AMERICAN XC WORLD CUP RACER, ERIN HUCK SHARES HER RECIPE FOR THE PERFECT TRAINING RIDE

At first, it was easy to execute the training plan for the 2021 season. I ended the 2020 race season with a whirlwind of international racing including 4 World Cup races (STXC and XCO) and the World Championships all within two weeks. Motivation to prepare for a more complete and hopefully ‘normal’ 2021, was high.

But then the weather got colder. And the Covid situation in the US worsened. Group rides, a staple of my training routine in Boulder, Colorado weren’t happening. And travel was difficult, expensive, and inadvisable in most situations. I started to struggle with motivation. Especially those long days in the saddle where the intention is to churn out the miles, and build up endurance, but without specific training targets to help the time pass. Training by myself, in the cold and wet, my rides became ‘check-the-box’ tasks. Not ideal to maximize performance.

So I shifted my mindset. Athletes need goals and plans-or at least this athlete does. For every long-endurance ride I had in my schedule, I turned it into an opportunity to be creative with setting goals. I prioritized these rides and termed them my “Perfect Training Rides”. But the secret here is that it wasn’t difficult to make them perfect. I developed a recipe that worked for me and I hope it will help others spark some motivation for those long days in the saddle.

Spolier alert: A destination is key. Whether that’s a nice view point or your favourite bakery for a cooke – that’s up to you.

I am incredibly fortunate to have a quiver of tools to help me execute my training goals. Which means I have a road, gravel, and mountain bike to choose from. Most often in the winter I’m out on my SCOTT Addict Gravel bike. The gravel bike allows me to navigate variable road conditions, cover some distance, and spend some time on dirt as this increases my happiness significantly.  My Addict Gravel is the optimal tool to attain that perfect balance between Training and Adventure. Because every Perfect Training ride includes an adventure bonus challenge! These vary from riding up an exceptionally steep climb to hit an elevation target, riding up a section of techy singletrack trail on my gravel bike, or sending it down a descent with as much style as possible (think drifting corners, getting some air, #huckyeah type of style).

What makes The Perfect Training Ride effective and valuable for me is that it allows me to feel successful by incorporating unconventional goals and challenges. I really do feel like I am writing a choose-your-own-adventure story every ride and I get excited to try different routes, attempt different kinds of challenges, and add some variety to my training. Other days of the week I typically have more structured training where I am focused on power, cadence, kjs, etc. On my Perfect Training Ride I truly get to see what I am capable of beyond just metrics.

Erin’s Perfect Training Ride Bike – the SCOTT Addict Gravel. Check it out here.

Catch up with Erin as she challenges herself with some endure racing and resets her sights on Toyko.

Follow Erin’s journey on Instagram here.

Catch all of Erin’s latest videos by subscribing to her channel here.