The winter months are a perfect time to keep yourself fit for the summer racing season. It is however important to pay attention to different aspects of your training and keep yourself focused. I recently found a really good guide about cycling during the winter and thought that I would talk more about it as a keen cyclist myself. Read on to find out more about keeping yourself fit during the winter months.
Training areas
Winter is the time to get some good mileage in, something that isn’t always possible during the summer months, especially with regular racing. It is always a great idea to work on any weaknesses that you have during this time, especially because you have the time to try new things and see what you respond best too. By working on these areas you will be very well prepared to race in the spring and summer months.
Clothing
I think one of the hardest things about winter is motivating yourself to get out there and ride. This is where good winter clothing comes in and can really help you to get out there and brave the cold in the cooler months. Making some smart choices in warm clothing for cycling is absolutely ideal. Things like warmers are just a godsend when you need to brave the cold. Warm base layers are also very useful, as well a good outer jacket.
Riding indoors
The winter months are, of course, not always ideal for training outside, particularly if it is raining or snowing. Investing a turbo trainer is a great idea, or even going to your local gym and using the spin bike. This can be much easier to recreate the optimal training conditions that you would get during the summer or spring months. This is not a complete solution though, but a variety of indoor and outdoor training will keep things interesting for you.
Nutrition
The winter months plan a great demand on your body as it needs to warm itself, which requires more fuel. The tendency here is that you eat more and then roll into the summer months overweight. Therefore it is important to think about what you are eating and keep a balanced diet. You may need to modify your supplement intakes accordingly, as these will undoubtedly be different compared to summer.
