Rambling

My bike seems to have permanent residence in the back of the Impreza. A blanket thrown over it to keep any passer by from getting too curious. My car also resembles what I would imagine it would look like if I were living in it. The last few weeks I've been working a lot so little things like keeping the car tidy have been ignored. I had planned on riding my bike yesterday but when I got out of work at 1pm it was raining so that didn't happen. Same plan today. Although it's still raining now. 

The whole 30 is going well. Been sleeping a lot. The time change has helped with that also. Last night I was in bed at 7:30. I've not had much trouble with the food on the whole 30. It's pretty much the way I strive to eat anyway. Minus the occasional fuck up. The big thing is the lack of beer. Quite frankly, that hasn't been an issue yet. It'll be a bit strange swapping sugary Gatorade for coconut water but I'm gonna keep my rides short for now to avoid the dreaded bonk. 

My lower back is angry this morning. Probably from laying in bed so much yesterday. Or maybe the layoff since Sunday? Or maybe the weather? I did put the suspension fork on the bike. My rigid experiment seems to get shorter and shorter each year. I know it's faster but the beating seems stupid now. I remember doing 20+ hour weeks on a rigid. Those days are gone. I like not having tingling in my fingers and it's just too much on the upper back. 

As I write the sky looks like it's clearing. I'm getting excited knowing in a few hours I'll be on the trail. Coconut water, don't fail me now!! -M

Day 1. Whole 30

Woke up knowing I need to change. Another sleepless night led to this decision. 176 lbs on the scale is eye opening enough. 

First thing in the morning I decided I was gonna do a whole 30. Other recent attempts at "cleaning up my diet" have failed. Too loose for me. I'm better with structure. Dumped out all three beers that remained in the fridge and trashed the remaining granola. The granola has been giving me the shits anyway. In the last few years I've begun to realize that I'm some sort of oat intolerant. Doesn't keep me from trying though. 

The beer. Uggh!!!

Beer has been a part of my life almost every day since I turned 21. It's a rite of passage for me. End of the day activity. Also a bad habit. I once did 5 years without any beer at all. It started as a competition between a buddy and I. Who could go the longest... I won. 

The first few years of racing without beer I had hit a level that was truly amazing for me. Then one day I woke and thought "what's the point?" 

I actually amaze myself that I can hit such a high level racing, all the while consuming 3 to 4 beers a night. Hell, I've won quite a few races hung over. On the flip side, I've had quite a few fails also. 

I'm hoping the whole 30 can help me reset. This is what it claims to do. I realize (and I'm warned) that there are rough days ahead. I'm ready. -M

So much has changed, so much has stayed the same.

 

I've bailed off of Facebook. I found I was spending way too much time on nothing positive. Either getting jealous because someone is doing something I'm not or getting angry at someone I hardly know just wasn't working for me anymore. It's been a few months and I can honestly say, I hardly miss it. 

I am, however going to attempt to resurrect the old blog. Only this time it's not gonna be a race post only blog. I'm hoping to use it as a journal for my 2016 race season. Not the same old race reports but a journey into the struggles and sacrifice that it takes to be competitive at high level xc mtb racing after 40. 

As I write this I'm on day one of a whole thirty. As well as in the middle of some (somewhat) scientific testing on the single speed. 

My fitness is nowhere near race levels and my alcohol consumption and diet has been poor for a while now. I'm at 176lbs. That's about 9lbs over my race weight. Not only that but it takes a real effort to feel excited about going hard on the bike. My coach and I will start training in December and I'd like to be well into creating good habits by then. At the same time getting rid of the bad ones. 

In an attempt to do this I'll be doing a daily blog post. Mostly just to keep my thoughts in order. -M