LEARNING TO RIDE A BIKE is filled with excitement, fear, and lots of scrapes and bruises.  We press through because everyone we see on a bike...

... has a great big smile.

We want that,
the teacher wants it for us.

Finally we get it.

And, at least in my case, it stopped there.

Hall-ah-freakin-lu-yah!

What
and when
and who with

... were left up to me.

I'll be forever grateful for learning how...

... and the freedom to do it my way.

--- 

168.2 lbs (safe to say, it's time to get seriouser)
8ish hrs sleep
Pullups, pushups, squats, presses
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 
56 

Rip On Raceday

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES I HAVE with our local morning group ride is that it starts at 6:30am.  If it was out my front door...

... not that hard.

It's not.

Takes me 50ish minutes to ride to the start,
which means I'm up at 5am.

Also...

... not that hard.

However, getting to bed at 9...

... is not my standard.

I'm more of a 930-10pm guy.

Therefore, if I don't hit the hay early...

... I'm foggy, at best, the rest of day.

Plus, slower on the bike.

Oh, there's a long list of shift that results from lack of sleep.

What's an athlete to do?

Before I tell, 
you are forewarned...

... this won't make you popular.

You might lose touch with friends, 
or lose them altogether.

We all have a choice...

... live our best lives or live a lower version.

This allows to tap into our superpower...

... set you alarm clock for bedtime.

Every.
Single.
Night.

Or suffer the consequences:

• Inhibited ability to perform
• Decreased handling skills
• Quicker exhaustion
• Decreased reaction time
• Difficulty learning and decision making
• Increased risk of injury
• Increased risk for illness
• Poor recovery
• Memory issues
• Weight gain
• Poor balance
• ... Low sex drive

Like I said,
it might be socially unpopular but...

... wouldn't you rather operate at your optimum?

I would.

---

166.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pullups, pushups, squats, presses
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

ONE OF THE KEYS TO RIPPING LONG RACES is remembering where you are.  Yeah, you're racing.  Yeah, you're clicking off the miles.  But...

... where the heck are you?

And, there's more than that.

• Are you on track?
• When is the next stop?
• Does your support know when to expect you?

So, I always write down on a piece of tape with a sharpie my goals to be at certain locations at certain times...

... and stick it on my top tube.

This keeps all of us coordinate.

More importantly,
it keeps me focused.

The long races, 6+ hours, can be grueling.
They can wear us down to the point...

... of forgetting why we even signed up in the first place.

Looking down at the humble piece of tape,
seeing my goals...

• engages my mind
• re-centers my effort
• keeps me on the pace

... snaps me back to the present moment.

I don't just use this practice for racing...

... I write down everything I plan to do,
and when I plan to have it done.

---

166.2 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
No strength work
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

THE SATURDAY MORNING RIDE.  We work all week, and with a little planning and luck we carve out some time to ride.  In the beginning...

... it takes some discipline.

Not the riding.

The commitment.

We are working to establish a habit.
For the most part, a good one.

But, that changes over time.

It becomes a ritual.

• A set time to leave
• An expected amount of time to be gone
• The proper dress code observed
• A dedicated place to meet
• A consistent slaying of trails, gravel, pavement
• A flogging of the sinners who are not as fit as they shouldcould be.

Yep, this is our ritual.
Our practice.
Our faith.

We made the jump.

We are far beyond
discipline and habit.

---

166.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
20 minutes recovery 
12-0 minutes reading + Journaling 

I PINGED CHAT GTP AND SEVERAL OTHER AI regarding training methods of Belgians 100 years ago.  Why not?  A lot of knowledge is refined, regurgitated or plain ol' forgotten...

... maybe there's something to be rediscovered?

Oddly?
or, maybe not.

The answers across the AI were eerily similar.

I say eerily because who wants to live in a silo?

Anyway, 
here's the bottom line:

It’s important to note that these training methods were not as scientific or structured as they are today. Cyclists often relied on their own experience and intuition to guide their training. However, despite the lack of modern technology and scientific understanding, many Belgian cyclists were able to achieve impressive results using these methods.

Shocking!
I mean, shocking?

When it comes right down to it, is there anything better than...

... relying on our own experience and intuition to guide our training?

I don't think so.

Not when were really into it,
when we really know our bodies.

Me, for instance, I'm rebuilding my fitness.

I realized what a distraction it is to look at the data pouring across my little Wahoo screen.

• Maybe I should put out more power?
• Gosh, my heart rate is ____!
• I've only gone X miles?

So, I fire up the Wahoo,
put it in my jersey pocket.

Time to ride on just experience and intuition...

... same thing I do when racing.

---

166.9 lbs
9ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
10 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

MY PAL PETE AND I DECIDED WE WERE REALLY FIT and that we could do anything with just a hint of training.  Racing bikes was kina ho-hum...

... so we signed up for a 10k running race.

We were so arrogant,
we rode our bikes 15 miles to the start.

We lined up in the back, 
because, you know, we were going to
squash these runners.

Gun goes off.

We quickly move forward.

Up to the top 50-100.

Really running.
Hard.

Suddenly, I notice I'm breathing way too loud.

Uh-oh.

My legs hurt,
my hips hurt,
everything hurts.

And, I'm moving backwards quickly.

Chubby guy cruises by.

Oldish lady...

... did she elbow me out of the way?

Kids are skipping and laughing and disappearing up the road.

But, it was the guy in flip flops who said...

... Hang in there, only 3 more miles...

... that really did me in.

Here's the dill.

On the outside, at the start,
looking at these racers,
I would have bet $10,000 on me and Pete.

Looking at competitors is a poor way to pass judgement...

... it's the inside, the heart, that counts.

 ---

166.2 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
10 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

I was going to post this and then I went for a ride and decided it was too mean, whadaya think?... 

THERE ARE THREE MAIN THINGS LOSERS DO.  I say losers, in this case, meaning they are literally losing out.  If they persist, then, yeah...

... the other kind.

It always surprises me when people make these very basic mistakes.

Even if they are new, 
I find it,
perplexing.

I think you do, too.

Because, for us,
it's just second nature.

Probably because we have learned the hard way.

Not only that, we try and pass this basic knowledge along to every new rider we can.

Still, they...

• Forget gear when going to a ride or race
• Completely foul up their nutrition and bonk
• Neglect the bike prep only to have mechanical difficulty

... and, we shake our heads.

They are losing out on a more excellent ride.

We deal with it,
they are our friends.

However, if it persists one of two things is gonna happen...

• We don't invite them any more
• We leave them behind

... because, well, you know they are....

How's that for setting up a shameless plug on why we do what we do?

