Training In The Rain

RSR16 - Day 1's ride in the rain; me & Phill Climbing

It's fair to say that during last years Red Shield Ride, we got our fair share of inclement weather.  The first day out from Burnie, it poured down with rain all day.  In fact, with the possible exception of the final day of riding, I don't think we had a day when it didn't rain - I'd have to check back through my posts from last year.

Tomorrow (Saturday 6th, May) is the last scheduled training ride for this years Red Shield Ride - which is coming far too quickly.  The weather this week has been pretty good, if not a little cold.  But as I sat in the car listening to the radio (and having checked online since) the forecast for tomorrow is for almost certain rain.  The Bom predicts a "Very high (near 100%) chance of rain".  The only redeeming factor is the "from the late morning" forecast.



RSR16 - Day 1 Overlooking Gunns Plains

I found myself thinking, do I really want to go out to train for a cycling event in rain?  And more to the point, will anyone else want to either?  Now with any joy we could and will miss the rain, but still....

Now I know that training in the rain is good for conditioning to ride an event in the rain - I'm convinced that true for serious athletes, but that's where the snag comes in.  I'm not a serious athlete in that sense (or any other really); and with all due respect to my fellow cyclists - you know who you are - neither are they.  So the question that remains is; do we need conditioning to ride in the rain, are do we just grin and bear it if and when it happens?


I used to have similar thoughts years ago when playing golf.  I was never going to take golf seriously enough to warrant me going out to play in the rain.  And in the years since, I don't think the outcome has changed.  Granted I'm more likely to enter and take part in ride events than I ever was when playing golf, but on the whole I know I'm never going to be good enough to compete at cycling.  And therefore, why would I go out training in the rain?


And so .... given all these ramblings, 'we're on!'  Unless it's streaming down at departure time, we're going for it; the Training Ride Is A Go!


We'll be leaving New Town at 8am as usual - hope to see you there!  Check out the route below.

Red Shield Ride Training Ride - Saturday 6th May

Training Ride Elevation