Imagine going from feeling strong and fast and loving every minute on the bike to feeling so exhausted you can barely keep your eyes open. Thats exactly what happened to Marissa Axell, a Cat 1 cyclist and cycling coach, when perimenopause hit in her late 30s. She had no idea what was happening. And she had never even heard the word perimenopause. But Marissa did the research, made changes, and now strives to help other women in this age group. In this conversation, we talk about the biggest training mistakes women over 40 make, how to balance strength work, skills training, and recovery without losing your mind, and the mental tools Marissa uses with her athletes use to push through the hard stuff. If youve ever worried your best riding days might be behind you, this episode will make you excited for the future again.Listen To The InterviewKey TakeawaysDont have time to listen to the full episode? Here are some of the key takeaways.Stop Thinking More Volume Is the AnswerMore volume without adequate recovery leads to getting slower, not fasterWomen over 40 experience a stress response to excessive training that can cause weight gain, illness, and injuryThe shift needs to be away from volume and toward what your personal physiology actually needs right nowThat means prioritizing strength training to combat muscle loss, and skills work to improve efficiency on the bikeStrength Training and Skills Work Are Non-NegotiableFocus on the big five movements: squats, deadlifts, lunges, presses, and rows/pullsFollow gym sessions immediately with cadence drills on the bike to transfer that muscle activation directly to your ridingWork toward pedaling 1015 RPM faster than your normal cadence to build efficiencySkills work isnt just for mountain bikers it matters across road, gravel, and every disciplineRecovery Is Training After 40, your hormones are no longer quietly managing your stress response for you. That means you have to actively work your parasympathetic nervous system or your training wont stick.Protect two dedicated recovery days per week and treat them as sacredUse those days for mobility, breath work, yoga nidra, or non-sleep deep rest (NSDR)Stack recovery habits into what youre already doing foam roll while watching TV, do breath work before bedIf you miss a training day, let it go. Dont cram it into your recovery day.You Dont Have to Do It All Communicate your training needs to your family ahead of time, dont assume theyll figure it outAsk yourself: is there one thing I could delegate this week that would free up time for me?Small shifts (like a meal kit on training days or asking your kid to handle one chore) can open up your schedule more than you thinkYou are not the last person on the list. Your goals matter too.Build Confidence With a Confidence ResumeWomen consistently underestimate themselves. Marissa has a practical tool for changing that:Sit down and write out everything youve done in the last 612 months to show up for your trainingInclude the early mornings, the hard rides, the times you made space for yourself when it wasnt easyRead it out loud to yourself, really take it inStop comparing yourself to who you were 15 years ago. Thats a trap. Look at what youve built recently.Use Process Goals to Race Smarter and Hurt LessWhether youre racing for the first time or chasing a PR, Marissas process goal approach helps you stay focused and out of your own head when things get hard.Break your event into thirds. Each third has one simple process goal to focus onThat goal might be holding a specific heart rate zone, pacing conservatively early, or attacking every climbUse a personal mantra to crowd out the thoughts that tell you to stop; you cant think two thoughts at the same timeTry counting down from 100 by sevens during hard intervals. It delays mental fatigue and teaches your brain to work through discomfortConnect With Marissa Axell Instagram: @marissa.axell Website: axnfitnessandcoaching.com Other Episodes Youll EnjoySelene Yeager Interview: How To Thrive On The Bike Thru MenopauseTips For Cycling After 40 With Sylvie DAoustAre You Biking On Empty? Supplements, Macros, & Sweat Science I Kyla ChannellAbout The HostKristen Bonkoski is a USA cycling and NICA coach, bike educator, and founder of Femme Cyclist.Shes also the host of the Femme Cyclist podcast and runsRascal Rides, a website about biking with kids.Shes been riding bikes for more than two decades and is passionate about empowering women on the bike.IG:@femme_cyclistJoin Kristens Weekly Newsletter!The post Do These Things To Thrive On The Bike After 40 With Marissa Axell appeared first on Femme Cyclist.