Ride and Resolutions

I am really happy to get some descent miles this week. Having a sitter 2-3 hours a day so I can ride, makes a big difference on my mood.

Didn't get out until 5 or so on Wednesday. It was dark, starting to snow, freezing. Road about 8 miles when I was jumping some railroad tracks and the phone flew out of my jersey crashing and ending my strava ride. Before that I flatted at mile 1.

I'm pretty sure the cause of the flat from Tuesday was the ruffy tuffy strip I had in the rear. The strip was 1 piece, and there was some excess and it was all crinkled right where the little hole was. Put in a new tube, did not reinstall the liner strip, aired it up to 80psi and off I went. The first section was one of the tougher sections as far as no dirt, just tons of rocks. I pinch flatted. I still can't believe it. 28mm tires with 80 psi should be able to hit anything...not this thing though, whatever it was. I used my last tube, I should have some time today to ride. I'm keeping it on mostly pavement today if I can help it. 30degrees today and some snow, not a lot, it covered the ground.



Lots of people have resolutions this year. I usually don't make resolutions. I try to make lifestyle changes on the fly, as they are needed, or when I see something wrong. Its crazy to think that people realize that they need to stop smoking, or drinking in excess, or not exercising, or eating fast food everyday, sometime during the summer and wait 6 months before they make the necessary changes, whether that be for a month, a week, or a day.

I am hoping that 2012 brings a few changes, I want to keep my diet good this year, I started around November, trying to drink less, and avoid processed foods/drinks as much as I can. I also am hoping to ride my bike more. Do a few longer races like Joe Martin...something like that. Something that's going to hurt.

I'm not too mad about 2011. I stayed healthy most of the year, 2010 seemed like I was sick all the time, especially all of cross season. In races, I tried the best I could, and didn't give up. I didn't let misfortunes piss me off so that I didn't ride a good race. There were races like Tour of Lawrence, Campus Circuit, where after 2 or 3 laps, the 100 rider field had turned into about 30 riders, and they simply road away. I was going as hard as I could, legs, lungs, it was all there head down pedaling, and they just road off. Most riders dnf'd, I stayed and road the whole race getting lapped by 15 or so guys on a 5 mile loop. I wasn't embarrassed, to get dropped, it was a hard course with thousands of feet of climbing. Plus it was hot. I got a good day of riding in and on paper it looked like I did ok, with good usac points. There were probably 30 guys who dnf'd after just 2 laps who could have easily beat me. Other races, like Cross off Cancer, I had bad luck, dropping my chain loosing 10 places after being in 2nd. Then crashing twice, riding off the course, still battling to the front to get 3rd, that's probably my favorite result.


I think my main resolution this year is making a conscience effort to "invest" into my diet. I usually eat whatever is cheapest, satisfying. This year I will do my best to buy local, fresh, natural, good for you food.


I've been drinking a ton of tea. I got some good green tea that I drink all day, usually 2 bags with 2 liters of water. I usually keep it in a thermos, and when the baby needs milk, I used the tea to warm the milk. I've always just heated up water to warm the milk, and then through the water out, making the tea makes me feel like I"m not wasting.