hey northeast people...

[AngryScientist]

Was just chatting with a guy at the bike shop. This should be an interesting season, is everyone else as out of shape as I am? This has been the most miserable winter I can remember, i got virtually zero road miles in over the long, treacherous winter, and I'm in worse shape at the beginning of spring than usual.

anyone else in the same boat?

[don'TreadOnMe]

Eehhhhh, yup.

[soulspinner]

Got out 3-4 times, rode the trainer a little did core work and lost 5 pounds. Resting pulse is hovering around 40, but when I got out to ride I was shockingly slow:eek:

[tigoat]

Yes, I am out of shape by my own standards. I have ridden about 656 Ohio miles so far in 2014 with zero miles on a trainer. Did my first metrics last week and was cramping up a bit towards the end. I will need at least several hundred miles more before I can hop on the bike and ride 100 miles in 6 hours. Look forward to doing my first century hopefully sometime in May. Nonetheless, despite the cold winter, the weather in March this year has been very good in Cincinnati, as I don't recall riding this much in March in recent years.

[avalonracing]

I'm not out of shape but I am in no way race shape.
As for the guys who are because they were riding their trainers all winter... Well screw them. I'll build fitness slowly and enjoy riding in July through November when they are burnt out.

[Coluber42]

Yeah, it's been a pretty miserable winter. I've gotten out some, but not enough. Plus I've had a lot less commuting to do, although Dill Pickle is finally moving out of my house, so that's about to change.

I've still had places to go most days and the bike is how I get there, so it's not like I haven't ridden. But definitely haven't had as many longer or harder rides as I prefer to have in the winter!

[witcombusa]

Nope, been skiing regularly. Still at least another two weeks to go too!

I love the 4 month (+) off season :banana:

[William]

Doing a lot of other things as well as some mtb'ing so I'm in good shape. The roads are crap with all the heaving, potholes, and mounds of sand. Too freaking dangerous right now imo.






William

[cfox]

I'm usually pretty tolerant of the trainer, but my discipline waned a bit this winter. Did my usual roller drills to stay sharp, but turbo time was way lower. I did a lot of work with a medicine ball, which was new. I don't feel like a dough ball and my weight is fine, but my first few "Spring" (if you want to call it that) rides so far have been sobering.

[bewheels]

I have to grin at this a bit.
Back when I did race, I lived in western Maine. Awesome training grounds. However we averaged 120 inches of snow a year and was seriously cold. Spring was typically 3-5 weeks behind the Boston area. It was common to head to the first mtb race in MA or CT with zero time in the local woods.
In other words...what everyone is experiencing now used to be normal for many places in New England (upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, etc).
Of course those living in those geographies are even more behind than normal...

[zap]

Was just chatting with a guy at the bike shop. This should be an interesting season, is everyone else as out of shape as I am? This has been the most miserable winter I can remember, i got virtually zero road miles in over the long, treacherous winter, and I'm in worse shape at the beginning of spring than usual.

anyone else in the same boat?

We are just south in D.C. but this has been the coldest winter-maybe the one with the most snow days too-since I moved to the area 30 years ago. It snowed early last week.

Anyhow, that I'm slow compared to my cycling buddies, thats due to not having done serious training (due to starting a business) for 6 odd years. Mileage this winter is pretty good and many including myself went to other parts of the country/world to do some riding/training. Lots of indoor training too. Racing started mid March and big events are a little over a month away.

Have to keep an eye out for those potholes and loose bits.

[CNY rider]

I am aerobically in shape because I have been nordic skiing, ice skating, sledding with the kids.
My only cycling has been commuting.
I'm not in great cycling shape but I'm not too worried. I'm not racing anyone and I really enjoy the winter sports so no rush for them to go away.
Mud season on the other hand I could live without.

[bikerboy337]

Yup. Haven't been on my bike since November. New job and lousy weather. Last year I got about 1500 miles in over the winter. Was going to do a 30 miler this mornjng but we've been battling the stomach bug all week and it got me now.... Can't wait for some warmer dry weather!

[Admiral Ackbar]

not sure if its because i lived in new england my entire life but i really wasn't phased by this winter, i honestly didn't think it was that bad at all. I've been able to ride almost every week since november & I'm well over 1500mi for this year. quite to the contrary of the OP I'm probably in best shape I've been since i raced XC in high-school. this year is looking good for me

[phcollard]

This winter was bad. Actually it still is : snow fall tomorrow and on Monday. I was expecting to be on the road in two week but... eh.

That said I'm in much better shape than last year before the beginning of the season. Been on the trainer 3-4h/week and lost 10lbs. Just bragging :)

[christian]

Between my studded-tire MTB and my 1UpUSA and the early season races in Bethel, I'm actually in better March shape than any of the past five years, I think. Happy day.

