As a recent Cat 4 exile, I found this comment by D. D. in cycling news rather interesting...
""It's not that I refuse it," said Di Luca, referring to his lack of an ear piece which many riders in the modern peloton cannot function without. "But after a little while it gives me troubles in my head. In fact, I've had to use my mind instead of just listening to the instructions given by the director. I'm convinced it has helped me improve to the level where I am now. I know what I have to do."
The thinking is the hardest part......
Monday, May 28, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Soul Rebel
Oh the joys of a weekend around the house.
One of the best things about bike racin' ?
The travel and adventure.
Also one of the most exhausting.
Even though I've been taking a sabbatical from racing till I feel the hunger bloom in my belly, the training is going well, well enough that when I realized I had to stay around this weekend due to some standby commitments, well, no bitchin' from me about taking a mini- break.
I've been rollin' out to Oakdale for some weekend pain- fests lately, real good group riding, wind, rollers, and a few good hills out Murphys' way as well. Good stuff from a organized bunch and a nice lunch apres-ride can be found at a local deli.
Looking forward to some reports of goodness out at Mt. Ham tommorrow, some of my compadres look real good right now , I hope a little luck will touch em' and help em' out. early word out of Iowa is good, real good, so I hope we keep it going........
Little C and I took a break from flattening out a area in the back to plant our corn and etc and rode the tandem down to the farmers' market today for some organic chicken and vegan brownies from the Feel Good Bakery van, best thing about the tandem is the ability to talk while riding, very underrated when your dealing with a pre-adolescent girl, I know the game is all going to change in a couple of years tops, she already knows Dad's a geek, but still doesn't despise me for it, and rolling around with me and pulling our flip-flops out of the panniers and tasting all the goodies is still fun.......
Back to getting ready for next weekend, we got a nice race coming up here in Pleasanton, the closed course opened up on the finish is going to speed things up a lot and make the upper category races safer with more runout for you 30 mph burners out there, the good thing is the new pavement is fantastic, I'm out there every Wednesday night for sprints and the stuff hooks up real nice, and that's diving into a bike lane with a open road.
One of the best things about bike racin' ?
The travel and adventure.
Also one of the most exhausting.
Even though I've been taking a sabbatical from racing till I feel the hunger bloom in my belly, the training is going well, well enough that when I realized I had to stay around this weekend due to some standby commitments, well, no bitchin' from me about taking a mini- break.
I've been rollin' out to Oakdale for some weekend pain- fests lately, real good group riding, wind, rollers, and a few good hills out Murphys' way as well. Good stuff from a organized bunch and a nice lunch apres-ride can be found at a local deli.
Looking forward to some reports of goodness out at Mt. Ham tommorrow, some of my compadres look real good right now , I hope a little luck will touch em' and help em' out. early word out of Iowa is good, real good, so I hope we keep it going........
Little C and I took a break from flattening out a area in the back to plant our corn and etc and rode the tandem down to the farmers' market today for some organic chicken and vegan brownies from the Feel Good Bakery van, best thing about the tandem is the ability to talk while riding, very underrated when your dealing with a pre-adolescent girl, I know the game is all going to change in a couple of years tops, she already knows Dad's a geek, but still doesn't despise me for it, and rolling around with me and pulling our flip-flops out of the panniers and tasting all the goodies is still fun.......
Back to getting ready for next weekend, we got a nice race coming up here in Pleasanton, the closed course opened up on the finish is going to speed things up a lot and make the upper category races safer with more runout for you 30 mph burners out there, the good thing is the new pavement is fantastic, I'm out there every Wednesday night for sprints and the stuff hooks up real nice, and that's diving into a bike lane with a open road.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Little Wood Duck
Little C and I spent the day at the old salt mine together.
Actually we spent the day touring the salt mine and snapping pics.....
This is the girls all lined up outside after their safety lecture....
Dad is happy he's not digging ditches today.....
There was a goose egg right next to these two geese in the weeds... hmmmm, who does this belong to?
Boat rides on closed reservoirs are fun!
Especially when you get to drive!
31 eggs in this nesting box south of Moraga.
While all the girls snuck up quietly, even with the ladder, not one hen was to be found. Hopefully out feeding and not a victim of Mr. raccoon.
Lots more on this trip, many nontraditional jobs were explained, etc.
Driving the big yellow machine was cool, but the boat ride got the rave reviews.
Too bad the camera batteries pooped out!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Commuter Blues
The best part of my day today, and it was not a nice day, full of hard feelings and ditchdigger bitchiness, was passing the half-mile of cars on the boulevard while the Musical Youth broke out in some "pass the dutchie".
The wind became my friend again.
I started to gutter imaginary foes on the Iron Horse Trail while peeking over my backpack.
I tucked my headlamp away, the one that makes people smile in their cars cuz I'm such a DAMN GEEK riding around with a headlamp, like Rick Moranis in Honey I Shrunk The Kids.
I hit the freeway bridge where the trail ends and I psuedo-crawl to the Pleasanton side under the ramps, but not before hitting the first full speed/ braking with the back wheel while threading the needle with the right foot/ grabbing the top tube/ dismount of 2007 and tossing that bad boy on my shoulder.
Geek-a-Rama.
