How It All Began
As Lydia romped and played on the beach, her parents Gary and Kit watched over her and contemplated her future. It was 2001, the year Lance Armstrong would win the Tour for the third time, and Gary, who was an avid cyclist, wondered where the female athletic role models were for his young daughter. What if he could create an all-women cycling team and run it like the most professional men’s cycling teams of Europe? Men had an advantage in cycling for decades with well-funded teams, and he reasoned, if a female cycling team had the same resources, might they have the same success? Read more…
2010 Olympic Gold Medalist Lindsey Vonn in action during a race. photo nbcsports.msnbc.com
Cycling is Ski Training
Anyone who has ever skied can tell you it takes a great deal of coordination, strength and balance to do it well and the same is true for cycling. The legendary cyclist Greg LeMond used to spend his winter months in Minnesota on Nordic skis to stay in great shape for the Tour de France. Many other cyclists then and now have used skiing, Nordic especially, as a great cross-training sport to keep them fit over the winter. It should come as no surprise then that great skiers benefit from cycling as their cross-training sport. Read more…
Snow Play
“Perfect winter weather is a great caffeine, while perfect summer weather is the best sedative.” ~Amethyst Snow-Rivers
Winter still has a grip on much of the country. Last Friday, 49 states out of 50 had at least a dusting of snow. To paraphrase the poet Longfellow: “The best thing one can do when it’s snowing is to let it snow.” So enjoy your snow day! If you have a mountain bike, take it out on a snowy trail and have fun!
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Many guys I know who wear bib shorts instead of regular cycling shorts swear that once you try the bib shorts, you’ll never go back to just shorts again. They say they like them because bibs are much more comfortable than regular shorts, they like how they stay in place and the chamois doesn’t shift and there is less chaffing. Let’s face it; if you ride behind a guy with shorts that are sagging down in the back, well, you know another good reason for bibs.
I had been curious enough about whether I would like them, so I talked to Alison Littlefield, a former bike racer and now co-owner of Contender Bicycles. I knew she preferred bibs and it was because of her recommendation that I finally bought my first bib shorts (which, by the way, I really like!)
These are the reasons that women ought to check out the latest women’s specific bib shorts:
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A few years ago, when I was in my mostly-running-era, I was introduced to a guy who was an avid cyclist. He knew I was training for the Boston Marathon and we discussed my summer triathlons as well. He asked if I used a heart rate monitor. I told him I just used a wristband GPS. He remarked, “I don’t know what it is with you runners, you are really missing out on a basic training tool by not using a heart rate monitor.”
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Women Cycling For a Cause
One of the best cycling “Girls’ Weekend” activities you will find in the country is in Logan, Utah, which is about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The event is the Little Red Riding Hood Ride and it is the largest and longest all-women’s bike ride in the country.
The ride offers route distances of 15, 35, 45, 62, 80 and 100 miles and all the funds raised from Little Red go to support women-specific cancer research. The ride has attracted women from all over the USA and a few other countries as well, including Canada, Mexico, Italy and Australia. It’s a welcoming atmosphere for all types of cyclists; you’ll see mothers, daughters and grandmothers cycling side by side.
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Photo by Pam Oman
Rachel (in green) is dressed in a technical fabric top and close fitting shorts. She has on cross training athletic shoes. Annie (in red) is a more seasoned spinner and is wearing a bike jersey and lightly padded bike shorts. Her cycling shoes are fitted with an MTB cleat in order to clip in. On her wrist she wears a heart rate monitor.
Here is a summary of what you’ll need for Spin Classes:
- Short-sleeve top made from moisture wicking fabric
- Well fitted shorts- padded bike shorts are best
- Comfortable stiff-soled shoes (for best results use cycling shoes)
- Water bottle
- Hand towel
- Cycling gloves (recommended but not required)
- Heart rate monitor
Like so many things in life, we know we have to dress for the occasion, or for the sport. Spin class is no different. You will feel more comfortable if you are in the right shoes and in clothing. You probably have everything to get you started in your closet now.
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“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” Bob Marley
The New Year is about to begin and you’ve made some resolutions for the year. In 2010 you are planning on getting in better shape, perhaps you’ll take on a triathlon, or several of them, or you want to take on a century ride. Whatever your goals, a good time to start is January. The only problem for those of us in the north is that January is cold. And snowy. The roads are icy. Sometimes, the air is dirty because of a cold air inversion so that exercising outdoors is as bad as smoking a pack of cigarettes. Ugh! It’s for times like these that treadmills and bike trainers were invented.
Sometimes though, running on the treadmill can be boring and cycling on the trainer can be monotonous. I know, I’ve run for more than two hours at a time on a treadmill and put in hours on the trainer. I couldn’t have done it without music on my MP-3 player though. Music can help you to exercise longer and help lessen the perception of fatigue and keep you motivated.
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