Time Trial Etiquette: Learn it, Live it, Love it!

It's that time of year when Indoor time trials are popping up and I like  'em.  Last year I was super fit coming from a good long season of cyclocross and my body remembered  very quickly how to handle the heat. This year is an entirely different Blue Plate Special.  I'm still walking around with an atrophied right quad and my fitness is well...  eh. Nonetheless I'm going and to THREE of them to be exact.  Even though my  goals have changed, I'm going there to give it my best effort, no excuses.  It's more about the social aspect now with it's main purpose in aiding me back to some strength and general fitness. Gone are the days when I would pout hours after because so- and- so beat me or I didn't hit the wattage  average I wanted.   A major injury will do that to you.  It puts everything into perspective and comparing and worrying about what everyone else can or is doing, is nothing but wasted energy.  

  Indoor TT-ing is a different beast all in it's own.  It's painful and even more exaggerated than the pain associated with cyclocross or even outdoor time trials. In CX, you are too busy paying attention to  avoiding  flipping ass over tea kettle on a tree root waiting to grab your wheel.  You don't have time to think about how awful you really feel. Your goal (ok, mine) is just to get though the laps while keeping everything intact.  The other thing

about TT-ing, is you are on display for others to witness your suffering. Just a sweating gerbil  who paid good money to pedal nowhere and not without someone heckling you standing  2 inches from your ear yelling with their beer breath on you.  There is no hiding and DNF's are taboo.  Frankly, unless you are having a myocardial infarction, you'll look like a complete ass, so avoid this route at all costs. Oh, and trust me, I've witnessed people dropping out in the middle of a heat because they "didn't feel good"  Lame.  Don't. Do. It.

This is not to say after 5 minutes of pedaling your though processes are telling you over and over and over again,  JUST STOP.

All you can hope for is the cable to your Computrainer to just explode or your rear tire blows at the next 12% grade.

I did a little search and I couldn't come up with any links to Indoor Time Trial Etiquette so I'm making up my own and since this is my blog,  I'm callin' it.

Lets  begin:

Obviously show up on time and then again, just show up because if you sign up and

then suddenly have stage fright because you  don't think you can  hold that 350 watts for  15 minutes you've been mouthing off about and smash everyone around you, then you just plain suck.  A Time Trial is not something you train for especially in the dead of winter and if your that competitive, you need to get a life.

moving on:

Get OFF the Computrainer so that the next heat can get their bike set up and ready

to go. We don't care that you want to warm down in your pond of sweat and smelly-ness. GET OFF and go cool down on a trainer. You can beat on your chest and talk it up over in the corner.

 In case you missed it: We don't care.  

Next:

This is not a fashion show folks. We don't care if you rode Postal with Lance the Liar.

Come dressed but leave your full kits at home. Its lame unless you are a walking billboard 

 holding full sponsorship and handing out flyers or Power Bars then we can talk.

And here's a fine example: Cort Cramer. Accomplished athlete. Serious wattage beast. Great coach.  I can kick his ASS in the swim but whatever...

Notice his gear. Unassuming and appropriate.   5 stars Cort. 

The rest of you?.... Follow suit. 

Another fine example.  Carmen Monks.  Has been doing Ironman

triathlons before I lost my first molar.  Multiple Kona qualifier 15 + times?  Whatever....

He can kick your ass and more importantly, he's not breaking the fashion law of wearing a kit.

Kudo's  Carmen  and I can kick your ass in the pool too.

At the weigh in:

Ladies... really, if you are carrying the donut poundage, your carrying the donut poundage. Nuff said.  It IS what it IS. Trying to hide your read out so others waiting in line can't see it or making a comment about how the scale is off,

Save. Your. Breath.  SAY IT WITH ME:  We Don't Care.  And you guys are just as bad.

If you feel the need to get almost naked and you look like this, by all means, lemme know ahead of time  so

I can oogle through my camera lens while looking professional.

The rest of you with beer bellies and hairy chests...  Please no.

Now lets get on with it....

Reaching For Svelte-ness

Check. It. Out.

BACK THEN

HERE AND NOW  01/25/13

I'm finding more wardrobe options other than my stretchy sweatpants to hide my (now shrinking) buddha belly and all because I stopped inhaling cookies with chunks of peanut butter smeared on them 2 x a day and cutting out alcohol completely. Not without some good 'ol fashion buddha  belly busting workouts in fat burning HR zones though. 