[MattTuck]

Hard to know until I get on the bike and ride some oval hills that I can benchmark against previous years. 40 trainer hours so far this year gives me hope that I will be in decent shape and can already take on some higher intensity training than other wise possible.

[johnmdesigner]

We just grilled some Kobe beef in the apartment and there is a mushroom cloud of the best smoke I have ever smelled lingering in the living room.
Am sipping on a 32 oz. Japanese beer watching the rain come down.
When it's time to ride I'll ride.

[quickfeet]

I am unbelievably out of shape this year, haven't even been able to touch a bike for over a month!

[cmg]

It hit 95 this past friday. Winter was a little colder than normal but it never snows and i'm still out of shape........ can't blame the weather:p

[mod6]

Legs are strong from fifty days on the slopes, weight is up from the tasty beers after being on the slopes and the cardio is lacking makes for interesting early season ridding. Legs want to go the heart says different. Knowing this I really do not get involved in racing until May when I can get some base miles in.

[DRZRM]

I am at a serious low point in fitness. I did something awful to my shoulder, arm, and neck (over the handlebars last spring, down a few steps, don't ask) which after assuming it would get better for several months, has involved hours of PT, tens of thousands of dollars of medical imaging (I didn't break my neck as it turned out :banana:), and several injections into my c5 and c6 vertebrae. I've ridden two days in a row and while my shoulder in sore and weak, I don't have tingling pain and numbness shooting to by wrist, so...yay.

Figured before I had to give up the sport, I should get at least one more really nice bike, I was just downstairs finish up the Firefly build.

[carlucci1106]

It hit 95 this past friday. Winter was a little colder than normal but it never snows and i'm still out of shape........ can't blame the weather:p

I thought about posting... then saw that the OP asked North Easterners; which of course is not what I am anymore, but I have been a Minnesotan for only three months, coming from New Mexico... from VT/NH....

Locals have called this the worst winter in 20 yrs. I got on the MTB a couple times last week for a couple 20 mile spins. But this is the first time in a while I have had literally no miles for a solid three months.

Fitness is def. not the best, but my first ride out last yr. was pretty bad. Cramped the last half of a 40 miler. So at least that didn't happen this year.

Here's hoping to a nice long, balmy season to forumites across the continent.:cool:

[1X10]

I am located directly on the north shores of Lake Erie...I woke up this AM hoping for a 3-4 hr road spin WITHOUT cross wheels, however we are covered WHITE and just saw another county truck dumping the salt to our road:confused:

Weather forecasts are saying sun and 7C this afternoon but my instincts are not hedging that bet:):)

Looks like a slop day on our local rail trail is in order pushing too big a gear through combo of snow and peanut butter!!

Positive note...The Habs are looking good heading into playoffs!!!!

[fuzzalow]

I had ridden a bike twice since New Years Day 2014. As much as I'd like to think riding rollers would make up the deficit, I have ridden them none. The best laid plans of mice and men.

Spring is welcomed but the riding will be slow and the legs will be unpleasant. Whaddaya gonna do?

[gemship]

I am aerobically in shape because I have been nordic skiing, ice skating, sledding with the kids.
My only cycling has been commuting.
I'm not in great cycling shape but I'm not too worried. I'm not racing anyone and I really enjoy the winter sports so no rush for them to go away.
Mud season on the other hand I could live without.

Best answer and keywords here, "cycling shape". I live in the greater Boston area and I have been able to manage some commuting by bike for errands on average of three days a week all winter long. A commute for me is five miles each way and I do it with a thirty plus pound mountain bike:p Got smoked by two old guys yesterday on really light carbon road racing bikes, a Cervelo and a Merckx. Oh well... they were in their glory on their race machines. So what if they looked like they could be my grandfathers.

I would ride a little bit more but it doesn't make much difference as I don't race. Two issues, the weather is winter time like Angry Scientist says but more specific to me and maybe unique to me... I am a commercial clammer. I use my back and walk a lot in very mucky, muddy clamflats. I do my best to shatter one hundred pounds of clams during any given tide, the harvest limit is two hundred!...and sometimes I dig over that limit when I am in my glory, lol. I have been doing this for seven months now and make a good little living at it but it's a really wicked hard physical activity. It keeps me in shape to say the least.

I wonder how many forumites work a really hard physical job and juggle it with cycling? Admittedly I assume most of you are either retired or working in offices.

[stien]

Lots of running this winter, and some decent mountain bike miles. Studded snow tires are a great purchase. In shape? Heck yes. Race shape? Heck no, but could be easily.

[Ti Designs]

I turn 50 in about a month and I kinda want my cat 2 license back. I'm finishing off my interval training at the end of March and ready for speedwork on the road come April. I'm more motivated and better trained than ever, getting older and a little cold weather isn't going to slow me down.

