Today’s ride was definitely a mixed bag and I have a feeling today’s post will also go down the mixed bag road… (So consider yourself warned!) Anyway, down to business with today’s ride. The schedule called for a recovery ride. Initially I wondered why I needed a recovery ride after only doing two days of intensity… But when I got on my bike and started pedaling, I learned why. The legs – they were tired. Another reminder of why my coach is such a darn smart cookie.

It would have been really awesome if the weather had co-operated with the recovery focus of this ride. Lets just say when I’m pushing 200 watts and only moving at a speed of 15 kilometers an hour, recovery is not really happening. Nope. And to drive home the point of how fierce the wind was today – I was in the small ring. Exactly. And then the rain came. Driving pounding rain. Luckily I had my trusty rain cape but no sooner did I put it on (no small feat with the winds whipping that cape around) and it had stopped raining. Fine, stop and take off the rain cape. Then a mere 20 minutes later, it is raining again. I decided to give it a few minutes (subscribing to the motto of “this too will pass”) but the rain turned to hail. Not good. I yanked the rain cape on, looked down at my bare legs and hands, and focused on getting home. Sigh. Definitely a ride of the mixed bag variety. I do have to admit the push home with the tailwind was appreciated but the hail kind of wiped the smile off my face!

I’m sitting here and I can’t remember if I posted to this site yesterday… Pretty scary – must be getting closer to that 40 year old brain. So if I did post yesterday, then I’m guessing I told you about my ride. If I didn’t post yesterday, here is what happened – good solid three hours. Rocked the tempo intervals. Got pushed around by the wind again. Had some excellent company on the ride. Developed a new found appreciation for a the taste sensation of cream soda at the 2.5 hour mark (thanks Shaun!). Got a wicked sunburn. My arms are bright red and stinging. So that was Wednesday. (Apologies all around if I already told you about this!)

Recently I’ve been poking around on the web looking at different cycling sites/blogs and listening to a variety of podcasts. One thing I’ve noticed is an obsession with doping. Now I’m not an advocate of doping in any way/level/terms or practice, but this being said, I’m getting a bit tired of reading and listening about it. Yes, like all professional sports, there are cyclists who dope. And sometimes these people are caught. But what we should really be reading and listening about are the athletes who don’t dope. The athletes who are out there racing, winning, struggling, striving to be better, making a name for themselves, and just plain old pressing down with the right leg followed by the left. This is more interesting to me. I know there are cyclists who dope. Fine. And I know that some of these people will get caught. They’ll serve their suspension and most likely return to bike racing. Fine. So lets get on with it and talk, write, read, and listen to the good stuff. Seems like the dopers get more publicity than those who don’t…

So what else is going on? Well, I’m working on my sponsorship proposal again. I received some excellent feedback so I’m going to make a few changes. If you’ve taken a look at my proposal and have some suggestions/thoughts – definitely fire them off to me. I’m open to any and all suggestions. If you want to sponsor me or know someone who does – well, get on your email and contact me!

In other news, don’t forget to hit up your local M & M Meat Shop on Saturday May 8 for the annual Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada barbecue. For a mere $2.50 you can snag some lunch and do some good for your community. Here’s what I’m going to do on Saturday: go to yoga, watch the opening prologue of the Giro D’Italia, go for my three hour ride, shower, and then visit my local M & M Meat Dhop for a well-deserved burger or two and then come home for a nap. See how easy it is to get it all in on one day – ride, watch the Giro, help the community, and get in a power nap – doesn’t get much better than that!

Hmm, speaking of nap, I think I might just go take one. Seems like a nap fits with a recovery day….