You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Finally got out properly on the aeris in Brechfa today. Had no energy at all and really struggled today despite looking forward to it and eager to get out. Brilliant bike though, but i need to dial in the shock and fork.
Not sure if it was the heat, the set up or whatever, but really struggled up there. Anyone else have days like this?
Yup
Yes probably every other ride
Yeah, it comes and goes. You just either ride through it, ride over it or ride home.
We all get those days.
Don't get upset about it, it's just a bike ride.
Yep, sometimes set off and after a short while I'll realise there's no oomph there. Could be any one of a number of reasons. Only really a problem if it's every ride.
Alternatively sometimes I'll set off on a ride not expecting much and will hit PBs left right and centre.
In terms of going fast downhill, every enduro race I entered!
If you didn't have lousy days, you couldn't have brilliant days.
You need the contrast, otherwise they'd all be ordinary.
Yep, especially this year, after my ~8 week lurgy from early March cancelled out all my gains and then some from a decent winter season on the turbo. Just getting out of the door seems harder, knowing I'm in no shape to challenge last summer's PBs if I do go out is hard to swallow, I really need to find some riding mojo to simply enjoy being out riding again... Upsetting an IT band on last Wednesday's ride and having to have an easy week to let it recover hasn't helped me get any routine going!
Yes. Sometimes I’ll have sinusitis, which messes up my balance. Sometimes I’m tired. Sometimes I just can’t be bothered. I had a six months of off days after after I ‘bruised’ my shoulder. (Turned out I’d separated it. A&E couldn’t see it but the GP did, so was a bit lopsided for ages.) I had about another year of crap riding after that, but at least I knew what the problem was.
Yes, often feel overtired. Or just listless.
Buying some new, not entirely necessary stuff does help I find. Just did that today. Has not made me any fitter, or faster, but temporarily has made me feel better, Like a Big Mac.
Yep, off days are common here.
Try having a few back up plans, if the lethargy doesn't clear continue on a much slower wild trail explore, if that doesn't fix it try clearing some trail or going to some drops or jumps.
If none of those lift my spirits, it's normally a sign I'm worn out so I might have a few days off.
Absolutely. Sometimes I feel I have zero energy whatsoever. Tbf even the pros have off days.
Yeah happens a bit.
I went out last week for the first time in 7 weeks due to injury.
It was hot, my mate was way faster & fitter and I hated it - I mean really hated it, and I've never hated a ride.
So much so that I ditched my usual ride tonight.
Will be slightly more motivated later in the week as picking up my new bike from the LBS.
I know you've a lot on your plate mate, so fully understand if you struggle for time. Do you do much fitness work?.
Most guys I know that have chucked biking have done so because they rarely go out, and when they do, they're not fit enough to enjoy it. It's a vicious circle.
It's no fun when yer dying on yer arse.
We all have days like those, tomorrow you'll be up for it and your mates won't. Cest la vie as the French say
Nope, I'm on it everyride. #smashingit #ridinggod #fantasist
Glad to know I'm not the only one. Really threw me and feel really guilty about it.
Nobeer - haven't done much at all, complete lack of motivation generally to do anything. Still piling weight on too. Both of these are major factors I know, but was hoping today might have kick started something in my head to do more. Had the opposite effect unfortunately. Not going to give up though, got to persevere with it. Something should click soon. I hope.
I get them all the time, trick for me is recognising it before I start trying to force it and crash!
As for fitness, for me it's compounding/exponential. So the first week hurts, the second week feels better, the third week feels better again, by the 4th I wonder how I ever coped in week 1, a couple of months in after a break to ride the road bike for a bit for a change getting back on the mtb feels like it's got an electric motor.
I missed most of the winter and upto May with work. Made a concerted effort since then and I'm back doing 'brisk' club runs at 17-18mph and still feeling stronger every week (brisk went from painfully, to manageable to something I could do with a 50mile solo ride earlier in the day already in my legs).
Keep at it. It will take less time than you think to get fit and find the fun in it again because each week/month feels so much better than the last one. You just have to get through that initial shit bit from zero to something. Riding with groups helps a lot.
