A little bit, every day

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.

Using your Email (Signature) to Fundraise

As most of you can guess, or have already started to do, the easiest way to begin fundraising for the Audi Best Buddies Challenge is to send out emails to everyone you know. Emailing is such an instant form of communication that you may start to see donations rolling in within minutes. There is, however, another less obvious way to use your email to hook potential donors: your signature.

Email signatures are set up by users usually to display contact information, but we've found that adding in a message to let recipients know that you are training and fundraising for the Audi Best Buddies Challenge will act as a great reminder for potential donors or even pique the interest of someone you might not have thought to ask for a donation. You never know who might have a connection to Best Buddies or to a person with intellectual or developmental disabilities, so it can't hurt!

Make sure that you include your shortened link to your HQ page, so that recipients can go right to your website and make a donation. Here's a simple example of an email signature that is just waiting for you to personalize it!

Sincerely,
Joe Smith

P.S. On June 5th, I will be taking part in the Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port. As a rider, I have committed to ride 100 miles and fundraise $1,550 for people with intellectual disabilities. I need your support! To donate to me, please visit my personal web page: www.HPChallenge2010.org/joesmith

Setting up a signature will just take a minute, but it can help you reach (and pass!) your fundraising commitment quickly and easily!

The Santos Tour Down Under: Jan 17-24, 2010

Need a little motivation to train this month? I've always found there's nothing better than watching the pros race to get me motivated to ride! Fortunately, this Sunday marks the start of the 2010 UCI Pro Tour race series. The first of this 16-race series kicks off with the Santos Tour Down Under. This festival of cycling starts with the Santos Tour Down Under Classic, a criterium race set in the heart of Adelaide's city center followed by 6 stages and almost 500 miles of racing. Some of the biggest names in cycling - Lance Armstrong, George Hancapie, David Allan and Cadel Evans to name a few - will be fighting it out for the Ochre Leader's Jersey.

Daily coverage of the Santos Tour Down Under can be seen on Versus. Check your local listings for air times and prepare to see some great racing! If watching this race doesn't get you excited to ride your bike, I'm not sure what will!

Jeremiah Angel
Audi Best Buddies Challenge