Obsession

You would think that after an Ironman, you’d give yourself some time to relax and just absorb the events of the year, and try and recharge from all the energy spent pulling off the first two Ironman year I’ve done. No, I’m not that smart. The weekend after Florida found me in Austin. Now even if I was just in Austin to hang out, it would have been cool. The whole town has a cool hippie/fitness vibe. And they have the world’s largest Whole Foods. So I cruised around with the baddest bike racer I know, Shontelley-hoo, and we cruised the town. Anyway, I went to Austin to hear the Grip speak in a weekend long workshop. The Grip, as in Mark Allen. I won’t bore you with the details, as it was the best money I’ve spent on triathlon outside of race fees. Such a cool experience, and definitely not “I’m great, grandiose, and you can only hope to be a fraction as good as I was”speaking engagement that you would come to expect from a 6-time world champion. Quite the opposite, actually. Mark is very unassuming, and so approachable. Anyway, great times, and I’m still buzzing from the experience.

So what the hell do I do with “all this spare time” and get away from triathlon? Well, I took 2 weeks COMPLETELY off. I mean, I haven’t run outside of the “Run with Mark Allen” run at the workshop. As for biking, I’ve just been having fun on the singlespeed, and noodling around to and from work. But I really needed something to spark off the pre-season, without the boredom of all those familiar training routes that are mind numbingly burned into my brain. So I fell way off the wagon and found a new winter obsession. The picture is below. What the hell is that, you ask? Where are the aerobars? Well, it’s a cyclocross bike. As in a road bike that you ride on hardpack trails and gravel roads. No computer, no intervals, just mud, riding, and fun. I did my first ride on it Thanksgiving day. I can’t remember when I had more fun on a bike. I had mud in my teeth because I was smiling and laughing the ENTIRE ride. Super simple, and super cool. Anyway, its pretty fun getting muddy on a ride, and saying, “sweet” when the pavement ends on your ride, instead of saying “Oh shit!” like you do on that pretty carbon tri bike.

So why cyclocross? Is it necessary? Well, not really. But the bike is orange, it’s named “Gin and Trombones”, and most importantly, it’s a new sensation while still getting in some good cycling miles. And Dr. Joe said training is all about keeping that central nervous system on it’s toesJ

So like any good obsessive, compulsive, Type A dude, I had to research this cyclocross phenomenom. So, I’ve watched a million YouTube cyclcocross videos, planned my first race in Houston in January, and am even gonna build a cyclocross track in my front/back yards. It’s good cause it takes the ole’ mind off of triathlon, racing, eating like a Buddhist monk, and obsessing about training for next year. Instead, I’m laughing at the characters of this new, cool cycling bastard child. Guys like Barry Wicks, Ryan Treborn, and Jeremy Powers. And I can definitely get excited about any sport that encourages drinking for spectators, and for heckling the racers. Sounds fun to me. So cyclocross is my new obsession. That is, of course, until it warms up…