Why 'not having time' IS the reason to prioritize more Mountain Biking

For a lot of riders, the reason they’re not yet riding to their full potential is not necessarily that they don't possess the skills, or can't find ways to learn them, it's because they haven’t yet been able to carve out enough time to take what they already know and turn it into embodied wisdom - skills and movements that happen on 'auto-pilot' while we hurdle down the trail. This lack of time problem is only exemplified when they do get out, because it soon turns into a 'better make the most of it', quick ‘grind it out' session, where they ride the same familiar trails in the same familiar ways - further embedding old habits, and not creating space for new experiences. Now, while there is nothing wrong with these kinds of rides, if our goal is to continue to experience all of the feel good endorphoines that come with growth and progression on two wheels, then perhaps there is a better approach.

In this case, it's not always going to be a new technique, focus, or strategy.

What you need is an excuse. And not another perfectly logical reason why you can't ride this week, or rationale around why there are simply not enough hours in the day - let’s not kid ourselves - If you've read this far, you likely have enough of those already. And just so I'm clear, all of these reasons, whether they be work, family, travel, etc., are perfectly fine, and we're not trying to devalue any of those commitments.

But if your desire is to ride more, what you actually need is an excuse to get out there consistently, ideally a couple of times a week, with a little structure and intention, so that you’re consistently practicing, progressing, and expanding your skillset. Yeah, yeah, I get it - easy for me to say, right? ;)

Well, what if you, like the 100's of other Mountain Bikers I've now helped carve out a little bike time in their weeks, could create a reality where it doesn't have to be one or the other? What if you could open up your busy work, family, life schedule, and create more time to ride - while also still being the best parent, professional, husband, wife, etc.?  In fact, often the feedback we get is that riding more actually makes them show up MORE as all of the above. So if you’re ready to become more present, more stoked, and more energetic - not just in your riding, but in your work, your relationships, and your family life - perhaps biking should be the first thing you add to the 'schedule' each week.

Let's break it down a little further: Oftentimes, when we say "I'd love to go riding more, but I don’t have time", what we're really saying is "I desire to create more spaciousness in my life and my riding, so that I can be in nature more, exercise more, unwind more, and be the best version of me - that I know Mountain Biking helps me be." 

So, by saying "I don’t have time," what you’re really saying is that "I desire to create more spaciousness, more time for riding in my life, but I can’t yet see a way." That’s where I step in. Any coach can say, “You’ll get results if you do the work.”

I've made it my mission to make sure you actually do the work - by supporting you, guiding you, and keeping you consistent so that things that used to seem elusive - confidence, progression, community - become an inevitable fruit of the process.

What does this look like? New for 2026, we've added an accountability tracking system for all of our Full Circle and Global Expedition riders. With just 'one click' per week, our crew let's us know if they rode, if they're on a multi-week 'ride-streak', or if they didn't ride and need support to get back on the horse. This also opens up some engaging conversations around the wins, learnings, or questions our community has each week. Running dry on ideas of what to practice? That's all taken care of, too. Every two weeks, I post our Skills & Drills Ride 'theme skill' and suggested terrain so that riders can complete the ride at their own leisure, on their respective local trails, or join us for the ride in-person if they happen to be in town. It's all about creating a structure where getting consistent, intentional mileage becomes easy and fun.

Another initiative we're breathing new life into this season is our Free Mental About MTB Community rides. Again, riders will be able to join both remotely or in person, and connect in the chat afterwards. The first ride of the season is happening on Sunday, March 1, here in Squamish and around the world. So, all that's left to do now is put it in your calendar ;)

You can find all the details and RSVP in the MAMTB group on Telegram. JOIN HERE.

- Jake