In the Zone

What can I say?


I've either been "in the zone" or pulled in so many directions that it feels like "focus," but on all the things.  Ever since the Mountain Cat 100, I've been thinking a lot about personal situations that are probably just distractions from being all-consumed by the people out there doubling down on their hopes that this whole "authoritarian thing" works out and they won't have to face the consequences of their actions.

Anyhoo.

Watts had thrown out a term whilst we toiled away and also enjoyed ourselves in Richmond, VA a few weeks ago.  

"I'm starting my fitness journey this weekend."

I woulda credited him with coining the term, but a quick google of "fitness journey" tells me I'd be wrong.

"It's a slow and steady journey with no clear destination or finish line."

Well, hey.  Me too.

I'd been starting, quitting, and restarting my fitness journey all year long...

I just didn't know it, but that's what I was doing.

I'm mostly interested in making my body into something that will suffer the least amount necessary to get to the finish line of Stage 6 at the Breck Epic in August in one happy piece.  In order to do that, I need to fit in some longer rides, get slightly more focused on what I'll call "goals," and perhaps the shedding of a few pounds of bonus me that only slows me down when going up the side of a mountain.  In an effort to respect the conditions of my human form, I'm committing to doing a better job at some things...

I have a tendency to only drink water if a ride will be short enough to stay under 1,500 calories, and I only start dipping into the CarboRocket Half Evil if I'm gonna be in the 3,000+ range (or if I'm bicycle sport racing).  That said, if I'm trying to make the most out of my longer rides in this heat, I probably need to respect my body's needs for electrolytes, even if I'm trying to end my day burning more calories than I consume.  All that, and I'm going to start Cheat Juicing on the daily starting this past weekend to give my hemo goblins the super powers they crave.

I have some goals that are very reachable over the next seven weeks, a couple that I'll call "stretch goals," and mebbe one dream.

On top of all that, I need to get my ass to the mountains in order to get my brain (which is housed in said ass) switched back into "trail speed mode."

Too much riding around in the lowlands and gravel sad dadding has taken my thousand yard stare down to the distance of my arm outstretched in front of me with a beer in my hand.  That's a big no bueno for the big descents in Breck, so time for some eye/brain/body synergy work.

The other half of my functioning brain has been thinking about whether or not to put on another Horny Cat 69 this fall.  I've already got a few ideas I've been tossing around.

The route.  I'm gonna change it.  Slightly.  I've gotten better at working with Ride with GPS to plan a route, so the less I have to think about riding the whole loop at least once before the event to get a decent map, the happier I get.  I want to get as close to 69 miles as possible, because..

Hilarious.

The money thing.  I think this year, I'm going to complicate and also simplify things.  I'll give anyone the route, regardless of any money changing hands.  You can ride the whole thing that day at a certain time, or you can ride it whenever you want.  Don't matter to me one bit.  That said, I'm going to take up a collection for a pizza (and other things) party (you guessed it) that is at my house later in the day, with any remaining proceeds after expenses going to the Tarheel Trailblazers.  Assuming some of the benevolent benefactors return from the previous Horny Cat, we should be able to hand over a chunk of change when it's all said and done.  I might increase the price of admission from $10 to $12, because despite what you heard, I can't get the Chinese to eat the tariffs on stuffed crust.  

I'm thinking about doing this later in the year than last time in order to beat the heat and also reduce the mosquito population in my yard.  Probably (most likely) October 4th with a rain date of October 11th.  Once again, if it were to get totally rained out, your $12 would go straight to the Tarheel Trailblazers OR I'd just throw the party and we could ride wet greenways and golf courses.  Obvs, the money is going towards the trails, but I'm not getting taken down for encouraging people to "destroy the trails" either.

Other than that, I'm motivated to bring this back due to "popular demand."  Enough people had a good time, and if I can manage to not rip my knee open ten minutes into the event and spend the better part of the day in the ER, I think I might "enjoy" it as well.  I like seeing people smile and also suffer.