Cabin Fever

Just ordered the Monkey Warfare DVD. Can't wait, revolutionaries on bikes!


























I finally got back outside today. I put 28 hours on the trainer in the last two weeks and that was enough to last me a lifetime. I am all too ready for those carefree days in the summer sun riding the hills of Amish country.

Take that Norway!

It has already begun. The 15K gold is in the bag.

















Here on the home front the snow is not quite getting the warm reception as it is in Vancouver. I have been actually enjoying the trainer with the aid of technology. Portable DVD players and iTunes are making it bearable. At the end of this week I will have 100 hours of base in the legs since mid December so I will be adding the tempo rides soon.

Here is a riddle for you:
How do you make a 2 hour trainer ride seem easy?

Answer:
Ride 3 1/2 hours of course!

Prepare for Global Domination

For hundreds of years the peaceful Swiss people have lived in tranquil neutrality. Well no more! Alex Zulle with his Hansen Brother spectacles paved the way for the Swiss uprising back in the 90's. Now we have 2 more world champions to rip up the road and dirt.























Take that Absalon. You couldn't follow the last kilometer attack that Sauser put in at Canberra.

























Cancellara shown here, decimating all others in a way only a Swiss heritage could produce. Could it be that the next world champion could be living nearby in Amish country? It was only just yesterday that I saw many of our Swiss brethren out putting in some miles in the harsh weather conditions.

What's Holding You Back?

No, this isn't a seat belt usage campaign. I've been thinking recently about human cycling performance, mine in particular. When I first started riding I knew nothing about VO2 max, heart rates, watts, or other measurements of performance. It was in the mid nineties when a lot of information about performance came to the forefront for me. Prior to this knowledge I just figured that anyone faster than me obviously trained harder and longer than I did.

Of course now I know exactly what my VO2 max is, and what heart rate zones I should be training in. My genetic makeup puts me at a Category 3 lifer according to Chris Carmichael. These are things I can't change and must accept as my physical performance limiters. There is however a big arena for improvement in the area of attitude and that I am the only one holding myself back here.

Since it was -3F this morning I begrudgingly got on the trainer with the intent of riding for an hour. At some point during that time it occurred to me that no one can do the work for me and that I'm done making excuses for myself. 3 1/2 hours later I got off the trainer, still feeling pretty good.
The time is now, and if you don't do it for yourself, it won't ever get done. What's your excuse?

Fail to the Chief?

Finally, I got the Chief out on the road. He had not ridden in about 3 months so me and The Brat rode over to his house and took him out in the cold. He was a little feisty at first but that did not last long. His legs quickly faltered and I knew he was in trouble when I turned around and saw Chief holding onto Brat's rack to get himself pulled up a slight grade.
This was a moment to savor, but as much as we enjoyed it now, we both know that this day will come back to haunt us in the future. This was a beating that he won't soon forget, and I'm pretty sure he grumbled something about vengeance down the road. Hopefully this was the pivotal moment that will light a fire under his butt and set the stage for his 2010 season. Only time will tell.



































Eating Crow:I did not ride indoors all last winter and vowed to do the same this year. However certain circumstances(not the weather) forced me to either ride the trainer for 3 days last week or not ride at all. It took me 15 minutes just to find the the stupid thing, then I had to dig out my favorite shirt to complete the ensemble.















The real lifesaver this winter has been these little heat packs. I can't believe I have suffered needlessly for years without these things. Most of my rides are 3+ hours these days and they have saved my toes more than once.