If I’ve written it once and said it before, I’ll do it all over again – I’m terrible at resting. I just am not a fan of consecutive rest days. When I feel this good I want to ride each and everyday. I have grown to appreciate my one day-a-week rest day but still struggle with these four rest days.

At least I’m able to ride on the rest days. I just can’t really put any pressure on the pedals. It is small ring all the way. I know this is how fitness and strength are built but I still don’t have to like it.

Today I went out for a little roll on my road bike – did the usual recovery route that took me towards the coffee shop in Richmond but with my other job calling me, I just rolled on by. Would have been nice to stop but I’m not sure how enjoyable the coffee shop stop is when you’re alone. Might be different when I’m in Belgium and there will be lots of people who take interest in my bike and I have to stutter through with my Flemish. (Yes, flights are booked – heading out on Nov. 8!)

Tomorrow is another recovery day. Since it is Wednesday I think I’ll take my cyclo-cross bike out. I’ll work on some skills at an easy pace, roll around on the bumpy grass and see how sharply I can turn my front wheel. Good stuff.

Today I realized how close the cyclo-cross season really is getting – I got my tracking number for my clothing from Champion Systems Canada and a box of Clif Bar goodies arrived as well. Yes, definitely in a cyclo-cross frame of mind.

I’m feeling super good. I had a check-up with my gastro doctor on Thursday and he said my numbers (white blood cell, red blood cell, B12, iron, and folic acid) have never been so good. This really just helps boost my confidence even more. So nice to be feeling healthy again. I can honestly say I haven’t felt this good in two years.

I’m ready for it. Whatever happens this season, I feel like I’ve weathered enough storms to be ready for anything. I’m super stoked to be returning to the Czech Republic to race again. I’m looking forward to racing in Gloucester, Mass. again – I haven’t raced there in two years and that time I was still racing in the 3/4 category (doubt I’ll podium both days like I did back then!). And to say I’m looking forward to returning to Belgium would be an understatement.

So with this big stuff ahead of me, I must really do this resting thing. I want to be ready and firing on all cylinders. I’m still building fitness and will be for quite a while into the cyclo-cross season – so I guess I should take the rest when I can. By Saturday I’ll be back at the kind of riding that puts an ache in your legs and a desire for time to speed up just a little bit.

Oh, take a look at my race calendar – let me know if we’ll be at any of the same races – I always like to meet up with other like-minded folks. Don’t be shy – this is how I met Cathy Rowell all those years ago in Northampton, Mass. and we discovered that she went to university with my husband!