Training??

So it's summer and I've gotten started on my "jobs" around the house. After the pre ride at the Boneyard I've also determined that I need to start getting serious about this racing thing.  I've always said that it would be awesome to be an actor - where it was "your job" to work out and be in shape - because you'd have the time to dedicate to it.  Well throughout the school year I didn't really have the time/motivation to really dedicate to training...  but what is my excuse now??

I don't have one, so I've decided to take advantage of the fact that I have the summer off and get back into the gym, figure out what I'm going to do about some sort of diet and DO IT, and ride ride ride.

Gym - I've adjusted my workouts around the fact that I'm "in season" by dropping weight and adding reps.  I'm keeping with the total body workout for each workout and have a 4 day cycle.  So I started back on "my program" on Sunday and have stuck with it, feel great but it made me think of the clip below.  It's fun to feel your different body parts ache as you move after a good workout... oh yeah, I do have muscles in my back!!

So hopefully this "Splicd.com" thing worked and you don't have to watch the whole clip to see the relevant part....

Diet - I'm still sifting through information to find an appropriate diet.  I do need to lose weight (which was not only reinforced, but smashed in my face, when I weighed myself at the gym).  I had great success shedding pounds on the "Belly Off" diet from Mens Health at the start of this past school year, but fell off of it after achieving my goal.  I enjoyed (and Annie was a great sport in putting up with it) the various menus, but could probably use something a little bit wider in options so it's not a repeated cycles ever 3-4 weeks.  I'm not sure I need to go to some super extreme diet at this point either though, I am only Cat 3... let's ease into this so I don't end up hating the whole experience.

Ride - I've been pretty good about getting out there.  Missing days where I'm wrecked, sick, or when the weather isn't cooperating.  But other than that I'm getting out there... and IT  IS  GREAT!!  I've been hitting Foxboro fairly frequently (it's my "training ground" for the Boneyard) and with each ride I'm cleaning obstacles I had trouble with the time before, bombing down rocky/loose rock covered declines faster and faster, railing corners with more confidence as I better position myself and am able to lean the bike over more and more... it's good stuff.

Mountain biking is so addictive for this very reason... with each ride on a familiar trail you are really able to gauge your improvements.  You can see yourself improving, which in turn builds your confidence, and this carries forward to push yourself to continue to challenge yourself as you step up your game.

The one thing I should have been doing this past week is really hitting the hills harder.  The climbing at the Boneyard, in my opinion, will be the most challenging aspect.  Sure there are technical spots, but if I'm focused I should be good with those - especially having seen everything already (HUGE advantage in my book).  But the climbs (especially the second time through) are going to be the real test I think.  The nice thing is any extended climb was pretty wide open, not too many obstacles to worry about, just grinding away.

I keep checking on BikeReg.com to see who has signed up, and thankfully people are registering, but it still seems a little sparse.  As it is now, I'm guaranteed to podium.  That is an odd thing... because even with a 3rd place finish, you are still last in your category, so it's kinda a win/lose situation.  I'll try not to focus on the number of riders in my field and just try to ride well and see where that lands me.