029 Single, Single, Double

Double unders don't own me anymore. Last night it just clicked, single, single, double, single, single, double. I'm actually doing them I thought, in the middle of a workout on a Tuesday night they just happened. For awhile I was the girl that just did the 3:1 single ratio. For every prescribed double under I did three singles. I thought it was just a skill that wouldn't be mastered. No that's silly to just stop working on a skill. So I studied a bit, but that still didn't help. So I started counting my attempts during workouts, no more singles. And then on a Tuesday night during a 12 minute AMRAP of 15 double unders, 12 handstand pushups, 9 hang cleans the double unders just happened. Single, Single, Double. Double unders don't own me anymore. Next up Double, Double, Double...

028 Sleeping Weather

I used the weekend to take advantage of the excellent sleeping weather. I got in a solid 12+ on Saturday night; low humidity, slight breeze, warm but not hot. I went to bed early with the windows open and ceiling fan on, and I didn't wake up until the sun was shining and birds were chirping. BA like most folks thought it excellent riding weather and ventured out for a long one. Not me I slept. I raced on Saturday and when the thought of riding on a sunny Sunday didn't get a smile on my face I knew I needed to listen. We've all had those days, so I listen to myself and got the weeks chores done. You know the drill;  laundry, mowing, yard work, dishes, grocery store etc. The feeling that I am ahead of the weeks "stuff" takes such a burden off my shoulders, now I'm pumped to ride my bike and throw weights around. I'm calling it a successful recovery block.

027 Wednesday

The first time I showed up to Wednesday Worlds I had never done a road race before. It's a good way to see what road racing is like I thought, without shelling out any dollars. I rolled out with the B group and got dropped on the second corner. That's right two minutes in and it was over. I tried chasing on. They are right there not even 50 yards ahead, it looks like they are easing up, but the cross wind was just too much. I rolled to the fourth corner with a tear in my eye. I just wanted to hang in and ride around with people, it wasn't like I wanted to win the thing.

Two years ago I was still getting dropped on Wednesdays. I'd show up every once in a while and hang in as long as possible. If I was lucky I'd hang on until the last corner when it started ramping up for the sprint. Last year I usually made it to the end, but only showed up on weeks I wasn't racing. It was still pretty hard for me just to sit in.

This year with the warm and dry spring I showed up to the March and April Wednesdays. The first one I did, I hung in and hung in well. I was there at the end for the sprint.

Last night a group of two rolled off the front early. I was near the front and recognized their gap was increasing. I accelerated up to their wheel and looked back, no one had come with me. Half a lap later another rider bridged up. We stayed away for a lap or two. The pack came back and I sat in until the end.

Progress is sometimes hard to measure and sometimes it just hits you over the head.

026 Tires

Tire flipping workouts remind me I'm just a farm girl at heart. 

I don't do too many, they really leave a mark.