Ahhh, Hell Day Is Over....

Well today is finally done. Sweet jesus today sucked. First of all I had to wake up at about 7:30am to continue studying...I didn't go to bed until about 2:30am (I did that the night before too). This morning I woke up to a cold (about the 5th one I've had here, even though I take a crapload of vit. C) and a stomach ache...great way to start the day. So I studied for about 2 more hours and then it was test time at 10am. The first exam was Classical Myth. It didn't go as bad as I thought it would...I think I hopefully got a 90% on it. The 2nd exam was a Dante/Historical Greek Art exam. I think I did about the same on that too...and that was the one I was really freaking out about. So by 1pm I had two exams down in 3 hours. I was spent. But I couldn't stop there. Right after lunch I started studying for my Italian language exam. I studied right up to the exam at 4pm. They gave us 2 hours to do it, I got it done in 50 minutes. It wasn't hard, but I know I missed a couple things...probably another 90%. After all of that I definitely took a nap until dinner and it was glorious. I went to dinner and then I had class at 8:00pm. Sweet jesus I just wanted this day to end. At 9:30 we were done and I was going to start writing my travel journal thats due on Friday, but I watched Wedding crashers instead, which is a good movie and was a good break...and I have all day tomorrow to write 4 pages of a journal anyways. So here I am now just thinking about the upcoming racing season and I can't wait for it to come.

I'm getting a lot stronger and it definitely showed yesterday. Three of us went out and did the climb to Carmignano which is about a 10 minute climb. Well, at the beginning of the semester I would get half way up the climb in my 39-27 and blow up. One of the guys I was riding with yesterday would always breakaway from me halfway up the climb. Well, yesterday I put it in the 39-19 and started hammering all the way up. We both started at the bottom together, within 30 seconds I dropped him and kept making time. By the end of the climb I made 2 minutes on him! And at the top I was not winded at all. I would say thats a pretty big improvement in only 2 months. He got to the top and said "now you are best". That made me feel good. I keep improving steadily and constantly which is definitely a good thing. I will miss these mountains alot when I have to leave and go back to pancake flat wisconsin. I'll probably just do Observatory Hill 20 times or something like that to get my kick.

Well, tomorrow I'll be going on a 5 hour ride or so hopefully, I don't have anything due or anything to do so I don't see why it would be a problem. I have a Granfondo on Sunday which should be fun, and I'll be racing in the U23 field. I'll be able to go on long rides and not have to worry about anything for 10 days and then some...seeing that its spring break and we're starting all over in the classes, learning new things when we get back from spring break. I'll be totally alone (kinda sucky) in the villa from Saturday until Wed when Geo and Gehling come to visit me, which will be amazing. So I may try and get ahead on a 10 page paper I need to write by the end of the semester, some reading, watch some movies and spend insane amounts of time on the bike :) Sounds good to me.

And as for my weight, I think I may be ok where I am at a nice 75kg. It seems to be working for me right now, I'm not gaining or losing weight...and I kinda need that weight for when I get back to Wisconsin anyways to stay strong on the flats since theres like no climbs. And my climbing ability has improved so much at this weight anyways. If I lose some weight then so be it, but if not no prob, I can deal. I've seen a difference in my body recently. I'm more tone and have lost a little bit of stomach and chest fat. So I've definitely gained some muscle in my legs anyways, keeping the weight up.

Ahh and I almost forgot, thanks to Baumann I have a MTB team for this season, Stadium Bike out of Green Bay. On my 'elite' team are Dallas Fowler, Ryan Baumann, Cole House, Seth Lenss, and Me. Sounds like a pretty strong team...I just have to get my skills back for the single track. I've kinda lost those seeing that I've only really been focusing on the road and haven't raced a MTB event since June I believe. So my teams as of right now....In Italy - MTbike, Collegiate - UW Madison, Road - Brazen Dropouts/Cronometro, and MTB - Stadium Bike. Some pretty good teams there. SWEETNESS! Should be an awesome summer. I can't waite....

Ok well, its 2:30 in the AM so its time for me to get some sleep, happy training....

Ciao