Losing your mojo

Take a step backwards. Do some tempo and slower rides. Do a sweetspot ride on the mtb for a laugh. Ride to the pub with some mates.

Do that for a couple of weeks is like being on pause, then you can pick up where you left off. Unless you're going to maximum BC points (or the Norwegian equivalent) it's a bit early to be truly fast, and even then there's something to be said for racing into August when a lot of people have lost interest or burnt-out.

I'm not racing. To quote TW2. I'm taking part in loads of 'group start events, not races'.

But they are for the most part tough. So my plan for this year was to train smarter and to train more. I dont really have time to Train more. So I upped the intensity. At the same time I got back into running fast instead of jogging. Which used to be a decent active recovery thing for me. Now it competes with cycling, as opposed to complementing it. So I need to chill for a bit.

TLDR: I blame Strava.

My mojo has disappeared so much that today I made it to the end of my road (less than 100 metres) before I felt like giving up and I had to pull in behind a parked car to have a little word with myself.

Any chance of getting 6pt to market his motivational methodology?

I'm not racing. To quote TW2. I'm taking part in loads of 'group start events, not races'.

But they are for the most part tough. So my plan for this year was to train smarter and to train more. I dont really have time to Train more. So I upped the intensity. At the same time I got back into running fast instead of jogging. Which used to be a decent active recovery thing for me. Now it competes with cycling, as opposed to complementing it. So I need to chill for a bit.

TLDR: I blame Strava.

How many hours on the turbo are you doing?

Sounds like chilling is required. A quiet week now will cost you speed in perhaps a fortnights time? Maybe none at all if you do one session. That's a small price to pay for being keen and motivated down the line and when it matters.

My mojo has disappeared so much that today I made it to the end of my road (less than 100 metres) before I felt like giving up and I had to pull in behind a parked car to have a little word with myself.

How did the pep talk work? I laughed at mine. Bike feels wonky, seat is suddenly rock hard, one leg is suddenly longer than the other, small inclines feel like someone is gently pushing me backwards. shoes are suddenly biting too hard. This bike is possessed.

That was just half a mile down the road.

two races done. Got dropped in the last one and have since actually recoiled at the thought of racing again and even getting on the bike is a mental struggle (even if its ok when on it). Seriously need to sort my shit out...

How many hours on the turbo are you doing?

Sounds like chilling is required. A quiet week now will cost you speed in perhaps a fortnights time? Maybe none at all if you do one session. That's a small price to pay for being keen and motivated down the line and when it matters.

I currently do 4 training sessions a week on the bike. As I'm pushed for time. These tend to be 45min sprint video on the turbo, or a 75 min blast outside. I run 3 times a week. 2 x 4 - 6km fast pace blasts, and a 12km mountain run (320m elevation gain, slow but tough).

I think from a performance perspective, I should up the time, and lower the intensity. My HR zones for running/cycling combined tell a Clear story of poor training Balance.

A nice long ride below threshold, and some easy jogs, and I'll be fine. Speed is irrelevent this year, as the main goal is a 550km sportive.

Major mojo loss here over the past three years.

Had a child and stopped working to be full time parent. No more commuting, no more time, no more energy.

Bought a car. No more shopping bike trips.

Stopped doing TNRC due to lack of fitness.

I have ridden my bike once this year, on the Astronomy ride, which was a really hard but very rewarding 35 miles. But, I still find it hard to get out there and do any riding.

Part of my issue is that it is no longer easy to get out the door. When I rode every day the rigmarole of: find shoes, find helmet, find gloves, realise tyres flat since it has been ages since I rode, find lock, find bag, disentangle bike from other crap under the stairs, etc etc etc, just didn't happen. Now it does.

Hopefully I can drag my shit back together with a combination of riding the little one around more and riding myself around more.

Matt - enjoy the prep time.

Friday night -
Kid to bed.
Glass of wine.
Tunes.
Spend an hour fettling & getting shit together.

Up and away early next morning in the crisp spring weather, back in time for family stuff.

That's my plan.

