Not A New Year's Resolution

I've never been a big one for New Year's Resolutions.
I kind of tried last year.
Kerry and I joined the local Fitness 19 in December '06 and we were going to be working out together. It was a great plan and was working okay until January 3, the beginning of our annual New Year's ski trip with the kids, and Kerry's back went out almost as bad as it ever has. We had rented a condo up in the mountains so we could ski for 3 days. As Kerry was getting dressed that first morning, she bent over to pull on socks or something and slipped her disc. She couldn't hardly move much less ski. Needless to say, she wouldn't be working out when we got home. It took many months and physical therapy for her to recover. Since I had joined the gym with Kerry mainly to encourage her to go, my motivation to go by myself was pretty low, so it was pretty much done when she was injured.
When spring came around last year, I went back to riding my mountain bike for some semblance of exercise. I realized then that I probably should have continued going to the gym. ;) Anyway, after biking through the summer and fall I got to be in the condition I was wishing I was in back in the spring... So my challenge for this winter has been to not lose the conditioning gained in the past year, I've been going to "spin" classes at my favorite away-from-home hangout, the local bike shop (LBS). Spin classes, for those of you that may not know, are where you put your bicycle on a stationary trainer, get on your bike, and torture yourself (with the encouragement of an instructor) by pedaling at varying speeds and levels of resistance for an hour and a half. Occasionally (about once a week) engaging in this joyous activity has helped get me through the holiday eating season with only somewhat minimal weight gain. But now that the eating season has passed I have resolved to attend these classes in earnest, which means about three times a week.
This is not a new year's resolution, hence the title of the post. This is a goal to enable me to better participate in some of the biking activities I'm planning on this year. These planned activities include (barring schedule conflicts):
* Riding more, maybe all, of the mountain bike races in the Winter Park series (I did two of six last year);
* Riding in a 69 mile endurance race in Laramie, Wyoming;
* Possibly riding as part of a four man team in a 24 hour race in Gunnison, Colorado;
* Courage Classic to benefit 'The Children's Hospital' (this is looking less likely now because it conflicts with the just announced schedule for the Laramie race).
This should fill up most weekends of the summer.
Until then I'm going to be busy trying to rid myself of about 20 unneeded and unwanted pounds and whip myself into shape to be able to give it everything this 44 year-old body can muster.
Sound crazy?
It may be, but it'll be good.
Care to join me?
And since I've never been big on New Year's Resolutions...

It is Not A New Year's Resolution!
It's an achievable goal.