Please excuse my absence yesterday, I took a mental health day. Not that I am any healthier (especially mentally) but I was feeling a bit tired and stressed (mostly by work), and it lead to a rather upset stomach, so I just took the day completely for myself. While the rest of you spent your day at work, I spent my day switching between the chair and the couch, in search of the ideal TV watching position. I wound up doing some work anyways on a project that couldn't wait, but I was
What this usually means for my wife is dealing with me whining and moping while I switch endlessly between channels, or being tortured by watching me play xbox. Yesterday, she came up with her own form of torture, by forcing me to watch
Thankfully, prior to her waking up, and after she returned from work, I got to watch cycling. In the morning, it's the webcast of the Giro d'Italia, and in the afternoon, the Tour of California. It was a big day in both races, and even though he was only in one of the two races (and neither after he crashed out of the Tour of California), Lance Armstrong had some involvement in both. Mostly because Floyd Landis, disgraced 2006 Tour de France champion finally decided to come clean about doping during his career (except of course about the one test that he failed), and started naming names; including Lance.
I bring this up because outside of the fact that cycling is inherently a part of triathlons, and something I enjoy watching, most people don't know Armstrong started riding as a world class junior triathlete before getting seriously into cycling. He's spoken several times about coming back to triathlons once his days of professional cycling are done. He's even spent time training this season on the IM Kona bike course.
Whether Armstrong's guilty or not (I personally believe he's not), the point of this is that Landis is living in the past, and because of it, he can't move forward. I find that I get caught doing that myself sometimes, though no where near to this extreme. Being stuck in the past can be very self destructive, especially if you have goals that require you to live in the now and look towards the future. I can't tell you how many times I've given in to temptation because I thought "I'm always going to be this way so why am I fighting it". It served as a good reminder that today is not yesterday.
Between the 2 races, the non-stop cycling talk surrounding the doping, and the return of nice weather, I was dying to ride but was stuck in the doldrums of my work worries, so I didn't get off the couch yesterday. Thankfully, the nice weather held, and being National Bike to Work day (I think this is the last mention of bike month), I had no choice but to get my ass in gear and ride in.
The day of rest seemed to pay off as I felt strong the entire ride in, and including several traffic stops, finished the 5.5 miles in 27 minutes. Not super fast, but I'd estimate the riding was closer to a 15 MPH average with several minutes of stops. Not bad for the hilly roads between home and work. Practice makes
Tomorrow, Rach has an all day conference, so I'll be spending a full day concentrating on the bike. The Giro, the Tour of California, and a long ride. I haven't decided where yet, but perhaps a trip up and down the Minuteman Trail. Not too hilly but a good quick ride. And maybe I'll mix in a run too.
Notes:
- I never weigh myself following a sick day, because the number is always unrealistic and temporary. Either I've purged a couple pounds I'll quickly add, or I eat too much and the numbers will quickly drop. I'll take a look monday after a good strong weekend of training and see where I stand.
- No updates on the interviews, but I still have lines in the water and I'm baiting a couple more hooks.
Ben,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to tell you that I agree with your post today and maybe more importantly about the one from the other day about cyclist needing to learn to get along with cars. I am a huge cycling advocate, but I am a realist and understand that for us to get anywhere we have to advocate to ourselves as much as to drivers. We have to try to educate other cyclist to get out of the middle of the road or stop riding 2 or 3 abreast when there are cars behind them that need to pass.
I'm also a huge cycling fan and have been following the Giro and TOC. I just saw a tweet that a number of guys didn't make the time cut in the TOC by Robbie Hunter and he said there were only like 86 riders left. I guess the conditions were a bit better than the epic stage at the Giro the other day, lol.
I enjoyed my 5.5 mile ride to work and went a 17 mile drought on the way home. It was a great ride, glad to get back, I'd been struggling with some motivation and just being tired.
Hope you're feeling better.
Derek - I've known the motivation issue myself lately, even with it being bike to work week. Most of it was work related stress, but getting past it and getting back out yesterday felt great. Glad you battled through too.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of bike-themed events going on today, and I'm going to clean up and go participate in one shortly.
As for the Giro, I'm watching todays stage as I type this. The insanity of the other days stage blew my mind. I do think it shows that the doping controls may be bringing parity back to the event, and that conserving energy on a climb can make all the difference.
With the ToC, it's been crazy to see how close this race really is. Im tempted to stay home and watch the TT today, but I'll just try to be back a little after 1.