disillusionment, frustration and disappointment

[BullGod]

i am really losing the motivation to continue bike racing. I love the sport, but the hours of training, on top of long days at the office, combined with getting wasted in races by guys who don't work or have professional committments is really getting me down.

Add onto that the wettest "summer" on record, bikes breaking, illness, fatigue, family commitments on weekends. I've gone from competitive Cat 1 form to getting dropped as soon as the pace goes up and am frequently one of the first guys back in the changing rooms wondering what went wrong.

Every time i get the motivation back something happens like 3 flats on a training ride, or a thunderstorm, or i have to work late and it just doesn't give me much pleasure anymore - only disappointment and frustration. The whole thing really seems doomed right now. too much bad luck. Already at the start of races I know I'm not going to ride well, and I'm looking to drift to the back, hang on a little while and then quit.

There seems to be a vicious circle - events stop me training enough, get dropped in a race, don't race enough, training doesn't do enough for the engine, get dropped again, lose motivation, don't train enough etc.

I juust want the season to end now, but the thought of the bad (how can it be worse?) weather coming along, and hours on the trainer dehydrating with the crotch going numb and the mind wandering just don't fill me with enthusiasm.

Has anyone else been through this kind of run? Right now I'm just so tempted by a "normal" lifestyle of going out for beers after work, taking a holiday, sleeping in on a sunday.....eating what I want....

can anyone motivate me with an against all the odds type story? I have six more races and I really want to get some repectable placings, but the form just isn't there right now.

 

[ric_stern/RST]

i am really losing the motivation to continue bike racing. I love the sport, but the hours of training, on top of long days at the office, combined with getting wasted in races by guys who don't work or have professional committments is really getting me down.

Add onto that the wettest "summer" on record, bikes breaking, illness, fatigue, family commitments on weekends. I've gone from competitive Cat 1 form to getting dropped as soon as the pace goes up and am frequently one of the first guys back in the changing rooms wondering what went wrong.

Every time i get the motivation back something happens like 3 flats on a training ride, or a thunderstorm, or i have to work late and it just doesn't give me much pleasure anymore - only disappointment and frustration. The whole thing really seems doomed right now. too much bad luck. Already at the start of races I know I'm not going to ride well, and I'm looking to drift to the back, hang on a little while and then quit.

There seems to be a vicious circle - events stop me training enough, get dropped in a race, don't race enough, training doesn't do enough for the engine, get dropped again, lose motivation, don't train enough etc.

I juust want the season to end now, but the thought of the bad (how can it be worse?) weather coming along, and hours on the trainer dehydrating with the crotch going numb and the mind wandering just don't fill me with enthusiasm.

Has anyone else been through this kind of run? Right now I'm just so tempted by a "normal" lifestyle of going out for beers after work, taking a holiday, sleeping in on a sunday.....eating what I want....

can anyone motivate me with an against all the odds type story? I have six more races and I really want to get some repectable placings, but the form just isn't there right now.

You've said it in your last sentence: "the form just isn't there right now".

You have two options,
1) you carry on battering yourself, making yourself more depressed and hoping that magically your form will improve, or
2) you quit the season now, take some time off (from hard training) and think about how your training needs to improve to get back to where you want/need to be

I know what i'd do.

Ric

 

[masi rider]

Take some time off and then try riding for fun?????? take a look around while riding instead of flying by your surroundings, you might actually begin to enjoy it again. As far as eating what you want and going out for beers after work,etc. thats what i stopped at the beginning of the riding season, and now i feel great, before i was over weight(still am a little but healthier), no energy for my family, and so on. The grass isn't always greener! Stay in shape, keep riding recreationally, eat right, and it will all come back! Good Luck!

 

[BullGod]

Take some time off and then try riding for fun?????? take a look around while riding instead of flying by your surroundings, you might actually begin to enjoy it again. As far as eating what you want and going out for beers after work,etc. thats what i stopped at the beginning of the riding season, and now i feel great, before i was over weight(still am a little but healthier), no energy for my family, and so on. The grass isn't always greener! Stay in shape, keep riding recreationally, eat right, and it will all come back! Good Luck!

Masi rider - I like the contradiction between your message and the "if it doesn't hurt..." part in your signature....

taking less pain would indeed be nice for a while. I'm tired of grovelling in the gutter at 50km/h. I'm taking the missus out for dinner tonight and I'm gonna drink plenty of wine!

 

[masi rider]

Masi rider - I like the contradiction between your message and the "if it doesn't hurt..." part in your signature....

taking less pain would indeed be nice for a while. I'm tired of grovelling in the gutter at 50km/h. I'm taking the missus out for dinner tonight and I'm gonna drink plenty of wine!

