After being in relatively warm weather, pretty much the whole year so far, it was a reality check to come back to Denver to snow covered mountains. Yesterday Vincent and I got out for a good ride, but later today it is supposed to start raining, then turn to snow and just keep snowing. Like 20 inches or so on the foothills.
It is funny how the bike race season has started earlier and earlier every year recently. It sort of makes you mental, reading Facebook about all these guys doing road races and criteriums in LA or San Diego. Plus, the Pro peloton goes to the Middle East or is racing stage races in Australia and it gives the basement banished guys the impression that they are already behind and need to catch up.
That isn’t the case necessarily. I think that most of us that live where we get winter weather have an advantage to those Texans, Tusconans or SoCal riders. That advantage is hunger to ride. Many of us stay pretty fit by doing some cross throughout the fall and winter. So, the potential downtime is really just January-March, depending on where you live.
If you do get an opportunity, take a long weekend, or even a week trip to somewhere warm and get in a good block of miles. It is really good for your mind, alleviating some of the stress that is mainly media induced. Before we could follow each others daily training via the internet, we’d just do our own winter thing and show up at the first races eager to compete. Now that we know just exactly what everyone else is doing, it is hard to keep a positive mindset about form.
I am pretty lucky being from Kansas. Most people don’t know that the winter weather in most of Kansas is relatively mild. I think average high in Topeka for January is around 40 degrees. That doesn’t mean it can’t be -10, but on the average, it is pretty okay. There are lots of times when it is in the upper 50’s or even 60’s this time of the year.
But, if you’re from the East coast this year, especially New England, you’ve been snowed in again and again. Don’t worry. Your season will come, just a little later than many.
The season kickoff race, Froze Toes, in Columbia, Missouri has been postponed from this weekend to March 8th. It is supposed to be really cold, below 20 and snowy there.
I’m not sure what my plan is. I’ll see how Bromont is after surgery on Monday and then go from there. It is hard back tracking after I’m been riding the majority of the year in sleeveless jerseys. But, I need to remind myself, as I’m reminding you, that it is only February and there is plenty of bike riding to be had this year.
Doubling up on breakfast and training.
Funny. You live somewhere that gets winter weather, but you don’t really live there. The opposite is true as well. You live somewhere that gets summer weather too, but well, you know…
Well, for many of those Arizonans, their schedule is trashed because their racing now ends in April, with no real racing locally from that point on. There may be a couple of time trials but largely there isn’t much to do.
California at least has a stronger season that starts in earnest in February, but the real racing starts later. Some of these warmer locations need to get better organized and make several weeks at the beginning of the year training races that aim to indoctrinate new riders into the sport. In places like Norcal, and Oregon, some of the first events are aimed at Women’s, juniors and new riders ONLY. Masters and upper level cats are not even mentioned.
I am new to Oregon, and it will take a little getting used to seeing the first events in April. In a weird way it seems like half the season is over. But, it is more like, how can I fit more fun in per week? I look forward to 3-5 races per week here, rather than some training rides and one race per weekend.
What’s a “Tusconan”??
Good question. A Tusconan is someone who comes the Tuscan Arizona area. They are close to Phoenicians, who traditionally come from Phoenix. If you’re from San Diego, you are a San Diegoisto or San Diegoista if you’re a chick. From LA? Then you are called a Los Anglicizer, or simply “gang banger from LA”. From snow covered Boston? Then you’ll be affectionately known as a Bostacious prick, or bitch if you’re of the chickly persuasion or an overly feminine dude. There’s no insult there, either. It’s just how it is. That’s how we keep it real here in the US of A.
It’s all very simliar to you folks over in europe. It Italy, let’s say you a sprinter who hails from Rome. Well, it’s no surprise that you’ll be known as a Romanian. Or if you’re a leadout guy from Tuscany, then you are Tuscandinavian. If you’re part of the Oleg Tinkoff crew and from Moscow, then of course you are a Moscowndrel. I hope this helps.
Bumming to hear about your hound
yes, of course – those people in warm climates who train hard and put in base miles thru the winter months – they are actually at severe disadvantage to those who stay indoors November thru March and don’t ride at all. Because, see, the less you ride, the hungrier you get and that’s what gets you in shape – hunger, not training. Duh!
This is why world class athletes, instead of working on their form by riding their bikes in Oman, Australia or Spain, instead they go huddle up or go in complete hibernation in Siberia or Alaska, stay sedentary for about 9 months and work up their “hunger” to ride, to be unleashed for June races where they are going to crush everyone who was training all this time. Just wait and see.
Ever seen a leopard outrun a polar bear? No, because polar bear is hungry to run, while leopard is too burned out from running all the time.
Steve,
I’d like to take you up on that weekend getaway. I’m about to go Full Cobain on myself. Another week of cold and snow up here in the NE. I’m in total denial! It’s been months since I’ve been able to ride outside. Maybe April. Living the dream!
Mike
She’s good. I fell off my rollers in my dorm room once. Not pretty. And the winter has been very mild in Kansas City, maybe ten days when you wouldn’t want to ride.
Steve, in light of your first race in MO being canceled, I would like to point your direction to Little Rock for one instead. http://www.usacycling.org/events/getflyer.php?permit=2015-448