Kickstart your 2026 cycling season by building consistent, sustainable habits early. Focus on a mix of Zone 2 and structured high-intensity sessions to maximize results. A month of that an then shift your 50% of your Z2 to Z3. Key strategies include setting a clear goal, and following 4–6 week training plans to boost fitness.

And possibly investing in a coach – but then I would say that..!

1. Planning & Goal Setting

• Define Your Goal: Pick a challenging event (100km ride, Taiwan KOM Challenge, or say, climb 10,000m in a month) for structure and motivation.
• Follow a Structured Plan: Choose a plan and stick to it. If possible, share it with a friend so you can motivate each other. Read this to learn how to write your own training plan.
• Progressive Overload: Increase weekly ride time by ~10%: if not possible, increase intensity by same amount (when base is covered).
• Schedule Rest: Include 2 rest days and a lighter recovery week every 4th week.

2. Training Focus Areas

• Base Endurance (Zone 2): ~75% of training should be steady eddie.
• HIIT: 2–3 hard sessions/week (e.g., 3x4min at Z4 / Sub Thresh).
• Strength & Hills: 1–2 gym sessions/week; include hill repeats for power. See my personal take on gym work right here.

3. Habits & Setup

• Invest in a coach perhaps! Also, stay consistent, and consider joining a community.

Stay focused!

4. Kickstart Challenges

• Set yourself a challenge, such as ride 100km every Saturday, for a month, share with friends and let each person choose a different route each week, with a visit to a new cafe or a new place to eat included.

5. Work on The Mental

• Consider daily meditation, even for just 10 minutes. No need for motivational mantras, try just cloasing your eyes, count your breath to 7, and repeat. It can be very beneficial and a nice way to start your day. I presonally do 20 minutes after I’ve had a shower and before a coffee.
• Change how you see all this effort you put in. Rather than this being a hassle, a mountain to climb, consider how fortunate you are to able to do this. Remember, cycling is a way better addiction to be into than meth!