Ooooo, the Nove Colli is going to be fun, in a painful sort of way. Damn this snow, more of it fell today. Nothing but spinning and rollers these days, no where near the prep required based on Sud City's link below. Mind you, if I can get out by this Sunday, I will have been able to ride every month through the winter, not bad. I'll keep you posted. Tonight is the last night of outdoor hockey, that'll free up one more night for the rollers...

Slowcolnago

An english account of a day in the life of the nove Colli here

70 kilometers yesterday.
A warm sirroco blew in from over the sahara with a few drops of dusty red rain.
12°. Strong winds. 3 significant hills.
24.8 average.
I slept like a baby.
m

Two days of running at 0° in gale force winds. 97 days left.

m

Tough ride today. My cycling shoes slipped half way down the stairs (man do I feel like an idiot, as if these ridiculous clothes weren't enough). I started the ride with with blood sodden knuckles. Going down the big hill my rear wheel went soft and sent me slathering across the road with visions of Beloki before my eyes... but at least didn't fall. Good thing too because i wasn't wearing a helmet (for the absolute last time).

matteo

The good news for you is that I have not renounced wine nor beer. Yesterday at lunch we sucked back a bottle of 2000 Tignanello and some spumante riserva... then in the evening moved on to a very fine gewürztraminer and 1998 Cervaro della sala followed by some oak aged rum. No running no biking. I have a three month head start but so far i only train weekdays at lunch.
My weight is unchanged since Christmas.
Sud

I post to this blog religously whenever I have had a significant training event; hence I have not posted for a month. Actually, I'm in a bit of a rut. Fitness level is not bad as I'm still in the Gym twice a week (weights, then spinning for 40 min to one hour each time), and skating hard 3 times a week for an hour each time. But, when the weather breaks I will have to quickly get some miles under the wheels of a real bike, on real hills.

This is what I feared most, Matteo is getting a 3 month head start on spring.

I have cut back on the beer and wine and have already lost 6 pounds as a result. In late April I will likely go pretty much cold turkey, and will also stop all upper body workouts in the hope of dropping some useless muscle mass. I only need it for hockey, the skates will be hung up by then. Hopefully if I stay off the draught I will at least be able to stay in Sud City's draft.

I have been concentrating on leg isolations when on the spinning bike in the hope of not trashing my style too much, and also to make the best use of the horrifically boring time. It seems to make the time pass more quickly, and I think I have worked some of the dead spots out of my stroke.

Thank God running is not cycling, or I would despise cycling, too.

Slowcolnago

C'mon guys, let me know where you are at. Pounding the pavement or just swinging that fridge door. I am on my third day of spring training. That's right, it's like spring here...12° and sunny. I have done three of my lunchtime sprints (15k + 15k + 20k). I have learned something.

running is not cycling.

My legs feel weak and fill easily with lactic acid. I can run for an hour at a good clip and not get tired, but on my bike the hills send me straight to anaerobic hell. Train my friends, you body will thank you later.

ciao,
Matteo