Tuned

I think I look down a lot when I'm going hard, usually watching my shins and knees pedal the bike. Some riders, I think watch their wrists, not so much in racing, but training-a lot. Always looking for the next bit of efficiency, easy to look for-hard to find. Big weeks lead to big sleep. Too tired to do anything, I should have called it a day even earlier than the 9 pm pillow. Racing is getting better as the form comes out of hibernation, it was a long winter and it did snow last week, happy to have warmer days with uncovered legs, summer!

OK

Crap

Fell of the wagon today and have paid for it, well more like the body didn't respond to shit junk food the way it does to the good stuff, fuel in fuel out, you use low grade shit, you get worse power. Me today, better tomorrow, it wasn't even fun. The institutional life makes me faster. Without it I feel crappy.

Clown

I have never had an irrational fear of clowns, I always thought that was made up, why be afraid of clowns? I had a friend who, as an adult got a clown birthday cake from his mother, sort of a joke...I think, he threw it away, rude, I thought. I lack that sort of edgy fear of things, relatively well adjusted, relatively. Nothing to really push me over the edge, I feel ok about a lot of things, maybe even most things.

Think

The closest I can get to the pieces that fit. 

Around

Little changes in pitch make a big difference. Getting out is the better thing, no matter what wheels are turning under me, it all helps. Slowness fades into earned fatigue. Loops get better and the wildlife is looking at us curiously, why? Get out and find it in the woods.

Rhythm

Not the longest climb, the steepest or the hardest, just a good climb, warm late day uphill trip. Steady pace, better to do this than just about anything else, so perfect, smooth and up, not much more on two wheels is better. Slowly at first then building the tempo, the melody moves into rhythm in my legs. Not a pissing contest, good work with good people, so much training is alone, bright(er) spots when company is there. Lighter on the pedals, turning over my gear, rhythmic and clear, no static, interference distractions melt away, the bike the pedals and the hill, perfect. This breeds strength later on in the season. There is always the next race to go better. Never is there a perfect effort, always room for improvement on even the best days.

Old School

I like listening to real sounding music on my iPod, almost like the vinyl is there but not really, the little pops that only come from older stuff, nothing fake or contrived to sound old. It makes me want to get a vinyl to digital turntable to load it into iTunes.

Days on end

Back to it after a break, puzzles, pieces and separation and lots of listening. Today is the first day of the new days, the last day was yesterday.

boiled

A little shaken, not too much, ready to get down to the task, ready for the thick and fast groups of the first real tests of the season, nothing major, my tests schedule building, readying for what really matters. The keys are right there, nothing to keep out the progress other than less sleep and the wrong fuel in the system. I can listen, I can hear, you need both. Make sure the clutter is gone, empty the head and fill the tank. Ready?