Almost Blue

One week from today I will begin my bike-specific training plan for the 2013 racing season.  The plan will cover 12 weeks, bringing me into early May with good fitness for WORS, WEMS or whatever.  At the moment it still looks like I won’t do any racing until early June, but if my plans change I want to be ready for some combination of Iola, Greenbush and Rhinelander.

Indoor trainer rides will be an important part of my plan until consistently warmer and drier weather returns.  I’m going to alter the plan somewhat; I have been using the same plan for the last 3 years but I was never very happy with its 5-days-a-week schedule.  This year I’m cutting back to just 4 days per week.  Tuesdays and Thursdays will be short, hard efforts.  Saturdays and Sundays will be long base-builders.

A long trainer ride can be a drag, but not when I have company.  On Saturday, Feb. 16, I’m going to join what should be a big, fun group for the Police Unity Tour Wisconsin Riders Spinathon.  The event will take place at the Pleasant Valley Tennis & Fitness Club from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.  It’s a fundraiser for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington DC.  If you’d like to make a donation, then contact me soon.  If you’d like to attend, then see the Facebook event page, or email putwiriders@gmail.com, or call (262) 353-1904, or simply show up for same-day registration.

Since 1997, law enforcement officers from all over the United States have participated in the Police Unity Tour, a 4-day bike tour that begins in New Jersey and ends at the memorial.  This will be the sixth year for the team from Wisconsin, a team that includes riders from the State Patrol, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the police departments of West Bend, Hartford, Jackson and Slinger, plus other agencies.

There’s no Washington County Winter Bike Day this year, and no trainer party series.  So, I’m looking forward to the spinathon as my only indoor group training event this offseason.  I’ll probably be there for the 10 a.m. start so that I can bang out a couple of hours and then relax a little before the Washington County Bicycle Club’s annual business meeting later that day.