Solstice

The shortest day of the year. Sun up at 7:42, dark by 4:45. Today someone at the club asked me if I was a professional athlete. Go figure ! Here I am, over the hill as some would have it and this woman asks me if I am a pro. She added: "Well you look like a professional." I was flattered. Time to turn pro as John Cobb would say.

Yesterday was a sunny day and I went for a 30 mile mountain bike ride in the afternoon. Alistair rode with the Berkeley group and I built his Specialized Tarmac while he was out. Today we finished it to the 95% level. It can be ridden and I rode it on rollers and he took it out for a spin. We don't have a front derailleur for it so the chain is stuck in the small ring, but you can ride it. It also needs some spacers on the headset, some bar tape and a few other miscellaneous items. But one can ride it.

It is light but also quite big. I find it is big for me, or should I say long. The top tube is 56 and while that is short for my body measurements, I am not really used to lying so flat on a bike. If I did, maybe I'd shave another 20 minutes off my Ironman time. Some people recommend I try a 58 or at least a 57cm top tube. That would be super aero.

Today a 45/30 at the club. Taking it easy. I didn't say that to the woman who thought I was working hard. No need to spoil a good thing.

I just don't understand people. Most come in and leave in under 20 minutes. Half that time they spend talking, adjusting their equipment, or their iPods, their headphones, or the TV or something else. The remaining 10 minutes they move, but barely. Call that a workout? 

The guy next to me was in his 30's. Early 30's for sure. He watched the football game while pedaling on a LifeCycle at "resistance" level 3. He pedaled for a full 10 minutes and then he took a break. He lifted some weights but spent most of his time lying on the floor, stretching while watching the game. Four times he went to get a drink and he stood around for a good 5 minutes catching his breath. He came in 5 minutes later than me, and left 15 minutes before I did. Why did he even bother, I wonder?