Adjust

The secondseason is on, I feel like I almost have my cross rhythm
after three races. The thing is that the focus is off, I'm going into
the weekends off; off form, off kilter, out of focus. 1 win and two
seconds, not bad to start but not great either. I let myself down in a
way, that'll change now that I have it in front, clear, not quite
thousand-meter stare, short, myopic. Listen, it's there, plain sight,
grab it. ready?

Puritan

One of those days, not the best way to get fit but the wheels are on the bike and pedals ready to be turned. Spring ready to sprung, I feel coiled up-potential energy a lot better than last week's disappointment. I get this weird mindset when I ride the mtb to accomplish a workout, going up I can maintain the effort but on the way down I feel guilty, like I'm cheating myself on the workout. I'm getting less fit the more i ride downhill, what goes up must come down, right? I try and escape the work ethic but I stress about it in this odd way. I lose the race in my head everytime, for thel ongest time I thought I trained better than I raced, now, I think it's the opposite.

Southside

Good luck and good eyes if you know where these were taken. Good weather for long climbs, stayed good warm, not dripping warm.

@#

The sounds in my head matched the tempo of the trail. Rolling nines
around the loop. I hear it all, pictures matching video, clear as the
full moon night. Perfect gear 32:17. Cutting the ride short wasn't in
the plan, the window was open I jumped through it.

Walk

If I want to run fast I need to walk slow. I guess that's how I am
looking at it. If Nats are going in my head, I need concessions now.
Slow before fast. Better comes later, now is ok, better is later.

Bubbles

In touch by way of the magic that is RSS. I never realize that I am out there until I get friendly mentions, Jared and Joel, two friends who get it. They are about to almost be neighbors, sort of. Jared beat me up today on the commute home. I wish the commute always felt that productive. It should have taken a lot longer than it did, thanks for that. My bubble contains most everything I know. Reverse solipsism, my bubble. Work continues, the more the better little tweaks and little changes to work with my bubble. I hear the changes coming around the corners, taking the faster way through the apex. More means better later.

Mistakes

Nothing real special about yesterday's race. I went in relaxed, a little error early cost me. I gave too much leash at the start, I had my work cut out. the picture says it all; most of the race chasing solo. Caught the guy too late to do anything but sprint, I lost. Mistakes. Lacking knowledge of who he was cost me, I should have gone early. Now I know, better next week. This past week of training has been amazing, it'll fall into the place in the next couple weeks. The puzzle isn't perfect, the pieces fit but not always on the first try. I know that and new pieces are good for the head. Thanks to Jared for the pic.

Prep

Exercises in getting stuff together to put the puzzles to right. No race today, family took precedence, no Colo Springs, they're better off without another sinner visiting the holy grounds. They do have a big city burrito near there. I could eat the shit out of one of those. It's been a while. The onset of cross has me in the usual mode of getting parts and cables and tires and wheels. It never arrives later, always fast, never easy.

Fallings

If it had been dark all of the stars would have been aligned. Instead it was bright sunshine and the trail opened up for us and flowed like water down a narrow creek. I could name most of trails but it wouldn't really make much sense, the point as always was the FLOW. Almost Zen like in a way Agnostics rarely experience. Perfect tools for the job, Fisher, Bontrager, Ergon,I couldn't ask for better gear. Sitting back and letting the bike ride itself, It shouldn't be this easy. It is. Confidence inspiring the way I can't imagine it ever before. The color of the leaves great by high country standards, nothing on the northeast. No breaks too long in some spots, not a skid to be heard. Let the trail show the bike where to go, not the other way around. Look for the FLOW

It's there underneath the canopy out of the way 1 in 10.

Progression

Stiffness and soreness from two little fumbles, bike practice always
makes for good legs. Easy skills on the cross bike and more mtb to
come. Bike practice makes me happy.

