A Solution, Not “The” Solution

I dusted off the smart trainer today. It’s that time of year. If I can do two or three sessions per week, then I think I’ll be satisfied. Trying to replicate my mid-summer outdoor cycling volume with offseason trainer rides is too terrible to contemplate. The plan for this offseason is to keep my total exercise volume consistent with a mix of activities rather than to rely so heavily on cycling.

While I don’t count trainer miles in my yearly totals, I will use them in pursuit of Garmin Connect goals. That’s good motivation to do something I won’t always want to do. Let’s be honest! Even when I was a Zwift user–despite all of Zwift’s features, challenges, social connections, and so on–there were many days when I simply couldn’t find enough motivation to pedal to nowhere.

And yet, Zwift still tempts me. I am not ruling out a return to it in early 2026. It’s not a good fit right now, though. I have travel plans in November and December, and the trainer isn’t coming with me.

Andiamo!

See that Lamborghini Countach? I had that poster on my bedroom wall back in the 1980s. It was a more than suitable replacement for the poster of Farah Fawcett, whose stock was already falling by then. Next to pizza, it was my favorite thing to come out of Italy … until now.

In late September, I invested in a pair of Favero Assioma Pro MX power meter pedals.

This is the mountain bike version, not the road bike version. But I use mountain bike pedals on all of my bikes, as it always has made more sense to me to wear shoes in which I could actually walk if it became necessary. So, the new pedals went on my new Scott Addict. I am still learning what they can do for me. Right now, they are expensive toys that delight me with a few statistics I didn’t have before. When the 2026 outdoor season begins, they will be key components of a refined training plan. During the 2025-26 indoor season, I hope to get more in tune with my FTP and VO2 max. Those numbers will come from turbo trainer rides and should transfer pretty accurately when outdoor rides resume in the spring.

My 2025 outdoor season is not over yet, but the end is in sight. Earlier today, I surpassed my mileage goal. There is now no incentive to ride unless the weather is fair.

But to get back to how additional performance statistics fit into my future plans … I have taken a particular interest in VO2 max, which is strongly correlated with longevity. You’ll probably see a lot more discussion of longevity here in the future. My serious injury last November and my 60th birthday in June combined to bring longevity to my attention in an urgent way. And just as I was beginning to explore the subject, I found a study from August 2024 that determined the effects of aging can spike rather than appear gradually. Making matters worse, 60 is one of the ages associated with a spike.

The safe assumption is that I am at risk for one of those spikes, and the best response is to eat better, sleep better, and exercise smarter. In each area, I have made progress this year. I have not been especially restrictive with my diet, but I have cut out a few things and it’s hard to argue with the results: at my October 1st weigh-in, I was down 17.2 pounds from my peak weight this year, which I reached on April 16. I still have setbacks with sleep, but the overall trend has been for longer and more restorative sleep. Exercise is something I have had in abundance for decades, but I didn’t trouble myself too much about its quality. That’s changing. Cycling is going to continue to be hugely important to my cardiovascular health. I expect giving more attention to FTP and VO2 max to provide big benefits. The biggest benefits, though, may come from a greater focus on strength training.

My statistics from last week furnished proof that the offseason has begun, even though I expect to do a few more outdoor rides this year. For the week of October 6-12, I spent 2½ hours on strength training, 11 hours on walking, and only 3½ hours on the bike. All of that walking was inside, which was convenient but hardly inspiring. I need to get back on the hiking trails soon. And that reminds me of something: my 30-year-old hiking boots were made by hand in Italy and are still as good as new. Maybe they deserve the No. 2 spot after pizza. I need more time with the Favero pedals to make up my mind.

Blevins Makes History In Lake Placid

Congratulations to Christopher Blevins, who had an amazing weekend of UCI World Cup mountain bike racing in Lake Placid NY. Last Friday, Blevins clinched the 2025 series title in short track (XCC). On Sunday, Blevins clinched the 2025 series title in cross-country Olympic (XCO). In each race, Blevins used a powerful sprint to secure victory. Bevins is the first American man to win the XCO title since John Tomac in 1991. American Ned Overend was the inaugural champion of the series in 1990. Additionally, Blevins is the first man to win both the short track and cross-country Olympic titles in the same season since the series added short track as a separate discipline in 2022.

Last Big Week Of 2025?

Warm, but windy!

Our remarkable run of good weather continued today with more sunshine and another afternoon high in the 80s. I knocked out 30 easy miles today to surpass 200 miles for the third week out of the last four. On Thursday, I reached 3,000 miles for the 21st consecutive season. Going into the new week, I’m only 70 miles away from my goal for the year: 3,161.

I won’t stop on 3,161 miles, but I will allow myself the occasional break. Including today, I have ridden on 11 consecutive days and on 27 out of the last 28. I wasn’t about to waste days that were 10-20° above normal for this time of year. In the week to come, temperatures will drop into the normal range and my rides will get shorter. I may hit my mileage goal on another slow roll around town that is noteworthy for no other reason. And after I hit my goal? Only the warmest days will remain in play.