It’s June and by this time almost every cycling season I am burnt out. It has been nearly two weeks that I’ve spent mostly off the bike and I am just starting to feel like I would like to look at my bike again. For some reading this I am sure the thought of taking this much time off the bike might be unfathomable but I am in the mindset that if the legs and mind aren’t up for it there is really no point in continuing to push yourself. So, what have I been doing on my extended vacation off the bike? Golfing of course! There is nothing better than switching your focus to a different activity, especially when you need a little break from the bike.
Each year I take time away from the bike to enjoy other activities I am always curious as to what tipped me over the edge and forced me to take some time away from the bike. Often an injury will sideline me which is usually directly related to pushing too hard or overtraining out on the road. Other times like these past few weeks I have just had no interest in getting on my bike. I don’t want to wake up early to ride or even commute into work. I certainly have been on strike and now with rested legs and a reset mind I am looking forward to getting back in the saddle.
Many people these days say that cycling is the new golf and it would certainly seem that way when out riding on the weekends here in the GTA but I do have some issues with this comment because what about the golf?! I hope that many of the people saying this still hit the links a few times a year. There are many similarities in these two activities with the social aspect of the two. Heck, I even find I get a similar workout in when comparing an easy 4 hour coffee ride to walking 18 holes on the course. I am certainly more cyclist than golfer (no matter how badly I want the opposite when out on the course) so standing and walking the entirety of a golf course gives me the same feeling a long ride will!
With so many months of the riding season left, I am looking forward to getting back on the saddle and logging another few thousand kilometers. I am also hoping to participate in a some cycling events as the summer begins to heat up. A few upcoming events I am very eager to attend are the Sea Otter Canada Event at Blue Mountain Resort July 4-7. This event will feature a number of industry leading brands while offering Mountain bike events, gravel rides and both a Hill Climb event and Granfondo on the road.
The Bluewater International Granfondo on August 4th starts just outside of Sarnia in Ontario and takes riders through Lambton county and along the shores of Lake Huron. Though I have never ridden this event I have ridden my bike in the area and can only imagine how fast the ride will be with the pancake flat terrain and a large field of riders.
Taking time away from the bike allows me to take a step back and enjoy other activities in my life, it also motivates and leaves me excited for things to come. For anyone feeling a little tired of the bike I encourage you to take a day, week or however long is needed to find love for the bike again!
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