DEEKA Community 2025 Reflections: Part 3
As the 2025 Reflections series continues, one thing has become increasingly clear: progress takes many forms, and it rarely follows a straight line. While results and numbers have their place, some of the most meaningful improvements happen quietly, in how an athlete feels on the bike, how they approach challenges, or how consistently they show up over time.
This week, we asked the DEEKA community:
“What part of your riding improved the most this year?”
Aimee: My strength and balance. Until this year, I had never pushed myself consistently to lift heavy weights, but for health reasons (osteopenia), it's good for me. I have a lot more muscle, and therefore better defences vs injury in general and in the event of a crash..
Sarah: The mental side. I discovered the power of saying aloud.....'how lucky am I to be here' in making the longest, wettest, coldest ride something I could still claim to be the best day on the bike ever. Saying that mantra, adding a smile and what could become a dark pit of despair becomes a another great day on the bike. Its magical
Kristina: My endurance. When my husband first put me on a bike back in 2018, I could barely ride a mile. That mile eventually became nine, then suddenly 30, then 50—and now 100.
James: My endurance riding, both mentally and physically. I used to fight these rides more, whereas now, I’m more patient and let the ride come to me. Not only does this lead to a more enjoyable ride, but better numbers!
Bill: I feel like my ability to “burst” during long (50 mile) mountain bike races has been the greatest accomplishment this year. I am surprised by how often throughout a 4-hour race I can sprint away from competitors and settle back into my pace.
Kirsten: Tough one! I think allowing myself to believe that I have improved my power and skills by leaps and bounds this year! I’m sometimes so hard on myself that I won’t stop to recognize that.
Mark: My cadence.
Sophie: My aerobic engine just seems to be going from strength to strength, seeing the difference in numbers across all sessions now vs in January is just crazy. It’s like I’m a completely different rider!
Caroline: Descending on the gravel bike has definitely improved.
Geoff: Roleur’ing. I much prefer the short, intense efforts. But my work in Z2/Z3, which I find quite uncomfortable, showed huge improvements through the year.
Richard: My fatigue resistance.
Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences so openly. Your reflections continue to make this series something special.
We’ll be back next week with another question and more stories from across the DEEKA community, each one offering a different perspective on what growth can look like over a season.