Is anyone talkin' trash yet?

I was thinking about the 2010 season and reflecting a bit on past years. A few things occured to me. I have spent years worth of warm weather weekends training or racing and/or being outside. I did my first triathlon and road race in the first half of 2001. Sheesh! In my adult life I don't actually know any different.

What I do know is that I have several alternate hobbies/interests that would take the place of endurance sports. For instance sportbike racing. I have a 900cc crotch rocket that has put me in the Intermediate Class of the Northeast Sportbike Association at a local race track (Summit Point, WV). Another is powerlifting. My body responds well to whole "massive" training regime, it can be fun to get a little crazy. Another would be lacrosse. I played for a hell of a long time and would easily be doing summer leagues. In fact, I coached it before and I would probably have my own high school team at this point. Another alternate hobby is guns. I would probably do competitive shooting, seriously. Those guys get so geeked about about their expensive equipment (sound familiar?) it's ridiculous. A final alternate hobby would be carpentry. I am not talking about just framing a wall, but real craftsman type stuff. I would have a side business and probably work with reclaimed/recycled/reused wood to do beautiful projects.

However, not even the most tempting alternates have pulled me away from racing bikes. I have tried to document my off-season efforts. Actual exercise routines, reps, numbers, etc. I posted how my FTP went up 21 Watts just by riding up Skyline Drive.

At this point in the early season we can have hearts filled with dread or the promise of great races and results. I have been at both extremes and now I am monitoring where my heart is for the 2010 season.

I have good friends with whom I keep accountable. I know that I am excited for each of my teammates to get a win and for all of us to race cohesively. But I am a competitive bastard.
I had too unique of an off-season to be truly confident. I am worried about being too heavy and what the gym routines will do to my performance. I am NOT talking trash yet. I have to wait and see how Richmond-Nature's Path 1/2/3 feels and how Tyson's 3 feels.

So how about you? Are you dreading it? Telling yourself that you will "race into shape" (HAHAHA). Or are you feeling that edge. Are you fully aware that you have already earned a great season because you have been disciplined since last August (like Steven Wahl's 2009 off-season). Are you ready to start talkin' trash?