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Balancing Pedals with Paychecks: A Cyclist's Guide to Training While Working

Alison Faulkner | Published on 11/22/2023

Balancing Pedals with Paychecks: A Cyclist's Guide to Training While Working

By Alison Faulkner, Sorella Veloce Off-Road Team

 

Good news- I have the secret sauce to help you quit your job so you can cycle all day, every day!

 

Ok, now that you’ve laughed so hard that you nearly split your chamois, let’s review the facts, because nobody ever said the above statement and could back it up. Even top tier cyclists are barely paid a pittance for their performance, which is why, especially  in the world of amateur competitive cycling, the quest for mileage often comes at a crossroads with the need to pay the bills. Since I began seriously riding two years ago, I've been forced to contend with the constant juggling act of my cycling aspirations in one hand versus the demands of a traditional in-office job in the other. In spite of becoming untethered from a traditional role (I quit teaching for good in 2022) and pivoting into data visualization and analytics, this past year has still been a massive challenge as I’ve sought to find flexible opportunities that fit in and around my training. This rollercoaster ride has been a testament to my resilience and determination to create a “work-cycle balance” while still pursuing my dreams. In this article, I aim to share a few insights, experiences, and concrete suggestions for fellow female cyclists seeking flexible jobs or side hustles that still manage to accommodate a rigorous training schedule.

 

The Challenge of Being a Competitive Cyclist with a 9-to-5 Job

 

Embracing a cycling career with 6-12 races each season while working a regular job can be a Sisyphean task (not to mention the fact that the winter and early spring can put the kibosh on your outdoor time if you aren’t partial to the cold, which of course will affect your fitness and racetime outcomes). Work itself often feels like a deranged CX course, with hurdles like time constraints, commuting, fatigue, colleagues jockeying for position and a whole lot of mudslinging at times! Once home, you have the ever-present mental load lists to tick off and before you know it, your evening is spent and how did you lose your saddle time again? It seems impossible, but the stone-cold fact is that you make time for the things that matter. Prioritizing riding pays off mentally, physically, emotionally, and, at least for me, allows me to be more present for friends and family, in spite of the time I may require to dedicate to each ride. Spending time riding daily also helps me with focus and attentiveness, which in turn allow me to do my work more efficiently. If it isn’t possible to do a career 360° like I recently did, then getting creative about divvying up the particulars of your 24 hours a day is the next best course of action. You can change the location in which you work, the scheduling of the work you do, the type of work you do, or leverage special skill sets to make additional income. Let’s look at each of these categories to see if one of these options resonates with you and your inner obsessive cycling beast….



 

Location, Location, Location

 

Remote or Hybrid Work:

One of the key ingredients to balancing work and cycling is finding a job that allows for remote or hybrid work. The world has witnessed a surge in remote employment opportunities and currently around 13% of full-time employees work from home while another 28% have some type of hybrid arrangement. Many of these types of positions are the Holy Grail for cyclists since they’re about project completion rather than logging hours. The most in-demand fields according to a FlexJobs 2023 list include: nonprofit, analytics, legal, healthcare, communications, accounting/finance, and project management. If you have any of these skills, you could be working from the comfort of your home and getting those enviable morning group rides in while pointing and snickering at the gridlocked traffic. Try looking at the job boards for We Work Remotely to see if anything there fits your skill set (just sayin’). Here are some suggestions for flexible work-life balance that you could broach with your superior if your company doesn’t do remote but does have modified scheduling options:

 

Modified Schedules Include:

 

Compressed Workweek:

Explore the possibility of a four-day workweek. Many employers now offer this option, where you work longer hours on fewer days. This schedule would permit you a glorious three-day weekend, ideal for long training rides or recovery.

 

Part-Time Jobs:

Part-time jobs or job-sharing arrangements can significantly reduce your working hours, allowing more time for training and recovery. See the Gig Economy section below about ways to supplement your income in order to make part-time possible.

 

Flexible Hours:

Negotiate flexible working hours with your employer. While it might not be as ideal as fully remote work, it would give you the freedom to adjust your daily routine to accommodate your cycling needs.

