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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@Deakus
No-one can knock you for being honest! Well, they probably will.
@Buck Rogers
Buck the registrations open on November 1st (RVV) and 15th (LBL). I figure if I don't get in one I'll get into the other. If I don't get into those then I'll have to go for the P-R option. The most I've done in a day is 230km which was mainly flat so the training is going to be immense.
I was already training for a 4 day ride in June next year but RVV/LBL will be more pain than 4 days condensed into one I am absolutely certain. Excited already
@dissolved Just awesome! Bonne chance on the registrations!!!
I suppose one of the nice things about living in the PNW is that it very rarely gets so cold that you can't get out and ride. Once in awhile we'll get freezing rain or snow for a couple days, but that's it.
It's not fantastic to ride in the rain at 2-3C, but at least it's not 2M of snow all winter like the mid west, rockies and NE. When it gets intolerable, I can always take a 3hr drive to Bend and get some sun (even if it's cold, the sun reinvigorates the soul).
Good post. I got a couple of free Flandrian Facials at the weekend, two days of wind, branches and broken glass. No big frosts here in the southern UK yet, so at least there is no road salt to make the cuts sting. I have a turdbo but its just not the same as exfoliating your every orifice with whatever the autumn has left out on the road. Then there are the squirrel brains and other roadkill. Mmmm.
Oh and Eddy is pushing that truck, BTW
@xyxax
This. Even more than souplesse, riding rollers has given me enormously improved balance/fine motor control. To hone this, last winter I worked on riding no handed on the rollers for about 5 minutes at the end of every indoor session. Took me a few days to get it down but definitely a useful skill. A friend once told me a teammate climbed all 1000m of Diablo hands free, only touching the bars lightly to shift. I'd like to give that a shot at some point.
My comfort range for outdoor activity has definately changed over the years. I used to X-country ski, speed skate, ice climb, as well as winter biking, but those were all in my younger years. While I'm not ready to pack up the mobile home and head to Florida to yell at kids to get off my lawn, I find that I no longer want to hibernate for the summer in an air conditioned basement. I'll deal with 35°+ and 70% humidity thank you and leave the 5° days for someone else.
Besides the kegerator is only 3 steps from the rollers, ready for a post workout recovery beverage. I need to get a barleywine kegged.
@Mike_P
@Deakus I do not condemn your premeditated repentance, I can only lament your inexorable fate. There is no forgiveness for the winter-bound Velominatus, only a delayed sentence. No matter your commitment to ride through the cold, dark winter; justice will be served afresh by The Man with the Hammer come springtime.
Yet, your chosen path may serve as a cautionary tale for others. Thanks!
Rollers for the really bad days. And a dose of rule 5 and Flandrian best for the rest. Just bought another bike so hopefully that will motivate me.
I think I owned a trainer for about a week in the early 80's. I was sweating up a puddle on the floor after about 45 minutes of going nowhere. I looked out the window here on Maui and thought of the guy in his basement in MN sweating up a puddle too and him looking at me and thinking about what a pussy I was. Trainer retired that moment, I can't even use one to warm up before a TT.