After a spate of accidents and bad luck I have lost some of my previous interest in cycling and have begun training more irregularily. What is a good way to stay consistent and to boost my motivation to keep racing fit?
2007-04-13 02:09:30 · 10 answers · asked by jim jam 2 in Sports ➔ Cycling
Accidents happened whilst racing and it meant that I had to replace my road bike.
2007-04-13 20:59:51 · update #1
Good answers above.
For me, it helps to have "new roads" to explore. Get out some good, detailed maps and plan a weekend road trip to a great riding area with a buddy of similar ability. Be sure to make it a challenging area / long ride so you'll have a goal to train for.
Second, if you're afraid of being on the local roads, find new local roads to ride on. Spend some quality time with a detailed map, make up some new loops on safe/low traffic routes. Use residential and back streets, stay off the highways and main drags. Find a short loop and do speed laps. I have one ride that takes less than an hour but is a brutal workout because there's a short, steep hill in a quiet neighborhood that I sprint up, circle back down on another street, and sprint up again. 6 or 8 times up that puppy, I'm done, and re-energized all at the same time.
Last: don't ever feel obligated to ride. There are lots of better ways to "keep fit" in a general sense. If you want to keep "racing fit" but aren't motivated, you're probably overtrained. Get off the bike until you _want_ to ride again.
And don't feel obligated to race. Despite what the shaved-leg crowd would have you believe, non-racers are not inferior. Kind of cult-like, really, isn't it?
Good luck
Scott
2007-04-13 18:11:12 · answer #1 · answered by scott.braden 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All good answers so far, a couple other options. Volunteer at a race, you know they always can use a hand with something, I do this for a few races a year and I always wish I was on the coarse with the others. If your not into riding right now may be It's time for a little break, but stay at most arms length from the sport, You can try mixing it up a little, if your a road rider, try doing some MTN or vise virsa that will help keep you in shape while you re-motivate. For most of us, while we do take our riding/racing seriously, it is recreation so if your dreading going riding, do something else for a little while.
2007-04-13 12:04:24 · answer #2 · answered by jffsbr 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i say things always have a run, a lot of the time we have phycological reasons for stopping something, now you have said you had accidents and bad luck, now you are connecting those things with cycling, when it was not the cycling but the situation around at the time that caused the bad luck/accidents.
you need to recondition your mind to see this, and stop connecting the cycling with badness.
Write down all reasons why you started in first place, how it made you feel to be speeding along with the wind blowing on you, almost like you were flying, and pushing yourself to a limit to gain and conquer a hill, to get to the top, how did you feel?
re train your mind,
i hope it works for you, as cycling free is a wonderful thing.
2007-04-13 09:31:55 · answer #3 · answered by delbolof 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry to hear you're becoming sour on cycling. My advice would be to find a local group of friends to ride with. Join a club and develop a regular riding schedule with them.
I see this happen a lot. A lot of racers start to see riding as something that "have to" do rather than "want to" do. Try to remember those things that made you want to ride. For me, I enjoy riding now more than I did when I was racing. No, I'm not as fit, but I remember how much I really enjoyed just being on the bike. Learn to appreciate why riding is so much fun. Fitness will follow.
2007-04-13 09:19:18 · answer #4 · answered by Jay P 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Forget about training, fitness, competition, and enjoy the leisurely recreational end of cycling. I quit racing because my "flame" quit in me. Now I ride just for fun and almost never worry about the other things. Guess, now I enjoy cycling even more.....way more.
2007-04-13 20:47:30 · answer #5 · answered by davj61 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
first, if you can afford it, get yourself a new bike - instant motivation to get out and ride!
second, join a local cycling club - the social aspects of a group ride is also an excellent motivator
third, keep a riding journal - track miles and destinations to show what you have done!
2007-04-13 09:35:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
watch other people cycle, on t.v or outside, go to a bike store, look at the new bikes, you might get your groove back.
2007-04-13 09:17:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Try spinning. It will allow you to simulate biking in a safer environment.
2007-04-13 09:16:38 · answer #8 · answered by The Big Shot 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Feel the wind blowing. Jim Jam you're the man! Go for it! It's all you now! You're free!
2007-04-13 09:12:53 · answer #9 · answered by NR 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
re-cycle your enthusiam. sounds too sentimental to work? my exp. with loves is it takes work, and re-work. sorry about the accidents and bad luck.
2007-04-13 09:18:43 · answer #10 · answered by paris_chem 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