Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Grunt work

I thought I'd be able to avoid the rain today - but now it's coming down in a steady drizzle. No matter though - the rain will make my scheduled afternoon Cougar Mountain repeats all that much sweeter. Oh and don't forget the 4 x 4's. The slick roads give my mind something else to think about other than the pain.

A champion is made a day at a time.

Yesterday's time trial bike session was challenging. Jennie joined me for the 3x10 minute intervals and there's nothing like having an Olympian sit on your wheel pushing you beyond what you think is possible. The tunnel vision came, the legs screaming in protest, the lungs and breathing labored, yet focusing on engaging the core, keeping a straight and steady line - pulling yourself out of the tunnel and beyond until you think you're going to faint and glancing down to realize only 5 minutes have passed. Pushing your body till it's dramatically swaying on the bike and giving it everything you've got. Throwing out the notion of being steady and consistent and instead working out every last ounce of power from your being and transferring it into a man made machine. Then for the last minute pushing past the red zone into purple and holding it for the full 60 seconds. Going so hard that it takes 5 minutes of no spinning to return to 150 beats per minute and realizing it's absolutely beautiful out in the Snoqualmie Valley this time of year.

There's nothing like a little self-induced pain to make you feel alive.

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