John Peter is an endurance athlete with a long history of high-volume training and racing that masked many signs of bipolar disorder. But throughout the journey, this father, teacher, and high school coach discovered ways to balance life, training, and mental health.
Taylor Lideen’s victory at this year’s Unbound XL gravel race was an awe-inspiring achievement of physical endurance. But the sheer absurdity of riding alone for almost 23 hours, over 350 miles of rugged gravel, hides an even more challenging battle Taylor has faced with depression and anxiety.
Your lifestyle and daily routine are more closely related to your training than you may realize. Daily stress, training habits, your support system, and the learning you do off the bike are elements of lifestyle that play a role in your training. Knowing how the elements of your daily life impact your training can help you optimize these elements so that your training plan complements your routine and reinforces your goals daily.
Balanced, timely exercise can be beneficial to your mental health, improve your sense of well being, and in some cases alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression.