Wednesday, June 16, 2010

It's all about your attitude - Part I

It's no secret that I've been struggling on the bike lately - over come some illness, then allergy-thing, then injury . . . waaa, waaa, whaaaa. It's been as much of a mental hurdle to try and get over it as a physical one. I'm trying and trying, but just seeing no return to any kind of form . . . perhaps I never had one to begin with and I'm so far from the truth and reality that I'm searching for something that was never there, but thought that I DID once have.

I put a hard effort in on the bike Monday, some structured training, some intervals and shit. All in hopes of feeling better. Tuesday, the plan was to do a long ride - build that base back up again. Plans are made to be broken, forgotten about or messed up . . . and my plan lay in shattered pieces by the time I got myself out the door Tuesday morning.

Morning started out with some road and climbing up to Champlain Look-off.

Planned ride turned into, "I'm just going out to ride and enjoy the day and see what happens and stop the fuck moaning about how out of shape I am in this season."

Then it was onto some gravel fire road.

Even squeezed in some single track. CX bikes are so versatile - big fat 30mm Grand Bois tires - fast and smooth on the road, squishy and forgiving on the trail.

Bombed down the 40 to Meech Lake.

Despite going out "just to ride", thoughts about how far behind I am in the season and how much of a Sucky McSucks A-Lot-on-the -bike I am right now kept creeping into my head. I didn't bring any food with me and about 65 Km in I started to bonk for lack of a decent breakfast and decided to head for home. Despite the beautiful day I was feeling down about my efforts and how far I had ridden.

Legs heavy and spirits grey I swung into the Gameline Parking lot to fill my bottles for the slow ride home and noticed a guy unloading his bike out of his truck, getting ready to go for a ride. I've seen the guy and the bike once before, but this time I stopped to talk. I remarked to him about his ride and he was more than happy to tell me about it - why wouldn't he, it was a cool bike - one you don't see very often at all. We got to talking, comparing rides and shooting the breeze when he told me that he used to only ride free-ride type bikes, but now is only on the road.

Continued tomorrow . . .

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7 comments:

The Evil MGE! said...

Dude, your all negative and depressing these days.
In three months you'll be riding with the Goat in Colorado on alpine trails, on some hidden gems only a scant few know about. It'll be good, damn good.
Get the positive vibe going on and the rest will follow.

Kark said...

It looks like a beauty day. seriously. Look at those pics you took with new eyes and ask yourself if that wasn't a great ride.

..cause you coulda been inside pounding keys and worrying about shit like how yer gotta get outta the red an into the black.. just sayin' :)

rick is! said...

somebody needs to give you a hug. I'm not gonna do it but someone should.

CB2 said...

I hope you're going to tell us about his ride. Has he taken it over any sweet jumps?

the original big ring said...

wait for it . . .

Anonymous said...

The 40 is such a blast on a CX bike though. It brings great sht face grins to my face. I haven't had time to do it in a while though. But, when I do get a chance to, it will be a really good time.


Yah gotta do some beach time!

Bike 75km then sit back and enjoy some down time... then continue on.

I have a cooler up in the gatineaus for cold drinks even. Its a natural spring. So, I always have a cold drink available... as long as no one steals them.

attitude - yah win some days yah loose some days. Take the good with the bad.
Good days are like today - sun is out and its hot. Go enjoy some beach, bike and babes!

Bad days - damn cold outside. Me, I don't like the cold anymore.

Anonymous said...

Get out and ride today! Its not very often we get this sort of weather.

And, stay far away from Vanier. I have a buddy going through to be a cop as well. The first place they brought him was vanier.
Vanier is the sht hole of ottawa.

being a cop ain't easy. Probably one of the toughest jobs out there. Gotta be a judge, a doctor, a mentor, a nut cracker, a fighter, etc...

Give me back your teaching job any day. How sweet it would be to have the summer off. What I would give for that!