# What Else..



## SunnyNAZ (Oct 31, 2012)

do you do? Just curious on what other activities all of us engage in as well as mountain biking. Are you a runner, tri, ski, etc? And what do you do to train off the trail? Do you have a cycle ops or other trainer. Do you spend time on a road bike? Or maybe spinning or fitness classes. I'm looking for ways to train effectively off the trail. Any ideas?

I currently do a little tiny bit of road biking & fitness classes.
I used to ski but not so practical in AZ


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

I am a skier(alpine and tele), try to get in two days a week during the snow season. My hubby is a ski patroller so we have a ski date every Thursday. In the spring, summer and fall,we do a lot of camping tied in with mountain biking and my hubby's passion which is whitewater rafting. For fitness, I am very committed to what my trainer calls functional fitness classes. It is NOT crossfit. We do everything from circuits to metabolic training to plyometrics, jumping, balance work, bosu, med balls, TRX. I love it; keeps me in shape for everything else. I also ride a trainer a couple of times a week in the winter. We discovered Sufferfest videos last year... the only way to go.


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## CyclerDi (Oct 13, 2007)

I don't have any structured workouts that I do. Off the bike I mostly trail run because all I have to do is put on my running shoes and I am out my front door to trails near my house. I do road bike but not as much as I use to - maybe once a month. I have some weights that I lift at home after I run. 
I try to go skiing once or twice a year. 
I was thinking yesterday that I should start doing some yoga or stretching because my muscles feel tight all the time anymore.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Daily yoga
Spin classes
Road cycling
Free Weights
Back Country skiing
Alpine skiing
Ice biking 
Might purchase an indoor trainer

I also assist my husband with trail building and trail maintenance which is a very good workout. (Shovelling dirt, raking, sawing logs. carrying rocks, snipping branches etc)


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

The last couple of years have been fairly mild in regards to snow in the NE, so I've been lucky enough to ride all year. If the forecasters are right about this year, it looks like we'll be getting a lot more snow. I'm hoping to add a fat bike to my collection so I can continue riding and when I can't, I enjoy cross country/back country skiing. I've also contemplated getting a trainer, but to be honest, I just don't enjoy getting my exercise indoors. We have a hockey rink at the university I work at and they have it open for an hour at lunch time for people to skate, so I try to do that a couple of times a week. I just don't seem to get as "excited" about exercising if it's not on my mountain bike. I have friends who enjoy the downtime from biking...I just don't feel the same way.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Some other activities I enjoy:
Year round bikecommuting in VT (M-F unless some conflict). Even if you can't ride the whole way, combining a daily ride with bus/car/train is a great exercise routine and anit-stress.

Daily dog trailwalking

Snow/sand biking (Fatback fatbike)

Back-40 type xc skiing

Fatbike trail packing (on snowshoe and Marquette skis)

Millstone trail crew (we have organized days plus individual's adopted trails)

Quiet water kayaking/canoeing

Hiking


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## kinsler (Sep 13, 2011)

One of the advantages of living in the desert is year round mountain biking! I occasionally road bike... only when necessary! In the winter/spring I try to sneak in as many ski road trips as possible.


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## LyndaW (Jul 22, 2005)

Mountain biking is my first love but...

Crossfit and dirt (moto) biking are really fun too and take my time. Both make me a better technical rider but neither make me faster uphill on my mtb.

So many fun things to do


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## laine (Oct 4, 2012)

Wow, you all are impressive. I ski in the winter, but that's about it. Mountain biking and skiing. An working in the gym/boot camp when I can. Sadly, that last item ends up being a 3 months on, 3 months off kind of thing. I know I need to make it more permanent.

-laine


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

mountain biking and skiing is good.
I just hate having to shift seasons in my brain.


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## laine (Oct 4, 2012)

Well, I live in the Bay Area, so hoping I can continue to ride every now and then on the warmer weekends or the crowded holiday weekends when I want to avoid Tahoe.


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## 06HokieMTB (Apr 25, 2011)

Whoops... Didn't realized I was posting in the women's forum  Sorry, it won't let me delete


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## SunnyNAZ (Oct 31, 2012)

Stripes said:


> Train your brain too. I build Lego sculptures and juggle.


Sounds great! My brain gets a pretty good workout between work and school. For the past four years I have been knocking out two classes a semester for Operational Meteorology. Biking is my release! 
I want to start working on training for some endurance to maybe race 10-30 miles so I am adding additional cardio. I don't know much about "training" so any wisdom would be appreciated. Do any of you use trainers or spin bikes?


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Stripes said:


> Train your brain too. I build Lego sculptures and juggle.


Let's see some Legos!


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

^^ Cool! Love the tiger too. When I was a kid FAO Schwartz (the toy store) had people paid to make Legos & stuff - I thought it was the best job in the whole world!

