The Training Dilemma

Now that the obvious fact that I need to train has been established, I'm still having trouble actually getting out there and doing it. The week is nearly over and I've done nothing whatsoever in terms of training. Part of this has to do with more laziness and lethargy, but there's something else that's been holding me back. I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out what to do. Chad says to just get out there and ride every opportunity I get. My husband told me I need to do intervals. I think they're both right, but I also think it's more complicated than that.

The issue is that I basically have three separate things to train for:

• Kisscross—I've already talked about this a lot and why it's important to me to do well. I need to be able to go out hard and fast and maintain it for at least a half hour. I think the intervals will be useful for this, but I also need to spend some time on the cross bike doing cross-like things. I'm planning to get out to Burchfield next week with Anne for a little cross practice.
• 6 Hours of Addison Oaks—The make up race for the one that got cancelled this spring is Oct. 10. That's less than a month away, so I am running out of time to train for it. Surprisingly enough, I'm sitting at 3rd place in women for the Michigan Endurance Cup right now. I'm not sure how that happened, but I'd like to keep from getting completely blown out of contention in the last race. I'm going to Addison on Sunday with Marty, who has agreed to ride with me and keep me from getting lost. Since I have never ridden this trail, I thought it would help. But I do need to make sure I get some long mountain bike rides in for training. I think that's what will help most with this race.
• Iceman—I'm kind of at a loss for how to train for this race. Everyone says it's not technical, but it's physically demanding. I've heard that it can be sandy and has a lot of big hills. One of my pharmacist friends from back in the day who rides and lives in Traverse City says she will show me the course if I come up early for the race, so that will help. (Although it could also cause me to freak out and get more nervous.) My husband's suggestion is to go out and ride two or three laps at Yankee as many times as I can.

So, it looks like what I have to do is intervals, cross practice outside, ride lots of laps at Yankee and ride really long rides. What that won't leave me time to do is sit around watching reruns of Law & Order SVU. I guess I'd better get moving.