LordMarv

So I'm wondering how you folks deal with a long ride home from work, after a really tiring day at work? Sure I know getting your head in the right frame of mind helps, etc. My scenario: I work 12 hr night shifts at a hospital, get off at 7:30 am. I have an 8 mile ride home, most of it is a very gentle but uphill ride. There are various routes I can use, but all uphill. I'm not a young dude, I'm older, not athletic and still some overweight. I just started this bike commuting this last spring, and I'm even riding here in the winter when the roads are dry and ice free. While it's easier than it was at first (I thought I was gonna die...lol), it still is a terrific slog home after working all night. I do drink a sports drink before I ride home (Hammer Heed and sometimes I try their gel). But it's like I've hit a plateau or something. A mile into the ride home I am just exhausted, and I continue exhausted the rest of the way home. (and yes, I have seen a Dr, no probs there). Sometimes I'm so tired I have to pull over pretty frequently and rest for a minute before continuing. Have any of you experienced this, and will I eventually get conditioned to it? Do you have any advice? Granted, had I been in good shape or had ridden for 10 years prior I wouldn't be facing this fatigue, but better late than never. Thought I'd ask. Thanks.

WestPablo

Both age and conditioning are definite factors that contribute to your dilemma. Remember, your commute home is all uphill. Just keep taking those frequent breaks until those breaks become less frequent. Whenever your body talks, you must always listen. After a certain age, pushing your physical limitations becomes closer to pushing your luck!

*As your physical conditioning improves, I'm most certain that the uphill commute home will seem shorter with less frequent breaks

acidfast7

I usually work 8a-8p and it's the cheapest way home. The bus is £2.50 one way and a taxi is £7.50. Therefore, if I skip the bus, I'm OK with getting a pint at the pub!

If I'm totally wiped, I just take it slow ... but I haven't missed a single day of bike commuting since my bike arrive ... quite soon it will have payed for itself in saved bus fare!

nyrikki

You may want to try upping your cadence and down shift a bit more. It is really easy to try to push to the limit all the time and to be honest the hardest thing for me to learn was to hold back a bit when climbing.

As for motivation I try to focus on the little things, like making sure my pedal stroke is smooth or counting the number of light polls I am passing. A large part of climbing is mental and I find it useful to forget that I am fighting the battle.

And yes, it will get better.

good luck

Trakhak

"still some overweight": that means that you're trying to lose weight, right? You probably find it easy to make it through your 12-hour shift without eating much, but following 12 hours of not eating much with an 8-mile uphill commute would be exhausting for almost anyone, regardless of fitness level; i.e., you might need more than a sport drink before starting the commute.

MrCjolsen

**********
In general, the way I motivate myself to ride home is the simple fact that the only other option is to stay at work. Since elementary teachers who sleep in their classrooms are looked upon with suspicion (as well should be), that's generally enough to get me on my bike.

rolliepollie

That's why I got an ebike lol. For the return trip home when I'm tired and uphill.

spdntrxi

was going to say e-bike as well… power will be there when you need it.

droy45

Not sure how old you are but I am 54 and commute regularly 15.5 hilly miles one way. I am in very good condition even though the statistics say I should loose about 10 more lbs. All I have is a little belly and no fat anywhere else. I spend 3 hours per day on my bike and totally enjoy it. It is nice to clear my head at night after a stressful day in the office. Granted I am sitting all day at a desk so my body is ready to go in the evening. I never get tired, My knees start to bother me if I push too hard and my arms and shoulders feel like they have done some work but that's about it. I try to pace myself after all its not a race.

thrllskr

Lord Marv,
I have a long work day also. I too feel your exhaustion shortly after the ride starts. I have a 10.3 mile commute home with a verticle climb of 950+ feet depending on the route.
Here is what works for me as I have experienced exactly what you have.
1. I always eat a banana and nuts before I leave work. You can't eat right before you go or the nuts will not do their job. I try to do this 30 minutes before I leave.
2. I start out slow for the first .25miles. I mean slow speed with a high cadence to get my muscles working.
3. I gradually pick up the speed

It was that simple for me. Yes, there are a few more little tweeks that I made that are personal preferences. Maybe the power drink with some fat and protein will do the trick. The sugar runs outs fast then you hit that time...you look at your wheels to see if they are low or flat? wonder if the wind is blowing in your face? contemplate what is broken on your bike because you are going way slow and figure you just have a heavier back pack that day LOL.

I-Like-To-Bike

Try listening to music or audiobooks while you ride. I look forward to listening to audiobooks while riding and a good book provides motivation to ride some more and find out whodunit.

CommuteCommando

So, you've been doing it about six months. My first week was brutal, six months on it had moved up to slog. Now, three years on it is "bring it on!" Be patient. I started at about 290, am now at 205. When I get to 180 I'll be killing those hills.

+1

spivonious

You will eventually get used to it, but it never gets easier; you only get faster.

Do your muscles ache, or are they just weak-feeling?

You might try taking a few days off to rest your muscles. Make sure you're eating enough protein and drinking enough water. I stay away from the sports drinks. They're mostly sugar, which only provides short-term energy. You'll want to focus more on carbohydrates and protein for long term energy.

I've been riding regularly for about 15 months now. It took me a few months to build up to being able to ride every day. Even now, if I take a few days off (for bad weather, vacation, whatever) it takes a few days to get back into it.

Giant Doofus

This sounds like really good advice. Eating real food about 30 minutes before you leave -- instead of an energy drink right before -- may give you the energy boost you need.

