Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Need some motivation

OK, I was off the bike for 3 weeks while my knee recovered from my fall, luckily no ligament damage :) but we did find a 3mm cyst actually attached to the the inside of the PCL which is where my pain is coming from. :( Will have surgery at the end of June as I have a couple of work project I must finish, but all in all, no massive amounts of pain, just a light consistant hurt. The cyst is being pinch between the PCL and the end of the femur. The good news is I will only be down for a couple of days and was told to start riding on the 3rd or 4th day after.

While I have been given permission to ride, I am finding I now have a lack of desire at the moment. Weird thing is during the 3 weeks I was down, I was hating it because I could not ride, now that I can, I don't. Only have 73 miles since given the ok, which in reality is not bad cause it has only been 6 days, but it's almost like my pilot light was blown out. I was in really great riding condition and was ready to tackle my century ride at the end of May, then I got hurt and now I can't seem to get myself on the bike. I did ride 40 miles on Tueday in 2 hrs 20 mins, so I have maintained my speed, but I was definitly hurting toward the end.

Anyone coming back from injury, did you have this issue??? What finally got you back in the groove??

That light consistent hurt will drop your motivation to ride. When I am low on the motivation scale, all I generally have to do is remember that I don't have to ride, it's not a requirement! I just remember WHY i'm riding and look back at my old pics. That's part of why I have my blog up as well.......as a journal to remind me where I was vs Where I am now.

Maybe a few days break will be good for ya, just take it easy and then start easing back in, just let that knee heal right, so you don't have issues later. Keep it fun rather than a chore.


OK, I was off the bike for 3 weeks while my knee recovered from my fall, luckily no ligament damage :) but we did find a 3mm cyst actually attached to the the inside of the PCL which is where my pain is coming from. :( Will have surgery at the end of June as I have a couple of work project I must finish, but all in all, no massive amounts of pain, just a light consistant hurt. The cyst is being pinch between the PCL and the end of the femur. The good news is I will only be down for a couple of days and was told to start riding on the 3rd or 4th day after.

While I have been given permission to ride, I am finding I now have a lack of desire at the moment. Weird thing is during the 3 weeks I was down, I was hating it because I could not ride, now that I can, I don't. Only have 73 miles since given the ok, which in reality is not bad cause it has only been 6 days, but it's almost like my pilot light was blown out. I was in really great riding condition and was ready to tackle my century ride at the end of May, then I got hurt and now I can't seem to get myself on the bike. I did ride 40 miles on Tueday in 2 hrs 20 mins, so I have maintained my speed, but I was definitly hurting toward the end.

Anyone coming back from injury, did you have this issue??? What finally got you back in the groove??

That light consistent hurt will drop your motivation to ride.
True, very true. It's like a little needle poke with every pedal stroke, hey look I made a rhyme. :p

True, very true. It's like a little needle poke with every pedal stroke, hey look I made a rhyme. :p
Well, do you have Longfellows feet?:p

I know the feeling. Whenever I get out of the habit, it's like a neverending cycle (hah!!) for me. I can find any excuse in the book to avoid cycling when those moods hit, but never the one to get me on the cycle.

However, I've found a couple new ones. There are so many people out there who have it waaay worse than I, and keep breaking boundaries. So I remember, hey, I ain't got it so bad.

Really, pain sucks, but it's temporary. And it's physical. Mental always beats physical, my former 567 pounds were proof of that!

Nope I didn't know it:p

I know the feeling. Whenever I get out of the habit, it's like a neverending cycle (hah!!) for me. I can find any excuse in the book to avoid cycling when those moods hit, but never the one to get me on the cycle.

However, I've found a couple new ones. There are so many people out there who have it waaay worse than I, and keep breaking boundaries. So I remember, hey, I ain't got it so bad.

Really, pain sucks, but it's temporary. And it's physical. Mental always beats physical, my former 567 pounds were proof of that!

It's actually mind over matter, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter. :rolleyes:

I find that the best argument with yourself, is to make a deal for a short ride, even a couple of K, once your out there, you never go the one or 2K in the deal, because you end up feeling good to be out there, and end up turning the bike lights on because it's hours later.. Heck I set personal distance records on days I didn't want to ride, until I get out there.....

