Pedal to Podium

After an intense day of cycling and strength training yesterday, I knew today’s session would be a challenge before I even clipped into the pedals. Yesterday’s double session left me with severe DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), a not-so-subtle reminder of the hard work I had put in. What I didn’t expect, however, was just how deeply it would creep into my legs throughout my night shift. The constant movement, standing, and fatigue during those hours made the soreness settle in even more, leaving me dreading this afternoon’s tempo ride.

Despite feeling like I was dragging two lead pipes for legs, I Zwift for today’s 58.2-kilometre ride. It was structured around 20 tempo efforts—‘spike tempos’—which required consistent surges of intensity. Normally, these intervals are an excellent test of sustained power and mental focus, but today they felt like a war of attrition against my screaming quads. Every push through the pedals seemed to amplify the DOMS, yet I reminded myself of why I was doing this: consistent effort is what builds resilience and fitness.

The numbers speak for themselves. Clocking in 1 hour and 45 minutes, I managed to maintain an average power of 134 watts, with a Training Stress Score (TSS) of 94. While it wasn’t my strongest ride, I was happy to hit 88% compliance on the plan—a small win considering how my legs felt going into it. Heart rate metrics showed I was working harder than usual for that output, which makes sense when DOMS is in the mix. It’s fascinating how fatigue and soreness impact efficiency; you’re putting in the same effort, but your body feels like it’s working twice as hard.

After the ride I booked an emergency leg massage for tomorrow. I’m crossing my fingers that it’ll work its magic and ease the soreness because I’ve got two important training sessions lined up. Missing them isn’t an option but I need to make sure that I’m not pushing through so hard that it is risking injury or burnout.

Today’s ride reminded me of the delicate balance between listening to your body and pushing through discomfort. Cycling is as much a mental game as it is a physical one, and sessions like these build mental toughness in ways that smoother days on the bike can’t. Tomorrow will hopefully bring some relief—and fresh legs to tackle the next challenge.