• The RaceDay Bag™ has a built in checklist to make sure we bring everything
• It comes with a RaceDay Bike Check List, too, so bike is properly prepped
• And an insane Never Forget Anything guarantee.

... that way my friends are always invited,
and never left behind.

 ---

166.9 lbs
9ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN RAINY DAYS were awesome.  Mostly, around here, it meant nobody was riding.  Not me, not anybody else.  Which was perfect...

... if I couldn't ride anyway.

You see the selfishness right?

If I can't ride,
I'm stoked you can't either.

It means nobody is getting in the secret miles.

But, that's hardly true these days.

It's not the trainers,
those have been around forever.

It's the virtual racing,
that is a game changer.

In fact, I know plenty of people who do a fair amount of their riding virtually.

• It's available 24-7
• Not hampered by weather
• All the social connections of a group ride (with right equipment).

Can you blame them?

I can't.

But, I still blame the weather for my own lack of getting it done.

 ---

166.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

YEAH, THE RECOVER IS GOING PRETTY GOOD.  Spoke to my neuroscientist pal, who confirmed my suspicions.  It's good news for me...

... is it good news for you?

Well, yeah, if you taking the Rip On RaceDay 30-Day Challenge.

If you're not, then sit up and pay attention.

Here's what he said.

You're probably doing so well because...

• you're exercising every day
• not eating bread
• staying away from grains
• not drinking diet drinks or artificial sweeteners
• eating plenty of veggies and protein
• getting outside in the sunshine
• lifting weights
• getting plenty of sleep, 9-10 or more hours

... right?

I sheepishly said Yes.

Which was mostly true.

But, I gotta cut out all grains and all bread, even my beloved chips and salsa and special sour dough bread.  I've backslid on the diet drinks, those gotta go.  Other than that, I'm mostly on track.

Main thing I need to add is a lot more fish oil.  
Not a problem, I love sardines.

in other words, it's time to practice ALL that I preach.

So, how're you doing?  Yes, you my loyal reader.  How. Are. You. Doing?

Could you tighten things up a bit?

Or, do you need a serious crack in the head like I got to up your game?

Which brings me back to the title of this post, Coddled vs. Throttled?

Here's the dill, for me...

... I prefer to be throttled.

Put me on a ridiculously difficult course, in with the heavy hitters, tell me the honesttogosh truth...

... make me suffer!

Then, and only then, I might merit some coddling.

Maybe it's time for a serious challenge...

... and little coddling 30 days later?

Rip On RaceDay 30-Day Challenge

 ---

165.9 lbs
9ish hrs sleep
PullUps, PushUPs, Split Squats, Shoulder Presses
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

FOR THE MOST PART, we are a healthy lot.  We skip cigars, pass up the bars.  Well, then, where's a cyclist to go to share our struggles, solve our problems...

... shoot the shift?

Dudes,
we ride together...

... and we share, solve and shoot.

That's where we get it done.

What about the lady riders?

Where are they bonding and supporting?

There are so few of them, 
mostly they ride with guys...

... don't think I've ever see an all, or mostly, female group ride.

Is that why so few ladies ride, compared to men?

Are they missing what the guys are getting?

Is that the main reason guys ride?

 ---

164.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

I DID A POLE OF THE RACEDAY RIPPERS.  I asked them If they had to pick just one bike what would it be?  They had 4 options to pick from.  What would you answer be...

... you need the options first.

Here they are:

• Road
• MTB
• Gravel
• One of Each (acceptable though hard to explain to family and friends)

It came down to a tie between two options, evenly split.

33% for each.

Gravel and One of Each.

Why?

Well, what would your choice be?

Back to Why?

I think it comes down the basic human nature...

... we want to go on a journey.

Not just any journey.

One where we are heroic,
in our own minds at least.

That, I think, is the true appeal of "gravel" (such a dumb name)...

... the appeal of a bike that can handle mixed surfaces.

On that type of bike we have incredible freedom combined with the high likelihood of finding ourselves...

... in place far, far away from our predictable existence.

With luck we'll...

• Shed some blood without breaking bones.
• Find out we can do much more than we thought.
• Gain new confidence, skill, and special experience.

... acquire our own superpowers.

Is it any wonder these bikes and events with mixed surfaces are exploding?

 ---

164.8 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull Ups Pushups Squats Presses
10 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

THINKING OF GETTING A COACH?  Good.  You can get better faster by learning from an expert.  Be it a book, a video, a podcast.  Only a human can...

... answer this question.

The answer will instantly tell you if this relationship is gonna work out.

After small talk, after the coach's spiel, when the conversation stalls...

... ask this:

If we were meeting 3 years from now, looking back, what has to happen for you to be happy with my progress?

Trust me, conversation is gonna stay stalled.

Don't say a thing.

Wait for the answer.

Listen to what is said.

Ask yourself...

... Is this the kind of person I want to have a relationship with?

That's it.

I've used the question many times over the years, usually when hiring somebody.  There are lots of variations.

It works.

Learned it from the great Dan Sullivan.

---

162.6 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull Ups Pushups Squats Presses
10 minutes recovery 
150 minutes reading + Journaling 

IMAGINE YOU'RE STARTING FROM ZERO.  How do you build volume? Are there rules of thumb?  When do you introduce intensity?  Does it matter?...

... can you wing it?

Good questions.

Short answers:

• Build volume as fast as you can, which isn't going to be very fast if you are starting from zero.
• There are no rules of thumb, it's ruled by legs and lungs.  Do what you can.
• Introduce intensity as soon as you want, it ain't going to be much.
• Yes, it matters.

Long answer.

There are a number of good books on the subject.  Anything by Joe Friel will give you a good plan.  

You don't need a power meter, mainly because you're will not be putting out much power early on.  

But, you do need a heart rate monitor.

In the beginning of the first rides, the heart rate monitor will be exciting.  Then after a few miles, it will dim.  Reality will set in as that heart rate gets lower and lower because you have no stamina built up.  After a few weeks or months, the HR monitor will serve as a governor...

... holding you back.

This is good.

Because if you're tired, you can't do intensity properly.

Introduce the intensity one day per week.  

Don't look at the HR monitor too much, instead get after it.  Could be a group ride you want to desperately hang on to, a Zwift session with same obsession, or simply chasing that mystical PR you want to breatk.

Check the HR data when the ride is over.

Important answer:

• Pick an event far in the future - you need time.
• Set an insane goal.
• Get registered.

Nothing exceptional will come with your training without a date with destiny...

... that's paid for!

---

164.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull Ups Pushups Squats Presses
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

SO, IT'S GONNA WIND UP BEING 8 WEEKS OFF THE BIKE since the noggin took a hit.  If I do the ol' traditional math, that's 8 X 3 (weeks to get back the fitness for every 1 week off the bike)...

