At last, the moment we've been waiting for: Wednesday Night Worlds. Also known as an opportunity to get punched in the face repeatedly by people who are faster than you.
It's great, really.
How great? At one point on the rollout, my computer was reading 205 bpm. No, that's not accurate. Anyway, it went like this:
I usually don't have problems until Highway 36, when we hit the long, grinding uphill. The tempo is usually really high by then — mid-to-upper 20s — and doesn't let up until 2/3 of the way up the hill. At that point, the bunch blows all to hell and scatters itself all over the incline.
Despite almost two seasons' worth of data that says I cannot get up the thing effectively in the big ring, I gave it a shot last night. It didn't work. Of course it didn't work. Why, after two weeks of sickness and four days of good, solid workouts did I think it would work this time? I have no idea, but I was gapped, regardless.
The second danger point for me is ... again ... another long, grinding uphill. Shallow pitch, high tempo ... boom. But not this time. I stayed in the bunch, rotated through and we continued on our way. I didn't contest the sprint at Fort Calhoun, though. Maybe next time.
Down through Boyer Chute, the rotating paceline was in midseason form. It was pretty impressive for March 30. Tempo was high, turns were fluid, plenty of communication. And then I looked down at my computer again. 237 beats per minute. Considering my previous max was in the mid-180s, I think I'm going to check out a career as a hummingbird. I'm guessing a new battery for the HRM strap is in order.
When the hill came, I unleashed one of my more underwhelming performances. Luckily, I was able to bridge pretty quickly on the false flat. I sat in with hopes of going over the top of the kicker with the bunch, but that didn't happen, either. After the downhill, I bridged up to a couple of teammates, and we were able to keep the gap respectable the rest of the way.
After that, it was pretty standard WNW stuff. It was very dark when we got back, but an all-day cloud cover will do that, huh?
Though I got tossed off the back a couple of times, there was one huge, HUGE positive: my back didn't ache once. I didn't even think about it until I got back and someone asked me how it felt. It's been a long, long time since I've been able to report no pain at all.
Next week it will be a little bit lighter, a little bit warmer and — undoubtedly — a little bit faster. Should be ... um ... fun?
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Puzzle pieces
When I'm really freaking out about bike stuff - specifically bike shop stuff - I remember what Jay (one of our owners) told me once:
It's just bikes. It's not that big of a deal.
Alternately, I've also been told this, by Matt (one of our buyers):
Have you ever considered that you're being too ***ing sensitive about stuff like that?
Good points, both of them. If nothing else, it helps keep things in perspective. (But no, I wasn't being too sensitive in that particular instance.) But there's one area where most of my worry lies: staffing. Mark ... somehow ... created a nice foundation upon which the current staff is built. We have part-timers who have been here way longer than me, and in reality I've only hired four people.
Granted, all four have turned out very well, which makes me 4-for-4 and should help ease the burden of potentially screwing up the staff. But it's that potential that makes me consider and reconsider everybody I interview.
I really like our staff. It's a nice blend of grown-ups and younger types with a lot of different experiences and backgrounds. And everybody gets along and works well together and has fun. More importantly, they like being here. They want to help us succeed. I don't take that for granted.
So as I look through this pile of applications, which offers little except contact information, I'm trying to make sure I don't screw this things up. While it would be easy to remove an irritant should one find its way in, I'd rather not open the door to begin with.
It's just bikes. It's not that big of a deal.
Alternately, I've also been told this, by Matt (one of our buyers):
Have you ever considered that you're being too ***ing sensitive about stuff like that?
Good points, both of them. If nothing else, it helps keep things in perspective. (But no, I wasn't being too sensitive in that particular instance.) But there's one area where most of my worry lies: staffing. Mark ... somehow ... created a nice foundation upon which the current staff is built. We have part-timers who have been here way longer than me, and in reality I've only hired four people.
Granted, all four have turned out very well, which makes me 4-for-4 and should help ease the burden of potentially screwing up the staff. But it's that potential that makes me consider and reconsider everybody I interview.
I really like our staff. It's a nice blend of grown-ups and younger types with a lot of different experiences and backgrounds. And everybody gets along and works well together and has fun. More importantly, they like being here. They want to help us succeed. I don't take that for granted.
