tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19455159.post-1148568381903369262006-05-25T07:09:00.000-07:002006-05-25T07:50:09.406-07:00This is the week before the biggest race series of the season--at least as far as I'm concerned. This coming weekend is Memorial Day weekend, which means it's time for the Quad Cities races. It starts with Snake Alley on Saturday, then Sunday is Melon City followed by Quad City in Rock Island on Monday. There are bigger races throughout the year, but to me this one is the crown jewel, the one I aim for during the entire winter and spring. This is my Tour de France. And this is the week that I am either ready to go or not, which means this entire week I can't really do more to get ready to race than rest, have a few beers, eat a lot of good food, rest, go for some easy spins on the bike, rest, hang out with friends and rest.<br /><br />During this week I try to not get too much done. I fight it. Chores? They can wait. Finishing that big project at work? Nah. House cleaning? I'm homeless. Grocery shopping? This is support your local restaurants week. Catch a movie? I'm in.<br /><br />In short, this is the one week I can be more like my non-believer friends with one notable exception. Twenty miles is a long ways to ride a bike this week, and chemical enhancement actually helps to keep the pace down--right where you want it this week. So, yes, I'm a slug on the bike this week, but I feel good about it, cause I got some fitness. I'm sluggin', but I feel fit. Sure, it's an illusion, but at least for this week it's like living the best of both worlds.<br /><br />All that freezing my ass off on the bike all winter; all that clean living and hard work; all that fighting the hawk on those long-ass training rides--so here is the payoff. The feeling of this week followed by doing some stomping at my favorite races of the year.<br /><br />This kind of high. Depending on your outlook, either it only lasts a couple of weeks or it lasts a lifetime. Dudes, you just gotta learn how to really lay back and drink it in, 'cause the hay's already in the barn on this one. Later.JimmyMchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10671187171115476076noreply@blogger.com