I'm dedicating the next 30 days to self-discipline. Training, racing, nutrition, coaching, budgeting, working, writing, reading. All of it. I'll whip my sorry ass into shape if its the last thing that I do. I will be my own Terminator.
In that spirit, no break-up posts for three days. No depressive episodes, self-pity parties or reflection. This weekend is about looking forward.
So, in the spirit of "progression, not regression," I'm going to lay out some goals for 2009. Not the most entertaining writing, granted, but if I log them here, it'll keep me honest. And you can all hold me accountable if I write that I'm going booze-free in January, but then start walking around Chinatown in a plaid bathrobe with a bottle of Potter's gin in a paper bag. Because don't think I haven't thought about doing that in the last two weeks.
First up: Bike Aspirations.
1. This year is going to be all about all of my bikes. Since I've never done a full season of anything other than cyclocross and short track, my goal is to try as many different disciplines as possible to see what fits and what is fun. Ultimately, I want to be my fittest in the late summer and into the fall, during the criterium and cyclocross seasons. I want to participate in the Cat 4 Women's Series and any crit within a reasonable driving or riding distance, suffer though at least a few time trials (since I do have a state title to defend-snicker), do some cross-country mountain bike racing and learn how to rock my new track bike. And maybe squeeze in an off-road triathlon. And maybe a stage race that is NOT Elkhorn.
I'm going to keep flexible in the spring with road racing and mountain bike racing, but there are a few things that I know that I'm not really interested in: Banana Belt and the Mt. Tabor Series. I could get conned into doing the former but not the latter.
Tentative Schedule of Winter/Spring Must-Do's:
February 4-14: Training Camp Palm Springs
February 22: Jack Frost TT
April 2: Hood River Crit Series (with my new work schedule, I could probably swing a few of these)
April 5: Three weeks of Estacada TTs
April 23/24: Willamette Stage Race or Deschutes TT festival
April 29/May 1: Beginners Clinics and Beginner Fridays at the Track begin
May 4: Monday PIR begins (participate at least twice monthly)
June 21: Test of Endurance 50 (MTB)
June 22: Short Track for six consecutive Monday Nights
June 26-28: Coaching TNT at Event Weekend
And a Dirt Series MTB Skills Camp.
Sometime in here I will try to work, eat, sleep and shower.
2. If I'm going to own seven bicycles, I need to learn how to maintain and fix all of them....without having to go to bike shop every time I need a cassette changed or a minor derailleur adjustment. Practical, cheap and empowering (and probably frustrating and enfuriating at first).
Between the Zinn bike maintenance book, Sheldon Brown's website and the guys on my new team who know a thing or ten about bikes (and seem to have a lot of tolerance for my stupid questions), I think I should be able to learn to do a lot of things myself. My next step is to find a class and a website that has instructional videos...the book is really nice, but I learn better by watching someone else do something first.
I'm also going to try and build most of my track bike myself. I'm going to outsource the wheels, but I think I can handle the rest with minimal temper tantrums. No cables, no derailleurs, no problem. I'll probably keep Jeff and Chris on speed dial, though, just in case.
3. I'm doing a lot of things right right now: consistently doing the core/strength/agility class; suffering through the weekly indoor interval sessions; participating in weekend rides that have a specific training purpose. I want to keep doing those things, but there are a few things I want to work on specifically: upper body strength (my shoulder is probably at 75% of where it was last year and I still have some tendonitis issues); flexibility; sprinting; bike handling-cornering in particular.
Flexibility is going to be critical to keeping myself out of doctor's offices this year (notwhithstanding any crash induced visits-hopefully I'll get a year off from those). Since I more or less gave up running a few months ago, my calves are constantly tight and I've had some night cramping issues. I've got to get this worked out before it causes problems in my knees and achilles tendons. And I want to improve the range of motion in my lower back and hamstrings so I can stay tucked into aero on my TT bike for as long as possible.
So there it is. My first boring, non-depressing installment of "How I'm Going to Get my Shit Back Together in 2009."
To Be Continued......
