Viper
06-10-2012, 06:52 PM
Waited until high noon to clip-in. The sun was finally visible today, after what seemed like weeks of rain. Temps were mid-70's, with a lot of humidity in the air. "Good sweating weather" I thought to myself as I put on a Giordana baselayer, "if you're not sweating, you ain't working" I concluded.
Today needed to be Sprint Day. I've been avoiding it for two weeks and why? "Hill repeats aren't any easier, nor is TT day, so go do sprints and don't be a sissy" I commanded myself as I strolled down the driveway; the mind controls the body.
First stop, my friend and co-worker's home. He's Italian and makes great coffee. His wife answered the door and said, "Good morning." I replied that it was afternoon, "Welp, we went to a wedding last night, drank and danced all night, so it is morning for us" she offered with humor. I sat down at their dining room table and noticed a really old bike helmet. They were feeling nostalgic, thinking about their own wedding many years ago, which attending weddings can do. They felt like sharing their wedding photo with me and they made fun of eachother as they viewed it, as loving couples often do.
After some coffee and stories, I headed out to The Strip. Sprinting makes me both excited and nervous. It generates so much pain in such little time, a lot of wax is melted from the candle. I promised myself I'd do five sprints at max speed, then a ten mile ride, finished with five intervals. "Let's sweat" was my final thought as I came to a full stop, took a few deep breaths, then stood up, hands in the drops and pounded the living f*ck out of the pedals.
The new Vittorias felt smooth, confident and the bike hit 33mph before I hit the wall. Number three sprint offered 35mph and that was all I could do today, I knew the next two couldn't be faster, but I tried.
Headed over to my LCT (local Chinese takeout), which also seats a few people. The dude who worked there had a funny tee-shirt. I enjoyed some steamed brown rice with broccoli, brown sauce topping, an egg roll and two fortune cookies. It came to $6.45, including water, a really great deal. The counter dude was very curious about cycling, "Really nice day for a ride...how far do you ride...ever do any races?" he asked as I waited for the food. After reading my fortunes (and yours too since you read them) I felt like a nice cup of hot, green tea with honey.
For a few years I used to stop by Centerport Cycles, where Jamie Swan ran a neat little shop. I'd duck in there on Saturdays, the only day he was open and we'd shoot the sh*t. Jamie was a former racer, wrench, wheel builder and recently, frame builder. I offered him a cup of coffee one day and he said, "No thanks, but I'd take a hot, green tea with honey." He turned me onto this healthy drink and I enjoyed a free pint of it today, thinking back to the day where Jamie gave me a proper fit on my Waterford. I use his measurements and data with every bike I ride and I miss his shop, which closed a couple of years ago, as well as our conversations.
I pedaled home and cut through a parking lot to avoid traffic and I hear a young girl's voice yell out, "P*NIS!!!" at me. I look to my right and there's two girls, maybe fifteen years old and they are both hysterically laughing, pointing at me. I think I blushed and thought to myself, "Wow. That's wild, girls today."
Today needed to be Sprint Day. I've been avoiding it for two weeks and why? "Hill repeats aren't any easier, nor is TT day, so go do sprints and don't be a sissy" I commanded myself as I strolled down the driveway; the mind controls the body.
First stop, my friend and co-worker's home. He's Italian and makes great coffee. His wife answered the door and said, "Good morning." I replied that it was afternoon, "Welp, we went to a wedding last night, drank and danced all night, so it is morning for us" she offered with humor. I sat down at their dining room table and noticed a really old bike helmet. They were feeling nostalgic, thinking about their own wedding many years ago, which attending weddings can do. They felt like sharing their wedding photo with me and they made fun of eachother as they viewed it, as loving couples often do.
After some coffee and stories, I headed out to The Strip. Sprinting makes me both excited and nervous. It generates so much pain in such little time, a lot of wax is melted from the candle. I promised myself I'd do five sprints at max speed, then a ten mile ride, finished with five intervals. "Let's sweat" was my final thought as I came to a full stop, took a few deep breaths, then stood up, hands in the drops and pounded the living f*ck out of the pedals.
The new Vittorias felt smooth, confident and the bike hit 33mph before I hit the wall. Number three sprint offered 35mph and that was all I could do today, I knew the next two couldn't be faster, but I tried.
Headed over to my LCT (local Chinese takeout), which also seats a few people. The dude who worked there had a funny tee-shirt. I enjoyed some steamed brown rice with broccoli, brown sauce topping, an egg roll and two fortune cookies. It came to $6.45, including water, a really great deal. The counter dude was very curious about cycling, "Really nice day for a ride...how far do you ride...ever do any races?" he asked as I waited for the food. After reading my fortunes (and yours too since you read them) I felt like a nice cup of hot, green tea with honey.
For a few years I used to stop by Centerport Cycles, where Jamie Swan ran a neat little shop. I'd duck in there on Saturdays, the only day he was open and we'd shoot the sh*t. Jamie was a former racer, wrench, wheel builder and recently, frame builder. I offered him a cup of coffee one day and he said, "No thanks, but I'd take a hot, green tea with honey." He turned me onto this healthy drink and I enjoyed a free pint of it today, thinking back to the day where Jamie gave me a proper fit on my Waterford. I use his measurements and data with every bike I ride and I miss his shop, which closed a couple of years ago, as well as our conversations.
I pedaled home and cut through a parking lot to avoid traffic and I hear a young girl's voice yell out, "P*NIS!!!" at me. I look to my right and there's two girls, maybe fifteen years old and they are both hysterically laughing, pointing at me. I think I blushed and thought to myself, "Wow. That's wild, girls today."