Are you still getting up before dark for a ride??

With the dark, wet and cold mornings well and truly here it got me wondering about the hardy souls who are still getting up before dawn to start their ride...rain, sleet or snow they are out.

So who is departing before dawn, regardless of weather? Whats to motivator?

Personally this winter I'll be parking most of the riding in favor of a big chunk of running and swimming training. Not to say I won't be out on the bike, but it won't be before the sun or when it's raining (ok if it starts when out on the bike). So maybe a weekend here and there when fine and the odd commute.

How about you?

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Permalink Reply by Gus K on June 24, 2012 at 22:52

Yep, for a long time there has been TMMLM (Tues Morning Mt Lofty Madness) and CFFRS (Chasing Fri Forest Range Sunride) and so WOMGiE (Weds Oh My God it's Early) started to give me some motivation to get up at 5am for a 6am start, especially when it's dark and cold, to give me (and others) motivation.

I don't mind it so much. It's hard now it's so dark but when the sun starts coming up earlier it gets nicer and October is a great month.

So I think I need the motivation to get out but when I am up and out the door cliping in and rolling out the driveway is a great feeling and the rest of the day you've got a good feeling. I'd rather get up and ride than go to the gym.

Permalink Reply by Nigel "Griffo" Griffiths on June 24, 2012 at 23:05

On the plus side, the days are only going to get longer from now on.

Permalink Reply by Bekster on June 25, 2012 at 9:43
Good call!
Permalink Reply by Rob (Chewbacca) on June 24, 2012 at 23:10

Darren, having to get up and hit the road around 615 to go to work no matter what the weather. By the time I get days off not that keen to get up at the crack of a sparrows fart to ride a bike....but usually find some time to ride after dark in the evenings....

Permalink Reply by Doug K on June 24, 2012 at 23:13

No way!  Good thing about being old and paid by super as I can ride in daylight, YEAH!! However, last Friday was miserable with daylight.

In between I run the the usual 3-4 marathons a year to keep fit.

Permalink Reply by Matt Sandercock on June 25, 2012 at 15:09

The latest I leave for a ride is 6am (other than when I commute straight to work)  I actually like being out early, its much quieter and far less traffic. I ride with a group on Wednesdays and to meet them in time I leave home at 4.45am.  Yesterday I left at about 5.10, I went up Montacute Rd.  It was pitch black and very quiet, it also got pretty misty up higher.  It was really nice.  A few times going up Montcute I covered my light with my hand - not surprisingly it was hard to see where to go!! From the bottom of Montacute all the way to the Greenhill Rd I saw 2 cars and 1 cyclist.  The cold doesn't bother me if I wear the right clothes, I actually like the challenge of beating the cold!  In terms of weather, if its bucketing down when I need to leave and the radar shows that it might last a while, I will usually pike out but not just because it is forecast to rain. Likewise with the wind, if it is so windy I may get blown over the road I will give it a miss, but therwise I'll be out there.

My motivation is to be fit enough to be able to race competitively and to be able to keep up with the group I ride with.  I also like to get out early as it has less impact on the rest of the family.

Permalink Reply by heather on June 25, 2012 at 17:07

+1 for the motivation.

Permalink Reply by Paul Mc on June 25, 2012 at 19:31

+ 1, you have inspired me to try and get out earlier tomorrow, not 4.45 though.

Permalink Reply by Paul Mc on June 26, 2012 at 10:30

6.10 am ride this morning, it was lovely and quiet on the road, earlier starts in store for me now I reckon so I can ride further during the week.

Not that cold and no rain.

Permalink Reply by Richard Stevens on June 25, 2012 at 21:33

couldn't sleep Sat morning so did Norton's leaving home at about 5.50am....the earliest I've ever left home for a ride...  bloody cold...  Mt Lofty AP was 0.1C . Weird feeling riding so early ...stuff all cars...pitch black.. a few cyclists some looked to be commuting...  felt like I was riding on roads I'd not ridden on before as they looked so different in the dark.   Managed a PB up Norton perhaps just trying to keep warm.. great to see the city lights ablaze on the way up.   It started to get light as I turned back from Norton Pub around 6.50am..  froze my nuts off descending but back home in time to go watch my son play Soccer..  :)   Not sure I'll make a habit of it just yet but as finding time to ride gets harder it's one time slot that is always available! :) 

Permalink Reply by heather on June 25, 2012 at 22:28

Is that how one determines if a REAL cyclist? If I cannot sleep I turn the computer or TV on.

Permalink Reply by Richard Stevens on June 26, 2012 at 7:56

more a KEEN cyclist than a REAL cyclist. 5am TV shows do nothing for me :)

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