Zen and the Art of Speedskating

What a sloppy, nasty day outside. It is maybe 40, windy, and pouring. You can see the live view of Cornell here. or just glance at the still image on the right. Yesterday I went out for a wonderful ride, swooping around the Ithaca hills (note to coaches: while keeping my HR as low as possible, I promise), positively joyous at climbing and descending.. But it was warm and dry yesterday, and I am glad today that I am not a bike racer.. At this moment though, all over the northeast, there are probably a thousand men and women out there racing today and suffering in this slop, proving something to themselves, as bike racing usually begins in earnest the first weekend in April.

I actually used to really love racing in this crap. I was VERY good at it (more than half the races I won on the bike were in foul weather), mental toughness mixed with youth, insanity & off road bike handling skills were a good skillset to have when there was standing water in the corners, oil lifting off the pavement, manhole covers slick as ice, and your mouth filling with salty tasting grit from the rear wheel of rider in front of you.

Sometimes just staying with the leaders, proving yourself determined enough to stay at the front of the peloton & fighting for position, that is victory enough, no matter if you make the podium/win money that day. The low-bodyfat, pure athlete greyhounds so common in road bike racing tend not to do well in nasty rainy weather. These are days for the hard dogs, days for Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, & Siberian huskies. Woof!!

I miss it, and I don’t miss it

(more warm coffee please… thanks!! hmmm, wow, is here a flood watch for upstate NY today?? There is?? Cool…)

Filed under: sweat, from the coffee shop