Tired Thursday

(In honor of the Tour de France these distances are in kilometers)

This Ride: 32.2 km
Kona Distance: 3,446.1 km
Month to date: 568.9 km
2010 Total: 4196.8 km
Pace to 8,456.78 km mile goal in 2010: (59.5 km behind goal pace)

Tired Thursday fits this day well.  I nearly turned off the alarm clock.  I nearly stayed in bed.  I nearly returned to bed.  Once out the door and on the bike, I knew that this would be a planned easier day.  The legs just didn’t want to work.  My awareness of that which was around me was very narrow.  The world was very small this morning.

The route was the usual one to get my minimum 20 miles.  I saw Jeff on his way to ride with the Peloton.  I have no idea if he recognized me.  I noted that Old Country Road is now newly paved and painted.  It will be fun to ride that road tomorrow morning.  It should be smooth and fast.

The sunrise was absolutely gorgeous again this morning from the Naval Academy Bridge.  I did lift my head out of my funk long enough to enjoy that before grinding it back home.

To cap it all off, I also fell.  Coming off B&A Blvd and back on to the trail through the small parking lot, the front tire left the pavement and went onto the grass.  Rather than ride through the grass, I tried to turn back on to the path.  That was a mistake.  The tire was parallel to the path and about 2-3 inches below it, so when the sidewall hit the edge of the path, down I went.  I was able to unclip fast enough to catch myself, but went down to one knee, then my right shoulder.  At least I hit grass.  I’m not indestructible like Jens Voigt, but no damage to me, the bike, or the path.

Jens Voigt is gaining cult status.  His fall on the descent Tuesday, and his decision to continue the race are what legends are made of.  Posted in our peloton’s group email are some observations about Jens.

• Jens doesn’t get road rash.  The road gets “Jens Rash”.
• Scientists report that Jens Voigt has replaced diamond as the hardest substance on earth.
• The National Institute for Highway Safety now uses Jens Voigt’s face to test the durability of new road surfaces.
• When Jens Voigt goes for a bike ride he doesn’t move forward, the earth rotates underneath him.
• Jens Voigt’s sweat is now considered a performance enhancing substance by the UCI.
• American Electric Power has hired Jens Voigt to ride a trainer hooked to a generator, which will provide electricity for 3 million homes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area as part of Jens’ off-season training plan.
• If Chuck Norris and Jens Voigt got in a fight, Chuck would still win, but he’d break his hand on Jens Voigt’s face doing it.
• Jens Voigt knows the secret to cold fusion, but he’s not telling until after he retires from the pro-peloton.
• Jens Voigt could win 8 Tour de Frances in a row, but he won’t, because Jens Voigt doesn’t need to show off.
• Fabian Cancellara’s time trial bike is powered by Jens Voigt.