The Uphill Ride: A Lesson in Energy Management

This past weekend, my husband and I embarked on a 20-mile bike ride along one of our favorite trails, the Greenway Trail near Lisbon, OH. Typically, we cover 16 miles due to the ease of certain turn-around points.  But this time, we decided to challenge ourselves and tackle the full 20 miles.

The trail features a 2.5-mile uphill section. I’m not sure of the exact grade, but it’s definitely a climb—just ask my legs. Two weeks ago, I had tested my limits by seeing how far I could go before needing to downshift. I managed three-quarters of a mile, which, honestly, I was pleased with.  I’d never done that previously.

On this ride, I had set a goal to bike one full mile uphill without downshifting. To my surprise, I was able to continue without downshifting for the entire 2.5 miles! Completing the full uphill section was exhilarating and far exceeded my initial goal.

However (!!), I still had 13.5 miles left to bike, and none of those miles were easy. Although I surpassed my goal, I had exhausted my physical energy. This experience made me understand why athletes pace themselves at the beginning of a race and save their stamina for the finish.

This ride offered a valuable lesson that parallels life. Some projects and tasks drain our energy more than others. Just as I needed to manage my energy on the bike, we need to consider our energy levels when planning our tasks and projects.

Being mindful of which tasks are energy-draining allows us to create a more manageable schedule. If you know a task will be particularly taxing, build in breaks to recuperate. Conversely, if you have extra energy, you can handle a busier stretch of tasks and appointments on your calendar.

Everyone’s energy levels and recovery needs are different. I have a friend who can return from an evening networking event and immediately dive back into work. Her husband, on the other hand, prefers to unwind for the evening. I find myself to be more like her husband.

Avoid the temptation to compare yourself to others. Instead, observe your own strengths and stressors, and plan your work, rest, and play time accordingly.

The next time my husband and I hit the Greenway Trail, I’ll push myself again—but this time, I’ll remember to save some energy for the rest of the ride.