The legend of Pandora\’s box is famous in mythology. We cyclists have to be careful not to run into a Pandora\’s box with our training; or, perhaps I should say, with overtraining.

In The Cyclist\’s Training Bible

Cyclist’s Training Bible

Joe Friel cautions against overtraining. It can be easy to slip into this state: racing cyclists overeager to improve; or beginners who can\’t get enough of riding, and wind up overdoing it; or the rider who leaves century preparation until too late, and tries to cram it into four weeks. Me, perhaps?

Cycling itself proved a sort of Pandora\’s box for me; albeit without the unpleasantness let loose by the original in the myth. When I got the trike, I thought I was buying a way to get to work and to the stores; and to enjoy a few miles around the park on weekends. Ha! Was I wrong! I was hooked before I completed my first mile; and in the eleven years since that day, I\’ve totaled 56K miles!

Not me?

Have I ever fallen victim to overtraining? I\’m not sure. Of course there are days when I don\’t feel much like riding, but that\’s quite normal. On such mornings I coax myself to go out anyhow; and once I\’m out there and moving, I usually find my get-up-and-go. That\’s not indicative of overtraining, is it?

I definitely do not push for all hard, all the time. That approach isn\’t good for anyone; and in fact is the fast track to the overtraining and burnout that we need to avoid. So enjoy your riding; and rack up those miles; but be sensible. It\’s fine to set goals, but make them realistic; and don\’t beat yourself up if you don\’t meet them.

For example, my road bike + hybrid mileage for 2021 reached the 4000-mile mark this past weekend. I thought it would be great if I can make it to 5000 miles by the year\’s end; but when I did the math, I saw that this goal is a bit out of reach. To do it, I need to ride about 154 miles per week; and that\’s a bit too much.

Weather is sometimes a sort of Pandora\’s box, too. It can be beautiful at 7:00 am; but those conditions might not last. So be sure to check the forecast. That gorgeous morn might have nasty wind and rain lurking behind it; and it might be better to ride indoors.

By the way, Pandora was told NOT to open that box. Whoever told her that might as well have put on that Open Me tag!