... 24 weeks, errrr 6 months?

That's hella long time.

The big question is...

... do I love it that much?

And by it, I do not mean the obvious...

... riding my bike.

I mean being in shape and the...

... feeling of being fast.

If I'm being honest, and I always am with you...

... I've forgotten what that feels like.

Surfgirl said Let's go on a ride today...

... and I jumped at the chance to ride with her support.

How'd it go?

Well, even though I was on my MTB...

... I still easily dropped her.

Nothing new there.

What was new was how hard I had to work to catch her,
huffing and puffing and legs burning...

... at a pace I recall doing for hours, endlessly.

This time it was for about 2 minutes.

Was I surprised?
Disappointed?

Let's just say I laughed out loud when I saw what Training Peaks was showing for my fitness.

37.

Yep, nearly 100 points lower than my all time max fitness just 18 months ago.

Lesson:  fitness disappears, fast.

Lesson:  I'm gonna bring it back, patiently (not my superpower, but a lesson to learn).

Who's in?

---

164.8lbs
9ish hrs sleep
Pull Ups Pushups Squats Presses
10 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling 

THERE IS A LOT OF BANTER about weight training.  We should do it in the off-season, shy away from in the race season.  Frankly...

... I couldn't disagree more.

Weight training is for those who want:

• stronger bones
• to build muscle
• put out more power
• improved core strength
• better grip strength

Who want's that?

Year round?

Oh,
well,
me.

You?

Top 3 exercises we should all be doing?

• Pull Ups or bent rows to build up strength for pull ups
• Push Ups
• Squats - I like Bulgarian Split Squats

Takes just a few minutes to do a set.

Very little equipment needed: pull up bar, some dumbbells...

... or skip the minor investment.

• have weak bones
• look like a T-Rex
• less power
• weaker core
• pathetic grip

It's your body...

... and I'm just a dude, not a doctor!

 ---

164.8lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull Ups Pushups Squats Presses
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

IN GETTING CAUGHT UP WITH THE LATEST BREAKING CYCLNG NEWS, I saw an article title and it's bugged me ever since.  Maybe I'm heartless, from a different generation...

... or maybe this guy is just weak.

The title of the article is, They Lost Faith In Me.

Honestly, I can't believe I even bothered to read it.

But, after a week of it percolating as a top article...

... it got me like a slow moving train wreck.

As expected, featured racer blamed his lack of success on the team losing faith in him.

Bro, it's not the team's job to have faith in you.
They are paying you.
Faith is there.

That's my first reaction.

Bro, them's fighting words.
Now go prove 'em wrong.
Create the failth.

Earn it.

That's my second reaction.

What happened to good ol'...

... if it's to be, it's up to me!?

Or... 

... fake it, 'till ya make it!?

In the end, I couldn't decide if I should feel sorry for a grown man having such a pathetic excuse...

... or be ticked off that such lameness made the front page.

Bottom line,
like it or not...

... it's our responsibility to be confident,
and to infect all those around us with such assuredness.

Life,
racing,
everything...

... is more fun, and, oh, ah, successful!

 ---

162.7 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

THERE ARE SINS, and then there are things we personally consider sins.  Either way, 'Vegas promise that what happens in 'Vegas stays in 'Vegas...

... is a big fat lie.

Not a big deal.

We are only letting ourselves,
and those we committed to...

... down.

For example, the second Friday in January is known as Quitter's Day because by then...

... most people have thrown in the towel on their resolutions.

Like I said, 
not a big deal...

... unless you want to
improve,
make changes,
stay true to what matters.

If that's on the line,
we can't afford to sin,
and if we do we've got to...

... repent right away, 
and keep moving forward.

So,
how are those resolutions doing?

I had two:

• Get to bed around 9,
  start day before 6.
• Get back to race weight,
  under 163.

The only reason I'm mostly on track is due to putting myself in the hospital on Jan 8th...

• appetite disappeared
• needed a lot more sleep

... otherwise, I'd be struggling.

Which is better than quitting.
A lot better.

Struggling,
good.
Repenting,
good.
Never quitting,
Best.

Keep up the good fight.

 ---

162.7 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
No Strength Work
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT, we stand for a few things.  And, it matters.  Because this is...

... how we roll.

The Racer's Creed

• Access to bicycles - and anything that makes you stronger and better - should be unlimited.
• Always yield to the In Real Life Imperative.
• All racing should be free.
• Mistrust tradition, government recommendations - promote bro-science.
• Racers should be judged by their racing, not by bogus criteria like KOMs, USAC Category, age, color or gender.
• You can be free and forever young on a bicycle.
• Bicycles change your life for the better.

Agree or Disagree?
Lemmeknow.

 ---

165.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull ups, push ups, presses, squats
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED RIDING?  For most of us, it was a magical time.  Each ride a little further, a little faster.  Each effort...

... a little easier.

No wonder we got hooked.

Still, 
some wonder off.

Is it because the day comes when going further, faster, with less effort is no longer predictable?

Shoot, forget predictable...

... sometimes those days have months between them.

Even years.

I can tell you this, as I impatiently wait for clearance to get back on my bike and start riding again...

... knowing I'll get better every ride keeps me hanging on.

Can you relate?

 ---

164.9 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Pull ups, push ups, presses, squats
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

ROAD BIKES use road tires.  Most of us find a favorite, and that's what we run day, night, rain, shine.  For MTB, it's basically the same formula.  Find a tire we like, run it regardless.  For gravel...

... ugh.

First off, gravel ain't just gravel.

It's gravel and asphalt and single track and rocky terrain.

So, a gravel tire needs to be fast on asphalt, tacky on gravel turns, nimble on techy stuff and rugged on the rockies.

What's the ol' saying?

There's fast, cheap and quality...

... you can only pick two.

But, we're racing.

We want fast, light and rugged...

... and we want all three.

Not gonna happen.

Me?

I'll take fast and light, banking on my handling skills to get me safely through the rugged stuff.

Is that enough?

Probably not.

If it really matters, 
gotta pre-run the course,
then pick the very best option...

... not easy,
but, that's what make it fun. 

 ---

164.9 lbs
9ish hrs sleep
Pull ups, push ups & squats
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

ON THE START LINE there is always a lot of emotion.  Some are scared, some are anxious, some are seething, some are just happy to be there.  And...

... it's all good.

Well, kinda.

Facts are facts.

The more emotion we have the more productive we will be.

There's just one problem.

It might not be positive productivity.

Personally, I prefer to make up some story in my head regarding an innocent competitor...

... that ticks me off.

