AN EXPERT GUIDE TO RIDING SLOW
I SP ENT MOST OF MY TWENTIES sweatin gon a bicycle, with the singular focus of being fast. I went to university, joined the cycling club ,nev er went to watch any other sport, and I can c ount the number of beers I drank on one hand. I joined a small pro team after I graduated, spent weeks at a time on the road staying at host houses or sleeping in my car, and it all made sense because it was my job. I was climbing the sacred ladder of sport for competition and glory, and eventually I made it to the Worldtour. That justified all the parties I skipped and pizza I didn’t eat (pizza was an off-season food).
I stopped racing at the end of 2016, and now
I make a Youtube show where I train and suffer for Strava KOMS and adventure. So, I still kind of have to be fast for my job, but I’ve finally figured out that while goals are important, achieving them might turn out to be less rewarding than you
expected. Your actual life – the way you spend your days – is the process of working toward those goals, so you have to make sure the process doesn’t suck.
I’ve reconsidered my old trade-offs and there’s a lot that I won’t do anymore, for the benefit of my health, sanity, and safety. I thought it might be useful to share which habits I consider effective and worth sticking to, now that I’m an aspiring weekend warrior, and where I’ve compromised or let loose a little. Maybe my experience can save you some trouble.
DIET // In the world of marginal gains, we would worry about inflammation, recovery, and eating breakfast three hours before every ride to ensure proper fuelling. These days I’ve reduced my meat intake, prioritising environmental sustainability. I could lose a kilo or so of water weight if I cut out gluten, but I won’t go that far. Sometimes I sleep in and barely make it to the group ride, so when we stop for coffee I’ll slam a bagel with cream cheese. I’m still a healthy eater, but I don’t bother with any strict rules or -isms that I find a struggle to maintain.
HEALTH // Road cycling is non-weight-bearing and neglects a lot of muscle groups, so if that’s all you do for exercise, you’re at risk of osteoporosis and being unable to open jars. One of the guys I ride with is primarily a cyclist, but he also goes on epic backpacking trips. These might cost him a spot or two at the local race, but while he’s less fit as a cyclist, he’s more fit as a human (and the wild is beautiful). Instead of riding for three hours, consider stopping at two and taking the third hour for yoga, core work, stretching, or soccer with your kids.
SLEEP // Sleep is critical for things like mood, immune system, and performance. I hate to say this, but setting an alarm and reducing your sleep in favour of exercise might be counterproductive.
MISERY // Cycling is a sport that fetishises suffering. Being slumped over your handlebars and out of breath is fun, but there is a point at which it’s not enjoyable anymore. When my paycheque depended on it, I would finish that last set of intervals anyway. If I was a dentist? Absolutely not. Let me give you permission to skip your last interval and go home if you want to.
TIME // Everything you do comes at the cost of something else you could be doing. I train at a higher intensity now than I used to, but only about half as much. I’m guessing I’d be in big trouble at a stage race, but my day-to-day power output is surprisingly unchanged.
RISKS // I have memories of losing contact with the front group on a climb and catching back up by weaving through team cars on a rainy descent. That was stupid, I’m lucky to be alive, and I descend much more slowly now. It turns out that you can have 90 per cent of the fun at 70 per cent of the speed, and keep 100 per cent of your skin.
I still usually ‘win’ the group ride, ahead of the guys who go backpacking or have real jobs and kids, but you know what? I’m not that far ahead, given the amount of work I put in, and they did a lot of cool stuff while I was doing just the one thing, so I don’t even get to feel superior. For most people, I think you only need to be fast enough to safely enjoy the rides you do, and everything else sort of feels silly and selfish. I’m 33 now, still sweating on a bicycle, and I do sneak away from a party in favour of an early ride. But I can’t pretend I do it for any reason other than fun now, and there’s a lot more pizza.