Dangit!!!

I hate being sick. I usually don't get sick...but when I do....watch out. I get blasted for two or three days and then the crud usually hangs on for another two or three for a total of a week. I am slightly congested but I am feeling much better. Good enough in fact to hit the trainer for 2 hours again last night. Today though, wow....my quads are feeling it. I am making sure that I drink a ton today so that I can get the rest of the toxins out of my system.

I titled this DANGIT because I only lost 1/2 pound this week. The good news is that I didn't gain anything. So....progress is better than nothing.

Tonight....CCC group trainer ride?

Get over it....

I was down and out for a few days. Sinus pressure, aching joints, and generally ick had been attacking me since late Saturday. I have taken the necessary steps to recover: Nyquil, dayquil, orange, nyquil, lots of sleep, dayquil, orange, nyquil, more sleep, orange, spin on the trainer. Today I am slightly congested....but my overall feeling is much better. Tonight I shoot for a total of 300 miles for February.....again...to some of you that may not be much...but it is triple of what I did last February.

Time is cruising

I was looking over my mileage and ride time from last year. January was fairly close, but since I joined a team I have been really focusing on building endurance. My mileage and time through February last year is listed below:

2009 Mileage: 230.33
2009 Hours: 14:19:36

I have passed these two marks in February alone...and I still have a week to go. I think my mindset has changed a little this year because I have wanted to race well for so long but have lacked the motivation. I finally broke through that barrier this year and Laura at Cross Country gave me a spot on their team. Now I have motivation and accountability.

Motivation+accountability=POSITIVE EFFECTS

Interesting.....very interesting....

I realized today that I was only .02 away from 100 miles for the week. This might not seem like a lot of mileage to some people....but to put things in perspective....I only had 101.18 miles for the month of January. My training ride last night was very interesting because I have been mixing it up a little. This was the breakdown:

15 minute warmup
10 minute sprint
5 minute spin
5 minute sprint
10 minute spin
5 minute sprint
10 minute spin
7 minute sprint
8 minute spin
7 minute sprint
8 minute spin
7 minute sprint
8 minute spin
5 minute sprint
10 minute cool down

2 hours was a pipe dream on the trainer for me about 3 weeks ago. I never pushed myself and I have suffered for it over the years. Now, I am pushing myself and pushing past the barriers that have been holding me back on the bike. I am still overweight, but I am riding farther and faster than I was at this time last year. With just less than 9 weeks to the Yankee time trial I just need to continue on the path that I have found. Mileage will be my friend in February and March. I hope to get outside on the trails by mid-March and see how I have progressed. Until then, you can find me hammering away in my little training room...watching a movie or jamming to music and working on cadence.

Total mileage is already at 185.41 for February at the half way point. Mileage for the year is 286.59.

Oh...and I have lost 9 pounds since January 1st. Progress.

Beginnings

I wanted 2010 to be different. I wanted to either create a mountain bike team or join an existing team. There are a lot of different teams to choose from, but just one that I have wanted to join since I started riding. I finally had the opportunity to join Cross Country Cycle this year. I have known John, Brian, and Laura for a long time. They have given me pointers and listened to my stories for years. Well, Laura sent me the contract for the team and I joined. This year I will once again race Beginner Clydesdale. I will be doing the MMBA CPS and going for an overall award. I have just less than 10 weeks until Yankee Springs so I am on the trainer mashing away. This is the year I begin to actually race.....and make my presence known.