Cross-Training

No, not Cyclo-cross training, Cross-Training. You know, all that stuff you do (some of which you probably hate) that's not cycling for the sake of being not cycling. For me this includes just about anything I can think of: running, swimming, and yoga usually, skiing and snowboarding occasionally, and lifting kettle bells once. This weeks Cross-Training has incorporated all of those things and has resulted in some very sore bits and a torn bicep muscle.

It started out fine with some running, hiking and swimming in CO during the first half of the Stringdusters Colorado Tour. I was staying with my parents and my mother-in-law who's training for a half marathon convinced me to join her for "boot camp" at 7am on Wednesday. It was kettle ball day which made me really excited since there was an article on Lance Armstrong in Men's Health (yes I subscribe, kiss ass) that pictured him ripping some kettle bells. Unfortunately my lower body far exceeds my upper body in raw strength and my particularly weak left bicep couldn't quite hang. It only started hurting late in the day and it's been stiff and super-painful for days now. Fortunately I don't really need that part of my anatomy to snowboard and ski and that's what I've been doing the last two days and the next four days. I'm a long time snowboarder but have taken up skiing again because you can rip so much harder on skiis and its better for my body. I developed some strength imbalances in my legs from my years as a snowboard bum and I don't want them to get worse.

So this whole week I've got a condo to myself, free rentals of some really sick Volkl Bridge skis (just like my old pair of Volkl Karma's only a little wider) and a bunch of other perks (food, booze, lift tickets), all because my band's playing a festival up here in Big Sky, MT. Just to recap, my schedule for the next four days is as follows; Wake at 8:30, stretch, drink a pot of coffee, head to the breakfast buffet (try not to overeat), ride (term applies to snow) with my best friend and ski partner on some of the most amazing lift/tram-accessed terrain in the world, eat lunch, drink a Moose Drool Brown Ale, ride a few more hours, hot-tub, nap, dinner, soundcheck, play show, hang out and watch the other bands, drink more beers, hang out and play music late night, stretch, get to bed in time for two full sleep cycles, wake, repeat... Did I mention it's all on the house (band actually gets paid)? Have I rubbed it in enough? You can send hate mail to: travis.book@gmail.com