[paredown]

Bad winter for me--had a serious fall from a ladder in late October (broken vertebrae and cracked ribs) so I missed the late fall/winter. Usually I will ride when it is cold (~20 deg is about when I think I would rather do something else), but this year there has been so darned much snow!

The few decent days we've had when the roads are not covered with crap/water/ice/salt I seem to have other commitments. So I'm about 10# overweight, but still reasonably fit from wood chopping and construction, but seriously not in good bike riding shape.

[572cv]

A difficult winter in many respects, but particularly for any riding outside. Multiple days in a row with temps that started well below 0°F, for example... it just seemed as though the timing was always off. So, I went ahead and followed through on some planned abdominal surgery, worked on the trainer, and am slowly working my way back.
Yesterday was the best day in weeks. Broken sun/clouds, temp all the way up to about 40°F, not a bad NW wind at about 10, and dry roads (mostly). A few hours on a bike and everything looks better.

[Matt-H]

This should be an interesting season, is everyone else as out of shape as I am?


Yes.

Looking outside waiting for this last bit of rain to push out and the warm temps to arrive.

[daker13]

This was a very cold, weird winter in RI. I grew up in northern NH, and the temps here don't compare, but it's been pretty cold for the area, and LONG. I've been running this winter, so my fitness could be worse.

[Tandem Rider]

I wonder how many forumites work a really hard physical job and juggle it with cycling? Admittedly I assume most of you are either retired or working in offices.

I think there are a few of us that are working hard physical jobs. I do large scale commercial and industrial HVAC, I have tools that weigh more than my tandem. I'm out in all kinds of weather, -25 to 110, rain, snow, blazing sun. Being in my 50's, it's making me feel like a wimp now. I'm not the only one on here in this boat.

[witcombusa]

I wonder how many forumites work a really hard physical job and juggle it with cycling? Admittedly I assume most of you are either retired or working in offices.

You assume wrong. Cycling is what I do after work to RELAX :banana:

[oldpotatoe]

Was just chatting with a guy at the bike shop. This should be an interesting season, is everyone else as out of shape as I am? This has been the most miserable winter I can remember, i got virtually zero road miles in over the long, treacherous winter, and I'm in worse shape at the beginning of spring than usual.

anyone else in the same boat?

Yep, retired in November, rode a bunch for about 10 days then.....cold, wet, windy. Finally nice but grew what seems like a walnut sized saddle sore, only second one ever... Off the bike again. Yikes. Trying alcohol and zit cream hope it subsides.....

- west guy, not northeast.

[learningtoride]

...

[leftyfreak]

To celebrate turning 40 this year, Ti Designs and I are planning to ride the VT six gaps in the summer--he intends to eat ice cream while climbing Lincoln Gap, and I hope to survive it! I've been following Ti's winter training plan and he's got me on track for my best year ever. Focused, productive time on the trainer and, surprisingly, more time outdoors this year than last. Given that there's also a new baby in the house, I'm pretty pleased with where things are at with my cycling and fitness. I am looking forward to nicer weather though...

[Camelstache]

To celebrate turning 40 this year, Ti Designs and I are planning to ride the VT six gaps in the summer--he intends to eat ice cream while climbing Lincoln Gap, and I hope to survive it! I've been following Ti's winter training plan and he's got me on track for my best year ever. Focused, productive time on the trainer and, surprisingly, more time outdoors this year than last. Given that there's also a new baby in the house, I'm pretty pleased with where things are at with my cycling and fitness. I am looking forward to nicer weather though...

Good luck with 6 Gap. It's the real deal. Still not as difficult as the full D2R2...I my opinion. And if you want to eat ice cream...start with Middlebury, end with Brandon, and get ice cream by the lake when you finish!

[s_curran]

Looks like this week won't be miserable. I really need to get out there. Last couple of weeks I have been running 100 flights of stairs, 3 days a week during my lunch break. I'm starting to go a little crazy in that fire stair.

I planned on riding as much as I could during the winter, but I just didn't. Partially due to not enough winter gear, and partially to do with being lazy.

[polyhistoric]

Maybe once a month on the road and 2 times a week on the trainer. Cardio feels like like my lungs are full of sand. Between the weather and the horrible road conditions, worst winter in recent years (for us weather wimps at least)

[Ti Designs]

To celebrate turning 40 this year, Ti Designs and I are planning to ride the VT six gaps in the summer--he intends to eat ice cream while climbing Lincoln Gap, and I hope to survive it!

It helps that I'm already over the hill...

[benb]

I'm decently happy with how I'm doing.. I don't see how I'm going to ever manage to get long rides in on the weekend as I have a 16 month old son but I'm doing better than last year.. job change last fall made cycling easier again after a really bad 2013.

