Targets

I think I waited a bit longer to post this last year, but you're getting a season preview today ... mostly because I have nothing else about which to write. Seriously, things are slow here.

The big wild card in all of this, of course, is my back. I have no idea how it's going to react to actual racing. I've been pinning it without too much trouble on the trainer, and when I get outside it's mostly OK. But then it's been not quite nine months since it was broken, so I do recognize it's a work in progress. Bold events are goal/peak events.

So here you go:

March -- One of the Flatwater training races, maybe.
April 11: Twin Bing Classic
April 17-18: Le Tour de Husker (where I ate it last year)
May 22-23: Flatwater Cycling Weekend
June 5-6: Norfolk Weekend
June 12: State TT
June 26: Cornhusker State Games TT
July 10-11: Omaha Cycling Weekend
July 18: Iowa State TTT
August 7-8: Tour of KC
August 21-22: Big Creek RR/East Village Criterium, Des Moines

The last goal race will be tight in terms of peaking, but it'll be fun to go do something else regardless. And, of course, this is all subject to home/work schedules. And there will probably be a few races thrown in here and there as they get closer.

But that's the plan. It should be fun.

Modifications

Sometimes, life necessitates making changes into a well-planned schedule. It's Build 1 time on the training calendar, which means more intensity and more focused workouts.

It's also slightly insane right now. I was sick last week and stayed off the bike for a couple of days and I have a story to write this week. And later this week, I'm headed to fit school, so I can mess up the riding position of Omaha's finest cyclists.

It's gonna be great!

So, since I missed a couple of important days last week, they got pushed back to the weekend. And since I'm going to be off the bike for three or four days this week, I made a change.

Once I got back on the bike after being sick, I felt good right away. I waited just the right amount time before getting to it. So after that good workout, I decided to make every workout until I leave a good one.

Or, in other words, I'm gonna drill it for 5 days in a row, then take four days off. Scientific? No. A benefit? Probably. I'm hoping I can get at least an easy workout in on a couple of days of the trip, but I'm not planning on it. If it happens, it happens.

Three days into the plan, I'm doing OK. The most notable issue is my hips. With the change in saddle height, they're doing more work. So they're a little tired.

Two days left, including today. Ouch.

Another modification: Jack threw up all over the place on the way to daycare. Yes, in the car. So the schedule will change again. Awesome. Looking at core/lifting this morning instead of riding.

Liberation!

Though the official, final change of power (denoted by a change in paychecks) only happened a couple of weeks ago, I've been in charge of the shop for a couple of months now.

As Chris, Jake and I were talking about how we'd like to do things, I always got the feeling that Mark would come in and say, "why'd you do that?" or "that won't work." Hell, he still might.

But now I can tell him to stick it. You hear that, Mark? Stick it!

Chris put his (his, as in Mark's) name tag on the board this morning. He's gone. He's dead to us.

Oh, crap. He just walked in the door. Hide!

Rollers. It's been a while.

After ridding myself (mostly) of whatever it was that invaded my body earlier this week, today was the day to get back on the bike. And as I was getting set up this morning, I thought -- "hey, rollers. That seems like a terrible idea."

Terrible? Well, you know how head colds kind of mess with your equilibrium a bit? You feel a bit spacey, kind of out to lunch? I still have a little of that. So getting on the rollers probably wasn't the best idea.

But hey, it's me we're talking about. What could go wrong?

Other than a dropped water bottle, nothing. It was an hour-long spin on the rollers at pretty easy intensity, because it's hard to do anything but easy intensity on the rollers.

Hopefully with another day of sinus-clearing, balance-regaining progress, I can get on the trainer tomorrow morning and really drill it. Because Shim is waiting for me. And if I don't get back to work, that will become a recurring theme.

And nobody wants that.

We're not messing around here

When I was a kid and didn't really want to do something -- like a chore, for example -- I'd sort of halfheartedly do it to get it done and then wander off.

Or, in other words, I'd half-ass it.

Now that I'm a grown-up (of sorts), half-assing it is no longer an option. No, sir. We use our whole asses around here.

That applies to everything, including getting sick. Despite having a little germ-carrying wonderchild around, we've managed to stay reasonably healthy. But the cold that started brewing Sunday night ... wow.

I woke up yesterday morning in a fog after a horrible night of sleep. And from there, things went further downhill. Today, after a pot of coffee, some cold medication (decongestant) and some pop tarts, I'm happy to report I'm mostly OK.

I'll probably get back on the bike tomorrow morning and resume the pain. To continue with the theme, it'll be a three-hour, zone 4 suffer-fest. No easy spins here.

Right.

Still recovering

Despite all of the bluster about "The List" -- who's on it, who isn't and what it means to be crossed off -- I'm much more focused on being simply "not crappy."

It's been 7.5 months since I broke my back. I'm reminded of the injury pretty much all day, every day. That doesn't mean blinding pain, or even a dull ache, but just a constant consciousness. It just doesn't feel right.

But that doesn't mean I haven't been working hard. I've been doing core work since October or so and riding just as much as I was last year.

Halfway through yesterday's ride, while fighting a fairly modest headwind, my back started aching. It does that now and then -- most notably when I'm doing long, sustained efforts in an aggressive position (like in the drops or low on the hoods).

I keep wondering how long it's going to be like this. Probably forever, given what happened. It's just kind of frustrating, you know?

Once again, though, Shim comes through as a shining beacon of motivation. All winter, as I've been cranking through workouts, I've been remembering something he said early last summer (paraphrased): "Nice knowing you. Everybody who works at a bike shop gets slower the longer they work there."

I might be slower this year -- I certainly am right now. But it won't be because I work at a bike shop.

Ridiculous thoughts

To date, my Madone has been outside three times. All three were in fairly foul weather. And the one time I actually ran my carbon wheels, it was cold, windy and my fit wasn't dialed in. So, really, I have only a vague idea of how it performs.

It's nice, smooth and fast, I know that much. But not much more. Oh, and it looks awesome.

But, somehow, perhaps because I have access to Trek's Project One builder and plenty of time, I want the bike shown above. Madone 6 Series, SRAM Red, Aeolus 5.0 carbon clinchers. Yeah ... wow.

There's absolutely no need for that bike. There's so little that could justify it, especially considering what I have in my garage already.

But, man, that's a pretty bike.