Day 3

It is now day three of training camp and the wind has still not subsided. Today we rolled north to Bloomer via a plethora of number roads some of which were not paved. The wind was strong from the northwest and despite level roads our average speed was low. On a more positive note the sun was out in full force. Chase and I both have a small case of sun burn and some helmet tan lines to boot. The legs are definitely starting to feel the training load as we ticked over the twelve hour mark. It’s nice to have your legs as the limiter instead of college and work. The remainder of the week looks more of the same, I think tomorrow’s forecast will be high winds with the sun in the sky. Another seventy or so miles south of town is the tentative plan. However I think it’s important to keep in mind the words of professional mountain biker Rune Hoydahl, “Cycling takes so many hours to train and so many years to be really strong. Being good at cycling doesn’t happen because you train hard one year.”

We had a couple stops on today’s ride but nothing too serious and no coffee shops, only a couple leaks and some photo opportunities. John has been using his new camera to document camp and Wisconsin’s country side.

Tonight we’re watching Batman Begins with some friends from school; it seems we are not the only ones who couldn’t pop the bill for Cancun. Also on the schedule is a trip to Target for some groceries. You would not believe the food we have gone through and I now understand why my dad gave me a one way bus ticket on my eighteenth birthday. Several boxes of pancake mix, two boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, three gallons of milk, 54 eggs, 8 pounds of pasta, and lots of Gatorade mix and were not even half way through camp.

To end the day I would like to leave all the bloggers and blog readers out there with a question. How much of “making it big” is trained and how much is genetics? Can anyone go pro? Is Juli Furtado correct in saying “I’ve always thought it starts with genetics. It doesn’t matter how hard you train, or how tough you are. Those are important, but you’ve got to have it in you to be a world-class athlete.” Either way I’ll be riding tomorrow and for all those aspiring athletes….ride on!

World is your playground!
Chad