Longer

Rolling and sliding through the slow winter days, it doesn't always get into the teens, I don't always eat enough, and the system shuts down a bit. Brian gets shorted. After the short days are over work comes thick and fast. 5 weeks till the longer days. 

Markers

Working through the winter, two skis, two wheels and one board at a time. The puzzle comes together in it's own way, after each piece finds it's jigsaw sleeping spot. 3 a.m. today, maybe another night it will be different. The base grows and the confidence builds. It is '08, the right mix is in. Sleep comes when needed. Getting more acquainted with the system. Manuals still make sense at 3 a.m. The wrong food, too much of it and I get less.

OK

Blue sky made the work easy to come by. Now I have the weekend still in my legs and work is tougher. Looking at what was done is clear, what wasn't done is clearer. Afterall it is January and I'm ahead of last year, seeing if the March races bring the results I'd like. Rebuild is up next for the cross bike, orders and fresh parts, long time coming for that. My ears aren't hurting. The headphones must have been just right. Walking into the store to get lunch today I couldn't open the automatic door. More food is needed.

January

Big would say "Do work son." I did that part without much thinking. Beyond just wasn't possible today. The work was good, I was OK. That's all that matters in January.

Saturday

The network is too slow to post a map of where the work was today. No big deal, the work was good, I was OK. Pictures tomorrow, I didn't get a shot of the clown not wearing a shirt riding his bike, that made feel like a giant wimp, all bundled up to the weather. I hurt today, it was a hard ride, not too hard. Not too much or anything like that, the work was there, but it wasn't the easiest long day. Oh, the coke I got at around 100km in but everything to right.

Skate or die

Skating at lunch today fixed the holes, kind of like putty or drywall mud. Put things to right, fixed any doubts I had earlier in the week, slight hiccups easily fixed with thumbs and elbows. This is a picture of the snot I shot onto my ski, if I had any bio-feedback I would place it here. That might show that I did some work, instead I only have sore abs and a lot less phlegm to let me know that I did work son. It wasn't like I skied that long so this was the snack I earned. Institutional life suits me. One of the harder extended efforts was up this. Good thing and I only saw stars for a minute or so after cresting it. It reminds of mowing a big yard with a push mower, no real rest because if you do it only prolongs the finishing of it. After a bit of a warm up on the mellow grades I shot this picture, happy to start going into the darker spots in the woods. Higher efforts and more to show for it.

Evening

A good day, the knots are out and the fullness of goodness is with me. Wasabi peas and good beer. Damn that's nice. Better things to come, time well spent.

Lunch

Lunch. Snow and peanut butter. After I stop feeling like I'll throw up it will taste a bit better.

Outside

Work

Weak end

This is almost a week on from the crash, I feel better the three hours on the rollers this weekend added up to good work. I'm waiting for that flap to come off and open up the inside of my hand a bit more. Last week's crash wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. It cost a few days training but only soreness and fatigue, I got off light. This guy wasn't so lucky. The base phase is always a bit different year to year, not having the full-pro time and flexibility my victories come easier. I'm not feeling athletic yet, but I do feel like a bike racer a bit again. I hate getting started, tougher times ahead.

Heds Up

The guy over at Rock Racing is assembling a funny group of misfits; dopers? check. Next thing you know he'll be signing Fuentes as the team doctor. Sweet. Great for the sport. Now I want to buy some wheels. Check out the place of worship, like landover baptist, but this is the Big Ring for the two wheel set.

Pieces

The pieces that build the base aren't always big, chunks like that take more, not always having it to give, smaller pieces add up too. Fitting it all in feels the best, chip away at it. Listen to the quiet. Perfect. Don't get ahead of the calendar.

40%

Putting 100% into anything gets bits left out. What if the full effort on one side leaves so much on the other side of the ledger? I'm left there today, trying to work out the pieces left behind. Wouldn't things fit better if the puzzle had less pieces? Remove the extra and leave it to raw, simplicity. Someday soon.

Soon?

I still don't feel great after touching ground on Tuesday, everything is off, the fatigue feels like mid season overtraining, the soreness isn't great either. I've only had a few spills that lingered this long and this is one of them.

Almost

Almost the last section of ice on the loop laid me out, the hands feel like I grated cheese without the cheese, chunks of hamburger out of 'em. Meanwhile another ride passes and I feel better about what the puzzle does. The time gets done one way or another, the pieces go together like tetris. Little gaps are ok, they all fall together later on. Layers of dirt laying on top of the last. Sleep is next.

Glide

Dark is 6am in mid January. Gliding through other tracks, fast but not icy, pretty good way to begin Monday. Not a sound other than breathing to keep up the pace and warm fingertips. Skis happily finding kick purchase, gliding enough. Just as the headlamp died the sun showed up to light up the low hanging clouds. Perfect.

Even

Quietly, I guess silently moving through the early stages of winter and now I am always tired, WTF? I was looking for ways to burn it off a week ago and now I can't get enough. Sleep comes thick and fast, naps whenever allowed. Ease off the plate and find the middle of the see-saw. I hear it all in my head, nothing new, always changing the puzzle pieces, they all fit but never in the same order. Traces of past equations but lacking the right fit, until it all lays itself out on some dirt in about 8 weeks.

Fight it back to the middle of the see-saw and see the pieces fall on the sides, evenly.

My winter morning, not the worst way to start a Friday. Better legs and turns to come, always cutting to the quick. Listening and you hear it. Move across, you see it.

Friday

Fewer efforts but good ones pile up. Seeing the cracks in the winter through to the spring. Evidence shows and fades. Less pedals than I prefer, but more skis, different silence in the head. Sleep is good right now, it stays longer the more I do to help it.

Breaking

A few dishes were broken yesterday. Just what the winter needed. Time well spent. I saw a standard serrated kitchen knife laying in the road, can't imagine the story there. Good sensation, legs were predictable, body knew what to do. Time is now, get it out and see what the system has to offer. The toolbox is full, pick one you need and build. Nothing shattered, almost 4 hours isn't that much. it's all about steady. The best part is yet to come, it gets closer.

Fry

A little lighter today, the weight shifts, trying to figure out the patterns as they fall. I still get only chunks of sleep, no blocks. Now, today the feeling moves forward down the road, spring is close(r) than I think.

Dark

Either the system is shutting down or the Octopus is calling, inky goodness is everywhere. No longer lacking sleep, balanced I go through the night and get out in it. Darkness is scaring me less, enjoy the anonymity sliding through it. The sound of the woods at night is more familiar. Solo or not I feel more comfy. No more little kid fears of the boogeyman.

Equal

I get all the sleep I need. 4 am today and the 3 1554s last night put it out to quality rest, beyond that 4 isn't too bad. The formula is evolving, more of this less of that, it'll come. Too much food and beer last night skewed the equation. At least it wasn't midnight again. Skiing is going well, the technique is better and the snow is good. Always easier that way.