Winter Training Groove

Happy New Year!

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season was cold this year, with a few odd weeks that hit mid 60’s. To be honest, it’s the most I have enjoyed winter’s early snow. Embracing the conditions is a lot better than fighting them.

 

Lately the training has been an eclectic mix of mashing it for a week with the pro road guys or some big snow-country mountain bike rides with the huge winter tires.

I have been lucky enough to ride through epic snow conditions that Jim Cantorie would boast of. Testing the skills and muscles, pushing thru snow and sliding around turns -feeling like a kid on a bike is invigorating.

One snowy day Conrad and I played “hill shuttle” in substitute for my squats and lunges.
I would run up the 20% hill pulling him in his blue plastic sled to the top. “Mush, Daddy! MUSH!” he would shout. Standing at the top of the hill, my breath steaming like a racehorse, then he’d ask, “why are you breathing so hard? Lets go!” I smiled.

My ride yesterday was an excursion in risk-management due to an unexpected snow. I took on the trails with my friend Eric for a test of the rocky labyrinth of Jawbone Trail. The slender rocky ridge leaves little room for error. Huge rock wedges, switchback staircases and rock bridges are like a sculpture garden of barely rideable features. I go there rarely, but it’s so damn fun – you turn around to try sections you miss and our loud laughter punctuates the forest quiet every time you ace a move…
That’s what it’s all about!

Smiles and worked legs have been the theme of the last month, also has been the ruddy checks of exertion and the knowing smile that each mile I lay down now equals another notch higher at the big races next season.

Next stop: SoCal for the Cannondale Pro Cycling team launch, media events, some sunny big training rides and to catch up with Team SHO-AIR/Cannondale to plan the big 2014 season!

Happy trails,

Jeremiah