How do you motivate yourself to train in the rain??

byebye

How do you do it???

I think i must be made of sugar because i cant seem to bring myself around to the idea!!

Also what gear helps make it bearable?

Thanks

uberwolf

once you're out, and dressed right, it's a super place to be.

triggermortis

I don't mind the rain. Long tights, a decent base layer and a shell, overshoes and gloves is all you need. Maybe a hat to keep your ears warm.
Only problem I have is on climbs, my glasses steam up so I usually take them off and then when I put them back on again they are hard to see through

DePurpereWolf

what rain? This is no rain, this is fresh weather, a sprinkle, a wetness, a bit of damp, moisture in the air.

Don't think about the rain and it isn't there.

Except for when it's lashing, that's fierce altogether.

Also, dress in layers, with damp rain just cover everything with light material. When it's lashing, make sure you have a watertight jacket or gillet and don't care about the rest. Skin is watertight too.

Captain Havoc

An ice cold can of HTFU

victorcarrera

Have a look at your 2012 race or goals calendar and think about how you will feel then, if you don't train now.
Good gear helps. No such thing as bad weather only bad equipment. Oh and a hack bike that you don't mind getting dirty.
You live in Co Clare what more motivation do you need. Cliffs of Moher, Burren etc

PS: I did the Burren coast road a few weeks back in high winds and rain. When I returned the bike was spotless. The high winds from the sea seem to act like a steam clean for the roads and will actually clean your bike while you ride.

Lumen

Mudguards work.

Tonyandthewhale

I like riding in the rain, provided I'm not riding around in jeans or the like. It's refreshing and it makes me feel hardy and such.

kenmc

it might rain in races too. what would you do then?

feck sake lads

cycling gear is fantastic especially the right cycling gear, but what a pain in the ass getting it on, its one of the things that cracks me up .
this time of year you have to be prepaired for all the elements wind rain snow sleet so getting the right gear on thats going to keep you warm and dry can be a struggle at times, does not do my motivation any good. if you race you have no choice but to cycle in all conditions so just get the head down and go for it,
but if your like me a leisure cyclist (with all the gear :rolleyes:) then wait until it stops raining if your unlucky enough to get caught out in it well at least you have the right cloths;)
btw if your after really good cycling gear that will do exactly what its supposed to do then check out www.corinnedennis.co.uk top quality gear gear at a good price and great service.

byebye

Right so! Tomorrow come hale or shine i'm getting out!

i often get caught in rain while out and i dont mind it! its just goin out the door into wet weather i hate!

I have several goals for this season and a couple early on, i want to be able to ride well in not just struggle around.

I'l keep ye posted on tomorrow!!

kuro_man

commute!

furiousox

...and a hot hot shower after cycling in the rain is always great!

Darkglasses

I just remember the rules.

killalanerr

byebye wrote: »

Right so!

I'l keep ye posted on tomorrow!!

in fairness tomorrow might be the first turbo day of the year

byebye

killalanerr wrote: »

in fairness tomorrow might be the first turbo day of the year

accuweather is not giving it too bad here tomorrow, so hope they are right!!

killalanerr

byebye wrote: »

accuweather is not giving it too bad here tomorrow, so hope they are right!!

Heavy and persistent rain throughout the day with a risk of spot flooding. Highs of 6 to 8 degrees in light southwest winds.

Not lookin to hot around theses parts but have been out in worst i must get a can of HTFU

Lumen

kenmc wrote: »

it might rain in races too. what would you do then?

Moan.

marketty

Remember that you look like a double-hard bastard. When fair weather cyclists see you creasing yourself out in the rain you make them feel like inadequate shadows of men.
I find the best clothes to wear are a couple of layers, no need to spend a bomb, lidl/Aldi base layers are good, jersey, and one of those small single layer rain jackets that fit in your pocket (great for moderate rain and keeping the wind out but whip it off when you don't need it) . Winter gloves, hat,arm and leg warmers, warm socks and overshoes make all the difference

victorcarrera

If you are new to the sport and train on your own remember too that the west coast is nearly always blowing a force 6 or greater so choose a route to ride out against the wind when you are strong and ride within your abilities so as you don't get cheesed off with it. We tend to remember how the spin finished so riding home with the wind will tend to leave you feeling better and motivate you for the next day. You have to enjoy it to stay at it and you have to stay at it to be good at it.

morana

kenmc wrote: »

it might rain in races too. what would you do then?

Lumen wrote: »

Moan.

Attack

Keep_Her_Lit

kuro_man wrote: »

commute!