Them cars can kiss my ass, though.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Pop that jersey like you mean it
In one week, I sawAfrican tortoises doing the horizontal mambo in a backyard in Orinda,
carried a picket sign for the first time in memory,
discussed knitting methods with Little C,
crawled underneath the 580/ 680 connector ramp twice with my bike taking the shortcut home,
and had ice cream 3 times for no good reason at all.
Life is crazy and takes turns that no one, much less me, can comprehend.
Them damn Warriors got heart right now, though.
carried a picket sign for the first time in memory,
discussed knitting methods with Little C,
crawled underneath the 580/ 680 connector ramp twice with my bike taking the shortcut home,
and had ice cream 3 times for no good reason at all.
Life is crazy and takes turns that no one, much less me, can comprehend.
Them damn Warriors got heart right now, though.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
The Faceless Man
And yes I have been needing some new music on the player, even on shuffle I'm hearing the same crap again and again....
Though how I rode around for hours without tunes is beyond me :-)
Merkley and X dawggie- a pair of great training partners.
Lot's of times now I really prefer to be off by myself, well, me and my Bean. Some folks, you negotiate some goals for the ride, discuss how hard things should be.... " no problem, dude. We'll be MELLOW."
Then the half wheeling trip to anaerobic oblivion begins, often slowly, cuz they just hafta ride a little too hard for themselves and you.
Bastards.
The two fellas above, though?
They do it right, baby. Piano when it's piano time, and slug Gianni in the face when that time comes as well. 22 seconds never made me smile so big as today.
Hit the cats' hill yesterday, and things are a little different when one is hawking tires and drinking rootbeers. A man's perspective is a little different.
My first time at the BIG RACE and it was cool in some ways, I really enjoyed yakking with XB and Disky, and in general hanging out and people watching.
But I really thought things would be more raucous and wild, like a big NRC race.
I saw the hill, and checked out a few laps, but maybe you gotta race it to appreciate it a little more.
The inevitable squabble about last lap smasheroos in the expo area was in some ways more interesting to myself and the junior sociology major I seem to be raising.
One more observation on the Cat-Boogie- How badass is Larry Nolan? Dude types up the workout to get ready for CH on the NCNCA list, goes out and teaches the workout on Tuesday night a couple of weeks ago, he and JA write a little thing on the CH blog on how to get ready for this race..... not very secretive if ya ask me!
Oh, and I TRIED to do that whole workout the next night at our little Pleasanton thrashfest and could not complete.
The wind was savage today out on Mines, X and I went past the junction to the edge of the Valley Of Death before Ham and turned around into it.
Muy Duro with 5 minute pulls even downhill it hurt, so mmmmmm.
Tried to get a even c-note by riding around my neighborhood for 1.7 more miles, but cramped ridiculously in front of little kids in the park and had to limp home one legged... me= dork.
Now for some of Groovys' recipe Caesar chicken pasta and the best night of TV all week on HBO....
J
Though how I rode around for hours without tunes is beyond me :-)
Merkley and X dawggie- a pair of great training partners.
Lot's of times now I really prefer to be off by myself, well, me and my Bean. Some folks, you negotiate some goals for the ride, discuss how hard things should be.... " no problem, dude. We'll be MELLOW."
Then the half wheeling trip to anaerobic oblivion begins, often slowly, cuz they just hafta ride a little too hard for themselves and you.
Bastards.
The two fellas above, though?
They do it right, baby. Piano when it's piano time, and slug Gianni in the face when that time comes as well. 22 seconds never made me smile so big as today.
Hit the cats' hill yesterday, and things are a little different when one is hawking tires and drinking rootbeers. A man's perspective is a little different.
My first time at the BIG RACE and it was cool in some ways, I really enjoyed yakking with XB and Disky, and in general hanging out and people watching.
But I really thought things would be more raucous and wild, like a big NRC race.
I saw the hill, and checked out a few laps, but maybe you gotta race it to appreciate it a little more.
The inevitable squabble about last lap smasheroos in the expo area was in some ways more interesting to myself and the junior sociology major I seem to be raising.
One more observation on the Cat-Boogie- How badass is Larry Nolan? Dude types up the workout to get ready for CH on the NCNCA list, goes out and teaches the workout on Tuesday night a couple of weeks ago, he and JA write a little thing on the CH blog on how to get ready for this race..... not very secretive if ya ask me!
Oh, and I TRIED to do that whole workout the next night at our little Pleasanton thrashfest and could not complete.
The wind was savage today out on Mines, X and I went past the junction to the edge of the Valley Of Death before Ham and turned around into it.
Muy Duro with 5 minute pulls even downhill it hurt, so mmmmmm.
Tried to get a even c-note by riding around my neighborhood for 1.7 more miles, but cramped ridiculously in front of little kids in the park and had to limp home one legged... me= dork.
Now for some of Groovys' recipe Caesar chicken pasta and the best night of TV all week on HBO....
J
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Fritter Postride
because a day old cinnamon roll tastes just like new iif you nuke it for 35 seconds.
Because my chain broke in the middle of Mt. Diablo blvd at quarter to six this morning and I still made it to work on time.
15 minutes of traffic lights on the Boulevard on the way home sux.
