It might be the same scenery, but it can be a different scene. Pedaling indoors doesn’t have to be a mundane experience. The winter months provide an excellent opportunity for early season base training inside where it’s warm and dry. In climates where cycling outdoors in February just won’t work (my little part of the world included!) fan trainers that connect to your bike’s rear wheel can be the perfect answer to keep moving in anticipation of the spring. So you’ve bought yourself a fan trainer (Bell makes a good one called the Motivator for about $100)and have a handful of spins completed. If you’ve gotten bored already that’s sure to kill your motivation (see Bell product name above!) to continue. Staving off boredom in the early going will unquestionably keep the fire burning to advance your training program.

Some will argue that over stimulation while on the fan trainer is detrimental to the workout. I tend to think the opposite. Anything that helps the passage of time, helps you stay on the bike and have a great workout. Ipod playlists can be constructed to guide you through the phases of your workout by selecting music that fits for warming up, higher intensity and then cooling down at the end. Come visit me on Twitter @brentkinnaird for my ‘essential ipod workout playlist tune of the day’ where i’ll suggest something new that might please your ears. Matching music to the phases of your ride is critical to maintaining the right tempo and pedal cadence. Don’t listen to the same music everytime you ride. I’ve created five different cycling playlists that I alternate each time I ride. Remember, mix it up to keep the boredom at bay! I like to also put concert videos on the laptop and position the screen a few feet from the handlebars.

Even with the best cycling shorts you can buy, too much time in the saddle will still become uncomfortable. Keeping shifting your position, stretching your arms periodically helps to keep your entire body loose. 30 seconds or a minute pedaling standing up will give your backside a rest too…that little break throughout the ride makes a big difference, and also alters your tempo (more on intervals in a future post).

Don’t forget these necessary steps to ensure a good ride:
1. Have a small fan blowing cool air on you…you can heat up pretty fast.
2. Hydrate early and often, as with any workout, don’t wait until your thirsty. that’s too late.
3. Wear your normal cycling kit, the jersey on makes you feel like you’re out for ride on the asphalt.
4. Give yourself time to cool down and stretch following the ride. It’s a workout like any other.
5. Keep your head up (no need to watch for cars!) but it does help breathing with a fully open airway.

In the song Open Road Brian Adams sang “I’m sittin’ at the wheel, i got a green light. I’m not afraid of nothing cuz, heart and soul, i’m built for life. So let the engines roar, push the pedal down. I want the white lines on the highway, to lead me outta town.”

Life is an open road to me…enjoy your ride.

Welcome to my new blog about all thing’s in the running and cycling world. Join me on my journey to post a Boston Marathon qualifying time in 2010. First up is the ‘mind game.’

Your mind can easily distract you from the simple goal of any run. Log miles, improve fitness, and perhaps prepare for your next race.These distractions are especially true in the early days of beginning a training program. By now we’ve all read mountains of tips from that stack of running magazines and bookmarked websites emphasizing the finer points of your running form, stride, positioning and pace. Like most things in life we study so much that the obvious basics are obscured in the quest for the ‘perfect’ run. Mind games play a big role in forgetting that the perfect run might be a favourite 5k route to take in the neighbourhood or a local trail run with a fellow running enthusiast. At its core, the early days of any running program should focus on building miles and setting a base for future area specific workouts.

This past Sunday I enjoyed a 4 degree day..in February…to complete a 10k training run. At about the 6k mark, i found myself overthinking my stride, breathing pattern and pace. Panic set in for a brief moment as i tripped over my own feet in an attempt to adjust my form. Why? Good question. Simple answer. What did they say in the November 2009 issue about being weary of my stride? Honestly, i don’t remember. Honestly it doesn’t matter. I’ll be the first to acknowledge many experts in the field both locally and abroad. I don’t discount their advice in the slightest, but caution the new runner; new to the sport or beginning a new season of training to return to the fundamental point that keeps us all going. Enjoy your run. Build your foundation miles. Stay motivated.

I’ll be on the start line at Hamilton’s Around The Bay Road Race on March 28. Maybe i’ll see you there.