It might not feel like spring when you’re de-icing your car windscreen on a grey and chilly morning, but it’s safe to say in mid-March those first signs of spring are beginning to show.
Whether the cold and wet weather over winter has kept you off your bike or not, the arrival of spring brings with it the excitement of longer days (or at least daylight) fast approaching – meaning more time to get those legs spinning.
So for those of us who haven’t quite managed to get back riding yet, here’s some top tips to get in the saddle and get out there!
Don’t stress
Sure, you’ve gone through January and February with only one or two rides (if that) under your belt. Who can blame you? They were pretty cold and gloomy months, and the desire to stay warm and dry often outweighs the nagging voice in your head telling you to get out there to keep fit.
And now you’ve reached the point where you’re feeling excessively guilty for neglecting your bike, your riding buddies, and of course, yourself.
Start small
Don’t force yourself out there on big, hard rides just to make up for lost time. You’ll only wear yourself out, run the risk of injury and make the whole experience of riding your bike less enjoyable.
Sure, we like to train and keep fit, but isn’t the main reason we ride because we want to?!
Give yourself a goal – but don’t be afraid to adjust it
Having something to aim for can do wonders for your motivation. Knowing that you’ve got an event coming up in a few months, a challenge for charity or even just a personal target of reaching a certain distance can make the difference between getting your legs spinning and watching ‘one more episode’ on Netflix (you know it’s true).
Think about yourself
If you’ve been spending the winter watching other riders’ Twitter and Facebook accounts constantly update with riding pictures and Strava route shares, it’s naturally going to make you feel inferior and fill you with regret for not having done more.
The best thing to do is ignore these posts and concentrate on yourself. Look back through your own social media posts and remember exactly what you have achieved since last year, since your first event, or since you first got out on a bike.
It’s time to think about yourself and make sure you give yourself the credit you deserve.
Remember why you started riding
Above all other things, we stick with our passion for riding bikes because it’s fun!
Don’t let a few months off the bike drive you away from what you’re really passionate about. Leave that nagging little voice in winter and cycle into spring with a fresh mindset to take you through the year!
