Five tips for keeping on track with your fitness goals in 2018
Get started early to stay on track with your fitness goals this summer
Summer may seem far away, but if you’ve picked a big race or biking trip that you want to be fit for the time to start preparing is now. Don’t wait until the last minute or last couple weeks to try catch up on fitness. Last minute cram session stopped “working” in university and, at worst, your last ditch miles might leave you more tired than if you hadn’t tried to catch up at all. Instead, set your fitness goals now and start working toward them to make the most out of your summer riding plans. If you’re new to training, racing, or just want to have better fitness to ride more this summer, here’s a five ideas that’ll get you riding in the right direction.
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Hire a coach
If you’re new to racing or feel like your fitness has plateaued, hiring a coach can be a great way to gain confidence and break out of your riding routines. A coach can help you start a training plan and stick to it. Coaches are also able to adapt a training plan to address your specific strengths and weaknesses, and tailor your workouts to the type of riding or racing you’re working towards.
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Make friends online
Zwift can help make those long winter miles indoors more interesting. Not just for road bikers, Zwift is a great way to do structured workouts with great feedback, including heart rate and watts, depending on what machine you use. There’s plenty of organized group workouts and virtual races, too, which can make your time on the trainer more fun.
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Find a training partner
If you’re targeting a race this summer, talk a friend into signing up for the same race. Having a training partner makes workouts more fun and can help you stay on track with your workout plan. Knowing your friend is out there waiting at the trailhead can be the extra motivation you need to get out of the house on cold, rainy days when you’d rather stay in and binge Netflix. Riding with a partner can also improve your training, as you encourage and push each other during workouts. Intervals are rarely “fun,” but they somehow feel easier when you’re not alone.
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Pick out stepping stone races
If you’ve signed up for a big, bucket list type race, it’s a good idea to pencil in some smaller races beforehand to work up to the big event. If you’re targeting a multi-day enduro or an big XC Marathon, already having shorter races under your belt will help you feel confident on the start line. Early season races, like the Island Cup series, Ontario Cups or even fat bike races, are also good shorter term targets so you have something closer to work towards in your training.
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Plan a winter training camp
Winter in Canada can feel long at times. Planning a winter training camp is a great way to break up the colder months with some warm weather and easy base miles. The time on trails will keep your skills sharp after long hours on the stationary trainer. Training aside, it’s always fun to get to ride new trails away from home.
