downtube42

I rode my first brevet this spring, just for fun, and ended up doing an SR series. I stayed fairly fit over the winter with running, unicycling, and commuting, so I didn't really train a ton before or between the brevets. Maybe 500 miles or so with one century before the 200k. The 200k was easy, 300k was long but okay, 400k was grueling, 600k felt like it took a few years off my life.

Since the 600k in June I've ridden maybe 300 miles total and nothing over 30. Normally I'm squeezing in rides whenever possible, pushing the limits of what my spouse will tolerate, letting the lawn go without mowing... but this summer I'm just not motivated.

Cycling has been a constant source of enjoyment my entire life. The challenge of more randonneuring, and possibly PBP next year, is alluring. But, if it's going to ruin a lifelong passion....

Any words of wisdom from the veteran randonneurs?

serra

Take a break for a week, read some amazing cycling stories, buy a new piece of gear, or do them all. Between those three things, I manage to get re-motivated after going a bit too hard.

unterhausen

I had a real down period after my SR series last year. I still completed an R-12, but I was having problems staying motivated. Plus I had some leftover physical problems from the 600k. This year I didn't have the same problems at all. I am not sure, but I think the down period may well be a symptom of some physical problems that take a while to recover from.

StephenH

I'm working on my first R-12.
One thing I've found is that it's one thing to do a ride, and another thing to enjoy it. The two aren't synonomous, and are different skills.
Things that have made for more enjoyable rides for me are other people for company, and pleasant riding conditions (not too hot, too cold, or too windy.) But part of it is just a positive mental attitude.

Something I'm still working on that really helps is fitness. I think I could have a lot of fun on a 1200k...if I didn't get tired. And I think a key to having more fun on my 200k's is being more fit, and I'm slowly gaining on that. Reduces saddle time, reduces heat problems.
I've had trouble motivating myself to go do a 300k. But on my last ride, I did my 200k in 9:27. One of the other riders did a 300k in "about 10 hours". Shoot, if I could do a 300k in 10 hours, I wouldn't mind jumping in there.
Similarly, on the last ride, a couple of guys did 600k's without any night riding- got 11 hours of sleep in between the two parts.
Maybe you're already fit like that. If not, that's something that could increase the fun factor.

One of our guys is slow, doesn't use a speedometer, just keeps pedaling along. Others are very fast, as noted above. I like to take pictures as I travel, if I'm not too tired. Some ride solo, some ride in groups, some ride tandems, some ride recumbents. I think in each case, it's a desire to make the ride more fun as opposed to just getting it done.

The slow guy mentioned above also happens to come up with a lot of new routes- so I guess he's off exploring by bike or car on routes that don't count towards any rando goals. But it's something different that keeps him interested.

You might also consider shifting gears and getting into road racing or mountain biking or something different from what you normally do.

I've heard it stated several times that long distance riding is more a matter of mind than body. Whoever said that had in mind being able to go on and finish a ride even when tired. But I think it's true of continuing in the field as a whole, too.

Read the 100,000k article on P. 36 of the newest RUSA magazine.

Good luck, and hang in there.

lonesomesteve

First of all, it's supposed to be fun. If it's not fun, maybe you shouldn't be doing it. Your description of your SR series sounds similar to kinds of things I say to my wife when she asks me how my work day was ("easy", "long but okay", "grueling", "years off my life"). It could very well be that Randonneuring just isn't for you. But, if you're convinced that randonneuring really is your cup of tea, then I you might want to consider training more so that you don't have to use words like "grueling" to describe your rides.

In my first brevet season, I came away from each ride so stoked that I couldn't wait for the next one. I was instantly addicted and needed longer distances each time to get the same high. Without that reaction, I'm not sure I would have seen any reason to keep going.

Sorry, I don't mean to be a buzz kill. But if you're engaged in a recreational activity that isn't fun for you then you really should find a new recreational activity. Maybe that just means sticking with shorter rides.

Machka 

I was into long distance cycling heavily from 2001, when I did my first SR series, to 2007, when I rode my last SR series and attempted my second PBP.

In the early years I LOVED randonneuring. I couldn't wait to do my next ride. My 600Ks were a bit challenging, and I didn't entirely enjoy them, but even so that didn't stop me from wanting to do longer distances and I discovered that I enjoyed the 1000K and 1200K distances more than the 600Ks.

But as my life situation changed and as my workload increased (University plus work), cycling long distances became a bit more of a challenge ... more like work, less like fun. When the 2008 season rolled around, I just wasn't in the mood to do much. I've gone into a long distance slump. I haven't done anything longer than a 300K since August 2007.

But since 2007 ...

