The dreaded "off" season.

Ask a random cyclist what they do during the cold winter months and the response will probably be more varied than one might expect. The most commonly accepted answer would be "you know... i ride the trainer 4 times a week", I may get scolded by JP for this one but the best thing that you can do in the down time is get away from your damn bike. I'm not saying abandon it completely but rather find something that will compliment it. There are lots of great distractions out there. If you want to get away from the bike completely try running or cross country skiing, at least with these sports you will still be engaging your legs and giving your ticker a good run for it's money. For those that feel they still need to be chained to the bike yoga is a great option to further your flexibility and calm you down a notch. Well, I'm one of the few that will always be chained to a bike and I just can't bring myself to go to a yoga class for fear that I'll pass wind during a stretch. So what is a guy to do... BOULDERING. I started bouldering in the fall with my buddy the Russian and have found it to be a great workout for the whole body focusing on the core. There is also a level of concentration and planing that goes into attempting a "problem", you must plan out every route in advance and pace yourself while on the wall or you will quickly run out of gas. I am still a huge novice and every time I go to the gym I am humbled, just like when I started riding road. While bouldering may not be for everyone it's definitely worth taking a peak.

What do you do in the off season?

Where I climb
www.rockoasis.com