Dealing with Wind

There is ONE thing you can't plan for...and that is wind.
You can watch the weather, look at the NOAA wind maps 
NOAA wind maps

You can conquer a hill. You can ride it over and over until you know just when to change gears, stand up, jump to small chain ring, etc.  

But the wind is a heartless mistress.

What was this weekend?  20mph wind w/ 25-30 gusts?

What are your options?

One of my mentors told me..gear down and suck it up, and...

YOU TRAIN IN IT.

Spin classes are awesome on crappy weather, but you have to train OUTSIDE to understand outside.  
Wind happens, especially in North Texas.  
Sometimes, the wind seems like it's in your face no matter direction you're going.

You train in it.

On a route that never gives you problems, suddenly is the hardest thing you've ever ridden.  On a hill that you've mastered over and over, will feel as if someone has filled your bike shorts full of lead, locked your brakes on, and screwed up your gears.  

Lets talk about your face. That's where i get the most annoyed.  I get so whiskerwhipped that my skin literally burns.  In fact, I'm allergic to grass and half the trees in texas, so it's a double whammy.


You take anti histamines, and you train it in.

This weekend, i felt like my bike was going to be ripped out of my hands.  I had to fight to keep my wonderfully new super light bike on the road.

So, what's your reward for training in it?

You burn more calories. You push harder, you burn more.  #awesome.
You build strength. It takes more energy, more muscles to push those pedals. #superawesome
But the best benefit, is that when you finally get your fitness level up to group ride with some folks, and you're out on those big highways, on shitty chipseal that's ratteling your bones to pieces, you'll laugh at the wind as you charge through it.
And, you might even be in a group to help protect you from the wind.  #middleofthepack

Why? Because you've trained in it.

Hello Spring.
Thanks for the cheap resistance training.

Clear Skies.