There's an ad in the Mountain Bike magazine that says "Lacking motivation to go riding?...I have two words for you....Floppy Manboobs"

Stop by your local hospital emergency room and look at the heart attack cases getting hauled in. Ask yourself if you want to be in their situation.

Sitting on the couch rather than on the bike may be more comfortable now, but it will buy you more misery than you can possibly imagine.

You might have to build back up for a couple of weeks. Just try to remember how bad it sucks to not be able to ride, and be thankful that you can again and just get off the frickin couch and go do it and be thankful that you can. And did I say anything about being thankful that you can do it?

So my motivation is my 16 year old daughter, You can check out her skills at:
http://www.alpinebike.com/Videos/Sovereign.mpg

If I don't keep riding, there is no way I will be able to keep up with her, as it is now she waits for me at the top of the hill :).

also I make a cameo in the video, look for a big chubby clyde standing at the top of the hill watching as she rides down the trail.

The link is not working for me.

So my motivation is my 16 year old daughter, You can check out her skills at:
http://www.alpinebike.com/Videos/Sovereign.mpg

If I don't keep riding, there is no way I will be able to keep up with her, as it is now she waits for me at the top of the hill :).

also I make a cameo in the video, look for a big chubby clyde standing at the top of the hill watching as she rides down the trail.


Very cool, looks like a lot of fun.

JumboRider, try a save link as and view run it from you computer. Might work better if you are still having problems PM me :).

There are so many people out there who have it waaay worse than I, and keep breaking boundaries. So I remember, hey, I ain't got it so bad.


On the same theme, from my blog:

http://historian2wheels.blogspot.com/2007/03/book-review-one-mans-leg-by-paul-martin.html

In 1992 Paul Martin was a salesman in training with Lincoln Electric in Cleveland, Ohio. In that year, his life changed after an accident cost him his left leg. His strong interest in sports led him away from business and to the life of athletic competition. His 1995 participation in the New York Marathon led him to believe that "anything I wanted to do, in any field, for any reason, was possible. If I dedicated myself to any reasonable goal, I could ultimately achieve it." One Man's Leg is Martin's account of his life as a disabled athlete.

Martin's story, and thus his book, reminds me of an autobiography by a rather more famous bicyclist, Lance Armstrong. Both men overcame rocky childhoods and health struggles that would have defeated many people. Both went on to become superior sportsmen. Both rode bikes competitively, among other sports - Martin specializes in triathlon, like the young Armstrong did. But one seemingly minor difference struck me. In his book, Armstrong specifically makes the statement that he became a better man because of his cancer. Martin leaves unstated the fact that had he remained a two-legged salesman in corporate America, he would be less of a person.

Another difference, and one that makes Martin's book, and himself, somewhat more approachable than Armstrong's, is that Martin's sports career was played as an amateur. While he did have sponsors, the sponsorship money was a lot smaller than the millions provided the US Postal and Discovery bike teams. Martin's decision to turn his back on a stable income to pursue sports will seem crazy to some, and being so hard up you have to sell your bike to pay the rent isn't a position anyone wants to be in. And yet, the author makes such a life look easy. Or at least easy compared to winning a race on only one leg.

Martin apologizes in his book for his skill with a pen, although no apology is needed. One Man's Leg is a well-written account of a sporting life well-lived, one so well-lived that the word "disabled" doesn't apply.

Paul Martin's website is http://www.onemansleg.triathletesonline.com

OK, I was off the bike for 3 weeks while my knee recovered from my fall, luckily no ligament damage :) but we did find a 3mm cyst actually attached to the the inside of the PCL which is where my pain is coming from. :( Will have surgery at the end of June as I have a couple of work project I must finish, but all in all, no massive amounts of pain, just a light consistant hurt. The cyst is being pinch between the PCL and the end of the femur. The good news is I will only be down for a couple of days and was told to start riding on the 3rd or 4th day after.