Yes, this works a treat. If your cycle is a daily necessity or at least a daily habit, then you'll get used to facing into whatever the weather throws at you.

I have the option of driving or cycling to work and I went through a phase of humming and hawing each morning as to whether I would drive or cycle, depending on the weather. However, after a few instances of ending up stuck in traffic when the rain had stopped and glorious sunshine had broken through the clouds, I soon snapped out of it.

Even if you can't commute by bike, just decide in advance when your training spins are going to happen and then do them, regardless of the weather on the day - icy conditions or storm force gales might be legitimate exceptions. By all means, have a good rant at the sky as you're fetching your bike from the shed (preferably when your neighbours aren't watching!) but get your gear on and get out there anyway.

Then when (if) summer arrives and you're flying around, fit as a fiddle, you'll look back on those soggy spins as a sound investment of time.

Keep_Her_Lit

morana wrote: »

Attack

Good advice! At least you won't be sitting in a manky plume of gloop coming off the wheel in front.

byebye

victorcarrera wrote: »

If you are new to the sport and train on your own remember too that the west coast is nearly always blowing a force 6 or greater so choose a route to ride out against the wind when you are strong and ride within your abilities so as you don't get cheesed off with it. We tend to remember how the spin finished so riding home with the wind will tend to leave you feeling better and motivate you for the next day. You have to enjoy it to stay at it and you have to stay at it to be good at it.

not new just with early season goals that i want to be goin well for.

i tried a turbo but found it mind numbing, :mad:

i think i'l just htfu

Chris O Donoghue

It's all about OVERSHOES! I went for a 40 miler this morning in Cork and wore all the right gear- long tights, layers, hat, gloves, but forgot my overshoes. My feet are still numb

Tau

Buy a turbo trainer. The next time it rains, you can train indoors. You will do this once and will never want to do it again - you'll be out in the rain just to avoid the turbo.

Junior

To quote one of mates, and my main motivation "I've never regretted going training, I've always regretted not training" You'll always have it in the bank of mileage once it's done. I don't mind the rain, it's the wind that gets to me, people keep telling me "The wind is my friend and will make me strong" but I still hate it...

morana

Junior wrote: »

To quote one of mates, and my main motivation I don't mind the rain, it's the wind that gets to me, people keep telling me "The wind is my friend and will make me strong" but I still hate it...

was your mate an Apache?

Dermot Illogical

morana wrote: »

was your mate an Apache?

I'd murder a pizza right now. Feckin' drink.

franciebellew

I don't cycle that often. Occasionally in the summer if it's not too hot I ll go for a short spin but I'll never cycle in the rain. I prefer to take the car and stay drive

Mycroft H

I keep using the excuse that I don't have mudguards

byebye

50k today in light rain on and off! didnt mind too much! but bloody hell it was cold!! :eek:

bcmf

3 Pages and 33 posts and no one mentioned Sean Kelly yet, For shame!!

'I go out and train and when I get back I decide if its too wet'

daragh_

I don't mind the rain as long as I can stay warm. Managed 50k this morning and was ok, but my gloves started letting in water and my hands went numb. Home time.

Sealskinz are useless. Going in the bin. My Boards gilet was brilliant. Kept the worst of the chill off.

We had fun all the same. Very few out.

Dropped a pair of shades. Feck. No idea why I brought them out.

mel.b

byebye wrote: »

50k today in light rain on and off! didnt mind too much! but bloody hell it was cold!! :eek:

Where in Clare are you? I headed out at about 11.30 and it was grand - no rain, even some blue sky.

byebye

mel.b wrote: »

Where in Clare are you? I headed out at about 11.30 and it was grand - no rain, even some blue sky.

i'm around bunratty/sixmilebridge aera and went on to tulla/quinn and back
aound 9:30. the rain was not much just quick showers but was pretty chilly at that time!! but grand when warmed up

Where abouts are you? might get a spin in!

mel.b

byebye wrote: »

i'm around bunratty/sixmilebridge aera and went on to tulla/quinn and back
aound 9:30. the rain was not much just quick showers but was pretty chilly at that time!! but grand when warmed up

Where abouts are you? might get a spin in!

I'm in Ennis. I did Ennis, Doora, Quin and back into Ennis - nice 24km loop.

Would be happy to meet up for a spin sometime, although I'm really (really) slow...hoping that will change when I get my road bike.

byebye

mel.b wrote: »

I'm in Ennis. I did Ennis, Doora, Quin and back into Ennis - nice 24km loop.

