"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - No Bike - How to Train

I have to travel for about two weeks and won't be able to bring a bike with me.

But I've got some running shoes. I'm technically supposed to be starting my build one period starting the day after I leave (races start January 17th). I don't expect to be making any real gains while I'm gone, but more just trying to limit my losses.

Anybody have any tips on what I should be doing while running? Would there be any benefit from intervals based on heart rate or hill repeats, etc.? Just longer, steady runs? Should I just write it off all together and take two weeks off?


(Note: Can't rent a bike and no gym is available.)

Many times hotels will have a workout room with a lifecycle type bike.

That's true, but my parents' house does not. But it should.

I'm in the same boat. Friday will be my last workout until 12/29. So 9 days off.

I may hit the Y and do some swimming (which I am pitiful at but it's a good workout) and/or treadmill or stationary bike or something.

Or I may just take the opportunity to be a couch potato for 9 days :D

Or some combo of the above.

But then, I'm not racing in January ;)

Run the bleechers at a local high school. Use a heart rate monitor to make sure you're pushing yourself hard enough.

This is when a Y membership really comes in handy, you're only a few miles from a spin class no matter where you go around the US. Are there any health clubs near your destination that have a spin class to check out? Maybe a one month trial membership is the solution, then drop it when you leave.

That's true, but my parents' house does not. But it should.

Honestly, if it were two weeks and at my parent's house, I'd pack up my bike and bring it and buy a cheap trainer to keep at said parent's house. Or better yet, I might buy (or assemble from spare parts in my garage) a cheap road bike to keep at my parent's house. Yep, cycling is that important to me.

Last winter when I took my wife and mom to Barcelona I ran. I lost some fitness, but it wasn't too bad.

squats
hindu squats
plyometric squats

and running

I was in the same position for most of July, and the latter half of November.

I planned on taking up running. I ended up working, eating, drinking, and enjoying. I'm paying for it now (hello diet), but it was worth it.

Do what you can. But don't stress about it. Fitness has a good memory.

So something along the lines of:

Jog to the high school (1.25 miles)
Run up and down the 'stadium'
Run the long way home (2 miles)

And then some core work and maybe some squats in the evenings if I'm feeling ambitious.

All this tempered with a minimum of ten Christmas cookies a day.


P.S. Thanks for all the suggestions.

k-mart has a 90 day no questions asked return policy

haha

I like the idea of getting a cheap road bike while you're out there. Just find some beat-up old road bike for $100 and take your pedals and shoes along. The older the better. Plus, there is some serious benefit from riding with down-tube shifters. I'm not joking. I am a much better cyclist from learning how to anticipate gears for short climbs and rollers, etc...

That, and when the local old bling-glitz warriors show up with their $6000 setups you can have a lot of fun crushing egos.

I like the idea of getting a cheap road bike while you're out there. Just find some beat-up old road bike for $100 and take your pedals and shoes along. The older the better. Plus, there is some serious benefit from riding with down-tube shifters. I'm not joking. I am a much better cyclist from learning how to anticipate gears for short climbs and rollers, etc...

That, and when the local old bling-glitz warriors show up with their $6000 setups you can have a lot of fun crushing egos.

yeah. injuring yourself from riding a pos antique that doesn't fit is a great idea!

Where are you going? Somewhere cold?
try xc skiing. You can probably find somewhere to rent equipment. I skate ski when I go home without a bike and it keeps your fitness level really high. Actually, it strengthens your core so much that I sometimes come back from break faster than I was going into it.

Where are you going? Somewhere cold?
try xc skiing. You can probably find somewhere to rent equipment. I skate ski when I go home without a bike and it keeps your fitness level really high. Actually, it strengthens your core so much that I sometimes come back from break faster than I was going into it.

I wish that was a possibility... Northern Alabama. Too cold for me to ride with the clothes I've got (from Florida) and too warm to have any winter-related fun. I don't know why anyone lives there.

Northern Alabama. Too cold for me to ride with the clothes I've got

HTFU. Northern Alabama is not exactly Siberia.

Bring your running shoes.

HTFU. Northern Alabama is not exactly Siberia.

Touché. You'd think I'd be able to handle it, but the 40* mornings here are enough to send me back to bed, so I'm sure the 45* afternoons will kill me. Chalk it up to being a wimp.

