Ah, the early season. The weather is unseasonably warm. The sky is brilliant blue. Perfect weather for us eager cyclists. Never have I been able to ride outside in March. Super spoiled. But this can all be a bit dangerous for us eager beavers….

The program reads 2 hours. It is your first week of training after a long break…. Your pal wants to ride for 4 hours. Ah, this is where the battle begins with the voices in your head. “Do it – you’ll be fine – you’ll ride super easy” “Don’t do it – stick to the plan – 4 hours is too much”

Sound familiar? I’m guessing yes. It is so easy to cave into peer pressure, even more so when you’re an athlete. You have a plan and you trust it. But then you hear of so-and-so riding for 6 hours on Saturday and then 8 hours on Sunday. Uh oh – you did 2 hours each day. You better get out and ride more. Ride harder. The others are doing it. So they must be right….

It is so hard to stick to the plan. But I truly believe the key to long-term success is trust. Trust in your plan. Trust in your gut instinct. I fully subscribe to the mantra of Tim Harris “the hardest thing a cyclist can do is not ride”. So true.

The weather looks like it will be fine for the upcoming week. Do your best to not give into temptation. Stick to your plan and keep your eyes on the goals you have set. Remember your goals are not necessarily the same as your friend’s goals – therefore you have different training plans.

I know, easier said than done. Such is life.