Chris HuckFirst group ride of the year. Definitely made some sweat puddles.
Well, because tomorrow is a recovery day in my training plan, I completed my last ride of 2025 today. Given that I effectively missed the entire month of October due to injury, I’m not going to complain. I can partly attribute that to why I had fewer miles overall in 2025 versus 2024. Weirdly, I did nearly exactly the same number of rides in 2024, I just rode about 900 more miles.
It might look like a lot of indoor rides, which can be necessary in our northern climate. However, sometimes I would have two rides a day on the trainer as warm-up/cool-down on weight training days.
I had a lot of fun this year, and even got on a podium in #cyclocross this season. (Not the first time in my racing career, but it’s always nice when it happens.) I rode some places I’ve always wanted to, like mountain biking in western North Carolina.
The one thing I’ve learned in refining my training in recent years is that it’s not about the quantity of riding, it’s about the quality. I feel more fit riding fewer miles than when I just used to ride ALL THE TIME. Having a training plan is motivating and prevents burnout. Riding a bike is fun, but riding it fast is even more fun. I’m so glad I use #fascat coaching. (https://fascatcoaching.com)
Here’s to more fun on two wheels in 2026, which will be my 30th competitive #cycling season.