Take that manufactured angst,
turn it up all the way to 11...

... and let emotion do it's thing.

It is nearly a lock that I will race better,
be more and better calculating...

... and not give a hoot about what others think.

So, yeah...

... I triple that emotion.

 ---

163.9 lbs
8 hrs sleep
No strength work.
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling 

ROCK COBBLER 11 IS THIS WEEKEND.  With all the rain we've had, and a little more forecast this week, it's all set up for an epic adventure...

... for at least 50% of the riders.

We are at deer in the headlinghts point.

Some are wondering if they should go at all.

Others are relishing the epicality.

Whether racers ride through someone's house,
see some knucklehead get skewed by a bull,
need ropes to make it up the hikeabike,
have mud so thick they grind to a halt...

... one thing is for sure.

The weather just makes it so much more of a quest.

Here's the mantra, whatever the weather...

... it's going to be perfect for me,
and rotten for everyone else.

It's selfish, 
I know.

But,
it works.

Which is why I prefer riding outdoors to indoors...

... weather I like it or not.

 ---

162.9 lbs
9ish hrs sleep
No strength work.
10 minutes recovery 
30 minutes reading + Journaling 

THERE ARE LEGENDS, and then there's the rest of us.  The difference isn't obvious if we're walking down the street or eating an ice cream cone...

.. it's clear when nobody is looking.

As hard as we may be struggling to regain our health,
or to reach a new level of performance,
you'd never know...

... just by looking at us.

To really know if we are a 
nobody,
anybody,
or somebody...

... we'd have to be followed 24/7.

This quote hit me hard today.

"No matter how hard you train,
Somebody will train harder.
No matter how hard you run,
Somebody will run harder.
No matter how much you want it,
Somebody will want it more.
I am Somebody."

—Steve Prefontaine

Are we going to be Somebody?

 ---

162.8 lbs
9ish hrs sleep
No strength work.
10 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

WHAT COMES AROUND, goes around.  Some call it karma, others call it fate, maybe it's just...

... wages earned.

We can have all the talent in the world, 
but, if we aren't spinning the pedals around who'll ever know?

Not us.
Not anybody else.

Talented racers are spinning more,
a lot more.

The spinning brings up the talent,
the talent doesn't make the racers spin.

The old timers knew it.

AEddy Merckx, Piles of miles.

The current crop knows it.

Dr Stephen Seiler, 80% of your training is to be easy, and only 20% hard.

We know it.

Want more talent, spin (ride) more...

... a lot more, 
talent will increase.

 ---

162. lbs
9ish hrs sleep
Push Ups, Pull Ups, Squats, Nordics, Shoulder Presses - a little more every day.
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling 

WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, too few of us can handle the truth.  Our flabby arms, soft as a baby'sbutt hands, round shoulders and bent necks...

... belie the truth.

We were born for more.

Proof...

• Do pullups, grow calluses
• Do pushups, grow muscle
• Do squats, improve stature
• Ride far and easy, drop resting heartrate

... is what we easily observe given just a short amount of time.

When nurses rushed in to my room during my lovely stay in the ICU...

... they scared the crud out of me.

Are you okay?

Yeah, why?

Your heartrate dropped into the 30's.

Oh, it's finally getting back to normal.

What?

Yep, that's normal for me.

And that's the freaky thing.

We, the fit, are a rare breed.
The pros aren't quite sure what to do with us.

It shouldn't be that way,
but, it is.

In A Few Good Men, Col. Jessup is badgered and cornered into exclaiming the famous line...

... You want the truth?  You can't handle the truth!

The truth about our bodies' capabilities is all around us...

... yet, is it rarely explained or shamed.

With just a little effort, in a short amount of time,
we can easily see that not only can we dramatically improve things...

... we were born to do such,
the life force is stronger than we think.

This is the way.

 ---

162.6 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Push Ups Pull Ups Squats Shoulder Presses - a little more every day.
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling

THERE ARE LOTS OF FOUR LETTER WORDS.  Just saying that connotes negativity and degeneracy. Clarifying the ones that start with 'f' and...

... you've got to cover your ears.

But, really... 

... is F-E-A-R all that bad?

Yes,
and no.

Depends on how we use it.

One of the reasons a public declaration is so powerful is the fear that...

... we will F-A-I-L.

 Which, is why most of us never make public declarations.

Too scary.
Too much commitment.
and way too much chance for ostracization.

Nobody wants that,
so we skip the declarations.

But, what if we didn't?

What if we tapped into that power?

Besides...

... who gives a shiFt what others think?

I ain't a FEAR to FAIL..

... I'm way more a FEAR to not FIND out what's possible.

 ---

161.6 lbs
9ish hrs sleep
Push Ups Pull Ups Squats Shoulder Presses - a little more every day.
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling

I JUST FINISHED, for the third or fourth time, The ONE Thing.  The joke of the book (ie: the main point) is that there is1 thing above all others that we need to focus on...

... to get results quickly and easily.

If that's true, 
there is just 1 question...

... what is the 1 thing when it comes to ripping on raceday?

I can think of 100 things,
or more...

• Ride
• Polarized training
• Diet
• Sleep
• Recovery
• Stretch
• Intervals
• Race simulation
• Bike maintenance
• Rest
• Race logistics
• Team game plan
• Travel plans
• Pick an A race/event

... there's a few.

Once the 1 thing is figured out...

... where is it time blocked?

• Early morning
• Lunch time
• Afternoon
• Evening
• Which days of week

If it ain't protected,
treated as sacred...

... it will likely be sacrificed.

This year, I planned on testing out a new work schedule.  Which is why I picked this book up again.

The schedule, once I'm cleared medically, that I want to test is...

• 7-11 my ONE Thing for work
• 11-2 Go for a ride, get some lunch
• 2-5 return calls and emails

... just need to get back to 100%.

Today's trial was hit and miss.  It was my first day trying to work.  Not easy.  The most challenging thing is to mentally hold and concentrate on fairly complex projects.

I'll get there.

In the meantime...

... what's your ONE Thing?

 ---

160.5 lbs
8ish hrs sleep
Push Ups Pull Ups Squats Shoulder Presses
20 minutes recovery 
180 minutes reading + Journaling

WE HAVE A CHOICE.  A quick and easy win.  A long-range, outrageous goal.  Most of the time...

... we make the wrong choice.

The quick win feels good,
it's easy to snag.

And that's the problem.

The quick and easy wins usually lead us off the path to long-range and outrageous goals.

But, why?

Because the long-range goal is so far off in the distance, it looks small...

We forget,
get discouraged,
grow too impatient.

... it's actually massive, just a long ways off.

