Structure vs Free Riding

[Toolish]

How much of your training is structured intervals, and how much s just clicking over the km.

I have a real issue getting motivated to ride unless I have specific targets to hit, but that can lead to burn out!

[road_warrior]

When I started trainer rides about 5 years ago, I got some really nice improvements pretty quickly. The problem was I burned out mentally after a few years, and struggled with motivation.

These days I try to limit my trainer sessions to 4-8 week blocks. Make sure you also just ride around, enjoy a coffee, ride the mountain bike, ride with mates etc.

[g-boaf]

How much of your training is structured intervals, and how much s just clicking over the km.

I have a real issue getting motivated to ride unless I have specific targets to hit, but that can lead to burn out!

I don't do a lot of structured interval training unless it is crap weather and then I jump on the indoor trainer bike setup.

I do ride a lot of kms per week - I'm averaging ~500km a week at the moment (over 7500km for the year). I alternate between easier rides and harder rides. A lot of those kms are commuting to and from work.

[cyclotaur]

I understand your dilemma, my motivation has diminished over recent 2-3 years. Before that I was retired, my wife still working, and I spent a lot of the time riding. I’d do at least three rides mid-week and another on the weekend. I had a good riding buddy and we did some epic weekday rides and short tours.

Fast forward and my wife is retired, so we do more things together (which is cool, btw..) but not cycling, and my good buddy is no longer with us. I struggle to get out, especially for the epic rides. No tours except one recent overnighter around the bay in two days. Now with covid19 I’ve set the old trainer up and taken on a structured program at home and try to head out 2-3 times per week for fresh air. My climbing ability is pretty much in the sh*t now though.

I have a mate who rides, but still works, so only commutes and the odd weekend. I can’t persuade him to take even one day off to do an epic mid-week. I’ve done a few on my own which is OK, but company and safety says having a buddy along would be better.

So how to stay motivated ? At the moment it’s a long term goal to do the 2021 Peaks Challenge, 11 months away, with a few other ‘big ride’ milestones along the way, most/all of which I’ve done before.

So it’s structured trainer rides, a bit of strength/yoga/Pilates, plus 2-3 outdoor rides per week for now. Come about August I hope to be riding longer, bigger outdoors, with trainer rides topping it off. Then it’s AmysGF, ATBIAD200, something else Nov/Dec (maybe a few days in Bright or Giro della Donna), training rides to Donna Buang, Lake Mountain etc, then Alpine Classic 200 ( AUS Day weekend) and then...Peaks Challenge !!

Beyond that, I’ll be looking at some kind of euro trip or epic ride around May/June>> next year. I’ve done a few before but only ever been in decent shape for the last one in 2018. It makes a huge difference when you can head off in good nick, rather than coming out of hibernation in the Southern Hemisphere.

So find a long term goal is my suggestion, then use some milestones along the way to bite off the chunks towards your goal and always have something to shoot at beyond the next milestone.

I know everyone’s personal circumstances are different and can dictate their goals and ambitions accordingly.
But anyway, I hope this helps.