Rode in my jeans, flanel and backwards baseball hat today on my other bike. I had a friggin’ blast. Had a handful of local errands to run so figured I’d kill a few birds with one ride.  

In fact, I was talking with the internet man this morning and he reminded me that “we let ourselves believe only workouts are exercise.” True dat. My little Outsiders-fashion-inspired errand run most definitely was exercise and progressed me further (farther?) towards my goal of getting my legs back.

That’s what I’m really doing here, getting back in cycling shape so I can have fun playing bikes with my friends again, right?

Despite the absence of lycra and helmet today, I felt really synced into the ride. I tore around in a rather inefficient route in terms of banging out errands just so I could grab a few more miles and hit a few more “hills.”

Today was the first day where I felt those big fat leg muscles really grab under the load. You know which ones I mean?  The tops and sides of your thighs from where you really seem to drive when you’re climbing or sprinting. It’s like they woke up today, yawned, and said “oh, shit…. we’re doing this? Cool.” 

I hate to admit that I love sprinting in traffic, chasing cars to the next light, stoppping, chest heaving, sprinting again, getting honked at, stopping at next light, chest heaving. Go!

Shame it’s such a stupid and dangerous thing to do. 

This might be the first ride where I felt that power coming back, the pop you need to call on sometimes. And, nicely, the muscles didn’t immediately wilt. Now, let’s not get out over our snowboard here. There’s lots to do before I’m a stage winner at the Tour again.  That said, it’s nice to have had some of the muscle sensors respond today, giving me an indication that I might actually get back to form. And I find it a bit ironic that the day I ride in jeans, on the other bike, is the day where I feel like I may have gotten a (Beyond) beefy part of my groove back.