Tuesday, August 19, 2008

So I went to lunch today...

...and joined a team. I guess I always knew I was joining these guys, but it something else to actually go out and do it. It dawned on me after picking up the kit that I never discussed this with my wife. Not my intention to do that. Hopefully she'll understand. I have a killer weekend planned for her for her birthday (the big 3-0 for her ....ahh....the good old days....) so maybe that might help put her in the right frame of mind for the news.

First race with the team will be this weekend's Oak Brook(?) - It's a road race (check the box that says 'something I am not good at') with 2 "challenging hills" on the circuit (check the second box under something I am not good at) and I'll be racing Masters 30+ 4/5 to boot (trifecta people).
To top all of this off I have been suffering through a really bad virus that has had the whole family laid up bad for the last few weeks. Just keeps hanging on. Oh....and I have to travel for business tonight and will miss the group ride...and I will miss the group ride on Thursday due to some parenting obligations.....
So....looks like trainer intervals tomorrow night and Thursday night late in a vain attempt to maintain some form for the weekend.
What I am doing now is a ritual park of bicycle racing. Some call it "sandbagging". I call it spouting off wimpy excuses. Typically if you hear a rider listing all these reasons why they won't ride well it is likely because they have been doing something new and will either ride better than they ever have before (read, "tear your legs off") or they might ride like crap and want to hedge against that performance with the disclaimers. It usually ends with your legs as bloody stumps in the middle of the road....next to your roasted lungs.
This is cycling. This is what it is about. Posturing, positioning, tactics, ego, etc. Your goal is to inflict pain and crush souls. I only mention this because during the Dairyland Dare aham and I were discussing this in comparison to the culture of running....I'll save that for next time...

3 comments:

Arron said...

runners = nice peeps.

cyclist = arse hats.

you fall in between.

how big and fun can the weekend be for the little lady if you are racing?. im not saying. im just saying. :)

later

L*I*S*A said...

runners=OCD

cyclists=OCD

runners who cycle=me

Runner Susan said...

Wow, look at those pretty head bands things they gave you.

Happy Bday to the Mrs! Ahhh, to be so young and 30 again. Enjoy the evening.