"When you are the anvil, sit...

and when you are the hammer, strike."

The origin of this phrase is unknown to me, but I was originally told this by Robert Visina, a retired domestic pro who was wrenching at my last shop while he was going back to school. It's pretty simple to understand, but some people think they need to be heroes even when they don't have it.

Monday, February 23rd, 2009
Ride time: 50 minutes at 145.
100 situps, some pilates core work, and stretching the legs. particulary the hips.

Not a bad day at all. Legs felt fine, lungs felt fine, body felt maybe a bit dehydrated. Oh, and I bought a car. It's a 2006 Toyota Matrix with 50k miles on it. This is the bicycle privateer's race vehicle if I've ever seen one.

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009.
ride time: 2hr15 @ 155 BPM.
stretching, snacking, stretching.

Today I was the hammer. At 1hr 30 I was ready to go with the break. At 1hr 55 I was ready for my leadout. Now, I know I'm not supposed to get my HR up high at this point in the season, but I had it in me to thrown down a killer attack. So I saved it for race day.

Hammer Heed Perpetuem and a chocolate Powerbar were on the menu. The Hammer Heed is a winner, the Powerbar... not so much. The energy was good, but I almost puked from the flavor. It was just way too rich for this stomach.

Speaking of this stomach, today reminded me of a ride on which I was the anvil. Tuscon, 2006, with the U of M cycling team. I had a smoothie on our way out of town and it did not sit well. I was pulling on what I later learned to be a false flat, abolutely destroying myself when the smoothie decided it had had enough of me.

Smoothie on the road, maybe a little bit on Mikey, maybe a bit on Billy. Coach said to shut up, sit in and don't be a hero if you're feelin like shit. So I did, and I started to feel better. Then a bee flew into my mouth going back into town and stung me under the tongue. Screech pulled out the stinger and the adrenaline carried me back into town and I even won a line sprint.

What does one do when he or she pulls up to the start line and feels like the anvil?