Freezing Saddles: Winter Bike Challenge (sign up open)

[KLizotte]

I’m in favor of including trainer rides for the following reasons:

1) It promotes *fitness* for everyone. Not everyone on the forum is a commuter; therefore, it will be harder for some folks to get miles in during the week given that it is winter. I, for one, am not about to risk life and limb after 7:00 pm, by myself, on an icy trail or when it is really cold out (hypothermia can set in if you get hurt). After breaking my thumb over the summer from a splat on a boardwalk far from home, I have learned the hard way how these nasty surprises can occur.

2) Some folks live in areas that get more snow/ice than we city creatures.

3) In case you haven’t tried it, trainer riding is deadly boring, even with the best of TV shows to watch. If given the choice, I’ll ride outside in the cold/wind but if I think there is a good chance I’ll go splat on ice/leaves, the trainer gets the workout.

I’m really hoping for a mild winter; the trainer is a torture device.

[KLizotte]

@crysb 39089 wrote:

Open invitation to anyone who wants to join Team FourCuatroPho for some lunchtime pho in Old Town Alexandria (and trash talkin’) on January 1st!

I’m in! Just name time and place.

[ShawnoftheDread]

Looking back at the original post, I fear I imagined the agreement on banning trainers. So train away I guess.

But I remain unconvinced by any of the arguments for them. I can’t recall anyone ever holding a mid-winter “polar bear” swim in an indoor pool, with the justification that swimming laps is boring and therefore just as torturous as an icy lake.

[dcv]

Which team is the slacker team?

[IMG]http://www.teamnameshirts.com/thumbteam.php?name=SLACKER&font=freshman.ttf&color=000000&prod=1[/IMG]

http://www.teamnameshirts.com/products.php?name=SLACKER&font=freshman.ttf&color=000000

I’m so jealous of all your riding

[TwoWheelsDC]

@ShawnoftheDread 39107 wrote:

Looking back at the original post, I fear I imagined the agreement on banning trainers. So train away I guess.

But I remain unconvinced by any of the arguments for them. I can’t recall anyone ever holding a mid-winter “polar bear” swim in an indoor pool, with the justification that swimming laps is boring and therefore just as torturous as an icy lake.

I agree in principle, but I fear we’re all on the verge of overthinking this whole thing. But maybe Team1 can make a “no trainer” pledge, which doubtless will make our victory even sweeter.

[Arlingtonrider]

A slight change of subject – I had lunch at Cap City today and was given a number of $10 door tickets to their New Year’s Eve party that I want to offer to Freezing Saddles participants or wanna bes. (Note that the buffet costs extra) I plan to go there for a drink with a couple of cyclist friends around 9 or 10 p.m., but will probably not stay through midnight. If anyone would like to go or to join us there, please send me a PM and we’ll get you in the door for free. We’d be happy to have you join us! Details follow below.

Kathy

Ring in 2013 with Capitol City Brewing Company
December 31, 2012 –
9:00 pm – 2:00 a.m.
Capitol City Brewing Company
4001 Campbell Avenue
Arlington, Virginia 22206
Maps/Directions | Website
Three – two – one…Happy New Year! Ring in the New Year at Capitol City Brewing Company. Capitol City’s Shirlington location will host an evening of entertainment with a scrumptious appetizer buffet from 9:00 p.m. – midnight for only $30. There will be a $10 door fee starting at 9:00 p.m. that includes a champagne toast at midnight, party favors and music spun by the highly celebrated DJ Julius.
For more information on Capitol City Brewing Company please visit: http://www.capcitybrew.com.
WHO: Capitol City Brewing Company
WHAT: New Year’s Eve Bash
DJ Spun Music and Dancing
Champagne Toast and Party Favors
Live NYE Countdown Coverage and Dinner Specials
WHEN: Monday, December 31
9:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
COST: $10 Door Fee starting at 9:00 p.m. – Both Locations
$30 Appetizer Buffet from 9:00 p.m. – midnight (Shirlington Only)
WHERE: Village at Shirlington Downtown DC Location
4001 Campbell Avenue 1100 New York Avenue, NW
Arlington, VA 22206 Washington, DC 20005
(703) 578-3888 (202) 628-2222

[crysb]

I won’t be able to make the New Year’s Eve party at Cap City, but sounds fun!

For those who want to grab New Year’s pho the next day on Tuesday, January 1st (day #1 of competition!), we’ll meet at 1pm at Caphe Banh Mi near Old Town Alexandria. The place isn’t very big, so we may have to wait for a little bit outside depending on the size of the group, but I called to confirm they’re open. Hopefully a 1pm meeting time leaves plenty of people to sleep in that morning and maybe even a couple daylight hours to ride afterwards.

This is an invite extended to members of any team

[ShawnoftheDread]

@TwoWheelsDC 39109 wrote:

I agree in principle, but I fear we’re all on the verge of overthinking this whole thing. But maybe Team1 can make a “no trainer” pledge, which doubtless will make our victory even sweeter.

I agree with this. It’s not a big deal either way, really.

[Subby]

I actually like to run to and from work some times, so if we are counting trainers, I am totally not feeling guilty about running.

(But actually willing to follow whatever guidelines Team FourCuattroPhoFUUUUUU wants me to follow).

[Rod Smith]

@mllwhnp 39098 wrote:

Is too late to get in on the game? Do any teams need subs? -Laurie

http://app.strava.com/athletes/302448

Join team 11!

[vvill]

I think we should start a Team 11 – if it doesn’t fill up, no big deal. Having Laurie and Megabeth would be a formidable duo to begin with anyway.

I don’t have an issue with trainer rides since this is just a fun comp. If they’re included it will probably be motivation enough to actually get on my trainer.

(If it were a serious comp and trainer rides were supposed to be an equivalent “suffering” to riding in the winter, I would consider scoring it based on time rather than distance since distance is not a reliable measure across trainers, assuming time data is available. Say, 15 mins to get the base score and then every additional 10 mins is 1 point, or something like that. And perhaps capping the number of points available from a single day’s trainer rides.)

[vvill]

@Bilsko 39090 wrote:

I would *so* be up for Pho on Jan 1, but usually when I eat pho I eat so much that my stomach feels like its going to burst right after. I don’t know if always ordering a large pho with 2 or 3 kinds of meat is the problem or what, but its pretty much every time. I don’t ever even feel that full after a Thanksgiving meal. Sorry, just wanted to make it clear just how incapacitating a good pho meal can be for me. So, anyways, that sounds like a really bad idea for a time to ride a bicycle.

Ahhhhh….I see, this invitation is sabotage – lure the unsuspecting participants from other teams in and then POW, disable them with pho. Well played, sir. Well played.

Nice. Maybe we can have officially sanctioned bonus point event days. Those willing to participate go to eat pho, visit a brewery, etc. and then ride x miles afterwards for a certain % point bonus on those days.

[Arlingtonrider]

Deleted. Was just musing about whether unclaimed spots on existing teams might be filled before starting a new team.

[GuyContinental]

Sorry Ochos, I’m out of the country (lounging on a beach, logging swims)- just joined the team but won’t be riding until week 2… Hans will represent for me, I’m sure…

[GuyContinental]

On trainers- I’m all for them, provided that they are set up outside

[Author]

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