Winter Blues and the Empty Trainer Miles

 

Bikes aren't simply a tool for exercise, or a vehicle. Its a confessional, a prayer booth, a way to enter a meditative state and check out from everything around. While this is all quite flowery ways of describing the act of pedalling, it stands with some truth that once rubber hits the road, dirt or trail, most will says that there is more to cycling than simply the exercise. This rings true despite the avenue of riding you're most into, cruising along with friends, filming and editing to show off creativity or for competion. Being out there, alone or with friends, is a more complete experience than any indoor platform will ever be able to give, and as it should.  

While I love the competitive nature of bike racing, and am happily competitive in more aspects of my life than probably should be, there is something about the long winter months that drag through and get harder to move along with. A prime time for trainer rides and improvement, it still does not replace outdoor riding even it can be "more efficient" by being able to train and ride with purpose. In Revelstoke, despite the well earned reputation of being a winter sports paradise, it is not hard to see why Seasonal Affective Disorder, or some form of it, is around quite a bit. The short days, cloud cover and cold grip into the town as shoulder season begins, and doesn't really let up until well into March. While skiing has been the main fight back against SAD around these parts, for me it hasn't been as motivating or exciting as in previous years. My attention has shifted, quite deeply, towards cycling and improving. My competitive nature keeps me pushing, but the more romantic side of cycling keeps me engaged when workouts start feeling like a chore rather than a passion. 

It's therefore no surprise that coming into the shoulder season, I was happily plugging away on my trainer. Tucked into the corner of my apartment, I would happily close my work computer, get changed and get to work. "Clock in" I would tell myself as I loaded up some random TV show, loaded Zwift and got to pedalling. For a while, seeing the number plates I pinned on the wall from the 2024 season kept me going, as well as picturing new heights from the upcoming races. As the Holiday season came around however, things started to change. I was lacking a bit of motivation and desire, noticing that the trainer wasn't fulfilling that deep satisfaction that a hard outdoor ride in the middle of summer could. I was improving in form and fitness, sure, but my mentality was suffering. I kept working out, as motivation can be fickle and a bit of discipline can go a very long way, but the longer I kept up at trainer miles, the more I wanted to go outside, go for a run or do anything to keep my shape and improvements while also not half watching another random sports documentary on Netflix.

Enter the false spring, and a recent trip out to Vancouver Island to stay with my in-laws. Jumping at the chance, I brought my bike and an attitude to be ready to go riding outside whenever I can, as the Victoria weather uniquely allows for Canada in February. The shift was palpable, and pretty well immediate. So much so that my partner made me aware that I seemed a lot happier and a lot more at ease, which wasn't the case when I just had my trainer and the deep of winter. Two weeks of riding, despite some rainy days and temparatures hovering around zero, I could still go out and see the progress of the training as well as remind myself why I enjoy time on my bike so much. 

I'm back in Revelstoke now, and sure enough Spring has also sprung here. Spud and I have quickly taken advantage of the changing weather and a dry (ish) Airport Rd to start doing laps. Riding together for the first time since October, sharing stories and laughing as made me look forward to the season to come. Despite looking like a couple of psychos on our road bikes at the end of February, we were lucky enough to be able to charge up our lights and take advantage while we can. Still no guarantees that tis is the real Spring, or the dreaded false Spring that always seems to come once a year. While both of us are hard at work trying to get ourselves ready for the upcoming season, I know I've caught a second wind to train and get myself ready to race again. If the trainer has to come out then so be it, at least we know for sure outdoor riding season is coming very fast