We need a weekly Dad's ride.

5 a.m. Saturday morning, Elmers End roundabout.

I currently do 4 training sessions a week on the bike. As I'm pushed for time. These tend to be 45min sprint video on the turbo, or a 75 min blast outside. I run 3 times a week. 2 x 4 - 6km fast pace blasts, and a 12km mountain run (320m elevation gain, slow but tough).

I would *guess** you could do with some active recovery built into that weekly routine. 45mins on the turbo just spinning or rides easy enough to be in zone2 for some time.

*internet advice from the unqualified

I would *guess** you could do with some active recovery built into that weekly routine. 45mins on the turbo just spinning or rides easy enough to be in zone2 for some time.

Definitely.

I can do Sufferfest - Revolver in 45 mins though.
Much more fun, and gives a far better thigh buzz.

The simple fact is my natural competitive streak kicked in big time this year. When you're in the middle of a nordic Winter you need to roll With that sort of wave. When spring properly arrives I'll go for more pootles.

I know the Blue Egg very well, I had the poached eggs just the other day. But there's an ace pub in Maldon with tasty food and its own microbrewery, and I prefer my route to Maldon, so you can keep all your blue eggs in one basket if you like but I shall continue to mix things up. If I can make it past Ingatestone next time.

Where's this pub? If anything is going to motivate me to do a century any time soon it's going to be teh foods and beers.

Been out in Essex/Herts the last four weekends. Never anything more than 50 miles as I've been dragging along non-forum fair weather cycling friends who aren't feeling my 'miles = smiles' vibe. Itching for a longer ride now. It's been a slow and lovely introduction back to the lanes though.

Itching for a longer ride now. It's been a slow and lovely introduction back to the lanes though.

http://www.lfgss.com/thread123544.html

Mojo seekers more than welcome, I fully intend this to be a ramble through the lanes taking in a good proportion of the cuckoo trail to the south.

Deleted my Strava today, ruins the experience of riding I think, obsessing over averages and turning everything into a race.

^^^ I did the same. Also took off my bike comp. My mojo would instantly drain as I looked down on my commute and noticed my mph was 1 or 2 less than the day before.

Having ridden around on my road bike for the last year or so, my mojo had begun to drain recently - I guess after a lot of Xmas over-indulgence! So, I built up a fixed trick bike. Completely opposite-end-of-the-spectrum ride and has re-invigorated my love for cycling. Forgot how important 'mucking about on a bike' can be!

Forgot how important 'mucking about on a bike' can be!

That could be the title of the thread really.

Where's this pub? If anything is going to motivate me to do a century any time soon it's going to be teh foods and beers.

Been out in Essex/Herts the last four weekends. Never anything more than 50 miles as I've been dragging along non-forum fair weather cycling friends who aren't feeling my 'miles = smiles' vibe. Itching for a longer ride now. It's been a slow and lovely introduction back to the lanes though.

The Blue Boar (http://www.blueboarhotel.com, though that makes it sound like a poncy hotel when really it's a very good pub with some rooms attached). This is the brewery: http://www.maldonbrewing.co.uk/

I did an afterworker to there once. We ate chips, drank beer and rode home. 100 miles on a Thursday evening. Ahh, mojo days.

Sounds like chilling is required. A quiet week now will cost you speed in perhaps a fortnights time? Maybe none at all if you do one session. That's a small price to pay for being keen and motivated down the line and when it matters.

Did a recovery pace run on tuesday, and a recovery pace ride last night. Feel better for it.

My CV system is firing on all cylinders. It was my legs that lost their mojo.

I went for a short ride yesterday. Not to commute, just to ride. On my own. In the sun. My hands and feet have forgotten how to endure being connected to a bike for a couple of hours and I was nervy as fuck but I enjoyed it. Glad I didn't go for more than 30 miles. Baby steps. Weird how much that spill last year affected me (wasn't even a bad one really, no breaks just lots of gore).

Good to be back.

Good man

Beats putting shelves up ;)
I want some mojo back think the beer is robbing me