You’ve probably noticed that the blog has been quiet for a few weeks. That’s because I’ve been taking a break from the bike. I’ve had several nagging injuries that I finally decided to give a chance to heal. It’s been a pretty dramatic change going from 250-300 miles a week to 0 for the last few weeks; however, it’s also been pretty liberating. Here are the benefits so far of my cycling sabbatical:
- More time with Jess and the kids – Riding 12-15 hours per week is a big committment. I now have more time to spend with my wonderful wife and kiddos. Additionally, I have more energy now when we do things together (riding 100 miles in the Texas heat leaves you with little energy for the rest of the day).
- Family walks – Related to the point above, we’ve started a new “family tradition” of walking to the park with the kids after dinner. Gives Jess and I a chance to chat about our days while the kids burn off some steam.
- Sleeping in – Not getting up at 5 a.m. everyday has been really nice. Not setting an alarm on Saturday and Sunday has been fantastic! My new alarm clock is the rumble of my kids feet as they run into my bedroom to jump in bed and wake me up.
- The gym – I’m spending more time in the gym again and having fun working out with heavier weights for the first time in years. I’m sticking to the basics – deadlifts, pull ups, kettle bells, etc. Trying to correct some of my muscle imbalances before getting back on the bike.
- Eating Primal or Paleo – I’ve long wanted to try a primal or paleo diet after reading Primal Blueprint (a fantastic book) and The Paleo Diet. However, when you’re a competitive cyclist, it’s almost impossible to imagine life without grains, bread, pasta, etc. The break has given me the opportunity to test the diet and so far I’m loving it.
BTW, the next few days in Fort Worth are going to be 105+ degrees . . . not a bad time to be off the bike.