 ---

162.3 lbs
8.5 hrs sleep
0 strength work
20 minutes recovery 
240 minutes reading + Journaling

WHEN PEOPLE STOP BY TO VISIT they inevitably want to check out the garage.  Oddly, they aren't impressed by the stacks of surfboards, or the quiver of bicycles...

... there is one thing that sticks out.

Over in the corner is a somewhat rusty, cobwebby and neglected unicycle.

Can you ride it?

Maybe, it's been quite a while.

This is just me goofing on them.  I know perfectly well, that even if it's been over a year, I can get on the uni and...

... make it look easy.

But, first I pretend to really struggle.
Several fake and shaky starts.

It's like riding a bike,
put in the time and you'll always be able to do it.

Which is probably why Nurse Ratchet is so pissed at me today.

Bored out of my mind,
easily skipping down the stairs in the house,
doing lunges and walking backwards with zero issue...

... I couldn't wait until she left.

The second the garage door shut, I hustled upstairs and threw on a kit for the first time in 3 weeks.

I'd secretly lubed and checked out the MTB the night before.

It was go time.

Kitted up,
aired up...

... there was only one thing left to do.

Throw my leg over the saddle, and pedal.

Gotta be honest, 
I was a little scared to clip in and go.

But, I couldn't take another day of lethargy indoors.

The first few strokes were glorious.

I was free,
at last.

There was no need to hurry, she'd be gone at least 2 hours.

I chose the MTB because of the fat tires and full suspension, figuring it was the bike least likely to jostle my noggin.

My balance was fine.
My ability to process information was still slow, and dull.

After 20ish minutes, I reached the top of the local trail system.

I stopped.
Gave thanks.
Took in the view.

It felt so good to...

• hear my breathing
• feel the sweat
• be outside

... things we think we are grateful for, but have no clue until we can't access them on demand.

I stood and coasted ever so slowly down the trail.

An hour later I was home, after more stops and moments of appreciation.

Refreshed,
encouraged.

I knew my recovering brain needed oxygen flow,
my body need to be taxed,
balance tested.

A quick shower,
change of clothes,
Nurse Ratchet would never know.

One problem.

She has Strava,
she follows me,
I was busted.

She stormed in pissed,
didn't want to talk about it.
Said I'd been stupid and reckless.

As usual,
she's right.

But, you know what they say...

... it's like riding a bike,
you never forget.

How do I feel?

Well, I took a catnap.  So it musta been challenging.
My head seems fine.

Will I ride again?

Def.

How soon?

Unsure.

How long?

Lesssure.

Am I all better?

Not even close.

Because my ability to process information is diminished, I'm riding very slow.  Another reason to stay on MTB and off the roads.

It's gonna be a minute, I'm predicting 3-6 more weeks to restore confidence.  I'm cool with that.  Spring goals have been tabled.  Time is on my side.

Am I getting better?

Fo sho.

Will she forgive me?

Yeah, in a few days or weeks.

Am I upset about that?

Not even.
She cares,
and that's all I care about.

 ---

162.3 lbs
8 hrs sleep
A few pullups, pushups and air squats
20 minutes recovery 
180 minutes reading + Journaling

WE HAVE A HIGH SPEED TRAIL NEARBY.  It's lined with cactus, lovingly waiting to give the uncontrolled a great big bear hug.  Most escape... 

... a few get a gentle reminder.

But, it often doesn't show up for weeks.

One day, you wake and think...

... dawgawnit, my knuckle really hurts.

We can't remember why until a few days later...

... a sliver of cactus prickly starts to surface.

Oh yeah, I musta brushed some cactus a while back.

Here's the real lesson in that...

• not to slow down and scrub some speed
• not to wear hard plastic knuckle savers
• not to change a thing

... to remember slivers count, too.

In fact, sometimes they're downright painful.
Most of the time, forgettable.
Unimpactful...

... or so we think, 
until they resurface.

If we're smart, 
and I know you are...

... we realize the real gains
more often than not...

... come in slivers.

Unnoticable,
unmemorable,
unremarkable, too...

... so we think they don't count,
that no progress is being made.

But, they do.
And, we stack 'em.
Gather 'em, store 'em...

... unleash 'em when it matters.

Competitors be thinking,
How the heck did he/she do that?!

We be thinking the same thing,
How the heck'd I do that?!

Then we be rememberin'...

... one sliver at a time.

 ---

162.4 lbs
8 hrs sleep
Got in a few more pullups, pushups and air squats
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling

UP UNTIL WE ARE ABOUT 18 YEARS OLD, we don't have bucket lists.  We have something quite different and significantly more powerful and dangerous.  Cover your ears kids... 

... this is about the less famous, Phucket List.

You know the one.

You're, 13, at the top of a big hill and challenged to go brakeless and see if you can not only make the corner at the bottom, but carry enough speed to clear the 15' jump across the stream.

Or, you're 15, on the shore watching huge, mountainous waves wipe out every surfer in the water and challenged to not just paddle out, but get beyond the breakers and then somehow catch one of the monsters back to shore.

The young don't say, Oh, I can't make it today but it's definitely on my bucket list to do...

... there's too much shame in that.

Instead, the young say Phucket...

... and go for it.

Why?

Because the young know two things:

• They will live forever
• They can't get permanently hurt

Of course, neither is true.

The only thing that is true is that not going for it is despicable.

Around 20, we aren't verbalizing bucket list, but we are assembling it with thoughts like these:

• I'm gonna find my soulmate
• Have some kids
• Build a cool career
• Travel to exotic places
• Do back flips off bridges

Of course, making those things happen requires, again, two things:

• Living forever
• Not getting permanently hurt

Neither one of which is true, or likely.

Which is why bucket lists are for losers.

They allow us to dream, and put things off for Some Day I'll...

... slowly killing us in the process.

Then, one day, we do something really stupid, like I did...

• Cause my pull up bar to fail
• Knock myself out
• Spend days in ICU

... and just like that, life changes in seconds.

Which is why we need to kill the Bucket List and... 

... live with a phucket list.

• Any question of what is possible
• Any criticism of how we are doing things
• Any doubts about our plans
• Any postponing of what we want to do 

We need to have one, and only one, response...

... phucket..

I'm doing it,
now!!

 ---

161.4 lbs
10 hrs sleep
Snuck in a few pullups, pushups and air squats
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling

WHEN I FINALLY WOKE UP, 3 days after the accident, I wanted to cry.  Not because I was alone in a cold, dark hospital room.  Not because my head was pounding. I ached...

... for the less fortunate.

Regardless of how I got there, I still had everything going for me.

Family,
friends,
children.

Visiting,
praying,
buoying me.

Incredible medical facilities,
wonderful, caring
staff.

