Here’s How to Get Motivated to Ride Again in the New Year
You love riding. Or at least you used to. But now your bike gathers dust in the garage like an old Bowflex under the bed. You’d like to ride again, but it’s too hot or too cold or getting kind of late or your back hurts or [insert any other excuse you can find].
Don’t despair. There’s an ebb and flow to even the most rock solid relationships, and it’s easier than you think to get back on track. You just have to take a few baby steps in the right direction, says Michelle Montero, licensed clinical psychologist with Alchemy Performance Consulting in Chicago.
“The first step is appreciating how much you already do in your life, washing away all the negative self-talk, and stop beating yourself up,” Montero says. “We have a tendency to really minimize the impact of our daily stressors, big and small. We think, ‘I used to be able to do this. I used to manage my job and my family and my passion. How did I let this happen?’ We get down on ourselves without having self-compassion and recognizing that the complexity of our lives takes a lot of mental, physical, and emotional energy. Life can just get in the way.”
It’s true. Life happens, but here’s how you can get out of your own way and get yourself motivated to saddle up again.
Talk yourself through it.
Instead of beating yourself up and thinking how you “should” be riding, talk yourself through why you stopped. Did you have a major life event such as starting a new job or having a child? Did work get extra busy? Did you just get burned out?
“When I talk to people, the reasons they fell out of the habit of their activity become obvious, but we’re so hard on ourselves, we rarely give those reasons credibility,” Montero says. “It’s not always negative to take a break when you need one for whatever reason. The first step is recognizing that this is what happened and this is where you are.”
Remember why you fell in love in the first place.
“Negativity will not motivate you; excitement will,” Montero says. She recommends taking a minute to remember what cycling means to you. Ask yourself: Why did you enjoy it? How did it make you feel? “That’s what you want back,” she says. “It’s not a should; it’s a want.” Just getting yourself back into that headspace can create a spark.
[Want to fly up hills? Climb! gives you the workouts and mental strategies to conquer your nearest peak.]
Just pump up your tires.
Go out to your bike and give it some attention. Dust it off. Pump up your tires. Run through the gears. Don’t worry about riding right away. Just go out and engage with your bike. “The goal is to break the habit of not doing anything related to cycling,” Montero says. Making small, easily-achievable goals like lubing your chain will ease you back into a routine and get you thinking about riding again.
Embrace the process.
It’s human nature to want to jump right back in where you left off. But depending on how long it’s been since your last ride, that’s not realistic and can be self-defeating. Instead, start from where you are, set a goal of where you want to be, and then create smaller process goals to get there.
Some people find it helpful to choose a concrete goal like a race, Gran Fondo, or charity ride, Montero says. “Pick one that gives you the time you need, whether it’s a month or six months. Then create small intermediate goals along the way.” So if your goal is to ride a metric century in the fall, your first goal can be getting out the door for 30 minutes three times this week. Then build on that week by week.
Build in rewards.
There will definitely be times when you don’t feel like gearing up and getting out there. You can break that inertia though by pairing your rides with something else you enjoy, Montero says. She suggests making a ride date to catch up with a friend you haven’t seen in awhile or planning the ride to end at a café or happy hour where you’ll enjoy social connections. “The more we pair things that are harder to do with things we want to do, the more likely we are to do it,” she adds.
Outsmart your future self.
As you plan your rides, remove as many barriers as you can for yourself. If you’re planning on riding in the morning, set out all your cycling clothes by your bed and set the coffee maker to start before you wake up so everything is ready for you. If you want to ride after work, take your gear with you and ride from there, so you don’t go home and get sucked into other things (or the couch) that will stop your progress.
Add an element of excitement.
Many of us have (or had) our go-to cycling loops, but that can get monotonous and demotivating when you know exactly what’s coming. Hop on Strava, Ride with GPS, or Map My Ride and find a new route in your area. Then upload it on your bike computer and go. “Just the act of going somewhere new is mentally stimulating,” Montero says. “It’s exciting to see and discover new places-anything that gets you out of autopilot and brings back creativity and excitement can be motivating.”
Build momentum.
Keep track of your progress by making a mark on your calendar each day you ride. It’s a visual reminder that you’re getting back into the swing of things. “As you break the habit of not riding and get back into routine, you’ll start feeling so good that you won’t want to break those riding streaks.”
('You Might Also Like',)
