My last post was full of anxiety. Full of self-imposed pressure that was slowing sucking the enjoyment out of one of the most enjoyable things I’ve ever known: riding my bike. I was worried that I wasn’t “training” long enough, hard enough, or often enough to be ready for London to Paris. That number on [...]
Go to post pageA week ago I walked into my office and like I do every morning, I change the number on my whiteboard…the number that counts down to the London to Paris ride. That morning, I changed it to read 120. Something about that number stunned me and honestly, I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since. [...]
Go to post pageI’ve been planning this for about a month. Driving different routes on the weekends. Getting the Cannondale ready. Waiting for the weather to break…just a little. And finally, this week I started commuting to work on my bike. This is not a ride out on my Seven…a beautiful, lightweight machine, made especially for me. This [...]
Go to post pageWhat is it about this winter that is making it seem endless? I grew up in Chicago. I’ve been through winters much colder, much snowier. How has this become my winter of discontent? What is it? Perhaps it’s because I have felt tortured all winter with images posted by cyclists that I talk to who live [...]
Go to post pageI didn’t sleep well last night. I awoke this morning haunted by memories of weird dreams… memories which lingered throughout the day today. Right before I got on my bike tonight I tweeted “ok let’s sweat and exorcise a few demons.” Little did I know… I knew it was going to be a rough one [...]
Go to post pageToday I filled out forms for the London to Paris ride. And although I have had this trip planned for a few months, the reality of insurance forms and medical questionnaires gave me a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. Judging by the questions, it’s pretty obvious the ride organizers don’t want me [...]
Go to post pageI took a spin class tonight, taught by Cat 1/Pro female racer Kristen Meshberg. It wasn’t in some fancy gym, but in a brick warehouse building in the West Loop in Chicago. I entered the huge elevator with my bike and my trainer and hit the button for the third floor. And truthfully, I was [...]
Go to post pageSunday, 6:30 am alarm. Take care of the dogs, try to eat something. Prepare the bottles, pack the essentials. Bike in the car, iPod set to playlist “Sunday” – Led Zeppelin, Wolfmother, The Clash, Linkin Park, others – music that motivates me and timed perfectly for the 35-minute drive. Music blasting, driving fast, my mind drifts to [...]
Go to post pageI grew up in a brick two-flat on the south side of Chicago. We were on the first floor and my aunt, uncle, and cousins on the second. Down the block were more cousins and friends who may as well have been cousins for the amount of time we spent in each other’s houses. Directly across [...]
Go to post pageEarlier this week I finished a really long and intensive project at work. The two weeks prior had been especially crazy, exacerbated by the fact that for the final four days before launch date I was sick. as. a. dog. I took my team to lunch today to say thanks for their hard work. We were [...]
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