Merckx famously professed that after a night of sinning, the body must be cleansed. He obviously meant this figuratively, not literally, because those mud guards on his bike aren’t going to take a big bite out of whatever that lorry has to offer him by way of a Flandrian facial.
Winter is a tough time for those of us pawing about in search of our climbing weight. With the shortening of days, the nesting instinct awakens. Darkness falls in late afternoon and when we wake, we are greeted by the same darkness that wrapped us all through the evening. Nature urges us to combat the darkness with food and drink; summer’s dinner salads are replaced by slow-cooked meat and potatoes served with a side of pasta and bacon and washed down with a few bottles of red.
Weight defies the conservation of mass; it is more easily gained than lost. Fitness occupies the opposite realm; it is more easily lost than gained. Riders like Kelly, Merckx, and De Vlaeminck were famous for their discipline throughout winter; training long and hard to lay the groundwork for their Spring and Summer campaigns. With a sea of months between us and next season’s goals, there is little urgency to train properly. But keeping our weight down and putting in the long base kilometers will reward us throughout the season. Besides, it hardens the character to train in the cold, wet winds that characterize the winter months. The training we do in summer feels a luxury by comparison.
I cherish the winter months when my training is peaceful and free of pressure. I look forward to the sun warming my muscles, but for now I am content to stock up on fresh Flandrian Best, prepare the bike for the winter roads, and submit to the solitude of the cold training hours that lie before me.
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Just coming out of winter here and the days are getting longer and warmer. Saturdays ride was bathed in sunshine and not a breathe of wind. Ahhh bring on January and the TDU !!
Winter... yes just coming out of it here too. Still, the only rule #9 condition you have to worry about here is rain, and that's jsut about every day in summer along with gale force winds.
We race in winter here, too hot in summer. Summer we head to the track (outdoors) and race at night when it's cool. The road season is my focus, so I allow for recovery during the track season but the upshot is there is no offseason.
Winter is just like summer, only dry. Really we only get two seasons; Wet and Dry. Min temps rarely get below 10deg C, but summer is approaching 40 with very high humidity. Still, I'd rather my weather than yours!
@RedRanger
This... I'll even throw in some of my many flat bits.
@frank - Videos were awesome, practically peed my pants watching! Love the Rule #9 weather - almost as fun as climbing.
@frank
the sad truth of the first 2 Segments of that video was the start of my race sunday costing me a carbon tubbie front rim (fortunately didn't realize at the time, was discovered well after the race). But if u run with the big dogs u cant cry when u get bit. That's racing...
@RedRanger
Cool. Yeah those summers in Tucson are a bit over the top. Bend, Oregon could be your place. Seattle could be too much of a shock to your system.
@frank
Love that photo. Who doesn't love jumping in behind some large truck and getting some monster draft? Eddy would go.
@Gianni
Speaking of "Eddie would go"
Have you seen this today ??
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/surfer-rides-monster-wave-20130130-2djvs.html
@Gianni
Nothing like it! Big diesel Trucks, concrete mixers especially easy, buses hmmm some of the newer ones have a pretty good acceleration, great doin seventy just off the bumper staring at the brake lights, praying he doesn't spot you and line up a hazard to ruin your day.
@Barracuda
@Gianni - I should of stated before my post that I assume your reference was to Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau.
If not, forget my link and move on !
Here is to not getting lapped by the A's! Thats what my ego feels like when happens. I miss the PNW winters, in SOCAL now and tired of the sunshine to tell you the truth.