Looking for a cross-training alternative?

January

OK, I’ll admit it: I’m not a year-round rider. Once the temperatures dip into the 20s in the morning and there’s a residue of salt, sand and ice littering the roadsides, I’m thinking it’s time to do something else.

For me, something else rarely involves stationary cycling. Spin classes? Loud and obnoxious. Indoor trainers? Nah, I need the sound of the wind in my ears, the sight of trees whipping by and most of all, a rear tire ahead of me to pull me along.

So, after a Dec. 28 ride that left me with about 2,336 miles for 2008, I’m about ready to call it a season. During my last ride, about 32 miles, I could feel a weariness that left my legs begging for cross-training.

So far that’s meant Rollerblading and swimming, but sooner or later we’re gonna get enough snow so that I can haul my cross-country skis out of the attic.

It’s a terrific crossover sport for cyclists because of the emphasis on lower-body strength and a lot of the riders I know have become hooked.

Cross-country skiing doesn’t require a lot of investment in clothing or equipment. I ski in basically the same clothes I use for cold-weather riding and skis and boots are cheap compared with the downhill variety. Renting equipment for the day also is fairly reasonable.

There are excellent local places to give the sport a shot, especially Fahnestock Winter Park in Cold Spring

(http://www.nysparks.com/parks/info.asp?parkID=138) which features trails for beginners and experienced skiers and has a nice selection of rental gear.

Minnewaska State Park Preserve (http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=78) in Ulster County also

has some trails, although no on-site rentals.

Sure, you can cross-country anywhere there’s snow (parks, golf courses, etc.) but a trail that’s been groomed with tracking equipment is a lot faster.

After two months of pushing up hills on skis, I’ll be ready to start climbing them on my bike when my club’s riding schedule resumes in March.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 9th, 2009 at 4:15 PM by Robert Brum. Print This Post | Email This Post

One Response to “Looking for a cross-training alternative?”

Jenni January 9th, 2009 at 11:10 PM
Fahnestock is beautiful and a great place to take a break from winter riding. They track really nicely there too.

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