Fresh baked crescent rolls coming out of the oven as I rolled into the garage made it all better.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Send the pain below
Finally some nice weather, a little acclimatization going on for me, I rode home over Redwood yesterday on the crosser and had to stop at a markey in Castro Valley for 2 paydays and some water, still had a headache all night even slugging water like crazy, but thank got for paydays, cheap and almost the same nutritional profile as a energy bar for half the price.
Today I hit the early WOT ride and enjoyed the entire ICCC cat 3 team hammering towards Berkeley, till I flatted and had to reaarange the plans a little.
Rode around until 9 and caught the second version, but after descending Dublin Canyon, found that the paving contractor had closed the road to bikes, and how screwed is that, especially if you rode all day like out from the east bay and were trying to get home to Oakland and didn't really feel like retracing your route, then climbing Norris/ Palomares.And they are letting cars through, kind of bullshit IMHO.
Anyway, this threw the bunch into disarray and I opted to ride with a teamie over Diablo to WC back to the pad, ending up with 95 miles, the last 15 or so getting slower and slower,very charming to have a Boulevard Stalker suck my wheel for 5 miles down and when I finally sit up and move over to share a little of my bonking pain, attack me like he's winning the Ronde De Danville or sumpthin and ride 300 meters in front all the way to Danville.
Mr. Freshly Showered No Sock Dude , that was a chump move, but no worries, if that floats yer boat, have a nice day and all that.
Turkey chili with cornbread crumbled over it is a great recovery food, and the afternoon watching Amstel Gold and the ToG was real nice stuff.
Looking forward to the reports from the Firestone and the Madera pain fest, tommorrow it's onto the MTB for a little bit, we have this race coming up and I want to do us proud....
Already 1200.00 bucks in the bucket, we are doing excellent and it warms my heart to see the generosity from people.
Now to figure out a theme for the campsite.....
Today I hit the early WOT ride and enjoyed the entire ICCC cat 3 team hammering towards Berkeley, till I flatted and had to reaarange the plans a little.
Rode around until 9 and caught the second version, but after descending Dublin Canyon, found that the paving contractor had closed the road to bikes, and how screwed is that, especially if you rode all day like out from the east bay and were trying to get home to Oakland and didn't really feel like retracing your route, then climbing Norris/ Palomares.And they are letting cars through, kind of bullshit IMHO.
Anyway, this threw the bunch into disarray and I opted to ride with a teamie over Diablo to WC back to the pad, ending up with 95 miles, the last 15 or so getting slower and slower,very charming to have a Boulevard Stalker suck my wheel for 5 miles down and when I finally sit up and move over to share a little of my bonking pain, attack me like he's winning the Ronde De Danville or sumpthin and ride 300 meters in front all the way to Danville.
Mr. Freshly Showered No Sock Dude , that was a chump move, but no worries, if that floats yer boat, have a nice day and all that.
Turkey chili with cornbread crumbled over it is a great recovery food, and the afternoon watching Amstel Gold and the ToG was real nice stuff.
Looking forward to the reports from the Firestone and the Madera pain fest, tommorrow it's onto the MTB for a little bit, we have this race coming up and I want to do us proud....
Already 1200.00 bucks in the bucket, we are doing excellent and it warms my heart to see the generosity from people.
Now to figure out a theme for the campsite.....
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Go be a tourist
has been the name of the game today, I have been punishing myself in the gym 3-5 times a week with the Core Performance routines and starting the longish rides at least 2 days a week, hard to believe that 3 hours of high cadence work can leave me so damn tired, but I really am starting from a ways back and need to stay patient this spring to do well this fall.
Anyhoo , It was all about soigneur duties today down in the SC.
A little rain over the summit at 5:30 am looked gloomy, but the day got nicer and nicer.
Miz C's race started late, at 7:20, absolutely crappy race management, very unimpressed with the organization, they ran out of drinks, food, etc for the slower runners, probably the ones that need the support the most.
Little C and I bounced ASAP for some breakfast and found the Seabreeze Cafe, I remember a blog entry from somewhere about this spot this winter, and through cyberspace found it again, it's not Foodie Friday but who cares and I gotta plug it, a GREAT tofu scramble and fresh out of the oven cinnamon roll with some dark cafe and lots of salsa over some non-greasy homefries, just perfect.
Miz C came shuffling in nursing a sore toe/hip/knee/cramp wheels came off thing, not a happy camper she was and that damn running will beat ya up quick.
But the people watching was superb.
The cruz has a few interesting folks, but it wasn't the locals that really caught my eye, it was the runners . Before the race they all look good, even the unfit. Some wear the tri- emblems- a bike jersey in club cut over running shorts with elastic laces and a been -there- done that running hat.A few cover themselves with clothes from head to toe, and others wear as little as possible, even in 51 degree rain, and I wonder what message they are trying to send to the others in the tribe. My favorites are the old guys with baseball hats and cotton t-shirts, wheezing through the warmup, been doing this stuff since before Jim Fixx, got their New Balance order down to a T.
Wait till the finish and it's a different game, the early focused ones, digging into the pain cave, the medal awaiting them.
