May showers bring a lot of “maybes” when it comes to actually getting in the saddle. It’s something we all struggle with, even if only for a melancholy moment as we look out the window and zip up our gear.
But it doesn’t have to be a drudge. Here are a few simple things to keep in mind to make it easier to get out there this spring.
Proper gear
For one, you can drastically improve the quality of rides with the right gear. For instance waterproof socks will help keep your feet dry when water and mud start to penetrate your shoes. When it comes to staying warm, it all starts with your core. Zip up a waterproof breathable jacket to ensure the core of your body stays dry and warm while you’re riding. This warmth will circulate throughout your limbs and extremities to keep you in the saddle for hours.
Mental attitude
Not wanting to get wet and then getting wet is a recipe for misery. When it’s wet out there, it’s important to come to the realization that you’re going to get wet -- and embrace it. Take on a childlike attitude to make your ride more enjoyable. When you see a puddle coming, hit that puddle with full force! This is to say, the best way to improve your mental attitude is to focus on the positive. Shift your focus from telling yourself the situation sucks to asking yourself “when else are you going to get to feel this moment again?”
Be glad you’re outside!
Remember training inside throughout the winter months on your stationary bike? Riding in May isn’t that. Riding in the spring means breaking free from the indoor rollers and flying down the trail chasing new sights. Everything is in bloom and you see new life springing up from the ground. Gone are the days of pedaling in motion towards the TV or reading a book while you train. You’re back outside on the open trail taking on those hills and mile after mile of smooth pedaling.
At the end of the day, you’re going to get wet. But who says you can’t have fun riding in the rain? Embrace the situation, knowing that in a few months when the sun’s beating down on your back you’ll be reminiscing of the cold, wet, days that made the warm sunny days so great. As the sky opens and the rain falls, crack a smile and enjoy the drudgery of the situation, knowing you’re going to get wet -- and that’s ok. Because it will pass. And when it does, you’ll be glad you got out there.