Spooked

In a few short days I will be suffering through the annual Paris-to-Ancaster race for the second time.  Competition is a funny thing that way - it's both exhilarating and painful.  At kilometer 50 I will be asking myself (aloud, I'm sure) why I do this, but 20 minutes after its over I will be jonesin' for the next time!

As a bicycle commuter I usually feel quite out-of-place among the spandex set, but once the horn sounds we are all equals in our suffering. Besides, I'll be wearing spandex too! (stupid, sexy Flanders!)

I am significantly more anxious this year than last. There are many reasons I feel like this.

First, I just finished building my bike for this.  Its the same one I used last year (my aluminum Diamondback), and it performed well.  However it's set up differently this year, I only rode it for the first time this morning, I installed a speed pedal system which I've never used before, and I'm not convinced my posture/geometry is going to be comfortable enough for 70km.  There's a brake issue too, but I'll tackle that in another post.

Another drawback is that I am not in good "cycling" fitness.  I have been runnning a lot (for a few 5km races I'm entering) but its absolutely not the same kind of fitness.  It's been a cold, cold spring here in Oh! Canada and that has chased me off my regular commute.  Admittedly, I have been a fair-weather commuter these past two months.

All this adds up to actual nervousness!  I am trying to get into the mindset that I'll just pace myself (vernacular for "I'll be going slow" without having to actually say that) and enjoy, but I know that once that start pistol goes my competative nature will fully engage.

Wish me luck!

Resurrecting the Diamondback.

I'm trying a SPD pedal for the first time.

I re-built this just in time for the race. I don't like front derailleurs so I'm fixed in the smallest ring for maximum off-road-ness!

I don't have enough gears to choose from for this race.  Oh well.