Sedentary

Sedentary is defined as "accustomed to sit or rest a great deal or to take little exercise."  This is essentially how my lifestyle has been since Labor Day weekend.  Mainly I've been working on miscellaneous projects around the house and if not that, relaxing and hanging out with Amy and William.  I have however participated in a few rides but nothing that would help keep any form of fitness so I'll be starting this next year's training from scratch.  Some would say that this is a bad thing and it will take considerably longer to get back to where I was.  Yes, it will definitely take longer to achieve the fitness level was at last racing season, but I see that as a good thing.  It's a long racing season and there's plenty of time to regain fitness and actually achieve a higher level of fitness than previous years.



Racing in Wisconsin presents many more opportunities to race in criteriums than road races.  Luckily, many other cyclists around Wisconsin feels the same way as I do. Recently the Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) asked for a survey to be completed with feedback related to the past racing season and what to enhance in the future.  One of the top responses received is that there needs to be more road races.  The WCA has currently responded that there are 6 road races on the tentative 2012 schedule.  Hopefully we get at least half of them because as we've witnessed over the last couple years, the organizers hosting the road races many times cancel the event a few weeks prior to the scheduled date.  Let's hope the organizers are able to ensure the events occur.

This talk about more road races brings me back to my sedentary lifestyle I'm currently enjoying and the level of fitness that I'll be starting with when I begin training for the 2012 racing season.  The time off the bike has allowed for my muscles recover and repair at a cellular level and will provide me the ability to take a slow and focused approach to training. Additionally, with the time away for the bike I've been able to develop a new plan that will take my training in a different direction than I have been previously accustomed to.  Taking into account previous training programs and lessons learned over the course of the last 3 years of racing I believe I've been able to identify how to break out of the "plateau" that I've seen in racing results of the last two seasons.  That's not to discount anything that I've gained in the past two years, not even one iota.  Training, as in the past, will be methodical, disciplined, focused, and as any competitive cyclist knows, painful.  All of this will help drive better results and provide the stepping stone to break out of the plateau and reach the next level.

So to the basement I'll go as the weather continues to deteriorate and winter nears.  The Madone will be affixed to the trainer and the long, steady, and at times boring hours of riding will begin.  My sedentary lifestyle will cease to be and back to the grind I'll go.  All with a purpose to reach a number of clearly defined goals.  Success is to be had and fun will be enjoyed.  This should be a good ride.