In that spirit, no break-up posts for three days. No depressive episodes, self-pity parties or reflection. This weekend is about looking forward.
So, in the spirit of "progression, not regression," I'm going to lay out some goals for 2009. Not the most entertaining writing, granted, but if I log them here, it'll keep me honest. And you can all hold me accountable if I write that I'm going booze-free in January, but then start walking around Chinatown in a plaid bathrobe with a bottle of Potter's gin in a paper bag. Because don't think I haven't thought about doing that in the last two weeks.
First up: Bike Aspirations.
1. This year is going to be all about all of my bikes. Since I've never done a full season of anything other than cyclocross and short track, my goal is to try as many different disciplines as possible to see what fits and what is fun. Ultimately, I want to be my fittest in the late summer and into the fall, during the criterium and cyclocross seasons. I want to participate in the Cat 4 Women's Series and any crit within a reasonable driving or riding distance, suffer though at least a few time trials (since I do have a state title to defend-snicker), do some cross-country mountain bike racing and learn how to rock my new track bike. And maybe squeeze in an off-road triathlon. And maybe a stage race that is NOT Elkhorn.
I'm going to keep flexible in the spring with road racing and mountain bike racing, but there are a few things that I know that I'm not really interested in: Banana Belt and the Mt. Tabor Series. I could get conned into doing the former but not the latter.
Tentative Schedule of Winter/Spring Must-Do's:
February 4-14: Training Camp Palm Springs
February 22: Jack Frost TT
April 2: Hood River Crit Series (with my new work schedule, I could probably swing a few of these)
April 5: Three weeks of Estacada TTs
April 23/24: Willamette Stage Race or Deschutes TT festival
April 29/May 1: Beginners Clinics and Beginner Fridays at the Track begin
May 4: Monday PIR begins (participate at least twice monthly)
June 21: Test of Endurance 50 (MTB)
June 22: Short Track for six consecutive Monday Nights
June 26-28: Coaching TNT at Event Weekend
And a Dirt Series MTB Skills Camp.
Sometime in here I will try to work, eat, sleep and shower.
2. If I'm going to own seven bicycles, I need to learn how to maintain and fix all of them....without having to go to bike shop every time I need a cassette changed or a minor derailleur adjustment. Practical, cheap and empowering (and probably frustrating and enfuriating at first).
Between the Zinn bike maintenance book, Sheldon Brown's website and the guys on my new team who know a thing or ten about bikes (and seem to have a lot of tolerance for my stupid questions), I think I should be able to learn to do a lot of things myself. My next step is to find a class and a website that has instructional videos...the book is really nice, but I learn better by watching someone else do something first.
I'm also going to try and build most of my track bike myself. I'm going to outsource the wheels, but I think I can handle the rest with minimal temper tantrums. No cables, no derailleurs, no problem. I'll probably keep Jeff and Chris on speed dial, though, just in case.
3. I'm doing a lot of things right right now: consistently doing the core/strength/agility class; suffering through the weekly indoor interval sessions; participating in weekend rides that have a specific training purpose. I want to keep doing those things, but there are a few things I want to work on specifically: upper body strength (my shoulder is probably at 75% of where it was last year and I still have some tendonitis issues); flexibility; sprinting; bike handling-cornering in particular.
Flexibility is going to be critical to keeping myself out of doctor's offices this year (notwhithstanding any crash induced visits-hopefully I'll get a year off from those). Since I more or less gave up running a few months ago, my calves are constantly tight and I've had some night cramping issues. I've got to get this worked out before it causes problems in my knees and achilles tendons. And I want to improve the range of motion in my lower back and hamstrings so I can stay tucked into aero on my TT bike for as long as possible.
So there it is. My first boring, non-depressing installment of "How I'm Going to Get my Shit Back Together in 2009."
To Be Continued......
3 comments:
I like the plan, wish I was there for some of the mt. biking stuff.
Sheldon Brown R.I.P.
Have you checked out Tori's classes? I want to take them and would love to do it with a buddy. (It's a 2:1 ratio)
Gracie's Wrench
Let's do it. Great idea.
Post a Comment