Focus on training and resting

December 11, 2007

These days I'm focusing on doing as little as possible which isn't directly related to training, restitution and recovery. We finished off Christmas present shopping in one afternoon, but Christmas cooking and baking will have to wait until Christmas of 2008. It feels very good to be back into the routine of training again, completing the days of training exactly as we want them to be.

It's Friday afternoon already and the weekend is almost here. Some of us are looking forward to some days of relaxation, while others have to work, and some are looking forward to long bike-rides and maybe a hike in the mountains, on both Saturday and Sunday. Last weekend Kenneth asked me an unusual question. We were sitting in the car on our way home from a particularly rainy hike in the mountains. He asked me how I would have spent a Saturday if I had a normal job and was free each weekend. Shopping at the local mall?

I had to think a bit, trying to imagine a weekend without long distance cycle rides or dramatic hiking in wild nature. I ended up concluding that we will definitely continue to fill our weekends with the same things as now, also when we put our days of professional cycling behind us some day…after 2012. A trip out in the weekend fills you up with energy, it makes you feel great, it gives you extra oomph, and it's a good source of recreation.

Two weeks ago I travelled to Lugano in order to visit Bellimport/Merida Switzerland where several of the dealers were gathered. We had two evenings of enjoyable meals and a fantastic long distance ride around the lake at Lugano. Sunshine, blue skies and 14 degrees above zero - perfect for many hours riding. We had our lunch at a typical Italian restaurant where we were served Pasta Marinara, naturally al dente so I ate a lot. It was a bit uncomfortable getting onto the bike again to pedal for an hour back to the hotel…but totally worth it for the lovely trip and the delicious food.

The week before Switzerland we both went to a gathering at Fornebu in Oslo, Norway about Beijing and we spent some enjoyable hours together with likeminded people. We enjoyed the inspiration and exchanging experiences on many different levels. There is a lot of talk about the Olympics wherever you go these days. Kenneth and I aren't thinking too much about Beijing yet. It's a long way off and we have a lot to accomplish before that happens.

The process of building our new house is well under way now. I haven't been at the building site for the past few weeks, but I know that they've started with the actual wooden construction of the house, after having laid the foundation and cellar floors. It's been difficult to imagine it in comparison to the neighbouring houses, the surroundings, various sizes and shapes. Now we're finally getting at least a certain feeling of how it's going to be.

I certainly hope that some of you took my challenge last time seriously, made a training schedule for yourself, and have started training. We're going to work together on this, you and me, for the next year, you know. It still isn't too late to start! Get going before the Christmas stress takes over and steals all your time and energy. Remember that if you're going to manage, you have to insert the exercise firmly into your week's plan with a definite time, place and activity.

Tomorrow we're going out for a long distance ride on bikes, and on Sunday we're off for a mountain hike. We'll have a few fit people from Shell along with us on Sunday, so it's guaranteed to be a fun trip with lots of friendly chatting. I wish you all a good and energetic weekend. You'll hear from us again before the Christmas bells are ringing and we start packing our suitcases for out trip to Boulder in Colorado.

Norwegian cross-country mountain bike racer Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå made an impressive comeback last year after sitting out much of the previous season due to illness. In 2008, she won the Madrid, Spain, round of the UCI World Cup and the UCI Marathon World Championships and finished 12th in the World Cup final standings.

Dahle Flesjå will take on a new challenge in 2009 when she gives birth to her first child, expected in late March. With the support of her husband Kenneth Flesjå and her family, she aims to return to competition within a few months after becoming a mother.

Don't count her out for the late season World Cups and World Championships races. She was World Champion in 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006, plus Olympic champion in 2004. In 2003 to 2006, she dominated the sport, winning the World Cup overall.

Follow her exploits in 2009 on Cyclingnews as she takes on a new, joint role as mother and elite racer. Or, for more Gunn-Rita, see her personal website: www.gunnrita.com