Saturday, September 5, 2009

Over & Out

Planning for a career change, lifestyle change, attitude change is a bit of a change. Chhhhaaaaa chaaaaa chhhhhaanges. The past three training weeks here in Ottawa have been physically and mentally challenging - and it's just the tip of the ice burg. My life is guided (and depends upon) policy and regulations from here on out. I thought teaching was a challenge - policing is a whole-nuther level. Stress, challenges, changes, unknowns have taken a toll on me physically, mentally - all of which result affecting my little family.

Add in the stresses and worries of not riding enough, losing bike fitness (certainly not worried about losing physical fitness - apparently I'll be molded at police college into a badass mutha), keeping up with the blogosphere, representing the Empire, finishing up the race season - all important shit . . .

Add on household duties (not dooties), family time and general 'gettin shit done' time . . . f*ck me. It's been taxing.

Nothing is worth tearing myself or my little family apart. After speaking to and getting advice from much wiser folks than me, I've had to make the tough decision to dial things back a bit, stop complicating life and work on getting my shit together.

What does this mean?
  • One, my race season is officially over. I had three or four events planned on, but they are not going to happen unfortunately.
  • Two, blogging for the next three months will be sporadic. I'm hoping for a couple to a few a week. So keep coming back. All posts may not be bike related . . . as I won't be biking that much. College rules/reg's dictate that I can't have a bike at college with me - and besides, from everything I've heard, I won't have time for it. Life for the next three months is already scheduled. I know when I get to take a dump, to when I get to eat and go to bed. (Just let me know if you want my poo poo schedule)
  • Three, most weekends I hope to get home (seven hour drive each way). Priority will be on the family and repairing/filling in the cracks and gaps that I've allowed to form in the past while. Secondary will be throwing a leg over the bike and trying to keep up with riding buddies. Should be vomit-spectacular.
Upside:
  • One, I've been injured this entire season. I've kept it under wraps and haven't told anyone. A torn hamstring since March has affected my riding. Three months of rehab exercises will hopefully repair it up.
  • Two, I have my 2010 training plan and race schedule (tentative) laid out. The Powertap and I have our first date planned for the second week of December and will be going steady until mid March. I'm already speaking to my sergeant about getting time off for this.
  • Three, I'll becoming a cross training, ninja fighting, bad ass mutha - all skills and strength will hopefully spill over to the bike. New defensive tactics will be put to use against competitors during races to disable and disarm their riding skills.


New defensive tactics?! Let's see Spak try and pass me. Actually, please . . . try and pass me!

A break from the riding scence, as much as I don't want to take it or admit to it, will be good for my overall being.

Please do not forget to put me into the lead. You deserve a Nummers, don't you!?!?


What you have to look forward to: more Nummers smack talk, a Naked Review (yes, it's in the works) in the next couple of weeks, pics of me being peppered sprayed and possibly tased (and subsequently wetting my pants and screaming like a little school girl).



7 comments:

Unknown said...

I like your priorities and witty prose.

Good Luck

love dan

Sandro said...

Good luck with your new career. I will miss your posts.

3 Months -/+ off the bike is maybe not such a bad thing. Look at Lance, few years off the bike and then he wins a MTB marathon ;-)

Regards,

Herm said...

"I have my 2010 training plan and race schedule (tentative) laid out"

Dude - you're about to become a shift-working cop. When luck is running your way - when you don't have to go into court on your days off, when your vacation doesn't get cancelled, and when you don't stay later after shift end - you may get in some bike time (if you've already gotten in some family time).

Bro, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your career as a cyclist (as you know it) is pretty much over for the next few years (good news for the rest of us, we we won't have to put up with your ugly mug and foul odours at the start line). Put your family first as they get used to your fucked up schedule. Go overboard in that department, because 3 months of po-po college is really tough on them (you may not make it home often on weekends), and so is your rookie year. It will take it's toll initially, especially since you're one of those soft former Mon-Fri teacher types.

Once everything is settled in, we'll be looking forward to your Lance-like comeback. Good luck with the changes.

Matt Spak said...

You better be playing lots of duck hunt on the hardest level if you think you are going to catch me with your little pop gun. Looks like something I got out of a cracker jack box!!!

Good priority call though.

Anonymous said...

good luck with that. Cops are fat for a reason, cause they are busy.
The non fat cops are the ones not at work...

being a cop is tough. I work with them every day.
Yah gotta take a lot of shit from society.
Yah gotta be a babysitter, a mind reader, a mediator, a psychologist, a part-time doctor at times, a red-neck at times, an irritated A type personality at times etc...

Probably one of the worst jobs out there...

Why you gave up teaching is beyond me. Great pension (heck, I think the teachers pensions pretty much run the economy, they're huge!). Summers off. Kids are easy to brain wash etc... (ever read the book Freaknomics...)

Anonymous said...

dear tha police.

office craig likes to get half dressed in womyns clothes and take pictures with his meger man'ness coddling the top-tube of bi-cycles.
when he's not being nearly nakud on the internet he likes to dress his bi-cycle in a bra.
yes.
please give him a gun.

respectfully,
so-so-society.

The Evil MGE! said...

Will this make you Canadian bacon? MMMM...whats that I smell...ohh...can you smell that smell...the smell that's around you....

Are you going to be a mountie?

Are you going to be driving one of those electric cars giving parking ticket?

Are you going to be sitting in the neighborhood diner all day sucking down donuts and coffee while the drug store next door gets robbed?