I am just going indoors - I may be some time

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last 3 months, you’re going to know about the pandemic known as the COVID-19 Coronavirus and wondering how it is going to personally affect you. I’m no different, I watch the news regularly and see the increasingly stringent population management measures that are expanding across Europe.

As much as I would like to believe that Coronavirus was designed to ensure that the much-postponed decorating jobs get done, or to ensure that we meet the In-laws for Sunday lunch, the evidence is not really there! Italy and Spain have already banned ‘recreational’ cycling, meaning that unless you are a Pro or working for the likes of Deliveroo, your two wheeled friend is not going to be seeing any tarmac, gravel, mud, tracks, sunshine or rain for a while.

For sure, cycling isn’t just about the physical benefits that arise. No, it is as much about the mental benefits and sense of well-being that comes from physical activity and the sense of impending incarceration is, I believe, going to be a challenge for all of us to cope with.

Fortunately, if you can’t get out on your bike, you can always cycle at home on a turbo trainer. Then, the question becomes what do you actually do on the bike that goes nowhere? As it happens, we have 3 handy options for you to consider.

1) You can just sit on the saddle, plug in the headphones and pedal along to the energising beats of ABBA right through to ZZ-Top. Yes, you will benefit as any exercise is good for you but Strava won’t know you’ve done anything because, according to the GPS satellites, you haven’t moved!

2) You can download a handy online workout or route that you like the look of on to your smart app/smart trainer and give it a go. Benefit will arise and even though you may not understand why you have just sweated 1 litre or chewed your handlebars to get a PB on Zwift’s equivalent of Mount Midoriyama, your smart app/device may be able to convince Strava that you’ve been on the move!

3) You can have advice regarding the specific workouts that will provide the most benefit to you. Depending on what sort of turbo trainer you have, Strava may or may not know you’ve been active but You will know what you did and why you did it! (And Strava has manual uploads anyway! 😊)

As a professional cycling coach, I am very much in favour of Option 3 of course!

This time of enforced social separation and self-isolation can, if approached in a positive manner, be turned in something that helps you towards your cycling goals. If your target events are on the ‘threatened’ list but not yet cancelled, my advice is to assume that they will take place but also to take steps to ensure you are prepared for any delay. Turning those pedals in the indoor environment can help you be ‘event ready’ or ‘ticking over’, depending on whether your event(s) survive the sportive cull.

Irrespective of which option you choose, utilising your turbo trainer in some fashion is going to help you get through the coming weeks.

If you would like further help advice please feel free to send an email to andy@sportivecyclecoaching.co.uk or have a look at our Smart App / Smart Turbo Trainer integration service that is described on our Services page