As iDave might have noticed there's been a distinct lack of lolcats sneaking into threads recently, this is entirely down to me having a crap time recently.
Last night I went for a night ride with my portable boxes of sunlight (thanks troutie!) and a couple of friends, we got lost exploring new stuff, we found lots of new singletrack and we turned all our lights off a few times just to enjoy the silence and dark of the woods at night.
It was muddy, very slippy and all three of us nearly lost the bikes from underneath us a few times... We also ended up at the bottom of a bowl full of standing water that smelt like a sewer after disturbing it, took us a good 20 minutes of shin deep wetness to find our way out of it. I hurt my bad arm when my front wheel dug into the mud on a corner and later in the ride I twisted my bad ankle again.
But it was awesome, being out in the woods with friends, messing around, having a laugh and getting the endorphins flowing 
Up until last night I've been in a near constant anxious state about some work stuff and been feeling pretty sorry for myself about other stuff. But all it took was one muddy ride to give me a buzz that's still making me feel great today!
Can't wait until Sundays ride, so so happy I started riding last year!
That could have been me writing that!
Might try and get down to you this Sunday. Complete with lolcats.
Edit: Supposed to be going Go-Karting. BIkes tend to win out in this sort of situation thoguh.
Completely agree. If you're stressed you're all keyed up for fight or flee. Riding or going to the gym gives you that release.
let the endorphins flow 😀
+1
thumbs up to the OP!
I suffer with chronic depression. I totally agree a ride is usually brilliant fir cheering me up. My biggest problem is though that when I'm having an attack actually getting out on the bike is a big problem. Getting out of bed is. Even though I know that a ride will do me the world of good but the internal war is a real problem
Not really saying anything other than what I experience.
My advise to anyone who is down/stressed and rides or walks would be , if you can get yourself out the door do it, you'll feel much better for it.
Good health people.
You're not wrong Phil. I'm still running on the joy from the last Swinley Sex Party!
(How "going to the gym" can compare is waaaay beyond me though!)
Endorphin release Dez, innit.
[i]Endorphin release Dez, innit.[/i]
Oh I understand that, but... indoors, solo, working out for the sake of it, no bike involved, it's a GYM, etc... the mental health part of it just doesn't come close to the utter JOY of mounting bicycling.
Getting out and cycling again has certainly helped my mental health over the last few years, although it does dip during the dark winter months.
However, the length of daylight is getting noticeably longer each day and it won't be long before I don't need to take lights out for an early evening ride and as spring arrives I get a wonderful feeling as I start to see the plants around me starting to grow again.
Oh I really do love the light half of the year 🙂
That could have been me writing that!
Me too! Convincing me even more to go for a ride after work. 😉
' indoors, solo, working out for the sake of it, no bike involved'... staring at tight booties in lycra.
Lifts my spirits anyway.
[i]staring at tight booties in lycra.[/i]
I did that at Swinley 😉
I completely agree about this. I know getting out for a ride will help me out in the head, but it's often such a struggle, mentally, to get myself moving.
And I think it's more than just the endorphin release. If you're doing it properly, you end up concentrating solely on the riding, getting rid of all the other clutter and sort of "resetting" your mind. My head-bloke told me I needed to be more "mindful", and I find riding, boarding, running or just listening to the right tunes does that for me without any effort.
LOL, I wasn't wearing lycra at Swinley though...
And there aren't any mirrors at Swinley either...
I very much doubt that if I hadnt pretty much based my life around riding and for the friends ive made through it I would have done myself in a good couple of years ago.
When times are bad and my manic depression is more manic than usual the only reliable fall back is getting out and riding some down hill. Its hard to worry about anything when you're hurtling through the air.
Just counting down to the clocks change when I can get out riding each night after work and when I know I'll be 100 times happier again.
Sorry to hear that phil, had been wondering about the lack of lolcats. 🙁
Can I say that fresh air is good for one's mental health, not just riding? Snowdrops and daffodils a-plenty with the prospect of much bluebell-ness not far away. 8)
Anyone know the name of the guy who takes pics of his Weimaraner wearing hats and clothes? Did make me giggle!
These will do for now!
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William Wegman is the guy:
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Simple pleasures eh? 🙂
Oh - didn't you know - it's official - [url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2011/02/happiness_work_sleep_and_bicyc.html ]cos the BBC say so[/url]
[i]"By contrast, studies comparing the experiences of commuting by bicycle and car report that cyclists find their mode of transport at least as flexible and convenient as those who use cars, with lower stress and greater feelings of freedom, relaxation and excitement."[/i]
they missed off "and danger"
The hardest part of the ride is between the sofa and the garage.
Well, I'm chuckling at the hounds even if you lot aren't. 🙄
exercise is good for mental health, i don't know a single colleague that'd dispute that....
but riding teh dandyhorses through the muddy woods with friends, for me anyway, is on another level.
I agree
Riding in the gym ain't the same
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It's an even split between riding bikes and the simple pleasure of being out in the woods. Whatever, it's helped to keep me sane these last two decades. I frequently daydream about singletrack (the ever-winding trails, not this forum....).
For the same reason, [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-simple-pleasures-of-mountain-biking ]this remains[/url] pretty much my favourite STW thread ever.
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I agree completely. Cycling clears my head, clears any stress, clears anxiety and worry and centres my brain. It reminds me that health and happiness is more important than anything else and empties my head of worries giving me a blank page of freedom.
Spot on. Chin up Phil 🙂
Good for mental health, bad for physical health*
*If you hit a tree backwards after careening off a jump at the wrong angle 😉
Damn you Torminalis!
I leave the internet for 10 mins and you steal my post!
I leave the internet for 10 mins and you steal my post!
You snooze, you... erm... benefit from power naps?
*stares at Torminalis with from behind two strategically placed matchsticks*
I'm watching you 😯
Have a biking related lolcat
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I know that when I go for a ride, either alone or with friends, I'll feel so much better in myself afterwards.
twas no jump.... twas but a mini-bump not even big enough to be called a proper bump.... i've gone over dropped curbs with higher levels of gnar than that little ripple in the surface.
but that doesnt distract from the fact i managed to hit with with enough speed to convince myself i could keep flying until the next ripple thus creating a "gap jump of near biblical proportions" out of nothing.
i swear the woodland creatures gave me a round of applause as i cruised through the air in slow motion.
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seeing at STW was down this morning i spent some time creating this so show exactly how special my crash was.
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*makes mental note that MS Paint is not a socially acceptable form of communication on STW*
Well, I was impressed Phil, sums it up nicely!
Note for next time: get riser bars and keep your pedals more level 😉
i have some new pimpin' purple risers, if i crash again i'm complaining to raceface.
No. I loved it Phil, you captured the position you landed in perfectly.
I got distracted by another thread and something my boss calls my job.
That picture is legendary. Or will be one day...
i'll post it every now and then on threads completely unrelated, it'll be the new lolcat i tellsya!