When Old is New

Got out this morning and rode a trail that is one of my favorites in the entire world.  I haven't gotten out to ride it in probably over 4 months, and with being injured and then being away, I was dreaming about it for a while.  It's technical and resultantly slow in areas, but with so many natural features you could spend an entire day enjoying everything and still want for more when the sun goes down.

The trail itself is probably less than 15 miles long.  Might even be shorter than 10.  The fun factor is what keeps me coming back though, coupled with the fact that I don't think I've ever had a ride there where everything went perfectly well.  There's always a section I have trouble with, a crash, or simply a dab of the foot when trying a new line.

Most importantly, this particular trail is someplace I can go to completely punch out.  It's technical enough for that you can't possibly think of anything but what you're currently doing.  Any time I've ever thought about "life" stuff while riding there, I've crashed.  Plain and simple.

Today was all about getting back out there and seeing how I would react to A) being truly unfit for the first time in many years, and B) having to deal with a set of rusty skills that were in no way helped by the type of riding I did when I was away.

In the 3 months I was gone, the predominant trails available were downhill.  There was no lift service, and the single track was too steep to climb, so basically you're left with riding up dirt and paved road to a trail head that will lead you back down to where you started.  More on this later, but this particular aspect of the riding there was probably the biggest reason I wound up not riding much.  Anyhow, when you do nothing but downhill, you get used to picking lines that make use of the speed with which you're traveling.  I'm not saying that downhill riding is easier than any other type or riding, all I'm saying is that having speed and momentum on your side is a big advantage when it comes to blowing through a rock garden or clearing a jump.  When you don't have to pedal through tech, you tend to loose the feel of the trail and the power in your legs and upper body that it takes sometimes to get through different sections.

So, like I said, today was a day to test out the bike, test out the skills, and hope to God that I hadn't gotten too fat to ride the way I like to.  It was obvious from the start that I was rusty and obvious from the start that I came back a different rider than the one that left 3 months ago.  Nevertheless, as I rode more and more, remembering how things felt and what went where, I started going from huffing and puffing and being sketchy on every feature, to falling right back in line with where I was before I left.  In fact, I've returned a smoother and more graceful rider.  While I did get tired more quickly and while I didn't quite make and clear everything I tried, by the end of the ride, I felt that I was close, if not back to, the skill level I was at before I left.  It was truly like riding a bicycle: You never forget.

Going back to the riding I did while away, one of the biggest points of contention I had was with doing so much of my riding on roads, both paved and dirt, only to get a fraction of that time back on single track.  More often than not, I would spend over an hour climbing on road only to reach one or two kilometers of single track. To me, the math just didn't add up.  Here, depending on the trail, it's not uncommon to spend an entire ride in the woods, with natural features, not having to hit anything more than a bit of double track every once in a while.  I've been easily spoiled with such good trails and trail systems that I've become too much of a snob to ride the road.  Good or bad, it is what it is.  Part of how I get my fix is by being in the woods, enjoying nature and nothing but nature.  The last thing I want to see on any of my mountain bike rides is road, whether paved or dirt.

In the end, it was a good day and a great opportunity to get back to one of the trails I love.  I left, driving away with that familiar, shit-eating grin that I'd not had after a bike ride for quite some time.  Great to feel good about riding my bike once again.

Tomorrow is back to work, trying to sort out my clients, beg people to start training with me again, and get my apartment cleaned up-always have to make sure even the smallest bits of dirt are gone when entertaining a beautiful lady. :)

I may or may not ride tomorrow.  Yesterday's post was all about my decision to be in control of NOT being in control and I intend to keep things that way.  I think I'd like to ride, but the way things are looking at this point, it might not be a possibility.  And that's ok.  It'll almost be a bonus if I do get the change to get out tomorrow.  Either way, I will wind up doing some exercise.  And I honestly can't say that the gym and those damned kettle bells aren't calling my name right now.

Getting older, being lazy, or none of the above?

I'm not sure about the spot that I'm in currently regarding my competitive athletic career.  As I've mentioned here on my blog numerous times, I've been out of the competitive loop for about a year now.  In fact, the last race I did, The Wilderness 101, was a exactly a year and a week ago today.  In this time of non-competition, I've still ridden my bike nearly every day, exercised and stayed healthy.  Nothing mystifies me more than when an athlete stops competing and goes to mush almost over night.  I don't know if I'll ever compete again as seriously as I once did, but I do know that I will continue to be considerably fit no matter what life brings me.