The next group of exuberant ones, PR's for this bunch, the training has paid off and they had the race of their lives/ year/ season and they are savoring every moment as they can hear the announcer faintly from a block away.
Then the various finishing looks start to show, the hollow eyes that refuse to look at the bystander to not let the pain out of control, the jogging together saving private ryan move, not leaving your buddy behind no matter what, the whoop-de -doos that are smiling like a boxer that will fall if he gets hit once more, hoo-rah-ing to keep the negative thoughts away.
Or the folks that give out a quiet "thanks" when they hear a cheer for them and keep on trucking ....
"The eyes are the windows to the soul".
Anyhoo , It was all about soigneur duties today down in the SC.
A little rain over the summit at 5:30 am looked gloomy, but the day got nicer and nicer.
Miz C's race started late, at 7:20, absolutely crappy race management, very unimpressed with the organization, they ran out of drinks, food, etc for the slower runners, probably the ones that need the support the most.
Little C and I bounced ASAP for some breakfast and found the Seabreeze Cafe, I remember a blog entry from somewhere about this spot this winter, and through cyberspace found it again, it's not Foodie Friday but who cares and I gotta plug it, a GREAT tofu scramble and fresh out of the oven cinnamon roll with some dark cafe and lots of salsa over some non-greasy homefries, just perfect.
Miz C came shuffling in nursing a sore toe/hip/knee/cramp wheels came off thing, not a happy camper she was and that damn running will beat ya up quick.
But the people watching was superb.
The cruz has a few interesting folks, but it wasn't the locals that really caught my eye, it was the runners . Before the race they all look good, even the unfit. Some wear the tri- emblems- a bike jersey in club cut over running shorts with elastic laces and a been -there- done that running hat.A few cover themselves with clothes from head to toe, and others wear as little as possible, even in 51 degree rain, and I wonder what message they are trying to send to the others in the tribe. My favorites are the old guys with baseball hats and cotton t-shirts, wheezing through the warmup, been doing this stuff since before Jim Fixx, got their New Balance order down to a T.
Wait till the finish and it's a different game, the early focused ones, digging into the pain cave, the medal awaiting them.
The next group of exuberant ones, PR's for this bunch, the training has paid off and they had the race of their lives/ year/ season and they are savoring every moment as they can hear the announcer faintly from a block away.
Then the various finishing looks start to show, the hollow eyes that refuse to look at the bystander to not let the pain out of control, the jogging together saving private ryan move, not leaving your buddy behind no matter what, the whoop-de -doos that are smiling like a boxer that will fall if he gets hit once more, hoo-rah-ing to keep the negative thoughts away.
Or the folks that give out a quiet "thanks" when they hear a cheer for them and keep on trucking ....
"The eyes are the windows to the soul".
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Winners and losers
Winners rarely show it off, unless to make fun of themselves.
Losers revise history to make themselves feel better.
Winners always choose to help when they can, even when things are not so pleasant or smell so nice.
Losers choose the blind eye.
Winners realize the world is round.
Losers can't see beyond the horizon.
Winners have perspective.
Losers go for the easy way out, every time.
Winners walk through the doors of life, ready for the challenges of the other side.
Losers hold onto the jamb for dear life.
I get to choose every day.
Losers revise history to make themselves feel better.
Winners always choose to help when they can, even when things are not so pleasant or smell so nice.
Losers choose the blind eye.
Winners realize the world is round.
Losers can't see beyond the horizon.
Winners have perspective.
Losers go for the easy way out, every time.
Winners walk through the doors of life, ready for the challenges of the other side.
Losers hold onto the jamb for dear life.
I get to choose every day.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Just a Little Bit....
The break is over and the work has begun again, it feels great to build a schedule and plan and dream, anything is possible at the beginning of a season, before life and genetics foul it up :-)
I actually took a week off the blogs as well, spent some time in cold drizzly LA, running some and eating lots of great Japanese food, but just letting the mind recover and allowing the fire to build was so worth it..
Sprints tonight felt great, we have a tiny group out here in pleasanton on Wednesdays and I try to think of new and devious ways to amuse ourselves... tonight was small ring restriction for all the grownups and our one Junior phenom gets to use whatever she wants, nice to spin the legs out and keep some snap in them,
The strength program is morphing as well, moving more and more to developing speed and power as opposed to big beach muscles that are useless when that gawdammn runup shows it's face in November at Watsonville, mmm, watsonville.
Actually commuted last week on the SS, but need a bigger front ring, it took 2 hours to go 25 miles, so four hours of riding on a SS was a little much, especially after digging ditches all day, I had to stop and eat a couple of vegan trail mix cookies on the way home as I was running on fumes, but still real cool to commute again after a 5 year layoff, even for only one day. I'm thinking a 42 ring if I can dig one up and a 15 track cog spun onto the back will tighten up my hack pedaling stroke a little and help me get some much needed training hours in a busy week.
Hope you all enjoy the Otter, I'm hard at work on call this weekend, but I look forward to the reports and perhaps I can carve out a little time to catch some island stories soon ....
J
J
I actually took a week off the blogs as well, spent some time in cold drizzly LA, running some and eating lots of great Japanese food, but just letting the mind recover and allowing the fire to build was so worth it..
