Wet and Soggy

 

Staying indoors....for now

Spring has a funny way of making a serious training effort - less than serious. The previous two weeks did allow for some reasonable cross country stuff on the hardtail, but I've grown particular about taking any bike into bad weather if it's not necessary. Over the years, I've learned the effects of running in harsh conditions and how it fowls everything. Thing is, its not immediate, as it usually manifest weeks later when cable-guides get jacked-up, or shifters don't wont work...that sort of thing. That said, there are times it has to be done and you live with it.

This week has been a series of intervals on an indoor spin-bike. Some people say this is as good as outdoor training, but I disagree. You can't develop skills and technique on a spin-bike. Sure, you can develop good mechanics, but you can't do any dynamic development. Rather, I choose to focus on specific strength and endurance matters when doing the indoor sessions. I did a series of spin classes about 20 years ago that were helpful, but it certainly wasn't everything I needed. Credit to the course instructor, as she focused on pedal mechanics and body position. To this day, my pedal stroke is spot on, even when I'm gassed. It speaks to the need of a great coach and mentor.

The Need to Push

There is a fine line between being too soft and pushing too hard. There are some pretty good single-track open over on the other side of the mountain, but I'm not sure I'm willing to take those chances. Some of it gets pretty technical, where as some of it can push the old cardio. I certainly don't feel comfortable on the hardtail down there, but I do need to improve some of my skills - make that a lot of my skills....a lot. Again, a delicate balance between programs. At this point it is about getting the best return for the effort and time. None of this is recreation riding, as there is no time for that yet. Measurables are not well defined at this point either. You see, when you train on your own, it is hard to be objective and see everything from a coaches perspective.

I remember walking into the first day of summer-ball my freshman year in college. I had spent the previous three summers training by myself, for the most part. The only measurable I had was how many times I felt like I would puke when running stairs by myself. Literally hours on end, doing my own thing without a single person telling me what I was doing wrong, or how to improve. Then I walked into that first day of college ball - and was I in over my head! I had timed a legit 4.6 second forty and felt I was going to be okay. I then found out that placed me about in the middle of roughly 125 other guys - who were much bigger and better than I. The first time we did 110 yard wind sprints, I was certain my heart would explode. And then the day we did "cat & mouse". It seems like it was the third morning of alleged "two-a-days". I found myself running with the DBs and wide-outs - the absolute fastest guys on the planet. I felt like an armadillo running with a pack of gazelle, being chased by a cheetah. Lets just say humility was served in industrial size doses that day. The point to all of this is simple - I had nothing to gage myself against prior to running with these guys. That season seemed to go on forever. By the end, I remember pushing the fastest upper classmen in my group all the way to the end-line when we did 110 yard wind sprints. I had developed confidence in myself that I didn't know that I had before. There were a lot of days I felt like I didn't belong there, but other days I knew I was good enough. What I learned from all of that was the value of good coaching and instruction. My particular position coach...well, he sucked. Some of the trainers and even most of the other players, they made me better every day. From that time on, I have always had an appreciation of what a good coach and a mentor actually are. Doing it alone is simply fooling ones own self.

Looking for Opportunities

We are looking at a few dirt races this summer, as that is where the emphasis will have to be. I need to get a qualifier under my belt to improve my corral position at Leadville. There is also one over in Wyoming that I've wanted to do for a number of years - but this is seriously different than anything I have done in the past - to this point anyway. Hopefully this week will yield some better opportunities.

Late Summer '81

I remember the weekend we finished two-a-days and had the O & D game. We had two days off to our selves - or so it seems. That Saturday evening, nursing my fatigue and crushed ego, I put on a favorite vinyl I had picked up from the reliable "Toad Tape". It was familiar and I was otherwise lost. Still in the darkness listening to the low nearly quiet track - it seems to have been a haunting. Talk about the wilderness............

Click here for the essential "Red House"

Pulling for Reed - Ride HARD!