I felt, and feel, overwhelmingly blessed and looked after.

How did I merit such goodness in my life?
How could I do better supporting those in need? 

Even though my brain had been scrambled, 
as difficult as it is to process information quickly...

... I never doubted I'd recover.

I'm so grateful to be alive...

... taking courage from the Grateful Dead's Touch Of Grey.

I will get by,
I will survive,
We will get by,
We will survive.

Because my brain is broken and there are little to no visual cues, it's hard to appreciate what thinking and doing and conversation feels like to me.

I look mostly fine.

This is the best I could come up with...

... asking me to engage is like asking me to run a 5k two to three weeks after breaking my leg.

Where I'm at now.

Starting last week, 8ish days post accident, my body started to hurt a lot.  Way, way worse than my head ever did.

When the pull up bar broke loose and cracked me in the forehead it must have knocked me out.  My buns and upper hamstrings and lower back were tremendously painful, indicating to me I had probably just had fallen straight backward on my tush then smacked my back of my head.

That body pain is mostly behind me.

My secret?

Taking a very hot shower 5-6-7 times a day, loosens everything up.

I'm off all meds during the day, and only taking Tylenol 2-3 times during the night.

This is great.

I had been really nervous to take the heavy stuff for a prolonged period of time.  I'd done that 30 years ago, and subsequently suffered migraines for almost 10 years.

Fortunately, the PEDALindustries crew is awesome.  Things are flowing as they should.  Just wonderful.

Your messages, and kindness, and support have been a great lesson to me...

... it's okay to cry tears of gratitude. 

 ---

159.4 lbs
10 hrs sleep
0 strength
40 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling

THE LAST WORDS OUT OF MY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN'S MOUTH were shocking and memorable. Once I had caught him up on my situation, he said...

... Defend your life.

- Todd

---

Hey everyone, this is Shane, Todd's son. On January 8th, Todd had an accident at home, resulting in a traumatic brain injury and multiple skull fractures. He spent 5 days in the ICU.

We happily welcomed him home on Saturday and he's in good care with Surfer Girl. He's on track for a great recovery! For an athlete like Todd, we know he'll be (RaceDay) ready to rip as soon as he can.

First, he'll spend 10 more days in a dark room being the most boring person on earth.  Then he'll slowly, very slowly, return to his passion: writing the blog, developing cool new gear, and shredding the local trails.

Stay tuned!

Shane

P.S. Yes, it was his idea to share the photo :)

 ---

159
1,000 hrs
0 strength
1,000,000 minutes recovery 
0 minutes reading + Journaling

I'M GOING DOWN THE INTERVALS RABBIT HOLE, and I'm not sure I like it.  There are a number of reasons, not the least of which...

... the social angle.

Committing to a structured interval program is for losers...

... I mean loners.

And that's not all.

It hurts.

It's one thing to be on the group ride, going all out, and tell myself...

• Well, I'm just not feeling it today
• or, It's ok those guys are faster
• oh, if only I was lighter

... pull the plug, and drift off the back.

It's quite another to be hitting high power numbers easily on this first go...

... and watch those numbers sink as the efforts repeat.

Why?

Because the numbers don't lie.

I saw this last week.

4 efforts, 8 minutes long.

The first time, I ran out of road and had to take a turn to keep going...

... by the end, there was plenty of road left.

Just not enough Todd.

Do I like intervals?
No.

Do I like training hard efforts alone?
No.

Am I going to quit?
No.

I'm intrigued.
I want to see what I've got...

... and how fitness changes with new methods.

New Year,
New Methods.

---

164.5
7.5 hrs
No strength
0 minutes recovery 
180 minutes reading + Journaling

SO FUN TODAY.  I thought it would be a lot dryer, hadn't rained since Wednesday.  No puddles.  Definitely extra friction, that velcro feeling of...

... sticky lugs.

Hero dirt.

It's called hero dirt because we can carve the turns with confidence
just like our heroes.

Those tires aren't slippin',
they're grippin'.

The longer we ride it,
the more we lean and defy gravity.

The result?

Sometimes,
over confidence.

You know what comes with rain, right?

Ruts.

Towards the end of today's adventure, about 3 hours in, we were really feelin' it.

Laying down PRs.

Naturally, we'd need to hit the steepest,
and less well known trail...

... last.

What do they say about the last run?

Don't take it!

The segment is fittingly titled,
Dragon's Back Proper.

I'm not going to say it's the gnarliest trail ever,
still, there's a 0% chance I'm taking Surfergirl down it.

Anyway, with 30+ miles of hero dirt fresh in our minds we hit it.

Like any good friend, I neglected to tell Love Watts about what we'd face...

... knowing he'd be fine.

Butttt!, when we came around one of the turns which lead to a steep, straight shot of about 50 yards...

... there was a new and nifty rut straight down the middle of the trail.

Like a dragon, 
waiting to gobble our tires...

... and pitch us down its throat.

Here's the beauty of hero dirt...

... normally this would be a controlled skid section at best,
instead we were on the binders hard,
easily avoiding the doom...

... and snagging yet another PR.

Heroes for a day.

---

163.8
8 hrs
No strength
10 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling

ARE YOU AS FIRED UP ABOUT 2024 AS ME?  Five days in and I'm still holding strong on all 520 of my New Year's Resolutions.  I got more than a good feeling about this...

... I got one word.

This year's word for the RaceDay Rippers: S-T-R-E-T-C-H.

Yeah, it's good to stretch.
Be limber.
Flexible.

That's part of it,
but there's so much more...

... when we stretch regularly.

In everything.

And, here's what I'm talking about...

... forget the resolutions.

They seem static.

What can we stretch...

• athletically
• mentally
• spiritually
• socially
• financially

... because if we ain't stretching,
it's hellalikely things are gonna tighten up.

Take another look at your calendar.

What can you do by the end of this year...

... that is such a stretch,
it would blow your mind?

I know what I'm going for, 
can't wait to share it here.

---

162.4
7 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuits
20 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling

GREATNESS IS ONE OF THOSE HARD TO DEFINE characteristics.  Like beauty or skill or talent we often have differing opinions and struggle to explain the why leaving us with the simple...

... I know it when I see it.

Here's my definition of a great athlete.

Someone who knows what the are capable of achieving...

... and then wringing every ounce of their being to achieve it.

Sometimes they win something, but for most the greatest athletes...

... the ones who inspire me...

... winning is rare.

It's the daring to dream,
the untold hours of solo training,
the battle to overcome the impossible...

... and finish with nothing left and no regrets.

That is greatness.

It takes planning,
and dedication,
and courage.

The highest VO2 max or most ridiculous powertoweight output in the world won't make us great...