So, today, in keeping with the habit of lifting more that I developed while overseas, I got back at it with a great kettle bell workout.  I've got a new appreciation for the types of things you can do with the bells,  and I've found more and more that they (and the movements involved) produce sheer strength and fitness that actually carries over to almost any activity.  As I learn more and more about them, I'm able to diversify my own workouts and focus on functional strength, the same I would use while on my mountain bike.

In addition, they're just plain fun.  I can remember the days of doing endless sets of bicep curls, bench press, triceps extensions, and the like.  I was building a body that was generally good at only doing those things.  With the types of things and focus that I now have as a result of using the kettle bells, I'm able to not only ride my bike more effectively, but work out in the yard more effectively, pick up any old heavy object more effectively, and just generally be more of a complete human being-not just an athlete doing exercises just for their one particular sport.

I suppose where I'm going with all of this is in the last sentence I just wrote.  Being a "complete human being" is something that, I believe, has been developed as a concept in my head as I've gotten older and more mentally mature.  When you're competing at a high level in any sport, you become consumed by it, taking all of your attention and all of your efforts to be the best that you can be.  I don't care who you are, when you're trying to be the absolute best at whatever it is you do, you have to be this way.  And, if you're not this way and you're still successful, you're a freak!  Of course I mean this all in the best and more respectful of ways, I'm only trying to convey the point that to be the best you need to engulf yourself in your sport.

For me, no matter what sport I played, I was always in it with everything I had.  I was the kid that slept with his hockey skates on; the kid that put oil in his baseball glove, wrapped it with a rubber band and put it under his pillow; and, I was the kid that woke up at 2am to head to the ice rink to get in 4 hours of practice before school.  I was never the "best" but I was good.  I was the best that I could have ever been, and I like to think that no matter what sport I attempted, I sold out for it.

At this point of my life, I'm entering a bit of a different mode.  I'm now more concerned with having fun.  I'm concerned with enjoying the time I spend doing what I'm doing, and getting a positive boost both mentally and physically because of it.  The aspect of serious competition, to me, was fun for a while, but when it became anything but that, I knew it was time to move on.

In all of this, the point is that getting older has not made me want to stop competing (in the traditional, "my body ain't what it used to be" sense), and being lazy isn't the answer either.  For me, the change in my view of what competing means to me has changed as a result of just wanting to smile, wanting to be fee, and wanting to allow the holistic aspects of what I do to shine through.  I don't want to stick to a schedule and I don't want to expect a certain outcome because of the schedule that has been adhered to.

I believe some people come to exercise (and endurance sports in particular) out of the need for control in their lives.  It's obvious that they can control their workouts and training sessions, and because of that and the fact that they may not be able to control other aspects in their lives, they become addicted to it.  It turns out in the end to be more of an enjoyment of being able to keep an aspect of their lives under their thumbs than being able to actually excel at their given sport.  They'll deny it, but an objective look at their lives would reveal it as clear as day from night.

I'm a control freak too.  The only difference between the control I seek now and the control I sought then is my new desire to control being out of control.  Let me explain.  When I was so dead set on competing and doing my best at all the sports I played, it was the obvious case of what I just explained in the last paragraph.  Now, differently, I want to have the control in my life to say, "I don't need  to go for that ride today, so I won't."  Instead, I want to say, "I don't need  to go for that ride today, but I love riding my bike and today is nice, so I'll ride."  It's all about not feeling the guilt, and it's all about doing what feels right.  There's probably no worse feeling than the guilt you get when you skip a workout that's on your schedule.  Nobody needs that in this life.  You should not feel bad for missing something that you do out of what should be nothing but pure enjoyment.  Life is simply too short.

So today, like yesterday, the day before, and the weeks and months before that, I trained what I wanted to train how I wanted to train.  No plan, no rhyme, and no reason.  Just move, enjoy it, and feel better for it at the end.  Simple.  Tomorrow will be more of the same.  I'll let life and my own "human development" develop my next competition.

Friday

Worked, ran errands, and rode my bike.  Why the hell do I NOT have a beer in my hand right now?

It's been a loooong time...

