Happy February

January left with a bang, in more ways than one! Last weekend Lee finally posted a ride that most of us could get to (other than doctors and firefighters) and on Sunday (30th) a big group showed at Kyes for 5 hours up and down the knobs of southern Indiana. I spent more time than I should have rotating in the front and got shelled a couple hours in, the group waited at the top of a climb, I sat in a while, and got shelled again on some rollers heading home. Mitch sat up about the same time I did, so it wasn't quite so bad but it sucked none-the-less. From there we rolled back into New Albany just in time to see the group again and finish the ride.

Afterward I was smoked. Though power numbers looked pretty good it hurt a lot more than I wanted. Once again; however, I found that it was the mind setting limits, not the body. On the last little hill back to the house, I pushed it for 10 seconds to see what was left in the tank and was only about 50 watts shy of my max recorded number from last CX season... not too shabby at 5.5 hours in!

And finally to wrap up January - I got new wheels... two sets actually!

2008 Subaru Outback

Revolution Wheelworks 25mm Tubulars

...with Dugast Rhino's

February started with a shuffle in the Emergency Operations Center at work where a severe winter storm put everyone on alert - including a request for someone to work night shift. Yep, that was me. Only at about noon on the day I was supposed to be in at 7:00pm I got a call saying the storm had crapped out and that if possible, could I come on in and get my 8 hours for the day? Yeah, staying at the office until 10pm is fun, let me tell ya! My body was all out of whack so the next day I ended up taking some credit hours and only working a 5 hour day to get a sleep schedule realigned.

And yet again, this weekend, the infamous Lee Hauber posted another ride with the subtle line, "Bring your A-game." And so it happpened, 100km in southern Indiana at what seemed like a slightly more reasonable pre-season pace. The pace may have seemed better for several reasons including the fact that I sat in for about 80% of the 20 minute rotating effort, some gained fitiness from the previous week, slightly greater efficiency in a paceline, fewer riders, more steady riders, or the awesome 45 degree weather!

Store stop - Rob K and Coach

I've got a fitness test in store for this week followed by either more gravel roads or southern IN backroad miles this weekend - maybe I should move across the bridge... nah! As heard in the play A Second City: It Takes a Ville, "Only one good thing comes out of southern Indiana - I65 south!"

Goodies from Winston's Brand - Brookside Blend and Manbrocation Embrocation