How to Make Training Fun

Start of hill-climb

I see cycling as a hobby more than anything. I race throughout the season, but, spend far more time training than racing. I don’t see training as a means to an end but often enjoy the training as much as the racing. If you spend 10-15 hours a week training it is important that you enjoy it. Often we are putting more thought into the goal than in the method of getting there.

These are some tips to Enjoy Training

Don’t Just Think of the Goal.

It’s good to have targets, especially if you want to take racing seriously but look upon training as an integral part of your cycling. If you just train because you want to win a race or complete a cycling sportive, training becomes a duty and responsibility. It becomes like work where we only do it to get paid at the end of the day.

Be Careful What You think about.

When you’re riding on your own for 2 hours or more, it is a real pain if your mind gets into a negative spiral. You start inwardly complaining about the injustice of bad drivers or dopers in sport and before you know it, you’ve spent 2 hours with negative thoughts going around your mind. Thinking to yourself about bad things isn’t going to change anything, but it will make you more miserable and you won’t enjoy your ride. The best thing is to cut off the train of thoughts early. I really try hard not to think about the dopers in procycling as it sets of my mind for ages.

Train in the Way You Enjoy.

I just love cycling up hills. I don’t know why. Especially long, gradual climbs. Often I ride 15 miles to Stokenchurch so I can climb up a 2.2 mile climb on the old A40. But, if someone gave me an interval training schedule for a turbo trainer, I would be depressed just thinking about it. I have tried training on a turbo, but, it seems like an eternity just to do 20 minutes. I’d rather get wet and risk traffic than be stuck indoors in my garage.

Morale Boosters.

One of my favourite training schedules is to pick a windy day. Then find a nice flat road with a strong tail wind. Then just do a short intense effort with the wind at your back. This gives you a great feeling of speed. Your training really hard, but, you get a great feeling of speed as well. True you have to ride back with a head wind, but for this you just stop looking at your speedometer. For example, the other day, I rode a flat 6 mile stretch with tailwind in 11 minutes – average speed 31 mph. It was great fun riding so quickly! Similarly when do hill intervals I like to pick a hill with gradual gradient and tailwind, then when you do your interval you feel you are flying up the hill.

Train With A Specific Target.

If you want to ride just to enjoy the ride that is fine. But, if you want to ride to train – have a specific goal in  mind. Either see it as a recovery ride, or a ride to stretch and improve yourself. It is good to have certain distances that are timed so you can measure improvements throughout the year – getting seasonal pbs e.t.c Being focused in training gives it more value.

Training with other people.

Training with other people is great for longer rides. The company helps the mind from going round with its own useless thoughts. It is important to find cyclists with similar aspirations and similar standards. If you’re a racer you might be frustrated with CTC rides which can have a maximum speed limit.

The After Effects of Training.

Often training can be hard, but, after finishing the ride you get a feeling of real satisfaction. Even in your fatigue you feel a sense of achievement and purpose. This is one of the great things of cycling. The after effects of a hard day in the saddle give you a good feeling. This is something to remember if the actual riding is hard.

Don’t Worry about Rigid Training Regimes.

I have sometimes bought books on training and they have pages of training plans like 10 mins at 75% HR, then 10 minutes at 85% HR, then 10 minutes at 80% HR e.t.c They can seem complicated and difficult to remember. But, I don’t think it is indispensable to follow these very prescriptive and detailed plans. Have confidence to go on feel, cycle fast when you come to a hill. Rest going down the hill.

Related

• Training for cyclo sportives
• Cycle Training Tips
• Training for 10 mile TT
• Cycling Negativity and how to enjoy the bike