My collegues at work have been quite impressed with my season so far and come to me every now and again for bike advice. Only just beginning myself it is a bit difficult to give sage advice when you yourself lack the knowledge. They sometimes ask about where to ride or what type of bike they should buy. I think all my talk has infected them because the only time in the day when I light up is when talking about my bike so they sort of understand that its something I'm passionate about. I'd say about three or four of the people around the office have started riding since I began my evangelical proclamation of seeing the light of self propelled bliss. Do I hear a hallelujah brothers? Often I get ot work on a Sunday and they'll wander up to me to start a conversation, generally something like: "how much sweat did you work up this weekend". This of course is just the precursor to their own weekend adventure on our two wheeled friends. Then they jump into their own story and I sit back with a smile on my face as I listen to them explain how much fun they had making it up an epic climb or finding some single track haven. I sit back and smile becasue I feel all warm and fuzzy knowing that others are enjoying and discovering how great it is to ride. I love the fact that they will share these stories with me, somehow I feel that there is a change.
Yesterday I put in my leave for the trip across the Holy Land. My boss came in about midday, I didn't notice a limp but his face gave me the impression I had done something wrong (not that I'd know becasue I'm a model-A employee). We had a bit of banter about the holiday I wanted, saying that the eleven hour days I've been putting in don't equate to some leisure time. All in jest as I said but then he mentions his "weekend ride". Ahhhh. I didn't see that one coming but glad to see he's left the knee jarring activity of running and taken up a more comfortable sport like cycling. he was worried that there was numbness in his legs. I explained that there were different muscles at work when grinding around on your bike. Needless to say he was quite chuffed that he had started riding and I am never one to waste an opportunity to get someone even more interested in riding.
As for training today. Eish!!!! I'm feeling like I have rust in the muscles and nothing wants to get going. Like watching wet wood burn, it just doesn't give that same intensity as nice dry wood. Well I tried to push through and we had some hill intervals, 2.5 minutes up a hill then coast down to the bottom until 3.5 minutes were up. no problem right?? Well the catch was that we had to do this in the big gear, so basically crawling up the hill with a cadence of 60rpm. Not pretty when you felt like I did this morning. We also did spin ups which is spinning at higher cadence. I need some work there because I tend to try and use big gears instead of spinning so I benefit from these workouts. I was buggered by the end and almost didn't finish but thats the great thing when riding in a group, there is always someone to encourage you at the right time. Uriel was there this morning and he is a super strong rider, one of my goals is to beat him so we have a great rivalry. Well he took me apart today but it makes me want to work harder. Reckon I'll be in bed early tonight becasue I think lack of sleep may be one of the reason's I'm suffering a bit.
Yesterday I put in my leave for the trip across the Holy Land. My boss came in about midday, I didn't notice a limp but his face gave me the impression I had done something wrong (not that I'd know becasue I'm a model-A employee). We had a bit of banter about the holiday I wanted, saying that the eleven hour days I've been putting in don't equate to some leisure time. All in jest as I said but then he mentions his "weekend ride". Ahhhh. I didn't see that one coming but glad to see he's left the knee jarring activity of running and taken up a more comfortable sport like cycling. he was worried that there was numbness in his legs. I explained that there were different muscles at work when grinding around on your bike. Needless to say he was quite chuffed that he had started riding and I am never one to waste an opportunity to get someone even more interested in riding.
As for training today. Eish!!!! I'm feeling like I have rust in the muscles and nothing wants to get going. Like watching wet wood burn, it just doesn't give that same intensity as nice dry wood. Well I tried to push through and we had some hill intervals, 2.5 minutes up a hill then coast down to the bottom until 3.5 minutes were up. no problem right?? Well the catch was that we had to do this in the big gear, so basically crawling up the hill with a cadence of 60rpm. Not pretty when you felt like I did this morning. We also did spin ups which is spinning at higher cadence. I need some work there because I tend to try and use big gears instead of spinning so I benefit from these workouts. I was buggered by the end and almost didn't finish but thats the great thing when riding in a group, there is always someone to encourage you at the right time. Uriel was there this morning and he is a super strong rider, one of my goals is to beat him so we have a great rivalry. Well he took me apart today but it makes me want to work harder. Reckon I'll be in bed early tonight becasue I think lack of sleep may be one of the reason's I'm suffering a bit.
