I didn’t train today. What I did do was get on my bike with no plan, no goal and no route in mind. I dinked around for two hours and came home and it felt great. Found some roads I had never been on. Let my mind wander. The pedaling felt good.
I know it feels like we are all here to maximize physiological gains from every session (and split hairs over plans and bikes and aero and etc) but yeah…here is to not doing that sometimes. We all fell in love with bikes by screwing around on them. I don’t know why I wanted to post this. Feel free to post your aimless riding stories or just to raise your hand and admit to being a proud screwer arounder once in a while.
I couldn’t agree more.
I’ve done a good few rides just for the sake of riding over the last year and really enjoyed them, even more lately on the gravel bike as it opens up more options than road or mtb.
Could not agree more! The point (for me) is that systematic training makes every one of those “screwing around” rides more enjoyable because part of a fun “no goal” ride is to go fast whenever the spirit strikes. Being more fit even allows me to take roads I wouldn’t have taken before. There’s definitely a synergy there–thanks for the breath of fresh air!
100%. No idea if it’s his term or not, but Phil Gaimon calls these “soul rides”. I try to make a point to fit a soul ride into my calendar every few weeks, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that ultimately the whole point is to have fun.
Get or build a fixed. You feel so much more connected. A single fixed gear is never going to be as quick over varying terrain, but for shear fun it is hard to beat, particularly when you’re stood up and being pointlessly unaerodynamic.
I remember reading an article a long time ago in bicycling magazine about i believe was arider on a continental pro team who talked about how his team would once in a while go out for what he referred to as a bike walk to clear their minds and take some stress out of their training schedule. They would go out and ride around in first gear, just to have fun, no egos, no sprinting for road signs, nothing just a bunch of guys bumping shoulders and just screwing around on their bikes. It reminded him of why he got into the sport. To get anywhere they would have to spin the pedals so in a sense they were actually working on pedaling techniques and bumping shoulders what be working there balance but to them they were out laughing and having fun. I always remember that and every once in a while I go out and pedal just to pedal. As suggested take road that you have never been down. It can work wonders for your sole. Sometimes we forget the reason why we took up cycling in the first place so many years ago. It is usually our first taste of freedom as a child. With training all the time we can lose sight of that
This is my intention for tomorrow’s ride. Get out, three hours, couple of hills and get home for a cuppa. The trainer and the intervals will be the last thing on my mind
Not sure this qualifies, but was out riding on deserted Goldilocks trail at Galbraith (outer logged part of the mountain) yesterday and came across two bikes in the brush and two scantily dressed MTB’ers I think practicing some mating ritual? I immediately thought about this thread, so as to keep my focus and not end up crashing!
I find these beneficial to clear the head and break up the monotony. Often I find that I’m able to see my gains on these type of rides which in turn keeps me motivated to continue with structured training.
Totally agree. I train to enjoy my outdoor ides. I don’t race. I just enjoy being on the bike and want to be fitter doing it. Trainerroad gives me structure inside. Without it would be hard to sit on a trainer and just ride. Out on the bike, I can just decide which route to take and enjoy it.
Riding a bike is the closest most of us will come to really feeling like flying. Going out and just bathing in the joy of that fact is an excellent use of anyone’s time.
Absolutely, the best! Funny the simplicity of it (just ride!), no mathematical measure or predictability is something we often pushed aside, isn’t it? IMO I think its something we have learn (ah-hem… train? ) to relax and be comfortable with, rather than all GO.
Defiantly noticed with myself too, I value these rides MORE now sprinkled in the TR plans, than I did before starting structured training.
) to relax and be comfortable with, rather than all GO.