What do you guys do to get motivated or have some semblance of enjoyment on long bike rides? I'm supposed to do a 4 hr today and I'm thinking about calling it a rest day. I dread it worse than bricks.

When I fight motivation, I look at the race website and remind myself of the goal. Endurance training is like eating an elephant...one bite at a time but if you don't take those bites, you can't reach your goal.

Go someplace scenic to ride. Ride with a friend. Get a Bluetooth speaker to mount on your bike and listen to a good playlist if you are riding someplace with a decent shoulder where you don't need to worry as much about hearing cars behind you. Do not ride with earbuds in. I know one guy who spent 19 days in a coma after turning in front of a van while wearing them.

queso1 said:

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What do you guys do to get motivated or have some semblance of enjoyment on long bike rides? I'm supposed to do a 4 hr today and I'm thinking about calling it a rest day. I dread it worse than bricks.

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You riding indoors or outside? If outside what city / area?

Riding inside for 4 hours? Not worth the time, can get a much better workout in much shorter amount of time.

Outside? Those were my favorite rides. I loved riding at my own pace with my own thoughts. No music (except for me singing) and just going. Yeah they sucked at the end but you get used to it. Switch it up and ride with a group and do drills. Have a meeting point to refill water and grab a coke and some food.

I'm not a racer - I am a recreational cyclist who has trained for distance rides (MS 150 x 7 years) and some cycling vacations (RAGBRAI, Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia). I don't ride for speed but I have ridden long distances.

I am usually by myself. I always ride with music - I have a speaker that I use now. And I almost always ride to a destination rather than just around. My destination of choice is usually Starbucks. I have one that is 8 miles from my house, one that is 12 miles away, and one that is 22.5 miles away. So I ride there, get a snack/lunch, and ride back. I am also blessed to live in the hill country, and some of those rides are pretty scenic.

I love riding, no motivation needed (unless it's super windy).

AggieOO said:

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I love riding, no motivation needed (unless it's super windy).

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This. Once you get enough time in the saddle, you start to crave it. I can't count how often I sit in Houston traffic with my legs twitching, wishing I was out riding my bike instead.

I do ride mostly with podcasts or an audiobook, but honestly, I could ride for hours and be happy. Running beyond 90 minutes felt like work but riding 4-5-6-7 hours is as close to meditation as I've ever come. Just let go and ride.

I am the exact opposite. Three hour run? No big deal. But more than an hour in the Saddle bores me to death. Probably why I'll never tackle an IM or HIM.