It has been a long tough winter for every cyclist, even for the outdoor enthusiast. We have been cooped up indoors and are raring to get outside and enjoy the nicer weather. Hopefully you have been doing some sort of activity to keep the muscles and bones moving.
Ahhh, but spring is almost here … we hope! So, where to begin?
Even if you have been working out indoors over the previous months, your body will need an adjustment period when you venture outside. Your lungs are not used to taking in the colder air and could be in for a shock when you put in an effort. In general, I allow 4 to 6 easy rides to acclimate to the weather before I start putting in any hard work. Once my lungs and breathing are accustomed to the “new” air I then feel more comfortable doing short efforts, usually at 1 to 3 minutes. From here, I can slowly build up to longer sustained efforts at a higher heart rate. Your muscles will need time too. They are used to a controlled environment and will feel sluggish and heavy on your first rides. All the extra clothing that has to be worn adds to this feeling.
Once you have these rides in to knock the rust off, you can then start to focus on getting back into riding form. My biggest piece of advice is to start slowly. Try not to expect too much too soon even if you have been on a solid winter program. Don’t plan on a century your first day out. Start with short little bits and work your way up to your target. Climb the hills slowly; no going for the KOM points jersey yet. Pace yourself. It is much better to climb the hill at a steady and consistent pace the whole way up rather than going too hard at the bottom and blowing up half way to the top.
Make sure you are properly fueled too! Your body requires more calories to stay warm. So be smart about your pre-ride and during ride nutrition.
This advice is simple yet sometimes hard to follow when you are excited about getting outside for the first time in the new year.
Please let me know if you would like any specific topics covered in future newsletters.
Thank you and be safe!Coach OB
About Coach OB
O’Brien Forbes began racing as a University of Cincinnati student in 1986. Coach OB, as he is known now, has more racing experience than any other area rider. He has competed in over 800 races across the country and in Europe and has won more than 100 races. Between training and racing, he has logged over 220,000 miles. When OB first began racing his successes came in the shape of trial-and-error coupled with heart. Over the years, it has only made sense to help new riders by passing on some of the lessons he learned the hard way. In fact, some of the first Juniors Coach OB trained are seniors on the road today—and still riding successfully. This desire to see the sport of cycling thrive in the Cincinnati area first came in the form of informal friendly advice and has grown into a passion and a career. Whatever your goals, Coach OB has the experience and resources to help you improve your cycling abilities. Coach OB Has custom plans designed specifically to fit your goals with a custom built training program to fit into your schedule. See http://coachob.com/ for more information.
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