Winter

Who invented February? I mean, come on. Across much of the globe, the month produces a dread that tests cyclists’ yearning for spring, for summer, for warmth, clear roads, and riding under the sun. I can sense the growing angst in this month’s flow of tweets about plunging air temps, dangerous ice, horrific forecasts and newfangled terminology such as “Snowmageddon.” Snow-ma-what-on?

Of course, in San Diego, we’re unaware of the atmospheric rigors faced elsewhere. If we need snow, we seek it out in the local mountains after “cold front” (ahem) from the Gulf of Alaska blows through the region. Rain? We wait a day or two, then resume riding. When we want sunshine, we walk out the front door. The birds are already singing in the early morning. They think it’s spring. Simple. Almost too easy. But we’re not airheads here. We still understand the need to balance things.

Winter is a time to hibernate (or semi-hibernate). If you ride hard year-round, your legs will fall off. Your passion will fizzle. Even the pros dial back annually — in November and December. They must — you must — to get the most out of riding. The brainy cyclists do blocks of training so they peak at different times of the season for desired effect: racing, centuries, doubles, brevets, or awesome touring vacations abroad. This unique mathematical formula comes into focus eventually but doesn’t always quite make sense for you in February. The month can take on a grim and brutal tone when you’ve spent January shoveling snow and reading about pro team transfers, the Tour Down Under and training camp news from warmer climes. For many cyclists, getting “into form” gets done in a pain cave. Building up solid base miles becomes measuring hours, heartbeats and watts on the trainer. The hope that springs eternal almost loses out to February, due the fact that March, at earliest, will provide the semblance of decent riding conditions.

February, despite being the shortest month on the calendar, can become a winter of your discontent, if you let it. But fear not. The longer days are coming. The earth is tilting back the way we like it. You will venture out without freezing. You will remember how spectacular the feelings of wind on your face, sun on your skin and joy in your cycling soul. Promise.

Related posts:

1. Winter things Less time on the road means only one thing: More time on other things cycling and bike-related. A few things on my list for December. What’s on yours? Do my first trainer ride with a DVD from epicRides or computer download from The Sufferfest. Fix lunches from M-F. Ride the...
2. Now what? With Thanksgiving over, and Christmas, Hanukkah and yes, Kwanzaa, on the horizon, the question begs: Now what? If you’re able to ride outside, how much? If you’re resigned to an indoor trainer or rollers, how long? If you’re officially in “off-season” mode, what are you doing to maintain fitness but...
3. When The sun rose this morning like it does about 300 times a year in Southern California. Cyclists around these parts don’t know what “off-season” means the way the rest of the Northern Hemisphere does. Still, most of us here embrace our own definitions in November and December by eating high-caloric...
4. Falling for fall As a native son of San Diego, I admit we’re blessed with weather here. Yes, we also may be a little less “hearty” because we don’t have to rake piles of leaves or shovel snow. But we still have seasons. I swear. Really. Trust me. Some of the leaves will...
5. Project 1 Stone Tonight I’ve been scribbling in my notebook. 2010 is a one-month old. Time to make solid commitments. Even if you don’t race with a USCF license, it’s a good drill to put things on paper (or in your computer). While cleaning out the garage today, I found The Cyclist’s Training...

Tagged as: cycling, cycling training, lifestyle