A Goal and Focus Beyond Cycling and Competition

The off-season is no vacation; training doesn't stop, it just changes.  The goal is to recover, then prepare for the next season.   While the majority of my training is done on my bike, the winter is a great period to mix things up and get some cross-training in!

For the past few years I've been working on improving my cross country skiing technique. It's a great personal project that gives me a goal and focus beyond cycling and competition. Cross country skiing is excellent for cardio endurance training, and is a super strength building activity that perfectly compliments what a cyclist does, and needs on the bike. Cross country skiing also helps improve balance and stability.

Waxing classic skis is an art. If the grip wax in the center of the ski, that allows you to push off and go forwards isn't perfectly suited to the snow conditions, the ambient temperature and the humidity, it won't work. There are lots of different grip waxes and getting the mix just right is a challenge for me. I typically stick with skate skiing (also known as freestyle skiing) which is a heck of a lot more forgiving in terms of waxing.

One of the best places to ski in all of Québec is the Parc National de la Mauricie (my favorite place to ride my bike in this part of Canada). The terrain is perfectly hilly for a challenging workout but the course isn't technical enough to be frustrating for an athlete who prefers going in a straight line for a long time...

 Where I live I don't ride my bike outside in the winter, but it's an awesome time of year to appreciate the outdoors, and get some quality workouts in at the same time.