Its been obvious lately that I have become slow and steady and enduring. Sometimes I feel like I can’t sprint worth a crap. I think about it, then get so tired, then continue on indefinitely at 90%.

Riding Desert Classic with Chongoman and CactusJoe I was getting spanked! I couldn’t spin fast enough, but we still made it to the watertank shy of 20 minutes which seems fast for me, so that has got to count for something? Classic can be surprisingly hard – the surface sucks your momentum in so many places, or you have to constantly climb a wash and then hold your pace. Its roadieing but the spinning is harder and much more work – i felt slow and fat and pathetic. Bob did not pull away from me much in the second half of the ride, i can fantasize its cause I am strong at enduros, but he was probably just tired of abusing me.

I feel like i’m talking myself into sprint workouts, but i have no desire to train to be fast for an hour. And absolutely no desire to do any sprint workouts. Sprint workouts, however, are one of those bellweathers that tell you if you are weak and afraid or are willing to attack your limits. Grrr…stupid sprint workouts!!! Stupid voices in my head telling me not to suck!!!

Bob suggested I do intervals during my commute, or pick 30 minutes and simply hammer. Its a great idea, a lot like how I would combine my track workouts with walking Tsaina and Kila. If I can just find a way to make it happen and still deal with the traffic and the heat and the 2 1-hour rides each way. Excuses… Scottsdale is out of the question with all the lights. The most logical stretch is through Mesa which is just about 30 minutes. When I start, I usually am sleepy and just getting into a rhythm, so imposing a sprint on myself there would be a recipe for frustration. On the way home, I am already tired from 1.5 hrs of riding and the heat, but it would be the best time to dig deep.

And I thought the safest part of the ride, except for the stupid suburban fatasses in their Escalades on their cell phones who almost hit you turning left in broad daylight in moderate traffic on a wide road with a bike lane when you have right-of-way. Got a great look at her tightly bound hair and chubby chin through the open window as I flipped her the bird and yelled “You fucking cunt!!!” You know a woman is completely oblivious to your existence when you use the c-word and she doesn’t react even a little. All women flinch involuntarily at the c-word, which means she had no clue I was there, which makes me glad I used the c-word. Coming a wheel’s width from a 6,000 lb car’s bumper will do that to you.

I tried the sprinting yesterday anyway – hammering from about Greenfield Rd. to the 101, more or less. And I do believe I shaved about 4 minutes off my time and felt better and faster. It wasn’t quite sprinting, but the pace was up fo sho. Much the same seemed to occur on the way home. I should be happy with just upping my pace for a few rides, and when that becomes comfy genuinely throw in some 30 and 60 seconds sprints and recoveries.

I should make a point of hammering when I do the Usery Loop from start-to-finish.

DAMMIT!!!

I swore once I gave up Ultimate I’d never do another sprint workout again!!!! and to think just today I finally sold my cleats for $30 on CraigsList. First time since I was about 8 i think I do not have cleats.

goodbye old friends