There is difference between hurting while doing something(hurts so good mentallity) and becoming burnt out. You sound like you are getting burnt.You need to learn to enjoy it again, then you will get as good as you were. This is from life expeiences not biking experiences, so use it always. Tonight,,,,,,,enjoy the wine and the wife,,,,,,both are good for you in moderation,,,,,,LOL! Good Luck!

 

[jsirabella]

It may not be the nicest way to say it but sometimes when you do something for so long you loose your appreciation of what you have accomplished. When I look back at my company and where we started and where we are now, it gives me renewed strength and vigor to carry on and continue the fight. Life is a marathon and it would be so boring if everything came so easily.

I actually appreciate the fact I am having so much trouble just to hang for a lap on a Cat 5 crit race. Cause when I do...it will be so sweet.

Think about us Cat 5 guys when you are complaining about Cat 1....

-js

Also what has been great for me lately is changing the focus from racing to just seeing my results through cp and power meter training.

i am really losing the motivation to continue bike racing. I love the sport, but the hours of training, on top of long days at the office, combined with getting wasted in races by guys who don't work or have professional committments is really getting me down.

Add onto that the wettest "summer" on record, bikes breaking, illness, fatigue, family commitments on weekends. I've gone from competitive Cat 1 form to getting dropped as soon as the pace goes up and am frequently one of the first guys back in the changing rooms wondering what went wrong.

Every time i get the motivation back something happens like 3 flats on a training ride, or a thunderstorm, or i have to work late and it just doesn't give me much pleasure anymore - only disappointment and frustration. The whole thing really seems doomed right now. too much bad luck. Already at the start of races I know I'm not going to ride well, and I'm looking to drift to the back, hang on a little while and then quit.

There seems to be a vicious circle - events stop me training enough, get dropped in a race, don't race enough, training doesn't do enough for the engine, get dropped again, lose motivation, don't train enough etc.

I juust want the season to end now, but the thought of the bad (how can it be worse?) weather coming along, and hours on the trainer dehydrating with the crotch going numb and the mind wandering just don't fill me with enthusiasm.

Has anyone else been through this kind of run? Right now I'm just so tempted by a "normal" lifestyle of going out for beers after work, taking a holiday, sleeping in on a sunday.....eating what I want....

can anyone motivate me with an against all the odds type story? I have six more races and I really want to get some repectable placings, but the form just isn't there right now.

 

[warriorcliff77]

I'll give you my 2 cents if your willing to lend an ear.
In my teenage years, i was playing AAA Midget Hockey. I didn't like my teamates, coach, the whole she-bang.

After my second year of AAA, i quit. I was fed up with the "lifestyle" of playing competative hockey.

I told myself i HATED the game, didn't even watch it on tv anymore.

10 years later at 27, my dad (who was my coach for many of my younger years), ask me to go and help out at one his teams practices.(9-10) year olds, which just played in a house league. So i dug out the skates and helped out. It felt great to be on the ice again, and being with a group of kids that played the game simply because they loved it, really inspired me. I began playing pickup hockey again, and for the past 5 years in a competative mens league. I now play for the passion of the game.

 

[Powerful Pete]

Obviously, take time off and call the end of your season.

You are not a pro. No one pays you to ride, and you are taking time away from family (the most important thing!) and the rest of your life. Of course, you get fitness in return, but it is not worth killing yourself if you hate it.

As others have said, try to watch your fitness and weight and take time off, so that you are once again enjoying the riding. Then you will be surprised how much a more positive attitude and less pressure do for your training enjoyment.

I have taken serious time off (once over 2 years without touching a bike following birth of daughter #1) and have no regrets. Life is too short to get ****** off about a flat tire on your ride which you are not enjoying, while the family is (hopefully!) missing you at home.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[BullGod]

Obviously, take time off and call the end of your season.

You are not a pro. No one pays you to ride, and you are taking time away from family (the most important thing!) and the rest of your life. Of course, you get fitness in return, but it is not worth killing yourself if you hate it.

...

\

what I actually did was go along to my club and do a training race with the guys there.....way more relaxed, and a chance to be among the strongest there, get some solo time off the front, sprint some, move from the front to the back a few times and generally enjoy being on the bike. There is only so much "agony at the back" a man can take ;-) I think getting your ass kicked all the time is no good. Once in a while you need to go somewhere where you are the one who kicks ass.

On sunday I'm riding a crit in the 1 field, that should be comfortable. I'm avoiding racing with the elites until next year. They're too damn fast.

weather is better again too!