-- I did my last two years of University and graduated with another degree, while working about 15 hours a week during the school year, and often working two jobs during the summers
-- I got married to Rowan, and we carried on a long distance relationship (before we were married and for 9 months after we were married) which involved quite a bit of time on the phone and computer
-- I went through a long sorting, purging, and packing process to prepare for a move to Australia to be with Rowan
-- I moved to Australia, and spent the first year here living in very challenging, rustic conditions as a result of the devastating bushfires in this part of the world that resulted in Rowan losing his home
-- I developed rather serious DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) that landed me in hospital for 2 weeks and completely took my fitness away from me
-- I had my favourite bicycle stolen

So ... life has changed, and so has my long distance cycling. It happens.

If you aren't enjoying it, don't feel like you have to do it.

CliftonGK1

+1

There are some members of the Seattle Randos who stick with 200k rides only. If you're not having fun with it, take a break for a while and come back to it. Stick with shorter rides for a while and do some 100 and 200k Permanents. It's not worth it if you're not having fun.
I was suffering something horrible on my last 400k, but I still had fun with the ride (even though it was torture for the last 110k). The big thing to remember is that riding your bike should be fun!

valygrl

I have a friend who did an SR series, did the PBP, then didn't look at her bike for a year. Now she only rides 50 miles or less. Don't let some goal spoil riding for you, if you aren't into it, don't do it.

I've done a few 200k brevets, but learned it's just not for me, so I don't pursue it. I had another sport ruined by overdoing it, don't want to do that to cycling.

bobbycorno

It happens. Take some time off, "recharge". Maybe you can avoid what's happend with me: two years ago, I did a 1200 on top of an SR series, then tried to push myself thru another SR series (ended up DNFing the 400 and calling it quits for the year). My achilles tendons still haven't forgiven me, and I haven't been able to complete anything longer than a 400 since. With PBP coming up next year, I'm a bit concerned...

SP
Bend, OR

RogerB

I don't see how reaching a goal can spoil cycling, but that's just my opinion.

I am way down the scale from many LD riders on this forum, but I had a similar experience completing my first century this year. I attempted my first century in 1992. I was very fit, then, but didn't pace myself and blew up after about 60 miles. My life situation had prevented me from reattempting until this year. I had fun for a while, but by the end of the ride it was not fun at all. There was also no way in hell I was quitting, because I didn't know when I'd get another chance to try. It took me almost 9 hours.

Now, the ride itself was not "fun," but my sense of satisfaction at having finally achieved this seemingly basic milestone is something I will always carry with me. The reason it was not fun has to do with a lack of training on my part, and that's really it, in a nutshell. I have, still, a strong desire to go farther and/or faster, but I won't be signing up for anything of that distance again until I have more training time in my schedule. I want the next one to be fun.

Hydrated

I almost burned myself out this way... mainly because I obsessed too much over distances and training ALL of the time. I was riding long, and I slowly slid into a mindset that I had to be working hard toward a goal every single time I climbed aboard the bike.

It turned riding into a chore. But here's how I fixed it...

Do something to break that mindset. Make yourself ride for fun instead of for training. For example: Some weekend mornings I will go out on the bike to run my errands around town. Last Saturday I:

• Went to the bank.
• Went to the Post Office.
• Stopped at Starbuck's for a leisurely cup of coffee.
• Went to BestBuy to get an ink cartridge for my printer.
• Stopped at my LBS to buy some HEED and hang out for an hour or so.
• Met my daughter at Taco Bell for lunch.

It was a really fun way to spend a morning on the bike... and it breaks up that work-work-work mindset that we distance riders often fall into.

unterhausen

In my case, I don't think it did. The first time I rode over 200 miles, I was in incredible condition. For the next two days, I was listless and unmotivated. Same thing happened with my first 600k, except for the effect lasted longer. I always figured it was because of the changes that happened to my body due to the ride, not because my goals changed. I have heard other people express the same thing. If I'm reading the OP correctly, this may be what's going on with him.

I've been trying to train shorter and faster this year. Not working out that well because I've been sick a lot. But you obviously don't have to ride a lot of miles in training as long as your fitness is ok.

spokenword

personally, i tend to go "year-heavy","year-light" when it comes to randonneuring ... and have found that works really well for staving off burnout. I don't necessarily mean taking a break altogether; even on my light years I'll still show up for a 200k or 300k just to be social and see friends; but I wont' make it a goal to do a full SR series or a 1200 on my light years; and will usually focus my energies towards something other than cycling (ie. hiking\trekking, rock climbing, etc.) while still riding to work or doing fun little weekend tours. Like the last few years have been

2007 - SR series + PBP
2008 - fleche, 200k, D2R2 + climb Mt Kilimanjaro
2009 - SR series + VanIsle 1000
2010 - 200k, 350k + trek Patagonia

It's all about having fun and enjoying your time. If it's not fun, walk away for a bit and try it again later. The road will always be there when you enthusiasm comes around again.

