It’s often said that if a person has $500 to spend on getting faster on the bike, that money is best spent not on equipment, but on coaching. A number of my teammates can attest to this.

I’ve worked with two local coaches, both of whom taught me a lot. The actual process of adhering to a predefined training program was a challenge for me, though. Despite my coaches’ flexibility and laid-back approaches, I felt like my training program was too much like a syllabus, with homework assignments, quizzes, and a final exam.

So, here’s what I’ve found works for me: I set meaningful goals, I focus on a two or three key workouts per week, and I just have fun riding my bike. Every once in a while I force myself out for one of those key workouts when I don’t feel like riding, but for the most part, I make sure not to overdraw on my motivation.

I’ll write more on those subjects – meaningful goals, key workouts, and having fun – in future posts. I’ll also expand on motivation and what in particular motivates me this season.