If you haven’t noticed by now, I love riding bikes. Roads, gravel, dirt trails, single track, snow – it doesn’t matter to me – I just want to be on a bike. However, I wasn’t always a cyclist. Back in high school I played sports – volleyball and ran track. I was also in a weight lifting class a few times a week. Once I got to college I joined the lacrosse team and continued my weight lifting journey. I bought a $50 Huffy bike with a basket to ride to class and remember having so much fun with it but never thought more about riding bikes at the time. After I graduated from college at the end of 2015 I moved back home (Traverse City) and mainly focused on weight lifting with the occasional run for a few years. My cycling journey began around the fall of 2018 when I bought a used road bike. I started participating in triathlons and running races. I needed something to do in the winter and my friends had introduced me to fat tire riding, so I bought a used fat bike. The biking passion evolved from there and now I primarily ride bikes. As much as I enjoy time on the saddle, it is so important to cross train. Let’s talk about why and what you can do to incorporate some cross training into your routine!
Cross training helps improve overall performance, prevents injury, builds strength, maintains mental freshness, and supports long-term sustainability in the primary sport. Cross training can include (but is not limited to) strength training, swimming, running, hiking, cross-country skiing, yoga, pilates, rowing, or the elliptical. Some of the cross training I do is strength training, running, hiking, yoga, and swimming. I am currently following a training plan for a race in the fall, Marji Gesick. The plan calls for about 4-5 days per week of riding, 2-3 days of strength training, 2-3 days of running, and several stretching sessions. Sometimes I will substitute a run for a “ruck” (hiking or walking with a weighted pack) for more variety. I followed this plan last year as well and although it may be specific towards Marji, it certainly helped with my Iceman prep too!
My favorite form of cross training is lifting weights. It has been the most consistent form of exercise for me and I truly enjoy it. If you are considering adding in some strength training to your routine, a few exercises to consider that directly impact cycling are:
-squats
-deadlift
-step-ups
-lunges
-any and all core exercises! These could include: planks, dead bug, or eggs in a basket/woodchops
-hip thrusts
-glute bridges
-band walks
In addition to strength training, mobility and flexibility exercises are a good resource as well. Some examples include:
-kneeling lunge stretch (hip flexor)
-forward fold (hamstring)
-couch stretch (quad)
-figure four (glute)
-thoracic spine mobility
-shoulder mobility
-ankle mobility
As mentioned above, cross training is beneficial for many reasons. Cycling is a repetitive low impact sport. This is great for joints, however, can lead to overuse injuries especially in the knees, hips, and lower back. Cross-training strengthens muscles that aren’t used as much in cycling (like your core, upper body, and stabilizers), helping to balance your body and reduce injury risk. Adding strength training builds power for climbs, sprints, and accelerations. Core workouts enhance stability on the bike, especially on rough terrain or long rides. Activities like running, swimming, or rowing work your heart in slightly different ways and improve overall aerobic capacity. It gives your cycling muscles a break while still training your heart and lungs. Doing the same workout over and over can lead to burnout. Switching it up with something fun like trail running, yoga, or even pickleball can help you stay motivated and mentally fresh. Cross-training builds athleticism, which makes you more resilient and capable as a cyclist. Athletes who cross-train tend to perform better in the long term and recover faster from setbacks.
Cross training does not have to be timely or cost consuming. Roll out a towel in your backyard for some yoga and stretching, perform body weight exercises at home, hop in the lake and tread water, take a walk around the block or join a local pickleball league! Find something that you enjoy and roll with it! If you incorporate a few cross training activities per week into your routine, I bet you will notice a difference come race day, and maybe that’s Iceman for you! Happy training!
Thank you to Haleigh Dunn @life.with.haleigh for being our 2025 Iceman Trailbalzer!