...since I've even thought about posting an entry here.  I've been away for a while, and in that time I managed to keep a journal that I had intended to publish upon completion, but I'm having second thoughts.  It was nice to keep my thoughts to myself and my keyboard.  It allowed me personal time where I could work out and manage my thoughts without the worry of having to completely explain and communicate what I was trying to say.  I strongly suggest everyone does it.
Anyway, I have neglected this blog to the point where I'm sure my very few readers have all but given up on it.  Sorry 'bout that.  I am, though, toying with the idea of starting a new and different blog from this one.  It would contain most of my thoughts and descriptions of my days (like this one), but I feel like the freshness of it all might inspire me more.  I had originally started this blog as a triathlete, then an XC mountain biker, and then as a All-Mountain/Downhill mountain biker.  I've progressed in my personal life so much in that time, it's not really about just the riding anymore.  Being that this blog was all about that, it kind of seems fitting to start with a fresh, blank page.
I haven't decided what I want the new blog to be, so I won't describe anything much deeper than I just want to start something new, incorporating all aspects of my life.  I'll keep this one, updating from time to time, but my major focus will likely be elsewhere.  I'll post a link up if and when I get it going.  For now, it's time to unpack, go for a ride, drink a whole lot of beer, and get back into the swing of things.  Peace...

Good Lord!

Hey, it's me again.  Been gone for a while but I'm back.  Like I said, I had a big "announcement" of sorts to, well, announce about 10 days ago, but I never got to it.  Part of the reason why is that I'm currently busy tending to other things, and can't always access the internet.

Originally, in this space, I intended to fully disclose my whereabouts.  Instead, I'm going to play a little bit of a game, giving out hints as to where I am, pictures at times, and descriptions of areas I'm visiting.  For all intents and purposes, it will be the "Where's Waldo?" version of my life.

The first hint is that I'm not anywhere close to the United States at present.  That's it.  I'll be gone for approximately 3 months, give or take.  Good luck.

In the mean time, I'm following my passion (and if you know me, you know what that is), writing about it, and having a great time.  Part of this adventure will be the basis for a project I'm working on, but again, I'll save the details for coming posts.  I do need to give my few readers something to look forward to.

Otherwise, ride your bikes if you ride, run if you run, and swim if you swim.  If you're a crazy triathlete, do all three in a day and then blog about it.

Until next time...

One more day...

Until the big announcement!  One that will rock the world to it's very foundation! One that will take you by the neck, shake you like a rag doll, and leave you feeling beat up and used on the side of the road.  That, or you really won't care and you'll go about your business like you aways do.

In reality, nothing in anyone's life but my own will change.  There are times in life when people say they want this, or say they want that, but never really make the leap to take charge of their own lives and manage their risk on a higher level.  Sure, making big changes are risky, and sure there is a chance that you'll fall flat on your face and return home to loved ones with your tail between your legs.  There's always a chance of failure, whether we admit it or not.  We know deep in our souls, no matter how much we deny it, that the possibility of not reaching our goals is there.  It is at that point that we have to move past the negative thoughts and break into the realm of what could be.  In that instance we've got to follow dreams, believe in our abilities, and let ourselves go.

As simple as it is, and as cliche as it may be, I'm at the point in my life (albeit a bit late) when I need to be pushed from the nest.  Comfort is something I've come quite accustomed to, and unfortunately, without a dramatic change, I will become content, and be left in the rut that I've dug for longer than I want.  And that's IF I ever get out of it.

When I was playing football in high school, one of the only speeches I remember our coach giving lead to the point of "never being content" with where you are.  At the time I, like the rest of the pimply faced teenager thought nothing about how we might apply that to our lives in the future, but rather what it meant at that point.  I thought to myself that coach was talking about being content with losing a game that we more than likely would.  In hindsight though, I now see where he was going.  Advice given from elders is never about the moment.  It's about what you'll do with it when you're at the point in your life that you're smart enough to realize what it really means.  I'm at that point now and I'm about to take hold of my life.  I'm about to be the bird being pushed out of the nest, only armed with the blind faith and belief in himself that he will fly instead of landing on the ground below, planting his head in the earth and exposing his grey matter for the vultures to eat.

"I'm a peacock captain, you gotta let me fly!!!"

Bucking the trend

In bikes, as in life, there are times when we give in to peer pressure, do what the magazines say, and buy equipment based on looks and popularity rather than form and function. Sure, 'x' product may work better for you, but 'such and such' pro was riding it, so that means it must be better.  Or my favorite, when 'racer-guy x' justifies spending a month's wages on 'carbon part x' because it will save him 20 seconds over the course of his next race.  What he doesn't realize, of course, is that going to bed early or eating better or training smarter might save hime 40 seconds rather than 20, and if he is to do any or all of those things, he's going to save himself some cash in the long run.

