New Years Eve

Well things have been crazy and not this fall. Started going to that college thing again. Things are going well and are about to wrap up my first successful semester. About time. On the riding front I haven't been doing anything. Which for some reason is great. I am amazingly well rested. I started training 4 weeks ago to regain my off season strength. I am training with CrossFit. I know, I know it sounds cultish (and I'm pretty sure it is to some degree), but it is for real. I guess I don't have any results yet, but I am really stoked. It definitely reflects the type of strength training I was looking for, with major cardiovascular and nutritional/metabolic benefits.

I am eating better, and after suffering for the first three weeks, am ready to get back on the bike again. Even after 4 weeks, I can feel major core stability increases, as well as lower back strength. Also the additional upper body strength returning from a season of neglect, feel great. If you are a cyclist that is hesitant to hit the gym to lift, look into a the little phenomenon called CrossFit.

On other news fronts I am coming to another difficult decision. I don't know whether or not I am going to be able to afford a geared race bike for the 2010 mountain season unless I sell the Superfly SS. So the question becomes, stick with SS for one more season (maybe not a bad idea considering that in season training is going to be lacking due to wedding efforts), or sell that sucker and move on. What do I do? I have no clue. I know I like the bike, but there are definite improvements geometry wise SS or not that could be made to optimize performance on tighter courses. On the other hand, materials-wise, the bike is so far superior to anything else I have been on that I don't know if I want to sacrifice that.

I know I ponder the stupid bike thing too much, but with "training" becoming more dialed, and my focus clearing to mountain bike racing specifically, equipment is becoming more and more important.

Otherwise my new revelation is in regards to the New Year. I don't know about any other cyclists, but I would have to personally declare December 1 as my New Year. January 1 is all good and everything, but with the mountain bike season ending around October, and since I don't mind ignoring cyclocross, I am well rested by this point. I am a month into weight training/light cardio conditioning, and no signs of burning out. If anything I am going to start hitting those "base" miles. And by that I mean just riding to work. So today is New Years Eve.

Happy New Years to all the cyclists of the world. It all starts here. At least for me.