Taking some time to learn

It is the time of year to consider some resolutions...end of December; a little time off and setting some healthy goals.

Normally, I would be setting training goals that would eventually lead to overtraining injuries. Well, with age SHOULD come wisdom, so this year the goal is to be smart about training by doing some research first.

Since it is late December, training should be focused on building a base. Focus should be on aerobic endurance, cross training and the hitting weight room. To this end, I've spent this week doing 2-30 mile rides, a couple of spin classes, the first time in the pool in over a year, and daily yoga. I could really get used to this! Ending each evening with yoga is proving to relieve my chronic back and hip pain. It is also helping my shoulder tremendously. One year ago I was sporting a sling after rotator cuff surgery. Another reason to commit to a base-building winter.

I bought a book called The Cyclists Training Bible. To tell you the truth, it wasn't the resource I was looking for, but I'll keep looking!

Consistency for the next 8-10 weeks should build a solid base from which to begin preseason training.

My next step is to schedule a fitness test at our local club. I have been resisting this as an unnecessary step for the last year. Everything that I read points to the need to understand not only my fitness level, but more importantly, my anaerobic threshold. Understanding the point at which I am burning more glucose than fat and building up lactic acid will help guide my training plan. More to come on this.

Once I get the fitness test, I'll invest in a new heart rate monitor so that I can train using my heart rate. I dug through our drawer with all of the discarded gadgets, plugs and a myriad of old cell phones. Found the Polaris watch with the chest strap. Yes! Then tried it out and realized it just doesn't work anymore.

Hoping my reward for all of this effort is an injury-free year of serious cycling!