Question: I’ve heard that you should cover your legs when the temperature is below 65F. I live in the mountains and we have several feet of snow, but last weekend the sun was shining, the roads were dry and the thermometer said 67. So I peeled off my leg warmers — and now I have…
By Coach Fred Matheny I’ll never forget the rider approaching me near Boulder, Colorado, some years ago. Roadies are common in that cycling-mad town but this guy stood out, even at a distance, for the smoothness and fluidity of his pedaling motion. He sat rock steady on the saddle and his legs flowed underneath him. I…
Question: I’m confused about long early-season rides. Should I include intervals and other hard efforts during this training? — Paolo H. Coach Fred Matheny Replies: During long rides in late January and February, it’s fine to bump up the intensity occasionally. But doing specific interval workouts isn’t necessary. Let your intensity increase naturally on climbs…
Question: Snowshoeing has become the hot crosstraining sport among the local cyclists in my area, but I don’t see the connection to riding a bike. What’s the carryover to cycling? — Tammi W. Coach Fred Matheny Replies: I love snowshoeing! Unlike cross-country skiing, it has a shallow learning curve. You don’t need much technique to…
Question: I live where the snow starts flying in October and ends in late June. I cross-county ski to retain my aerobic conditioning, but do you have any suggestions on how to keep my legs in cycling shape too? — Steve K. Coach Fred Matheny Replies: The best advice I’ve heard is from three-time Tour…
