Headwinds

Today was a rough day of riding, but I had to since I took yesterday off.

Started off with a staple through my tire within the first mile or two of riding, never a great sign but it happens.

Tire repaired and I am off again, then I begin to realize just how strong the wind is. In fact the entire time I was riding today I don't think that I didn't have a headwind which really makes it tough sometimes, but here is what I figured out.

When riding into a headwind there are a couple things that can make it worse.

Rough jarring road:  Quite possibly the worst of the bunch because your whole body takes a beating while you are trying to keep your pace.
Solution: Turn onto a smoother road or make your way to one, you could give up but that isn't what we do now is it? So suck up a couple rough miles and get to better roads.

Trying to get a "best time": This can be a lot of different things from a personal best time, best speed, segment time (for Strava users) or simply thinking you have to be somewhere.
Solution: Gear down a bit, hit the drops and just focus on keeping your cadence. No kidding this very simple concept when put into action is amazingly effective and before you know it you realize you need to go up a gear and the legs are feeling less strain...because you aren't focusing on speed and time, both those things come easier the less you focus on them.

Hill climbs suck: No really they do suck in a major way, especially long hill climbs that never seem to end.
Solution: Same as before, quit trying to impress your friends, gear down and pace yourself right up the hill. Over time and repetition that hill that had you in first gear for endless days is suddenly your bitch as you romp up it in fifth gear, but first you have to condition your legs, lungs and heart to be able to do it.

There are no easy ways out, cycling takes time, dedication and conditioning to get to the goal. Like Greg LeMond once said, "It never gets easier, you just get faster".


Until next time, keep it rubber side down.