I don't have an e-bike, but I also don't think there's anything wrong with going that route if it helps you keep up with the commuting. You won't work as hard as you would without the electric assist, but it's still better for you than driving would be. Good luck!

tjspiel

I don't have an answer for you but I do know that working graveyard shifts can really mess with people. Before you started biking was your normal routine to head home and basically crash?

It could be that your mind and body are accustomed to getting rest after work and not prepared for engaging in athletic endeavors. Most of us still have several hours of activity after work and before heading to bed.

jyl

I agree w/ the others. Sounds like you are getting stronger and fitter, even if you still have a ways to go, so everything is moving in the right direction.

Keep at it, in another six months the ride will feel easy. Eat something a half hour before riding - banana, energy bar, half sandwich, etc - then as you ride, have ready a water bottle filled with sugar water (aka energy drink). You're probably working hard all night and by the time of your ride home, your fuel tank is low. Gear down (lower gear/higher cadence) and take it easy if you need to.

Don't get an e-bike, there is no need for an 8 mile "gently rising" commute, and it will get in the way of improving your fitness.

FBinNY 

A common mistake folks make on shallow uphill rides and long grades is failing to account for the difference in the amount of work done vs. riding on the flat.

They end up riding in a gear higher than they should and trying to maintain more speed than they're capable of maintaining over a long period. Shift down to a gear and ride at a speed comparable to the effort you put out on the flat (at a cost in time needed for the trip). This will keep you from being tired out during the climb.

BTW- even experienced riders make this same error and work too hard on long grades, especially shallow long grades. It's largely because of this effect that I prefer routes with short steep hills to those with long grades.

Take your time, ride at a sustainable pace, and don't let frustration set in. Also understand that temperature also plays a role. Over my many years riding year round, I've come to the conclusion that I'm most powerful (and fastest) at about 50-55°, and my efficiency drops off significantly at temps below 45° or above 80.

ThermionicScott 

tsl had a good post in another thread (might have been in the 50+ forum), about the physical adaptations that are required when you pick up an activity after a lull. I'll try to find it, but the gist was that it just takes time (years) for your body to build up the foundation for strong and fast cycling, especially when you're a little older. The take-home was: just keep working at it, your body is still adjusting, you'll get stronger/faster.

EDIT: Found it!

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...?#post15008548

BobbyG

Make sure your drivetrain and wheels are properly lubed. Also check to see how much flex is in the rear of your frame, (the seat-stays and chain stays). I had an issue with my road bike where I mis-centered the wheel or didn't tighten it and every time I pedaled in earnest the wheel would rub against the brake or the frame. And then sometimes the old sidepul brakes would bind and rub. Not enough to notice on coasting, but enough to make the pedaling tougher, especially with the flexing.

dramiscram

There's the physical side of it but there's also a psychological side about motivation: if you wish to be home before you leave work the ride will probably be a pain in the ass. I see it as a good way to calm down after a hard day of work. If I'm slower or tired or suffering from a bad headwind so be it, I take the time, I walk a bit if I feel I must. I always ride with my Ipod so I can enjoy my favorite music or, in winter time, a hockey game live on the radio (Montréal Canadiens vs New-Jersey Devils tonight at 7 pm)

Erwin8r

This is how I see it. I look forward to my bike after a long day at the office. It's my escape...

tsl

Dinner.

It's the only motivation I need to get home.

As for your fatigue situation, fuel yourself about 90 minutes before your ride, instead of right before. I have an apple, an orange, and a granola bar. That's what works for me.

tsl

Every now and again it comes out coherently. Thanks for the quote!

treal512

Just as a preface, I'm fairly young and in pretty good shape. So I've been riding up the same downtown hill on my way to class (the building I go to is at the top of the hill/campus) just about every single day (M-F) for the last 2.5 years now and to this day the hill still gives me trouble. I don't have to get off my bike to catch my breath and I maintain a good pace through the entire hill now, but it's all been a very gradual process.

Now when I reach the top of the hill I'm winded, but not nearly as much as I used to be. If I think back 6 months, I used to get to the top of the hill, dramatically drop my pace, and really take it easy on the initial flatland. 6 months before that I would really slow my pace about half way up the hill to catch my breath so I could finish the rest of the hill strong. 6 months before that I would fight the urge to dismount after the first half of the hill, but always pushed myself past that craving. Anyways, those aren't exactly accurate time frames, but you get my drift. The hill still sucks (mostly because of how long it is), but I'm cycling faster now and meeting steep gradients with more power and motivation than ever before. Hang in there, bud!

ps. I'd also like to mention as a side note, one thing that has seemed to help me in the hills, aside from proper gearing/breathing, is exercising (squats, lunges, etc.) my lower legs.

LordMarv

All excellent suggestions and advice, I thank you all! I really do enjoy riding bike after all these years, the feeling of freedom, being out in the open, seeing things you don't see riding in a car, make it all worth while. Even the looks on some folks in cars faces when you pass them as they are stuck in stop and go traffic makes it worthwhile...lol. There are bike commuters in my area, not so many, and very few in cold weather. The weather here is pretty bitter right now, 6 F (-15 C) with 8 inches of snow on the roads...but still I find myself getting ancy to get out and ride when the roads are a little more clear.
I will take up your suggestions, especially about eating more during the shift...I'm guilty of mostly drinking coffee and eating little, and I knew that wasn't helping matters. Guess I was impatient too, feeling I should be more conditioned to the ride than I am. Just takes more time and determination...and I have both for sure. You folks are great people on this forum, and I want to thank you all again for your advice!!

And Thank You, Tsl, for the link to that thread...I'm in the middle of reading it...very Excellent, informative thread!