By a show of hands, how many of you are sticking to those lofty training goals that you made for the new year? OK, hands down. For those of you who, like me, have been slacking on getting out there and logging some miles, enough is enough! Let's make a pact, right here, right now, that our training behavior is going to change for the better! Who's coming with me?
Here's what works for me: Rather than thinking about "training for a century or a 5k," break it up in to much smaller and way more manageable pieces. When I go out for a ride, I prefer to keep time, rather than pay attention to miles. For example, "today, I am going to ride my bike for 1 hour and 15 minutes." Or, "today, I am going to jog for 5 minutes and walk for 2, for a total of 45 minutes." Or something like that. By breaking up your workouts into smaller and more manageable pieces, they feel less overwhelming and much more do-able!
Here's one for all you out here in the Bay Area. I love the rain, but, it sure does make getting outside to train awfully difficult. So here is my advice: If you have the flexibility to control your schedule during the day, keep an eye on that window and as soon as you see a break in the rain, head out for a quick training session! Remember to stay close to home so that if it really starts to come down while your out, you can make it back to dry land quickly. Also, remember that "cotton kills" when your exercising, but even more so when it is raining! Plan your wet weather outfits accordingly by staying away from cottons and other, slow-drying fabrics.
There is one positive thing about exercising in the rain, and I'll tell you, it's a pretty cool one. Last weekend, Coach Jeremiah and I went out for a 30 mile loop in and around Marin county. When we left, the skies were looking pretty grey and there was a light sprinkle coming down. No problem, we'll just watch our speed around corners and descents and accept the fact that we'll have pretty hot looking rain tails on our backs from all the water on the ground. Long story short, during that 30 mile trip, we experienced bright blue skies with warm sun, pouring, and I do mean POURING down rain, light drizzle, fresh breeze, fog, more rain, and more sun. It was a FANTASTIC ride. We were soaking by the time we arrived back home, but it was worth it. Not only was it really fun to experience the various micro climates that move in and out of this area, but in the process, it gave us an excuse to spend time outside in the elements, which is something that I don't allow myself to do very often. Now I am not saying that I want to ride in the rain all the time, but I will say that turning those pedals as the rain was pelting my face made me feel energized and alive! And I encourage you all to try it sometime!
(Just remember to take it slow around the turns!)
See you on the road.
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