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…
Question: I took up cycling three years ago and have gotten progressively addicted. Last year I rode almost 15,000 miles including many centuries. I could do it because I lived in Arizona. But I moved to Wisconsin in September and can’t ride outside due to the cold and snow. I’m getting depressed and morose. This…
Question: I race competitively on the road, totaling 300-400 miles per week. I make one week in every four a recovery week when I just roll around for 200 miles without any hard efforts. The problem is that after a week of taking it easy, I don’t feel refreshed. In fact, I feel more sluggish…
Question: I rode about 6,000 miles last year. But because of work, I won’t be riding for five weeks. What will this layoff do to my riding and fitness? How long will I have to train before I get back to my usual fitness level? — David C. Coach Fred Matheny Replies: Detraining usually happens quickly…
