Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare-Maxxis) gets ready to leave for the day. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
This month has been all about rest. It is always a little odd to take a break while others are still racing, but here we are in mid-October and I am enjoying my last week off the bike. I usually take about 4-5 weeks off the bike each fall and while this sounds like a long period of time, somehow it passes very quickly!
So, what have I been doing during this whirlwind off-season? It all began with a trip to Las Vegas for Interbike. This is always a fun trip, though I can only handle about 48 hours in Sin City.
Vegas was followed by house chores. It is amazing how long the 'things to get done around the house' list becomes by September. I spent a lot of time in Home Depot, but things are shaping up nicely.
I have been spending most of my time chasing my one-year-old son, Eston, around the house while my wife is at work. Let me tell you, the days are long when you are trying to keep a toddler occupied. We capped off the rest period with a fantastic family vacation to New York City. I may not be able to tell you about the best restaurants, but I can certainly fill you in on the best playgrounds in the city. Sometimes I think I have more rest during the season, but I do feel like my mind and my body are returning to normal.
I normally start to get excited about training after three weeks or so off the bike. However, things have changed a bit this year. The team is heading in a new direction and I have been looking forward to 2011 for a while now. We have a fantastic title sponsor in UnitedHealthCare and we will be moving onwards and upwards next year.
We also have new partners coming on board. I am particularly thrilled about the addition of Boardman Bikes. I think this will turn out to be a great relationship and I can't wait for my new bike! The team has added some fantastic riders and I look forward to riding and racing with Charles Wegelius, Robert Förster and Christian Meier. These guys are seriously talented and will be a huge boost to our roster.
So, where do things go from here? Planning, meetings and more planning! I will begin to have chats with our manager and director about the race program for next year. I will also be having long discussions with my coach about how to approach my training this year. Next week I will head back to the gym to meet with my gym guru, Jeff. It is like Christmas at our house with new products arriving on a weekly basis. I will be setting up new shoes and having bike fit sessions with the knowledgeable guys at Retul. This year I am paying particular attention to the revision of my time trial position.
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It is a busy life and it never stops, but I love my job and feel fortunate to be a part of a fantastic team.
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Rory Sutherland is back on the North American circuit and better than ever with UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis . Riding alongside teammates like Chris Baldwin, Karl Menzies and Tim Johnson, Sutherland will work to bring the team to the top of the heap in the Americas.
