How to tackle low motivation
Cycling is a time-consuming sport and for many of us, staying motivated all year round is a big ask. Training through winter is particularly tough with cooler temperatures and fewer daylight hours making riding much less enjoyable. Sometimes you lost sight of why you’re doing it and what you love about cycling. Here are my tips to help you get out of bed (or off the couch) and keep your motivation high all year round.
Ride with other cyclists
Riding with friends or an organised group helps boost motivation as it is so much more enjoyable than riding solo. On the rare occasion where I do ride by myself, I find myself constantly checking my Garmin to see the kilometres tick over, whereas when I ride with my friends I’m having fun and time flies! Riding with a group also makes you accountable because you can’t procrastinate when you’ve got others waiting for you. There are also benefits such as learning from others, safety in numbers, drafting (aka team work) and of course the coffee at the end!
If you don’t have a bunch to ride with, you can reach out to your local cycling club or bike store to see if they can point you in the right direction. There are also indoor training options where you can meet up with others for group rides or races, such as Zwift. Most gyms will also have spin classes which can be a fun way to get into cycling and meet other people.
Tineli Ambassador Laura Wood
Set goals
Goal setting is an effective way to increase motivation, particularly for competitive cyclists who are training for racing and events. Make your goals concrete by writing them down and being specific, not vague.
You may decide to target a certain event or race, which can be your long-term goal. I find it helps to tell friends and family about these long-term goals to keep myself accountable, but do what works for you. To stay motivated for your long-term goals, set yourself smaller, achievable targets or short-term goals. These could include a total distance you want to reach each week/month, hitting key sessions, not getting dropped up a certain climb or just improving a certain cycling skill e.g. drafting, cornering, descending.
It has been a tough few years with lots of events being cancelled/postponed due to Covid restrictions, but it seems like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel now for most athletes.
Internal and External Motivation
Both internal and external motivation play their part in helping you stay focussed on training and cycling objectives.
Internal motivation includes personal satisfaction and enjoyment. This is key. If you don’t enjoy riding your bike for the sake of it, it makes it very hard to stay motivated for training and racing.
External motivation might include racing goals, improvements in performance (PB times/power outputs etc.) and beating other riders. Chances are if you ride a bike, you will have a competitive streak!
Laura Wood on Zwift
Get a coach or make your own training plan
These are both very effective ways to boost your motivation. A structured program provides further accountability and will help you towards your short-term and long-term goals. Indoor training platforms such as Zwift have training programs built into them which are a great resource, whereas having a coach may offer a more program that is more tailored to you personally.
Laura Wood and her training plan
Get inspired
I find watching the pros racing in the Tour de France or other professional events helps me stay motivated. Not only is there often incredible scenery, but you get to watch the fastest in the world battle it out for glory. It’s often a reminder of how many hours they’ve put in to get to their level, which I find helps get me out the door early in the morning or on a cold day.
Find out how the pros transition from the off-season to being physically and mentally race fit in this Cycling News story.
Variety spices things up
Trying something new is a good way to get motivated again. Choose a road or route you don’t usually take, use your bike for commuting or plan a cycle touring weekend.
You can even mix up the type of bike you ride e.g. if you usually ride a road bike, try mountain biking and enjoy the trails. Some local suppliers or tourist agencies may hire out different types of bikes if you want to try something new without having to make a significant investment.
Reward yourself
Part of why I enjoy cycling so much is for the coffee and scone at the end of a ride. It’s important to treat yourself for all the kilometres you’ve ridden!
When you do hit a short-term or long-term goal, make sure to enjoy the moment and what it meant to you. Give yourself some credit and a pat on the back.
Take time out occasionally
While many cyclists can push themselves week after week, there is always a risk of overdoing it and burning out. Make sure to take some time to recover, particularly after a key race/event you’ve been targeting for a while. Whether you need a few days off the bike or a few weeks, this time off will help your legs recover and will also help refuel your motivation. If you’re like me, you’ll miss riding your bike when you take this time out, so once you do come back you’ll be refreshed and eager to work hard again.
Laura Wood at home
About the author
Laura Wood is a triathlete based in Christchurch (New Zealand). Cycling is her favourite discipline to train for with the variety and views it brings, and can often be found riding around the Port Hills with friends or family. She has competed in professional half ironman events since 2015, with some podium placings in Asia in 2019 which qualified her for the Ironman 70.3 World Champs that year. She is currently training towards her first full ironman event in March 2023.