So as I look through this pile of applications, which offers little except contact information, I'm trying to make sure I don't screw this things up. While it would be easy to remove an irritant should one find its way in, I'd rather not open the door to begin with.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Half-formed thoughts
Because you don't want to hear about freelance projects, vacuuming and cruise intervals:
- When you lose weight, does your stomach shrink? I've lost a few pounds — nothing crazy, by any means — bu my appetite is way down, even after a four-plus-hour ride. Sandwich, some fruit and a glass of water and I'm good. Maybe it's due to smaller portion sizes to begin with (which is how I lost weight, mostly), but it takes a lot less to fill me up. That's probably not a bad thing.
- I'm down to one can of soda per week. It's usually a Mountain Dew, because that's what is on the shelf in the garage. I miss it much less than I thought I would. Could I go all the way off soda? Probably, but why? It's damn tasty. Everything in moderation.
- I haven't renewed my racing license yet. I should do that, given the first week is less than a couple weeks away. The delay is partly tied to losing weight — I have very, very few pairs of bibs that fit now. Riding in bad shorts sucks, and riding in great shorts that don't fit isn't much better. I've been trying to rebuild the cycling drawer.
- For you writing types: Is there a limit to quality words per day? As in, when you hit a certain word limit, do your thoughts just become total crap, forcing you to spend a lot of time with the "delete" key, staring off into space? Between this blog, VeloGear, GamJams Midwest and other freelance projects, I often wonder if I'll run out of words. I guess, in a way, that's like a baseball player believing that bats only have a certain amount of hits in them before they go bad. (In my case, by the way, bats had about four hits in them before they went bad.)
- There's been a lot of anticipatory chattering about the Twin Bing Classic on April 10. While there are a few big hills on the course, it's not a killer loop. And it's surely not an epic race so much as it is the first race. Is everybody all worked up because they're ready to go, or because it's actually a big deal? Seems to me it's a bit early in the year to be a really big deal. That said, I rode one lap, pulled off my race number and went for a nice ride last year. What do I know?
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sundays
Sundays are my favorite. On a normal Sunday, my to-do list includes the following, in no particular order: ride, get groceries, hang out with Chris and Jack, cook. In the summer, I'm sure a few chores or outdoor tasks will be added, but it's basically the same pattern.
The added bonus, of course, is getting to wander out of bed whenever (still around 6:30, which is still sleeping in) and take my time eating breakfast and reading the paper. Sundays are my favorite for sure.
Yesterday, the ride came before groceries. I always like to be done before Jack wakes up from his post-lunch nap. In the summer, I'll be home before lunch, but right now I have to aim for mid-afternoon. I don't like blowing all day on the bike. I do, actually, but not at the expense of being around the house.
Anyway, the ride. Brady had a similar schedule, so we rolled out around 10 and headed for Iowa. Did a loop in the Loess Hills, added on a little extra on the way home and called it a day. I ended up with just shy of 4:30 on the bike. Brady pretty much laid the wood to me throughout the day, which was a product of not really riding that much over the last three weeks.
That doesn't mean Brady isn't fast — he's always fast — but my fitness made it seem twice as bad. Two weeks ago, I got by with few miles. It's starting to catch up with me now, though. I'm aiming for a good, solid two weeks here to help avoid embarrassment at Twin Bing on April 10 ... and the following week in Lincoln. Yikes, this could be a bad April ... .
After cleaning up and watching a bit of the Cubs game (remind me sometime to expound upon the virtues of getting every MLB game online), Jack and I rolled to the grocery store. While the Jelly Belly samples at Costco were a good treat (seriously, who needs to sample those? Everybody knows what they taste like.), seeing the Wienermobile at Hy-Vee was the highlight of the day. Can we drive around? No, sorry. Can I honk the horn? No, sorry. Can I? No.
But he did get a sticker, which he's pretty psyched about. Kids love stickers. I'm convinced you could build a system of government based entirely upon stickers if we got every kid on board from age 2 or so.
Sunday continued at home, where we grilled some burgers, hung out until bedtime and relaxed the rest of the night.
Yup. Sundays are my favorite.
The added bonus, of course, is getting to wander out of bed whenever (still around 6:30, which is still sleeping in) and take my time eating breakfast and reading the paper. Sundays are my favorite for sure.
