Sunday, January 22, 2012

25 Things I Don't Need

Tour de Alpine photo by Ben Kuhns of Real Cyclist
I got inspired today. About cycling I mean. I didn't get a ride in or even a stint on the trainer. I thought about it though and I looked at my bikes a couple of times. Outside is was colder and rainy then it snowed and then it rained some more and then it snowed a lot more and got colder. Big wet fluffy snowflakes that kind of dance and flutter down out of the really gray sky when the air is super wet. I hate the snow. I hate it a lot. Inside it was a comfortably lazy day of an over-indulgent circus waffle brunch sandwiched between hours working here and there and pretty much doing not much else. I drank a lot of coffee mixed with hot chocolate, flirted with my wife a little bit, laid down and rested some, watched stage 4 of the Tour Down Under and spent 2 hours at Maverick with my 5 year old daughter so just me and her could "go get a special treat together" as promised and it took her that long to pick out two pieces of candy. But I got inspired about cycling today.

Chase Pinkham - Bissell Pro Cycling Team
It really kind of started yesterday when Real Cyclist posted a photograph on their facebook page taken by Ben Kuhns of a couple of pros and Chris Mackay riding/racing up the backside of Suncrest last weekend during the Tour de Alpine (second annual). When I saw the photo I was saying to myself "what the heehaw? how did I miss that?" Frustrating. But I knew nothing about it. I would have really enjoyed the opportunity to be the very last man up the hill. Twice. In one day. I decided to get a little more plugged into the cycling scene around Salt Lake in hopes of not missing out on stuff like this again. So I sent a friend request on facebook to the two pros in the photo and they were gracious enough to accept. Then today they inadvertently teamed up and gave me a double barrel shotgun blast of 12 gage cycling inspiration buckshot.

Nate King - Competitive Cyclist Racing Team
They got on the trainer and posted it up on facebook. First it was Chase Pinkham who rides for Bissell Pro Cycling Team. Then not to be outdone (I guess) Nate King who rides for Competitive Cyclist Racing Team put his photo out there. I have included the pictures here because I think it is important that you can see what it is that I'm talking about here. Suffice it to say that I saw those pictures and I got inspired about cycling. No I didn't jump on my trainer and join them on this virtual group ride. I did glance at my trainer though and I thought about it. For a second. I got inspired none-the-less - super inspired. Mega-inspired even. Yes today I got inspired about cycling.

I'm not saying that I have the genetic potential like these two guys by any means. These guys ride for pro teams. These guys are studs. They are fast, strong, thin and tough. They know how to suffer. They know how to spin and hammer and mash. They can climb and time trial. These guys can dish it out. Basically in my opinion they are freaks. In a good way I mean. I am not a freak in a good way. I am not fast and strong. I don't dish it out really. But I can spin and hammer and mash. I can be as strong as my genetics will allow and I can be as tough as my potential will let me. I have it. Looking at these two guys training today inspired me and made me realize that I do have what I need to be a great cyclist. I have what it takes. I do have everything I need. Looking at these guys on the trainer today inspired me. I got inspired about cycling. I was inspired today to realize that I am too fat. I got inspired to lose some weight. These two pros inspired me today to realize that I have 25 things I don't need either: 25 pounds.


This was the snowstorm I was talking about...

1 comment:

  1. Bah, you just need a winter sport. I love snow.

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