Phases Of A Cyclist

Throughout the progression of one's cycling career you go through many phases. It probably starts out as something you just do for fun and then you get addicted to it and want to get faster. This is usually when things start to get serious and a rider becomes aware of weight loss, training, lighter parts, etc. This is also the phase were a rider will see the most progress and gain a ton of fitness. Not a bad place to stay as long as you don’t get anal about it and let it control your life.

For me, I stayed in that phase for about two years and then moved on to another phase that I’m in right now. I’m not sure what you would call it but I am definitely much more laid back about all aspects of riding. I still train hard and eat healthy but it has become second nature and it doesn’t seem like a chore anymore. This is an advantage because with this off my mind I have been able to concentrate on learning how to read a race and fine tune many skills like becoming more efficient on the bike. I guess it just becomes a lifestyle after awhile, and even though I race less, I still reap all the benefits.