I was whiny this morning about riding. I hate to sit in traffic, which I'm going to have to do one or another if I want to ride in Marin. I didn't want to ride so far when I wasn't sure how I was feeling, blah, blah, blah...

Before Thom left for work he put on his coach "hat" and told me to ride Diablo then. It's a climb I know really well and it would give me a good idea of my current fitness level after the NS tour. I really didn't want to do that either. So I called him on his cell and asked if I could do hill repeats, 'cause I really didn't want to drive to Diablo either. It would be hot by the time I got there. He got this exasperated tone and told me to do what I want.

That's my clue that the coach isn't happy, and I better do what he wants and stop whining. So I drove over and rode Diablo. It was hot, but I feel better about my ability to ride in the 90s, now that I've done it.

I just got his check in e mail asking did I ride. Of course I rode! The coach told me to. That's part of the deal. If I want his advice, I have to take it. Which isn't as bad as it sounds. He understands that when I say I can't do something, I really do mean it. Like Sunday, when if I let my HR get as high as I'm supposed to on a training ride, I would have barfed or passed out.

He's been so great about all this training I'm doing. It keeps him from doing some things he wants to do. He really helps to keep me focused. And he gets that sometimes riding just needs to be fun and forget about training for a day.

V.