Cyclocross........NOT!!!

Had my heart set on some sort of cyclocross season this year. Like many years past, this never came about. Earlier this week I even went out to do an on and off road time trial to keep the fire stoked for cross. It went well, I beat my best time by 45 seconds. Great, haven't lost much at all. It's just that it felt too much like training again. Don't get me wrong, I like training as much if not more than racing but in order to go forward I know you sometimes need to take a step back. I plan on taking a major step forward next year. I believe you only have so many matches to burn in a season and twenty five seems to be about my limit. This year it was twenty five big ass matches...Flares maybe. Next year will be bonfires....

Last night I took a bikram yoga class. I amazed even myself with my balance and flexibility. I haven't done much yoga this year, I don't even stretch much but I had an "on night" with laser like focus. I'm paying for it today but I'll be back with bells on next week. Figuratively of course. Note to self: Bring lots of towels to hot yoga.

Looks like I'm gonna be at the Mountain Man biathlon next week. In 2006, I won this race and the win gave me the confidence to get where I am now. The next year I won the H2H single speed overall and a shitload of races, upgrading to semi-pro late that year also. It's been a long trip since then, and even though the mountain man wasn't the start of this journey I believe it was the springboard. Many don't know I got my start to this debacle through duathlon and running races. You can learn alot from other sports.

My gym and trail running...

The Gym....Split once here, Deadlift and farmers walk to the splitting area...

Logs are down the hill to the left....Get the Idea?
The finished product, all split by hand...



Since the hurricane, the Appalachian now runs right down my street. I've been running on the AT and other trails that are "no no's" to mountain bikers...


Maybe splitting wood in running shorts is a bad idea?

Weak as a kitten???

A season of racing will always do it. The tell tail signs are there. Moaning while lowering yourself to the couch, unable to pick things up that you've dropped, aches and pains. A sit up or a push up seems a million miles ago. Hell, even on the bike I'm not as chipper as I should be. It happens every year. De-conditioning!! A dirty word.

Selene Yeager (Bicycling magazine's fit chick) said: "Amazing how you can get fit and weak simultaneously" Don't know how it happens, but it does.

For the next three months I'll be attempting to become athletic again. Today is a 15min "jog" in the woods and a yoga type tape. Not a lot, but I know from experience to take it slow and easy for a while. Soreness tends to be high with these workouts and with good cardio fitness I tend to get a little crazy, often doing too much too soon.

Does this mean you wont see me on the bike or even at a race here and there this fall? Not at all, but these rides and races will be secondary to becoming a fit and flexible athletic person again. 2012 will bring new challenges and the prep begins now, off the bike....

Happy trails....