Resting up and Re-charging

 

I'm getting ready to do the final race report for tri season 2013, but people want to know what I have been doing the last 3 weeks!  The answer is I have been resting.  After all those swim events in the spring and 12 triathlons I had literally expended every ounce of energy and adrenaline out of my lil' body.  When I reached down at Lake Sammamish and Lake Meridian, there was nothing there, I was out of gas. So I called it a season and I have been resting, it was much needed, and I am enjoying it.

 

*Resting, but still staying connected and doing things I enjoy, and yes, this is an apron. Jealous?

 

So what do I do when I'm resting?  Well I mostly just kick back and relax. I do some "for fun" workouts, but for the most part if there is any hint of not feeling it I just relax.  I also try to eat really healthy during this time.  I actually enjoy the calculated method of strict eating, I find it enjoyable to buy healthy ingredients and cook healthy meals with the extra time. Veggies, fruits, and healthy proteins, luuuv it! 

 

There are two pains in life, the pain of discipline, and the pain of regret.  I enjoy the pain of discipline, mostly because I despise the pain of regret.  That makes healthy eating much more satisfying and easy. 

 

I enjoy swimming, biking, and running, so even when I am resting I try and find ways to still participate.  I will go to a race and help out, and I clean my bikes.  There is a very real connection that is formed when you yourself are responsible for every bolt on your bike.  Flying down a hill at 45 mph on a bike you built is the ultimate self confidence.  A clean bike rides and feels better, I always keep a meticulous maintenance schedule and that allows me to ride faster and be more confident.  Every second counts.

 

Fall is the time to get out and about on my mountain bike so I wanted to get it spick and span.  I thought I would share how I clean my bike.  It isn't a race report, and my outfit isn't insanely matchy-matchy, but some may find it interesting.  Maybe it will inspire some to clean their bike and find that feeling of new that comes along with the purr of a clean machine.  

 

*The first thing I do is lay out my cleaning kit.

 

*Well, actually the first thing I do is put on my favorite NASCAR shirt.  One of the aspects I like about NASCAR is the precision of the sport.  People think NASCAR is a bunch of rednecks turning left, but in fact those who think it's that simple are the ignorant ones.  This shirt helps me get analytical and meticulous.

 

*I have names for all of my bikes...except this one. A name never came to me.  None-the-less, it needed cleaning. This is the before picture.

*I clean the chain before I start to disassemble the bike.

*Pull the crank arms off with a crank puller.

*This part scares a lot of people, but it shouldn't.  Take out the bottom bracket. You can see how dirty the bottom bracket and frame get.

*Get the bottom bracket all cleaned up, re-grease, and reassemble.

*I then hang it up, take off the wheels, and go hand-wash them.

*This is how clean I get the cassette, I floss the gears to get it super clean.



*I then clean the derailleurs, brakes, and crevices of the frame. 

*I prefer to disassemble the crank completely to make cleaning easier.



*Shined and ready to crank!

I then clean the seatpost, and reassemble all the components.

*After another wipe-down, I bring out the spray wax.

*You should always add a little of your own flare to your bike.

*Satisfaction, connection, and smoooooth riding.  It sounds weird, but putting all this effort into my bike makes me appreciate it more and feel fulfilled. It feels like riding a new bike.  I was at the bike store looking at a $4,000 mountain bike, I was wishing I had that bike.  I realized that often times people are so quick to trade away for something even though what they already have can bring success, it just takes effort to work with what you have.  That moment inspired me to go home and clean my bike and make it the best I could.  

 

There is actually a lot to be learned from working on your bike, it's a metaphor for life.  When I started I had no idea how to clean it and I was nervous about all the parts, nervous about messing up, nervous about having to take my bike to the shop and say, "I messed this up."  I learned about all the parts and how they work by taking them apart and analyzing them.  Sometimes that is the best approach to life, don't be afraid to try new things, don't be afraid of things you don't fully understand, and don't be afraid to analyze and learn on the fly.

That was a small taste of the unseen moments that I enjoy.  Go clean your bike, feel fabulous, and ride like the wind, you'll love it.  Thanks for following,  I will work on the tri 2013 write up.