Sprints tonight felt great, we have a tiny group out here in pleasanton on Wednesdays and I try to think of new and devious ways to amuse ourselves... tonight was small ring restriction for all the grownups and our one Junior phenom gets to use whatever she wants, nice to spin the legs out and keep some snap in them,
The strength program is morphing as well, moving more and more to developing speed and power as opposed to big beach muscles that are useless when that gawdammn runup shows it's face in November at Watsonville, mmm, watsonville.
Actually commuted last week on the SS, but need a bigger front ring, it took 2 hours to go 25 miles, so four hours of riding on a SS was a little much, especially after digging ditches all day, I had to stop and eat a couple of vegan trail mix cookies on the way home as I was running on fumes, but still real cool to commute again after a 5 year layoff, even for only one day. I'm thinking a 42 ring if I can dig one up and a 15 track cog spun onto the back will tighten up my hack pedaling stroke a little and help me get some much needed training hours in a busy week.
Hope you all enjoy the Otter, I'm hard at work on call this weekend, but I look forward to the reports and perhaps I can carve out a little time to catch some island stories soon ....
J
J
Sunday, April 01, 2007
All the things I meant to do.....
Are getting done now and it feels great!
I finished the walkway in the front in September, and just now in April got in all the landscape, a couple of nice trees, some sage, lavender and rosemary, looks good and will look better in a year or so, now for some lighting and color and we'll be good.
Went for a nice 2 hour run in Tilden with Miz C on Friday and still my old bones ache, even with jogging slowly. Stuff I stay away from in the bike racing season, the slow trail runs really slow my slow self down, but the views of both Suisun and S.F. bays were beautiful. When I tore my ankle up in 2002 I was training for a 50 miler up on this ridge and used to run a different section every wednesday, but never really checked out the area down in Tilden, but really nice running, a couple thousand of climbing in 8 miles or so, but smooth and shady.
Heading out this afternoon for a MTB cruise with the Seal after he returns from his morning bay swim, nice and easy for the both of us, but my attention is beginning to focus on this now.
We have the Chico , Kareem, the Seal, Big Jimmy V, and myself going again in June.
Shifting the focus to giving back a bit and it's good.
I'll be revving the fundraising engine back up soon, we got a matching sponsor for this years' contributions and I really really want to get them to write a big check :-)
Anyhow, the race reports sound fun and all, but I see nothing I want to train for for months now except for some loony century the Nome wants to do, but it's good to not have to train right now and stay unstructured for a bit.
Back to the home improvement store....
I finished the walkway in the front in September, and just now in April got in all the landscape, a couple of nice trees, some sage, lavender and rosemary, looks good and will look better in a year or so, now for some lighting and color and we'll be good.
Went for a nice 2 hour run in Tilden with Miz C on Friday and still my old bones ache, even with jogging slowly. Stuff I stay away from in the bike racing season, the slow trail runs really slow my slow self down, but the views of both Suisun and S.F. bays were beautiful. When I tore my ankle up in 2002 I was training for a 50 miler up on this ridge and used to run a different section every wednesday, but never really checked out the area down in Tilden, but really nice running, a couple thousand of climbing in 8 miles or so, but smooth and shady.
Heading out this afternoon for a MTB cruise with the Seal after he returns from his morning bay swim, nice and easy for the both of us, but my attention is beginning to focus on this now.
We have the Chico , Kareem, the Seal, Big Jimmy V, and myself going again in June.
Shifting the focus to giving back a bit and it's good.
I'll be revving the fundraising engine back up soon, we got a matching sponsor for this years' contributions and I really really want to get them to write a big check :-)
Anyhow, the race reports sound fun and all, but I see nothing I want to train for for months now except for some loony century the Nome wants to do, but it's good to not have to train right now and stay unstructured for a bit.
Back to the home improvement store....
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
3
It's been a big week for me, not only was Hanford my last race as a four, but my Level 3 USAC coaching application was approved as well!
In a strange way, the category upgrade has been kind of just unnerving, rather than satisfying. I know exactly what I'm getting into, and still got into it.
Big jump, here I come!
The coaching license everyone derides as a book test, but have you read that book?
I did, twice.
I actually thought the sections on coaching children very informative, not a area that I have any expertise in at all, save for Little C's ice cream league soccer team, but an excellent set of pointers one can use with any new athlete.
Anyhow two days into the big break and still no bikey for Gianni, thoug I believe tommorrow the Sprints will see my face, but only to do some skills work and hang for a while with the folks....
It's been a big week for me, not only was Hanford my last race as a four, but my Level 3 USAC coaching application was approved as well!
In a strange way, the category upgrade has been kind of just unnerving, rather than satisfying. I know exactly what I'm getting into, and still got into it.
Big jump, here I come!
The coaching license everyone derides as a book test, but have you read that book?
I did, twice.
I actually thought the sections on coaching children very informative, not a area that I have any expertise in at all, save for Little C's ice cream league soccer team, but an excellent set of pointers one can use with any new athlete.
Anyhow two days into the big break and still no bikey for Gianni, thoug I believe tommorrow the Sprints will see my face, but only to do some skills work and hang for a while with the folks....
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Hanford
Damn proud of the team today.
We somehow missed the W but the aggression was highly gratifying to see.
