It’s that time of year again. Time to get the trainers and rollers out and spend hours riding in one place. Not a fun way to spend time in the saddle, but it’s better than spending it sitting on the couch watching reruns of some old TV show from the 80s. I’ve tried watching Tour de France videos, but it doesn’t work for me. When I see head-on video shots of the riders, I keep thinking that I’m going the wrong way.
I’m better off listing to my iPod or watching a movie. My brother has played video games while training; I’m not that coordinated. I would probably fall off playing Need for Speed.
Here are some ideas to battle boredom on the trainer/rollers:
- Watch a movie
- Listen to up-tempo music
- Watch a marathon of your favorite TV episodes
- Check out Spinervals free workouts
- Change up your training sessions with intervals, time-trials, easy spins, simulated hill work, etc.
- Play video games (no brainer here: not recommended while on the rollers)
- Invite some friends over to set up their trainers and have a group “ride”
- Purchase some “point-of-view” training videos (see Cycling Videos or Chavez Cycling for an example)
- Create your own DVD by video recording your warm weather routes
- Create your own online videos with YouTube. Create an account and then gather up some other people’s videos into a “play list” to play them in sequence. Put on your own music as background.
There is an ad running lately that says something like, “Races are won in the off season.” How true. Although I believe it’s important to take a breather, it’s also important to get back on in order to maintain and (hopefully) increase your fitness. Some years back, Jan Ullrich was teased about his off-season diet. It was alleged that we would take it easy and plump up during the winter months. This made it tougher to get back in top shape for the next season. Lance Armstrong, in the meantime, spent time training in the mountains of the tour and elsewhere getting ready for the race. (Despite all of the latest allegations of doping, I believe that these cyclists are truly strong riders.)
It reminds me of the days when I don’t “feel” like reading the bible. I may be reading a chapter for what seems to be the 100th time. But, I know that memorization is not my strength. I can remember concepts and ideas, but word-for-word memorization is a challenge.
Pro racers may not feel like training, but they also know that their competitor is training as well. It could be that the one day or week that they take it easy may be the difference in a win later on.
Paul wrote to his friend Timothy and encouraged him to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2 ESV). We should be ready because, whether you believe it or not, there are forces out there that are working against followers of Jesus.
We may not be able to memorize the entire bible word-for-word. At least, I don’t believe it to mean that at all. The point here is to be ready to have an answer when we are asked. It also means that we are found walking our talk at all times. People around us are watching carefully. They want to know if what we say matches what we do. When tough times come, are we quick to remember promises in the bible that would apply to us?
Agreed – we aren’t perfect. But, we’re also in training. And, we should train seriously.
