Start it all Again

So, the lament for the end of the season has come and gone, as has the time for rest. I have just finished taking three weeks off the bike and this weekend, Canadian Thanksgiving, was the time to start riding once again.

What is so funny about taking time off is that you start to realise how the guys that have to work feel when they ride their bikes. My saddle feels too high and after thirty minutes my back starts to hurt; how in the world was I ever a good rider? Once, I was supple and now I feel as if I am jerking around like a marionette on the bike. Perhaps I really am a git.

Now that I am resuming to train, it is also time to look ahead to the coming season, even as the old one is still a fresh memory. First off, I have to look at what kind of season I would like, what races will I target? Then, I have to think about how I will put in the necessary mileage. Really, a lot will depend on the weather; a harsh winter will mean less mileage, in which case some discipline will be needed for riding the rollers.

At the coffee shop the other day a guy was telling me how he was looking forward to riding his rollers over the winter. What, is he insane? Riding the rollers is like using a cattle prod to turn your brain into a pile of mush; there is little in the world that I would rather do less. But hey, as a cyclist sometimes you make the necessary sacrifices, wish me luck.