Resolution…Schmes-olution

{words brian}

This week it finally happened. It had to have been the longest New Years resolution I have ever kept…apart from the one to have at least one piece of bacon every week for the year, but that was more of a promise than a resolution. When the year freshly turned 07 I resolved to commute to work, by bicycle, at least 2 days a week for the entire year. This week…I didn’t ride in one single day. Instead of battling the cold and rain that hit Seattle this week, I opted for the comfort and convenience of my trusty 4Runner Sue.

At first I felt a little guilty about abandoning my resolution, and doing so with such little remorse about it. But I started to think back on the year and all the rides I did and I’m beginning to feel like I deserve the week off. The 20 degree days of winter with snow and ice blanketing Seattle slowed our commute but didn’t stop us. I went on a vacation to Maui where I clocked over 300 miles and summited Haleakala (sea level to 10,000 feet in 37 miles). I helped get our BEER Commute Challenge Team a top ten finish by riding 36 miles round trip every day in month of May. I did battle with my first double century in one day during Seattle to Portland, only to follow it up with the Portland to Seattle the next day. I started racing this year, tackling the NW Crit series with a focus and determination that hasn’t been seen since the big L left the sport. I took a week long beer, bikes, bb guns and tequila trip to Colorado this fall catching rides in Fruita, Steamboat, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs. I took my lessons learned from the Crits and my mountain bike trip and started Cyclocross racing in the Single Speed division. Then there are the weekend mountain bike rides, the pub crawls, the 2am trying to get home in Seattle but all the bridges are up and the bike paths are under construction so I have to throw my bike over 2 10ft tall fences because I don’t want to back track 2 miles to the road and ride around…meanwhile commuting into work a minimum of 2 days a week. My ass is thankful that I don’t have a computer on my Rush Hour (my main commuter) to remind me how much time I’ve spent on my duff.

I’ve now convinced myself that I took the week off as prep for my last race of the season, the USGP of Cyclocross in Portland. The KISS KROSS crew has disbanded (we’re looking at a reunion race next year) so Bad Santa and his Naughty Helpers will make the trip instead. By the looks of the weather report for Portland, it should be tailor made for a surly Kris Kringle.

So this means I’ll be looking for a brand new New Year’s Resolution…any suggestions?