Bicycle your way to fitness

This week, people are likely realizing that making resolutions is much easier than keeping them. Many are already faltering on their fitness goals, finding it difficult to brave the morning or evening chill. But don't reach for the doughnuts -- on this second week of a four-part series on starting a fitness program, we've got help from David Brinton, is a former Olympian, and currently an elite USA Cycling coach and president and founder of Technik Sports Inc., who takes us through four weeks of bike training. He explains how to work out like a pro and avoid beginner burnout, and he suggests some tools that make the process easier.

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Getting started

Before you even hop on that bike, set your training schedule -- and make it a realistic one. Brinton suggests starting with three to four days a week of cycling, gradually working toward a goal of five to six days a week by the end of eight weeks. "Often, new riders are so excited and jump into riding six days a week," he says, "then realize it's not manageable." (More on this later.)

Then set some goals, such as completing a race, or even one as grand as completing a "century," a 100-mile ride done in one day (there are races with shorter distances as well). That, Brinton says, has bragging rights, and it isn't as overwhelming as it sounds. "When you start recognizing your progress from week to week, then you realize, 'Maybe I could actually keep going.' "

Keep a training diary. "It gives you a reference of where you started and where you are today," Brinton says. "If you time yourself going up a hill at a particular heart rate, how do you know if you've improved if you haven't been logging it?" Seeing speeds and distances increase can be motivating. Brinton suggests going into a fair amount of detail in the log, and include distance, time spent on the bike, heart rate and how you felt.

Get your bike fitted properly. Rank beginners might need the help of an experienced bike store employee or cycling coach for this -- there are even people who just fit bikes. Don't skip this part, Briton says; a saddle that's too low or too far forward, for example, can strain key tendons.

Take a bike maintenance class, or have someone show you how to do basic repairs such as flat tires. It's also a good idea to practice those repairs.