I never realized how much your ribs matter

Now I have been having a great month of training from CX rides in the snow up City Creek to good hard spinning classes to core yoga classes twice a week. I have felt stronger at this time of year than I have felt for anumber of years. It is amazing to me how quickly that fitness level might come crashing down.

One of the other things I like to do is to head off with the family to the Olympic Ice Oval in Kearns. If you haven't been out there you need to go. It is the only ice facility that is open every night of the week to the public and since we all got skates last year it cost $14 for the whole family. Well, this last Saturday we were all excited to get on the ice again for a good skate, well maybe too exicted. In my exhuberance to get on the ice I forgot one critical step in getting my skates ready.....I forgot to take my blade cover off.

Imagine this; I am holding my daughter's hand and we are just going to hit the ice with my first push of when my skate slides across the ice and since I am holgin Maris's hand I have nothing to cushion my fall other than my McRibs. If you have ever had a rib injury before you know what i am going through now. Sleepness nights, diffcult to breathe deep and sneezing, coughing and expecially hiccupping is especially painful.

I hope that they are just bruised or at the worst barely cracked because I am worried I won't be able to train very well. I actually went to a spin class today and that was pretty painful but I did get a good workout in.

I am looking ahead to the First race on the calendar for me. Valley of the Sun Stage Race in Phoenix area, Feb 13-15. I am hoping to be ready even though this is just a B race for me.

Weight 182 - Goal still 165

Reflections and Anticipation

Once I hit post-Thanksgiving time I begin reflecting on past season and the upcoming training programs that I will put try to achieve heading into next season. Even though I should be thinking about skiing I can't help thinking about the bike.

I had some nice successes this last year, 4th place in the state crit chamionships, 1st place at the Tour of Holy Hill road race at Superweek and a number of nice finishes but usually I was deferred back to a domestique roll and did whatever I could do to help my stronger teammates throughout the season.

There were some memorable races like the Tour of Park City. Literally one of the toughest days ever is the saddle. But our team did fantastic. LOTOJA is always memorable and being off the front for the first 80 miles made that day interesting as well. Cyclocross became a new discipline of mine and I am hooked.

Now I am looking forward to another new opportunity to get fit, lose weight and kick some butt on the bike. I have begun training and have found a location to spin at lunch and another to practice yoga each a couple of times a week. I am convinced that each of these add something extra to my regular training that takes place outside.

I will soon outline the expectations for the season but everything will revolve around one theme: 165 lbs. That is the fighting weight that will make the difference this year. I am looking to accoomplish that one goal and I am sure that the others successes will follow.

Current weight 182

Twas the Night Before Christmas

It is has been a while since I created my first post on the blog and since I am now ready to keep it rolling. It has been a tough week of training as I have finally gotten the cold that everybody else has had but back on the road to recovery. The biking hasn't been great but the skiing has been. About 3 feet of new snow over the last week with more on the way.

I have been able to do some of my other indoor workouts (besides cycling) and I am finding out more and more how much I like Yoga. It just takes a while to get your body felxible and strong enough in the right places to make it enjoyable and not so painful a couple of days after, I think everybody should practice yoga at least twice a week. I really feel that flexiblilty is the key to longevity.

The Cycling Training Season has Started

Well, after a great trip to Yosemite and couple of months of sitting around and watching my weight go up and my muscle mass go down it is time to start to get with the program and build for the upcoming season. A lot of my friends say start cycling in November? But now is the time to lose that weight and slowly build the base that will carry you through next season. Plus I just love to do it. So I have made a few resolutions and I figure if i werite them down now I will be more apt to carry them out.

1) Train this season with power. I have finally broken down and ordered a Ergomo Power meter. I researched this a lot and i really like the new Quarq power meter that integrates with a new Garmin head unit but it won't be ready until Q1or Q2 of 2008. I can't wait that long. I should have it in a couple of days.

2) Stay with a coach. TMac was great last year and I will use his services again this year. Now that I have power he will be able to help me even more.

3) Join new gyms. Yes gyms. It is hard to fit in all of my workouts with my family schedule but it can be done with a little planning and at multiple places. So here it is. Indoor workouts at home in my newly converted attic clubhouse that my wife affectionately called the Frat house or the Greg Brady room. Punch cards at downtown gym for spinning, Centered city yoga, and Foothill for yoga and other workouts.

4) Lose weight to be 165lbs. This is the big one and it will take consistent effort and dieting. i think this is the one area that would greatly effect moy overall results in cycling. I am about 182 right now and I want to lose 17lbs over the next three months.

5) Sleep and rest. Another problem of mine. I want to get to bed by 11:00pm at least 5 nights out of the week. I will calendar this out and chart my average time of getting to bed and how much sleep I get.

I am excited for our new bike team sponsor as we will be the Ski Utah Cycling Team. It is a time for fesh beginnings and we'll see where it takes us all.