I ride most days and have an "off day" every so often. I usually try a snack (and a coffee if there's one in reach) which often picks me up. Never really know why it happens.
Almost every ride with any adults...
@ Dirkpitt - oh yeahhhh so what is this 2 wheeled item then?
This
I get them all the time, trick for me is recognising it before I start trying to force it and crash!
Spoon +1
.... well, the first paragraph at least.
When I'm having an off day I try to do the same ride but lower my pace by a kmh - that usually seems to do the trick.
Were you dehydrated? Sometimes you cannot tell that you haven't drunk enough, but it saps your energy.
tdog
@ Dirkpitt – oh yeahhhh so what is this 2 wheeled item then?
@tdog it's this:
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/nuke-bike-day-just-need-to-build-it/
My lack of motivation spread to taking ages to get it built.
Asked LBS to build it as well as do the invisiframe.
Yep, I have days when I shouldn't be allowed near a bicycle, if I'm lucky I recognise it before I'm lying in the bushes with my Staffie licking me to death in concern.
Lack of energy days on the commute are the worst... becomes a right slog and takes all the enjoyment out of it.
Not often, but yesterday was one of those days. I think it's just the heat and humidity causing it.
Can't remember the last time I had an "on" day. It might have been 2011.
Happens to me from time to time. Sometimes I even feel like it's going to be one before I set off, though sometimes I actually feel much better when I ride through it. When it happens I just bimble a bit, take it slightly slower and push up stuff I can't pedal up. Never worried about it particularly, but if it's happening often then maybe a check-up would be worthwhile - there might be something else in play.
Factors that I have used to explain it to myself :
- Big night out just before a ride (yeah, doh!)
- Too much to eat / too little / wrong stuff (hard to digest) to eat before the ride
- Dehydration
- Overheating - I once over-dressed for a cold winter morning. The sensation was awful and by the time I stopped and peeled layers off, I think it was too late
- General fatigue (too many late nights)
@gnusmas - happens to me sometimes, sometimes even the downs fail to excite me and the ups destroy me mentally. What I did do this year was join up with the MTBFitness group on Facebook and sign up to the 13 week plan, it has made a hell of a difference. The basis of it is that you don't get massively fitter just by riding more, there are a lot of other contributing factors and a lot of it can be done at home. I have set new PR's on pretty much all my local climbs since finishing the plan, I have plateaued a bit at the moment so thinking of going back to week 1 and starting again. Let me know if you want anymore details either by PM or just here. Oh! I just bought a new bike as well just as a back up in case I need that extra nudge 🙂
Yes, normally when my mental health is s**t and consequently I've not slept enough and/or my attention span is nonexistent
Yep, plenty of times I wonder what's going on & how i've forgotten to ride a bike. Last time was last night actually. Rode like a chump.
Happens when racing too, everything seems hard - getting beaten by people I usually beat comfortably is a real favourite of mine.
It still winds me up, but less so these days. I've learnt to understand that sometimes, it's just not happening. AS others have alluded to, sometimes life is consuming too much to focus on the riding of bikes to the level I would like 🙂
But isn't it great when you have an "on day" out of the blue! Swings & roundabouts...
Lack of nutrition I feel is a big factor for me. Some days I head out feeling lethargic, depressed, no mojo... Wondering why... And really I just need something to eat.
Same when touring. Bad days often come when you're not fuelling enough.
This is why I have started training in the gym. Hard to keep fitness / weight loss up by biking alone.
There are sometimes slow days on the commute or road rides,then there are the times when I am going along the trails like some kinda tree magnet,none of the lines working and I am all over the place.
But,(and it's a big but)hand on heart,I have never get home from a ride and regretted going out. The only time I feel bad about a ride is when I don't get past the front door because I dipped in to the big book of excuses.
Some times I have a day when I feel good on the bike.
Gnus - if you're riding solo it could be a pacing thing. You get the bike out of the car and go for it, but you are permanently riding at close to your limit so not really varying the pace to make it enjoyable when you do have a 5min smash.
Also, get out again soon, practice makes fitness : )
Johnjn2000 - sending a pm now, thanks.
