Getting back in shape is a long project if you were very fit once and not at all fit now. Here are the steps I’ve used so far.
- Set a challenging goal. Mine is the Dirty Kanza in June 2017. The definition of challenging is that you are afraid that if you do not train right you will end up somewhere you really don’t want to be as a result of not meeting that goal — like stuck in the hot sun with an injury preventing a finish.
- Incremental small steps every week. My first week was about getting up and digging through stuff to find the right equipment for a ride every day minus two for rain and/or recovery.
- After six weeks of just rolling to roll, the real training begins. Do something to motivate the expected upward intensity. In my case that meant finding other people to ride with.
- The next steps take more planning, and start to require measurement of progress. Soon the computer and/or a watch will need to be used a bit like a whip and to track progress, but not just yet. There is still time for a few more “free” rides with the sunrise.
For step 3, I happened into some really nice strong riders in my new town by watching for people gathering in cycling clothes and speaking to them. Call it blessing, call it luck, call it good scouting, but find some people. These people were perfect. They were supposed to let me drop off the back and limp home when I expired before they did but they didn’t even do that. Knowing they are waiting at the top of that hill makes you keep pushing. They told me about other rides…and the ride was pure joy (pure joy definition: beautiful, involves just the right kind of pain that means your body will get stronger in recovery and not the wrong kind which means injury).
Seven weeks in I feel much better riding and in between rides already. I am enjoying being more fit, and looking forward to the rest of the rather daunting plan. Someday I hope to be able to keep up with my new friends.
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