Planning for Next Year

It is fair to say that this year I took my cycling to another level.  Now I'm not anywhere near a racing level, though many people have told me that I should locally and I know I could at least do Cat 4/5 - the time commitment just isn't possible if I want to keep this ring on my finger.  That being said, my riding has been elevated, I sometimes find myself getting bored with the usual routes that aren't too challenging when the pace isn't being pushed, and I know I want to keep up these levels - despite knowing and wanting to be a family man too.

I did a lot of riding this past year and Sarah was incredibly supportive.  The challenging part is that we didn't budget things enough.  Once we flipped the calendar to July, Sarah realized that she allowed me to over commit myself.  I had an event every single weekend.  Now even in June, I was probably riding every single weekend, but giving me the "hall pass" for a weekend ride is easier than an organized event.  When it is an event, she knows I'm gone for the better chunk of the day, whereas when I ask for the hall pass if Gabbie isn't napping the best she can push back on me to only do a 2-3 hour ride.  All about compromise.

So this fall into winter Sarah gave me "the talk."  Ha.  That makes it sound like she was some big bully - which she isn't at all.  But it was a realistic talk - "you need to plan out what you want to do so we can talk about it because you can't do multiple rides a month.  1 a month would be ideal but we can talk."

Fair enough.

I did some of my homework ahead of time and I'm going to go down 1 of 2 roads: mileage or climbing.  And it is all going to hinge on the lottery I think.  Based on when the rides are, for me to spread out different things that I have on my "list" I'll either head down the mileage route which includes:

• Flying Wheels
• STP - One Day
• Seattle Century
• Kitsap Classic
• Ride 542 (Mt. Baker Climb)
• LSC Austin

If not, I'm going to push myself this winter to try and keep my climbing legs.  Either way, I want to push myself this winter with running, getting out on the bike in the rain, and I really wouldn't mind a resistance trainer but I think that is out of the question financially.  The climbing route is what I would prefer and what would really push me.  That would include:

• Flying Wheels - as a training ride
• Tour Des Chutes - Bend
• RAMROD - Ride Around Mount Rainier in a Day (157 mi, 10,000+ ft)
• Ride 542
• High Pass Challenge (if I'm not able to do both, I'd favor this over 542 due to conditioning of RAMROD)
• LSC Austin

Whichever way I go, I'm sure it will be a great year.  It is nothing against the guys I'm used to riding with, but I'm also hoping to get on some Saturday morning rides from the local bike shops to see if I can find someone to push me/ride with up by us too.  Part of the challenge on weekends is the 90 minutes lost heading down to Seattle to meet up with the others.

LIVESTRONG!