There's also a sufferfest 10 week plan if you have a turbo trainer setup.
The more I try (and fail to stick to) training plans the more I'm convinced that actually "just going for a ride" is actually of more benefit to the average MTBer. With the caveat's that you have to both push yourself quite hard sometimes and have enough rest days.
If you're the type to only go for one ride a week then of course any training plan that makes you ride three or four times a week for 10 weeks will improve your fitness massively.
But on the other hand if you can get into a routine with a couple of evening group rides and a longer one at the weekend then as long as those rides are hard enough to stimulate a response from your body you'll get fitter.
Training plans also ignore the fact that most people ride bikes for fun, yes after 10 weeks of getting fitter it will probably be more fun, but is that worth 10 weeks of it not being fun? My problem with training plans is as soon as the sun comes out I sack it off to just go out and ride some trails rather than doing the chores on the turbo trainer (literally, there's a sufferfest workout called the chores that crops up a lot on the MTB plan).
Yes I have lots of off-days.
They come in phases so I'll often go through several rides in a row of these.
Sometimes it feels like my power output is lower so I'm not as fast on the flat and on the uphill sections.
Sometimes my technical level goes down for a while, so I end up being slower on the DH's, less likely to give the harder stuff a go, find it harder to pull a wheelie, dab far more often on technical climbs and crash more.
I have no explanation on it whatsoever. It feels like my skill and fitness level does not just simply go up and up all the time despite regular riding.
Yes
Yes certainly. Off days are easier to cope with on a road bike - just pretend you are on a recovery ride.
Yes. Sometimes go out with the intention of doing a long ride or pushing hard on hills and it just doesn't happen. Other days I think i'm tired then once out feel fine.
Every time I try jumping
The more I try (and fail to stick to) training plans the more I’m convinced that actually “just going for a ride” is actually of more benefit to the average MTBer. With the caveat’s that you have to both push yourself quite hard sometimes and have enough rest days
I'd agree that, as long as you do whatever you want to get better at (i.e. bimbling will only make you good at bimbling, pedalling on a turbo will only make you good at pedalling).
I make up a decent amount of time on descents when I race XC, it's much more fun than having a training plan.
+1 for when my mental health is s**t and consequently I’ve not slept enough.
Some days I have no energy but thankfully I can recognise and ride accordingly (slower!) now, although this wasn't always the case..
I have a rule, well not a rule, but a general understanding between me and myself.
I get pressure and stress at work
I get pressure and stress at home
when I'm out on my bike - no pressure.
Do whatever I want, feel like riding hard today - great, feel like taking it easy - great. No beating yourself up about bike time, no 'measuring yourself' against others, no strava, nothing. Just fun, even if one week 'fun' is going faster than last week, that doesn't mean that next week you have to go faster again.
I have a rule, well not a rule, but a general understanding between me and myself.
I get pressure and stress at work
I get pressure and stress at home
when I’m out on my bike – no pressure.
Do whatever I want, feel like riding hard today – great, feel like taking it easy – great. No beating yourself up about bike time, no ‘measuring yourself’ against others, no strava, nothing. Just fun, even if one week ‘fun’ is going faster than last week, that doesn’t mean that next week you have to go faster again.
Totally. I run Stava as a glorified odometer, but not always trying to "achieve" anything on it.
I often find myself going for a chilled out ride, deciding to be really sensible on descents, then just getting carried away. It's far better fun getting carried away than trying to force it! And if you go slow that's fine too.
I had one on Tuesday.
Riding UP! the steep,eastern side of Leith Hill.
Picked a “smooth” line around a tree and promptly hit a protruding stump withmy face/right eye. Plenty of claret and I now look like an unsuccessful MMA fighter.
Soft lad.
My shorts just had a off day...! Left tessie was getting squashed all the way home. Made uphills definitely more difficult 🤪
Oh God yeah! With any luck I spot it early and then that day becomes focused on just one aspect of the ride, be that corners, body position, daft pops off roots. That way I distract myself from how rubbish I am...
I love the idea of un jour sans 🙂
I'm still waiting for an'on'day 😂