Some people, beknowest to me as numskulls, call the entire fall/winter the off-season. I don’t know why they call it that. It implies that we don’t do anything bike-related during this time. Of course this isn’t the case since November through February is really the only time for unencumbered training without all those pesky races getting in the way of things. I, for one, like to call the off-season that brief time between the last race of the year and when real trainings start again. Last year I believe my off-season was on a Tuesday.
No but seriously, last year in mid September I spent two weeks backpacking and running and then began training on October 1st, clocking a 20 hour week or two before November saw its first flakes of snow. Too soon, just like jokes about
This year I’m treating the off-season a bit differently. For one, I’m tireder than last year. For two, I hate it when I start making a numbered list mid-paragraph so I’m going to end it after this sentence. After a telephone conversation with my wise coach Sam Jansen, I was convinced to treat the rest of October as a time to re-charge, learn a new skill, and keep my mind away from training and racing so my tank is full for 2012.
I don’t have batteries to re-charge and I’m growing tired of metaphors, especially overused ones, so re-charging and re-fueling the tank has been a fail so far. I am, however, feeling pretty fresh already. Despite not doing any training or riding, I felt amazing the other day while commuting, better than I have for a month or more. I was riding in street clothes heading down Highway 99 from King City after buying a #2 attachment for a set of hair clippers, when a roadie caught me at a red light (I’d dropped the clipper attachment out of my pocket and had to circle around back for it, which is the only reason he caught me in the first place). Anyways, he thought he’d try to pass me when the light turned green. That didn’t happen of course. Instead he ended up sitting on my wheel for a little under a minute until I SMASHED him to pieces and dropped him. The fool! My ego intact, I rode home and gave myself a haircut.
That was last week and I’ve successfully resisted going out and riding, even though the weather has been fantastic.
My new pass-times include going on short runs, dancing, eating, reading, and playing the piano. I’m only good at one of those things. I’ve also been doing some kayaking and plan on climbing Mt. Washington this weekend, but overall I’ve been very good and haven’t done anything taxing. I’d like to end all my posts with a joke from now on. So here’s one: What do you call a donkey with a sore throat? A little horse.
And now for what you’ve all been waiting for….my grand performance on the piano. Vimeo link here.
KENNETT PETERSON 