Welcome! Let's Catch up

Welcome to my new blog!  Yup, I even own the domain. Pedalthrough.net!

Happy New Year!  2017 is going to be amazing!  You have my word on it.


So, I feel I should start off with an apology... I apologize to the six folks who religiously followed my Apabstsmear blog.  My last post was January of '16.  I am sure you have been wondering what I have been doing with all the thoughts in my head. Well, I have been quietly wrestling them and trying to sort them out. I actually forgot the password to Apabstsmear blog, LOL.

 November of '15 I took a job as a cycling coach.  I had no idea what i was doing so I quit writing and threw myself in to learning mode.  This was also my first 'paying' job in a decade.  While I missed telling you about my latest adventures I'm glad I took this time to focus and learn. Along the way I found out that the old adage "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" is complete bullshit!  I may not know everything but I have a good grasp on it.

I will catch you up as quickly as I can...

Training for the Dirty Kanza was a bit challenging for several reasons.  One year older, job, busy family life, not enough time in the day etc...  Somehow I fit it in.  By Go time I wasn't even sure if I would finish the full 200. I had considerably less mileage than any year previously and was training 80% indoors. People thought I was nuts!  Well, I agree with them.  Training indoors for a 200 mile race is certainly suicide, right?  There were days I spent up to 8 hours riding in one place in an obnoxious orange colored room.  That's crazy!  I wouldn't suggest that to anyone, but it worked for me!  Power Up Cycling (aka Pedal Hard) deserves a LOT of credit for my success.  Being surrounded by amazing coaches and sponging off them helped me improve greatly.


I wanted to write about the DK200 several times but just I couldn't, post event depression engulfed me.  I expected to fall into a slight depression but had no idea how bad it would really be. Saturday, June 4th was the race and by the way home June 5th I felt like shit mentally and didn't even want to talk about it. I was surprised by this.  I should have been riding high on a white fluffy cloud after receiving the coveted Gravel Goblet but I wasn't.  Just when I though I was out of the woods and feeling like myself again I got sucked back in.  July was a rough month.

The second week of July I noticed a rash on my right side. It was itchy and painful, I thought it was poison ivy.  Wrong.  Diagnosis was shingles.  While that sucked I kept pedaling.  The heat made me itch worse but I had to ride, The meds did the trick and I felt better within a week.  On the eight day I fell off my bike and hit pavement doing 20mph.  I bounced three times, on my left butt cheek.  Luckily I have some junk in my trunk or I would have broken my hip and tailbone, so there is something to be said for having a little extra back there. I tried to ride a few days after but could not sit down.  The bruise/hematoma was bigger than a softball, I looked like a freak. I developed a waddle while compensating, no kidding.  I was off my bike for 10 weeks. I took up hiking and stayed outdoors as much as possible. It felt like a jungle weather wise but I didn't care.   My days were spent coaching/training folks on their bikes.... kinda rubbing salt in the wound.  I needed to do something.  I had to keep moving.

 I was able to resume riding by Sept.  It was a rough start.  My butt hurt for the first time in many years as I got back onto the saddle.  That was the least of my worries.  Once I started feeling confident to ride I wake up with a kidney stone.  At this point in the year I am feeling like I can't catch a break.  What helped me most was the fact I kept moving, kept pedaling.  During this situation I saw an article about roller coasters helping with kidney stones. I had no roller coaster but I had the Hamburg trail. On the 8th day of stone carrying I took him to the HT.  I pedaled as fast as I could, as hard as I could for as long as I could.  It's a pretty good 3 mile downhill. I hit the Katy Trail knowing a bathroom was close.  In Weldon Spring the stone opted out.

The gravel year wasn't over yet and I was able to finish a couple of 100+ mile rides/races, The Cuban Gravel Crisis and The Red Dog 100.  Both stellar races, get them on your '17 calendar.


Going into the New Year I have some "secret stuff"  to share and I will tell you when I can. I am excited to see where pedaling small circles bring me in '17.
I am living proof that you should keep doing what you do even if you are not a natural.  Keep pedaling! Especially when life falls apart. Keep pedaling!
 Be tenacious. Be strong. Be you.  Pedal Through.