On the bike....some

There are maybe 10 people that know about my silly little blog. A couple of them just want to know how the cycling is coming along. In short, it's winter....

I broke my main frame on the trainer a few weeks ago. I've got a lot of bikes, but most of them are old. The good ones I have are my track bike and my cyclocross bike, both of which aren't for the road. Here's where working in a bike shop pays off. Mike has given me permanent loan of a LOOK 565. This is a handmade, full carbon fiber French frame. A really nice ride. It's ultimately probably not what I want to race this year because I need something a little stiffer, but it's what I can get with two pennies to my name.

I've been trying to ride to work on the days I'm at the shop. It gets me a little more than 2 hours on the bike. I'm also trying to get on my trainer a couple of times a week and do some video workouts. Everybody keeps coming in the shop asking when I'm going to race. It's realistically going to be April. I hate the cold and I refuse to race on the road unless I'm in shape. Cyclocross was fun, but I won't stand for getting my ass kicked for long on the road before I quit.

I'm applying for an assistant teaching position here in Cobb County that is to be filled soon. I would take it if offered. It pays more than the bike shop and I get weekends off. I am trying to get into the GATAPP program which will allow me to go back to teaching full-time and work on my certificate. I'm certainly not doing this so that I can race a bike, but it would allow some more freedom with my schedule if I get it. The main motivator is making some more dough and still getting to spend time with Olivia.

When I'm on the bike I'm beginning to feel pretty good. I'm starting to do some upper body work because my back is hurting like always. Knock on wood, I've been pretty pain free this time around. I think this time around that cycling is more of a therapeutic thing than a competition thing. That said, anyone that knows me knows I hate losing :)