Limbo (How Low Can You Go?)

Ah yes. It's here. Off Season Limbo. I hate it. What is it you ask? It's that time when your training plan is going well, you're chomping at the bit to get out, race, and/or get "real" rides in. Not just rides that have you saying- "at least I was outside". Rides that let you gauge fitness and skills. The riding you LOVE. Sponsorship stuff is pretty much all taken care of. You're stoked to be racing for some new folks, repping some faves, and forming closer relationships with others. Things are going well, but we're not there yet!

Inside riding is getting mentally tougher. The weather is throwing enough cold and enough snow and ice at you to make riding uncomfortable/miserable/not possible. And NOT enough snow to make activities like CX skiing all that possible. It's a Western PA winter "no man's land" of leafless trees, gray sky, and ice. Much of the already depressing looking Pittsburgh area looks even more depressing and make one want to buy a one way ticket to a Mexian beach resort town. Sorry "yinzers" I call it like I see it. Don't think me too much of a "jag off". I would think the same of just about every city in the mid Atlantic/north east U.S.

Much of the above rant (sorry!) is good stuff, except for the weather of course. Nothing to do, but maybe buy a SAD Lamp, up the meds, ride more (even if it's cold) and focus on the good things coming in the next couple months. They're coming. Just need to hold tight!

SMOOTH MOVE
Not a Laxative. OK, well not THAT much of a Laxative!

Made a kick as smoothie/breakfast shake this a.m.- 1 Cup Skim Milk, Frozen Strawberries (just under a cup), 1 Banana, 2 Tbs of Bob's Ground Flaxseed and 1 scoop of Hammer Soy Protein. Blend it. Slam it. Done. Stats: 515 Calories, 7g fat, 57g Carbs, 10g Fiber, 13g Protein.

BEER NEWS
Hey, it IS almost the weekend!

Hit the 6 pack shop near work today for some refreshments to have over the coming days. My shop has a killer Buy 6 get a 7th free special on Thursdays. I was pretty geeked to see Troegs Nugget Nectar is in stock. I've been wanting to try it for a while so I picked up two.
Looking at the malts (Pilsner, Vienna, and Munich) I'm wondering what it will be like. I read that the intense variety of hops slams down the sweetish euro malts that I'm not crazy about and that it ends up being a really good IPA. We shall see come the weekend. Also got some other faves. More on those over the weekend.

OH YEAH. I DID RIDE.

Sort of.

Hit the trainer for 1:10 tonight. Up and down the cluster in 5 min. intervals. Nothing to intense. Some high zone 2 low zone 3 for much of it. Then one quick set of weights and core to brink it on down. Hope to get out for at least a icy rail trail ride on Saturday. Wifey and I are taking tomorrow off from work. We need a chill day to chill and just "be".

Later.