Rage problem after Hard rides

[Donkey]

I tend to get overcome with intense feelings of rage after a heavy workout. The worst part is it's directed at other people, I can't bear to stand others. But it's not just stupidly random, there's always a catalyst to spur my feelings. For example, noisy people or those who tend to get in my way.
I'm basically interested to know how some of you might cope with it/yourselves under these situations.

We understand that it results as an emotional side effect due to the workout.
How do some of you cope? From one cyclist to another. Nothing personal.

I've simply been bottling it up quite tightly and it's quite painful.

[worstshotever]

Happens to me with motorists. They piss me off often, of course, but I don't usually react or lash out full loin except when I've been cranking hard and the juices are flowing. Dander gets up easier under those circumstances, I suppose. Also totally inconsistent with my general outlook and humble, zen nature when not under the influence of a hard ride. So my point -- yes, I agree anecdotally there does seem to be a correlation.

Don't have a solution. But perhaps being aware of the partially external nature of the problem may help in controlling yourself when you start to get off the hook?

[ITTY]

I've found that I am notably more irritable under heavy training loads, especially after rides. Probably best to avoid other people for ~30 minutes until you have a chance to chill out a bit. Take a shower, stretch out, etc. for a while before you try and be a normal human again.

[mentok]

sounds interesting. had blood tests lately? knowing test and cortisol levels might be interesting to know...

[Calnago]

Wow... cycling makes me happy. I can't even relate. Almost afraid to post this for fear you'll lash out at me. Check out the "On the road today" thread. It's not always about how hard you can push yourself, but just enjoying the ride for what it is. Maybe there's something else going on. I once knew a guy who would go run "because" he was so angry. I think that's how he released it. If cycling made me that angry afterwards I'd probably reassess why I even do it.
In fact, I just got back from a ride and feel great. Gonna shower up and meet a friend for dinner. All good.

[pabloskils]

I can relate. I have a Viking name and physique, plenty of testosterone, and I reckon I have the temper to go with it. No need to describe incidents, but some of them have caused struggles with my conscience. I don't know how old you are, but I'm 52 and the problem hasn't abated with age.

A couple of things I've learned to avoid: uncontrolled competitive situations with cyclists or car drivers where people think there aren't rules. I've never thrown the first punch, but once things get punchy, or somebody tries to ride me into the lane of oncoming traffic, one way or another I'll make that person eat asphalt really quickly. It never feels good to 'win' these stupid conflicts, so these days if I see somebody acting a little aggressively I will just try to avoid them. Often this means stopping for a minute to check my mobile phone or take a picture. Just put some distance, without trying to pass them. If it's a tourist on the Golden Gate Bridge, I just remind myself before starting that these are people on holiday, they're not paying attention, and I don't want to be the guy that wrecks their vacation. I sincerely hope they have a good time. Once or twice a year I'll actually stop and talk to one of them, to hear how cyclists have shouted at them on the bridge, and hear how bad that made them feel. This has always been my policy with tourists, even though I find them potentially very annoying.
The worst problems I've had aren't with tourists, they've been with some of the roadie cyclists, some of the fixie kids, and some of the motorists.

Don't get into a conflict with a car driver. It's really easy to get killed, and usually in those cases the car driver will get off with little if any punishment. In these situations, just swallow your pride and stay alive.

Trying to see it from the other person's point of view really helps, but as I mentioned before, just stopping for a minute is usually easier. I don't get sucked into their game and I don't even have to think about it. Within 10 seconds I'm in a different head space and enjoying my ride again.

I'm not saying avoid all people that want to give you a race, because some of those races have ranked among my best ride experiences. Just learn to recognize those that won't play fair. Really it's the wheel-suckers and the swervers that I try to avoid.

Sprint intervals. A good session of sprint intervals leaves me feeling like death and totally vulnerable. I'm not going to engage with anybody when I'm feeling like that.

Another thing, related to the below, is to define the area where you go hard in your ride, and this should be far away from people. Then as you approach the more crowded areas, go easy and slow. Decide this ahead of time and don't let any fresh rookie sway you from your decision. Going fast in a crowded area is just causing trouble. But if you're going slow, people will still get in your way. Try to accept that a lot of people are incredibly unobservant and consequently seem stupid. They're just doing their own thing, try not to judge it, but just accept it's happening. If you can free yourself from having opinions in these situations, life gets a lot easier. You just observe and take whatever action you need to stay out of trouble. Since you're not in a hurry, no biggie, right?

A friend told me that when riding in a city, he imagines himself as a blood cell inside the veins of the city. He's always bumping up against and getting blocked by all the other cells moving around in that system, trying to do their thing. I don't know where he got that from, but it's helped me be more patient.

I hope something in there helped.

[pabloskils]

Re-reading your OP, if the rage happens off the bike, after you've finished your ride, maybe with people in your house, same thing with the ultra-competitive cyclists who will do anything to beat you - and maybe some of the same dynamics are in play: maybe they don't honor or respect you, they just want to beat you. Or maybe like those pedestrians they're just doing their own thing and don't care about anybody else. I had that when living in a student house. Fortunately for me my roomies were all serious athletes, and what you're describing is not uncommon. We knew when to give each other space, and support if needed. Like itty said, try relaxing in your room with headphones on, whatever, just be in your own space for 30 - 60 minutes until you're feeling less edgy and have a more-padded comfort zone.

[fitty4]

Sometimes I can get a little edgy when I'm really hungry, like that snickers comercial with Joan Collins but worse and I can't deal with other things besides food and sometimes this happens after I finished a bike ride. The wife can also get a litte edgy as well when she is hungry so we made an agreement to say when we our stomachs are rumbling because of hunger and we know that we have to stay off each others back.

[nathanong87]

got some anger issues. Im usually too tired to be angry... and solely want to be left alone to regain my breath.

[Butcher]

You're not training hard enough. I too am too tired to even think let alone react.

[Donkey]

Interesting comments. Thread posting this was worth it because this is a serious issue. Society doesn't tollerate out of control or aggressive individuals, and at the same time you have to step out of yourself and control yourself.

Personally speaking, my problem isn't really with other motorists. I understand they are road users too and the road has to be shared. I tend to feel sorry for motorists if they're not on a highway/autobahn though. They go about paltry lives driving about in their tin boxes, daft or foolish, I donno. Don't want to go there, it's OT!

Actually I tend to get aggressive (develop feelings of excessive hate or rage) only several hours after a period of heavy workouts. Especially in the evening when I'm supposed to be winding down, or on a rest day.

[LouisN]

As intense as it is , a workout shouldn't serve as an excuse for feeling aggressive IMO.

It won't change your personality.

Consulting can help finding the problem within...

It's a shrinkweenies subject.

Louis

[Donkey]

Who's saying that it's an "Excuse"?

If you are unable to say anything meaningful then better to keep it zipped up.

[Norregard]

Did you perhaps go on a ride today?

Sorry, just kidding.

I find it a bit odd that you only get these feelings hours after your workout has ended. Like there is no immediate connection between the two. Is it tiredness setting in after a workout, and feeling agitated more easily because of that?

[nathanong87]

Did you perhaps go on a ride today?