Where are you going? Somewhere cold?
try xc skiing. You can probably find somewhere to rent equipment. I skate ski when I go home without a bike and it keeps your fitness level really high. Actually, it strengthens your core so much that I sometimes come back from break faster than I was going into it.

Please don't be telling the world about skate skiing. I need every advantage I can muster.
You might as well tell them to stop eating ice cream, too. Let's give them every bit of edge we can!

That said, I'd love to see a Floridian on skis. Just once.

Touché. You'd think I'd be able to handle it, but the 40* mornings here are enough to send me back to bed, so I'm sure the 45* afternoons will kill me. Chalk it up to being a wimp.

Same kind of temps we have in NorCal. Bring your running shoes, a stocking cap, and some gloves. You won't need a jacket or tights once you get going.

yeah. injuring yourself from riding a pos antique that doesn't fit is a great idea!

That's the same thought I had on the suggestion of running stadium steps. Doing that when you're not used to it is a receipe for an accident.

As my football coach used to say, take Stair-oids. Find a big flight of stairs and run them. If you can't find stairs, then a big hill will do. You want some incline, though, because it activates a similar muscle group to what you use on a bike. Running on flat ground will be fine in an aerobic sense, but won't fire the muscles you need to work.

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:rgoo4h2knFEGHM:http://www.jamesfaqs.com/blog/uploaded_images/bike-758669.jpg (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jamesfaqs.com/blog/uploaded_images/bike-758669.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mountainouswords.com/blog/archive/2006_11_01_archive.html&usg=__w9n-_eVSFDRKgmtMVX9l_pjTmnY=&h=288&w=400&sz=31&hl=en&start=20&sig2=DAZbXLYzLgGg3QOVFBLPQw&um=1&tbnid=rgoo4h2knFEGHM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=124&ei=24tJSc2lDdW_tgeHx5iFDg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dair%2Bbiking%2Bcat%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us%26sa%3DN)

Northern Alabama is FAR from cold. Also depending on what part there are clubs where you could possibly "borrow" a bike from someone, especially the Huntsville area. It was 70 here in B'ham today...

yeah. injuring yourself from riding a pos antique that doesn't fit is a great idea!

Well, that criticizm could be leveled about doing ANYTHING other than riding the bike that you ride all the time. I'd say it's a lot better than running.

I'm not really sure why you couldn't find a bike that fits. It's not that hard, unless you're really short or really tall. Just measure your current fit/setup, then when you get the bike, adjust accordingly. Bring your alan wrenches; It's very easy. Seatposts move up and down. So do stems. Most cranks are roughly the same size, and riding a different sized crank for a week or two won't kill you. (I ride 180mm on my road bike, and 175mm on my commuter bike). Plus, fixing up an old, classy road bike can be very satisfying. As a bonus, you'll get to ride new roads and enjoy new scenery.

But, if you havn't run for a while, don't just go crazy. I did some knee damage recently from going too hard after not not running and only cycling for months.

Skip rope. It's just about a geh as biking xept boxers do it. I pack a rope when i travel and get it out in the hotel room to find the ceiling is to low.

Just enjoy your time off. Racing in January means burn out in June.

Please don't be telling the world about skate skiing. I need every advantage I can muster.
You might as well tell them to stop eating ice cream, too. Let's give them every bit of edge we can!

That said, I'd love to see a Floridian on skis. Just once.

I'll be in Vermont the first week of March looking for some snow.

Just enjoy your time off. Racing in January means burn out in June.

Which considering we go on a 2 month hiatus beginning in June, works pretty darn well. ;)

Northern Alabama and you don't want to ride?! My brother lives near Huntsville and that's great riding territory! I would find somebody local, beg, borrow, or steal a bike, and get out there. As for clothes, go to Walmart, get some camouflage hunter's clothes, plus one of those orange safety vests, and you'll be warm.

(Can somebody explain to me why you wear camouflage with those vests, anyway?)

...
(Can somebody explain to me why you wear camouflage with those vests, anyway?)

Deer are colorblind, so the orange vests don't give the hunter away to a deer but will let non-colorblind humans see you. The camouflage is simply to break up your outline so when you are walking around, you don't look like a hunter to the colorblind deer. I am pretty sure this is right.

Have tons of sex.





Seriously.