Where Do You Start?

As a great philosopher once said “A journey of 285 miles starts with your first training ride.” OK, maybe a philosopher didn’t say that, but if one of them did BRAKING AIDS® Ride they would have.


However, that leaves the question “where does your first training ride start?” The simple answer is “where you are.”


The first step, or pedal stroke, in getting ready for BRAKING AIDS® Ride is to literally determine where you are. Not on the map, but in your riding and fitness capabilities. So how do you do that? Simple. Go ride!


Set aside some time in the next week or two to go ride. Ride until you feel like you’ve done something, but NOT until you are ready to drop. The goal is to stop when you feel like you COULD go further, but you don’t WANT to.


If you have a bike computer you will be able to measure it in miles. If you don’t, you can do your first ride or two based on time – 30-minutes, 45, etc. You will at some point want to get a bike computer. It can be the simplest one they make. All you really need to know is how far you’ve gone and how fast you went. There are smartphone apps as well, but phone batteries die. When you get to the really good riding, if you are lucky, you will find yourself in places without coverage, off the grid with a big grin on your face screaming wheeeeeeee ;-)


Whether your first ride is 30 minutes or 30 miles, you have time to train up for the Ride. The most important thing is to start where you are, not where you want to be. Going too long, too soon can lead to injury and frustration. For more information on injury prevention check out the previous blog entry from friend of the Ride, Dr. Chad Woodard at SymbioPT!


So once you know where you are what do you do with that information? Build up GRADUALLY!  How gradually? We actually have a worksheet to do the math for you!


Want to know more? Ask me! I love helping people with training plans!


—Blake, Training and Fundraising Coach