'Tis the Season to Deliver Pizza
As a pro cyclist without a pro contract, working becomes more of an art than just getting a job. I mean I have skills and desire and plenty of time, but none of these fit into a job that works with a pro cycling training schedule. You see I am a likely candidate for any job I pick, but as an athlete there are certain requirements for the job to be worth the money.
1. The job must be between the hours of 4pm and 12pm. I am not a morning person and when you add in two meals with a two to three hour training ride in between, you are left with rushing to work by 4.
2. The job can not include being on your feet for the entire shift. If this is the case then you end up with no legs for riding the bicycle, which is the only reason you are working shift jobs in the first place. So this is important.
3. Th job can not involve extensive training or being the key member of an extensive project. I need to be able to cut the job when my next big trip comes up. I mean the whole reason I am training at a pro level is to compete at pro events and at this level of the sport most involve more than a quick road trip and a one day race. This year alone has brought four major trips, ranging from a five day trip to Trinidad and Tobago, to a three week road trip to race national level track races this summer. Along with the nationals trip in October and now with two major trips on the calendar for January alone. I can simply not get involved in any sort of team work environment.
4. The job need to pay decently. Meaning at least 10 big bucks an hour. Even that wage is hard to swallow knowing that I have a college degree. But this is the minimum to save any decent money past paying my bills for the month. Any less and it becomes worthless for the impact on training.
I think that about covers it for requirements for a job that fits into this crazy lifestyle.
Back to the story. It just so happens that after contemplating and searching and trying different jobs out over the last year, I have been gainfully employed for the last month as a pizza delivery boy/dish washing machine! This has been the best fit that I have found. You get to sit down about 60% of the time. The hours are in the correct range. And the wage has evened out to 15 bucks an hour when you include tips. And you can leave when needed.
So after finally making ends meet, it is time to go back on the road. My trip to the Burnaby Six starts on the 29th with racing beginning on the 31st. This will be the best Madison competition so far this season, and is sure to be the best track racing in North America this winter. It will be the perfect preparation for the trip to Europe to follow, and I can't wait!
Another perk to delivering pizza in the winter is to see all the Christmas lights throughout the city. This was by far the most over the top display I found. They even have reindeer and sleigh flying from house to house.
1. The job must be between the hours of 4pm and 12pm. I am not a morning person and when you add in two meals with a two to three hour training ride in between, you are left with rushing to work by 4.
2. The job can not include being on your feet for the entire shift. If this is the case then you end up with no legs for riding the bicycle, which is the only reason you are working shift jobs in the first place. So this is important.
3. Th job can not involve extensive training or being the key member of an extensive project. I need to be able to cut the job when my next big trip comes up. I mean the whole reason I am training at a pro level is to compete at pro events and at this level of the sport most involve more than a quick road trip and a one day race. This year alone has brought four major trips, ranging from a five day trip to Trinidad and Tobago, to a three week road trip to race national level track races this summer. Along with the nationals trip in October and now with two major trips on the calendar for January alone. I can simply not get involved in any sort of team work environment.
4. The job need to pay decently. Meaning at least 10 big bucks an hour. Even that wage is hard to swallow knowing that I have a college degree. But this is the minimum to save any decent money past paying my bills for the month. Any less and it becomes worthless for the impact on training.
I think that about covers it for requirements for a job that fits into this crazy lifestyle.
Back to the story. It just so happens that after contemplating and searching and trying different jobs out over the last year, I have been gainfully employed for the last month as a pizza delivery boy/dish washing machine! This has been the best fit that I have found. You get to sit down about 60% of the time. The hours are in the correct range. And the wage has evened out to 15 bucks an hour when you include tips. And you can leave when needed.
So after finally making ends meet, it is time to go back on the road. My trip to the Burnaby Six starts on the 29th with racing beginning on the 31st. This will be the best Madison competition so far this season, and is sure to be the best track racing in North America this winter. It will be the perfect preparation for the trip to Europe to follow, and I can't wait!
Another perk to delivering pizza in the winter is to see all the Christmas lights throughout the city. This was by far the most over the top display I found. They even have reindeer and sleigh flying from house to house.
