Quick Tip: Put Fun on the Training Plan
When riding starts to feel like another chore, pay attention and look out. It might be time to skip the numbers for a day. Take the scenic route. Ride with a friend who doesn’t care about average speed. Stop for coffee.
Cyclists are a goal-oriented bunch. That’s fine, until every ride becomes a test. We chase the next Strava segment and try to beat our previous average speed. We watch the watts, check our heart rate, and add up every mile for the day’s ride, for our week and even our yearly total. At some point, though, all that scorekeeping can take the pleasure out of pedaling. You worry about missing a workout, feel guilty when life gets in the way, and start to dread the bike instead of looking forward to it.
That’s burnout, and it can happen to anyone. Push through it long enough and you may lose interest in riding altogether.
The remedy isn’t necessarily to quit cycling or to abandon all training. It’s to take the pressure off. Keep one purposeful ride a week if that feels right, but let the other rides be easy and enjoyable. Think of them as the cycling equivalent of a relaxed jog. You’re still moving and maintaining your base, but you aren’t trying to prove anything.
And if even that sounds like too much, there’s no shame in becoming a recreational rider for a while. Ride when the weather is nice. Ride the route that sounds good that morning. Turn around early if you’re not feeling it. Leave the training plan on the refrigerator.
You’re not a pro. No one is paying you to hit your wattage targets. Cycling should make your life better, not add another obligation to it.
There’s a good reason to make enjoyment part of staying fit. When the itch to train returns, you can start another focused block with fresher legs and a better attitude. In the meantime, have fun. That’s why we ride.
Readers, have you ever burned out and had to back off? What brought the joy back for you?
