Sounds like the OP's problem is more lack of energy than lack of time. I've been doing 60+ hours a week for about the last 25 years. My job (engineering) isn't physically demanding and I've definitely acclimated to the long hours, but I still find that the only way to have enough energy to get in a good workout on work days is to do it in the morning.

If that means getting up at 4am, then so be it - I just go to bed earlier. I'm not a fan of riding in the dark where I live, so I do intervals on the Kurt Kinetic during the week. If you're a TV junkie, DVR your prime time or late night favorites and watch them while riding the trainer. My work hours on the weekend are usually shorter, so I can do morning group rides for a couple hours on Sat and Sun and still make it to the office by 10 or 11am.

Sufficient sleep (7 - 8 hours per night) and a good diet will also make a big difference. Remember that your BMR working those kind of hours is probably higher than average. If you're training on top of that, make sure you're not running a big caloric deficit. Watch your macros and try to minimize simple carbs and highly processed foods (often hard when working long hours). Nothing wreaks havoc on energy levels like being on a blood sugar roller coaster. Good luck! Hopefully the long hours will lead to early retirement and lots of free time to ride

I think doing a day during the week is minimum and will give you continuity between weekends. Even 30 min easy, at night, can be useful. If you can do that a couple times then that would be awesome. Riding at night, even when sleepy, allows me to rest better and with less sleep, not sure if that would apply to you.

I used to have a pretty crazy work schedule, I think a typical one in the area where I lived. Up at about 5:30, walk to the station to catch a 6:11 train into the city, get a 7:38 train back, get back home 8:40 or so. I didn't have kids or anything so it was smooth sailing once I got home (plus the bars and restaurants were a block away). Usually I rode once during the workweek and then both days on the weekend. That was enough to keep me reasonably fit.

When I wanted to ride/race more I brought my bike into the city on Sunday, along with a pile of bike and street clothing. I'd get on the bike after work, I'd ride until something like 9, then get to the train and back home. On Thu/Fri (depending on forecast and my riding thoughts for the weekend) I'd ride until after peak train hours, get my pile of bike/street clothing, and ride the bike to the station and then home.

I couldn't take the bike on the train during peak hours, and every morning train is a peak hour train, so I had to bring the bike in on Sunday.

I enjoyed riding in the city so much that sometimes I'd take the train in on the weekend, using my train pass, ride for a few hours, then take the train back. I tried to time it so I'd be riding at night since that was most fun so I'd have to be careful not to miss the last train back (1 or 2 am).

I understand not training in the morning. I tried riding in the morning, for 5-6 months, 5:00 rides 2-3x a week, and it didn't work. 2-2.5 hour rides, I was just so slow, I couldn't work hard, and I was exhausted for the rest of the day. Ditto when I raced early (5:30 AM starts? I forget when the Prospect Park races started). We'd leave for the race at 4:15 AM. Killed me for the day.

Unless you are also married with small children, I don't see how you don't have time.

Would love to commute but where I work there are no shower facilities. Can't imagine going the day after the ride into work without a quick hose down.

Awsome posting!

lol. You are right. That does not make much sense. I think I left out a crucial detail. The time I gained by living closer to work I have put into my working hours. Having a ride on top of that is hard for me. Huge kudos to those guys and gals who can get up at 4am to get a ride in. Personally, I manage to get one in by getting up at 5am about once every 2 weeks. I do think that my daily responsibilities are getting on top of me a bit, and I do not sleep well. Because of those things early morning rides are hard for me right now. But I hope it will get better in the future. Possibly in some other job where I am not constantly as flustered, worried and exhausted. I find it incredibly hard to plan a ride when in my mind, I am worrying about stuff that needs to be done. Most of the time I just want to get to work asap.

None of the places I've commuted to have had showers.

Use baby wipes ... or paper towels and water.


Oh wait, I think I said that just a few posts ago.

I work 6am-6:30pm M-F. I usually dont have time to ride at night, so I substitute with a couple of spin classes...usually on monday and wednesday. Then I'll do a shorter quicker ride on saturday and longer slower ride on sunday.

I go to work at 6am have to leave home by 5:30. work 11 or 12 hours a day. I work in attics and on construction sites 90 plus temp during the summer. No chance to ride after work to drained. I do ride Tuesday through Thursday 3am to 5:15 hard 40 to 50 miles a morning. I am lucky that I do not work weekends though. I ride early Saturday 60-120 miles depending and 50 miles before church on Sundays. Had to develop this schedule mainly due to wanting to spend time with my wife and kids so I ride while they sleep. I would commute but I have to drive home a company work truck. this is what works for me of course I naturally only sleep 5 hours a day.

Why would anyone work those kind of hours? There are lots of jobs where you can work from home and still make great money. Life is way too short to waste it spending that much time working.

I've done it for short periods of time (about 18 months roughly 10 years ago, and then shorter stints of 3 or 4 months now and then), but I certainly wouldn't want to do it for longer than that!!

Getting a part-time job for a few months during the pre-Christmas shopping rush, for example, can be a good way to save some extra money so you can go on a long cycling trip somewhere.