Next time around

Lucas, my new work partner and part-time training partner, and I headed out yesterday to do some sprint/high-intensity work in preparation for the next couple of weeks of 'cross.

While sprinting and high-end stuff is hard to begin with, coaxing my body to do it in October has been especially challenging. What has traditionally been a time of transition and relaxation has turned into a semi-focused quest to keep going fast. It's harder than it sounds.

But there's only about a week left, so I think I'll survive.

What's likely to happen next time around — next time being next summer — is that I'll race pretty heavily through July, chill a bit in early August and then wind it up again for an October/November campaign. I like cyclocross. I'd like to be halfway good at it. And that means I should probably actually, you know, prepare for it.

Anyway, two races left, starting tonight at the Flatwater Twilight race. It's gonna be chilly and, by the end of it, kinda dark. I'll hit next week's race, too, and then that'll be it. Baby Stegosaurus is due about three weeks later. It'll be time for lockdown.

And, at some point, I'll get that new bike built up.