SBinNYC

One's inclination after completing the 600k should be to start immediately on another 600k to be completed in 50 hours. If somebody cannot conceive of realistically doing that, then he should forget about PBP. That's the mentality and level of preparation that's required to finish it successfully.

I used to average over 5000 miles per year on the bike of which half were on centuries or more. I was used to staying on the bike a long time and I enjoyed it. There's no monetary reward completing PBP. There's very little notoriety outside one's local club. There must be self motivation and the easiest way to self motivate one's self is to enjoy what one is doing. Considering the amount of training required, a partial absence of sanity also helps.

I was lucky to complete two PBP's before acquiring a case of incurable sanity. I was also lucky enough to realize the diagnosis and not attempt any more since I was so stricken.

Homeyba

It's easy to obsess with just about anything you really like to do. I always wonder about people who ride 20k miles a year, don't they have a life? Too many people over train or ride miles just for the sake of riding miles. Depending on your physical fitness you can do PBP on significantly less than 6000miles/year if you train smart. One guy (in 1999) did PBP on just 940 miles(yes, just the SR series) in the whole year prior to the ride. Yeah, he was hurting at the finish but he did it. The key is smart training. You need to train to be as fast enough so that you get enough sleep. You also don't want to leave it all out on the course. For me a successful 1200k is one where at the finish I feel good enough to hop back on the bike and do it again. That hasn't been every 1200k I've done but it's pretty nice on the ones it has happened.

In addition to "smart training I believe that you have to "cross train." Winter is coming up and the Husky is getting it's valves adjusted so we can head to the desert next month. I also hop on my GSXR for some corner carving or head to the park in town for a pick up soccer game. You've got to mix it up. When riding the bike becomes a chore it's time to do something else for a while. That will bring the longing back.

downtube42

I hear that. There was fun in the first three rides, but not much in the 600k. Probably because I rode solo much of the 600k, unlike the others. The ride was with a different club, much smaller group, and I didn't know anyone.

I think I'll focus on some non-cycling athletic goals this fall. Hiking, backpacking, running, unicycling. Just one century (I'm already signed up next weekend) and the Hilly Hundred in October

That pretty much describes the 600k for me.

I think I'm there. I didn't mention that I still commute daily and use my bike for basic transportation. My commute is only 1.5 miles, and I live in a small town, but I do ride daily. I did just started volunteering at the co-op once a week, and I'm finding that pretty fun. It's the recreational rides that have suffered.

Hmmm. With 70 miles to go, I knew I'd finish but I didn't think I'd ever do another brevet. Heat, humidity, conditioning, riding solo, inexperience and long distance... it was maybe two weeks before I started thinking otherwise.

I'm hoping that some time off to recharge, a little better conditioning, and a bit more experience under my belt will make next year better.

Thanks

Machka 

None of my 600Ks have ever been brilliant rides. Most have been rather awful. But the longer distances have been much better. For some reason the 600K distance is just not a good distance for me. Don't base your decision of whether or not to do a longer distance on how your 600K went.

Rowan

I think from reading some of the comments that we forget that long distance cycling should be classified as an elite sporting pursuit. For those who spend most of their transport and leisure time on a bicycle, there is a very real possibility that their capacity for cycling can be reached and exceeded when throwing in long-distance rides as well.

Keeping up motivation to ride is a significant factor when personal targets have been reached. I am not talking about just distance targets such as 200s up to 1200s, but things like participating in PBP (which is a major international undertaking for non-French riders) and achieving things like Randonneur 5000 and International Super Randonneur awards (the latter for riding four 1200s on three continents).

If you get so far, what else is there left? To start all over again? Divert interest to things like 24-hour race series? Or going back to your roots, whether that be ordinary leisure cycling, or touring?

I do know that the enthusiasm for long-term participation in long-distance events can be quite fragile... it only takes an injury, a major personal event or a case of significant burnout to stymie that participation.

There is an axiom in cycle-training that suggests rest is a very, very good thing. Anyone whose enthusiasm is waning needs to look at their (a) training program (b) utlilty cycling and (c) ride scheduling, to ensure adequate periods of rest or breaks are included.
Gong back to your cycling roots also represents a change as being as good as a holiday. So can finding another physical pursuit, such as in our case, canoeing (and in my case for a while, sailing).

FWIW, my long-distance plans were stymied somewhat by the bushfires early last year that destroyed where I lived, killed many people, and created long-term issues for local residents. It's only recently that I have regained any enthusiasm for cycling, and even that has been stop-start because of weather and Machka's problems with DVT.

I do know that the days of riding 160km to the start of an event are probably behind me. And that while we intend to be in France next August, participating in PBP is not so important and that if we don't make the qualification cut-off, we've got a bucket-load of touring we can do (and offer support for Australian and Canadian riders in PBP if we feel so inclined).