I have ~300 miles on the road since Jan 1st and at least 2 days/week on the trainer & doing core exercises each week since then.. Felt pretty good with how I climbed over the weekend. It has indeed been damn cold & snowy this winter though. It snowed today here a little, and friday I had to get off and walk through a patch of ice and snow on my ride. (Went down a non-plowed road that is still closed to cars) I've done 1 commute (19F on the way to work) and I took my son for his first ride in the trailer (8 miles). Having fun.

[makoti]

Been riding inside a lot and out once a week the last three weeks, but yesterday was simply cruel. I expected rain. But I got rain, sleet, snow, and howling wind.
I did not ride outside yesterday. ;)

[leftyfreak]

I planned on riding as much as I could during the winter, but I just didn't. Partially due to not enough winter gear, and partially to do with being lazy.

You just touched on two of the biggest issues with winter riding...but there are solutions!

I've had a decent range of winter gear previously, but I rounded out the wardrobe this year with lobster gloves, neck warmer, helmet cover and headband (instead of the lightweight beanie I wear in slightly warmer weather), and a second pair of tights for layering. Once you've shelled out the cash, you feel compelled to use the new gear and you're actually less afraid of the cold knowing you'll be more comfortable.

It's harder to be lazy in the winter when you commit to riding with a friend who is just as crazy as you are. You don't want to be the jerk who is a no-show, and when you have a riding partner it becomes amusing that you can't feel your toes or fingers, that your water bottle is frozen and that there are icicles growing on your downtube and bottom bracket. Those things are all depressing when you're solo.

[leftyfreak]

It helps that I'm already over the hill...

I don't think that counts...it's the six GAP ride, there are no hills.

[CNY rider]

My 4 year old and I just got in from what is going to be our last pond skating session of the season. I don't think I have ever skated on our pond in April before.
24F when we went out with very nice ice out there.
Now bring on 50F later today and let spring begin!

[benb]

Felt like Spring this morning.. had one of my favorite ride occurrences.. chopped 5 minutes off my morning commute, fastest ride to my current job I've done yet. Great feeling, and it was getting warmer the whole ride. Chopping 5 minutes off put the bike commute firmly faster than any "bad day" driving the car too, more into the "average day" driving the car.

[shovelhd]

I turn 50 in about a month and I kinda want my cat 2 license back. I'm finishing off my interval training at the end of March and ready for speedwork on the road come April. I'm more motivated and better trained than ever, getting older and a little cold weather isn't going to slow me down.

Welcome to M50+. I raced as a Cat2 in my 20's and quit. USAC lost all of my results during the transition from USCF but the local upgrade rep remembered me. I decided to come back as a Cat3 and earn my upgrade again, which I did in my first season as a Master.

Have fun and ride safe.

[shovelhd]

My racing season starts in the first week of March, so I start training for real in November. This year was exceptional, though, as I went into my first race having only ridden twice on the road. Very unusual.

[sixgears]

For the 1st time in a long time, I'm actually in the best shape coming into spring. I know the hell we all go through on the trainer in the winter and I'm no different. Luckily, an indoor cycling studio opened up about 3 mins. from my house and I took advantage of their 12-week winter training program. What a difference!

[potatochip]

I ride the trainer all year long


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ftwelder]

I finally had an outdoor ride yesterday and I was fantastic! We still have 2' of snow in the front yard and runoff everywhere. I was thankful by the time I got home the mud had firmed up a bit and I could ride the whole way!

[Hank Scorpio]

Somehow I am barely behind last year in outdoor mileage, about 100 miles off.
This winter I subscribed to Trainer Road to help focus indoor workouts and I felt it really helped although most of their workouts are tailored to stationary trainers and not rollers. I was able to compensate by putting an 11-23 on but will invest in a trainer for next winter.

[scottyjames]

Yoga. The few road miles I've done here in Boston have been vastly improved by a bit of regular yoga at the studio down the street. Trying hard to get my head around all the other non-bike things I can do to make it easier once I actually get on the bike.

Meanwhile, I've sort of been living online, checking out real estate in places like Santa Rosa, SLO, West Hollywood, Marin, etc, etc. Next year will be 30 years in New England. Maybe time for a change of scenery.

[MattTuck]

Yoga. The few road miles I've done here in Boston have been vastly improved by a bit of regular yoga at the studio down the street. Trying hard to get my head around all the other non-bike things I can do to make it easier once I actually get on the bike.

Meanwhile, I've sort of been living online, checking out real estate in places like Santa Rosa, SLO, West Hollywood, Marin, etc, etc. Next year will be 30 years in New England. Maybe time for a change of scenery.

Me too! Also been looking at Tucson AZ, Ashville NC, and a few others. It's fun to dream :)