170 Degrees

I'm sick again!
-- I normally go an entire winter beating out Chicago weather and millions of sick people commuting on a tiny train to and from work and maybe get sick once, maybe. This is my second time sick in SF...bummer. Nasty cough and just a crappy feeling throughout.

So I slept in on Saturday and skipped out on riding. I got out for a much needed trip to the grocery store, came home and made Kitchari for dinner, did a bit of aromatherapy and then crashed for the night. Today I got out for a slow crawl on the bike with Anthony, Erica and Eric (out here again). Eric turned around early to catch a flight back to Chicago and we all continued to do Paradise Loop at an easy pace. We had a good time and good conversation.

Now for the good stuff. My gym has a Sauna. I highly recommend Sauna's to everyone. Even though this one was in the men's locker room with strangers, it was still great. I did a Google Image Search for Sauna's and this one caught my eye (there was another one, but I held back)...unfortunately, this photo does not resemble my sauna tonight. Anyway...The first time I hit up a sauna was in Northern Wisconsin and after 15 minutes of heat, we would go jump in the Tomahawk River to cool down and then repeat 3x. It was a beautiful setting and the river was very chilly - felt great! Back in Chicago, my condo had one in the general fitness area downstairs. We, my cycling teammates & I, spent a lot of time "training" in the sauna last winter...the cool down sessions were funny...3-4 guys in the alley between my building and the building next door, wearing bathing suits, steaming like hell...in the dead of winter (often snowing). We joked that the sauna was going to be our secret training weapon...it makes sense though. Winter training is to be done at low heart rates...once your body starts to sweat in the sauna it automatically raises your heart rate to a nice fat burning zone, it gets your blood moving and loosens you up for a nice post sauna stretch. I'm not saying it is a substitute, but it's definitely a great addition to your winter program.

So cooling off in Nor-Wisc was the river, Chitown was the alley and my Nor-Cal sauna...men's room shower...could be better, but for now it will have to do.