As the weather gets colder and more VQ’ers move their training indoors, I want to address one of the biggest mistakes I see cyclists make: riding too hard, too often.
I love intensity. I built much of my cycling career around the ability to suffer and push through difficult efforts. But one thing I’ve learned from years of racing and coaching is that getting faster isn’t about how hard you can ride every day. It’s about how well you balance hard work with recovery.
At VisionQuest, we have a philosophy that I want every athlete to understand: Make your hard days hard and your easy days EASY!
Your body improves when you challenge it with the right amount of stress and then give it time to adapt.
When you ride hard, you create fatigue. When you recover, your body responds by becoming stronger and more efficient.
The problem is that many cyclists spend too much time in the middle. They ride too hard on their easy days and then don’t have the energy to truly push themselves on their hard days.
I call this the gray zone of training.
You’re working hard enough to create fatigue but not always hard enough to get the specific adaptations you’re looking for.
One of the things that makes VisionQuest different is that we give every workout a specific intent.
Here’s the important part: You don’t need to do every hard workout every week.
Depending on your fitness, goals, age, recovery, and overall stress, two high-intensity sessions per week may be plenty.
And remember, at VQ you can always choose to ride Zone 2, regardless of what the scheduled workout is.
This is especially important indoors.
You’re riding next to friends. The music is playing. The instructor is motivating you. Someone next to you is putting out big watts.
It’s easy to get caught up in the energy and start pushing harder than you planned.
But here’s something I want you to remember:
Your training is YOUR training.
If your plan calls for Zone 2, I don’t care if the person next to you is doing 400 watts. Stick to your plan.
The best athletes aren’t necessarily the ones who win every workout. They’re the ones who consistently execute the right workouts over months and years.
As we get older, recovery becomes even more important.
Sleep, nutrition, hydration, strength training, work stress, and life stress all influence how much training our bodies can absorb.
If you show up tired, sore, or mentally drained, sometimes the smartest thing you can do is back off.
That doesn’t mean you’re getting soft. It means you’re training intelligently.
I’ve coached athletes for decades, and I can tell you that consistency beats occasional heroic workouts almost every time.
For the next month, I want you to approach every indoor ride with three simple questions:
If you can answer those questions and act accordingly, I believe you’ll see better results, enjoy your training more, and arrive at spring stronger and healthier.
Remember: The goal isn’t to win October or November. The goal is to build fitness that lasts.
Train smart, stay consistent, and trust the process.
See you on the bike!
Our athletes value more than just data. They get a clear explanation of their testing results, one-on-one guidance tailored to their goals, and a practical action plan for what to do next so every training block has purpose and direction.
“The difference between good and great is not talent – it is measurement and methodology. We give you both.”
– Robbie Ventura, Founder
Vision Quest Coaching is a community of endurance athletes and coaches offering a diverse set of scientifically designed coached cycling, running, swimming and strength workouts. We are constantly looking for ways to improve our endurance, break through physical and mental barriers, and ultimately find success. Here at Vision Quest Coaching we offer the guidance, insight, and instruction to raise your best to a higher level.
“The difference between good and great is not talent – it is measurement and methodology. We give you both.”
– Robbie Ventura, Founder
Science-driven coaching and precision testing designed to help you train smarter, perform stronger, and achieve measurable results.
