It’s Spring, so Where’s the Spring in my Stride?

If you're feeling slower on your mountain bike this spring, don't be too hard on yourself.

By Roger Phillips
March 31, 2020

5 comments

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For some weird reason, I feel like I should pick up in the spring right where I left off in the fall. You know, in shape and with sharp reflexes honed from many miles and hours on the trail. Or at least, as well as my mind remembers that golden era from roughly 120 days ago.

So why were my feeling hurt after a recent ride when I was dragging ass uphill and descending like someone filled my tires with sand? What happened? Why is the MTB world so cruel?

The sunny memories one compiles in rose-colored hindsight over winter are truly amazing. Granted, there actually was a shining time in my life when I would come off the couch after winter and tackle Class 4-5 whitewater in my kayak, and in rare cases, carve some corduroy on my snowboard during the same weekend, and then drop in elevation and shred some hero dirt on my spine-crushing aluminum hardtail.

Things are different now. I’m on the wrong side of mid-50s, which I can safely say puts me at the far-right edge of this website’s age demographics. It’s a weird place to be because I still take spring road trips to St. George or Moab, but also know the difference between HDL and LDL cholesterol and have experienced the middle-aged crucible of a colonoscopy.

So after a few early season rides, I looked at a sample of my personal records on Strava, and it looked like an old high school display case filled with dusty trophies, faded ribbons and brittle certificates. I spotted a PR from 2014 on a trail segment I still frequently ride. Are you kidding? I haven’t gone faster than that since 2014? It feels like an ice age ago.

I had similar pangs of self pity looking at my favorite loop and realizing one of my recent rides was eight seconds slower than the slowest time in my top ten.

I charted that trail in my head, going over corners where I might carry more speed and gentle uphill grades where I could stand on the pedals for a quick burst to shave a few seconds without redlining my heart rate. But going eight seconds faster seemed as likely as breaking the sound barrier.

But the riding season has just begun, I reminded myself. I’m being naive and delusional if I believe miles churned on my stationary bike (not a Peleton, I’m not that cliché) would make me come out of the gates setting PRs. Those stationary miles might slow the winter backslide, but they’re not the path to self-infused glory.

Fortunately, after a few rides, the hills seemed to suck less oxygen from my lungs and my legs started dancing a little on descents. Corners taken at speed became a little more swoopy with less white-knuckle braking and clumsy skidding.

After several rides, a few trophies started popping up on my little screen, and just like that, I was back in good graces with the MTB world. I drove away from the trailhead with the stereo a little louder and my head bobbing to tunes decades out of date (grunge forever!).

So my sagely wisdom to all my actual and virtual friends who climb aboard two wheels and traverse dirt is to just go for it. The season is young, the trails are fresh and whether you’re a teen shredder, a frustrated rookie, a seasoned pro, or a snarky, gray-haired, enduro-bro wannabe, just freakin’ ride when you get the chance.

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5 Comments

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killer climb Pennsylvania // 2019
Mar 31, 2020

Amen to you all. I myself am in my early 50s and feel that letting up in any way is just going backwards. I am realizing i should be careful not to get hurt or overtrain. That being said I dont listen very well to what i should do. However in a crisis like this ,it seems to be now pushing me to be on the bikes more and longer and harder rides as you just dont know whats going to happen

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rmap01 Maryland // 2013
Apr 2, 2020

Good article. I'm on the better(??) side of mid-50's. ;) Since I typically ride year round (even in snow, although we had very little of it this winter) I usually don't see a major difference in my ride fitness in the spring. This spring I actually feel stronger than I have in years past and I've set a number of PRs so far that I'm pretty pleased with. One thing I did differently this offseason was to get a smart trainer and complete the Dirt Destroyer workout plan on Zwift. This forced me to ride more frequently - and push myself harder - than I would have on my own. Not sure how accurate it is but according to my Garmin Edge I increased my VO2 max by 20% by the end of the workout plan whereas prior to this winter my VO2 moderated up or down by no more than 3-5%. Doing my best to distance myself (socially or otherwise) from Father Time although he has a way of constantly reminding me he's ALWAYS there. Lol

Oldandrolling South Carolina // 2018
Mar 31, 2020

I am up there in age too. I found a few years ago that winter riding hills on rural roads and gravel helps me a lot to keep my legs and lungs in shape. We don't get much snow where I live but, we do get lots of rain which make the trails slow, muddy and inaccessible. So, I find the steepest road hills I can find locally and ride them as fast as I can go multiple times a week. This has helped me considerably as I wait for the trails to dry up.

m.krupp Kentucky // 2018
Mar 31, 2020

No matter how well you ride it should always be a good thing. If a slow day is day in the woods on a bike. How good! Maybe this year more than ever we should really stay within our limits and not look for trophy rides. At least while doctors offices and hospitals are full of COVID 19 patients. I go out and tell myself some days that today is just for fun. Before I know it I am mashing on the pedals looking for more and more speed and flow. This year though I am finding myself holding back to be smart about it. There will be time later test or work on new skills and build speed. Maybe now is the time to be smooth and thankful I can ride.

[email protected] South Carolina // 2015
Mar 31, 2020

Pushing 60 myself. I keep a log of my rides. I am having a hard time climbing this Spring. My legs do not have the strength I had last Fall. I can’t determine if it is just me getting older or if it is because of the extremely wet winter we had that killed a number of weekend opportunities to ride. I want to ride more laps on my favorite trail but just can’t do it right now. I hope it gets better but now they have closed the state parks due to the covid-19.

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