Rob around the block.

Quick update:  The snow and wintry sludge paused long enough for a quick foray into the cold.  Following a phone call from Dr. Rob, we agreed to pull a modified city loop.  The wind wasn't too friendly, but we rode 2-up 95% of the way and tried to hold a good pace.  One note to others who ride our usual roads -- the potholes are worse.  You've been warned.

Looks like a ride is organizing from Barry's house tomorrow.  Watch the CLM blog if you're interested.

Sacrifice.

I know nothing of true sacrifice.  I imagine that I do, sometimes.  It's a convenient notion - that somehow my self-inflicted suffering-upon-bike actually has a greater connection to humanity and the universe, and hence a relationship to man's true burdens here on Earth. 

I conjure up all kinds of imaginary vestibules of Hell in order to somehow bring reason to my self-image:  cycling shorts and shoes, sitting on a bike in a downstairs bedroom, overhead fan whirling, iPod blaring.  I am moving at 30mph, but am completely stationary apart from the herky-jerky nature of my cadence.  The trainer rocks back and forth in rhythm, my carbon frame yields every so slightly, and the rear wheel whirs away while the front is completely still...

As tunnel-vision closes down my peripheral fields and I imagine a final hill, a vicious attack or a long paceline trucking across the countryside, it is easy to feel like a martyr, someone who has been wronged.  Revenge must follow.  Glory is promised.  Passion and anger roll together and are spat out just before realizing that one shouldn't spit while indoors.

No, plenty of people sacrifice every day in truly altruistic ways.  I just ride a bike.  And I call it fun.  Now if I could just get my left calf to stop cramping.

The Dark Days

With my first road race (Wolfpack Classic, 2/13/10) of the year looming, I'm anxious to keep the iron hot.  Training has been very successful so far, and I've been very pleased with the progress I've made in a few short months.  That said, I am somewhat fearful of losing the gains if the snow sticks around too long.  The irony is, in every previous year of my life, I would have wanted as much snow as possible - but this year...maybe we can just keep it in check a little?

I suppose the challenge is part of the fun.  I'll saddle up the trainer and keep the workouts going, go for runs in the snow and even (maybe) take out Coach's mtn bike for a real leg-burning snow workout. 

Truly, just hiking up and down the snowhills over the past two days has me a little tired.

All of that said, expect to see me on the porch a few nights this week, sweating and steaming it up.   If Salem Lake is up and running again (they closed the trails last week due to flooding), that might be an option on Thursday night...stay tuned.