Happy New Year

What else would I say? After an evening of playing XBox, Pictionary and eating a bit too much at my brother-in-law Tracy's we slept late enough to miss the first quarter of the Outback Bowl. It's midway through the game and the Badgers are grinding it out with Tennessee in their usual style.

That might be a good plan for me too. Just grind it out. I don't mean when it comes to pushing the pedals. I mean when it comes to the training. Not trying to jump into a high level of intensity to achieve my goals on the bike should work. I might not have early season satisfaction, or even the mid-summer satisfaction I had last year. I'd rather peak at SSWC even if, as I've said before, I'll be happy to finish in the first half of the field.


Speaking of SSWC, I took a moment to register for that at the stroke of 12 last night. I prepared the form at about 10 and just clicked the mouse at midnight. A bit more about my plans for SSWC. I know I won't win, hell, Jesse and Marco better be worrying about that because I won't. Even back in the 80's when I was really fit I wouldn't have worried about winning. I want to do well. What do I mean by that? The folks at SSWC have limited the field to 350. If I was quick enough with my mouse last night to make the in I'll be one of those 350. So do what I do, close your eyes and visualize standing about 5 rows back, okay, ten rows back from Jesse, Marco, Adam Craig, Travis Brown and all the really fast guys. Visualize putting in a crash free ride. Visualize having nothing left in my legs at the end, and not before. If I can finish in the top 25% I'll be thrilled. If I can be in the top 10 of guys in their 40's, if they had that category, I'll be thrilled. If I could put together a race like that at that event, I'll have prepared properly and be happy with the result.

Oh, and here's this morning's view of the Olympics...