Peaks and Peaks

Pieces together on the same trail two different ways makes the day that much better. Hearing the sounds of the woods over my own labored breathing only makes it better. I hear it all in my head whether the pod is in or not. Little bobbles to keep me aware that the slower I go the more gravity can pull me down. It did this morning, one spill then a separate knee on the stem, ouch. Lessons learned. Rolled at lunch clean but muddy with JK, smooth traveling better than the a.m. effort. He's headed to Lost Wages for Innerbike, I can only imagine the amount of food I could eat if given free reign at a buffet there. I had accommodations at the Whole Year Inn, or was it the The Hole You're In? Whatever, I ate like the fat guy in 7. Thanks Jeff for the pic.

Jigsaw

It comes back thick and fast, ill prepared for what is already here.
Pushing through the rough edges to find the velvet underneath. I have
it all closer than I ever realize, thinking that the keys to won't
fit, that the tumblers have changed and I'm locked out. Not the case,
my pockets are full, not overloaded, just right, tuning the tools for
the secondseason. What else could be better? The work was done well
(properly) first, now the cream is thicker and velvet softer, that
extra chill is here.

Recap

Early on before the pace and eagerness of the first race took over the field. Not long after the front group dwindled like I hoped but not enough. Later on as the pace quickened and the group became a manageable size. Never really comfy but at least I could count on one hand how many riders I had to deal with. Thinking about everything except the crash that was about change my race. Going into the last lap or two to go, wondering what Jared (thanks for the pics!!!) had left in the tank. The puzzle pieces were falling into place, I just needed to put the last piece where I wanted it. Not long after this I got my dig, enough to put the little daylight needed. Puzzles on two wheels.

Do work

It seemed most of the people in the top 10 touched ground today. Maybe it was the first race jitters or the fact that the course was hard and loose that added to it. Casualties left and right, fast start had the full house at the front, I think I saw almost 7 or 8 guys on the front the first half of the race. No hubris today, aware that every new face on the front could mean an unclose-able gap (remember, first race of the secondseason) It whittled down and got to the point where I guess there were 4 of us, a smart attack followed by a crash that put three of us (maybe four?) on the ground, I ran straight into the spill as the leader escaped, instant inventory, am I broken? Is the wheel folded? The chase was on after tossing off the glasses, getting into mode but trying to be smart enough not to whack a rock-root-seam-rut anything that could relegate me. Soon enough it all panned out, clear shot at the front, clean lines all mine. Riding like it all rides on the one I'm in. Little surge on the last lap, little gap and a good run to sweep off the tail a bit, enough to be comfortable going into the finish. CX #1-first win of the secondseason. The effort was good, I know where my work needs to be done, knowing what I have to do. It always feels good to get the first one out of the way, first day of school, first day back at it. Training will bring out the rest of the wash, clean it up and get it dirty all over again. Turning over the pedals in my head, remembering where the cleaning needs to be done. Tune the body, tune the bike.

Recon

Little ride to see what the fuss was about. The course is great,
don't flat, ride your damn bike. Pretty simple, or so it seems. It's
not supposed to be a dirt parking lot crit. Maybe that's lost on some
people. Test number one of the second season tomorrow.

Syllabus

Quietly putting it together, just two days ago it seemed so far off, now it's here. One bike is ready, number two is not far off. This weekend is a quiz, look for the keys to open the locks and see what the second season brings. I have it all right here in my pocket, under my wheels, in my head.

4in5

The work comes thick and fast when you have urgency of the coming second season. Taco Bell has fourthmeal, we have second season. Bad fast food can make you throw up as fast as cross if you aren't in the right place. Fuel the furnace with the right gas. four in five has me tired, never enough sleep and never enough rest, do work.

Three on tue

Regular reports on what was done get really boring. I know what I didn't do today, but I feel special anyway. Good special. Ticking off the list notes and trying to get the holes filled with the foundation I need. Hearing the voices in my legs, er, head, listening to every third word, one word for me, one for the bike, one for the wind. Put it together for the combination that solves the puzzle. summer school was productive, better than last year, we'll see what it brings on Sunday. Adding to my wishlist, nothing over the top, things that make the world, my world make sense. Comfort has different meanings, warmth is first and foremost, put it on and get it done, I needed more than I had today, not comfy=bad ride, the day got better from there. Mid day was the highlight, better than not, too much volume is loud.

