January Legs

I have them, this was confirmed last Saturday on the first team ride of the year. Last year I logged 6452 miles, but about half of those were from the 87 times I did the out-and-back to work in Amsterdam (32, 34, or 36 miles, depending on the route). So I resolved to do more team rides this year, because riding with the Eendracht guys (hard men all, and one woman; I now wear the jersey) makes you better. I need to get better. Amid the awful winter weather we've had since early December I've tried to keep things going, but a telling statistic is that since December 1 I've only ridden the bike to my Amsterdam office once. Last Sunday my riding partner was able to hurt me a little (while being twelve or thirteen years older). I had been out on Saturday also, and he had not, but I think it is a sign that I don't have endurance, and I don't have high end. All that was confirmed on Saturday, when twelve of us went out on a beautiful winter day. Sunny, dry, a light breeze, and temperatures just above freezing. The first half was with a tailwind, to the town of Woerden, but from there it was into this chilly wind to get home. Having just taken a pull on the curvy little road along the Meije river I let myself drift to the back of the group when a strong guy got to the front and gaps started to open up ahead of me. So I tried to bridge up, but stranded at about 30 meters from the little group that, without really aiming to do so, had separated itself from the rest. In the summer, you just buckle down and sprint across the gap, before it becomes a real separation. This past weekend, I really wanted to do this but just did have it in me. Maybe the pull I had just taken had something to do with it, but I don't think there's a sprint in me right now regardless. I'm still speedskating, and this does impact what you can do on the bike (the infamous "skating legs" that prevent you from spinning easily--or pushing significant gears), but the legs actually moved pretty well the first hour on Saturday. January legs, in other words. The only good thing about them is that if you have them in January, there's still plenty of time to improve. I'm riding to work tomorrow.