Happy New Year

Ok...I am going to spend my NewYear's weekend trying to induce a big training load. I haven't worked out my schedule but I should have plenty of time because I discovered a couple of days ago that the relationship I was in was just to keep the girl company till her soldier got home.

My year was ok. I am disappointed at what happened to my conditioning during October and November and I also gained about 10lbs in that time period. It set me back 6 months I believe. But hopefully my experience will allow me to recover. I did some repeats on a hill yesterday and I am not happy at my climbing ability. Just in October I was probably twice as strong on the hills as I am now. I will put my computer back on my bike and start pushing it hard now.

I will spend some mental energy planning my training over the next 2 months. My first TT will be in 6 weeks. It will be a challenge to get in endurance and strength training at the same time. My big focus will be on the Rouge-Roubaix 100 miler on March 3. It is suppose to be the "hell of the south" ride.

Have yourself a Merry and Happy New Year.

Rich

I quit cycling in the first 3 miles...

I don't know if it's the cold that makes it hard in the first few miles but yesterday I questioned why I ride, let alone trying to race this next year. Funny thing is that it's usually the last 3 miles of a ride that I quit cycling. Anyway to help my attitude I decided I would take a route I have never been on to give me something to look forward to. I was going north on the Trace and decided I would explore the roads west of Ratliff's Ferry and work my way back south. After navigating some great back roads and avoiding dirt roads I discovered I was on the outskirts of Canton....ooops. I rode down 43 back to the Trace and took Yandell back home. Quite a ride...I almost stopped at "Club 43" to get something to drink but I didn't feel like drinking beer with 10 miles left to get home...lol. Best thing is though I found some new roads to ride on and have consulted a map this time so I will know where I am going.

Here's something to gawk at.

Back to normal?

Ok...I got 144 miles in this weekend. I feel like a cyclist again. Do you want some advice...NEVER QUIT TRAINING!! NEVER!!!! or you will pay for having to start over. Actually I never quit, I just didn't make it a priority. I stopped by ProBike today and talked with Gary about racing next year...and I was shocked that the first race will be in Feb. OMG! Why haven't I been training!!!!! The ProBike team got a new sponsor and there will be some money paid out at the end of the season on number of races completed and places. So now I have to decide if I will ride with them quickly as they are about to order team kits which I get to pay for. I probably will. I am really slow and overweight right now and I thought I would have 3-4 months of training before my first race. I am always "a day late and a dollar short". I better go get that headlight for my bike as I will probably be riding at night now. Need a discount on bike parts for cycling. Maybe buy new bicycle wheels, cycling computers, ergomo, cyclops, mavic, cannondale, trek, orbea, specialized. Smartphones.

CALL ME THE BREEZE

Ok I have taken my computer off of my bike and I am now riding only to my heart rate monitor. I get so involved in that I should take a hill at a certain speed and before I know it my heart rate is out of my training zone. I am going to have to face an issue when I get home tonight that I have been putting off. It's a big issue.

Our orchestra is performing Sunday night on Dec 4th at 5pm, so if you want to treat your family to some Christmas music then by all means come on. It will be at Christ Methodist Church. CUMCJX.ORG