How Do Headwinds Help Me?

QUESTION: I live in the Midwest where we've already had days with 40-mph headwinds. I hate it! Does all this misery do me any good? -- Jeffrey S.

COACH FRED: I agree that wind is tough. Here in western Colorado it sometimes seems like most of Utah is blowing through town.

My worst day in the wind was on a transcontinental ride where we hit a headwind from Ennis to West Yellowstone, Montana. It was gusting to 45 mph. We still had 80 miles left in a 140-mile day. Even with a pack of strong riders, we rarely reached 10 mph for several hours. It was a long slog.

In conditions like that, there's nothing to do except find a gear that allows you to keep a decent cadence -- and then grind it out. But you can get certain benefits.

Perseverance and patience, for example!

Headwinds actually do help your fitness because you have to work harder. As a friend of mine likes to intone when we're facing a howling gale: "The wind makes you strong!"

Also, a headwind gives you the chance to work on your position. It's almost like being in a wind tunnel in the sense that minute changes in upper-body posture make a big difference in your speed and pedaling ease.

Experiment with aerodynamics by holding your hands in different positions on the bar, moving your elbows in or out, and altering the angle of your back. At least it's something to think about

Try to find routes that offer windbreaks. Maybe there are sheltered, tree-lined sections, or roads low in the valley. If it's really howling, look for a circuit a couple of miles around so the wind alternates from the front, side and rear at frequent intervals.

One other tip: Put cotton in your ears. When you can't hear the wind roaring so loudly, it doesn't seem to be blowing so hard.