Ever feel like quitting?

[Dianyla]

Yeah, I really felt like this after I finished the Seattle to Portland last July (double century that took me 19 long painful hours to complete ). I totally overtrained and ran myself into the ground, and really didn't even want to think about my bicycle for at least a few months. I also really resented the fact that every weekend from March to July was consumed with STP training rides.

I find that seasonal rotation helps me not get too bored with a specific sport. Instead of pushing too hard to do a specific sport year round, I just do different things in different seasons. After I stopped cycling in July I switched to hiking and backpacking for the rest of the summer. In winter it's time to go skiing.

This spring I've been casually contemplating doing the STP or some other area centuries but I refuse to do an all out training effort for it. I've decided I will just cycle for pleasure and health and do some good solid riding, and as it approaches on the calendar if I'm feeling good and in the mood I may go for it. Or, not.

[CorsairMac]

I feel like that Every Time it's cold outside and I have to put on multiple layers just to make the short ride into work. I do own a car but A) I don't see that as my vehicle of choice for getting to work and B)I'm afraid once I choice the car over the bike it'll just get easier and easier to make the choice.

On those days I just keep reminding myself I Know I'll love the ride once I get started and if I still really feel the un-motivated, one of the guys can always bring me home!

As a runner, I learned early on to listen to my body: if I don't feel like riding (beyond my daily commute), I don't. Neither I nor the bike are going anywhere anytime soon and the day will come when I feel like riding it - again.

[bikerchick68]

yep, sometimes I just don't feel like riding... so I don't. I did a century in February that was rough... I rode on only 3 1/2 hours sleep, and was just hurting due to that the whole ride... then 58 miles in my friend crashed. Mentally, that ride just drained me... so I took 3 weeks off. This past Sunday I rode a 71 mile ride for the first time since and felt great.

I give myself permission to take time off as needed. I don't want cycling to ever be some sort of obligation. If I lose the joy of riding, I stop until I feel ready to ride again...

as to the bad attitude... I think it's great that you know some of the close calls were you, not someone else... so the question is, how do you change that? What do you need to do to ensure your safety? Why do you ride? Are YOU feeling obligated??? Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves that we lose the joy of the activity. That happened when I began dancing competition... I lost the joy of dance. I quit competing and now love dancing again. It's for ME and no one else.... riding is the same way... some days I ride hard cause I feel good...and some days I stop and take pictures of birds, and flowers and enjoy the feel and scent and sights of the earth around me...

I hope you find the joy again too... give yourself permission to be off the bike until you miss it...

[Bike Goddess]

Yeah, I really felt like this after I finished the Seattle to Portland last July (double century that took me 19 long painful hours to complete ). I totally overtrained and ran myself into the ground, and really didn't even want to think about my bicycle for at least a few months. I also really resented the fact that every weekend from March to July was consumed with STP training rides.



Dianyla- Some of us from the Bay Area (women) are doing the STP in two days. We're planning to stop in Vader (Good food, I hear from Sloe Joe). So...if you want to join us please do! Then you won't have to train so hard! I've done STP twice and always done it in two days. Enjoy the scenery and all the other cyclists!

[Dianyla]

Dianyla- Some of us from the Bay Area (women) are doing the STP in two days. We're planning to stop in Vader (Good food, I hear from Sloe Joe). So...if you want to join us please do! Then you won't have to train so hard! I've done STP twice and always done it in two days. Enjoy the scenery and all the other cyclists!

I just might do that. I remember Vader (albeit very hazily) and it looked like a good place to stop. The problem with stopping in Centralia besides the hordes is that the first 10 miles of Day Two are some mildly icky hills by Napavine. And what really killed me last year is that I had been training for months to be prepared to do it in 2 days. A few weeks before the event some work stuff popped up and I had to be on a plane to Chicago that Sunday morning - so I had to rapidly change plans to do the 1-day ride instead.