Riding Alone

In these strange times of pandemic induced isolation, the only riding that we can do is either indoors or alone. Nadezhda puts a positive slant on riding alone here, with an intelligent analysis of its benefits.

We didn’t choose these times, but it is all we have, so we have to look at the positive aspects for our training. Riding alone can help us in our training plans and gives us time to focus too. Here’s a few positive aspects that I have found to riding alone.

The benefits of riding alone

MOTIVATION

Solo training allows you to focus on yourself and builds your mental toughness. You have your objective and it is solely up to you to complete. It comes down to you, your bike and the ride. With no other cyclist to use for motivation and chase down or ride away from, you find your own personal motivations. Done successfully, you will not only make yourself physically stronger, but now you are mentally stronger.

You will during the ride, have to challenge yourself, to fight those thoughts of pain and tiredness.It will help you to develop strategies for doing this and ultimately make you a better rider. Try picking out places ahead of you on the ride, and setting them as goals as you ride. This way you are always achieving during the ride.

FOCUS

Your plan is unique to you. Whether you are working directly with a coach, using a training plan, or have set out your own plan, that plan is designed to get you where you need to be. It is based on your time constraints, strengths, weaknesses and racing goals.

Focusing on your individual plan provides several key benefits. First, even if your teammate or riding partner is on the same schedule for the day, most likely your target numbers for efforts, or even your recovery between them, are different. You do what you are supposed to do and they do what they are supposed to do, it’s that simple.