Long Days in the Saddle

Life is getting back to normal in Calgary… (After becoming nicely accustomed to riding in the sun every day)
There are some surprising similarities between the physical preparation for a big day on the bike and a big day at the desk, and jumping back into one (busy) world so soon after being immersed in the other has really brought it to my attention. The steps are pretty straightforward; see if you can tell which feat of endurance I am tackling with this routine (11-hour day or 6-hour ride?):

-Start with lots of coffee, to clear the cobwebs and get the body willing
-Full hydration during the day
-Constant intake of nutrition to ward away the fade and prevent ‘bonking’
-Add more caffeine to keep the party rolling
-Keep good music cranked to help with focus and keep the subconscious occupied
-Early to bed and lots of Vit C to maximize recovery for another hard one tomorrow.
-Hit the Computrainer???

Sound familiar? That’s pretty much the routine for a loaded day at the office. Not every day, just the one that rolls around once in awhile. Not unlike the training program with a really hard day or week thrown in – it’s hard to buckle down and get it done but the end result is pretty much always worth it – unless you’re willing to consider a change of profession (sport or job).

This year I have been trying to balance both to the fullest effect – meaning that sometimes, both worlds get thrown into the same mix. The biggest challenge is mental focus. Your body can’t be in two places at once but your mind can, so I find that with all the preparation of a race, I can make it through one ‘workout’ to the start of the next.

The weekend weather is looking primo, and from the sounds of it everyone is in serious need of venting a little cabin fever. Will this be the 2010 debut of road tires in Calgary?