 

The only thing I cannot suggest is the way in which you need to frame this conversation so that your boss agrees (but ya know, maybe don’t tell them you’re planning to use your freed-up Fridays to rail a bunch of local descents, mmm’kay?). Make sure you get the agreed-upon schedule in writing, though.

 

Type of Work Can Allow Flexibility:

 

Freelancing and Consulting:

Freelancing, although it can take time and considerable effort to break into, offers an alluring blend of autonomy, professional growth and personal time management that for the right personality type can work incredibly well. You can take on projects or clients which if well-chosen can provide financial stability without the rigid office schedule. By being your own boss, you can control when and how you work, allowing you to squeeze in those midday rides or hit the gym when it's least crowded. Websites such as Fiverr, Upwork, Guru or Dribble all have various opportunities geared towards particular skill sets. Be patient with this category and have an alternative income stream (like your current job) until you are hitting the target income you need to be independent.


Alison climbing Cheaha mountain.


 

Gig Economy:

Apps and platforms like Uber, Lyft, or food/goods delivery services (SparkDriver through Walmart, for instance) offer unique opportunities to earn on your terms. You can pick up gigs as your schedule permits, ensuring that you always have enough time to hop on your bike and get those intervals in. You can also turn a hobby into a cash cow, so don’t discount your knitting, vintage furniture restoration, painting, dog-walking, or baking game from making money on the side that might allow you to step down to part-time (or to monetize that hobby fully and quit the 9-to-5 entirely!). You almost undoubtedly have a talent that no one else you know possesses, and the world is always willing to pay for unique goods and services, so brainstorm intensely on this suggestion!

 

A Note About Side Hustles of the Cycling Kind:

You are a rare radical flower indeed in that you are a female cyclist! Each one of us is a Sorella member because we are on fire for cycling, and along the way, we’ve all picked up skills and auxiliary interests that intersect with our love of the sport. Consider a few other unconventional suggestions that could help you have a flex schedule:

 

Coaching and Training Services:

Sharing your knowledge and experience as a coach or trainer can be a fulfilling way to monetize your cycling passion while setting your own hours. There are a number of highly knowledgeable Sorella members who could handily capitalize on their fantastic organizational, nutritional, and technical skills to assist other cyclists in becoming more proficient. These could look like one-on-one, individualized plans or group coaching sessions. You can also even create a coaching app (more complicated but possible!) that individuals pay a subscription or one-time fee to use.

 

Bike Maintenance and Repair:

If you're skilled with a set of allen wrenches, offering bike maintenance and repair services can be an excellent side hustle. You could even consider partnering with local bike shops to expand your reach or develop your skills. But, if you lack this skill, as a PSA, just please learn the basics of how to maintain your own bike, because it’s super important!

 

Online Store for Cycling Apparel and Cycling Provisions

This is the side hustle that I have personally worked on for several months now since I have a background in graphic design. I have a print-on-demand storefront with Threadless, a t-shirt company that additionally sells a variety of home goods and artwork from sellers worldwide. It allows me to create playful, bold, and unique cycling designs to offer other cycling enthusiasts. While it isn’t making me a living at the moment, leveraging better strategies surrounding SEO and marketing when I’m able to free up the time to do so will allow the word to spread about my designs. I truly love this gig and am excited to work on fresh ideas daily- I even think about new designs while I’m rolling because that’s my optimal thinking time.

 

Being a competitive female cyclist with a 9-to-5 job is undoubtedly challenging, but it's not insurmountable. The path to success in both your career and on the bike requires a blend of dedication, adaptability, and a very deliberate plan. With the right job or side hustle that affords flexibility, you can absolutely train to win. Every pedal stroke is a revolution closer to your goals, and your 9-to-5 job need not be a roadblock—it can be a springboard to freedom. So gear up like it matters,  ladies, hit the road (or gravel, single-track or indoor trainer), and let your passion and determination guide you toward victory on wheels and at work.