How not to 'Train'

You can't be competitive without a plan and training. I have neither and I proved it last Sunday at Bloomer. It was a great reality check and kick in the butt.  Will I be ready for Fall or not?  The plan is almost done so let's see if I can pull it off. 

The lack of numbers.

Blissful Ignorance

Yesterday I went for my first ride of June 2012. Instead of easing into things why not just throw cation to the wind and see what happens?

I was meeting 3 others in Lake Orion and then heading out for some trails. Why not ride out and get some extra miles? So I did and left Troy at 8 a.m. and off I go for my first ride of June and last one since May 27th. With my ear buds secure and Bob Seger's Greatest Hits playing, I pedal softly toward Downtown Rochester to connect with PCT and flatland it to Orion. I cover the first 17 miles in just over an hour and feel good. I meet the guys at Kern and Greenshield, turn off the music and head North for a lap at Bald Mountain, then over to Addison for another.

I haven't ridden Bald in about 2-3 years and not much has changed. It was a nice way to break up the ride and helped me get comfortable in the trails again. Now over to Addison and replenish the water before hitting the loop. Water full and off we go. What a great lap. It flowed well and I like the re-route eliminating the gravel climb. (side note: what's up with that new path along Lk. George?). Back to the building for more water before the ride home.

I'm about 2:30:00 into the ride and ready to head home. Time for some nutrition and turn on the music. This time the playlist is going to be different. (Rage Against the Machine, Cluth, Metallica and a bit of Lil Wayne) I have another 1:15:00 +/- in the saddle and I'm not sure how it will go. The route is Predmore, Rush, Dequindre, Sheldon, up Bloomer Rd for some added suffering  and John R home.

All is well for the first several miles but when I cross Rochester my thighs start feeling it so I back it down and take on some more nutrition and water because now I know the last hour is going to be a mental and physical battle. I recover slightly over the next 2 miles and try to ease the climbs but my body is shutting down. I get past Stony Creek, then Letica and decide it's best to cut through Bloomer Park and bypass the climb. By the time I reach John R my thighs are blown and needle like pain passes through every couple minutes. I've been here before and now they drill.  I finally reach the driveway after 53 miles and 3:45:00.

Oh well I still had fun and it was nice talking with the guys. Today it's off to Stony Creek for some laps of next weeks 'Heat Miser' and then some Tour watching.

DOPAGE?

Who really cares?

Remember What's Important.

What are your goals/priorities for family, work and riding? Can you really balance it all or do you sacrifice somewhere? I can only speak for myself.


Family and work come before anything else and for now riding is a weekend (if I'm lucky) activity. I've struggled with that since BRX. Life is busy and I'm a husband, father, son, friend, boss, contractor.......  I know I'm not the only one or am I looking for pity.  I have just recently come to accept, for now, that riding and racing will have to be sacrificed. My racing goals have changed and there is still plenty of time to ride. As for the ones who live, breath and sleep racing, What are your goals? What are your strengths? 


Very few can be a sprinter and marathon runner or be competitive for 9 months.


Work the plan, asses and evaluate.  Make adjustments and learn. At the end of the day I hope we are all just riding for fun.