linberl

Most of what we do in life is the result of habits, and starting a habit is really hard. When the weather is decent, I ride. When it is not, I hit the gym. If I tried to do both along with everything else, I'd be exhausted too.
Does working out give you a mental boost? Does cycling? I know for me biking is as much a mental restorative as physical and I don't get that same buzz from a gym workout so if I have to choose on a given day, it is a ride over the gym. maybe it is the indoor versus outdoor thing....fresh air and sky. It's normal to ride less in winter, just go when you can.
Get on the bike and ride. Any ride, any amount of time, any speed. Any ride is better than none. Biking is seductive, once you do it you want more. When I don't feel like riding because I am too tired, I tell myself just go take a short ride, no computer, no stress. Usually ends up being a longer ride once I get going =).

Lakerat

You are one ride away from being able to call yourself a cyclist.

Lucillle

I retired early. That meant less $$, less ability to buy nice bikes or anything else. But more time to rest, think, exercise, bake, bike, enjoy the new grand baby. I enjoyed what I did when I worked, but as I got older it was harder and harder to balance everything (and I had increasing hearing issues that made work life a challenge).
I made the right choice for me, and I think it is a valid choice to consider, for some people although it too has plusses and minuses like any choice.

ptempel

+1 Cyclecommuting to work has made a HUGE difference for me. Otherwise, I was lucky to get out once a week if that. Instead of a dog, I have crazy 4yr old toddler. Almost the same thing...

DaveQ24

Actually, I'm going to look at a pedal-assist e mt bike tomorrow with just that thought. I think I could do it in all but the hot months without getting too sweaty to work at my office job. Also, that puts my gym into play because of the time factor, I think I could work it out so I could pop in there for a shower and change most of my clothes, cover up, and do the relatively short commute, about 4 miles, rest of the way.

seedsbelize 

I've found, recently, that drinking much more water, in general, and eating and drinking more while riding, have made a huge difference in my energy levels both on and off the bike.

volosong

Dave, you are not alone. I've been fighting the same battle, but for several years now. The past year or so, I've had excuses, and convince myself that they are valid and as soon as my current situation changes, all will be right with the world again.

My 'slump' began about three years ago. That summer was a very intense one, as concerns getting cycling mileage in. There was a corporate challenge through work, and I was really racking up the miles that summer. Even had a couple of Strava KOMs. Then in August was my birthday ride. For my birthday ride, on one of the weekends that bracket my actual birthday, I ride twice my age in miles and thrice my age in kilometers. That meant that on that particular weekend, I needed to ride 124 miles.

So, I picked out a fairly flat route that ran from San Bernardino to Huntington Beach, and back. It was a gentle downgrade to the beach with the on-shore breeze at my back on the way home. Easy route, right?

As is typical for me, by the time I awoke, packed up the bike, drove to the northern end of SART, (Santa Ana River Trail), and hit the bike path, it was somewhere around 11:00 a.m. The ride to the beach was fine. Made good time, just a couple of stops, great weather, no problems. Only downer was that I took a newer route through Norco and Corona, through which the off-road trail is non-existent. The ride through Norco was particularity stressful. Besides being a town of cyclist-hating horsemen, the roads were in very poor physical condition without any shoulder to speak of. For the first time in a long time, I was fearful of being hit. At the beach, I spent about 30 minutes eating lunch and chatting with another cyclist, then headed back.

Sure enough, I had the wind behind me, and that was good. However, it wasn't more than twenty miles or so that I realized that I was making more frequent 'rest' stops and taking a bit longer at each one. As I finally got near Corona/Norco, my mind started messing with me. I was thinking that by the time I got to Corona, it would be dark or nearly dark. I had lights, but didn't really relish the thought of 'fighting' the broken pavement and discourteous drivers in Norco. I was obviously fatigued, and quite possibly in the pre-bonk stage, or maybe already there.

I was broken! Mentally broken.

Made the 'call of shame'.

Since Jane was several hours away, I continued slowly on until I got to a place that was easily identifiable near a freeway off-ramp . . . sat down on the grass and waited . . . for a long time.

Bless her soul for coming to get me. She drove me back to my car and followed me home where I got a good night's sleep. I had made a hundred miles that day and when I woke up the next day, went out and rode another 24 miles to reach my birthday ride goal. So, I chalk that one up as having done it.

The next two years, I rode my birthday mileage, but instead of doing it in one ride, I now did it in two rides within a 24-hour period. Cheating a bit, but it's still getting done. This past year, I did not do a birthday ride.

Fast forward to this year. Since I retire this upcoming March, I've been busy at work training my replacement, and busy at home taking care of delayed maintenance, packing what needs to be moved to my retirement home, and going through the mental exercise of making a decision for every little thing I pick up in the house whether I'm going to pack it up and haul it half-way across the country, trash it, or donate it to charity. It's very time consuming and mentally draining, especially after a nine-hour day at work on top of a two- to three-hour commute.

I keep telling myself that next spring, once I'm resettled and living the retiree life, I'll be able to get back into a regular cycling routine. I must! It took a year or so before I could really tell that my physical fitness has really gone down the toilet. I could probably still ride a metric century, but it would be a slow one. No way I dare ride an imperial century now.

My current 'problem' was caused by burnout and has continued due to a stressful lifestyle. I really expect that once I don't have to wake up at 4:15 every morning that I'll be more motivated to get out there and put in a few miles. I hate that I can't walk up five flights of stairs anymore without 'huffing and puffing' when I get to the top.

Good luck getting back into the saddle. As others have said, we need to force ourselves to set aside time to ride. Our physical health and mental well-being depends on it!

fietsbob

Retired, I Cycle Commute for Beer

Terex

Ride in a way you enjoy it. If you can't find a way, don't ride. Try something else. I'm not big on over analysis.

GySgtFTL

Getting old is no fun!

Paul Braithwait

My problem is finding the time to ride. I am supposed to be 'semi-retired' but seem to be working more hours than ever! Not having a routine plays havoc with riding time as I can be called into work at short notice to cover for holidays and sickness. That coupled with family problems (illness and two funerals within a year), looking after grand children every so often and wanting to spend time with my non-cycling wife means that my bikes spend more time in the shed than on the road. At the time of writing, it will be 10 days before I can get on my bike again - and I bet it rains!