Training “For Real”

Well, it’s that time of the year again! I can finally stop training inside (where I sweat bucketloads①) and start riding outside for real②. It’s easy to get cabin fever③ in Hokkaido. Although, I guess I’m lucky I don’t live someplace truly cold, like Greenland, Scandinavia, or anyplace north of the arctic circle④.

We’re blessed with⑤ some pretty good roads, and eastern Hokkaido usually doesn’t have much car traffic. We’ve also got lots of sunshine, to boot⑥!

This year, because of all the snow, my group ride was a little late to start, but we finally had our first outside ride on March 15th. We didn’t run into⑦ any ice, and there was little wind, so conditions were good, if cold⑧….about 0 at the start, but it went up to 7 or so by the end of the ride.

I hope I’m in shape for the first race of the season….this year, I’m registered in the jitsugyoudan division in Honshu, as well as the Hokkaido Cycling Federation⑨, and I’ll start the season in Gunma on April 26th. Yikes*! That’s just around the corner**

Brian

①bucketloads バケツで何杯もの(汗をかく)

②for real 本格的に

③cabin fever 家の中に長期間とじこもりきりになっていたことからくゆ情動不安

④Arctic circle 北極園

⑤blessed with ~ ～に恵まれている

⑥to boot おまけに

⑦didn’t run into ~ ～に出くわさなかった

⑧good, if cold 「寒かったが、晴れていた」 ifは”but”の意味を持ち、文章の後半を前半と比較する役割をしています。

⑨北海道自転車競技連盟会

*yikes やばい

**just around the corner あっという間に来る