... commitment,
persistence,
focus
will.

Nobody's watching you can skip the workout, eat the donut, stay up partying...

... be common.

Nobody's watching you can do an extra set, up the protein, hit the sack early...

... be great.

Nobody's watching,
but you.

---

162.5
8 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuits
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling

LACTIC LYCRA will be served at 815am on Saturday, per my pal Doug's text message.  I can't wait.  It's been too long since I've had a...

... really good beat down.

The first one always hurts the most.

There's the shock to the system when we hit the first climb.  

I know it well.

About 30 seconds at 8%,
followed by 2 1/2 minutes of rolling up a false flat...

... all out.

If I make that,
it only gets more vicious.

Of course, the route can change from time to time, which means I might have no idea whatsoever of what's coming up.

Sometimes that's better,
often it's worse.

Why would I do this to myself?

Because, we are 8 weeks out from the first A race of the triple crown.

It's time,
to clear the cobwebs.

---

163.6
8.25 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuits
20 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO FUEL the training.  We can go from all water and solid foods to no solids and all sugared up liquid, with a million combinations in between...

... racing I'm a little more sciency.

The special mixes and hi-tech prepackaged foods can be a challenge...

• Sometimes hard to acquire
• Often hard on the budget

... so, what's your answer?

Me,
as long
as I'm logging miles,
I don't care too much.

My favorite find of last year is an imported treat from France...

• Easy to find at Costco
• Inexpensive 20 for $8
• Super yummy
• Burns up fast in the gut

... individually-wrapped chocolate crepes.

Sometimes, I go with just water.  Others, longer rides, I'll put CarboRocket in the bottles.

Speaking of CarboRocket, you can get 25% off your first order here: https://racedayripper.com/posts/special-offers-carbo-rocket

---

163.8
7.5 hrs
2 Rip On RaceDay Circuits
10 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling

Read Online And Post Comments Here >>

BIKE RACING IS YEAR ROUND.  No matter where you live, with the means, you can jump on a plane on in a car and be racing tomorrow.  The pros, have one discipline...

... and one season.

Except for a select few who just can't get enough of wreaking havoc on two wheels.

For the rest of us,
we need the rest.

But, I was thinking about the upcoming year.

As usual, I've got a packed March through early May.  

Not as usual, I have nothing after that until September.

I'm thinking this year will be my first two season year. 

Take a solid break at the end of May,
keep it pretty chill in June,
on it July/August.

Put me down for 2 seasons this year.

Did you know?
All active PEDALindustries/Riders:

• Save 30% On All Purchases
• Have access to Race Reimbursement
• Unlock all Exclusive Courses and content

Click Here For Details_______________________

---

164.4
7 hrs
No Strength Training
10 minutes recovery 
90 minutes reading + Journaling

Read Online And Post Comments Here >>

IT'S TIME FOR 2024, another turn around the sun.  Most of us have been warming down, as we should.  Thinking about how the last lap went...

... we've got questions.

• What went well?
• What went wrong?
• Where did we shock even ourselves?
• Where did we miss the mark?
• How could we be smoother?
• How could we have made such blunders?
• When can we hit our next high?
• When can we do less?
• Why were we able to accomplish X?
• Why did we fail so miserably a Y?
• Who helped us the most?
• Who kept us back?

Answering those questions answers the first question...

... Could we improve?...

... only
if we commit
to make changes.

What's the most exciting change you plan to make in 2024?

• Gear?
• Training?
• Nutrition?
• Recovery?
• Type of racing?

All active PEDALindustries/Riders:

• Save 30% On All Purchases
• Have access to Race Reimbursement
• Unlock all Exclusive Courses and content

Click Here For Details_______________________

---

164
8 hrs
No Strength Training
10 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling

DURING THE METEOR SHOWER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I heard one of my friends lamenting the exceptionalism he was brought up believing.  I can't think of anything dumber than...

... thinking we are average, unexceptional.

Do you think for one second any champion of any sport, OR CAUSE, thought he or she was average, unexceptional?

Here's the tricky part, and a new meaning of an old word.

The tricky part:

• Never, ever say in public you are exceptional or better than everybody else
• Always think it
• Believe it
• Own it

 Can you imagine telling a child...

You really aren't anything special.

... talk about a way to shut down each individual's unique talents and abilities.

We each have different talents when it comes to physical performance, if that weren't the case...

• the same person would win over and over
• the sports prognosticators would always be right

... but, that's not how it works.

We know that inherently.

The new meaning of an old word:

I recently discovered the original meaning of the word meek, which is important because some dude once said the meek shall inherit the earth...

... how can the meek win anything?

Because meek comes from the greek word praus, which means...

... strength under control.

Now that,
is my kind of exceptional.

---

164.4
8 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
10 minutes recovery 
120 minutes reading + Journaling

TODAY WAS MY FIFTH BIG RIDE IN A ROW.  Seventeen hours in the saddle, 210 miles, 22,000' of vertical...

... and my legs feel great.

How is that possible?

All Zone 2 + Good Sleep + Good Nutrition

Take today's ride.

Nearly 5 hours,
60 miles
6329'..

... Strava called it a Massive Relative Effort.

I called it a fun adventure.
Never did any heavy breathing.

• Ave HR 131
• Normalized Power 212 Watts

Above you can see the HR is very steady, so are Watts dropping down mainly due to rough terrain and stop lights.

The key...

... to pulling that off is starting out easy, which means going based on power more than HR because it takes (for me) a while for the HR to rise.  About 30 minutes in I start looking at HR and Power...

... riding as fast as I can without letting the HR go out of zone.

The benefits...

• ride all day, as long as nutrition is on point
• push upper limit of Zone 2 higher
• develop insane endurance

... easily recover and do it again the next day.

The reason most people don't do it...

• they start out too hard
• under eat because effort seems easy
• ride with friends and get caught up in keeping up
• fail to recognize the hidden benefits for those with limited power
• rather than back down cadence and power they blast up the short stuff 

... is because they don't have the discipline.

If you don't generate a lot of power, and I don't,
then the next best thing is to be able to deliver the power you have
for longer than your competitors and recover faster than those around you.

Skip or skimp on Zone 2 rides...

... or feast on them.

---

164.2
7.5 hrs
Push Ups and Pull Ups
20 minutes recovery 
75 minutes reading + Journaling

AS AN ECOM MARKETER, I love studying the greatest brands.  One thing they have in common is a great tagline, like Nike's...

... Just Do It!

Why?

They are designed to create an emotional response for the consumers...

... to make us identify with what they're selling.

In the heat of race or chasing a PR or just plain ol' dying to finish the impossible...

