Coping with cessation of cycle commuting and the physical effects thereof

[Gandalf]

I'm so peed off I can't put it into words.  As of next week I will no longer be commuting by bike.  My start location has been changed, I didn't have any say in the matter but that's a rant for another thread I guess.

Since last October I have been doing 7 miles each way five days a week, not a vast distance but I have definitely noticed an improvement in my fitness and obesity levels.  Quite apart from that I have enjoyed my daily fix, moton interaction notwithstanding.

My new start location is a whopping 1.1 miles from home- clearly not worth getting the bike out for that.

I'm very concerned that I'm going to end up riding hardly at all and completely go to seed, but what are my options?  Has anyone of this parish been placed in this position and if so what did you do?  To my mind the beauty of commuting is that unless you have other transport options you have to do it no matter what.

I'm weighing up a few things but I suspect that 'the road to hell is plagued with good intentions' will come into play. 

Unusually for me I'm trying to put a positive spin on it, for a long time I've harboured the fantasy of having a go at a Triathlon, but I've never found the energy to do running on top of the commute.  Perhaps this will give me a bit of flexibility, but I'm still not happy.

I could simply walk to work and go out for a ride when I get home, but you know what it's like, the minute you walk through the door 'stuff' rears its ugly head your ride doesn't happen. 

Might be time to dust off the Turbo.

The other thing I'm considering is riding to work but adding a loop so that I do a virtual commute, over Epsom Downs or something.

What a bugger eh? 

[Jaded]

Can you find a 7 mile route that starts at home and ends at work? Then use that in place of your existing one.

It would be a shame to lose the routine, and you already take account of the 7 miles in your travel to work timings.

[citoyen]

Can I swap with you? I'll gladly do your 1.1 mile commute and you can do my 60 mile commute.

d.

[hellymedic]

I went from 15+ miles each way most days to 8 miles once a week to zilch.

I can't exercise now so things are different.

I've not gained any significant amount of weight.

Walking can be good exercise. Just a mile each way can help you keep in shape and won't stimulate The Hunger like cycling can.

You will have to reduce your food intake; just try only to eat at mealtimes and only when you're hungry.

Go for one midweek cycling workout and one long weekend ride. You should be fine.

[TheLurker]

Alternatively. Cycle the 1 mile to work because it'll give you more time to have a leisurely breakfast or extra time in bed as suits and then go out for a blast on the bike at lunch time.  It worked for me in similar circumstances.

[tiermat]

I came across something similar whilst looking for a flat to rent near work.  All the flats that were a decent commute from work (i.e >5 miles) were too expensive (too close to Eton and Windsor), and I finally found one just 2.5 miles from work.  I then worked out that if I turned right out of my drive and did a circular route I could extend it out, with no great drama, to 7 miles, with the 2.5mile route being my bailout, need to get to work/home quickly route.  Grab a map and look at if this is workable for you!

[Euan Uzami]

 
want to swap problems? 

Just cycle with the brakes on if it's too easy. 

[tiermat]

want to swap problems? 

Just cycle with the brakes on if it's too easy. 

Or I can lend you a MTB with skipping gears, a tagalong and a 6yr old to help you with your regime

[GruB]

Gandalf,
Sorry to hear your situation has changed but there must be a solution.
I like the idea of varying your commute to take in your 'exercise' time at the same time.  Take a look at a map and see how many variations you can get to make it interesting.
I know exactly what you mean about getting home and then not getting the opportunity to get out again.
I also do not own a turbo and would prefer open road miles to a turbo session - hence I've got myself a decent commute to make my exercise time happen, day after day after day.

[DrMekon]

Just because it's 1.1 miles from work doesn't mean you have to ride 1.1 miles. My house is 7 miles from work, but my route is 19 miles, and the first 5 miles of it are in the exactly the wrong direction.

[citoyen]

Just because it's 1.1 miles from work doesn't mean you have to ride 1.1 miles. My house is 7 miles from work, but my route is 19 miles, and the first 5 miles of it are in the exactly the wrong direction.

Quite. My commute is mixed - cycling + train - and my nearest station is about 3 miles away, so to get a decent ride in the morning, I just ride to one that's 16 miles away instead.

d.

[Rich753]

Think of it as an opportunity - you now have so many more choices, you can walk, run, walk/run on an extended loop, cycle on an extended loop, do different loops to and from work, vary your route day to day,  frankly I can't see the problem.

[Gandalf]

Think of it as an opportunity - you now have so many more choices, you can walk, run, walk/run on an extended loop, cycle on an extended loop, do different loops to and from work, vary your route day to day,  frankly I can't see the problem.

I think you are quite right Rich. the world has suddenly become my Lobster.

Thanks for the replies peeps.  Actually Now I've had a think about this it could be a blessing in disguise. I just felt a bit peeved and despondent initially. 

I've had a bit of a dabble on Bikely and I've realised that there are various nice little loops of varying distance I can do including a nice little 10 miler up and over Epsom Downs.  If I feel particularly full of beans after work, particularly when I'm on earlies,  I can even have a little pootle up to Box Hill.

I've also booked some swimming lessons so I can lern how to do front crawl properly, I hope.

I've also dug out my running kit from the depths of the wardrobe 

[mattc]

You should change your ForumID to Glass Half Empty ...           

[GruB]

Well done you.  Where there is a will there is a way 

[rogerzilla]

Just because it's 1.1 miles from work doesn't mean you have to ride 1.1 miles. My house is 7 miles from work, but my route is 19 miles, and the first 5 miles of it are in the exactly the wrong direction.

Quite. My commute is mixed - cycling + train - and my nearest station is about 3 miles away, so to get a decent ride in the morning, I just ride to one that's 16 miles away instead.

d.

I'm beginning to understand how he kicked my arse in the BWC now.  I only do 5.5 miles each way.

[Pancho]

When my commute reduced from 12 miles e/w to 4, I tried to keep the miles up with a loop but pretty soon laziness won out. My problem being that I am, above all, a utility cyclist. I ride a bike as transport not because, heaven forbid, I enjoy being in the cursed saddle.

[rogerzilla]

I ride a bike as transport not because, heaven forbid, I enjoy being in the cursed saddle.

Ah, another Brooks Swift user 

[citoyen]

I'm beginning to understand how he kicked my arse in the BWC now.  I only do 5.5 miles each way.

I don't do the 16-mile commute on the Brompton!

On the other hand, when I use it for commuting in London, I do tend to treat it as a race - can't help it. It's being overtaken by other commuters that brings out my competitive side. So maybe that helped.

d.

[jogler]

I ride a bike as transport not because, heaven forbid, I enjoy being in the cursed saddle.

Ah, another Brooks Swift user 

Best to change to a Brooks Swallow