In the Ag community when it's harvest time you no longer exist to the outside community. to me that means 16-18 hour work days that are go,go,go and 6 days a week for 4 months. This is the yearly period where i traditionally live off of subway, monster energy drinks, donuts, and "jifi-mart" snacks. How does this all translate to cycling? i go from being a "120 mile a week" guy to being a "120 mile a month" guy. form naturally will suffer. But, combine that with my monsters and donuts etc.. and i pack on an extra ten pounds to haul up hills. my mission: don't let it happen this year. before i just always thought well this is my reality i will be slow in the winter and work to get it back in the summer. I don't have time to get slow this year. I have teammates who are out training every day getting better and better and i have to be able to keep my form at a level that i can support them and help deliver them to a win. I know that i WILL NOT be as fast as i was 4 weeks ago but i have to minimize that the best i can. MY METHOD: i now have a bike trainer that a teammate is loaning me that i can get on once i get home. This way i can still spend time with my wife and keep some legs under me. also, at work i walk as much as possible and not stroll but move with a purpose all day. Lastly, i will try to start squeezing in some late night spin classes. Oh and also race as much as possible. just because i'm getting slower doesnt mean i shouldnt be racing. the experience and pace of races throughout this four months will keep me from forgetting the tempo and what i'm training for. now lets see if i can keep that focus up for three more months.
this sunday is the team go ride time trial which is a once a month local race. looking forward to doing that and seeing how my time is compared to my non-harvest times. next sunday is my triathlon (probably my last one for a LONG time) i havent done any running or swimming in over a month and a half. when ever i swim or run i just wish i was on a bike so i think i'm done for a bit. my focus over the next few months will be time trials and crits then starting to get ready for the spring road races.
