Training & Nutrition - no direction training

I am currently riding between 18 and 21 miles six days a week, and due to work and home life I only have between 60 and 90 minutes to ride (that goes for most weekends also)
my question is I have no goals in mind, except to bike and to bike a faster, and I am starting to feel that I am in a rut (I still love to ride, I just feel like I am going in circles)
The LBC (local bike club),there is only one, rides on Tues at 5pm and I have a meeting at work from 5pm-7pm, so riding with them is out of the picture
I was wondering what can I do to "spicy" my bike life up? Do you think that just having a simple goal would help me? Has this ever happend to you?

Have you tried maybe getting up earlier in the morning ? Maybe 6 days a week is too much... are you feeling burned out, or jsut bored with your regualr routes ?? If you are looking to get faster.. why not mix in a ride full on intervals once or twice a week... some high RPM riding will always get you going a little faster... I have the same problem from time to time.. i usually take a week off about every 5-6 weeks, and do something else, swimming, running, work around the house... recharges the batteries... then I am more focused when I get back into riding...

hope this helps... lemme know what ya figure out

Jeff

I am feeling bored more then anything else...
I just resently (last week) started riding in the morning on Tue. and Thurs. with a guy who is training for a sprint tri.
would the high RPM riding be for the whole ride or part, and increase in cadence from the 90 the i am doing now to 100?
Thanks for the help

Hi,
you need a goal. Plan on doing something, train for it; and then go do it. Ride a Century,or try Cat 5 racing,or join your pal in (blecch!) a triathalon.

Try varying your routes more. If you have a MTB, go out and explore some trails or dirt roads.

Also try planning in advance for some extra time to ride. Say one or two weekend mornings each month that you can devote to a longer ride by yourself or with a group. Look for some charity rides you can go to. You get some variety, plenty of others to ride with, and lots of friendly support.

as far as the club goes, maybe talk to them and see if theres interest in adding another ride during the week. just becuase theres only one now doesnt mean there cant be more if you set it up :)

aluckyfiji: Try different things on your ride such as:

- sprinting past every speed limit sign you see. As soon as you see it, start sprinting until you get past it

- ride the entire ride by only changing gears on the front chain rings.

- try to find someone who can ride with you

Zack

Just some random thoughts:


Look for a triathalon or duathalon in your area.
If you live near a state park a weekend camping trip might be nice. Pedal-Camp-Pedal, that sort of thing.
Create an "index ride". This is a measured route that you know exactly how long it takes to complete. It should be away from traffic as much as possible. Ride this like a time trial about once a month or so.


Dan

Thanks for all the advice, when ever it stops rainning here I am going to start doing some of the suggesion, just not the ones that invovle running, I hate running!!!
But I think I will look into some local Cat 5 races and/or things like that

don't wait for the rain to stop! Some of my most enjoyable rides have been in the rain. Of course it does suck when you short out a cellphone due to it getting wet :(

Zack

It is not the rain that bothers me, it is the drivers in the rain, they cant drive in the sun, so I do not want to give them another reason not to drive, and it is the 30+ mph wind and the lighting that comes with our storms, i had the top 12 feet of a tree down in my yard for the storm that came through on tues.