The Hopeful Racer: Home For The Holidays

Bicycling.com's aspiring pro faces training obstacles when he travels to Georgia to ring in the new year

By Phil Gaimon

I'd like to start this article by wishing everyone a happy birthday, because according to the USCF, we all graduate our racing age on January 1st.

I spent the days leading up to my racing birthday like everyone else: a trip back home, gluttonous meals, and quality time with family and friends. Unlike most, however, I dread these things, because this is a time of year that most bike racers see their highest riding volume (since we finally don't have to worry about that racing thing), and vacations throw things off. My calendar for the last few weeks called for lots of 4-5 hour rides and several trips to the gym, but my location and family obligations made both of those difficult.

On a bike, it takes about 45 minutes to get far enough out of Atlanta that I can actually maintain a reasonable training zone, so rather than battle traffic and red lights, I've resigned myself to a 30 minute drive before and after every long training ride. It sucks, but at least a five-hour ride won't take six and a half.

My congested neighborhood makes cycling a little difficult.

The gym problem isn't so easily solved. Back in Gainesville, Florida, I only have to be careful on game days, when the campus recreation center shortens its hours. Here, however, I don't have a free gym to go to, and I refuse to pay a monthly fee for five or six visits. Here's where the big city factor actually helps, as Atlanta is home to a huge number of gyms, all of which have guest policies or free trials. I have to be conservative with the free trials, though, because you only get one "per lifetime."

For my first gym visit, I convinced my friend to take me to the campus gym at Georgia Tech, where I was allowed in as his guest. On Christmas Eve, my workout was a four-hour ride and a trip to the gym. I squandered my free trial (for this life) at a Bally Total Fitness, and was pleasantly surprised not to find my possessions outside in a box when I got home for Christmas dinner at 5 PM, covered in road grime and smelling like a zoo. I have one more gym visit before I head back to Gainesville, which will take place at The Concourse Athletic Club, "Atlanta's most spectacular luxury athletic club," thanks to a soon-to-expire guest pass someone gave to my friend's father.

The only other home-related training issue is weather. I'll ride in the rain, and in the cold, but not both (I have thin, Florida blood and 6% body fat). That rule always leads to some epic trainer rides and depressing SRM power files (5 hrs, 221 watts average, 0 miles). I hope it never happens to you.