Write your articlWinter fitness for a 40 something vet, with little time on my hands for leisure, or day light hours for cycling. No I don’t go down the turbo trainer route, as I regard cycling as a totally an outdoor pursuit and not something to be done indoors, on a stationary contraption. OK it’s good for your physical fitness, but for my mental wellbeing, I’m not so sure.

The gym, sure I’ve done that most winters, up until this year. Fine, great selection of leg waits, and you can run on the treadmill. Problem is I can only take about 10 minuets max. on the treadmill before the first signs of madness being to flicker on my mental horizon.

This year I’ve discovered outdoor running. Why do I now sing its praises? It suits my fitness requirements and fits in nicely to my tight time schedule. I ride races of no more than 2 hour duration. I enjoy racing, as it gives me something to work towards, making me fitter than if I was just into leisure cycling. Winning is not a priority, there fore my training doesn’t have to be that intense. After all I am 48 and while I want to be fit I also want to be healthy at the same time. There is a difference in being healthy and fit. Being at the top end of fitness is no guarantee that one is healthy.

I know of one particular cyclist in his early 50’s who was one of the top competitors in the Vets category. Unfortunately he dropped dead one morning from a heart attack.

So back to my winter training schedule. It’s mostly on Sundays that I will get out on the road bike for a 2 hour ride, during the course of theses dark winter months. So at least once a week, and possibly twice, I will go for a 20 30 minute run. I’ve been doing this now since September, and I’m really enjoying it, and importantly feeling the benefits. I I can fit it in over my lunch hour. It’s so easy to slip into a track suit and off I go. And it’s free, no membership fees required. It gets me a dose of that all important fresh air, so essential when one is indoors for most of the day. My leg muscles are in fine condition and my breathing is excellent.

I had not been on the bike for 3 weeks until last Sunday. However I was pleasantly surprised at how good my condition was on the bike. I put it down to the benefits of regular running.

I’m as always looking foreword to the new racing season, and it will be interesting to see how running as part of my winter training will aid and improve my performance. I feel there will be a marked improvement.

Oh and I also enjoy a daily drink of carrot juice. You can purchase the organic variety from the shop, or if you have a juicer or blender make your own from raw carrots. Great for energy and stamina. Try it.

e here