ragbrai_monday175

by Coach David Ertl

Don’t put your bike away now. You are in the best shape of the season.  

Well, another RAGBRAI is done and in the books. I hope you enjoyed yourself and I also hope this blogs gave you some advice that helped you prepare adequately for the ride.  This is a follow up blog to get you thinking about what to do with your new found fitness.

After riding hundreds of miles in one week you are likely tired. You should be. That’s a long way to ride for anyone.  You should take this week fairly easy. You may not even want to look at your bike right now, but if you are still friends, you might consider getting out later this week and doing some easy pedaling just to help your legs loosen up and get over their soreness.

But what to do now?  I can always tell when RAGBRAI happens because the bike trails around Des Moines become deserted. I can understand now that RAGBRAI is over, less people are out because they no longer have to prepare for this ride.  But on the other hand, this is the time of year when you should be out riding.  The truth is, you are very likely in the best shape of the season now, after riding hundreds of miles last week.  You have two choices. You can hang up your bike until next year and waste all of that fitness, or you can keep riding and enjoy the nice summer weather and your great fitness.  If you continue to ride, you will maintain this fitness you have worked so hard for.  And if you keep at it through the fall and even through the winter, you will be so much better off for next year.

I’d suggest that you find another ride or tour to do later this summer or this fall.  This will keep you motivated to keep riding and to stay in shape.  Fall is a great time to ride so don’t miss out.   While you won’t find another ride like RAGBRAI (because there is no other ride like it), you will find there are lots of interesting tours to keep you motivated.

So get out and ride some more. You’ve worked hard for this fitness, so get out and enjoy it.

Until next year, this is Coach David Ertl signing off.

David Ertl is a USA Cycling Level 1 (Elite) Coach. He coaches the Des Moines Cycle Club Race Team and is a national head coach for the the JDRF Ride To Cure Diabetes and he coaches individual cyclists. He also provides cycling training plans and ebooks at his website: http://ift.tt/KCPCu1 . He can be contacted at coach@cyclesportcoaching.com.

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