How do you stay motivated over the winter?

[FelixOr]

especially in this situation!?


do you have some special tricks to keep "your head going", if there is absolutely no possibility to ride outside, but you have to get your 3-5 hours on the saddle per day?
my biggest help is music and often following thought:"your opponents are doing training right now too and you will hate yourself in april for not keep it going now!"
i'm also reading old threads in this forum^^.... thx PC
the monitor of my tacx stays off the bike so i don't go crazy about watts and all that stuff...
so tell me how you do it.

-felix, who still has 2 1/2 hours left

[magnus]

Music or tv!Just gotta make sure your watching a good movie.

[ALx]

hehe there is absolutely no way to get motivated on that sorry
makes me think.. i hate winter...

[kingtom]

these problems i have too. it isn't easy to ride 4 and more hours outside at 0°. but inside it would be impossible. i have no possibilities to train at home. i sold my spinning-bike because i need the place here for my office.
sometimes i'm on the spinning bike in the fitness-center. sometimes i combine the training. first maybe 4h outside and after directly to the center and 2h on the spinning bike there. but it is definitly not my time this f***ing winter....

[o2oole]

I spend many a hours on the trainer as well, what i do to keep (somewhat)sane:

Stay away from technology. being that close to a computer would give me another reason to get off the bike early. I usually ride my rollers in my basement, or in my room with lights out (one dim light so i don't fall off!), mp3 player, or stereo turned up really loud. Mellow music makes time go by quicker, in my opinion, but come interval time heavy music is needed, of course.

I also write stuff on paper and than tape it up on my wall, motivating stuff of course. I'v even gone as far as writing local competitors names on the wall (*note: when that person comes over before a ride, be sure to take down their name... )

Remember, it's only 2,3,4,5 or 6 hours out of your day/week/month/year/life...

[Bruiser]

I don't have any experience with a trainer as I'm from down under, but could I suggest using the bikes at the gym? There are many scenic rides if you can veiw the entry o the aerobics room.

While not related to the Q, I veiw off season as the oppotunity to train without races breaking my training phases.

[RTW]

I think of the rewards my girlie will give to me when I finish!

For you though Felix, you just need to think of when you will lead the Tour into Paris. That should work!

[keithster]

me I would much prefer and do ride outside, buy good winter stuff and a winter beater and give er! the key to it is keeping the hands, feet and head warm and taking it easy, don't push too hard. I ride in weather that can be as cold as -15 degrees celsius (i guess thats -5 farenheit) at that temperature I like to wear a thermal hoodie and maybe a thermal undershirt, bib shorts, leg warmers, thermal tights, 2 pairs of socks (one of them goretex if it is wet) and booties. on top I wear a light jacket.

the key is wearing the right amount of clothes. too much and you are too cold cause of the sweat, too little and you won't be out for long

[HOWMUCHDOESITWEIGH?]

I agree with Keithster; I'm living in the same city as him and during the winter, if the ground is dry I'm outside riding away... the right clothing combination is key... just out of curiousity, where do you ride in T.O. during the colder months Keithster?

[rockymtnway]

I'd never even consider six hours on a trainer personally, but then again, I have a hard time getting on a trainer at all. In the winter I resign myself to the gym and cross train with swimming, weights, running, the stepper, rowing, and the bike where I can watch a more interesting scene of characters. For my longer workouts, I still get enough good weather to get 3-4 long rides a month, or I can always get up to the mountains on the weekend for some cross country skiing.

[curlymcbird]

I cant spend 1hr on the trainer, let alone 6, the weathers never THAT bad here , cold for here is 10C, its often too hot, never too cold

[the Repeater]

I ride all winter or cross-train with other sports and activities to stay fit.

Save the trainer for doing high-intensity workouts in spring when it's cold and rainy out.

[keithster]

I agree with Keithster; I'm living in the same city as him and during the winter, if the ground is dry I'm outside riding away... the right clothing combination is key... just out of curiousity, where do you ride in T.O. during the colder months Keithster?

depends on how much time I have, sometimes I head out east from leslie across steeles to reesor road, then down to old finch, evntually to sheppard and across to don mills and up to finch. that is a pretty flat route and is about 40 k,

other times I head west to Dufferin from Don Mills and finch and take that to rutherford and take rutherford across to mccowan this is about 40 K.

usually I at least take don mills to sheppard over to yonge and up to cummer this route is 18 k

I usually ride after dark and have over $800 invested in lights, the key this time of year is making sure the roads are dry, having a bike where every thing is sealed or greased and wiping everything down after every ride.

I also only usually have an hour to ride a night, I'd have more time if I used the trainer, but I find it very hard to ride with unnatural loads, and no changing scenery,

[kevbikemad]

i do a little of everything. i can't seem to stand more than an hour or so on the trainer, and i prefer to get outside. i'm with the leafs fans from the big smoke, just layer up and enjoy winter.

also XC ski, so when spring comes you are longing for those long rides.

[Skyleth]

i keep motivated by remembering how much it sucked when I was 60lbs fatter and a Cat 5... then I keep going.

It also really helps that my team's shop made a nice training area in the attic, remodeled the whole thing this fall. We can fit up to 20 ppl up there w/ fans, and get a projector going w/ a movie on easy days, and the hard days, go balls and have others there to make sure you're not cheating. Nothing is worse than suffering alone. Try to find some people with the same winter goals and get together.