It's Not Always About Going Fast

Contrary to Burl Ives assertion that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, in my book, that distinction belongs to fall. The temperatures begin dropping from the nineties into a more comfortable range in the sixties, seventies and low eighties, and the humidity falls from oppressive at best to merely noticable at worst.

Fall is my favorite time of the year to ride my bike. All of the season's objectives are behind me and it's time to just noodle around and enjoy the season without the pressures of upcoming events forcing me to train a certain way. It's "wind-down" season, and it's time to relax. Time to spend my Saturday rides with Cathy. There's very little I enjoy more than watching her ride to the top of Shades Crest via Smyer for the first time last Saturday. She enjoyed it so much, we're going to try it again this week!

Sure, I've got some goals already set up for next season; I want to finish Cherohala in less than 7 hours, and I'm planning to start swimming and running again this winter in an effort to claim the top spot at a triathlon next Memorial Day weekend. I'm also giving some thought to clipping in for a couple of low key races in early March just to test my fitness and have a little fun (I could use a little humility, and there's nothing like lining up at a race to give it to you).

But those are still months away, and I'm one of the best around when it comes to procrastinating. Sure, I could be busy out on my bike every day, sweating like a soaker hose, and wheezing like a leaky tire...

But then I wouldn't get to enjoy my favorite time of the year, would I?