Cookies and 'cross

With a much-needed quiet weekend at home, I formally declare the following:

-Training for the 2o12 road season is now underway, as evidence by the 15 hours I rode this week.
-I'm done racing 'cross until next year. It was a fun, two-month season, but I was pedaling really slowly at the Kiln today, and can't see myself getting any faster in the immediate future. Besides, there aren't any more local (or, localish) races.
-If there was an inexpensive service that delivered cookies in Emmaus, I would definitely avail myself, with great relish. Someday, someday.

I think the third point is pretty clear, but I'll lay it out anyway: I have, and have always had, an insatiable sweet tooth. In fact, the greatest hindrance in my career as a mediocre amateur bike racer has been my inability to control my diet. The ONLY way that I can get some relief from my drive to eat sweets is by not having any in my house.

At home, my extreme laziness is able to overpower by desire, and, most of the time, I'm too content with my feet up on the couch to move, let alone leave my house to satisfy my most base temptation. HOWEVER, I really want a (box of) cookie.

So it goes.

As for the other two points, the formal start of winter training started loosely on Dec. 1, which made this my first week of regular training. Sadly, due to short daylight hours, it also meant that I spent four hours on my rollers this week. That, I do not love. But, I was riding pretty well last April, and I hope to be riding pretty well next April, so I need to on the proverbial ball now.

'Cross, on the other hand, has been a fun adventure. I was able to hit most of the Thursday night 'cross races here in Emmaus (thanks Ray!), and after wrapping up Spa:CX, I got myself to a handful of regular races on a few weekends, and even -- in what must have been a fluke -- stood on a 'cross podium.

Today's race, Limestone 'Cross at the Kiln, was something of another matter. I rode a lot on Saturday, and probably a little harder than I should have on the Derby this morning. Regardless, I was less than motivated for the race, but I couldn't miss the opportunity to race so close to home (it took me about six minutes to ride over to the venue), so, I went out and started. At first, I was in the race, but then I had a pretty bad bobble and lost a few spots. Then, I realized that I was pedaling surprisingly slowly, and couldn't seem to get going faster. So, I settled in to a rhythm of pedaling, running, pedaling, running, and coasting a little.

The saving grace, of course, was the really fun course, and my friend heckling from the base of little climb that I wasn't skilled enough to ride. Good times.

Racing 'cross this fall has been a surprising amount of fun, and I'm already looking forward to racing more CX next year. First, though, I'm hoping to learn how to turn faster.