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.

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: Read the full story

Runners have a variety of theories about winter training, such as the idea that you burn more calories in cold weather or it’s easy to get dehydrated. Triathlete magazine interviewed John Castellani, a physiologist at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Mass., so help separate the truths from the lies.

LINK: “Does Winter Running Burn More Calories?”

Chris Magryta

By Dr. CHRIS MAGRYTA

I remember lecturing to my fellow residents back in 1997 about the timing of post-exercise nutrition and the need for sports drinks. In those days we knew little about optimal nutrition, but we knew that sports beverages were not necessary for most athletes.

High-endurance athletes – marathoners, triathletes and cyclists – can make a case for needing some electrolytes during intense training (greater than 3 hours). Johnny in Little League or Susie in gymnastics have no case for a sugar-laden beverage and should avoid them. Read the full story

The Lake Norman YMCA, at 21300 Davidson Street in Cornelius, will hold an open house Saturday, Jan. 21, from 1 to 4 p.m.

For those who haven’t already seen it, guests on Saturday can tour the Y’s newly renovated fitness facility that opened last month.

The interior of the wellness center, complete with new equipment and better lighting. (YMCA photo)

The center features:

• Larger, brighter and more open workout space
• New and improved Life Fitness strength equipment
• Panoramic views of Lake Cornelius
• Precor TRM 885 Cardio Equipment, including top-of-the-line commercial treadmills, private viewing screens, touch screen consoles, heart rate monitors, integrated Footplant Technology and Ground Effects impact control
• Stay Healthy fitness tracking technology available with all equipment

Open house visitors will be able to try the new fitness equipment, participate in group exercise demonstrations, meet staff members and familiarize themselves with the other facilities and services offered at the Lake Norman YMCA.

All community members are invited to attend.

The interior of the wellness center, complete with new equipment and better lighting. (YMCA photo)

Lake Norman YMCA members last week got a first glimpse of the Y’s newly renovated fitness center at a grand opening reception Wednesday, Dec. 21. The center opens just in time for those New Years resolutions.

The entrance to the wellness center. (YMCA photo)

Named for Robert and Louise Cashion, the center was about 15 years old before the upgrades, that took about 3 months to complete. The center features:

• Larger, brighter and more open workout space
• New and improved Life Fitness strength equipment
• Panoramic views of Lake Cornelius
• Precor TRM 885 Cardio Equipment, including top-of-the-line commercial treadmills, private viewing screens, touch screen consoles, heart rate monitors, integrated Footplant Technology and Ground Effects impact control
• Stay Healthy fitness tracking technology available with all equipment

See more photos of the wellness center below. Read the full story

It’s that time again – time for sweets, treats, and holiday indulgences, followed by New Years resolutions. Looking ahead to January, consider signing up for one of the many health and fitness classes offered by the Cornelius Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture Department, including:

• Dance N’ Shed and Pilates -  Register now for our Monday evening sessions, beginning Jan. 9.
• DancinKids – Register now for dance classes for children ages 2-12, to begin the week of Jan. 12.
• Tai Chi – Register now for the next eight-week sessions of this ancient exercise form, held on Thursday or Saturday mornings beginning Jan. 12.
• Boot Camp – Register now for this six-week outdoor fitness program packed with fun and energizing activities.  Saturday morning sessions begin Jan. 14.
• Couch to 5K - Participants will be put through a running workout and learn proper warm-up techniques in this six-week session, beginning Monday, Jan. 16.

All classes will be held at  at Bailey Road Recreation Center.

LEARNWorks cheerleaders are based at Ada Jenkins Center.

The Wildcats Cheerleading program of the Davidson and Cornelius  LEARNWorks after-school program will host an open workout clinic for adults and children this Saturday, Dec. 17, at 9 a.m., at Ada Jenkins Center, 212 Gamble St., Davidson.

Warm up with the Ada Jenkins Center Wildcats Cheerleaders during their practice and learn the fun dance/exercise routine from Beyonce’s cool music video “Move Your Body.”

Events start at 9 a.m. with check-in, followed by the 10-11 a.m. workout. Admission is $5, and all proceeds go to the cheerleading program.

More information at adajenkins.org

Summit Coffee’s November series of events to raise money for the men’s health-focused Movember Foundation continues Friday, Nov. 11, with the first of what could become a regular series of Friday night 5K running festivals. This should be a whole different kind of Friday night outing in downtown Davidson.

The 5K race begins at 6 p.m. outside Summit, 128 S. Main St. in Davidson. The course will take runners through the streets of Davidson and onto the Southeast Greenway, which organizers plan to light with torches. Read the full story

The ride annually attracts all kinds of bikes. This was the start of the Jan. 2010 ride. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Will it be truly “polar” again this year? Registration is now open for the 14th annual Rocky River Road Club Polar Bear Metric Century Ride on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012. Last year’s ride brought 325 cyclists to town, and they met snowwhen they got out into Rowan County around midday. Read the full story

Easytone shoe sole by Reebok.

The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, charged Reebok with making claims about EasyTone and RunTone shoes that the company couldn’t support. According to the FTC, Reebok claimed that using these products would strengthen and tone leg and butt muscles. To settle the case, Reebok has agreed to pay $25 million for refunds to people who bought Reebok toning shoes or apparel. Read the full story