10/25/02 by Ted Ingraham
The days have grown short and most of us already notice we are spending less time on the bike and more time filling our food hole. Before you are mistaken for the Michelin Man, it is time to think about your training routine for the off-season. We hope to provide lots of ideas and opportunities to keep your body highly tuned through the dark months.
Training Tips: Becky and Jim have already provided articles on indoor strength training. More articles and tips will be added to the website's Training Page over the off-season.
Riding: Those folks who don't fall into the "W" category will be puttin' on tights, gloves, and tons of other clothes to pretend that winter riding is as fun as in the summer. Ok, it can be cold, but if approached right, you can do some great riding in the winter-and it is fun (sometimes)! The Club ride schedule is essentially the same as summer, with weekend rides moving to 10:00 am. On Tuesday and Thursday the "night" rides are on the Towpath. Lights are necessary but you can suck off of other riders lights if you don't have one. Mountain, cross or road bikes can be used but slightly wider tires are recommended. On weekends the rides are on the road and most people will be on road bikes.
Training Sessions: Last year we had an indoor training session in February that was a lot of fun and well attended. We expect to have at least two sessions this year, probably January and February. We will also schedule some outdoor training, in addition to the regular rides, after the first of the year.
Train with the National Crit Champ: As most of you know, local rider Jim Baldesare (GoMart) won the National Criterium Championship. Jim has offered to work as a personal coach with Freewheelers. He will provide a plan as simple or comprehensive as you desire. Contact Jim at critboy@aol.com.