Last trail leafblowing of the season today I think, all the leaves are down, plus deer season starts soon and most of the trails close for that. A couple hours of leafblowing and I am too tired to ride.


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## mtbikergirl17 (Feb 27, 2011)

There are so many options to keep in shape and entertained especially over winter!

Cross country skiing - I love cross country skiing at night, there is something about being under the moon and starts makes it even more fun. 

Cyclocross - makes suffering fun  I ride a lot of road and trails. I've noticed those who ride mtb are a lot better at 'cross than those who do just road - so you would have an advantage  

Snow biking - There used to be some in-town mountain bike trails along the river that were perfect for snow/fat biking in the winter, but they were flooded and washed out this spring  I'm sure I'll still get out to ride in the snow this winter tough, parking lots are great because you get to play on the big snow piles and ramp off the little ones! 

Running - I've been trying to go on a short run once a week (also helps for cyclocross if you are interested in that)

Yoga - I may go once or twice during the road/mtb/cyclocross season, but try to go more often over the winter. I really should make time for it throughout the years though, I can feel a huge difference when I do go. 

Road riding - if the roads aren't terrible I'll take out my cross bike on the road in the winter. I ride road 3-5 times a week during road season and switch to gravel in the fall. It helps a ton for endurance on the mtb bike. 

Trainer - last for a reason because the trainer sucks.... the Sufferfest videos are by far the best ones out there. HHFN even has feed from a ladies race!


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## Rae6503 (Jun 30, 2009)

I lift weights, which is actually really hard to balance with biking in the summer. Have the times my legs are really sore during my rides. I guess I snowboard too but I've been getting really annoyed with the prices and the traffic so I'm considering skipping it all together this year.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

XC skiing as much through winter as I can get.

Rollers, weight lifting, circuit training, step bench, etc etc etc on the bad weather days/shoulder seasons.

The mountains here are young and steep.... need to have a year-round plan to ride them.


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## shredchic (Jun 18, 2007)

Aside from working a desk job,  ...

My first love was snowboarding, but that is very limited, so mtn biking was the obvious next choice, and with the mild winters on the central CA coast, it is basically a year round thing and I skipped snowboarding last year.

I love Bikram Yoga and found it to be complementary to mtb'ing. 

I know I need to do more core exercises and weights, but I do not enjoy it so I skip those workouts a lot.

One thing I found useful is riding my hardtail 29'er on the road. It builds a lot of strength and i don't need to buy another bike.

There's also hiking, a tiny bit of trail running, and the occasional backpacking trip.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

We picked up some winter activity items the other day.









We keep biking until the snow gets too deep


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## SunnyNAZ (Oct 31, 2012)

Wow! You guys are amazing! Some great ideas here. Thanks everyone!


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

cyclelicious said:


> We picked up some winter activity items the other day.
> 
> View attachment 846441
> 
> ...


Louis Garneau snowshoes? Who knew? I've been jonesing for a new pair, was looking at those msr's with extendable (add-on 6") tails and supposedly easy on bindings, but have resisted so far, since I mostly pack fatbike trails with them and take the dog on trailwalks. Anybody have those MSR evo-tours or similar?


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Nice Legos, stripes. I play hockey, downhill ski, camp, hike and I enjoy eating. I hate running although I used to play soccer. I guess I like to chase a ball or puck or basically need to be tricked into exercising. Nice snowshoes, J. I love my MSR ones.


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## kinsler (Sep 13, 2011)

girlonbike said:


> Nice Legos, stripes. I play hockey, downhill ski, camp, hike and I enjoy eating. I hate running although I used to play soccer. I guess I like to chase a ball or puck or basically need to be tricked into exercising. Nice snowshoes, J. I love my MSR ones.


Ha... when I first started up with soccer I played goalkeeper so I won't have to run!


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

kinsler said:


> Ha... when I first started up with soccer I played goalkeeper so I won't have to run!


That would work except I would close my eyes when the ball got inches from my face. Orrrr. I would duck.


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## gmats (Apr 15, 2005)

girlonbike said:


> That would work except I would close my eyes when the ball got inches from my face. Orrrr. I would duck.


Hahaha!! That's funny.


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## tothepeak (Feb 17, 2013)

Cross training to me= riding my Cyclocross bike 

really though, you would be hard pressed to find a day that I'm not riding some sort of bike...even if it's just commuting

I do love to snowshoe and hike 14ers, also trail run when I'm in decent running shape

I consider music to be a hobby that is as important as riding, both listening and playing music


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## davidbrant (May 9, 2013)

Swimming is a good choice
Try winter swimming


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Still continuing to ride this winter despite the ice, snow and cold temps.
I needed to try something different so I just started Crossfit for strength training


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Stripes said:


> Train your brain too. I build Lego sculptures and juggle.


Stripes and friends?


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