Otherwise, as
far as training goes I also managed to fit in a couple of good weight training
sessions. Training for what, you
say? The race season is over, you
say. Well I still need to get better at
this game…I have riding friends I can’t keep up with.
As far as the
2012 race season review, I managed a couple of podium finishes, which was
awesome!!
Me and NewfieSteve, Second Place Fall 8Hour
Otherwise I was
consistently (but not always) in the top 10 finishers in my age category, which
was within my original goals…so that is good.
Still, I always wish I could do better.
However, overall I am happy…it was a challenging season, with losing my
bike and all, but it all turned out OK.
(Replacing my bike did cost more than I had hoped, but life happens…and
we deal with it).
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Is it wrong to put another pic of
the new bike?
Also ended up
buying a new road bike, which was not really planned…but it is a great training
tool!! And a reason to do road races in
2013?? There were no significant
injuries, and I managed to get all the races I wanted in…and had a lot of fun
doing it all…and stayed in shape. So
overall…great season.
So for now…try
to maintain over the winter; get better for 2013. Goal is to be a consistent podium contender
in 2013. A stretch? Maybe, but that’s what makes it a challenge. Also, as mentioned, I would like to try my
hand at some road races in 2013.
So…onto a couple
of questions I have been asked over the last week.
Number 1: What is a Metis?
Somewhere in my
intro, or one of my very first posts, I make mention that I am Metis. If you are Canadian and you don’t know what
that is…shame on you. Really, turn in
your citizenship…you probably don’t drink beer either. Otherwise, a very brief history lesson;
The Métis are
one of three groups, along with First Nations and Inuit peoples, recognised as
Canada's aboriginal peoples in the Canadian Constitution. The origin of the Metis goes back to the
French voyageurs (explorers), who first came to the Canadian interior in the
1600’s. Of course, these were all guys
(as in males, dudes…). Apparently they
found the aboriginal women (Cree, Ojibway, and Saulteaux just to keep the
history accurate here) attractive. Who would
have thought toned, tanned, women in loin cloths would be attractive?
Anyways the
offspring of this comingling were not truly accepted by either original culture
(European, or native), and a new culture was born of the mixed traditions, Cree
and French language, and a way of life centred around the early Canadian fur
trade.
What it's like to not fit in...
Of course there
is more to this story than I can put here as the Metis fought for a place in
this fine country. In fact, the Riel
Rebellion began on my ancestors land…The Battle of Tourond’s Coulee. OK...enough of the history lesson, I assume you get the picture. Next…
Number 2: Why do you incorporate weight workouts into
your training?
The general
belief is that cyclists should not lift weights as part of their training. The idea is to be as light as possible. I do not subscribe to this theory (that means
I don’t buy this shite).
First of all I
am vane…I want to look a certain way.
And the truth is that Lois would prefer that I look like a man…not a 14
year old boy. I don’t want to be huge…I
just want to be fit.
This is not me…This may be just a little too big...
Besides...I have to keep Lois believing that I am a superhero...
Also, overall
fitness is crucial. An engine with huge
pistons won’t work if the block is cracked and the chassis is weak. A cyclist’s core has to be strong to facilitate
power transfer, and the upper body has to be able to manoeuvre the bike, and
endure the event as long as the legs do.
Yes, time on the bike is key, but overall fitness is necessary to make
the riding time effective.
Finally Number
3: What is My Fitness Pal?
I have mentioned
this before; I use My Fitness Pal, a website to track calories in and calories
burned. It lets you know your net
calories to meet your goals (to lose fat, to maintain, to gain muscle…whatever
your goal). Of course, there is more to
nutrition than calories in/out and MFP helps with tracking macronutrients
too. Also, it has a social aspect…you
can make friends, other users of the program, to help motivate you. For example, my MFP friend coolcatrandy
challenged me to a ride to burn at least 2000 calories yesterday. It was wet, and windy out, and I may not have
gone for it without this challenge; so thanks coolcat!! Went to Moffat and back at an average of
31km/hr to burn over 2200 calories!
Anymore questions??
Keep ya posted!!
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