While we welcome cooler temps and colorful foliage that fall cycling offers, the shorter days and fatigue of the cycling season can beckon cyclist to cut their rides short – or skip them all together.
Perhaps missing a day or two of riding doesn’t seem like much but it does. According to the post, What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Riding, within a relatively short period of time, undesirable consequences result. As in, your metabolism stagnates. Your blood pressure rises. Your blood sugar surges. Fitness declines. And, inevitable wait gain surfaces. Not fun!
Fall is actually the best time to transition from peak cycling form to a relaxed one. Doing so doesn’t include missing rides. It means shifting your mindset to embrace fall cycling while actually boosting your cycling performance for next year. The article, Fix Your Flaws in Fall, reinforces this. “If you’re looking to take a big step forward in your racing performance for next season, you can’t wait until next season to start the process.” With that being said, what are the best ways to boost your fall training regimen? Here’s our take on how to make the best of the transitional season.
- The 10 Best Fall Front Range Mountain Bike Trails
- Battle of the Bulge: Weight Control in the Offseason
- The 10 Essentials for Fall Cycling
- How the Fall Season Can Help You Manage Over Reaching and Over Training
- Smart Ways to Stop Sabotaging Your Late Season Training
Keep in mind that just as much as the Spring cycling season inspires us to get in shape, tackle new challenges, and reach new cycling heights, the Fall season can inspire us too. Discovering new ways to nurture our bodies, maintain the gains we’ve made during the season, and re-energize for the season ahead.
In fact, the Fall season is a great time for experimentation. Ride new routes (hint: read the above post 10 Best Fall Front Range MTB trails)! Enjoy the opportunity to get purchase and test out new bike parts. During the racing and cycling season, the focus is on riding; whereas during the Fall, there’s more time for mental wanderings and fun! New cycling accessories don’t have to be costly. Check out our daily closeouts and overstock items to spark renewed interest in your cycling program. Finally, use the Fall Season to refine your cycling aspirations and goals for next year.
[…] not all cyclist are motivated to ride in the fall. As we mentioned last week in our post, Fall Isn’t End of Season – It’s the Beginning of Next Season. Here’s Why , Fall is actually the best time to transition from peak cycling form to a relaxed one. Doing so […]