Merkely, X doggie, and The Vickerator all spent much time OTF, with basically the entire CVC team and a few unattached guys blindly doing CVC's bidding needed to chase Mike down.
When you have a 15 man team, playing the one dimensional card is kinda sad if you ask me.
I flubbed it at the end, jist couldn't go no more and got the X and Vick swarmed, but they fought it off and got some placings as well, very nice, fellas!
Too tired to write about it more right now ,must get on with my season break before the real training kicks up again.
We somehow missed the W but the aggression was highly gratifying to see.
Merkely, X doggie, and The Vickerator all spent much time OTF, with basically the entire CVC team and a few unattached guys blindly doing CVC's bidding needed to chase Mike down.
When you have a 15 man team, playing the one dimensional card is kinda sad if you ask me.
I flubbed it at the end, jist couldn't go no more and got the X and Vick swarmed, but they fought it off and got some placings as well, very nice, fellas!
Too tired to write about it more right now ,must get on with my season break before the real training kicks up again.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Dang Merkle and Alicat!
Those dang thinmints- one box destroyed already and the other in the freezer.
Yer killin' me!
I keep eating those, I'll have to do more of these fat-ass forties.....
Good to see Chico at a race, and I hope it went well for ya!
The race- without the wind, that shit was bunk. I don't try to hide my distaste for 60 man bunch sprints.I make a living with my body every day, it don't work, I don't either.
I was good, then I was boxed, got out and came up on the top 8 or so, then had a guy pedal backwards at me.Held the line and gave up with a sour taste that only ice-cold thinmints seem to cure.............
Yer killin' me!
I keep eating those, I'll have to do more of these fat-ass forties.....
Good to see Chico at a race, and I hope it went well for ya!
The race- without the wind, that shit was bunk. I don't try to hide my distaste for 60 man bunch sprints.I make a living with my body every day, it don't work, I don't either.
I was good, then I was boxed, got out and came up on the top 8 or so, then had a guy pedal backwards at me.Held the line and gave up with a sour taste that only ice-cold thinmints seem to cure.............
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
CVC Tower Criterium RR
Sunday was gonna be a goodie.
I did this race last year with Double and Merkeley, and snuck off in a early break, the first and only time that one has worked for me :-)
This year the field was much bigger and the guys were fresher, as well as no teammates.
0330 am the phone rings. Wrong number.
Now I'm up and thinking bike racin'.
I drift back off and it rings again at 4:30.
Party party party at the Quality Inn.
Now I'm up.
I think about going over to the race early to race with the young bucks, eat a little sumpthin', then fall out for 15 minutes, when my alarm goes off.
I slowly move my stuff to the car and make my way to Starbucks on the course.
It's still dark and the racers signing up look fresh, overly alert, and very young.
I decide I can't deal with this crap right now and go back to the car and drink a couple of cups of java and talk myself into getting on the trainer and warming up at least.
MAsters 4/5 goes at 9:20 and the warmup is better than I expected, the soreness from yesterday is gone and the fire in the belly is coming around, I stage up as we watch the womens' 3/4 race.
This crit is my all time fave, the 180 was dry this year and you could push it if you had the right line/ gear coming out.
Big representation from CVC, Simply Fit?, and Action. Centurion.
The race starts agressively, with many splits with all the teams represented, but in the 4/5 ranks people often are too conservative/ chase their own breaks.
We all gotta learn, no?
Both Nelson and I are in just about everything, and the primes are nice and fat, I got a nice bottle of wine for the team party this year!
1 to go and I got myself boxed , I was trying to keep up front and hold a position,but with the field fanned all the way out and no team driving, very hard to do on the wider spots.
We hit the main drag with the barriers and I decide if I want it I had to get up now, so I sprint up the hole next to the barriers and grab 3rd wheel, behind the guy that won Merced when I went for the woods by borrowing my spot in the lineup.
This fine fellow has downgraded after a few years at the upper levels and is a nice wheel to follow, so we urge the CVC guy on the front to line it out and he jumps for the chicane., with me in the hip pocket.
FOS, FOS and we make the turn with 160-175 meters to go,and I just tried to not screw it up, and managed to get around him on the line.
Big time atmosphere down in Fresno, lot's of great racing for the lower categories as well, and a incredible race organization that helped me all weekend. If they didn't have the answer, they found someone who did.
Incredible the amount of work going into this thing, all benefitting local charities.
Thanks again, CVC!
I did this race last year with Double and Merkeley, and snuck off in a early break, the first and only time that one has worked for me :-)
This year the field was much bigger and the guys were fresher, as well as no teammates.
0330 am the phone rings. Wrong number.
Now I'm up and thinking bike racin'.
I drift back off and it rings again at 4:30.
Party party party at the Quality Inn.
Now I'm up.
I think about going over to the race early to race with the young bucks, eat a little sumpthin', then fall out for 15 minutes, when my alarm goes off.
I slowly move my stuff to the car and make my way to Starbucks on the course.
It's still dark and the racers signing up look fresh, overly alert, and very young.
I decide I can't deal with this crap right now and go back to the car and drink a couple of cups of java and talk myself into getting on the trainer and warming up at least.
