Fifty Plus (50+) - When the job kills you????????

Ok guys, thought I would put this one here as I am not 50 but almost there. What to do when the Job is literally killing you? I drive a Tri Axle Dump truck, I am up at 3:30-4 am and home by 4 usually. the. All day I am getting beat to a pulp by the truck, dizzy and wasted. By the time I get home I am damn near comatose, let alone in any shape to ride a bike. As usual there are other things to do in life on weekends besides ride. The question is if I can get in a ride on Sat and Sun almost every week will that be enough to stay in shape and actually gain in performance?? I will be getting my new bike in a week or 2, Fuji Newest 2.0 and am really thinking I made a mistake buying it. Anyone in a like situation??

Thanks Tony

Start simple. Take it out for a ride on weekends. Try short rides some weeknights after getting home.

Hopefully you will find it a stress reliever. The exercise is also different from what you get in the day and may in fact make you start to feel better after a few weeks.

all the while you will slowly be building bicycle fitness which will allow more agressive rides. Mostly have fun. Ride around and look at things, feel the spring weather. The bicycle will become a mini vacation every day.

good luck and good riding.

Yes. I am in a job that makes me wish away 5 years of my life by wanting to retire now. At the end of a Day I am shattered. and most of my riding is at the weekends. However- I did for a couple of years manage to get the evening rides in once or twice a week. That is hard again- but I do two rides in the evenings. Tuesday I go out for a quick blast on a 5 mile route. I am now up to sprinting that distance and it does seem to be working. Then on Thursdays I go out for a few hills. Normally around 20 miles and it is hard to get home- get the bike out and exercise. I forced myself to do it at the start of the winter- but now it is part of my riding week.

As to only doing one ride a week. I had to do this for many years but it does work on weight control and fitness. Not as good as getting a little extra in but it does help to keep the Medics at bay.

I'm a car mechanic and during the summer it's over 100 degrees here, plus I work under the hood while the evil things are running. I am cooked after a long summer day running around in the sun and my performance on the bike suffers. Still, if I can go out for an hour or two once during the week, it makes me feel better, at least mentally.

My thinking, is that the more you ride, the better shape you'll be in and the less your job will take out of you. Then of course, there is the mental aspect. Riding does something good to your positive well being.

My thinking, is that the more you ride, the better shape you'll be in and the less your job will take out of you. Then of course, there is the mental aspect. Riding does something good to your positive well being.That's the point I was trying to make, the mental aspect. It really helps me face the thought of going to work the next day to suffer.

Trying to keep 17 and 18 year olds interested in Chemistry is exhausting. Throw in coaching Science Olympiad for three quarters of the school year and I feel like I run marathons each day. I love it, but by the end of the I am wiped out. I still try to ride at least 20 miles a day.

When I get off the bike I am ready for the next day. I feel refreshed and calm. The mental calming helps me with the interactions with the kids, the parents and the administration. Sometimes things get so crazy in high schools, that without the bike rides I wouldn't be able to do it.

Tony,

As someone who lived in NJ most of my life and also loved cycling, I found it a remarkable tonic to move to Virginia, where the roads are more open and beautiful. Here in the Charlottesville area, unemployment is well under 3 percent and housing, by Jersey standards, is affordable. PM me if you want some job leads. I'l see what I can do.

You can not be in any worse shape than I was after a 14 year layoff from almost all sports. Today I am still trying to figure out why I did that. Anayway. Take it slow.
When I started out I would come home looking like heck and proud to have done 10 miles. If you have a rail trail or path that may be a good place to get going without the issue of traffic.

... there are other things to do in life on weekends besides ride.

What language is this written in? I don't understand what it means. ;)

It does not compute
It does not compute
It does not compute

Familiar story here: I work in an unairconditioned machine shop in Texas. It's brutal from June to September, but I get in two or three weekday evening rides every week, and longer rides on the weekend.

Being in great aerobic shape helps with everything. I'm convinced I tolerate the shop conditions better because of my riding, and I don't worry about keeling over with a heat attack while mowing my yard on one of those 105 degree evenings.

Thanks guys, Yes I guess you are right, the better shape I am in the easier the job will be on me. I did try that route once and it was next to impossible but I will try it again. Maybe when I get the new bike my drive will increase?

Jet, Thanks, I have heard that about old Virginee, there are alot of people moving there from here, NC too. Unfortunately with my daughter in college I will have to wait a few more years to finally get out of this mad house NJ.

