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

by