This Is Your Year – Because You Keep Showing Up

January has a funny way of making us feel both excited and intimidated. This is when we set new goals, find fresh motivation, and make big plans for the upcoming year. And then… real life shows up. Work tends to get busy. The weather turns colder and our motivation can start to dip. Next thing we know, a workout gets missed. Then another. And suddenly that big New Year goal feels harder to hold onto than we expected.

Here’s the truth most training plans don’t say out loud: The riders who get fitter, stronger, and more confident aren’t always those who train perfectly. The reality is, those who reach their goals are those who keep showing up — imperfectly — consistently over time.

Whether your goal this year is to line up for your first ICUP race or to have your strongest season yet, this journal is here to remind you of one thing: The joy in the journey is about progress, not perfection.

THE FOUNDATION THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING: EASY DOESN'T MEAN USELESS

If you’ve ever felt like you weren’t “training hard enough,” you’re not alone. However, this is where Zone 2 training comes in — and it might just be the most misunderstood (and powerful) tool in endurance fitness. Simply put, Zone 2 is a comfortable, sustainable effort where you feel like you could ride for a long time. You can speak in full sentences while training and you finish the workout feeling worked — not wrecked.

This is the pace where your body adapts to become more resilient. It’s where your body learns how to build cardiovascular efficiency, improve endurance, and recover faster between hard efforts.

In simple terms, Zone 2 builds the engine that everything else runs on. And here’s the best part: Zone 2 fits into real life with those early morning spins, lunch-hour rides when you don’t want to go back to work sweating, or the after-work laps on the trail to unwind from the day. Zone 2 can even be done during those indoor trainer sessions when the weather doesn’t seem to be cooperating. It’s training you can repeat, and repeatability is what creates results.

A SIMPLE WAY TO KNOW YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT (No Tech Required)

Forget heart-rate charts for a moment. Want to know if you’re in Zone 2, try this instead: The Talk Test. The test is simple; if you can speak in full sentences then you're in Zone 2. If you can only get out short phrases then you're pushing a little too hard. And finally, if you can't talk then save the effort for purpose built interval and sprint training. That’s it. If you finish your ride feeling like you could have gone longer, you’re building exactly what you need.

WHEN YOU'RE READY, ADD PURPOSE - NOT PRESSURE

As your consistency builds, more structure can follow. Think of your training like layers, not boxes to check off. Remember Zone 2 endurance should always remain at the foundation of your training regime. You can add Steady-State or Tempo rides to teach your body to hold stronger efforts. Then gradually add a few short Intervals to build speed and strength for when the ride demands it.

You don’t need all of it at once and you don’t need to suffer every ride. One thing for sure is that you don’t need to compare your training to anyone else’s. The goal isn’t to train harder — it’s to train smarter and remain consistent.

MISSED WORKOUTS DON'T RUIN SEASONS - QUITTING DOES

This might be the most important point to remember of this entire post: You will miss workouts. You will have weeks that don’t go as planned. You will feel off or unmotivated some days.

However, those things do not equal failure — that’s life. The mistake isn’t missing a workout. The mistake is thinking you’ve “blown it” and stopping altogether. Your fitness won’t disappear overnight and your confidence shouldn’t vanish because of one bad week. Just pick it back up. One ride will lead to another and next thing you know, your momentum will return.

TRAIN FOR YOUR GOAL - NOT SOMEONE ELSE'S

Everyone’s “why” is different, and that matters. For example, first-time riders may focus on building consistency and confidence on the trail. More experienced riders may focus on adding structure and more advanced skills in an effort to beat their previous accomplishments. And those who are chasing podiums may focus on dialing up the intensity for a specific late season race.

Remember, no path is better than another. They’re just different chapters in your progression. What really matters is that your training supports the rider you want to become.

YOU DON'T TRAIN BECAUSE YOU'RE A RACER - YOU RACE BECAUSE YOU TRAIN

This is the fitness that makes race day fun. The kind of training we’re talking about doesn’t just help you finish races — it helps you enjoy them. It’s the fitness that makes you feel strong late in the race, recover faster between efforts, and leaves you proud of how you rode. That’s what consistency builds. That’s what showing up does.

This year turn your focus inward. Remember, you don’t need perfect weeks of training. You don’t need flawless plans. You don’t need to be “fast enough” yet. What you do need is to keep going. To ride steady. To add skill purposed training blocks when you’re ready. It’s OK to miss a day, just come back the next day. This year doesn’t belong to the perfect. It belongs to the persistent. And we can’t wait to see where that takes you.