Yesterday, the ride came before groceries. I always like to be done before Jack wakes up from his post-lunch nap. In the summer, I'll be home before lunch, but right now I have to aim for mid-afternoon. I don't like blowing all day on the bike. I do, actually, but not at the expense of being around the house.
Anyway, the ride. Brady had a similar schedule, so we rolled out around 10 and headed for Iowa. Did a loop in the Loess Hills, added on a little extra on the way home and called it a day. I ended up with just shy of 4:30 on the bike. Brady pretty much laid the wood to me throughout the day, which was a product of not really riding that much over the last three weeks.
That doesn't mean Brady isn't fast — he's always fast — but my fitness made it seem twice as bad. Two weeks ago, I got by with few miles. It's starting to catch up with me now, though. I'm aiming for a good, solid two weeks here to help avoid embarrassment at Twin Bing on April 10 ... and the following week in Lincoln. Yikes, this could be a bad April ... .
After cleaning up and watching a bit of the Cubs game (remind me sometime to expound upon the virtues of getting every MLB game online), Jack and I rolled to the grocery store. While the Jelly Belly samples at Costco were a good treat (seriously, who needs to sample those? Everybody knows what they taste like.), seeing the Wienermobile at Hy-Vee was the highlight of the day. Can we drive around? No, sorry. Can I honk the horn? No, sorry. Can I? No.But he did get a sticker, which he's pretty psyched about. Kids love stickers. I'm convinced you could build a system of government based entirely upon stickers if we got every kid on board from age 2 or so.
Sunday continued at home, where we grilled some burgers, hung out until bedtime and relaxed the rest of the night.
Yup. Sundays are my favorite.
Monday, March 21, 2011
A trying weekend
Having a cold sucks. Even if it's a minor one, it's no fun. I think pretty much everybody can agree upon that.
While I spent Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and a bit of Sunday morning on the couch, one of our dogs spent that same time span freaking the hell out.
It's Tonka. He's an Akita mix, which gives him a number of personality traits: loyal, protective, curious and "intelligent." Yeah, the "intelligent" part is in quotes. For example, if he really, really wants something, he barks. And not just a little woof. Dude barks LOUD, knowing full well that we'll come running because we don't want to hear any more of it.
That said, he has no idea how to dig. And he hates — HATES — water. Neither Chris nor I have ever seen him swim. We're convinced he might just freeze up and sink straight to the bottom.
Oh, and speaking of fear: he's afraid of coughing. No, we don't know why. We've had him for almost 10 years now and he's always been that way. (Also, he's afraid of ducks.)
I've been coughing for days now. And when Tonka is scared, he doesn't hide — he tries to climb on top of you. You know, to stay safe.
Having a big, heavy, freaked-out dog trying to climb on you while you're trying to sleep and keep both lungs inside your body doesn't do much for rest. It's mostly cleared up now, but Tonka may take longer to recover. He's been a bit twitchy today.
While I spent Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and a bit of Sunday morning on the couch, one of our dogs spent that same time span freaking the hell out.
It's Tonka. He's an Akita mix, which gives him a number of personality traits: loyal, protective, curious and "intelligent." Yeah, the "intelligent" part is in quotes. For example, if he really, really wants something, he barks. And not just a little woof. Dude barks LOUD, knowing full well that we'll come running because we don't want to hear any more of it.
That said, he has no idea how to dig. And he hates — HATES — water. Neither Chris nor I have ever seen him swim. We're convinced he might just freeze up and sink straight to the bottom.
Oh, and speaking of fear: he's afraid of coughing. No, we don't know why. We've had him for almost 10 years now and he's always been that way. (Also, he's afraid of ducks.)
I've been coughing for days now. And when Tonka is scared, he doesn't hide — he tries to climb on top of you. You know, to stay safe.
Having a big, heavy, freaked-out dog trying to climb on you while you're trying to sleep and keep both lungs inside your body doesn't do much for rest. It's mostly cleared up now, but Tonka may take longer to recover. He's been a bit twitchy today.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Relapse
The way I see it, it happened in one of two ways:
1. I never really got un-sick to begin with.
2. Jack got me sick again.
Either way, bleh. I feel like hell again. It's mainly coughing. Always with the coughing.
