It's time to get ready...

...for touring (by bike, of course) in 2005!

It's hard to believe that it is mid-December. Winter hasn't officially started yet, and I'm already dreaming of summer. I'm determined that those circumstances beyond my control that canceled my 2004 tours won't happen again, and I'm focused on training now so that I'm in top touring shape come the spring. I've come a long way since that day in May. I started by simply walking short distances. By July when I headed back to work part-time (which admittedly didn't last too long - full-time jumped in there within a couple of weeks) I tried to walk for 20 to 30 minutes 3 times a day, and I rode my bike on the weekends. My bike rides started out as short ones - in the 15 mile range - and I worked up to 28 mile rides by the end of the reasonable riding season. That's a far cry from my normal distances, but all things considered I should probably consider it to be more than a reasonable accomplishment. I kept up the biking and walking pretty consistently through my October trip to Hawaii, but when I got home it was time to deal with both the lack of daylight and relatively cold temperatures.

I have to admit that it's much easier to train when I can play outdoors. I'm trying not to let the cold get to me, but the fact remains that it is pure luck that I get any cycling in during the winter. I'm limited to weekends because of the lack of daylight, and to short rides because of low temperatures. I can happily ride if the temperatures are in the 40s. 30s with sunshine, low wind, and dry roads work too. But that's certainly not enough to get back into the kind of shape I need to be in!

So what's on the agenda? First, I'm trying to continue to do some walking outside. Then I need to do some focused aerobic exercise, plus weight training. I have some exercise abilities at home - I can ride my bike on a fluid trainer, I have a Concept 2 rowing ergometer, and a Fitball and some weights helps too. I also have memberships in not one, but two gyms - the YMCA a mile up the road from my house, and the gym at the Marriott Hotel across the street from my office. I've been trying to walk for 30 to 45 minutes every afternoon, but if the weather doesn't permit I can pop over to the Marriott for an afternoon workout. If I walk in the afternoon, I've been trying to work out right after work. That seems to work better if I head over to the Marriott than if I try to get to the Y. That's because I have to drive by my house to get to the Y, and at the end of a long day it's really easy to turn into my driveway instead of continuing on to the Y. The Y works for me better on the weekends...

A mix of activities will keep me interested, and I'm planning to work up to higher intensity indoor workouts to add to my outdoors - face to the sky - walking. No, I'm not a runner, but walking fast does work too. It's just not enough.

Focus, Denise! It's time to focus on getting back in shape for two-wheeled travel. I want to be in decent riding shape by mid- to late April, and in excellent shape by June. There's enough time, and I want it enough - definitely a reachable goal.