Have you started your off-season training, yet?

If not, it is time to start. If you want to have a better race season in 2008 than in 2007, then you need to start training now.

I get newsletters from different companies and one quote I see stated more than any other is the one from Chris Carmichael. He states that Lance won the Tour with what he did in November, December and January or every year. While his competitors were taking time off or doing light training, he was putting distance between himself and his competitors.

Everyday cyclists, whether the fast recreational cyclist that wants to put down the hammer in group rides, or the racer that wants to compete at a higher level, everything that you do this time of year will pay great dividends come the heart of race season. So, get off your "duff" and start training for next year. You may not like riding in the cold, riding on a trainer or doing strength training workouts, but you will be happy come next spring when the competitors that never noticed you before are now looking at the back of your jersey at the end of a race.

Don't know how to structure your off-season plan? Hire a cycling coach. It has been shown to be a better investment than any equipment upgrade.

Cold Weather Riding: Why are we slower?

If you remember my first post about Cold Weather Riding, it originated from a USA Cycling Coach that was posting the question. It talked about why the rider was slower.

Since then, I have noticed the same phenomenon and just attributed it to being a little out of shape at the start of the off season workouts. While that is partially true, it is not the biggest reason. I stumbled across a thread on Bike Journal that referenced this article:

Slower in Winter?

Basically, due to increased wind resistance from wearing more clothes and the higher density of air at colder temps, we have to work harder in order to achieve the same speed. The factor the article states is anywhere from 15 to 30 percent. For me, I think the difference is less than 15 percent but more than 10. Check out the article; it is an interesting read. It certainly makes me feel better about my recent workouts.

Also, check out the Cold Weather Riding article on my club's website:

32 Suggestions for bicycling when it’s Thirty-two

Lastly, check out another tidbit about Cold Weather Riding that is especially important to those looking to lose weight:

Nutrition for Cold Weather Exercise

The crux of the article is that fat utilization is decreased when riding in cold temps. The article describes why. So, if you are trying to lose weight, consider using the trainer more than outside rides in the winter in order to maximize fat loss.

Goal For Off-Season - Lose Weight

Today is the start of my weight loss for this off season. Last off-season, I let myself go and I only lost about 6-7 pounds since then. I am currently about 20 lbs heavier than my lightest weight and that is the weight I will get back to.

I didn't have a great cycling season this year and I feel that with this weight loss, I will be ready to turn it around next year. I plan on losing 2 pounds a week for 7 weeks so that I am down to 175 by the end of the year. After that, I will take off the weight 0.75 pounds a week.

Obviously, I will need to modify what I eat. Also, the training program I have developed for myself will have me exercising 10 hours a week on average so that will be important for me to lose weight.

I am using the same system that I have used when I have lost weight in the past: Leanness Lifestyle. When I first used the system along with the "bootcamps" they have, I lost over 40 lbs. The users and Dave, the coach, are all very supportive, but also let you know if you are whining. I remember when I first started and said I was exercising a lot but no weight was coming off even though I was watching what I was eating. Dave came back and said "Use the tools!!". He was right. Thanks, Dave!!

Anyway, I will report back periodically on my progress along with my regular type of blog items.

If you are committed to losing weight but need some help, check out Leanness Lifestyle. You can find Leanness Lifestyle HERE.

Gatorade - they like me... they really like me :-)

Sorry, I couldn't resist being goofy with the title to this entry. Anyway, Gatorade let me know that they accepted me into their pool of cyclists available for their studies. I am excited about this since it seems like a lot of people who come in to be screened don't pass a part of the stress test. On the day I was tested, there a few other people scheduled (I think 3 others) and I was the only one to pass the stress test. Also, I know of one other person on a different day where the stress test was stopped in the middle because the person became slightly hypertensive (increase in blood pressure above normal). And this person is the last person you would have thought wouldn't have passed; very lean and in great shape.

So I post this information for 2 reasons: One, because I am very happy to be, what seems to be, one of the few that gets approved and two, I don't want anyone who is thinking about going through the process to get their hopes up.

Since Gatorade has a non-disclosure, I most likely won't be able to share my experiences of the actual testing with all of you. On the other hand, I will ask so I might be able to share some info.