While I have been given permission to ride, I am finding I now have a lack of desire at the moment. Weird thing is during the 3 weeks I was down, I was hating it because I could not ride, now that I can, I don't. Only have 73 miles since given the ok, which in reality is not bad cause it has only been 6 days, but it's almost like my pilot light was blown out. I was in really great riding condition and was ready to tackle my century ride at the end of May, then I got hurt and now I can't seem to get myself on the bike. I did ride 40 miles on Tueday in 2 hrs 20 mins, so I have maintained my speed, but I was definitly hurting toward the end.

Anyone coming back from injury, did you have this issue??? What finally got you back in the groove??

I was a bit tentative when I came back from my, ahem, male issue that kept me off the bike for about a week. Once feeling returned I cautiously resumed riding. That's one difference between our situations, Brian; you still have the feeling of pain, and I didn't. (Actually I had the feeling of numbness, but that's close enough.) Taking it easy isn't something to beat yourself up about under the circumstances. Once the problem is taken care of your fire will return.

OK, I was off the bike for 3 weeks while my knee recovered from my fall, luckily no ligament damage :) but we did find a 3mm cyst actually attached to the the inside of the PCL which is where my pain is coming from. :( Will have surgery at the end of June as I have a couple of work project I must finish, but all in all, no massive amounts of pain, just a light consistant hurt. The cyst is being pinch between the PCL and the end of the femur. The good news is I will only be down for a couple of days and was told to start riding on the 3rd or 4th day after.

While I have been given permission to ride, I am finding I now have a lack of desire at the moment. Weird thing is during the 3 weeks I was down, I was hating it because I could not ride, now that I can, I don't. Only have 73 miles since given the ok, which in reality is not bad cause it has only been 6 days, but it's almost like my pilot light was blown out. I was in really great riding condition and was ready to tackle my century ride at the end of May, then I got hurt and now I can't seem to get myself on the bike. I did ride 40 miles on Tueday in 2 hrs 20 mins, so I have maintained my speed, but I was definitly hurting toward the end.

Anyone coming back from injury, did you have this issue??? What finally got you back in the groove??

I can relate, about the time you did your knee in, I strained my back, the first 3 days, I couldn't even walk, even an attempt was excruciating. It's pretty much back to normal, although the doctor says, don't lift anything for another week, and then only up to about 5kg (11lbs) for another two weeks, and then it should be fine.

I find what works for me, is planned rides, for example I plan on 6 rides of about 12km each this week (72km total -- about 45 miles), not a lot, maybe bump that to 80 something the next week, 90 something the week after. I ride a MTB converted to a hybrid, so for a road ride of more then about 60km, it's the wrong bike, maybe I'll try and pick up an old road bike somewhere, for $100 or so, patch it up and use that for some longer rides. I don't know.....

I can relate, about the time you did your knee in, I strained my back, the first 3 days, I couldn't even walk, even an attempt was excruciating. It's pretty much back to normal, although the doctor says, don't lift anything for another week, and then only up to about 5kg (11lbs) for another two weeks, and then it should be fine.

I find what works for me, is planned rides, for example I plan on 6 rides of about 12km each this week (72km total -- about 45 miles), not a lot, maybe bump that to 80 something the next week, 90 something the week after. I ride a MTB converted to a hybrid, so for a road ride of more then about 60km, it's the wrong bike, maybe I'll try and pick up an old road bike somewhere, for $100 or so, patch it up and use that for some longer rides. I don't know.....

This is basically what I am planning and will be going out tonight, but still looking at some heavy winds do to the tropical storm that came through yesterday. Really loved the rain, about 3.5 inches at my house, but could use a lot more though.

I have come to the conclusion that most of my mental barriers are due to the physical issues. The small pinches of pain are really getting old and I just have decided to work through it and try to "ignore" them as much as possible. I know I am not doing any damage, which is good, so if I stick to 20 miles or less, I should be ok. I also figure that since I have been favoring the good leg, stretching before I ride is more of a must do item which will help with the stiffness while I am riding.

I appreciate everyones advice.

Gotta say, seeing folks handcycling in Philly this weekend was very inspirational. I surpassed my miles-in-a-day record! (The Historian (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=82612) gets most of the credit for that, but seeing that certainly helped.)