Life Off The Bike

My nights can be pretty mundane.  I get home from work about 4:35, make something small to eat, get kitted up, fill my pockets with Powerbar fuel, fill my water bottles with Gatorade, and get on my Trek Superfly for a training ride.  Night after night becomes the same actions over and over.  That's what we do as cyclists, we bike, to get fast.  So what does one do when he's off the bike?  This week I found out.  I had to retrain myself to be a homeowner, a career man, an at home husband, and how to relax.  These things seem to take a back seat when the concentration is spent on biking.  This week was a mandatory rest week.  I just completed 2 phases of base and it was time to allow my body to catch up to the stress of training.  I now had to fill my nights with......life stuff.

This comes at a perfect time of the year.  The yard needs raking, the garage needs cleaning, the patio furniture needs placing, and the house needs attention.  So I have spent the last few days doing these things.  It's quite odd to come home and through on the scrubs instead of the kit but I do like it.  Working around the house makes me feel like I'm investing in my investment.  I like creating a curb appeal to my home.  Best of all I like to add some color to the outside as my wife creates the color inside both with decorations and her own beauty :).

I'm sure my staff may have noticed a small difference too.  Maybe not immediately but I do expect the next days to be better than the past few.  Work hours combined with biking hours combined with average sleep equals tired days.  My staff has learned to deal with my drooping eyes, tired look, and yes, crabby attitude.  I thank them for that, they allow me to do what I do and I have the best staff in the industry.  This week is for them too, a week of me not being so tired.

Although a week (4 days) seems long to be off the bike it goes by fast and sooner than later I'll be back at it.  Pounding the desk and then pounding the pedals.  This rest week will lead me right back to the road, on Saturday I'll be in Cable and Sunday I'll be in Rhinelander to get the legs back in motion with 2 races.  This weekend is followed by 4-5 weekends straight on the road between racing and vacationing with my wife.

Here is to life off the bike!  It feels good to live.  Biking has made me appreciate simplicity in life.  This rest period has allowed me to appreciate everyone around me as life keeps moving while I'm on the bike or off.  Thank you to my family, my staff, my friends, my sponsors, and especially my wife for allowing me to spend the time I do on my bike.  THANK YOU!