The party is over - for now

Mountain bikes are happiest when they're covered in filth.

My last day of four weeks of 'Transition' ends today. Tomorrow, the hard work starts up again, the preparation for a new journey into what I want to accomplish in my athletic season next year. It's going to be different from my usual racing plan; I'm ready for some new challenges. (No, I'm not switching to surfing. Not yet, anyway.)

I hardly need encouragment to do what I want, except when it comes to my training plan. That's where I tend to be rather compliant (because I need to be). Having a month of days where the plan is essentially 'go play'  feels like someone just unclipped me from my leash and left the gate wide open.

Day-Before-Thanksgiving ride with Angie. We LOVE this cold weather!

Angie and her new CX bike

Thanksgiving Day ride in the snow, with Dave 

What you get when the snow and ice melt off

Just Say NOvember!

'Cross practice in the backyard this morning, with Angie.

I secretly love November.

I love the smell of leaf rot,  the shocking cold mornings, the hint of fall-into-winter bleakness (that I'll be entirely sick of a month or two from now).

But what I especially love about November is that it's time to PLAY!

There's a weight-off-the-shoulders quality about knowing that the racing season is over until next spring.

This is the one month out of the year where I can abandon a strict training structure and just go with the flow. November is a month-long reprieve from hard intervals, expectations, and racing.*

For the record, I don't plan on spending the next four weeks curled up on the couch with a bottle of tequila and the entire 4 seasons of 'Game of Thrones'.  November is really more a mental break, and I won't be slacking off TOO much - just enough to feel rejuvenated by the time training starts up again, December-ish.

So, whenever your season ends, give me a call and let's meet up for a ride, or a trail run, or some 'cross practice. No destination, no obligation. I'll even buy you a coffee when we're done.

*CX doesn't really count as 'racing' for me, as you already know. If you've ever seen me race 'cross, you'd know why. 

Getting ready to get lapped...