Would be happy to meet up for a spin sometime, although I'm really (really) slow...hoping that will change when I get my road bike.

ah dont worry im slow at the min also! i see your log for the ring of kerry its one of my main goals for this year also!

if your heading out next weekend let me know i could meet you in ennis,

Captain Havoc

Cycle home is going to be interesting, my shoes are drownded. The rest of the gear is drying nicely in our canteen, the bang in there would make anyone want to vomit.

manwithaplan

Did 100k this morning, riding over the Sally Gap from De Nortside. Hands were frozen. My gloves were so saturated that they were just making it worse. I took them off on the way back and it helped a bit. I badly needed the hot shower when I got home.

wanderer 22

daragh_ wrote: »

I don't mind the rain as long as I can stay warm. Managed 50k this morning and was ok, but my gloves started letting in water and my hands went numb. Home time.

Sealskinz are useless. Going in the bin. My Boards gilet was brilliant. Kept the worst of the chill off.

We had fun all the same. Very few out.

Dropped a pair of shades. Feck. No idea why I brought them out.

Felt pretty jealous of you turning off - I was wrecked today for some reason and my gloves kept my hands dry for about the first 5 minutes..glad I saw your post though, was going to get me a pair of sealskinz- will have to look out for something else

ROK ON

Where I live it rains a lot (asin it ranks as one of the highest amounts of rainfall in Europe).
I have three choices:
Train in the rain,
Train on the turbo,
Dont train.

I have chosen all three. The last one hurts the most.

daragh_

manwithaplan wrote: »

Did 100k this morning, riding over the Sally Gap from De Nortside. Hands were frozen. My gloves were so saturated that they were just making it worse. I took them off on the way back and it helped a bit. I badly needed the hot shower when I got home.

Now I just feel weak.

manwithaplan

daragh_ wrote: »

Now I just feel weak.

Don't. Didn't really begin to feel it badly until I was between Sally Gap and Roundwood. If there was a quicker way home, I would have taken it!

Beasty

Saw someone out on their hybrid in sandals today:eek:

Captain Havoc

Beasty wrote: »

Saw someone out on their hybrid in sandals today:eek:

blorg is obviously back in the country.

fat bloke

manwithaplan wrote: »

Did 100k this morning, riding over the Sally Gap from De Nortside. Hands were frozen. My gloves were so saturated that they were just making it worse. I took them off on the way back and it helped a bit. I badly needed the hot shower when I got home.

Over the gap??? Ya mad eijit. Fair play to you. How was the new bike?

Did 120k with the club meself, fair ol clip but all flat-lands. Didn't stop raining on us the whole day. And three punctures within 20 minutes had us all shivering.

In fairness, there has been such an extraordinary run of dry Sundays since November or so, that I couldn't really complain. We were certainly due a wet one. I've had mudguards on for 2 months now and today was the first time they had to fulfill their primary purpose.

MungoMan

I never heard of overshoes until reading this thread, they are now on my shopping list.

I train in all weather, only at weekends though because too busy

A few weeks ago I had a quite a traumatic experience with the weather, it was an 80km spin, and about 40km from home, it started raining quite heavily. Also it was only 4 degrees. My feet were soaking. Then they got numb. All I could do was keep pedaling. I made it home, but I couldnt take my shoes off, there was no feeling in my feet.
So I took a shower with my cycling shoes on, making sure my shoes were submerged in warm water. Eventually I was fine, but I can't wait to buy a pair of overshoes !

Rofo

You can't beat a cycling cap under your helmet for keeping the rain out of your eyes.

I have overshoes but my shoes eventually filled with water after about an hour yesterday. Anyone have any tips for keeping this at bay? I was gonna try sealing the top of them with electrical tape next time.

Captain Havoc

Rofo wrote: »

You can't beat a cycling cap under your helmet for keeping the rain out of your eyes.

I have overshoes but my shoes eventually filled with water after about an hour yesterday. Anyone have any tips for keeping this at bay? I was gonna try sealing the top of them with electrical tape next time.

Cycling caps are great. You could get yourself a pair of sealskinz socks, they're waterproof. A cheaper option would be LIDL or Aldi ski-socks, aldi have them at the moment, your feet will still get wet but they should stay warm. Another option is to wrap your shoes in cling-film, with the overshoes on nobody will notice. I have in the past gone into a shop and bought cling-film if I had a long way to go home. Make sure your leggings go over your over shoes.

Rofo

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Another option is to wrap your shoes in cling-film, with the overshoes on nobody will notice. I have in the past gone into a shop and bought cling-film if I had a long way to go home. Make sure your leggings go over your over shoes.

Nice one - I'll give the cling film a go next time