Source:
Outside Magazine April 2004
Outside’s Guide to Getting Schooled
Join the ClubFollow Through
Get a shot of confidence at camp, then sustain the commitment at home with these six strategies.
Like-minded enthusiasts can get you off your butt with organized events like group-training programs for a first marathon. Pete & Ed Books (800-793-7801, www.peteandedbooks.com/clubs.htm), an online bookstore and clearinghouse of sports clubs, has links to about 1,000 outdoor organizations in the U.S. and abroad.
Get Tuned Up
Hook up with expert instructors for one-day refresher courses. Keep working on your weak points and sooner or later you’ll nail that stubborn crux move. Eastern Mountain Sports (888-463-6367, www.ems.com) hosts climbing, camping, and kayaking clinics throughout the Northeast.
Local Motion
People who hit the neighborhood trails and local surf breaks know what’s best, and when. When you take your sport on the road, ask around at shops or scour the Web for advocacy groups. California Kayak Friends (818-885-6182, www.ckf.org) is a boaters’ network that shares event and condition information on hot spots at rivers, lakes, and oceans across the West.
Give Back
Volunteer to clean up your favorite play spot (and conscience). Meet your brethren, then hit that debris-free singletrack. Oregon’s Portland United Mountain Pedalers (www.pumpclub.org) hosts weekly "work parties" on nearby trails.
Push Yourself
Nothing gets you fired up to practice like a little healthy competition. The New York Road Runners (212-860-4455, www.nyrrc.org) hosts the New York City Marathon and some 75 shorter races throughout the year.
Cross-Training
Just because your sport is seasonal doesn’t mean your training should be. Minnesota’s North Star Ski Touring Club (952-924-9922, www.north-stars.org) has been organizing cross-country-ski clinics and outings for more than 30 years. Come summer, members hike and bike together to stay in shape till the snow returns.
