The Cycling Off Season

If you live anywhere near me then the days are getting quite short and the wind is beginning to kick up while the temperatures drop. Sure the leaves are pretty and the occasional sunny day feels warm, but it's getting harder and harder to find a good time to ride.

Just this weekend we bagged a 50 mile ride because of cold, wet, rainy roads. Today as I look out my office window I can see my bike on top of my car waiting to be ridden. Just behind it, the trees are bent sideways in a 27mph wind from the South West. (hrrrm... If I could just get somebody to drive me about 40 miles south of here...)

So what are your plans for this off season? You could:

• let your saddle sores heal up
• see how big you can get your waistline by 2008
• start trying to break in that new couch while watching the latest Greys Anatomy
  

Or, you could be productive even if you aren't out braving the elements. Here is my plan:

• teach 2 spinning classes per week
• do 2 short interval workouts on the trainer (60 minutes at most)
• get 1 long ride outside each week (30-40 miles)

I also have some things I'm going to work on off the bike that I usually don't have time to do.

• set cycling goals for 2008
• work more on my blog!
• plan a cycling vacation
• tune up all of my bikes (including my wife and kids)
  

So what are you going to do!? Post your comments and let us know.

Check out Bike Snobs post about off season training.