MAsters 4/5 goes at 9:20 and the warmup is better than I expected, the soreness from yesterday is gone and the fire in the belly is coming around, I stage up as we watch the womens' 3/4 race.
This crit is my all time fave, the 180 was dry this year and you could push it if you had the right line/ gear coming out.
Big representation from CVC, Simply Fit?, and Action. Centurion.
The race starts agressively, with many splits with all the teams represented, but in the 4/5 ranks people often are too conservative/ chase their own breaks.
We all gotta learn, no?
Both Nelson and I are in just about everything, and the primes are nice and fat, I got a nice bottle of wine for the team party this year!
1 to go and I got myself boxed , I was trying to keep up front and hold a position,but with the field fanned all the way out and no team driving, very hard to do on the wider spots.
We hit the main drag with the barriers and I decide if I want it I had to get up now, so I sprint up the hole next to the barriers and grab 3rd wheel, behind the guy that won Merced when I went for the woods by borrowing my spot in the lineup.
This fine fellow has downgraded after a few years at the upper levels and is a nice wheel to follow, so we urge the CVC guy on the front to line it out and he jumps for the chicane., with me in the hip pocket.
FOS, FOS and we make the turn with 160-175 meters to go,and I just tried to not screw it up, and managed to get around him on the line.
Big time atmosphere down in Fresno, lot's of great racing for the lower categories as well, and a incredible race organization that helped me all weekend. If they didn't have the answer, they found someone who did.
Incredible the amount of work going into this thing, all benefitting local charities.
Thanks again, CVC!
Monday, March 12, 2007
CVC ITT
Drove down Saturday morning, caught up with the 123 squad as they were heading back to the lair.
I have been whining about no time in the saddle, especially on the TT rig, but hey, it's only 28K, right?
Wind was quartering from the SW and I heard from several people to expect it to reverse itself during the afternoon, so a distinct possibility of getting head/ head and not in a good way.
Got in a perfect warmup, used a whole hour, got off a couple times and worked on some new stretching I have been learning about, tried to open up all the zones and get loose in the flexors, which have been tight during my 45 minute roller sessions.
Made it to the line early, keeping the stress down is important, I would say I felt so-so, but was willing to go hard early and take the chance of a blowup.
Guy counts down just like on TV with the fingerdoodle move and I'm off, 10 stomps and settle. I push the Lap button and see I'm already at LT just from excitement,I try to calm myself down and get to it.
I had two gaps in front of me in the start order giving me minute men and then no one, so I just tried to work with the wind and take what it would give me, dropping a cog, going back up one, better with no face shield on the helmet, I like to feel the wind a little and hear things.
I passed my first minute man about 5 K in, then my second one stayed out there longer, till we hit the slight rollers and I could spin it up a bit and catch him.
I was about 10 beats over threshold by 10K in, and just tried to keep consistent, passing a womens ' division, refusing to look back, especially with a aero helmet, amd embrace the wind instead of hating it, which was now quartering more into the front of me.
Not enough power to push the really big cogs and I found spinning it up was faster anyway.
Hit the 1K hill and it was gut check time, with a bonus check, when it flattened out about 500 meters in and I had to leave the voices at the door and drop another cog, yum, yum that cytomax tastes good again, ooooh and it's over.
I had no idea only having 2 minute men how I was looking in the results, no real feedback from the watch that forgot to stop and I felt kind of crappy with no good form, sliding up, knees out more than they should be, back probably hunched like mad.
Rode back while bonking my ass off, only had a vague idea where I was and where I was going, I figured Fresno was somewhere up there, probably riding back hurt more than the race effort itself, as the cramps really set in.
My experience with cramps- calf cramps, yellow zone
Quads, especially while riding home in the car with buds, can even be good for a chuckle or two.
Hammies are no fun and can end a nice race.
Ass cramps are no fun.
Ass cramps while lost in the heartland of California really suck.
Only hobbling around and Ibuprofen help.
And large Coca-colas.
Anyhow, after lots of hobbling, chatting, and Coca-colas, the results were announced to the 20 people left in the parking lot and I won the damn thing.
Celebrated by going to Sweet Tomatoes solo and watching Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle for the 15th time, big bachelor night out!
A little perspective here, I was minutes off of the big time guys, not just the pros but the really strong masters guys, especially the demons of Sattley.
Trophies are just damn cool things.
And CVC put on one hella-cool race this weekend.
I have been whining about no time in the saddle, especially on the TT rig, but hey, it's only 28K, right?
Wind was quartering from the SW and I heard from several people to expect it to reverse itself during the afternoon, so a distinct possibility of getting head/ head and not in a good way.
Got in a perfect warmup, used a whole hour, got off a couple times and worked on some new stretching I have been learning about, tried to open up all the zones and get loose in the flexors, which have been tight during my 45 minute roller sessions.
Made it to the line early, keeping the stress down is important, I would say I felt so-so, but was willing to go hard early and take the chance of a blowup.
Guy counts down just like on TV with the fingerdoodle move and I'm off, 10 stomps and settle. I push the Lap button and see I'm already at LT just from excitement,I try to calm myself down and get to it.
