The View From Here - a blog

30/06/2022 – Inbetweeners

What do you do in between your races and events? Whether you take part in challenging long-distance rides, hammer around a circuit for ranking points or prefer to go bikepacking, these are the high points of our cycling calendar. This is what makes us tick, what we aim for and our celebration of the joy of cycling. But what do you do in the gaps between? Here are 10 suggestions:

1. Let’s get this out of the way first and then move on. Yes, you could always do something not related to cycling. Really. You could. Walk the dog, spend time with friends or family, do some baking (see homemade scones below). Why not do something for others? Volunteer for something, read a book, get another interest. Get some perspective. There are other things in life apart from riding your bike. Honestly.
   
2. OK, enough. Meanwhile back in reality, why not talk about cycling? You may not have a race to take part in, but you could talk about racing. There are a lot of pro races to catch up on and get inspired by. Whether it’s track, crits, grand tours, cyclo-cross, mountain biking or even BMX, it’s the safest way to take part in our sport - from the armchair. Except you don’t burn any calories that way.
   
3. Which leads me to the next thing to think about between events, your diet. This really is an everyday endeavour. You may or you may not want to lose weight, but you certainly need to fuel your rides, you need to recover, you need to reward yourself for all the hard work. And food, well it’s so darn tasty. Actually, working out your fuelling strategy is a good thing to do in the between times. When I say strategy, I mean find out what gels and bars don’t give you an upset stomach and yet are reasonably enjoyable to eat. What do you eat first, gel or bar? How often? Or do you prefer something homemade? Maybe some rice balls?
   
4. And then there’s retail therapy. Perfect to while away the time. This can be fun, but it can get dangerous, because there is always a ton of new products out there and a lot of push to get you part with your hard-earned cash. Why not window shop? That’s what I aim to do most of the time. That’s what I tell myself. Go shopping, but try not to buy anything. Easier said than done with the world of online sales a click away. Must resist, must resist. Cold shower. If you have to have something, make it a reward for an event or achievement. (No, David, waking up does not count).
   
5. Closely related to shopping (and window shopping) is upgrading your bike. There can be an actual need to do this - maybe your wheels are worn, your frame is knackered or your tyres getting shabby. But if we’re honest with ourselves, often it’s our egos that are knackered and getting today’s new tech would make us feel so much better. Mind you, a new bike would definitely make me feel so much better. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.
   
6. You could use your time to do something useful. Like, clean and repair your bike(s). There’s always some small job that gets put off or maybe you just never really clean your bike and get it back to a showroom shine. Now’s the time. You don’t want to turn up to an event with a filthy bike and risk that niggling issue becoming a critical one. See it, service it, sort it!
   
7. I’m getting more sensible by the minute here – you could (wait for it) – do some training. Yes. Focus on what your upcoming event needs from you and do sessions that build the right skills and fitness. There are loads of plans out there, books, apps with plans or you could work with a coach. I work with Tim Ramsden of Black Cat Coaching. Why not mix it up and reverse one of your usual routes, try some hill repeats (I’ve been saying that for year and I will eventually get round to it) or aim to keep with a faster group than usual. Or you could practice your leadership and lead a slower, more comfortable group. Give a little back.
   
8. While you’re at it, you need to make sure you look after yourself. Do you get the rest you need? Service your machine. Do you have any injuries to attend to? If so, you could book a relevant therapy session. Have you had a bike fit? Small difference from a fitting session can have a huge effect. Breathe in and out. Relax…
   
9. …and while relaxing you can dream about your next event. Or better plan your next race. Events are full of logistics. When do you need to leave? Have you got enough time for a warm up? What warm up will you do? Do you have a check list of everything you need for your event? Make one. Nothing worse than being on the start line and realising something’s missing. Like when I recently omitted to pack any gels.
   
10. And lastly, you could always write a blog. About cycling, naturally.
    
    

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