Boy chores

One of the small pleasures of bicycling is the cleaning and maintenance of the bikes. When you've got a dozen or so bikes it's a chore that you delay at your own risk. What with harvest and all this time of year is one in which I need to tend to all my bikes and I started this weekend. The Felt was easy - a quick clean and lube with no repairs or replacements needed. Well, maybe the chain is close, but not in desperate need of changing. Modern high end carbon race bikes no matter what you think of how they look or ride are easy to keep in tune. Next was the Steve Rex which besides a clean and lube needed a new rear tire due to a huge gash that the tube was poking out of. I destroyed two tubes putting the new tire on, and ended up feeling very frustrated and amateurish. The 'Traut road bike was a little sad. It was encrusted with grime, and the now close to 15 year old chrome is starting to break down. Little rust blossoms of brown were forming on the tips of the forks. This bike is so beautiful, but is starting to show it's age. And, that is sad. Both tires needed replacing as well. This work took most of a Saturday morning with a little motorcycle cleaning thrown in for good measure. I've got at least another three mornings of work before all the bikes are cleaned lubed and inspected. I'm looking forward to it.

Gym

Spent lunch hour in the gym today. I'm in the first phase of the winter lifting program, the so called anatomical adaptation. This involves circuits of exercises with a large number of reps and light weights. Even so it has been a chore the last three weeks as my body has been adapting to the adaptation as it were. The weird thing about the gym are the denizens of course. There was one today who was the perfect example. He was a young man of modest stature. He had built up his attitude in recompense. While he was white, he was dressed as if he were otherwise. He was wearing a baseball cap and a sort of white skullcap with a neck covering behind - a ghetto Kewpie you might say. He swaggered into the weight room and got on one of the machines - the seated row. He did a few reps with a big stack of plates hooked up - no warm up. Then he walked around a bit. Finally he went over to the heavy bag and punched it a few times. Then he left. Total workout time about 7 minutes, strange, very strange.

Winter Program

It has been some years since I have put together a legit winter training program. By legit I mean a program that includes something besides riding the bike. I love riding the bike so much and hate the gym with an equal passion, so my default is to get on the bike and let the rest take care of itself. I decided this year that I want to race more, and in order to race injury free I know that time spent in the gym will be rewarding. I've bought time and rented a locker at the YMCA. More importantly I hit my goal of two workouts last week. I choose the Y because it was downmarket, close to home and relatively empty of annoying non cyclists. You know those huge louts who push giant weights and make ugly noises while doing it. Very distracting as I'm forcing my puny arms to lift a few plates. Seriously, the fewer people in the gym the less waiting around. The Y also has a sauna - essential.
I began sensibly with anatomical adaptation - lots of reps with light weights in a circuit. Oh my god is my body not used to that! The day after the first workout many small muscles I don't normally stress in my hips, lower legs and feet were sore. Yesterday, my second workout was a little better, and I know from prior years that in 3-4 weeks it will be much better. In the meantime I'm just thinking about how strong I'll be next spring and summer as the races roll around.