Pleasure: I got the new Collective DVD in the mail yesterday.  Motivation to get the workout in and then sit on the couch.  I was not to be disappointed either as the video was pretty darn good.  It was cool to watch being a somewhat competitive cyclist because I usually do not think of free riding as a ultra competitive form of cycling.  Well, it is, or can be.  The video starts with Steve Peat spinning on a trainer and talking about the shitty weather in England during the winter.  He says how it good it must be to train in places like Australia and California where the weather is nice and thinks about those guys while he spins on the trainer as motivation.  In regard to training through the winter in England he says, "it's a bit harder for us guys here in England, but that's why we're tougher than those boys."  Skip ahead 20 minutes and he is sitting under a tent at the Downhill World Championships. "The whole week that you're at a world cup race, comes down to one run." He lost to Sam Hill by 1 and 6/10ths of a second with a total run time of 4 minutes and 31 seconds.  He said that he knows there are parts of the course he screwed up and could have ridden faster to win, but what is done is done.  I will not look at downhill racing the same again.  If a world class athlete is finishing his world champion run in under four and a half minutes there is absolutely no room for error, and they are not going slow.  If you bobble a turn in a cross race or miss a break in a road race, there is time to recover and come from behind.  In a five minute race, you need to ride it perfectly to win.  And pretty damn fast to boot.  There is also a piece about a rider from Canada, Steve Smith, who is 19 years old.  As his mom says, while she drives down the mountain to pick him up to bring him back to the top for another run, "He's got big aims. He's going for, he wants number one in the world."  He wants the world title!  Can you imagine saying that to people?  That would be like showing up to one of my cross practices and having me look you in the eye and say, "I am going to Europe this winter to win worlds."  You'd have a good laugh as you rolled away.  He is serious and that is bad ass.  I am now inspired by downhillers.

Pain: The workout yesterday.  I have never felt like I was going to puke after an effort in my life, until yesterday.  30 seconds all out, with one minute breaks between each is tough.  When I do one or five minute intervals, I can do them at a high power output, but know I have to sustain a little longer so I don't go crazy.  30 seconds?  That is nothing, so I go completely mental.  Holy Crap, after the third I almost stopped to puke, but didn't.  Still have a couple issues that need to be remedied.  What to eat after a workout.  I need a ton of food and I know much of what I eat is not the best for me (brats, blatz and tater tots).  I like beer too, I am not over indulging, but I still feel guilty about it.  I have an idea of what I need, quality lean protein and carbohydrates.  It is just a matter of getting to the grocery and keeping the kitchen stocked all the time.  I need to sleep more, but I can not get settled down enough at 9 PM to fall asleep, I am tired, the body is just still working from the workout.  Regardless, I am sure laying in bed is good for the legs, and the reading helps me escape and fall asleep or is bike related and makes me more excited.  I need a good saddle bag too ordered a good saddle bag, from the shop.  And some decent weather and roads without stop lights would be nice too.  The path is getting boring.

The picture, if you haven't seen it on my flickr, click on it above and it will take you there.  It is a pretty cool spread.