Winter Has Come

THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.

- Thomas Paine

The view from my office window

Yes, on the third day of my 2013 pre-season, I'm already Googling the phrase "These are the times that try men's souls."  Not that it's really been that hard so far; I'm just restless, I guess.  After the holiday season, I'm so ready to get back into a normal routine again, but I've also been hit with the reality of that routine for the next couple of months will be, well, not as fun as cyclocross season.  My next race is 9.5 weeks away, and while I know how important it is to take time away from racing to actually train, everyone knows I like racing a heck of a lot more than preparing to race.  However, if I learned anything from the recently concluded 'cross season, it is that intense racing seasons only work if you do the necessary work before the season starts.  I'm just flinching a bit when it comes to steeling my resolve.

So far my 2013 training has been one bike ride and one initial evaluation session with Greg Simmons of Simmons Performance Training.  I've chitchatted with him quite a bit while doing my weight sessions at the Iron Pit Gym over over the last couple of years, and he seemed like a legitimately knowledgeable trainer for general athletic purposes. I've seen his logo on the Scholar's Inn Bakehouse team jerseys, and know he's worked with some local cyclists, although I'm not sure who, but I actually chose him for his knowledge of athletic pursuits outside of cycling.  "Train me like a power athlete, not like a cyclist," were my instructions on Monday, as that is what brought me success in 2011. Unfortunately, 2012 mostly brought a lot of back and glute injuries (I really think I was just too physically tense most of the time from job crap), so that I why I'm seeking in-person professional guidance this year.  Hopefully, it will work out well.

So chilly base miles and gym sessions are what I have to look forward to for January and February.  Per my New Year's resolutions, I'm already trying to recruit companions and plan distractions as much as possible.  So far all I've cooked up is a tentative Speedway Wheel(wo)men team ride in Indianapolis on Sunday, but it's a start.

Anyway, I guess while I'm steeling my resolve I might as well publish my planned 2013 schedule for inspiration:

March & April 2013: "The Tour of Pain"
March 9: Sub-9 Death March
March 24:  Barry-Roubaix
April 4-7: Speedway Wheelmen Training Camp
April 27:  Big Frog 65

"The Tour of Pain" is the name I cooked up when my teammate Janelle expressed concern for her own sanity in planning these four events in a two-month period.  I suppose insanity loves company, so since I was already anxiously awaiting the Sub-9 Death March and training camp, then entered the Big Frog 65 on a whim, I figured I might as well round out the quartet and enter Barry-Roubaix, as well.  I, will not, however be pursuing the American Ultracross Championship Series like some other members of the team are thinking of doing.  No gravel after March for me, at least not without significant chunks of singletrack in between.

May-August 2013:  Mountain Bike Season?
May 18:  DINO Winona Lake
May 25:  Tri-State 6 Hour Series: England-Idlewild
June 3: DINO Brown County
June 16: DINO French Lick
June 22:  Tri-State 6 Hour Series: Versailles
June 30:  DINO Muscatatuck STXC
July 1:  DINO Muscatatuck XC
July 14:  Tri-State 6 Hour Series: East Fork State Park
July 22:  DINO Versailles
July 28:  Tri-State 6 Hour Series: Hueston Woods State Park
August 12:  DINO Logansport
August 26:  Southwestway Park

I guess after a couple of years of denial, I'm going to be a mountain biker again.  I can't really see how I'm going to squeeze any crits into that schedule.  After all, I still have a cross season that I'll have to get ready for.