Falling Up

Full-on fall bundle up in the mornings, working out the right combo, more puzzles. Snow this week, quiz on Sunday. Ready? More mtb to get ready for cross and better intensity for the head. Turning down the volume, up the quality. Real goals are slowly taking shape. maybe a visit to the octopus, I think I remember how to get up that early.

Do work.

One more check off the list. It isn't too long, items that need the attention. I see the rest of the things putting the list to rest, it'll take a few months, no real goals that can happen soon, those are later. The pieces, the puzzles, the worms, all coming out to form an order, I hope. The rides gain the focus they had in the late spring, before the racing began then, the second season is here.

Fry

No boring talk of bike rides today, it was a good day, the sun was out all day for a change, I rode and life is good. Beyonce is funny, church is entertaining.

2nd Season

At least the two I got today were mostly dry, with the volume up and the intensity coming around little aches are appearing when I forget to ready for the work. Not chinks in the armor, flaws in the system. The more I do, if I play my cards right...I could have more cards... There is a certain rhythm I am accustomed to, when that is broken, the little alarms in my head go off, part-OCD, part-lunatic, I become consumed by the work I'm not doing, not the work that is done. Looking to fill in the cracks, the first season left just a few. We'll see where they are in 10 days. Building pieces into larger chunks, they are there in the hills and dirt paths scattered across, over the one down the other, it all comes together.

Getting closer

Two wet rides to get through the afternoon, it's fall at 9000 feet. I can only imagine what was growing in my chamois after two rides in the pouring rain, getting on the bike almost dry for another 90 minutes to go home the long way. Better hits are showing up, I feel it coming through, clear. Never obvious, always hiding just below the surface, subtle feeling blowing across the lake, getting my time in before the work gets harder.

Butter is better

Again the pieces are going together, no jigsaw yet, more laying out the squares of a floor, not too complicated laying them down with velcro edges. The more elaborate work is still to come. Build it slow it comes faster. Pictures only show the visual, the better stuff lingers elsewhere. Getting it together now to make the second season better than last year's. Put it out to the work.

Boxed Bee's Labor

Looks and feels like fall rolling in, the summer monsoon thunder brings more than rain, chilly air chases it before the sun hides behind the mountains and the weather makes me look for knees and better gloves for every ride outside of midday. I like it, more commitment, faster over the barriers. Faster. Harlan took Floyd at the SM100, but the big result didn't get Harlan the series title. Schalk won the day and Eatough the overall of the NUE. Big things and seeing Floyd back at his roots is cool, he looked good at Leadville a few weeks ago and must like not dealing with the UCI by racing knobbies in the long distance stuff. Whatever happens with Floyd and the USADA is a dead point by now, Floyd took the '06 tour, and that race looks more legitimate than '07. At least the scandals waited until after the race last year. Whatever, go ride your bike and pretend it matters, or don't & stay home and read.

Concern

I have this thing going on where when my volume is low I wake up for whatever reason in the middle of the night because B stirred or a bathroom break and I can't fall back asleep. I start thinking about all of these things I didn't do or could do, things I lost, plans for the day, week, month all of it. Constantly trying to slow my racing head, trying to get more rest. Maybe I don't need more rest, I should just mount up the lights and get out for a pre-dawn ride. I know I'm tired but I see it as a variation on my insomnia. 'I have the rest already' I think is what the system is telling me, 'do something more constructive with your time, lazy-ass. So what if it's 40 degrees outside, you have the clothing, get on the bike and go do a few hours, you'll thank me later.' Next time that's what I'll do. Less concern about the racing in my head and more concern about getting out on the bike to burn the time I should be sleeping. Mix up a little coffee and throw it out there, maybe I won't get attacked by the bear, ride the path and avoid the sleeping elk in the hollows. Hiding in plain sight, looking out for the planks