Another Annoying "While You Were Working" Post

So yes, while YOU were working, I took the afternoon off and headed up to Ellijay for a nice long ride. I wanted to make sure I took advantage of a 72 degree sunny day, as its possible we may go from the 60's straight to the 80's. This time we rode the Gates Chapel-Crandall loop clockwise. It was definitely a bit harder in that direction and despite my improved fitness, FS 17 was still a beast...like the pros say..."It doesn't hurt less, you just go faster."

I was happily surprised to see that I was a good bit faster on the loop than a year ago. Its nice to see training actually making a difference. I was looking back at my training log from last year (the one I kept while I was preggers) and my first thought was "WOW, I sure did a lot of riding and running while I was pregnant!." My second thought was "WOW, I'm spending the same amount of time as I did last year, yet I'm seeing some pretty significant gains."

I think in general, I'm more motivated this year since I have so much less free time(bike ride time). When I was preggers, I was just riding to not let myself fall apart. Now, every ride has a purpose, whether it be for aerobic adaptations or just rejuvenation.

I have a busy month coming up in April, including the Blue Ridge Adventure Race and the Cohutta 65. I also registered for a trail run race and an off-road duathlon to keep things interesting. Plus, I can always say "Well, I'm just a mountain bike racer" if I get schooled too bad by the runners!