Day off- Rest, recoup, recover

i had been planning on doing a big ride today- but woke up a bit too tired. i knew that i needed a bit more recovery after how much i have been wearing myself down... so after some consulting with my coach, we decided to take today and rest.

resting is hard sometimes- i was once told you have to rest as hard as you train: a maxim that is often harder to follow than to let roll off your tongue to others. we all know it- but we don’t always practice it. today- i had a nagging voice telling me that i needed to take the day off... but i really wanted to ride. i was not being lazy today... i know that. i was listening to my body and listening to the little hints before you dig yourself into a hole. i have been racing and training hard and we have one more race here- next weekend. i want to be on form for it and leave europe strong- not weak. so, with my eye on next weekend, i took today and backed off.

i also feel good today- got my chapter 2 submitted- and so i am not working on my thesis. i am reading and sitting around. it is hard on a day as beautiful as this to resist that temptation to go into lucca and wander around... or skip on down to pisa to peak inside the cathedral... but no. that will make me tired. sight seeing is hard work! today- i have to sit around and be ok with it. that is hard work too!

but it is a great place for R&R. everyone else went riding, but i have been napping and reading my book.

tomorrow should be fun- we are doing a gran fondo ride (http://www.versiliabike.it/percorsi.asp#) i guess they have them here all the time... 3,000 people riding/racing through the hills. it will be hard, so i am hoping that i can do it and not over-do it. i have been told that i should be able to find my way home on the flat roads if i am not ready for it by tomorrow. i can’t wait though- i think that it is going to be a blast. i have no idea what to expect. it does go right by the house though- so if i get tired, i can just pull into the drive way and go hop my legs in the pool to cool off.

for now- back to reading.