Back In (On) the Saddle Again

Randolph AFB back to New Braunfels

After crewing for Ron in the Race Across the West (RAW) this past June, I came home with my mind made up. I was going to ride RAW in 2011. I committed myself to a year of preparation, and I started right away. My goal through the summer and into the fall was straightforward -- a lot of time on the bike. My miles increased dramatically; in fact, in the 30 days following the RAW, I rode more than I had in the first half of 2010!

Surly Long Haul Trucker (LHT) with XtraCycle mod

In June, I rode 339 miles, July 430, Aug 358, Sep 296, and Oct 336. I was riding my Long Haul Trucker (touring bike) home from Louisiana in October when the trouble started. I contracted an upper respiratory infection which only allowed me to ride 90 miles in Nov. December was dismal -- only 42 miles. My fitness vanished and my waistline grew. I began to notice my uniform was fitting too tight. At the end of December, I stepped on a scale and was shocked to see my weight had hit 186 lbs! As a point of reference, when I showed up for the RAAM in 2008, I weighed 174 lbs.

It's tough to get back in the saddle, but I've got a plan. I'm dieting and doing short rides in January. In February, I'll start ramping up the miles again and keep it going through May. I think my riding will take care of itself; I'm trying to complement my training this time with some gym time. I hate going to the gym, so we'll see how that works.

My ever-present training partner:
Thanks, Valero!

Today, Tanner and I went to Randolph AFB, and I rode my bike home. One of my standard rides, it's a quiet 2-hour ride through the country and flat as a pancake until nearing my house. Today was no exception; I was only passed by 2 cars! It was a little chilly for me though; I forgot one of my layers and it was in the 50s. I'm a real baby when it's cold. Anyway, today's ride was nice, but a bit too much for me at this stage. Tomorrow and Wednesday, I think I'm gonna tackle the hilly ride to the boat and back on the LHT.

I did a lot of thinking about the RAAM/RAW today. Lots of stuff I'd like to share. Today's lesson: always be prepared for the unexpected. I was almost hit by a car today; I thought it was a 4-way stop, but it wasn't! Fortunately, I managed to stop in time. You can never drop your guard on the bike and that's doubly true on the RAAM. It got my attention.