forecast calls for rain

So the forecast is calling for rain. Possible flooding, in fact. Where does that put us? On bikes in the rain! Who says you can't ride in the rain? I have a few concerns, sure: lightening, visibility, and hypothermia, oh and traction. Let me address each. There are more lightening strike survivors than fatalities. (where am i going with this... oh yes...) My strong advice is that we shouldn't risk it. Being on a bike in a lightening storm is NOT advisable. Visibility could be a problem in downpours. If you can't see the road while riding, it's probably a good idea to find a spot to wait until the rain isn't so heavy. As for the vehicle passing by, assume it probably can't see you whether it is daylight, or under a rainy sky. Clinically speaking, hypothermia is when your body temperature falls below 95 degrees. In the nutshell, if you are cold either put on some warmer clothes (change into dry clothes), and/or work harder aerobically to create more heat. Wet roads decrease bike-to-pavement contact (i.e., less traction). Wet roads increase the chances of "sliding out" on your bike so be especially careful when cornering. The more likely scenario is that we'll all just ride in the rain. pretty plain. pretty simple.

Counting the days.

This week, I have officially started putting “things” aside to take with me on the Bike Tour: an extra inhaler (you never know when you are going to need one), antihistamine in case of a bee or pollen attack, my CPR mask in case I might need to save a life. Wow, my list seems scary. Though it speaks, “Safety first!” I’ll be your Captain of safety. Dare I say, “This is your Captain speaking.”

Start packing some “things” for your adventure. Maybe you’d like to take a journal. If inspiration hits you, you’ll be prepared to jot down a thought or two. Do you have extra batteries for your camera? The Tour is only one weekend a year, but the memories can be captured on film. I prefer stills. Is your favorite biking jacket smelling like spring or does it stink like you forgot to wash it since last year’s ride? Try to make this a pleasant experience for all of us.

My bike is all set to go; tuned-up, checked out. Lube and air pump standing by.

I’ve got my helmet, my water bottles, my gloves, and my biking shoes ready to be scooped up at any second.

I am counting the days. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and abracadabra: SATURDAY.

Ride the shorter loop!

Just a thought... it's a gorgeous day out today. I dare you to ride the shorter loop in your neighborhood. I bet you can't! I say so because once you get on your bike, you are going to want to stay on your bike.

I love biking! So happy to be riding outside. Yes!

Reply to Nate Barnes, Bike Tour Participant

Hi Nate,
Three things come to mind right away:
1. If you are "seriously kicked" after 20 minutes, you may need to slow down the pace so that you can work out a little longer. It may sound counter-productive, but you said you want endurance. Endurance first. Speed later on. Sounds like you might need to slow down your outdoor runs too. See #3 for more input on that.
2. If you are commited to make substaintal gains in a short period of time, one way to advance is TWO workouts a day. Even if you didn't change the length/effort of your current workout, but added a second 30 minutes per day (i.e., workout in the morning and at night or at lunch then again at night -- depending on your schedule).
3. It's not a secret that treadmill running is "easier" than outdoor running. That is because the belt is moving under your feet... With that said, to make it more comparable to outdoor running, I've read 1% grade on a treadmill is like running flat road outside.
Feel free to call me to talk more.... 603-396-8763 cell.
Lisa :)

From Nate Barnes, Bike Tour Participant

Hi lisa and.....help!!! Read your blog ...wow you are some accomplished athlete. I bow to your unyielding endurance. Right now I am writing to you and eating a reece's peanut butter cup x2 ...probably not the best nutritional supplement hunh...oh well I've been craving chocolate like crazy since I quit smoking in January. Any way enough stream of consciousness blabber. I need some help. My partner Chris Courage (ALA NH director of event planning) said to check out your blog as a resource for training. Training tips you wrote were super. Should be a big help. My big problem is I want what you've got......endurance. I am working on it but man is it slow going. I have been hitting the gym averaging about 30 minutes of cardio i.e. treadmill, elyptical and recumpant bike approx. 3x wkly and doing some light weight training. I just don't seem to have a lot of stamina. I can run almost 3miles on the treadmill but when I get outside....kersplat!! I hit the wall before I get to 2 miles. I'm really getting nervous about the bike thing because as you said I will be using a lot of different muscle groups. When I get on the bike at the gym my butt is seriously kicked after 20 minutes. Yikes. I have been working soooo hard, I think but maybe not hard enough. I know I am kinda throwing a ton at you but I am really excited about this bike tour and I don't want to make an ass out of myself because I can't finish. Any input you might have would be great! Talk to you soon I hope. Sincerely, Nate Barnes

BIKE SETUP AND BODY POSITIONING

Bike setup and body positioning are crucial to feeling comfortable and helping to prevent injury. If you have just dusted off your old 10 speed, or if you’ve just purchased a new road bike, I recommend taking your bike to a bike shop to get properly fitted.

In the meantime, the main things to look for are:

Seat height. You want your seat height to be tall enough that you are able to use all of your leg muscles in the rotation, but not so tall that you are overextending your knee. Your knees should be going straight forward. If you seat is too low, your knees my turn to an outside angle, as if you were sitting Indian style. You want them to go straight forward, as if they were headlights.

Seat aft position. You can move your seat closer or farther away from your handlebars. You don’t want to be reaching for the handlebars (i.e., overextending your arms). You should be able to comfortably rest your hands on your handlebars in all of the positions your bike allows (top of the handlebars, drop bars, aero bars).

