I am the biggest baby in the world about being cold. I doubt that any amount of the most expensive, high-tech clothing is going to keep my extremities warm on a bike ride on a cold day. Heck, it's somewhere between 70 and 72 degrees in my office and my hands are blocks of ice. Anyone need their drink chilled?

My 'punishment' for having the circulation of a 90-year-old woman is that I stay indoors during the winter, pedaling a bicycle that goes nowhere. Like a hamster on a wheel. At home, I have one CTS training DVD and one Spinervals DVD. I feel depressed when training alone at home. However, I found a support group to help me endure my pain and suffering on an indoor trainer.

The group meets at Bob's Bikes in Homewood every Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6 pm for an indoor training session. Mike clears out the racks in the back of the store and we watch a different training video each time. While I'm riding, I look around at the racks to see if there's anything I want to buy. I like to shop!

I have to force myself to work hard on a trainer, because I am the type who doesn't get motivated unless there is a person or a ball to chase.

My one wish for the training videos is that they put some upbeat music in the background instead of that annoying repetitive techno beat. CTS videos in particular have the most annoying sound effects.

My favorite training videos focus on interval training or hill climbing. That's what makes Birmingham so much fun for a cyclist. I enjoy the ups and downs of hills rather than monotonous flats. I tried riding at the beach last summer and nearly fell over from boredom.