Too Chicken To Go On Longer Rides

[wackyjacky1]

Last summer I renewed my love affair with bicycling. Since then I've conquered hills that I initially thought would kill me ( ), I've lost a few pounds, and I ride to work at least 3x per week (approx. 6 mile roundtrip). On the weekends I hop on my bike and tool around for an hour or so. But I have been maxing out at about 10 miles.

I want to do longer rides, but I realized today that the reason I haven't done so is that I'm afraid to. I'm not talking about a century, I just want to try my hand at something like a 20-miler. But I worry that I'll get too pooped to make it back home. It's a weird mental barricade that has kept me from "going for it."

Have any of you ever experienced this? Any tips on breaking my mental mileage barrier?

[celerystalksme]

Last summer I renewed my love affair with bicycling. Since then I've conquered hills that I initially thought would kill me ( ), I've lost a few pounds, and I ride to work at least 3x per week (approx. 6 mile roundtrip). On the weekends I hop on my bike and tool around for an hour or so. But I have been maxing out at about 10 miles.

I want to do longer rides, but I realized today that the reason I haven't done so is that I'm afraid to. I'm not talking about a century, I just want to try my hand at something like a 20-miler. But I worry that I'll get too pooped to make it back home. It's a weird mental barricade that has kept me from "going for it."

Have any of you ever experienced this? Any tips on breaking my mental mileage barrier?

just bring a cell phone! and have a friend or signficant other come pick you up if you can't go on! i've had to call for help when i got stranded with a flat. no biggie!

[ninerfan]

Don't feel obligated to increase your mileage by large increments really quickly. You can gradually up your mileage. If you're comfortable with 10, go for 11 the next time, and 12 the time after that. Slowly the way you think about distances begins to change.

I remember when 15 miles sounded long to me. Any you know what? At that time it was. But it's all relative. You slowly build the confidence and the fitness to ride longer distances. It's not a race to get to 20. You get there when you feel ready.

Good luck!

[Becky]

Maybe carry a map of the area with you? I'll often photocopy a section of our local bike map that shows the area I'm planning to ride in, and alternative routes. It doesn't weigh much, and makes me feel better to know that I can find my way home if I go "exploring" on a strange road or if I feel like I don't have the legs to do my planned route.

I always carry my cell phone too.

[sundial]

Can you get a friend to provide sag support? Knowing you have a vehicle to ride in should you get too pooped will give you the confidence to go further.

[Kalidurga]

If the issue is that you're afraid of becoming too tired to get back, I think ninerfan's got the right idea. Adding just one mile the next time you ride might be what you need to break that barrier. Then, when you're ready, add another mile, or even two. Plus, it's not like you have to ride straight through. You can always stop at your usual 10 miles to take a break and have an energy snack before pushing on for the extra miles.

And as for your mental barricade-- Think of distance the same way you thought about those hills you expected would kill you. How did you handle the challenge of the hills? Put yourself into that same frame of mind when you begin to add extra miles and I bet they'll end up being easier than you're allowing yourself to believe.

Hills are where I hit my own mental barrier, so I admire you for having conquered those!

[indysteel]

If the issue is that you're afraid of becoming too tired to get back, I think ninerfan's got the right idea. Adding just one mile the next time you ride might be what you need to break that barrier. Then, when you're ready, add another mile, or even two.

Another vote for this approach. Make sure you carry a snack with you and enough water. I started off with this approach, and it worked like a charm.

[shootingstar]

If it isn't a group ride, at least another cyclist who can lead the way, in a friendly way.

As an important suggestion: instead of thinking constantly about mileage and...adding more mileage, how about just extending your favourite cycling routes..to see something just located abit further away or to do a chore that is located just abit further away.

And also allow yourself to explore or go abit off the normal route, ie. up an extra street or so to see something.

then when you get home, you can figure out the total distance that you actually did.

And keep a little cycling diary, that will track your distance for that day plus cumulative total mileage for past few months. It can be a real motivator.

You need to always keep cycling abit fun in an exploratory way, which will help you add that mileage and endurance also over time.

It is also suggested over time, you create for yourself 3-4 favourite bike routes close by, with at least 1-2 routes that are much longer. Will help you train up over time or deal with lousy weather which is why you would use the shorter routes.

___________________

Oh yea, if you get abit lost in a quiet neighbourhood, that's another way to add abit of distance.

[Triskeliongirl]

Try one of JD Simpson's womens rides out of bikeworld. Start with that, and work up to a wheelmen ride. All wheelmen rides have loops of varying distance and maps. You might also like the Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club, their rides tend to be slower paced than Wheelmen rides, and I think they have no drop rides. The wheelmen also run a rider education series, where you can progress with a group to longer distances, all no-drop. The more I think about it, the latter may be the best way for you to progress.

[greta]

then you get to go home all downhill.don't worry about making it back, you'll make it. set your goal farther than you've ever gone, and just ride back from there.

[Jiffer]

I haven't read the rest of the replies, but I would say just go a little at a time. Go 12 miles one ride, 14 the next, etc. Eventually you'll get to where you know your limits and how to pace yourself so you can go further and further. There's no rule that says you can't stop and take a break, or 10 breaks!