The first summer back on the bike was about proving I could still do it. Small rides. Modest gains. Rebuilding trust with myself. But the next summer is where things really changed — not because I suddenly became more motivated, but because I became more intentional.
I realized something simple: if I waited until the end of the day to ride, it wasn’t going to happen. The shop needed me. Customers needed me. My family deserved me. And I wasn’t willing to take time away from them to chase fitness.
So, I flipped the question. Instead of asking, “When can I fit riding into my day?” I asked, “What if I built my day around riding?”
That’s when the 8 a.m. mountain bike park routine started. Up earlier. On the trail by 8. An hour to an hour and a half before opening the shop at 10. No negotiations. No squeezing it in. No guilt. Just me, the bike, and the quiet before the world woke up.
That one decision changed everything.
Because consistency isn’t about intensity. It’s about frequency. One ride turned into two. Two into three. Three into four days a week. And something started to snowball. My breathing improved. Climbs didn’t crush me the way they used to. I could ride further and longer without feeling completely taxed. My cardiovascular system was adapting — but more importantly, the routine fit. It fit my work life. It fit my family life. It fit the kind of person I wanted to become.
That’s when I understood something clearly: discipline isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about designing your life, so the right things happen naturally.
Around that same time, something else was happening. My son, Sam, was going through his own transformation. He made the decision to take control of his health, started going to the gym consistently, and committed to improving himself. Watching that unfold was powerful. If he could make that commitment to himself, why couldn’t I? His discipline was contagious. It pushed me to raise my own standard and reminded me that being a role model isn’t about what you say — it’s about what you do.
As the early morning rides became normal, something shifted internally. I wasn’t just riding more — I was thinking differently. I started lifting weights again. I began paying attention to nutrition. I reduced sugars and processed foods and started thinking about energy, mood, and mental focus — not just miles ridden. This wasn’t just about cardio anymore. It was about total health.
Somewhere between the quiet morning rides and the renewed strength training, a bigger idea started forming. What if there was a place to document this? To share what I was learning in real time? To explore what it really means to “stay in the fit gear” — not just on the bike, but in life?
That’s when the seed for FitGear Spot was planted. Ride strong. Live well. Stay in the fit gear. Not just the gear you shift into on a climb, but the gear of consistency — the gear where forward motion becomes your default.
And it all started with one protected hour in the morning.
Three Takeaways You Can Apply Today
First, design your day before the world designs it for you. If you don’t claim your time early, something else will. Find the hour you control completely and protect it.
Second, choose frequency over intensity. You don’t need heroic workouts — you need repeatable ones. One big effort feels good. Six consistent months change your identity.
Third, let proximity raise your standard. Surround yourself with people who are improving. Let their discipline sharpen yours — and eventually, become that example for someone else.
That’s where the next chapter begins.
The year I stopped riding for myself and started riding for something bigger.
What’s Next
This is Part 3 of a multi-part series. Consistency created momentum. Momentum created expansion. In the next chapter, I’ll share what happened when fitness stopped being a solo pursuit.
That’s when community entered the picture, nutrition became non-negotiable, and tracking my progress added a new level of accountability. It was the year I stopped riding for myself — and started riding for something bigger.
About the Author
Jamie Gruttadauria has spent over 35 years in the cycling and fitness industry, working in specialty bicycle shops and fitness equipment stores since the age of 16. A lifelong outdoor enthusiast, and trail rider at heart, he believes movement is best when it’s sustainable, intentional, and connected to nature.
