Now that Spring is here you’re probably thinking about spending more time on your bike. We all have busy lives with family and work commitments often pushing our cycling time into the wee hours of the morning. As Spring mornings are getting warmer, brighter and more inviting, here are some tips to motivate yourself out of bed and actually do the early morning training you’ve been promising you’ll do this season.
Prepare
When it’s cold and dark outside, it’s very difficult to get out of bed and out for a ride. Make the process easier by preparing everything in advance. That way, you can basically roll out of bed and straight onto the saddle.
The idea is to minimize your excuses for staying in bed. Psychologically, the fewer the steps required to start riding, the easier it will be to take that very first step of pushing yourself from the bedsheets. Also, if you’ve already gone to the trouble of preparing for your ride, it will be a waste to go back to sleep. It’s a twist on the sunk cost fallacy, but in this case, if it motivates you get onto your bike, that’s only a good thing.
Bike Check
Before going to bed, do a bike check to make sure your tires are pumped, chain is lubricated, and lights and rear reflector are charged and attached. Put it somewhere easily accessible – next to the front door, if possible – so that it’s ready to grab and go in the morning.
Kit
Lay out all the kit you’ll need. Check the weather forecast to plan your wardrobe. In NY, the morning temps are generally chilly. At those temperatures, a cyclist can be comfortable with a base layer, long sleeve jersey, full-fingered gloves, bib tights (or bib shorts with leg warmers) and shoe covers. Also, make sure you’ve inserted the correctly colored lenses into your cycling glasses – lenses that are suitable for cycling in the dark or overcast skies.
It may also help to lay out some alternative clothing items. If you think it might rain, prepare your rain jacket and waterproof gloves. If you think it might warm up, set aside kit with short sleeves and arm and leg warmers so that you can adapt to changeable conditions. By preparing for any outcome, you will avoid the annoyance of fumbling around your closet in the dark of the morning while the clock ticks away on your ride time.
Gear
Finally, prepare any gear or accessories you’ll need. Fill up your water bottle. Lay out any food you’ll need, like a pre-ride banana. Whatever you usually carry on a ride, such as your house keys, credit card or mini pump, put these near your jersey so you can place them straight into your pockets. Place your helmet and shoes right by your bike.
If you’ve prepared everything the night before, as an added bonus you can set your alarm back a few minutes and still wake up ready to ride.
Set Goals
Set yourself goals for your morning’s ride. Specific and measurable targets will give you focus, motivating you to hop out of bed and onto your bike much more effectively than some loose plans to just “go for a spin” that morning.
That goal can be almost anything. If you’re targeting a specific race or event and have a structured training program, then you’re already set – just follow the program. I find that having such a long-term target drives me to accomplish the day-to-day training.
Otherwise, set yourself some target that you’d like to achieve that morning – maybe it’s a specific set of intervals at a given power or heart rate. Or, maybe it’s simply completing laps or climbing hill reps. Whatever it is, set yourself a goal that motivates you out of bed.
Keep your rides short
When it comes to setting goals, when the weather might be unfriendly, it helps to keep your rides brief and to-the-point. Prioritize shorter, intense intervals over long endurance rides. Not only will this allow you to get your workout done and head back indoors sooner, the higher intensity will also keep your body warmer.
Invite Ride Friends
Peer pressure is a powerful thing. Few things motivate a cyclist like the fear of missing a great group ride with your club, or the shame of letting down a friend by bailing out at the last minute. So, if you’re finding it difficult to motivate yourself to head out on an early morning ride, arrange to meet a friend to ride in the morning. Besides, it’s more enjoyable to ride with others than to ride by yourself.
If you’re looking to combine the social aspect of cycling with a solid morning workout, join up with a group training rides. Check with your local cycling club for more information.
Sleep Early
Perhaps most obviously, the earlier you go to bed, the easier it is to wake up for an early morning ride. After you’ve checked your bike and set out your clothing and equipment, get yourself to bed. Put down your handheld devices, switch off the television, and say goodnight to your family. If you need to, negotiate with your partner so that they understand and agree with your early-to-bed, early-to-ride cycling routine. By getting a full night’s sleep before your alarm goes off, you’ll minimize the temptation to hit the snooze button and roll back over.
There are a few things you can do to make morning ride more appealing in your morning routine. Whether it’s being prepared, setting a goal, riding with friends or just going to bed earlier, make use of whatever tricks you can to avoid cancelling at the last minute. And finally, when the whispering voice in your head tempts you to stay under the covers, remember this: if you don’t ride, you’ll regret it all day, but you’ll never regret riding your bike.