Monday, February 27, 2012

And the 2012 Season Begins

Not being ready to race didn't stop me from taking the trip down to Columbia, Kentucky for the first collegiate race of the year.  Two weeks ago I went to California for work.  It was really nice to know that some places have weather that isn't miserable this time of year.  I wanted a taste of spring and a break from the trainer, so I figured power numbers be damned, I'm going south.

I've always been willing to get crushed early in the year.  I follow the somewhat unorthodox (old-school) theory of building verrrry slowly over the winter so I don't get things like tendinitis later in the year.  So I did about a thousand easy miles to start, wrapped that up in January, and started training for real a few weeks ago.  With the major goals of the year several months off, I figured I was ready for a shock to the system.  I got it.  Collegiate races are great training because not only are the fields as strong as most P/1/2 races, but they're never slow. If the good riders take it easy, the slower guys who will be dropped later make it hard by attacking.

Since this was my first time getting over threshold in several months, the question wasn't if but when I would get popped from the group.  Sure enough, it happened early in all the races.  But I got the effort I came to Kentucky for, and--as I hoped--getting racing early got me excited to get the season underway.  Now it's time to start building so I'm strong when I need to be--when Midwest racing for BBVP ramps up.

Stay tuned for some pictures of me slobbering all over myself as I lumber up some steep hills chasing the group.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The First 1K in the Pain Bank

Well it’s still February and I have already deposited my first 1000 miles in the pain bank. For me that’s leaps and bounds ahead of where I was last year. This time last year, I was still having trouble lifting anything over 20lbs after surgery to remove my gallbladder.  I wish that on no one.  I was just happy to get on my bike and be able to turn the crank. It took forever to get in any kind of shape to race a bike. I remember always telling Pat that I was 2 months behind everyone.  That’s till I got lucky for one weekend in July.



This year I have dedicated a bit more time to see if July was a fluke, or do I really have a shot at riding with the really fast old guys. I think someone forgot to tell them when you’re near or older than 50 that you need to slow down. So this season I will give it a go. Hopefully I can hold that wheel, and just maybe get a few top 10 finishes, if I can do that all the work will be worth it.



Bob