June 9, 2006

My every-two-years wake up call

Another year, another visit to the doctor's office.
Yeesh -- this pretty much put the kabash on the notion that all I need is 'one' -- I need to get back to what made 2003 so successful, in SO many ways, and that's cardio - true cardio.
Low muscular effort, high cadence -- yeah, kinda like Lance, I guess.
I've always been more of a Jan Ullrich in my approach, I suppose -- getting fit, feeling like I'm 'fixed', and promptly falling back into dietary distress, gaining weight, losing fitness and then questioning everything. Repeat.
So, the tally THIS time out is higher-than-it-should be blood pressure (again) -- the scary part about it THIS time, is that I'm not heavy anymore.
Well, not GIGANTIC -- I can still stand to lose 15 lbs, but I don't think that I'm horribly overweight, and THAT was (along with the diet that made me that way, and the lack of activity) what made my BP high. Today, I feel like I'm getting enough exercise, and the number is back up. So, now what? Ugh -- back to diet and exercise, rather, changing up what I've been doing and getting BACK to what I was doing right before.
I was in really good shape, and I got lazy for a couple years. At this point in my life, however, I really need to STOP getting lazy - because I'm going to reach a point where I don't bounce back as well, or as fully, as before.

I have to pull the phrase cited in "American Flyers" -- RES FIRMA NITESCERE NESCIT
Which, literally means a "firm resolve never weakens", but in the film was paraphrased as meaning "once you got it up, keep it up."

I need a t-shirt like that. As a reminder.

But, I've gotten past the "wallow in self remorse" phase of my year. I pretty much already knew what I was going to do with this year, and now I have more fuel for that fire. I have the numbers from where I've been before, and this new push back towards fitness will drag them along with it. I'm confident, and I've got that 'fix it' attitude back again!

Another, bigger part of my call to arms is on the mental front, and finally putting to rest all the equipment demons, and just riding -- I've been a lot calmer about stuff lately, a lot more focused, instead of feeling anxious, flustered, and flip-floppy. More than anything, once again I return to the "mind over mileage" philosophy. We're all just here to ride and have fun, maybe push ourselves -- but that's about as complicated as things should get.

With this new attitude, and a little help from the doc, my BP is now down to where it should be, only about three weeks after the appointment. Sadly, I had to let my good friend coffee go away - but it's a small sacrifice considering what I could be in-for in 20 years if I kept things up. Granted, the occasional coffee ride is still in the cards - but it'll have to be decaf for me. It sorta tastes the same... I guess. BAH! It's worth it. I'm much easier to live with now! Shocker!!!
Also, this will REALLY help in October -- at MV24 in '03, I was wondering why the caffiene wasn't working at 1am! This year, I'll have been caffiene-free for nearly FIVE MONTHs before the event -- I'll lift my personal caffiene-ban, and will use it where it can really help me: at Tejas! Duh. The more I look at this latest lifestyle change, the more it's a win-win.
I don't even miss it anymore, after three weeks - and my health is better for it.


Looking forward for another dial-in session on the new steed this weekend, assuming I can beat the rain home -- another chance of storms enters the forecast, but considering it's gonna be like 95ºF during the ride, I don't think I'll mind that much! Just not sure if I wanna get things dirty just yet -- but if I fall into that trap, I'll just ride the one with the fenders. Problem solved!

I love the Cidermill rides -- the route is good, there are little surprises along the way, and the reward at the middle of the ride is ALWAYS worth the trip. I almost hope it DOES rain, to add a little epic-ness to the end of the long journey -- it's been a long time since I've had a good rain ride: about the closest I've gotten of late was a quick dash thru some lawn sprinklers that had been knocked out of asjustment and were spraying into the street. That felt really good.

Only 35 days until Tinbutt 2006!!!!!!

Wow -- it's coming up fast --- am I ready? I think so -- considering I didn't manage to build as impressive of a base this year, I'm feeling pretty good about going long. I only have three 200K rides in, honestly, and a couple centuries as well -- but compared to years past where I'd have a 300 and 400K thrown in there as well, I feel a little short in the legs -- but the flip side of that is the fact that the speed is coming up quick, I can probably arrange a peak at about a month out from now, and I feel rested and not like a bag of hamburger, like I did last year at this same time! Got my old friend Sustained Energy back in the pantry, too, so I won't have any surprises on the road during the long day in the sun -- barely a month away.

Bring it on!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cdude,

Bummer on the coffee. I had to give it up too. I have some great suggestions on tasty decaf if you want them.

I like your blog -- you're a great writer!

Bo Thompson

Steve Mohr said...

i had to give up coffee completely, but not because of blood pressure. it aggravated my blood sugar level.