Slowly...

Finally coming around. I thought the funk was gone, but it had just morphed into a really bad hacking cough and congestion - crap I tell you. But today I rode the fixed gear into work and felt okay then felt even better coming home. It feels like the energy is coming back, even if the legs have checked out and left the state. I am sure they will miss me and come home soon. I upside of the eternal funk is I have succeeded in my monthly goal of losing 5 lbs. and there is still a week left, say goodbye to the "winter" weight and then some. I am confident that starting May 1 I can keep a healthy balance and come into the cross season at fit and leaner this year, I am already a tad lighter than I was at Nationals last year.

I was hoping for some epic singletrack tomorrow, but a day and half of rain has closed all the trails. Oh well a few hours on the Oak Leaf Trail rocking the new kit will keep me smilin'.

Don't forget to thank your loved ones for being able to enjoy the ride.

The kit is in...

Wow! Champion Systems rules. The kit is here already and it looks RAD! You are going to be so jealous if you didn't order any this time around!

the "Rock Racing" pose - do I owe Michael Ball royalties

Champion systems does rule, I sent in the final order on April 1 and it arrived today, less than 4 weeks. I have a few extra caps and possibly a jersey or two so let me know if you want them. Next order will be July, unless I get an outcry of sad souls who missed out.

leBam with the hat view

the catalog pose

I will be enjoying the ride tomorrow, in my new kit!

Junk miles...

So today was the first day this year that arm warmers, knee warmers, etc. were not a requirement to ride!! So, I went out on the fixed gear and just rode - no heart rate monitor, intervals, tempo or any of that jazz, just enjoyed the weather. Which leads me to this - if you have FUN on a ride are the miles really junk? I think not. Fun miles are good for the mind, body, and soul. They keep you sane, I am not saying 15 minutes steady state intervals aren't fun sometimes, but that is a different kind of fun. Today was about fun in the sun.

and now a message from leBam:
hi this is lebam. i like to ride my bike. thanks for reading.

Now it's leBam's turn for some fun riding in the sun.

hope she enjoys the ride:)

Coming out of the funk..

Over 12 days. That is how long it took my resting heart rate to come back down to normal! After my glorious LSD ride I was broadsided by the funk. This was no ordinary funk, this was the down and dirty sleep for 30 hours, cold sweat, full body ache funk, that is now being followed by a persistent cough. Oh well it is after all only April, better now than in October.

I realized that I cracked my favorite helmet. I have a fairly good idea when it happened, it was one of those silly slips on some lingering ice. I must have hit in just the right spot because this was the result...
It really was my favorite helmet. It's okay I needed some justification to buy a black helmet to match the new kit. I really like the fit of the Lazer Genesis, but maybe it's time to ride something we actually stock at the shop - like this. I am sure that would make the bosses happy.

Check those helmets boys and girls - so you can enjoy the ride.

Sunny Saturday...

I am a very lucky man! Let's see the first "nice" day of spring and what do I get - Grandma takes leBam for the entire day, the misses is saving the babies, and I get 3 hours and 40 minutes of pure LongSteadyDistance bliss. Wow what a ride. The miles/time just melted by... I can't quite understand why every person in SE WI wasn't here today
I rode out to the lake then hit up the trails in Grant Park, I had heard about them being mostly just walking trails, but they were a blast on the cross bike. Stopped by and saw this guy. Headed to shop to fill the bottles then cruised home. I think everyone was busy buying bikes or dropping them off for service by the looks of the shop, needless to say I was in and out as fast as possible, I am going to be busy with service work this week!

The numbers:
number of people on hybrid bikes with aero bars attached - 4
number of times honked at - 4
number of people shirtless in shorts - 2
(I was wearing knee warmers, arm warmers and a vest)

thanks family, I enjoyed the ride.

Mantra

While waiting for leBam to finish her gymnastics class I wondered the halls of the middle shcool and stumbled upon this quote-----

Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still
Chinese proverb

This will be my mantra this month. After a lackluster time of riding indoors this winter I have come into this spring feeling sluggish and slow. But is is only April and with zero focus on mountain bike racing this year and all eyes toward the fall, I need only to ride the bike this month in preparation for the May 1st arrival of the training plan! I will not be discouraged about my fitness, it will all come around by September.

enjoy the ride.