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| Surviving Cold Weather Riding |
Cold-Weather Ride Strategy and Gear List
By Gale Bernhardt
For Active.com
10/18/2004
Fall and winter predators are lurking to steal your summer fitness. These predators are sneaky. Before you know it, they can rob you of your
endurance, strength and motivation. What predators lurk and is there anything that can stop them?
The biggest robbers of summer fitness are shorter days and colder temperatures. Most endurance athletes love the long summer days and
find it tough to get motivated to train in dark or cold conditions.For athletes working an eight-hour daytime job, outdoor workouts in the winter
mean dark routes with invisible hazards and cold conditions.
On weekends, some athletes cannot force themselves to go for a long bike ride in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Instead of
talking yourself out of fall and winter training, design a purposeful weekday routine and consider investing in new cycling gear. A good
strategy for weekdays is to keep individual workouts less than an hour long. Keeping workouts less than 60 minutes is as much for mental
fitness as it is physical fitness.
Mentally, most people can look forward to a 30- to 60-minute workout that involves being inside to weight-train, swim, ride a bike on a trainer
or run on a treadmill. I know you would rather be outside; but a routine of strength training, stretching and form work now go a long way to set
you up for stronger racing next summer.
In addition to strength and form, maintaining an aerobic base adds to solid racing next year. One of cornerstones of aerobic fitness for
triathletes and cyclists is the weekly long ride. Fall and winter temperatures don't have to mean "survival" or "torture" rather than a "good
workout" for your long rides.
The late Robert "Papa Bear" Whitmore, a noted authority on wilderness survival, made an observation that stuck in my mind. He noted when
the weather is cold -- say 20 or 30 degrees Fahrenheit -- people know it's cold and they prepare for it. Often, however, problems occur when
the temperature is in the 40- or 50-degree range and people are unprepared for sudden weather changes; like an approaching storm that
makes conditions wet and/or windy.
For example, a 40-degree Fahrenheit ambient temperature changes to 34 degrees on your skin with the addition of a 10-mph headwind.
Add a cycling speed of 20mph into that headwind and the wind chill takes the temperature to a burr-cold 28 degrees Fahrenheit. You can
increase the fun factor on these long rides by protecting yourself from the outside elements, like wind and rain, and keeping sweat off of your
skin.
Starting from toe to head, here's a shopping list of gear to get you started:
By using some of these tips, hopefully you can stop fall and winter fitness predators from stealing your fitness with a weekday routine of
strength training and working on good technique in all sports. Protect your aerobic fitness base by keeping that long ride; but make it more
comfortable with the right gear. A consistent training routine this winter goes a long way toward stronger racing next summer.
(c) 2004 Gale Bernhardt
Training and racing in the rain
By Lynda Wallenfels
UltraFit.com
3/28/2005
After five years of drought, those of us living in the Southwest have forgotten how to ride in the rain. Here are some tips from the
TrainingPeaks.com discussion board.
As you ride:
After the ride:
By Gale Bernhardt
For Active.com
10/18/2004
Fall and winter predators are lurking to steal your summer fitness. These predators are sneaky. Before you know it, they can rob you of your
endurance, strength and motivation. What predators lurk and is there anything that can stop them?
The biggest robbers of summer fitness are shorter days and colder temperatures. Most endurance athletes love the long summer days and
find it tough to get motivated to train in dark or cold conditions.For athletes working an eight-hour daytime job, outdoor workouts in the winter
mean dark routes with invisible hazards and cold conditions.
On weekends, some athletes cannot force themselves to go for a long bike ride in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Instead of
talking yourself out of fall and winter training, design a purposeful weekday routine and consider investing in new cycling gear. A good
strategy for weekdays is to keep individual workouts less than an hour long. Keeping workouts less than 60 minutes is as much for mental
fitness as it is physical fitness.
Mentally, most people can look forward to a 30- to 60-minute workout that involves being inside to weight-train, swim, ride a bike on a trainer
or run on a treadmill. I know you would rather be outside; but a routine of strength training, stretching and form work now go a long way to set
you up for stronger racing next summer.
In addition to strength and form, maintaining an aerobic base adds to solid racing next year. One of cornerstones of aerobic fitness for
triathletes and cyclists is the weekly long ride. Fall and winter temperatures don't have to mean "survival" or "torture" rather than a "good
workout" for your long rides.
