Today we introduce our newest columnist, Sarah Matchett. A certified cycling coach who works with Cool Breeze Cyclery in Mooresville, she’ll be writing monthly on fitness and training-related topics.
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Nothing like a winter bike ride to put color in your cheeks.

Every year when the cold, wet North Carolina February weather sets it, I’m tempted to move all my fitness and training inside.  Let’s face it, treadmills, cycle trainers and indoor driving ranges are awfully nice when the thermometer plunges.  And temperatures aside, any athlete—from competitive to beginner—knows the value of a structured indoor workout.

But working out inside never feeds my soul, puts the color in my cheeks, or just makes me happy to be alive the way an outdoor bike ride with friends does.  That’s true even in February.

In actuality, there’s no such thing as too cold if you know how to prepare. It’s true for kids who want to stay out in the snow, and it’s true for athletes who want to stay outside to train! Here are some tricks for staying outdoors – and fit – all winter:

• Don’t Get Cold Feet! If you keep your house cool to save money on heating costs then leaving home with slightly chilled extremities can be a real issue. In my case, a cold morning workout is best begun with a few minutes lounging with one of those microwavable heat ‘em up blankets on my feet.  Then I put on a good pair of wool athletic socks and I’m on my way.  I start my workout with nice warm toes and as my core heats up with the exercise they tend to stay that way.
• While hands and feet should be warm, the rest of you should feel slightly cold during the first 5 to 10 minutes of your workout.  If you start out too bundled up, you’ll soon begin to sweat which will cause you to become wet which will cause you to become miserable.
• Wear a series of thin layers.    Start with a light weight base layer that is designed to keep you warm and let moisture escape.   Continue to add external layers, adjusting to temperature and wind conditions. Be careful of starting out too bundled up, especially if you are going to be doing a vigorous activity like cycling or running.   If you have on too many layers, you run the risk of becoming overheated halfway through your workout.
• As you warm up through exercise, peel off layers before you start sweating.  Too much sweat accumulation will cause your clothes to become damp and clammy making those last fifteen minutes of your workout a cold, wet, slog.
• Wool is wonderful.  Cotton is killer.  Clothing made of cotton fabrics doesn’t let moisture escape and will simply soak up your sweat leaving you clammy and cold.  Look for lightweight wool layers when choosing outdoor workout gear.

Whatever your fitness routine, now’s a great time to get back outside and enjoy it. Just a little planning will make a big difference!  And one more great benefit of training outside in the winter?  It gives you a head start on the mental edge you need to compete on bad weather event days.  If you can force yourself out the door for a work out in February, a little rain on race day is much less likely to slow you down!

Sarah Matchett is a USA Cycling Certified Coach, and the driving force behind Cool Breeze Coaching ^[3] in Mooresville.  You can send your fitness and training questions to her at sarah@coolbreezecyclery.com ^[4].

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