How to do an Easy Training Ride

As hilarious as this sounds, many athletes struggle when challenged with an "Easy" ride. Taking it slow when you are used to speeding along and pushing for that KOM or PR, can be difficult. If you’re even slightly competitive, it’s hard to watch as a kid on a skateboard or senior citizen in a power chair leaves you in the dust. Easy training rides are an important part of any training plan. They are designed to help you either recover from more intense training or warm you back up after a day or two off. The key is to approach the problem with a different mindset. When your training plan calls for an "Easy" ride, you should celebrate. This is your chance to explore nature or your neighborhood, grab an early-mid-late-ride coffee, and stop and watch dogs frolic at the local park. There are some simple ways to help prepare to “take your bike for a stroll.” First, avoid wearing your full aero kit. Wear street clothing instead. Second, leave your racing bike at home and ride your commuting or gravel bike, if you have one. Finally, put your cycling computer in your pocket or at least dim the screen. If you can’t imagine riding without data, then challenge yourself to keep your heart rate in Zone 1 (50-60% of max) and your power output to 100 watts or less. If your training load (TL) comes in higher than 15 for your easy ride, you went too hard.