Learning all over again

Because...you know...humbling yourself in all environments is good for the soul. Or so I tell myself. The water is no joke. Just pushing hard is gonna get you nowhere. Not to mention, it's a whole different way to fire up/strengthen my hip. 300m opener followed by 5 sets of: 100 free, 50 pull, 50 kick and then 100 side straddle steps each side to workout the hip/pelvic muscles). Ya, I'm smoked. But, my hip feels good (but sore) and my guts feel good too. Not a bad day

Ah, the ER...

Well hello Tuesday. Not the way I was expecting to spend the day. Well, at least I have my buddy Bryan who is my attending doc. Maybe he'll read me Triathlete magazine while I wait for my CT scan

Cycling = solace

Je trouve la réconfort sur le vélo (I always find solace on the bike)...it's funny, it dawned on me while riding today that some 30 years ago (ya, don't even get me started that I can start a sentence with "some 30 years ago") around this time I got my first "real" bike. It was a Giant RS940 in neon pink (what?! It was the 80s!) and I went from being the kid that barely held on with the local club rides (I was riding my dad's 70's era commuter Peugeot) to the kid that was always off the front and a club racer. With dreams of being the next Laurent Fignon or Greg LeMond, I'd log hundreds of miles a week...just me and my bike. I discovered the joy and the freedom the bicycle can give. It's always been a calming effect in my life. No matter how bad things get, if I can get wheels on the road and go ride, life just seems so much more dealable.

I've been fighting through health issues for a while now. They've taken a toll on me physically and even more importantly mentally. Another doc, another potential fix...we'll see. But, I get on the bike and forget all about it. It's funny, the Army taught me to run, triathlon made me learn to swim...but if I had a nickel for every time during a run race or in the water I've said to myself "if I can just get through this, I'm never gonna do this again" I'd be RICH...but I've never said that on the bike. I run, I swim, I lift but I AM a cyclist. That 25 miles Today didn't make everything go away, but it certainly made things a little better.

Maybe a little more difficult than I thought

I have an idea for Polar for a new campaign. I think they should go with #wheredoesyourhearttakeyou. Polar products can now be used for almost every sport and training and heart rate/recovery are the key to any athletes' success. Right? Right?! I call it. Well, after getting motivated by watching the Tour and it being a beautiful Sunday here in MA, my heart was into taking a ride. I felt great the first hour, keeping a comfortable 19-20mph pace and thought "why not throw in hills the next hour"? Oh what a terrible idea that was. First time I've spent 2hrs in the saddle in over a year...oh my you could heard me pop from miles away. Completely smashed my bags and made it back home on vapors. That repaired hip isn't too happy which I'm hoping to attribute to the first hard climbing since the surgery. But a hard training ride done! Somebody asked me about selfies. Ya, that bike and gear are way sexier than I could ever be.

Vive la France

I mean with today's Tour stage, it being Bastille Day...and more importantly, needing to burn off that awesome lunch, I had to take the Cervélo S5 out for a quick 20 miler. 800cals burned and another training session in the bag. Ya, I could get accustomed to this air and these views

Enjoy the locations too

Sometimes it's less about getting in a ride...as it is about WHERE you get in a ride. A great hour with views like this. I may never go back to work.

Maybe not a good choice

At the beach? Well, go find a long, steep, sandy hill and do hill repeats right? I got in 15 solid minutes of hill climbs...and then I realize that "rocks" I was feeling under my toes was actually blisters from the hot sand, that had torn open and had filled with sand. OUCH!!! THen walking into the ocean to clean thme out, DOUBLE OUCH!!! So I'll be hobbling around for the next few days...

Back in the saddle

Dear cycling gods, forgive me it's been waaay too long since I've put wheels on the road!!!

I knocked the dust of my Cervelo S5 (no really, it's been hanging up for so long I had to wipe dust off it. It killed me to realize that) and took it out. A gorgeous New England day, perfect for a 25 miler. I forgot how many hills are around here but that S5 made them all easy. Not to mention the hip felt GREAT even standing up, out of the saddle and stomping the pedals. And...I'm so happy to get a 3rd day in a row of training!

Train smarter...

Well, my planned 6mi run turned into a 4 miler. I didn't realize my old route around WPI was that hilly but toss in little to no shade or wind on a wicked hot day and I got gassed. Rather than push it, I bailed out at the halfway point. I just couldn't channel my inner Gompei or jack rabbit today. But, that cute lil guy kept me company as I walked off the run.

Something new

It's been a while since I've hit the trail but it was a gorgeous day and that scenery was awesome. Might not have been the right shoes for the job...but they did the trick!