tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post27836994317014880..comments2023-10-31T08:57:16.366-04:00Comments on Tall Tree Cycles Ride Log: A bit of what you want, a bit of what you need.Matt Surchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-84708637145985085542012-11-29T20:58:11.526-05:002012-11-29T20:58:11.526-05:00Been there done that ... raced some big staged stu...Been there done that ... raced some big staged stuff... put in 25000km a year and countless hours from -40 to +40oC .... then came divorce... then came the bills (someone has to pay off all these bikes)... then comes work and balance (trying)... its a struggle for sure. Hence, I don't race much anymore, but I still love getting out on the bike and that's what counts... being out there and enjoying your time on 2 wheels of freedom. Thankfully, I still like riding. I do it everyday pretty much. Main thing in life, is keeping healthy with balance. Without ones health, its hard to live a full life. That's what really counts. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-51971794106440895382012-11-27T13:39:53.675-05:002012-11-27T13:39:53.675-05:00Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Dom. I've al...Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Dom. I've always thought you maintain a very pragmatic approach. I know you are pumped about your winter plans, and I can't wait to see you up front!Matt Surchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04244780566118768642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9001519296846134184.post-24052339052810920832012-11-27T12:58:08.816-05:002012-11-27T12:58:08.816-05:00Excellent post Matt, I’m sure it’s what many maste...Excellent post Matt, I’m sure it’s what many masters riders struggle with...balance may be an overused term these days but it's ultimately what everyone must achieve – we all have only so many chips to play with, spend them all at the blackjack table and you don’t get to play roulette. In my view, balance doesn't have to resolve itself on a daily, weekly or even monthly basis. As Baz Luhrmann wrote in his semi-famous song Wear Sunscreen “sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself”. <br /><br />My approach is more a lifestyle that will evolve over many years. Every year at this time I think about the large gains I would probably make if I trained hard through the winter and lost A LOT of weight, and then after a couple of months of fitting in rides where I can between hockey, 30+ hours of kids sports all over the region, the demands of my wife’s graduate studies and of course my job, I come to the realization that for now I will remain at the “OK Plateau”, there just aren’t enough chips left. I ride because I love to ride, I like the suffrage of a hard ride and I’ll suffer sometimes but not often enough to make any real gains, partially because I also like long easy rides just as much. Spring will come as quickly as winter did and I’ll be out at Paris-Roubaix slogging it in no man’s land in pretty much the same form I will maintain for cyclocross in the fall.<br /><br />All that to say, I will use the end of cross season to inspire me…again. This winter I will train hard and lose A LOT of weight. See you in the spring, make room in the lead group :).Domhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14849090789249291064noreply@blogger.com