1. I never really got un-sick to begin with.
2. Jack got me sick again.
Either way, bleh. I feel like hell again. It's mainly coughing. Always with the coughing.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Shots fired
Well, it's spring. Though we have the warm breeze and sunshine thing going, we're still not exactly basking in evening sunshine. I mean, it's pretty dark at 8 p.m., still.
With that in mind, I had but a few goals for last night's ride - the first Bike Masters Wednesday night ride of the season. Since it was going to be short - 90 minutes, max - it needed to be really hard.
Mission accomplished. My heart rate was pegged pretty much the entire time and the Big Puma was a willing sparring partner (note: he's still fast). Took a few digs, climbed a few hills, led out a sprint ... all is well. Pretty fun, too.
For the most part, I felt pretty solid. My back got a bit sore during the heavy crosswind bits. Headwind, I'm good. Crosswind ... man. It seems like I have to work twice as hard with a crosswind, and the margin for error is pretty slight. Too far from the other side of the paceline and I get tossed around, which means more work, more stress, etc.
Just another thing to work on, really.
With that in mind, I had but a few goals for last night's ride - the first Bike Masters Wednesday night ride of the season. Since it was going to be short - 90 minutes, max - it needed to be really hard.
Mission accomplished. My heart rate was pegged pretty much the entire time and the Big Puma was a willing sparring partner (note: he's still fast). Took a few digs, climbed a few hills, led out a sprint ... all is well. Pretty fun, too.
For the most part, I felt pretty solid. My back got a bit sore during the heavy crosswind bits. Headwind, I'm good. Crosswind ... man. It seems like I have to work twice as hard with a crosswind, and the margin for error is pretty slight. Too far from the other side of the paceline and I get tossed around, which means more work, more stress, etc.
Just another thing to work on, really.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
A poor estimate
A funny thing happened on the way to the 2011 season: I lost weight.
OK, it's not that funny, considering that was the plan. What is funny, though, is that the large shorts that used to fit juuuuust right are now just large. Mediums fit better now.
That's simple enough. Just get mediums from now on, right? Right.
But I wasn't really planning on getting more shorts this year. I'm set for kit. After going way too far last year, I have a nice assortment of quality, comfortable kit that should more than tide me over through this season.
Except for the bottoms, of course.
Why is this a problem, since nice shorts are nice shorts, even if they don't fit perfectly anymore? Well, I got rid of a couple pairs — most notably the team stuff (and I ordered new ones in medium). And for some reason, I didn't think that would be an issue. Three or four weeks without your nicest gear, when the big miles are piling up and comfort is key? No problem ... dumbass.
In the grand scheme it really isn't, but ... wow, it would be nice to have some nice Capo shorts on hand right now.
As it is, though, I'm without. I'll survive, I'm sure of it. Where's the chamois cream?
OK, it's not that funny, considering that was the plan. What is funny, though, is that the large shorts that used to fit juuuuust right are now just large. Mediums fit better now.
That's simple enough. Just get mediums from now on, right? Right.
But I wasn't really planning on getting more shorts this year. I'm set for kit. After going way too far last year, I have a nice assortment of quality, comfortable kit that should more than tide me over through this season.
Except for the bottoms, of course.
Why is this a problem, since nice shorts are nice shorts, even if they don't fit perfectly anymore? Well, I got rid of a couple pairs — most notably the team stuff (and I ordered new ones in medium). And for some reason, I didn't think that would be an issue. Three or four weeks without your nicest gear, when the big miles are piling up and comfort is key? No problem ... dumbass.
In the grand scheme it really isn't, but ... wow, it would be nice to have some nice Capo shorts on hand right now.
As it is, though, I'm without. I'll survive, I'm sure of it. Where's the chamois cream?
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
It's for the best
Today's plan: 3-4 hours, steady stuff, just getting in more miles.
Today's reality: Jack is home sick, so it'll be more like "write a whole bunch and rest the legs."
It's probably a good thing, really, because my legs are fairly tired. I'll have a chance to get some good work in tomorrow (70 and windy) and maybe Thursday, so it's no big deal.
And with that, it's time to build a sterilization capsule or something. I'll boil my hands to avoid getting sick again if I have to.
Today's reality: Jack is home sick, so it'll be more like "write a whole bunch and rest the legs."
It's probably a good thing, really, because my legs are fairly tired. I'll have a chance to get some good work in tomorrow (70 and windy) and maybe Thursday, so it's no big deal.
