dreadedmonkeygod . net

It's crazy to think that I've been training for 5 months now. I know I've made progress, but honestly... I'm definitely feeling the effects of weeks of bad weather, successive colds, and a rough week of taking care of a sick wife & daughter. The last month has not been super-productive on the bike.

But I've hit a couple of important milestones, so I can't say I didn't accomplish anything.

Weight Loss

• Previous weight: 181.6#
• Current weight: 178.6#

I'm now back under 180# for the first time in years. That's definitely good for my health, and good for my cycling.

Updated Hardware

I've replaced the chainrings & chain on my bike, and it's running much more smoothly now. I can feel that there's a much more solid transfer of power from the pedals through the rear wheel.

I also took my road bike to the local bike shop for a tune-up, and they did a fantastic job. It's noticeably smoother. Unfortunately, I think the shifters are finally starting to give out after 13 years, so it may be time for a new groupset soon. I only ever use my road bike for training rides, so I'm going to just make do for the time being and keep my eyes peeled for a bargain.

Poised for New PRs

I rode up Coachwhip for the first time in ages this week, and posted a time just 6 seconds shy of my PR, and faster by far than I've been in more than 2 years. It's chafes a bit that I've had to work this hard to get back to where I was a few years back, but so be it. I'm hear, and there's nothing but open road ahead.

What Now?

Unfortunately, I have some kind of chest cold that's making it tough to really go full throttle. I have to respect the need to rest and get healthy. But I'm also in sort of a golden moment at work where my schedule allows me to ride more than usual, and I don't want to miss that opportunity. So I'm holding myself back just a little, and we'll see how I feel next week.

Bike Path Loop