... it's good to have a tagline of our own.

Because sometimes we have to sell ourselves on getting it done...

... usually,
right before we quit
and go on to conquering the impossible.

---

163.8
7.75 hrs
No Strength Training
10 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling

WHAT A DEMONSTRATION of how to do it well.  If you missed it, if you don't follow it, if you listened to the prognosticators, then you didn't witness...

... what happens with preparation.

I'm down to following one sportsball team, and it's been a dismal year for the fans of SC football.

When things aren't going according to plan, it is so easy to give up.

To quit.

24 players did just that,
either sat out the game 
or transferred to a new team.

The rest kept practicing,
and kept preparing,
for their chance.

The quarter back had never started a game,
had only played a handful of minutes...

... came in prepared.

Confidence oozing.

He left with...

70% pass completion
372 yards
6 TDs

... a record setting night.

Because he knew how good he was and kept preparing for his date with history...

... that is the Preparation H we should all aspire to accomplish.

---

162.9
8 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery 
60 minutes reading + Journaling

MY SON IS A PROFESSIONAL FINANCE NERD.  He constantly reminds me to know my numbers vs the ol' gut feeling.  It's a good practice and reveals the truth...

... sometimes confirming what I thought to be true,
others showing how off I can be by winging it.

We all have a lot of data available now.

So, while I was feeling discouraged this week regarding...

• my current weight
• the lingering cough
• the drifting fitness score

... I decided to look at the data.

2 years ago...

• same weight
• 3% better fitness
• and got covid just after Christmas
• hadn't perfected my strength routine

... had my best year ever on the bike.

1 year ago...

• slightly lighter
• same exact fitness
• battled a similar cold
• had just added the sled and nordic curl

... had a great spring racing campaign

In other words, it's quite normal for me to be at my lowest fitness this time of year,
and you know what they say...

... December hero = race season zero.

Am I still apprehensive?

Yep.

But, that's the point of the data...

... to kick the feelings to the curb.

They aren't helping.

Instead,
by looking at the numbers
I can relax and stick with my plan... 

... I'm right where I want to be.

---

164.8
7.5 hrs
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit
20 minutes recovery
 60 minutes reading + Journaling

ONLY OUR OLDEST WAS IN TOWN, so we met midway.  At the bay. Unloaded paddle boards.  Set out for some mansion gawking, and sunshine...

... and paddled for 6 miles, 2ish hours.

Not the traditional Christmas morning for most,
on par for us..

Something weird happened all day, 
never seen it before.

When we got home, there was still enough sunlight
for me to spin the pedals
and Mrs Claus to walk.

Every single person I saw,
on the water and on the dirt, 
had the exact same thing to say.

We live in an area with lots of people from around the country, and around the world, representing all kinds of cultures and beliefs. 

Which is why I thought this was odd.

The last person I talked to was a kid in his 20's from Michoacan, Mexico.

New bike?

No speak english.

No problemo.

I learned Spanish a long time ago, and can still get along pretty good.  I asked where he was from, told him how much I loved the famous ice cream sticks La Michoacana, from his state.

He was on a really sweet Giant Trance.  Said he'd just picked it up on FB marketplace, and how much he loved it.

A common language, we all understand.

We talked about how long he was here and his main objective to learn English.

It was time to part ways before sunset, and say the thing I'd over and over today.

Merry Christmas.

Feliz Navidad.

---

165.1
8 hrs 
No strength work
10 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling

I CAN'T STOP THINKING of the silliness I've practiced over the years.  Not the Christmasy stuff, which was personally a tough season for many years, but...

... ignoring the real point of it all.

Whether you're a belieber or not, doesn't matter, the principle is true...

... you can't ride your bicycle while looking backward.

Oh, you can go a ways, however the penalty of not facing forward will be paid.

Which is the message that little babe came to deliver...

... look forward with hope and faith that good things await.

He gave instructions on how to live.
He knew all would falter from time to time.
He gave a simple formula to get back on track. 

Repent.
Start anew.
Don't look back,
focus on forward.

I don't know why that is so easy to practice on a bike,
and so difficult when life's blunders serve up a shouldawouldacoulda sandwich.

Pedal on.

---

163.8
7.5 hrs 
No strength work
10 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling

I WOKE WITH A FROG IN MY THROAT.  Not surprising, Surfergirl has been coughing for a week.  There was only one thing to do, and it wasn't going to be easy...

... with all the rain this week.

No, I wouldn't be meeting up with the fellas.

However, since the onset of my cold was above the neck...

... I could ride long as heck.

Most people don't do this,
and decline my invites.

Where are we riding today?

I don't know.

You have no plan.

Nope.

Okay, I'm gonna do a group ride.

See ya next time.

The idea of getting lost,
aimlessly wandering,
is too vague.

I get it,
I also get this.

Every great adventure,
the ones we tell over and over,
are epic because at some point...

... the unexpected happened.

• We got lost
• Found a new trail
• Discovered a forgotten road
• Ignored the Private Property sign
• Had a massive mishap and lived to tell the tale

None of this happens on the group ride,
or in the man cave zwifting,
or at the races.

For me, It's almost a lock
I will discover something worthy
nearly every single time my objective is big zone 2.

It's an art,
to get lost and enjoy it.

Nothing new is ever discovered
on the road most traveled

---

166.2 lbs (more lost rides needed)
7.25 hrs 
Push Ups and Pull Ups.
20 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling

THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF WAYS to signal to your mind that it's time to shift gears.  Gurus, like Tony Robbins, might call it shifting states or moods... 

... and this shift matters.

Because if we don't get our helmet in the race,
we're destined to get shelled.

For racing, I cycle through till I find the right jam on my...

... special a playlist.

Sometimes the pump up music isn't getting it done for me and I have to...

... wait until the first cat cuts me off or won't let me through.

Other times...

... simply seeing a frenemy can raise the HR.

Another one I like for racing or hard training is ...

... lathering up with PR lotion.

For work, I turn the volume super low and hit repeat for...

... one goto song.

Butttttttttttt...

... what's the signal for a new season
or legit off-season
or mini-break?

Before I get there,
why does this work?

Why do preachers and motivators play music before the message is delivered?

Why do bands drop the lights before electrifying the audience?

It's all signals,
that things are changing,
and we mentally shift and become a different person...

... and love it.

The opposite is also true,
no definitive signal,
no change...

... and before we know it,
the race is over,
the day done...

... and nothing accomplished.

So, what's the signal for a new season?

Mine,
shave my legs.

---

166.1 lbs (might be time for the razor)
7.25 hrs 
1 Rip On RaceDay Circuit + more.
20 minutes recovery
90 minutes reading + Journaling