I had two gaps in front of me in the start order giving me minute men and then no one, so I just tried to work with the wind and take what it would give me, dropping a cog, going back up one, better with no face shield on the helmet, I like to feel the wind a little and hear things.
I passed my first minute man about 5 K in, then my second one stayed out there longer, till we hit the slight rollers and I could spin it up a bit and catch him.
I was about 10 beats over threshold by 10K in, and just tried to keep consistent, passing a womens ' division, refusing to look back, especially with a aero helmet, amd embrace the wind instead of hating it, which was now quartering more into the front of me.
Not enough power to push the really big cogs and I found spinning it up was faster anyway.
Hit the 1K hill and it was gut check time, with a bonus check, when it flattened out about 500 meters in and I had to leave the voices at the door and drop another cog, yum, yum that cytomax tastes good again, ooooh and it's over.
I had no idea only having 2 minute men how I was looking in the results, no real feedback from the watch that forgot to stop and I felt kind of crappy with no good form, sliding up, knees out more than they should be, back probably hunched like mad.
Rode back while bonking my ass off, only had a vague idea where I was and where I was going, I figured Fresno was somewhere up there, probably riding back hurt more than the race effort itself, as the cramps really set in.
My experience with cramps- calf cramps, yellow zone
Quads, especially while riding home in the car with buds, can even be good for a chuckle or two.
Hammies are no fun and can end a nice race.
Ass cramps are no fun.
Ass cramps while lost in the heartland of California really suck.
Only hobbling around and Ibuprofen help.
And large Coca-colas.
Anyhow, after lots of hobbling, chatting, and Coca-colas, the results were announced to the 20 people left in the parking lot and I won the damn thing.
Celebrated by going to Sweet Tomatoes solo and watching Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle for the 15th time, big bachelor night out!
A little perspective here, I was minutes off of the big time guys, not just the pros but the really strong masters guys, especially the demons of Sattley.
Trophies are just damn cool things.
And CVC put on one hella-cool race this weekend.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Bookends
Thanks to CVC for putting on such an excellent weekend!
This one goes on the calendar every year, great TT course and one of my favorite crits.
More report to come, but I'm a little fried right now and would just ramble anyway.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Old Mclane recap/ rant
Well, it's been almost a week and my head is slowly clearing and the legs feel decent, and I finally got the urge to jot a few things down....
Kudos to the teams in the 35+4 race, ones of note were the Pegasaurs, the EMC boyos, Sierra, CVC, and even Webcor and Davis, both who had like two racers.
All of the above attempted to animate at least for a lap until the old dads got tired and the reality of setting up for a 60 rider bunch sprint became a reality.
We probably tired each other out with all those attacks and counters, as the individual riders made hay while the sun shone in the final results.
That was a crazy finale to a crazy day, with riders careening into the dirt every turn. The only safe place was right at the head of the storm, with most of the field hanging back while the big P tried to control at the front.
Road racing in the grampa Cat 4's?
Lame.
Waiting for a bunch sprint and chasing everything down, even your own team?
Like watching paint dry, and yet many people encourage it, as it seems like the only way up and out of the 4's unless your talent is on the higher level of the curve.
Are we teaching people the finer points of bicycle racing, as is claimed?. A totally different game being played on the 123 stage with strategy interspersed with a savage beating every few minutes. Real bike racin'.
Anyhow, I'll shut the rant off now :-)
CVC for this lame Cat 4 starts Saturday, and I'm more than a little concerned over my total lack of TT preparation, unless sitting on the rollers for 45 minutes in the morning is gonna help, in the bars or not., but it's cool, I'm riding Snowflake, my oldest bike, and me and her have seen more than a few barbeques along the way.
Matter of fact, I think Snowflake is gonna get some bloggage soon, like a whole ode to the 'Flake.
See ya'll soon,
J
Kudos to the teams in the 35+4 race, ones of note were the Pegasaurs, the EMC boyos, Sierra, CVC, and even Webcor and Davis, both who had like two racers.
All of the above attempted to animate at least for a lap until the old dads got tired and the reality of setting up for a 60 rider bunch sprint became a reality.
We probably tired each other out with all those attacks and counters, as the individual riders made hay while the sun shone in the final results.
That was a crazy finale to a crazy day, with riders careening into the dirt every turn. The only safe place was right at the head of the storm, with most of the field hanging back while the big P tried to control at the front.
Road racing in the grampa Cat 4's?
Lame.
Waiting for a bunch sprint and chasing everything down, even your own team?
Like watching paint dry, and yet many people encourage it, as it seems like the only way up and out of the 4's unless your talent is on the higher level of the curve.
Are we teaching people the finer points of bicycle racing, as is claimed?. A totally different game being played on the 123 stage with strategy interspersed with a savage beating every few minutes. Real bike racin'.
Anyhow, I'll shut the rant off now :-)
CVC for this lame Cat 4 starts Saturday, and I'm more than a little concerned over my total lack of TT preparation, unless sitting on the rollers for 45 minutes in the morning is gonna help, in the bars or not., but it's cool, I'm riding Snowflake, my oldest bike, and me and her have seen more than a few barbeques along the way.
Matter of fact, I think Snowflake is gonna get some bloggage soon, like a whole ode to the 'Flake.
See ya'll soon,
J
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