Handlebars. If you are a beginner rider, try a higher handlebar position. You can adjust your handlebar position by increasing or decreasing your stem length. Raising your handlebars should prove to be more comfortable because it allows the rider to stay in a more natural, upright position. A higher handlebar gives a rider less efficient aerodynamics, but far superior balance over a low handlebar position.

Need a New Bike, Gear, or a Tune-Up?

The Bike Barn is celebrating Spring with an Open House featuring the latest 2007 models --Guaranteed Lowest Price. Visit the barn at 33 South Commercial Street (exit 5 off 293, first right over bridge), Manchester, NH (tel: 603-668-6555). Tell 'em that I sent you. Spring hours: Weekdays 9:30 -6, Sat 10-4 Sun 12-4. Drop off your bike to the experts at the barn for a tune-up. Your bike will last you that much longer if you take proper care of it. And your safety depends on it!

What else can I do to prepare?

A foot of snow fell on Friday. The Bike Tour seems so far away, but it isn't. What can you do if you can't ride outside and you don't have access to an indoor trainer or spinning classes?

1. Work on your aerobic base using any other exercise (examples include: swimming, tennis, walking, skiing, dancing). If you are moving your body and increasing your heart rate above its resting rate, then you are helping to prepare yourself for the Bike Tour. Think duration, intensity, and frequency. In order to increase your fitness to take on the Clean Air Challenge, you may want to spend MORE than 30 minutes 3 x week exercising. Because it is going to take you more than 30 minutes to get to the finish of the Bike Tour. Intensity is partially about how fast you plan to ride. Do you want to get through the tour without breaking a sweat? Or do you plan on sweating through it? Exercising frequently will certainly help if you are planning on two days on the bike. But for the one-day riders, think of it this way: If you work out once now and then not again until May, how do you think you'll feel?

2. Work on strength training. Pedaling takes power. Biking is essentially applying force to a pedal to propel the wheel in a forward motion. The stronger your legs, the easier it is to apply force, and apply it repeatedly. I would say the primary muscles used in cycling are your quadriceps (front of your thighs), hamstrings (back of your thighs), and gluteus maximus (your butt). Simple exercises, such as squats, bridge, and front kicks, will strengthen these muscles. Another excellent exercise that will develop strength and increase your heart rate is jumping rope. I once read that jumping rope is 4x more effective than running. If you have your doctor's permission, I challenge you to just 30 seconds of jumping rope. Let me know how that feels! :)

3. Work on stretching. The main thing here is preventing injury. If your muscles are tight due to inadequate stretching, you are more likely to injure yourself. For example, let's say you are really tight in the groin area. Riding a bike for any length of time can exacerbate the tightness in your groin. When you go to get off your bike, for example, you might unintentionally overstretch your groin, thereby pulling a muscle causing days of unwanted pain. If you have been stretching regularly, however, it is possible that your body would be limber enough to handle the biking and the dismounting without any uncomfort at all. Although I mentioned previously that the lower half of the body gets the most use functionally. Your back (upper and lower) does come into play when you bike. So plan and implement a stretching routine to cover all your bases.

Enjoy the snow... think Spring!

Looking for a specific training schedule?

Some of you have asked, "Is there a specific training schedule I should follow?"

The answer is, "Yes... customized especially for you... based on your health, fitness, recovery rate, history, and goals (to name a few)."

My philosophy is to start small and take little steps. I'm sure you've heard this before. The idea is to build up your endurance and strength gradually; so begin today.

The other part of the equation is listening to your body. If you are doing too much too soon, you increase the chances of injury. If you are not challenging yourself (at least occassionally), don't be surprised when you haven't changed your level of riding four months from now.

Write your plan down on paper (or a calendar). Does it make sense given that you are a father/mother, engineer/EMT, busy with scrapbooking/church, etc.? We all have priorities. Where does training for the Clean Air Challenge rank? If you want to reach the sky... reach the sky. It's up to you.

P.S. I'd be happy to talk over your plan if you want.

Invitation to indoor cycling

Are you available to ride on Sunday, March 11th from 8:15-10:15AM? I teach indoor cycling at the Greater Manchester YMCA. Sunday's session is at the Downtown Manchester facility. (If you can only join me for 30 minutes or an hour, that's fine too. no worries.)

I routinely teach on Monday morning 6:00-6:45AM at the Allard Center YMCA.

If you'd like to goin me for a spinning workout, I can bring you as a guest. I have two "free" passes, and two "Zero Enrollment Fee" membership coupons. When I run out of "free" passes, there may be a small guest visit fee; but it would be worth every penny -- for your fitness.

Send me an email (lisa_richards@hotmail.com) soonest if you want to participate.

Questions? Comments?

Do you have questions about training, riding, volunteering, fund raising, or on a specific research topic? Ask away... send me an email (lisa_richards@hotmail.com). I'm here to help. I don't claim to know everything, but I'm not afraid of looking for the answer or referring you to someone else with expertise.

This blog is for the entire team (the team of all teams and individuals!), so if you have a comment (or question) you'd like to get out to the group, send me an email (lisa_richards@hotmail.com) and I'll post it on your behalf (or anonymously, if you prefer.)

Here's to educating (and entertaining) the team!

Welcome

Preparation begins for the 2007 American Lung Association of New Hampshire's Clean Air Challenge!

Find out more and register online at: http://www.nhlung.org/2007BikeHomePage.cfm