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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Shaping Up

So things are coming together. Our first team meeting was Monday and everything went well. All the guys seem to be on the same page and focused on racing their bikes. I'll be glad when all of the equipment is sorted out so I can focus on racing it and not buying it but it's a necessary evil. We also have a team camp coming up in a couple weeks which is really exciting. I'm looking forward to taking time off work to ride my bike and getting to know all of my teammates better. It is going to be at Topsail Island, NC, so I'm hoping for warm weather and sunshine, even if it is February.
Racing starts this weekend and I've got that old feeling again. Apprehensive is a proper way to describe it. I'm excited about racing but the first race is always a test. Hopefully all the hard work over the winter will pay off. Being my fourth year racing I've come to know my body and I know my form is on track. I've had some solid rides the past week and the legs are starting to come around. I was fortunate enough to get a spot on a Cat 2 team even though I am still a 3 so there is definitely pressure to get results early and upgrade. And oh yes, the fact that I put the career on hold to race bikes adds another dimension, no pressure.
My next post will probably be after the first race of the season, finally!!!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Exhaustion




So it's been a while since my last post. What can I say, I'm tired. This was the last week of the training block it was sucking the life out of me. My saddle issue is on the return so it's time to start antibiotics in order to hopefully fix it for good. Thirty days of antibiotics sucks but it's better than time off the bike and at least it's not a crucial time during the season. Thanks to my new and expensive health insurance, the antibiotics were free. I'm counting change to make sure I can cover bike parts so every little bit helps.

Due to the saddle issue, complete exhaustion and bad weather, I started my rest week a couple days early. Then it's time to start some real intensity in preparation for the beginning of the season. I can't wait to get back to racing and get into a rhythm with my new teammates. Our first team meeting is this weekend and it will be nice to finally get an idea of what the schedule is going to be like. Then I can start building my training plan around key periods in order to maximize the use of hopefully good form. I'm thinking a big July is going to be in the cards but we'll see.
Check out the new kits and team bikes! I was pleasantly surprised with the designs. They're cool and unique but retain a traditional feel. Cycling is my life and I put a lot of effort into how I look on the bike. I probably care about it a bit too much, but pro style is part of my love for cycling. Now we're definitely going to look the part, we just have to back it up.

Up next, rest and details from the team meeting.