The late Robert "Papa Bear" Whitmore, a noted authority on wilderness survival, made an observation that stuck in my mind. He noted when
the weather is cold -- say 20 or 30 degrees Fahrenheit -- people know it's cold and they prepare for it. Often, however, problems occur when
the temperature is in the 40- or 50-degree range and people are unprepared for sudden weather changes; like an approaching storm that
makes conditions wet and/or windy.
For example, a 40-degree Fahrenheit ambient temperature changes to 34 degrees on your skin with the addition of a 10-mph headwind.
Add a cycling speed of 20mph into that headwind and the wind chill takes the temperature to a burr-cold 28 degrees Fahrenheit. You can
increase the fun factor on these long rides by protecting yourself from the outside elements, like wind and rain, and keeping sweat off of your
skin.
Starting from toe to head, here's a shopping list of gear to get you started:
- Make sure your socks give your toes enough room to move. Cramped toes are cold toes. Be sure your socks are made out of
moisture-wicking material. - Wear booties to keep the wind off of your toes. For cool temperatures, try the wind-stopper booties. For colder temperatures,
neoprene materials are great. - For your legs, wear tights or leg warmers, with or without wind protection on the front.
- Wrap your torso with a base layer that wicks moisture away from your body, a second layer to insulate, and a third layer that provides
wind protection, yet allows moisture to escape. - Gloves or lobster-claw mittens with wind-stopper material on the outside and moisture-wicking material next to your hands.
- Use an oil-based moisturizer for your face. Water-based lotions wet the skin, increasing the likelihood of frostnip or frostbite. Or
consider a balaclava to cover your face. For athletes with asthma, a balaclava can slow moisture loss and help pre-heat cold air
before you suck it into your lungs. - For head protection, a helmet cover and ear warmers is my favorite combo. If it gets too hot, I can easily peel off the helmet cover or
pull down the ear warmers. Others prefer a skull cap that fits under a cycling helmet. - Fill your insulated bottles or hydration bladder with hot energy drink. A good apple flavor mimics hot apple cider.
- In your pocket, carry small chemical packs such as Sports Heat(tm). These are little packages that produce heat once the outer
wrapping is opened. Carry a package of these to warm fingers and hands that have changed a flat tire. - If you ride in remote locations, carry a cell phone in case you need to call for help. While you are waiting for your ride, keep warm by
putting the chemical packs in your shoes or gloves. - Find buddies who are willing to ride in the cooler conditions. Looking forward to riding with a group is much easier than facing chilly
temperatures on your own.
By using some of these tips, hopefully you can stop fall and winter fitness predators from stealing your fitness with a weekday routine of
strength training and working on good technique in all sports. Protect your aerobic fitness base by keeping that long ride; but make it more
comfortable with the right gear. A consistent training routine this winter goes a long way toward stronger racing next summer.
(c) 2004 Gale Bernhardt
Training and racing in the rain
By Lynda Wallenfels
UltraFit.com
3/28/2005
After five years of drought, those of us living in the Southwest have forgotten how to ride in the rain. Here are some tips from the
TrainingPeaks.com discussion board.
As you ride:
- Brake early before a turn as brake pads work more slowly on wet rims.
- Take corners slower than normal. Avoid leaning your bike to turn as that can cause your tires to lose traction and slip. Keep your bike
upright and steer it around the corner instead. - Be careful about standing up and cranking on the pedals as this can cause your rear wheel to lose traction and slide.
- Use a thicker chain lube.
- Tape a baggie over your computer.
- Don't ever ride through a puddle in the rain, especially on unfamiliar roads. There could be a pothole.
- Painted lines on the road will be slick.
After the ride:
- Mark the seat post height and remove it from the frame. Turn your bike upside-down. Do this somewhere where a quart of yucky
water on the floor won't be a problem (that's how much could be in the frame). Hang the bike up to dry and rotate to a new position
after a few hours to make sure you get all the water out. Re-grease the seat post before putting it back in the frame after it dries. - If you have clinchers, deflate the tire, hold the wheel almost horizontal and push the tire bead away from the rim at the point closest to
the ground. More water than you can believe is in a rim will come out. - Don't forget to re-lube every moving part. It will save you hours of work later.
| © Copyright 2007, Cristin Reichmuth, M.A.. Material provided on this web site is for educational and/or informational purposes only. This web site does not offer either online services or medical advice. No therapeutic relationship is established by use of this site. If you have comments or questions, please contact: info@bodyandmindsolutions.com. |
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