I said I would be back this month with more training ideas. I also said that the snow should be gone by now. Well I¹m back and the snow is still here, and that means that those of you who have started their training regiment have had more than enough of pedaling in circles and going nowhere, whether it be at spinning classes or at home on a trainer. Since the weather seems to be stuck in a predictable pattern of snow followed by bone chilling cold, then more snow, you might as well resign yourself to a continued relationship with a bike that is going nowhere. Since variety is the spice of life, adding a dash or two will mask the time and add to your fitness level.

I have included some drills that will help simulate road efforts while adding to your conditioning. But first off, a few things you will need: a bike, trainer, a front wheel chock or a 2 by 4 to get the front wheel parallel with the rear, a fan to cool yourself, a couple of water bottles and either a TV or an mp3 player. One more item that you might consider is a heart rate monitor. Training with one is a great way to gauge your efforts and target training zones. Many training programs have targeted heart rate zones for the drills that are being performed, so you will need to know what your maximum heart rate is prior to performing the drills. The basic method for discovering your maximum heart rate is the following formula: 220 - your age = maximum heart rate. So say you are our average RAGBRAI rider and you are 42 years old your maximum heart rate should be 220 - 42 = 178 beats per minute. Since you are not going to be training at your max , or at least not for very long, you need to calculate what your heart rate should be in different zones based on intensity levels. If you just beginning to train 40 to 50 % of your maximum heart rate should be your target. So how do you get that number? For that you need to know not just your maximum heart rate, but also your resting heart rate. The best way to get that number is to get the pulse rate on your wrist or the carotid artery on your neck prior to getting up in the morning. Do this a couple of mornings in a row to get the most accurate number. Actually the most accurate way to gain this information is to wear your heart rate monitor to bed and check it when you wake up. Now you have the two numbers that you need to figure out what your heart rate should be at different intensity levels.
Here is what the mathematical formula should look like:

220 - Age = maximum Heart Rate
Maximum Heart Rate - Resting Heart Rate times Intensity + Resting Heart Rate = Training Heart Rate.

Confused? Ok here is a practical example:

Average RAGBRAI rider
220 - 42 (Age) = 178
178 - 75 (Resting Heart Rate) = 103
103 times .50 Intensity ) + 75 (Resting HR) = 126 Beat Per Minute.

A word of warning don¹t get too hung up numbers and percentages, there are many physiological factors that can affect those figures. If you feel completely out of breath at 50% of your heart rate back it off to a zone you feel more comfortable in, and slowly over time build back up. Again make sure that you are healthy enough to exercise in this fashion.

Onto the drills, and remember to warm up for about 15 minutes before getting into the meat of the workouts.

• This is a good general conditioning drill. Start pedaling in a gear that will get you within a heart rate training zone of say 50% and try and maintain that level for 6 to 10 minutes while running a pedaling cadence between 85 to 100 RPMs. Spin in a slightly easier gear for half of the interval time to recover, then do another set. As you feel your conditioning improve increase the targeted heart rate zone and sets.
• After a good warm up start spinning in a gear that you can turn fairly quickly while raising your heart rate to the target zone and hold this pace for 2 minutes. Shift down and slow your pace to recover for the same amount of time. Shift back up and increase your RPMs for 1:45 this time, then back down for the same amount of time. Continue the drills taking 15 seconds off as you work your way through the session. Spin an easy gear to recover for 5 minutes, then repeat. If you are too tired or feel light headed at any point during the workout, stop.
• This workout does not require monitoring your heart rate, it is more for building leg strength especially for climbing. Set your bike up with the front wheel jacked up higher than the back to simulate a hill climbing position. Get into a big gear that forces you to pedal at about 60 RPMs and maintain that cadence for 5 to 6 minutes. Concentrate on pulling back on the pedal stroke as if you were scraping mud off of your shoe while simultaneously pulling up and pushing your opposite foot over the top of the pedal stroke. Make sure that your upper body stays as still as possible during the drill. Rest for an equal amount of time between sets. Repeat 2 to 3 times. As you become more comfortable add time to the workout and get out of the saddle for 2 to 3 minutes at a time.
• That old adage goes that once you learn how to ride a bike you never forget. But that doesn¹t mean you learned how to ride it properly. Everybody learned to ride a bike with platform pedals. With those pedals you learned to push down on the pedal stroke only, not to use the entire range to get the most out of each stroke. With cages and clipless pedals riders have the ability to engage their legs during the entire revolution. But having the ability and actually doing it are two different things. Many riders still engage in a pedaling motion for only 1Ž4 of their pedal stroke. The following workout will lay bare any deficiencies in your stroke and help you to remove the dead spots and help you to begin to pedal in circles instead of squares.
  
  With your bike on a trainer take one foot out of the pedal and begins to pedal with one leg. Not very easy is it? Try and pedal for one minute with your one leg, then switch to your other leg for one minute, then with both legs. Notice how smoother your stroke is? Do 3 to 4 sets once a week and try to increase your time from 1 minute to 2, and so forth as you get stronger.

Riding on a bike that goes nowhere can get old very quickly so try not to do 2 days in a row. On those days work on upper body and core exercises, or go for a run, jump on an elliptical, anything to keep your exercise motivation up.