SPRING IΝΤΟ ACTION!

21 WAYS TO GET YOUR SEASON OFF TO A FLYING START

-  Charlie Allenby

1 HOLD YOURSELF TO A GOAL

You shouldn’t need an excuse to head out on your bike, but it can sometimes feel like a struggle at this time of year, with the temperatures remaining low after a long winter. Signing up for an event can be all that’s needed to add that extra bit of motivation to get out the door, and sportives such as the closed-road Etape Caledonia (14 May) or lung-busting Dragon Ride epic in Wales (18 June) are great targets to get on the calendar. Alternatively, simply setting a weekly time or distance goal on Strava can do the trick.

IT WORKED FOR ME: “I’ve been a keen cyclist for 30 years and was looking for a trip that would push me to my limits. I signed up for the Scottish end-to-end taking place this May. A personal trainer has been helping with my core strength, and I’ve been training indoors and out all winter long. The next step is to start undertaking longer rides with hill reps.” – James Mercer, 62, Edinburgh

2 BUILD IN SOME STEPPING STONES

If your target event still seems a long way off, it can be tempting to skip that midweek tempo or cut short your long Zone 2 ride at the weekend. Keep yourself accountable by peppering your training calendar with shorter events, such as UK Cycling Events’s Classic series, offering rides of varying lengths across the country between March and October. Such ‘stepping stone’ events can be used as yardsticks to see how your fitness is progressing. Just remember to factor in extra recovery too.