Winter in the Mid-Atlantic has its fair share of grey dull dreary days. The beauty of the summer sun is replaced by patterns of clouds and rain and then just misty overcast days. I've spent more time the usual on the back country roads of VA these last couple weeks. It's a change from suburban MD and DC. The roads are empty and the scenery is quiet. There is a solemn pride I feel in myself when all I hear is the sound of the chain and the rolling pavement under my wheels.
Ironically, my team was once sponsored Reynolds Wheels. They made a solid product and I enjoyed riding them until one day I blew one of the wheels out. Suddenly, the company was nowhere to be found and wouldn't return my phone calls to try to warranty the wheel. Needless to say, I'm not buying their product again until someone from that company actually gets back to me. The wheel set I used was the Solitude and I found myself alone many times while using them.
When you ride alone you find yourself thinking a lot and then you find yourself a lot of the time not thinking at all. The winter weather amplifies this effect because the beauty and warmth of the Summer is gone and the grey landscape makes you feel more isolated and insular. My second training cycle ended this weekend and I'm on rest phase number two. This cycle didn't go as well as the last. I know that I'm fitter now than I was last year-- rides that lasted 3:30 hours last winter now last 3:10 and my wattage is high. However this last cycle was filled with bad weather days, scheduling upsets and annoying distractions from all angles.
So a rest phase is in place right now and in a week's time I'll be back out on the road in full force. My first race is now only a month and a couple days away. It's time to shake the cobwebs and get ready to light the fires. Time is ticking and not even the shortest days of the year can stop me now.
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