And with that, it's time to build a sterilization capsule or something. I'll boil my hands to avoid getting sick again if I have to.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Doing silly things on bikes
Until Sunday, the sum total of my mileage over the past 10 days was 35. That's a pair of commutes to work, if you're keeping track.
On Sunday, I rode 78.5. Yeah, I've never been one for moderation. But with the first race a month away and the sting of embarrassment and disappointment lingering from last year, the time is now to bump things up a notch.
And by bump things up a notch, I mean, "Chase Mark and Spence on a pair of super-hilly loops through the Loess Hills." By and large, I did what I needed to do. I climbed OK, I was able to put out fairly consistent power when required to do so. No problem, really.
Well, there was one problem: The last hour or so. Let's rewind a bit, though.
Since I ran out of on-bike nutrition last fall, I haven't really made an effort to go get more. Pop Tarts and granola bars fueled winter rides, since they were best eaten while standing still ... and indoors.
But for Sunday's ride, I knew nobody was going to wait by the side of the road while I peeled away the foil Pop Tarts wrapper, so I grabbed a few Honey Stinger gels (banana and strawberry, by the way — both outstanding) before I left on Saturday.
At the start of the second loop, I had two gels and a half-packet of GU Chomps left — pretty much perfect for the two hours or so left in the ride, plus the traverse back to the shop from the pedestrian bridge. As I sat up to take one of the gels, Spence soft-pedaled toward the back of the now four-man group. He mentioned that we should have stopped at the gas station in Crescent to grab something real quick.
"I have an extra one," I heard myself say. Right after that, I realized it wasn't really an extra one. I'd need that later. And then I pulled one out, handed it over and attacked the hills with gusto, one more time.
Fast forward to the last few miles on the Council Bluffs side: gel gone, Chomps gone, completely blasted. And while I could have — should have? — stopped somewhere downtown for a quick bite, I rode on toward Midtown with Mark. After we split off, with nobody to keep pace with, I slowed way down. I'm pretty sure walking would have been faster.
But I rolled up to the store with 4:45 and change on the computer. And then I devoured anything that looked tasty.
And despite having spent barely any time on the bike in the previous week, I was pretty happy with the ride. Still some work to do, sure, but a pretty good feeling for early March.
On Sunday, I rode 78.5. Yeah, I've never been one for moderation. But with the first race a month away and the sting of embarrassment and disappointment lingering from last year, the time is now to bump things up a notch.
And by bump things up a notch, I mean, "Chase Mark and Spence on a pair of super-hilly loops through the Loess Hills." By and large, I did what I needed to do. I climbed OK, I was able to put out fairly consistent power when required to do so. No problem, really.
Well, there was one problem: The last hour or so. Let's rewind a bit, though.
Since I ran out of on-bike nutrition last fall, I haven't really made an effort to go get more. Pop Tarts and granola bars fueled winter rides, since they were best eaten while standing still ... and indoors.
But for Sunday's ride, I knew nobody was going to wait by the side of the road while I peeled away the foil Pop Tarts wrapper, so I grabbed a few Honey Stinger gels (banana and strawberry, by the way — both outstanding) before I left on Saturday.
At the start of the second loop, I had two gels and a half-packet of GU Chomps left — pretty much perfect for the two hours or so left in the ride, plus the traverse back to the shop from the pedestrian bridge. As I sat up to take one of the gels, Spence soft-pedaled toward the back of the now four-man group. He mentioned that we should have stopped at the gas station in Crescent to grab something real quick.
"I have an extra one," I heard myself say. Right after that, I realized it wasn't really an extra one. I'd need that later. And then I pulled one out, handed it over and attacked the hills with gusto, one more time.
Fast forward to the last few miles on the Council Bluffs side: gel gone, Chomps gone, completely blasted. And while I could have — should have? — stopped somewhere downtown for a quick bite, I rode on toward Midtown with Mark. After we split off, with nobody to keep pace with, I slowed way down. I'm pretty sure walking would have been faster.
But I rolled up to the store with 4:45 and change on the computer. And then I devoured anything that looked tasty.
