Riding with boys

Today was my first "go ride with the boys" ride. They say riding with faster people will make you faster. Or it will just make you hurt a lot which in turn will hopefully make you faster. The latter is what I experienced today. I had the pleasure of riding with 6 (fast) guys, one of them being Tom Danielson. Here's the run down of what happened today.

-Get to said meeting spot with Jr. and no one was there.
-Wait
-A few guys show up
-Wait
-Get free samples of SUPER yummy scones from Spruce Confections.
-Start riding
-Become annoyed because it is too easy and I am coasting too much.
-Pee break
-My pee break lasts longer than theirs
-Get dropped
-Chase back on
-Get really tired
-Tom D and Chris B pick up the pace as does the wind
-Start suffering
-Start to get dropped, but with encouragement am able to stay on and last untill the gas station stop.
-Be jealous of the chocolate chip cookies they are eating (I'm too cheap to buy one).
-Limp home while they go up Flagstaff.

Riding Bikes: Part 2

Before giving thanks and eating pie was a mountain bike ride (in the snow on a single speed 29"er).Thank you Chris for your bike and thank you Josh for the "this is my first time" experience (even though I dropped you).

On Saturday, I went with Megan

to my second ever cross race. It hurt a lot and I was deep in the pain cave. Deeper than I have been in a long, looong time (with the exception of the World's TT).

Sunday was a road ride with new DS Jack, and "the girls". No pictures because the camera is too big to fit in the jersey pocket.

Riding bikes is fun. I like it A L-O-T.

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Friends for 28 years

In between riding at 9,000 ft, working, riding cross bikes on single track, working, and discovering THE BEST recovery drink possible, I managed to make it to the Slipstream/Chipotle team presentation this past week with The Mom.

We wanted to go support Jason Donald. His parents and my parents have been friends since before Jason and I were born (1979-80). He and I grew up skiing and schooling together. We then went our separate ways; me ski racing, Jason college going and steeplechase running. Now we have come full circle and are both racing our bikes. He's making a living doing it. I'm just doing it (ie. not really making anything but new experiences).

It was great to see him and I wish him the VERY best for the upcoming race season. How exciting!!

Riding Bikes

After World Champs, I was cooked. Totally tired. Tired of riding, tired of training, tired of eating "good for you food", tired of traveling and tired of being away from home, friends and family. It was time for a break.

A break I had, and it was great. Four weeks of nothing-ness. Except for 3 hikes, I did no exercise whatsoever. Instead, I caught up with friends, family, work and rest. Now I feel MUCH better.

Now, riding bikes is FUN! I've been on all kinds of bikes doing all sorts of riding; road, cross and even a mountain bike (and it was fun!).

It's easy to forget how fun riding a bike is. It's easy to become attached to the SRM becoming a robot on the bike. It's also easy to be so concerned with training that you forget to enjoy yourself and remember why you ride a bike: because it's FUN!