First day out

An interesting one at that. My dad wanted to ride Pontiac and Highland. It would have been no problem if we took it easy, but we didn't and I totally bonked. I don't think I have ever bonked before, and now I can say that I never want to again. It has got to be one of the worst feelings. After Pontiac and a little bit into highland, a Wholefoods rider went by us. Being my future competition, I wanted to see how fast this guy was going, so I sprinted off after him and rode with him for a few minutes. Being my first day out, and he being in much better seasonal shape, this wasn't a good idea. After I slowed down I was still riled up and was still going too fast and halfway through I hit the wall. After walking my bike for a few yards after a big hill, I stopped because I thought if I took another step I was going to pass out. So I sat down and waited for a group of passed riders to catch up. As I was sitting there I was contemplating eating some acorns that were on the ground. I tasted one and they didn’t taste so bad, but I was going to wait and see if anyone had something. Luckily one of them did, and I am now a total advocate of "Hammer Gel." Ha. I took a couple minutes to eat it and then got on my bike and passed the riders who gave it to me. After I met up with the Wholefoods guy in the parking lot. He was a nice fellow. I felt like and idiot telling him I was going to be racing as an elite and then telling him I bonked, as the guy who gave me the gel packet walked up to see if I was okay.

Moral of the story: Bonking sucks and I'll never do it again.

I don't know about my knee. Even after a month of no activity, I noticed some feedback from it today. By feedback I don't mean pain, but at the same time when your body is healthy you can't feel it. I hope that makes sense. I am going to have it looked at again to see what's up, and hopefully it will be nothing.

-RL

This and That

I cant figure out how to make links in the sidebar. If anyone knows how to do this, please help me! I am computer illiterate!

Anyway, It’s been a pain trying to find a job. So far nothing, but the video store looks promising. I just have to wait and keep looking.

Twelve days until ground zero. I’m so out of shape.

It's official

I told my coach two days ago, which I think has made it official. I am a mountain biker now. It's funny though. Everyone asks (or tells) me if I'm doing this because I was frustrated with running or because I was sick of it. Neither are the case. Rather, as suggested in the previous article, I am astonished by my apparent surplus of bike riding ability. I think I know how good of a runner I can be, which is great, but what I do not know is how good of a bicyclist I can be. To what level can I take it? That is what I must find out. Fine if I have to loose my running scholarships, I will work. I will train and I will go to school. I’ll do it all.

Architecture of a competitive nature

So here’s the plan... I actually can’t start training yet... remember that damned tendonitis? It’s not gone yet, like I though. I was out riding and when I finished the ride I noticed the aggravation in my leg again. So now I can’t run or ride. I can’t even go down the street and practice cat walks and other bike skills, as I found out yesterday to my dismay. So, for the first time in about five years, I am going to take one month off from all sports activity. I’m not going to bike, run, lift weights, swim, or do anything. My body needs to be as hard as diamond before I can start polishing it. I’ll come back in November. While my competition is getting ready for the Iceman, I’ll be getting ready to train. I will start a special 4 phase training program I made up, that utilizes my latest discoveries in exercise science. I never even got to try these out in running. Meanwhile, I’m trying to get some kind of sponsorship from my local bike shop, which in the past has never done anything like that. If they go through with it, it will be a big help.

See you in November.