And despite having spent barely any time on the bike in the previous week, I was pretty happy with the ride. Still some work to do, sure, but a pretty good feeling for early March.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Course correction
I've spent the better part of a week fretting about my rapidly decaying fitness — real or imagined — while trying to keep the hacking cough at bay. Along the way, I've been thinking about the race schedule and how things will work out once we get rolling for real here in a few weeks.
And then looking at projects and expenses coming down the line ... yeah, something's going to have to get switched. The main focus of the first half of the season was the Quad Cities weekend — specifically Snake Alley. It would fall in the middle of three straight weeks of racing, which means three straight weekends out of the store, which means three straight weekends of filling up the 'ol Camry and trucking out of town.
As of this morning, gas is $3.45/gallon. I don't see that going down anytime soon. Also, the busier we get, the more I need to be in the store.
So we have a course correction. The week after Snake Alley is the Norfolk weekend, which will also ... somehow ... serve as the Nebraska state road and criterium championships. Having good form for both races wouldn't be a bad idea. By essentially missing a week (I feel pretty awesome right now, by the way), I can push the start of Build 1 back a week (to this coming Monday) and be on target for the Norfolk weekend.
That means I'll be (hopefully) rounding into form around the Lincoln weekend (May 21-22) and pretty fast a few weeks later. And in the process, I'll save a couple hundred dollars by not trekking across Iowa. Yes, the racing would be great and it would only be a benefit in terms of experience, but there are bigger fish to fry, unfortunately. It'll be around next year.
And now ... I need to find my razor. I have a pretty good case of wookie sticks going.
And then looking at projects and expenses coming down the line ... yeah, something's going to have to get switched. The main focus of the first half of the season was the Quad Cities weekend — specifically Snake Alley. It would fall in the middle of three straight weeks of racing, which means three straight weekends out of the store, which means three straight weekends of filling up the 'ol Camry and trucking out of town.
As of this morning, gas is $3.45/gallon. I don't see that going down anytime soon. Also, the busier we get, the more I need to be in the store.
So we have a course correction. The week after Snake Alley is the Norfolk weekend, which will also ... somehow ... serve as the Nebraska state road and criterium championships. Having good form for both races wouldn't be a bad idea. By essentially missing a week (I feel pretty awesome right now, by the way), I can push the start of Build 1 back a week (to this coming Monday) and be on target for the Norfolk weekend.
That means I'll be (hopefully) rounding into form around the Lincoln weekend (May 21-22) and pretty fast a few weeks later. And in the process, I'll save a couple hundred dollars by not trekking across Iowa. Yes, the racing would be great and it would only be a benefit in terms of experience, but there are bigger fish to fry, unfortunately. It'll be around next year.
And now ... I need to find my razor. I have a pretty good case of wookie sticks going.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Close enough
It's going to be warm today - 50 degrees according to the smart folks tasked with predicting the future. It's going to be warm tomorrow, too, for that matter.
And I don't have to pick up Jack by 5:30 today (hooray, spring break!). So I rode in, taking advantage of sunshine, more time and ... well, mainly just the sunshine. It was pretty nice.
Though I wasn't drilling it by any means, I did feel pretty good. There's still a bit of a lingering hack, which is more annoying than anything else. And the legs? Super-fresh, considering they've been resting for the better part of two weeks.
Assuming I still feel OK, I'll get out tomorrow morning for another quick ride, repeat that on Saturday and then let it rip on Sunday. We're turning the corner, weather-wise. Finally.
And I don't have to pick up Jack by 5:30 today (hooray, spring break!). So I rode in, taking advantage of sunshine, more time and ... well, mainly just the sunshine. It was pretty nice.
Though I wasn't drilling it by any means, I did feel pretty good. There's still a bit of a lingering hack, which is more annoying than anything else. And the legs? Super-fresh, considering they've been resting for the better part of two weeks.
Assuming I still feel OK, I'll get out tomorrow morning for another quick ride, repeat that on Saturday and then let it rip on Sunday. We're turning the corner, weather-wise. Finally.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Go for launch (on Friday)
Whew, finally. The coughing has abated, the snot is no longer packed deep in the recesses of my skull and my voice sounds less like a gravel grinder and is getting on normal.
My lone bit of activity yesterday was taking the dogs for a walk. And that sucked, actually, because it was in the upper 30s, calm and dry. Would have been a nice time of day to get a ride in. Oh well.
