In the past we have written about the annual ‘oh sh*t’ moment in bike racing, where the season is suddenly upon us but our fitness and form leaves something to be desired. It is a moment that has proven largely inevitable in the dozen plus years that I have been racing bikes.

Usually some combination of post-race season relaxation and holiday festivities contributes to a bit of extra weight, some lackluster training regimen zaps away some fitness, and suddenly my ability to pedal a bike is at its absolute seasonal trough.

As New York City bike racers, our season begins early - possibly too early. So this fitness wake-up call usually tends to arrive in January, or perhaps February at the latest, when we are just a few short weeks away from the first big race of the year. But with COVID ending the 2020 race season just as it began and the official start of the 2021 season still highly uncertain (maybe June?), this year’s wake-up call is coming a bit later. For me it officially arrived this past weekend, on March 22, which would normally be three full weeks into our race season.

What was the catalyst for this year’s wake-up call? A simple 9W team ride. The pace was not particularly elevated and we partook in a lengthy mid-ride coffee stop to swap stories. But even with this relaxed format, my body was surprisingly fatigued after what, with more normal fitness, would have been best classified as a recovery ride. This fatigue was ultimately a straightforward reflection of just how far my fitness has fallen over the past year. My weight is at an all time high and my average year-to-date weekly training duration is hovering around a meek 4 hours per week so the lack of form is not exactly a surprise.

But while my form was disappointing, even by annual ‘oh sh*t’ moment standards, it was also a reminder of why I love to ride bikes. The smiles and stories with friends, those moments of struggle when the pace takes off and you’re glued to the wheel in front of you (or getting dropped by Scott in the sprint, as happened this past weekend). And of course the joy of collapsing into the couch after a properly fatiguing pedal.

After this past weekend I may have no idea when I’ll next race a bike. And I may be even more uncertain on when my form (and weight) gets back to where it probably should be. But I do know one thing…. I’m absolutely looking forward to more outdoor riding with friends and teammates.

And perhaps once I get some form back, Scott will give me a do over in the state line sprint….