A few years ago, I was headed to a cyclocross race in Bend, Oregon late in the season. My teammate and I got stranded in Portland, Oregon when our second flight got cancelled due to weather. We had to book a last-minute rental car and drive five hours in a snowstorm, not arriving in Bend until 2:30 am. A few hours later when I awoke to get ready for the race, the temperatures were in the single digits and the ground was thickly covered in snow. Fortunately, I have always embraced riding in all kinds of weather, and love the challenge of winter conditions. I kept my pre-ride limited and “warmed up” for the race by sitting in the car with the heat on! It ended up being one of my best race performances against the best riders in the country. Yes, my hands hurt so badly after the race that I bawled uncontrollably for 15 minutes, but I was prepared to handle the inclement weather because I regularly make a practice of it.