Today, since I'm still slightly gunk-laden, is another day off. Tomorrow is a yoga day because of the work schedule. Friday is full-on go time ... for an easy spin, per the schedule. Nice timing, huh?
If all goes well on Saturday and I'm feeling good, yes, I'll be out on Sunday. I hope to make it past the neutral roll-out before crying.
My lone bit of activity yesterday was taking the dogs for a walk. And that sucked, actually, because it was in the upper 30s, calm and dry. Would have been a nice time of day to get a ride in. Oh well.
Today, since I'm still slightly gunk-laden, is another day off. Tomorrow is a yoga day because of the work schedule. Friday is full-on go time ... for an easy spin, per the schedule. Nice timing, huh?
If all goes well on Saturday and I'm feeling good, yes, I'll be out on Sunday. I hope to make it past the neutral roll-out before crying.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Remain calm
The first race is about a month away.
Relax.
The first targeted races are 2.5 months away.
Relax.
I was supposed to start a new training block yesterday, and I planned on adding weekend throwdowns to the menu, in preparation for not getting punched in the face and subsequently embarrassed and demoralized in the first race. But I was up half the night coughing, keeping Chris up and generally feeling miserable. Also, the weather the last two days has been awesome (mid-to-upper 30s, light wind, dark) for riding, and even thinking about kitting up sends me into spasms and coughing fits. So now I'm going to lose the bulk of this week to recovery and if I show up on Sunday it'll be to sit in and limit my losses, rather than build the beginnings of speed.
Hey, relax.
Relax.
Relax.
It's not easy.
Relax.
The first targeted races are 2.5 months away.
Relax.
I was supposed to start a new training block yesterday, and I planned on adding weekend throwdowns to the menu, in preparation for not getting punched in the face and subsequently embarrassed and demoralized in the first race. But I was up half the night coughing, keeping Chris up and generally feeling miserable. Also, the weather the last two days has been awesome (mid-to-upper 30s, light wind, dark) for riding, and even thinking about kitting up sends me into spasms and coughing fits. So now I'm going to lose the bulk of this week to recovery and if I show up on Sunday it'll be to sit in and limit my losses, rather than build the beginnings of speed.
Hey, relax.
Relax.
Relax.
It's not easy.
Monday, March 7, 2011
An off week
Last week, in the grand scheme of training, was a rest week. Typically, that means shorter rides, and a couple of added days off. Any bits of up-tempo work are short and to the point.
However, I haven't been on the bike since Tuesday, not counting last night's ride to Qdoba. That part wasn't in the plan.
On Thursday, my throat felt a little scratchy. On Friday, it was really scratchy and I started feeling a little plugged up. On Saturday, I woke up and felt as if someone had been whacking me all night with a Wiffle Ball bat.
Yeah, that was great. I propped myself up on coffee and sugar to get through Saturday, got a good night's sleep and felt OK by Sunday. I've been coughing a lot, which means deep breathing is probably not the best idea. I entertained thoughts of a light spin when I saw the temperatures climbing, but figured the benefit would be pretty much nil — other than not going crazy.
As it was, I settled for dropping off Redbox movies and riding to Qdoba for burritos. Yeah, that's 35 minutes of ride time. Kapow!
Today was supposed to be one of my favorite workouts — 10 climbs up the neighborhood wall. It starts gradually, kicks, levels and kicks again. The last kick is out of the saddle, sprinting. It hurts every single time.
I'm guessing I couldn't get up the thing right now.
Health-wise, I should be back to (relative) normal tomorrow. I'll still probably go a little bit easy. No use rushing back into the heavy stuff when I'm not physically ready to do heavy stuff. I'm in enough of a hole — no need to make it deeper.
However, I haven't been on the bike since Tuesday, not counting last night's ride to Qdoba. That part wasn't in the plan.
On Thursday, my throat felt a little scratchy. On Friday, it was really scratchy and I started feeling a little plugged up. On Saturday, I woke up and felt as if someone had been whacking me all night with a Wiffle Ball bat.
Yeah, that was great. I propped myself up on coffee and sugar to get through Saturday, got a good night's sleep and felt OK by Sunday. I've been coughing a lot, which means deep breathing is probably not the best idea. I entertained thoughts of a light spin when I saw the temperatures climbing, but figured the benefit would be pretty much nil — other than not going crazy.
