Picking Up The Pieces

One of the problems with rehab from a serious injury is it throws your plans all out of whack. Doesn't matter how good your intentions were or what you had done to that point, Events simply left a big bag of burning dog poop on your step, rang the doorbell, and ran away. All you have left is a couple wisps of smoke, a disturbing smell, and a sinking feeling that you may have stepped in it.

You can't sit still though. Just because it's not January 1st, doesn't mean you can just go all mushy and aimless. You have to reset, to pick up the pieces.

Of course, the farther you fall, the more tiny little nasty pieces there are to pick up. In my case, I was coming into January in decent shape, with okay legs, relatively thin, and highly motivated.

Now? Well, I can pedal on flat ground sometimes without fear of imminently blowing my lungs out my piehole. My legs have atrophied. Fortunately for me, the muscle has turned into fat, otherwise I'd be accused of having chicken legs. Weight? Um, people are asking me if I'm the Grinch Who Ate Christmas. Motivation? I'm pretty jacked up that... well, it's nice that I can still ride, I suppose, but the slog back into shape kinda sucks. Did I mention I'm really fat?

SO here's what the goals were, pre-blown-disc.

215lbs
13hrs solo @ Bakers
50 more racers for the Tacchino
274 riding days

Okay, we're going to modify that. I've lost two and a half solid training months, plus a bit of riding fitness.

I think 235 is a reasonable goal. That's way south of where I am right now, and about a decent rugby playing weight for me.

Bakers Dozen is gone. I didn't get registered, and even if I had, it's unlikely I'd be fit enough for it. Not sure what the race goal will be.

I'm still shooting for 50 more racers to register for the Tacchino. That's totally do-able.

And riding days... Well, I'm not going to have all that much bounce in my step for a while. But maybe 180 riding days over the course of the year would be a fair goal.

Anything you guys want to add to that? I'll adopt the best most workable suggestion, particularly if it involves a more or less epic ride or interesting race in late summer or early fall. Keep in mind, SSWC of either species is probably out of the question but if somebody gives me a worthwhile race goal and it's more or less in the region, I'll put the thing on the schedule and shoot for it. I could use a goal.

And no, kneecapping Joel Gwadz at Charm City so I can finish ahead of him for once is not "worthy," as goals go. Fun, sure. Interesting, definitely. But not worthy.

What the Moon Really Looks Like