Thanks Tony

What language is this written in? I don't understand what it means. ;)

It does not compute
It does not compute
It does not compute

Sometimes you have to oil the chain or true the wheels or replace the brake pads :rolleyes:

I hear ya. I have a stressful job in high tech in the Boston area. Add to that a 1.5 hr commute each way. By the time I get home it's 7:00PM and I would much rather sit on my deck and have a beer. But last year I started riding and also quit smoking. My normal routine then was to do a short 3 mile route of hills around the neighborhood and maybe 10-15 miles on weekends. But then I ventured out of the hood and 3 miles became 5, then 7, then 10. I now try to do the 10 miles at least 3 nights a week and at least 30-40 on weekends. I have to admit that I feel better than I did when I was 40. Just start slow and let it happen.

Tony,

As someone who lived in NJ most of my life and also loved cycling, I found it a remarkable tonic to move to Virginia, where the roads are more open and beautiful. Here in the Charlottesville area, unemployment is well under 3 percent and housing, by Jersey standards, is affordable. PM me if you want some job leads. I'l see what I can do.

I hope you would include our Charlottesville's office in that group:) I keep asking my manager to send me there for a month or two this summer but he keeps insisting the online "meeting place" can handle all the required meetings:(

Don't listen to that voice in your head when it tells you you are too tired or have too little time etc. Make the effort and once you get out on the bike everything gets better. After riding awhile you will develop guilt for not riding which easily overcomes the voice that says you are too tired, its too cold, its raining ...

Just my two cents: I think it's important to build some new behavioral patterns, and to do so slowly, with realistic expectations,and a high level of consistency. Many people find it difficult to stay with a new routine, despite knowing "it will be good for me". I'd encourage you to set some modest goals for when the new bike arrives. Something like ride at least 15 to 20 minutes three times a week. Do this for three weeks and then gradually increase the time and/or frequency. I wouldn't worry about distance, speed, etc. In the early stages you're just trying to build a new habit into your routine. You may find the first few weeks the hardest (most habits don't really take hold untill we've been consistent with them for at least 15 days. Good luck with your efforts.

About these extra rides in the week most of us do. Very often you do not feel like riding- but set a night to go. No matter what you feel like on that night- get the bike out and ride it. You do not have to go fast and you do not have to go far. Only thing is that once you get out there- the tiredness seems to disappear. The lethargy of not wanting to do anything has gone- because you are doing something.

Before you know it- the legs are not too tired so push the speed up a bit. You are not going far so as you are out there you might as well take in a hill, and the breathing gets easier and the Heart rate is well under control. Thats it- you might aswell get a decent ride in as you are out there- but more to the point- The ride you did not feel like doing is left far behind.

I often get spells when I do not want to get out. I have forced myself out on a ride that I did not want to do- but 10 minutes later and I am enjoying it.

yeah I hear all of ya, I do know for a fact then once you get on the bike it's enjoyable. Getting moving to get on the bike is the hard part. I still am smoking ( SSHHHHHH) but you smokers know how that goes. I am hoping that a higher fitness level halps me here too. BUT, I attended school 3 years ago to be a Personal Trainer and did not manage to quit then either, but cig. usage was down as I was in the right environment and not working. We'll see what happens.. Thanks

Tony

One of my secrets to happiness, along with marrying wisely, getting a good education, seeking out a great career path, enjoying worthwhile hobbies, and raising good kids, is aerobic commuting. Bicycling, jogging, or walking has always been an important part of my workday commute since I graduated from high school in 1968.

I was talking to a friend about how I'm not riding as much as I used to. His advise: Get a new bike, nothing will make you want to ride more than a new bike. Your on the right track with your new bike on the way!

Give me a break. My wife wrote 10 books while working full time, raising two kids and making time for me to ride alone AND the two of us to ride together at a slower pace.
I don't mean to be unsympathetic (I'm NOT unsympathetic, really), but all of us except those lucky enough to have retired before they died have conflicts that interfere with our riding. The big eye-opener for me was when I was complaining to a friend and he said, "How much TV do you watch?" I'm not a big television fan, but I figured it out and realized I was doing 90 minutes or so a night, plus an NFL game or two on weekends.
This time of year it's light until nearly 8 p.m. where I live. If you get home at four, that's a lot of time. One thing that often works for me is to go IMMEDIATELY when I get home: Don't sit down "just for a minute," don't turn on the TV--get a drink of water, change clothes and get on the bike. If you only do half an hour, that's half an hour more than you're doing now. usually I feel pretty good five minutes out the door and manage to get in an hour or so (winters are much tougher--then it's dark and 17 degrees when I get home). And buy my wife's books for your kids: www.phantomstallion.com