Yipppppeee!

This marks week 16 forACL/meniscus surgery rehab and things couldn't be better.  I've just been granted  use of

a treadmill now alternating walking  a minute and running (if you can call it that).  It's a strange sensation for sure as my knee wants to track to the left or right but not completely where it should yet.

Next week, I see the surgeon to show off my now non atrophied quad muscle and lack of limp.

Exciting right? Me thinks so....

Up next, some indoor Time Trials to ramp the excitement up

a bit 'cause if I'm not suffering paired with the humiliation of the probable outcome of being dead last,

then there's less likely for good drama (bleeding from the eyeballs kind) to report back with.

Thanks for stopping by!

Motivation

I wasn't just kidding when I said  "LET'S GO"



Bada Bing

Bada BOOM!

It seems too good to be true but it appears just the absence of  mindless grazing, eliminating some sugar/empty calories  and nixing wine (gasp)   paired with some consistent but still guarded exercise, this is my

 golden ticket for exactly where I want to be.

Using the elliptical, weigh training, and mixing group spin classes with

low intensity solo Computrainer sessions lasting 1:30-1:40 with itsy  bitsy  touches of intensity tossed in are my
drugs of choice at the moment, and DAMN... it feels so good.

burn baby burn...

I'm  lolling around some ideas for 2013. I think triathlon will

not be in the picture and  I am quite sad about this prospect but the fact  remains, if my

knee isn't strong enough or healed enough so that I don't experience front of the knee discomfort, my run will be more like walking and I'm not setting myself up for frustration and disappointment only to have to modify a plan that was out of reach and not realistic. PT says I will be able to run at the end of this month and return to the pool. I can not tell you how excited I am about this. FINALLY the weeks are ticking off and I am out of the woods. 

So... with that I will be working with a coach ( still in the workings) who will help me do

3 things:

Help me fix my body composition.

Guild me back to fitness  with some proper zones to work with consisting of workouts with purpose and

occasionally test me to show the fruits of my labor to keep me focused and reaching.

I'm also considering a season of mountain biking and swimming as my two main

components to participate in until Cyclocross season.  My main purpose is to try and desensitize myself

from the accident that contributed to my ACL/ meniscus tear. I fear I will
be more timid and  chicken than ever and I'm going to fight that  along with
gaining some skills so I can CRUSH it next fall. 

Thanks for stopping by!

The Long Road Back Starts Here!

Numbers don't lie folks and here's the raw proof. One thing is certain: I've PR'ed for highest poundage on my 5' 10.5" frame ever. At least I've PR'ed in something lately...

Total ACL/ meniscus reconstruction will do that to you (if you let it)

**GUILTY**

Injury date: August 17

Surgery : October 10

Recovery status: starting week 13. 

 What I am restricted from (still): No swimming, no snowshoeing, no yoga, no running, no snowboarding, no XC skiing. NO lateral twisting movements of any kind or any activities that may cause this.

What I am allowed to do: weight train (within reason) ride a bike, walk, use the elliptical,  continue PT.

So you can see, I didn't slip into my current predicament over night and it's become increasing clear, I'm not gonna climb outta this hole any time soon either. That being said, I can't blame anyone for my extra fat stores but my brain and hands.  I thought of the wine, I purchased the wine, I consumed the wine and the margaritas, burgers, wings, donuts, cookies, fries, dessert almost nightly, more cream in my coffee than coffee, candy, more wine, coffee cake, cheezy lasagna, did I mention wine? Garlicky mashed potatoes, pizza. You get the picture, right?  I did NOT deny/restrict myself of any particular food during this accident recovery and so, I now I will  pay the piper after almost 10 weeks of inactivity. 

In order to avoid the surgery table again, I followed the prescribed protocol TO THE T.

 For weeks, PT was my only exercise allowed.

One Hundred Fifty One Point One Pounds coming from an athlete that weighed  One Hundred Thirty Five Point Five Pounds when active, training and happy less than 6 months ago.

And so with that, a new journey begins! I have lots of work to do just to become

fit and feel good again.  I can't even THINK about training or racing just yet but I'm excited

to have a coach to help me with my journey back which I will share next time.

Soooo.. stick with me!!!

Watch me transform myself from this:

To this:

For the next 6 months updating this blog will primarily include my progress and all that comes with it. I will be honest and post my weight, update my activity and even the setbacks in which I foresee none of. 

so......

LET'S GO!