Training
That AARP article that I mentioned in the last post talked a bit about training. I haven’t forgotten those fitness evaluations at the sports medicine center at MCO. We got individualized training programs to help us prepare for our long trips. Twelve weeks prior to departure was the time to start focusing on training. This wasn’t easy since the timeframe coincided with the fall and winter in a place that wasn’t particularly warm in the fall and winter. I was good and followed the plan religiously. That might be why I was able to manage New Zealand on a 10-speed without a granny gear. Although I managed, I quickly became aware that some of the bikes on the tour had much lower gears than mine did. I remedied this on the next trip to Baja or at least I think that I did. Now, I wouldn’t think of going on an extended trip without my granny.
I need to dig out that old training program and start following it. The 12 week mark is just around the corner. I think that I still have a trainer, but will have to search the storage unit to see if that beat still exists. I have a nice video of a ride in Hawaii that I watched while on that boring trainer. I found that I am unable to read while using the trainer. I try to give myself a good workour and besides not being able to sit/stand still while on the trainer, I would have to find some page protector to keep my book from being soaked from my nice glow aka sweat.
Riding in February presents some challenges so the trainer seems the best option. But, if the temperatures in January are any indication of what the temps in February will be, then maybe I can get some real rides in.
Our training program recommended taking off a few days for recovery. The one that AARP included recommended taking five days off for recovery every three weeks. I am not so sure about that. If I took off five days, I would do much more than recover. I would likely lose all my motivation and totally abandon the training for more than five days. I know from touring everyday that even spending too long off the bike for lunch can make me feel stiff. Taking a rest day makes it all the more difficult to get going again. We aren’t planning any rest days. We will have some very short days but for us it seems to work out best if we have some time in the saddle everyday. It doesn’t have to be fully-loaded riding time and it could be as little as an hour, but there is just something about being on the bike everyday that keeps us going.