This heat is getting to be a bit much. Monday night, out at the field trying to motivate myself to do sprints and run-ups was made all the more challenging by the late day heat. There is something inextricable about the connection between fall weather and cyclocross. Why, when the weather is warm and beautiful, would you want to stand about all morning for the opportunity to ride in circles with scores of other idiots for an hour? But when the weather is cold, and an hour of sprint effort is the only palatable serving you can stand, well, then give me mud and hurdles. So, with the last few days in the 80’s my mind has drifted from the short track. Thankfully, I can’t really stomach riding my road bike right now, and I don’t have time after work to go on a long mountain bike ride, so ‘cross it is!
Yesterday Sophie and I went to play in Scotia. She dragged a bit at first and I had to stop frequently to give her water. In the summer I think a lot about making sure she gets enough hydration, but in late September I didn’t think that would be a great worry. On the ride back into town, the bank thermometer read 88 degrees at 7:14 PM. I realize that the bank is not the most accurate reporter, but the sun was setting and any reading over 80 was way too hot. Rumor has it that Fall is on its way. Rain in the next few days will make the ground soft and spongy again, skinny tires will dig ruts in the grass and kick mud up in my face. The arm and knee warmers will return, and the climate will finally have caught back up to the cycling season.