It's only natural that we get caught up in the hype.  Living in a progressive society during one of the most fast moving technological eras in the history of the world has us used to attaining information at a ridiculously fast rate.  I can think back to the days when I would actually have to wait for the new "California Cheap Skates" catalogue to come in the mail to see the newest skateboards.  I would cherish that little booklet, keeping it in my schoolbag and pulling it out to take a peek at any opportunity.  It would end up dog-eared and crinkled from thumbing through it so often.

These days, kids just have to Google their favorite company and they instantly get the latest models and the best price to be had.  It has been said that advances in travel have made the world smaller.  True, but now, more directly, the internet has made our world not only smaller, but more unified as well.

We get minute by minute updates of the latest news, gossip, sports scores, etc.  It's amazing how quickly information moves in this day and age.  And, like I've stated, bikes, like life, are not immune to this.

Every time I pick up a new mountain bike magazine (yes, I'm old fashioned and still actually read print material), I'm treated to the latest and greatest gadgets, pro reviews, new bikes, and writers opinions on what is better than whatever else.  In a lot of ways it's terrific to see how much the bikes of the mid 90's (when I got my first mountain bike) have progressed into the near space shuttles of today.  Back when I got my '95 Trek SingleTrack, suspension wasn't even a standard feature on bikes.  Steel hard tails that more resembled road bikes than what we know of mountain bikes today.  They were heavy, clunky, and anything but nimble, but still people managed to shred on them just like they do today. Maybe the jumps weren't as big, and the rock gardens not as gnarly,  but guys still got their 'gnar' on and slurped Mountain Dew while doing it.

Fast forward to today, and you've got a nearly infinite selection of categorized bikes to choose from.  For the cardio geeks there are Cross Country bikes; for those that want to enjoy long days being in the woods on comfy bikes there are Trail bikes; for those wanting to go up and back down the mountains, riding everything in between, there is the All Mountain bike; and for those seeking ultimate excitement and adrenaline pumping action, there are FreeRide and Downhill bikes.  All these different bikes are meant to be better at performing their designated duties than the others, while some are even supposed to be Jacks of all trades.

When looking at the bikes, you'll be hit with more marketing hype than is possible for any human being to process.  With the advances in technology comes infinite amounts of "This bike will do this," and "This bike is a true quiver killer."  It's all in an effort to sort out which rider belongs to which bike.  The good news is, for just about every rider and ever style there is a perfect bike.  The bad news is that it's going to take some time to get to that bike.

It's important when considering any bike you ride, whether it's deciding between what you've already got, or picking out a new rig at the bike shop, you absolutely must remember what you like to ride, how you like to ride it, and what you want to accomplish.  If you're goals include racing cross country, you'll put higher priority on things like weight and rolling resistance.  Likewise, if your goals include hulking off the biggest drop in the park, you'll be looking more for durability, strength, and suspension.  The key in all of this is to get what works for you, and not what works for the guy on the cover of the magazine.  Even more, you must not fall into any of the hype regarding certain products that may be the best thing since sliced bread this season, but will never be seen again soon after.

For me, I've been struggling lately between two bikes that I've got.  They both do the same job, just in slightly different ways.  They're very similar, so much so that if they were fighters in a boxing match, there would be no clear favorite.  All too often, I allow my mind to run wild with the pros and cons of each bike, creating a needless battle of "which bike is better" in my head.  The end result, always, is that I wind up realizing that whatever bike I'm currently riding is my favorite.  I'm happy with either bike, and the 'battle' I just had in my head, melts away the moment I begin to turn the cranks.  All the hype be damned, riding makes it all go away.

The point of this all is to listen to your body.  Ride the bike that makes the most sense when you are on it, rather than when you are thinking about it.  Things like air shock versus coil, long travel versus short, and even 29er versus "real" mountain bikes (only kidding all you 29er dorks!) are irrelevant if they don't feel like they should when you're using them.  For as much as you can say "My style is this," or "My style is that," it all means nothing if you feel like garbage on a bike that you thought was your style.

Ride what you like and don't worry about the hype.  In the end, that's really all it is anyway.