So, I guess we're ready? (doug)

Yep, me. I thought I'd celebrate a 2 mo. absence with a pre-Barry-Roubaix post. I've been running a bunch (including 2 recent "speed" races that went pretty well - just a 5k and a 10k), got out on the trails a couple times with B, and even did a road ride a few weeks ago. I'm feeling pretty good about the whole thing, except for maybe the climbing thing. 2200 ft. sounds like a lot. I don't exactly know what it means, but I THINK I've done that much climbing in a ride before (never on gravel, I promise), so I'm hoping it doesn't land me in a SAG van. Essentially, this is a "ride" to me, not a "race", so it should be a blast, and I'll finish when I finish. I couldn't have a better group to do it with, that's for sure. For all of Brian's trying to get us on the Rapha Gentlemen's Ride (a VERY tough invite to even GET, let alone to refuse...twice), this could be the catalyst for the formation of a team that could actually pull something like THAT off eventually (before we're on medicare even). If nothing else, this, combined with the USGP, has the potential to create the perfect "home and home" with our Team Sandbag Racing (TSB) friends from Michigan each year.

Brian has unfortunately given away many of our training secrets recently. We've been tasting Belgian beers to give us 'cross mentality. We've been watching "do or die" tournament basketball to get us in the mindset of winning as underdogs. We've been drinking bourbon because...well, because it's bourbon.

So, beyond the spinning classes and the Nutrition, I don't have that much more to offer.



Note: So have I mentioned that 70% of my diet is Cottage Cheese? Luckily it's good to go all the way through training season. As you know,Passover is just around the corner, and it can sometimes put a damper on proper nutrition (especially carb loading). Thank g_d this race is when it is, because I'm pretty sure Chimay, Bell's, and Founder's is NOT Kosher for Passover.

I will give you, however, the one last secret that only LTP'ers will know out there on the icy, muddy, gravel roads of Barry-Roubaix. Self confidence is everything. You have to secretly believe that you can beat the rest of that field, and there is really only one best way to instill that self-confidence.



Yes, I'll have them on.