Give me a break. My wife wrote 10 books while working full time, raising two kids and making time for me to ride alone AND the two of us to ride together at a slower pace.
I don't mean to be unsympathetic (I'm NOT unsympathetic, really), but all of us except those lucky enough to have retired before they died have conflicts that interfere with our riding. The big eye-opener for me was when I was complaining to a friend and he said, "How much TV do you watch?" I'm not a big television fan, but I figured it out and realized I was doing 90 minutes or so a night, plus an NFL game or two on weekends. This time of year it's light until nearly 8 p.m. where I live. If you get home at four, that's a lot of time. One thing that often works for me is to go IMMEDIATELY when I get home: Don't sit down "just for a minute," don't turn on the TV--get a drink of water, change clothes and get on the bike. If you only do half an hour, that's half an hour more than you're doing now. usually I feel pretty good five minutes out the door and manage to get in an hour or so (winters are much tougher--then it's dark and 17 degrees when I get home). And buy my wife's books for your kids: www.phantomstallion.com

Soapbox in place: Get rid of your TV.

I did that 34 years ago; I've never regretted it.

Ride after work, you'll feel a lot better about everything the rest of the evening and all day next day if you do. Just get on it and ride. I work all day everyday too. It's Wednesday night and I've ridden three nights so far this week. It's FUN man, getting on the bike for a nice ride in the evening is not hard to do, it's hard not to do.

Start simple. Take it out for a ride on weekends. Try short rides some weeknights after getting home.

Hopefully you will find it a stress reliever. The exercise is also different from what you get in the day and may in fact make you start to feel better after a few weeks.

all the while you will slowly be building bicycle fitness which will allow more agressive rides. Mostly have fun. Ride around and look at things, feel the spring weather. The bicycle will become a mini vacation every day.

good luck and good riding.

I agree with with maddmaxx's post. This is more or less how my riding has developed.

By the way, good choice on the bike! I just got a Fuji Newest a couple of months ago, and I really like it.

My job didn't have the physical stress some listed above, but constantly increasing case loads, pressure from management to collect more & more $$, confrontational face to face negotiations and occaisional death threats made retirement an easy decision once I hit 65 y.o. My short commute (4mi one way) gave me a daily time for contemplation & spiritual renewal.

Reading the Bible also gave peace of mind but Bicycle commuting probably relieved the most stress, even years ago when I had a very physical job operating a large, sheet fed printing press. Don

Ok guys, thought I would put this one here as I am not 50 but almost there. What to do when the Job is literally killing you?

I do a 2 hour work-out before heading out in the morning...get up a little early, but you get used to it

BTW...one of my wife's office team members has been diagnosed with acute kidney failure caused by stress...her job is literally killing her

Ok guys, yes it sure as S*^t is killing me. There is a big difference between working full time and Coming home a half in a coma. I mean mentally and physically !!!!!!!!! The last thing I want to do when I get home is actually move anymore than I have already done all day. The constant movement, banging, bouncing, twisting, turning, will make anyone crazy. I wish I could just work full time!! I went to school full time for 6 months 3 years ago and it was like being on vacation. I am sure if I had a non physical job I would be much better off all around !!!!!!!!!!!!

T

I drive a Tri Axle Dump truck, All day I am getting beat to a pulp by the truck, dizzy and wasted. By the time I get home I am damn near comatose, let alone in any shape to ride a bike.


I guarantee it. Once you get your bike and ride it, after you get home from work, you'll be surprised how less fatigued you really are. After being beat to death by a truck all day, along with the jarring and rattling, being glued to an air ride seat, breathing diesel fumes, and putting up with traffic, then riding a smooth as silk new bike in the fresh air will be like eternal bliss. Soon you'll be looking forward to the total relaxation of it, looking for excuses to ride after work just to calm down and relax. Riding a bike is fantastic for your physical and mental well being, and is highly addictive my friend.

Just dont sweat the small stuff. Just get out there and ride your bike. The rest will fall into place without you even knowing it. With your increased physical conditioning, you wont be as tired when you get off, ready to ride your bike for yet another enjoyable evening of solitude.

Keep it fun

Hey Wino, I am sure gonna try, 2 weeks ETA for new bike and maybe a whole new outlook !!!!!!

Thanks T

I work in a homeless shelter for women and their children. These women have a history of drug addiction and mental illness. It is drama and stress everyday. I bike to work as many days as I can. If I can not bike to work I keep a spare bike in the office so i can get out during my lunch hour. You must ride your bike for your sanity!!!

Gas, the price of a can of beans

Soapbox in place: Get rid of your TV.

I've never regretted it.

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