This winter has been brutal for my cycling plans. Unlike years past, this weather was relatively mild, with only a few instances of a wintry mix, freezing temperatures, or cold rain. Despite the temperatures being tolerable, my riding plans were secondary because of family commitments. Gone are the days of babysitters. Hello, weekend games, regional finals, and theater practices that required mandatory parental participation to one degree or another.
At first, I unabashedly embraced this new phase of life. Who really wants to spend three hours in the saddle on a Saturday morning? The sloth pace wasn't bad until it was. My energy and stamina were the first to go. Though I'm sensitive to caffeine, I drank a cup or two to get through the afternoon. Unfortunately, the evening jolt made for one too many sleepless nights.
Have you ever changed a habit, suffered the ill effects, and wondered how you ended up in the situation? I didn't have to wonder for long. The universe corrected my course with the unsolicited Strava year-end recap. There's nothing like a year-over-year mileage, number of active days, or personal records to remind you of who you once were.
Thanks, Strava.
It was time to get back in the saddle but without primary-colored pods beneath my trainer. Without the pods under the trainer, I could only tolerate the saddle for about 30 to 45 minutes. Some weeks, I was lucky to tally three hours in the saddle despite the bike's prominent location on the first floor.
I needed to shake this slump—stat.
Around this time, I learned about rocker plates, specifically the Saris MP1 Nfinity Platform. This indoor motion platform is supposed to make riding on the indoor trainer more tolerable because it allows for a bit of movement—side-to-side and fore-aft.
Could this be the answer I've been searching for?
I was skeptical yet optimistic. Skeptical because the entire bike plus the trainer are mounted to the platform. Also, if the platform didn't work I couldn't simply deflate it and relegate it to my "tool" bin—the current location of the primary colored pods—because of its weight and size. Though the platform didn't require significantly more real estate than the bike, the elevated positioning made it appear more prominent.
For my inaugural ride, I used a step ladder to mount and dismount the bike. It probably looked as awkward as it sounds; however, my fear of toppling over led me to believe this was necessary. I opted for a Zwift pacer ride so I'd be focused on my effort rather than any potential discomfort. To my surprise, there was no discomfort. Though the platform movements were incremental, they were smooth and natural. Before I knew it, 45 minutes had passed, and I wasn't cursing like a sailor.
Since adding the motion platform to my repertoire, indoor riding has been a new experience. I've Zwifted for 12 consecutive weeks, my weekly saddle time bumped up around eight and 12 hours, and I don't dread the indoor trainer.
There are still days when life gets in the way of my planned training. Even so, I'll still get on the bike at 10 p.m. because, at this stage, the challenge isn't the riding experience.
Now that I have some mileage, it's time to ride outside this weekend. I'm a bit apprehensive about the weather, terrain, and even the odd mechanical mishap. Despite these factors, I feel confident in my ability to push through after several months of constant pedaling in one place—plus or minus a few millimeters.
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