A post from Reno Wheel Woman and Silver Sage Sports and Fitness athlete Laurie Marlowe…

O.k., suddenly it’s November.   And not only are the days shorter, they just became even shorter as we turned back our clocks.   Holidays looming, cold, dark mornings and early sunsets all mean just one thing.  After work rides are over.  Weekend rides aren’t nearly as long or ambitious as they were just two months ago.  I fear my once strong quads have gone the way of down-tube shifters.   Being an outdoors junkie and not so much a gym rat I can say that this is pretty much an annual event.   Started back in the ski bum days of my youth.   Year after year I hope for an early ski season.  Pray that this year I will become more enthusiastic, diligent and focused on riding my trainer.  That I will actually use that gym membership I pay for monthly.   But inertia is a strong force, and the more I get away from exercise, the harder it is to find that motivation to get back to it.

Enter Julie Young, the uber fit and super knowledgeable coach and director for O2 Fitness and Silver Sage Sports and Fitness Lab.  I’ve been hearing a lot about Julie from a number of women with whom I cycle.  So recently when I had the chance to sign up for her 12-week women’s cycling training group, I decided to go for it.  The program consists of daily workouts, which I receive by email.   The workouts themselves are a combination of endurance (cycling or running), core stabilization, strengthening, stretching and foam rolling and hip activation exercises.    They are varied and specific, with attention to form and technique.   Julie understands that it’s all about translating those exercises to function.  She really gets that part.

I am now starting on week three of the program.  Have I been 100% compliant?  Not quite.  Have I managed to a least do part of the workout or a modification of it just about every day?  Yes!  Am I feeling stronger?  I believe so.  I also know that my knee is feeling a lot better.  And I know that these exercises are foundational training for the sports that I love.  So not only are they helping me get through the dreaded off-season without losing all of my fitness, they should actually make me a better cyclist and skier.   That’s motivation enough for me.