As the summer stretches on, motivation can dip, whether you’re training for an event or just trying to ride regularly. The early weeks of summer are filled with excitement—sunny days, warm evenings, and the sheer joy of getting out on the bike without the hassle of winter layers. But by mid-summer, when barbecues, beach trips, and long evenings with friends start competing for your time, it’s easy for cycling to take a back seat. That’s why finding fresh ways to keep your rides enjoyable and purposeful is so important.
In this blog, former professional cyclist Imogen Cotter shares her personal tips for keeping the joy in summer cycling. She reflects on her own mindset shifts during the season, offers advice on adding variety to your routine, and highlights the small habits that help her stay consistent and motivated.
“We are roughly halfway through the summer season, which also means we are midway through arguably the best time of the year for cycling. It’s that time of year when it no longer takes 20 minutes to get dressed for a ride, and you no longer feel uncomfortably warm before you have gone out of the front door. In Ireland, we still have to continuously scan the weather app to make sure we don’t get caught in a torrential downpour, but there’s no denying that it’s much easier to get out for a spin during these lovely summer days. I have put together some of my top tips on how you can make the most out of the longer days on your bike!
1. Embrace adventure
One small change I’ve made to my training this summer is turning my longer rides into mini adventures. Is there a café you’ve been meaning to try or a scenic viewpoint you’ve yet to visit? I now plan my routes around those little goals, and it has taken me down new roads I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. It has also added a sense of fun and purpose to my training—and made me look forward to each ride even more!
Knowing how to stay safe on the roads is also crucial. You can find some top tips on how to stay safe during your summer cycles here.
2. Get involved in sportives
I’ve been lucky enough to do some gorgeous sportives so far this year – including the Škoda Tour de Conamara and the Škoda Ring of Clare–two of Ireland’s leading summer cycling events.
Signing up for these events has been helpful in two ways. Firstly, it has made me a lot more motivated to get out and train during the week. I don’t know about you, but knowing that I have a 160km ride at the end of the month makes me want to train without making any excuses! I want to be able to finish the ride feeling comfortable, and not completely empty, which is the most important thing. Secondly, sportives enable me to get some of my longer rides completed alongside some great company! The atmosphere at these events is incredible and the 120km always flies by!
Getting ready for any sportif requires knowing how to fuel effectively. I’ve previously covered the topic of what I eat in a day when training for a long bike ride, so you can see what also might work for you!
3. Knowing how to ease off
Taking any performance pressure off yourself is key to getting out of a motivational slump. If I feel that I’m lacking in motivation, I’ll tell myself that I only have to go out for 30 minutes, or that I only need to push 100 watts, so that the idea of the ride isn’t to suffer, but to move. If there’s no performance parameter, then there’s no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ – there’s just cycling. This helps in bringing the enjoyment and fun back into the sport!
If you’re looking for routes suitable for beginners, check out this shortlist of some of the best greenways across Ireland. Traffic-free and set amongst some of the island’s most beautiful backdrops, greenways are a great starting point for budding cyclists.
I hope you find this fresh approach to summer training helpful. Who knows, maybe I’ll see you on the start line of a sportif sometime soon. Be sure to tune in to my blog next month in which I’ll talk all about this year’s Škoda Ring of Clare in my summer recap of the event. Happy training!”