As it was, I settled for dropping off Redbox movies and riding to Qdoba for burritos. Yeah, that's 35 minutes of ride time. Kapow!
Today was supposed to be one of my favorite workouts — 10 climbs up the neighborhood wall. It starts gradually, kicks, levels and kicks again. The last kick is out of the saddle, sprinting. It hurts every single time.
I'm guessing I couldn't get up the thing right now.
Health-wise, I should be back to (relative) normal tomorrow. I'll still probably go a little bit easy. No use rushing back into the heavy stuff when I'm not physically ready to do heavy stuff. I'm in enough of a hole — no need to make it deeper.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Who would have thought?
Two years ago today, I spent the morning in a stupor. Just before 8 a.m., I was laid off (fired, really, since there was no shot of coming back after a little break) from the World-Herald. It was a job I thought I really, really liked.
I was wrong.
Turns out, I really, really disliked it. I disliked having to wear khakis and button-up shirts in a secure building. You know, so I could dress up for my co-workers. I disliked chasing stories I didn't want to do. I disliked ... well, I disliked a lot of stuff, and that stuff really has nothing to do with the World-Herald in general and more to do with the industry as a whole.
Basically, I didn't realize that I shouldn't have been a journalist anymore. Had it been up to me to make that change, I'm not sure I would have done it. When jumping is a risk and not jumping is the safe, warm, dependable cocoon you've always known, who would jump?
Being pushed, however, makes transitions a little bit easier. When you have no choice in the matter, you have to move on. That's just the way it is.
As it happens, the shop I visited occasionally became my lifeboat. Sure, I could work full-time through the summer. Less money coming in is significantly better than no money coming in.
By mid-summer, I knew it wouldn't be temporary. This is where I belonged. Less money, longer hours, new stresses, sure.
But god, is it fun. I could never say that before.
I was wrong.
Turns out, I really, really disliked it. I disliked having to wear khakis and button-up shirts in a secure building. You know, so I could dress up for my co-workers. I disliked chasing stories I didn't want to do. I disliked ... well, I disliked a lot of stuff, and that stuff really has nothing to do with the World-Herald in general and more to do with the industry as a whole.
Basically, I didn't realize that I shouldn't have been a journalist anymore. Had it been up to me to make that change, I'm not sure I would have done it. When jumping is a risk and not jumping is the safe, warm, dependable cocoon you've always known, who would jump?
Being pushed, however, makes transitions a little bit easier. When you have no choice in the matter, you have to move on. That's just the way it is.
As it happens, the shop I visited occasionally became my lifeboat. Sure, I could work full-time through the summer. Less money coming in is significantly better than no money coming in.
By mid-summer, I knew it wouldn't be temporary. This is where I belonged. Less money, longer hours, new stresses, sure.
But god, is it fun. I could never say that before.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Sunshine and tanlines
The pictures below don't do yesterday's ride justice. It was gorgeous. Within about 35 minutes, my arm warmers were stuff into my pockets. Nothing but summer kit and sunshine for the next three hours.
One interesting note about yesterday's ride: Since it's a rest week, I just had a meandering 3 hours on the plan. No tempo, speed or HR numbers in mind - just going for a ride. But that 3 hours covered more mileage than the previous week's Tuesday ride, which did actually have numbers attached to it.
Could it be the bike? Could it be the weather or the route? More likely, I just needed a couple of days off. All is well now, though. And the summer tanlines are forming nicely.
One interesting note about yesterday's ride: Since it's a rest week, I just had a meandering 3 hours on the plan. No tempo, speed or HR numbers in mind - just going for a ride. But that 3 hours covered more mileage than the previous week's Tuesday ride, which did actually have numbers attached to it.Could it be the bike? Could it be the weather or the route? More likely, I just needed a couple of days off. All is well now, though. And the summer tanlines are forming nicely.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Cleaning house again
I have a bunch of other random stuff, too. It's going on Craigslist later.
Check that. Pedals are gone. And so is most of the other stuff.
—
And that's the news from here. Rest weeks are funny. One would think I have all sorts of entertaining stories to tell. In reality, I just want to stare off into space all day. I'm heading out for a ride later. I'll probably stop for coffee halfway, just because I can. It'll be great.
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