Tips to keep you satisfied with cycling – and get you out of a rut. – By Molly Hurford

Dr Sharleen Hoar, a performance psychology consultant who works with high-level cyclists, shares some tips for being cycling-happy.

Be Self-Aware

“The happiest cyclists I see are the ones who are extremely self-aware” Hoar says. “The closer cycling aligns with their values, the happier they are.” Think about what you love about cycling – then ask yourself where it may have gone off-track.

Manage Your Time

You might be unhappy with cycling because cycling infringes on the rest of your life – so cut down on volume (don’t panic, you can add intervals). Hoar says any time you feel like your life is out of balance, you may be making yourself miserable.

Get Organised

If your bike’s shifting is sub-par, or your cleats are so worn out you can hardly pedal, it’s easy to see riding as a chore. Take a day to clean up your gear and get your bike in working condition again. If you remove the external barriers, you may find the internal ones disappear too.

Embrace The Journey

“It’s all about embracing the journey,” says Hoar. “Not just the actual ride itself; I mean ‘the journey’ in that training should be fun. Embracing the day-to-day grind of training, and finding the joy in it – the cyclists who can do that are typically the ones who are most satisfied as riders.”

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