas. My mom will be blazing along on her harley. I can hardly wait, I have only rode 20 miles on the bike but love it and "everybody is somebody in Luckenbach". Sunday we are hitting the trail for a little dirt slinging. I am happy and looking forward to my weekend. I may ride this week, I may run. Who knows?

[Crankin]

I love all of the suggestions, also. It is hard to stop feeling guilty, though. One thing, I know is that I am not going to record my miles on Bike Journal next year. I feel too much "virtual" peer pressure from you guys! Not so much in terms of miles, but in speed. So, I will just use my trusty computer and maybe keep a journal. Two years ago I rode 3,000 miles. Last year, I did 2600, but chalked it up to my illness woes in the fall, when I didn't ride much. I set a goal of 2500 this year and I have about 100 miles to go. I know I will make it. But, I am not sure it's realistic for me to set a goal of more than that.
When I started riding, I still was doing step aerobics a couple of times a week. After a couple of years of riding, that stopped. I still go to the gym, but I'm doing stuff in the weight room, elliptical and some spinning when it's really cold out. I am thinking maybe I need to get back to step class because it burns the calories.
Based on my experience with aerobics, etc. I think it's wise to vary what we do. Not just for physical reasons, but for our mental health. I got so burned out on teaching classes, it really ruined it for me. Once I stopped teaching, I was half hearted about participating and I gained 15 pounds. That's when I started riding.