Top Winter Training Tips

New Zealand weather can provide some unique challenges to keeping our cycling going through winter. We’ve now reached autumn, the clouds have come, and it is dark in the morning. Add to this the fact that most of us train for events that are in the spring, this means we need to just keep going! Here are our top eight tips for training through the autumn and winter:

1. Group rides/training partner – it is much easier to get out of bed when it is dark, to go meet someone or a group. It is also much safer to ride with other people in low light conditions.
2. Always have a minimum of two lights: one red flashing on the rear, and one white light on the front. Place your rear light on either your helmet, back pocket or seat post. Place your front light on your helmet or handlebars. Front helmet lights are useful for being able to see your cycle computer or heart rate monitor in the dark.
3. Buy a windtrainer – the most important training principle to ensure improvement is consistency. When it is raining one day, and fine the next, this does not allow for consistency in our training. Windtrainers can help with this by ensuring we consistently tick off each of our days training.
4. Get a training programme – make the best use of your time by getting a training programme, and coach. These ensure you aren’t out in the wind and rain for day after day, without improving. Train smarter, not longer!
5. Clothing – there is a range of cycling clothing to invest in to get you through the winter snug as bug in a rug. There is no sense freezing – it’s not fun! Essentials in winter are: a vest to keep the cool wind off your chest, booties to keep your feet warm, arm and leg warmers to cover your skin.
6. Train at night – often it is a little warmer at 5-7pm than it is in the morning, so training after work can be easier, as long as you have the determination to ensure it is done. Training in the evening, also helps to leave work on time!
7. If you are training for Taupo, K1, or K2 make sure you keep training a minimum of four times per week between now and September.
8. Set realistic goals based on your conviction to train through the winter. If you want to set a PB at Taupo then this means you will have to start training very soon. Why? Because it takes time to build endurance, strength and speed to go beyond your previous effort. Otherwise, do the same training for the same amount of time and you will get the same result – not improvement.

Kinetic Edge is New Zealand’s premier cycling coaching service helping complete beginners through to elite cyclists achieve their goals.
Contact them through www.kecycling.com or 09 368 7819.

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