When I tell people I commute in the winter, most people look at me like I’ve taken leave of my senses. While I’m not sure this video will convince people of my sanity, I thought it would be fun for people to see what I ride through on a regular basis.
One of the things Sheldon and I have been talking about a lot as we roll into December is how we’re planning on hitting our training targets this month. I can’t imagine we’re alone in thinking that it’s tough to stay on top of everything in the middle of winter, between Christmas, family commitments, and travel. Life seems to get in the way of training at the best of times, but during the ‘holiday’ season training is that much more difficult.
Here’s a few strategies that I employ (and plan on employing) this season:
Each spring I get the bike tuned up thinking, “ this summer will be THE ONE! This summer I ride as much as I want. This summer I ride hard and get into incredible shape. This summer I will be a single-track shredding machine!”
But, then reality sets in and last summer was no different. With the pent up energy of a long, dark Canadian winter, I got the bike tuned to a taught readiness and hit the river valley trails with earnest. I knew it was going to be busy summer. I work for Northlands and my summers are busy with major events so I wanted to make the most of any riding days I had if I was going to get into any shape at all.
Heart rate monitors had always seemed like an unnecessary expense and complication to training. I figured if you wanted to get into shape, just ride hard and ride lots, “Ain’t nothin’ to it, but to do it.” Now that I have one though, I think differently.
As fall fades into winter many people don’t mind giving up the outdoors for a gym or the trainer. I have come to realize, however, that I am not one of those people – I’m not that fond of the gym at the best of times.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll hop on the trainer if it’s -40°C outside, but I generally do my best to keep training outside regardless of what Mother Nature has in store for me. It’s always nice being outside, and part of me likes to think that it makes me a little more resilient to inclement weather come race day!
Though currently there’s no significant accumulation of white stuff on the ground, the temperature is beginning it’s steady slide south of 0°C. With that said, it’s time to start thinking about changes in gear, riding technique, and general mindset.
Road ID Wristband
Roadies, and MTBs alike, we’ve all taken a spill and hopefully walked, or better yet, rode away from it. Flipping through BIKE magazine for November, I noticed an add for Road ID. It struck me as odd. The caption in the ad read, “…sometimes the road owns you,” and has a photos of a dude laid out beside his bike with a taco’d wheel. It’s a bit morbid to think about needing an ID wristband incase of the worst, but there you go… The way Ken rides through the winter on his daily commutes to work, I might get’em one.
Edmonton river valley below the Provincial Museum. One of the best best areas in the valley by far.
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