Mahalo

Excellent work this morning in La casa d'allegria (House of Mirth). We went the full 90 at a very high intensity rate resulting in enhanced power to weight gains. Yes, I'm still on that subject, for what might be a record three posts in a row. This, because it is important. If you need a reason, this is what you can tell your friends when offered a holiday fat-filled and calorie-dense eggnog under the mistletoe; No thank you, I am working on my power-to-weight ratio and ONE of those things will skew my next TT in the wrong direction.

Of course they will look at you funny and most likely reply to the snide. But do not falter, this is a test. For the next three weeks you will be tested. Relentlessly, rudely, maliciously, sometimes innocently but always dramatically. With flair. 'Tis the Season doesn't mean that you can indulge to the point of sabotage. You have worked hard to get here, do you want to repeat that, start all over again, or continue to progress and get stronger? Do you want Groundhog Day or a Happy New Year?

If you selected the latter, then get used to saying, no thanks. Practice delivering a few of these lines in the mirror until you have them down:

No thank you. I am upping my power-weight-ratio and that delicious looking fruitcake will not help.

You look terrific, please pass the carrot sticks.

The best time to create a bigger engine is when the pipes have froze.

A belly full of jelly is a great line, just not around my waist.

What I do today contributes to what I want to achieve this summer.

Carrying five extra pounds of turkey up that hill will gobble my speed faster than you can say Feliz Navidad.

If I am going to fit into that (pick one) jersey, little black dress, uniform, jacket, new shirt, coat, I need to start now. Otherwise the Holidays will ensure another year in this (pick one) jumpsuit, tent, moo-moo, sweat-suit or pajama.

Here is an early Christmas present for you: The best way to improve your (as well as mine) power-to-weight (hereafter referred to as p/w) ratio is (drum roll during unwrapping of gift please) to:

IMPROVE BOTH. Use and lose. Exercise and abstain. Give and take (take your medicine and give thanks), diet and exercise. The most powerful one-two punch known to man. Work hard and eat right. Train and test.

So it is only fitting that we assemble in La case d'allegia AGAIN this afternoon, for ANOTHER 90 minute spin. This time on the CTs as we view 90 minutes of actual race footage from the hallowed proving grounds of Kona.

It is near freezing outside today. The Holidays are upon us. As the saying goes, "God gave us memories so we can smell roses in December". It will be great to watch the blue tropical sun as background for a 90 minute cruise down the Queen K in December. Today. 1630. La cassia d'allegria.

Video thumbnail footnote. YouTube selects a random frame from video uploads to use as the still image for the video. The one frame selected for the two minute sampler above simply reinforces today's theme and was completely unintended by the author. That being said, as disclaimer, nobody races Kona in a moo-moo. Mahalo.