USAC has moved CX Nats to January (no more school/family holiday concert conflicts YAH).
BUT
they picked
MADISON WISCONSIN?
You kidding me?
Okay sure, it a winter sport, and this will force promoters to keep everyone racing until then (at least I hope so) and move the sport back to the winter roots.
But.
Um.
MADISON.
not that there is anything wrong with that place. good Big Ten town, it is a wanna be Ann Arbor of Wisconsin, super hippie and crunchy and bike friendly. Super. But... Sure, Myerson pointed out that it can't be worse than worlds in the Czech Republic, but come on. The average HIGH temp there is 27°F in January, the average Low is a nice warm 5°F.
Meaning you have no worries about mud in a normal year. Now if it is a colder than average year, I'm not sure you're going to have enough warm up tents for everyone unless you run the whole race in a f'n Pole Barn. But then it is the mid-west, you can probably find a pole barn big enough to put the whole race inside.
It'll be great, sure, only a little more than an hours drive from Milwaukee's airport, or more than 2 hours from Chicago (closer than Bend to Portland).
Just kind of wish maybe a better package was submitted by someone in the MAC... Or dare I wish, New England?
Don't get me wrong, I love racing in the cold, but I've commuted in January in Michigan (warmer in michigan than Wisconsin more or less by default) and there were days when the windchill was less than -40°F. Okay there was maybe only 4 days like that in the 6 years I was commuting every day. Air temp was pretty deep in the negatives. Sure there were years when it was 45 all January and the campus was all in shorts.
Can't be worse than Poprad, or can it.
It'll be cool one way or the other, I guess more shocked than anything else. Seems odd.
Oh well, it will be what it will be. And like G-ride I just sort of assumed that it would be in Loovull, seeing as worlds will be there. Gee we wouldn't want to give our Domestic racers any more of an advantage on the Worlds course, no, certainly we wouldn't want to help them at all.
*shrug*
time to head to CantonSuperSpeedway tomorrow. oops, i think i forgot to pre-reg. Damn, gonna do day of reg.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
apples and jobs
american's don't want to work? or don't want to work for that little $, esp since they'd have to actually work hard and be physical and all that.
not your typical american right now...
Tomato growers have pushed to raise prices, and well, you know - higher prices aren't that bad, too bad you've got idiots thinking they can have an out of season apple with a clean conscious. Buy local (regional, then national, then stop).
And work. Sure, picking your brains out and only making $120 a day can be a ton of work. You can't stay up all night watching TV and then expect to go get coffee three or four times in the day to stay functional.
I've tried writing this a couple times, each time I stay slightly more positive. But somehow dip towards slander and ridicule. Best stop here.
not your typical american right now...
Tomato growers have pushed to raise prices, and well, you know - higher prices aren't that bad, too bad you've got idiots thinking they can have an out of season apple with a clean conscious. Buy local (regional, then national, then stop).
And work. Sure, picking your brains out and only making $120 a day can be a ton of work. You can't stay up all night watching TV and then expect to go get coffee three or four times in the day to stay functional.
I've tried writing this a couple times, each time I stay slightly more positive. But somehow dip towards slander and ridicule. Best stop here.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Roast Chicken with veggies
So tonight, total experiment. Not one recipe cracked, not one reference consulted.
Going on some $1.99/# naturally raised chicken breasts (with bone and skin on) as my key focal point it became a personal challenge to make something tasty.
The first plan was to use a sauce like i did for the fish last night (oh wow was that good, if i get around to it i'll try and bang that recipe out on the keyboard).
But the girls vetoed it, they don't want the same sauce two nights in a row even if it is chicken vs fish.
So, time to brainstorm.
Here is how I made it:
Oven bake with convection 375 degrees
Once it hit 350 I put a pyrex lasagna/enchilada pan in there.
Chopped up one small red onion (first in 1/2 then in wedges)
Chopped up one medium regular onion the same way
When those were chopped I added 3-4 tablespoons of bacon fat and two tablespoons of butter (yeah that's a good amount of fat but wait - it really isn't that much) to the hot pan and then the onions.
In the next few minutes or until the next thing went in I would open and stir it.
While those were going I chopped about 2-3 cups of peeled carrots (into circles).
Then three good size sweet potatoes (okay one white sweet potato and two garnet yams) got peeled and chopped into 1-2cm chunks.
Brussels Sprouts were cleaned and halved.
Broccoli was treed.
Eggplant was cut up slightly bigger than the Potatoes.
And finally two apples were chopped into slightly larger than the potato sized cubish chunks.
So once the onions started to get some color in went the carrots and an appropriate amount of salt.
When the carrots started to soften, in went the Brussels Sprouts and the sweet potatoes and the apples.
While those were getting nice and warm I took the 4 breasts (two chicken's worth), rinsed them off and dried them well.
The pan with the stuff in it got taken out of the oven, and I added some dried thyme and rubbed sage, pepper and a tiny bit more salt. Mixed it all up and then set the 4 chicken pieces across the top (with a bit of the sage and thyme on the skin).
I added about 1/2-1 cup of apple cider and put it back in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.
with 10 to go on the clock I pulled them out, took some of the juice in the pan and basted the breasts (and checked the internal temp - only 135-140 at that point).
Back in they went.
So the Broccoli and the Eggplant got tossed with some salt, pepper and olive oil and put in a separate glass pan in the oven when the timer beeped the first time. I punched in another 10 minutes on the clock and let it all get flavorful.
The odor coming from the oven was heavenly by that point. Oh so good.
After that timer beep I mixed the broccoli stuff around a bit, basted the chicken one more time and mixed the veggies around (to get some even carmelization on them).
Another 5 minutes and the biggest chicken was just under 165. DONE.
Out of the oven, and plated up.
The chicken was unbelievable juicy and tender. Really really amazing texture and flavor.
Oh and I put a dried bay leaf under each breast as I put them in the pan.
Served the chicken with a good spoonful of the juices in the pan and a pile of the veggies.
So
good
pretty easy too, not a huge ton of prep work, and wicked satisfying.
Not much left over though... okay there isn't much chicken left over, and it looks like have some veggies for lunch tomorrow with a few grams of protein (and some wicked tasty fat, not much, like i said this made quite a bit, spread it out and the caloric load isn't so much per serving).
And yes I mention the price of the chicken to demonstrate that I'm still strongly swayed by the price per pound on some items. But this (I believe) is what they call a loss leader, normally these are in the $4-5/pound range... and they tasted REALLY good. The girls went back for seconds (so did I).
No grains, no processed anything, and i now have a few more bones to add to the collection in the freezer to make my next big batch of chicken stock. All the veggies for that matter were local too (farmer's market sourced).
I'd write up the fish recipe but that'll have to wait.
heddwch
G
Going on some $1.99/# naturally raised chicken breasts (with bone and skin on) as my key focal point it became a personal challenge to make something tasty.
The first plan was to use a sauce like i did for the fish last night (oh wow was that good, if i get around to it i'll try and bang that recipe out on the keyboard).
But the girls vetoed it, they don't want the same sauce two nights in a row even if it is chicken vs fish.
So, time to brainstorm.
Here is how I made it:
Oven bake with convection 375 degrees
Once it hit 350 I put a pyrex lasagna/enchilada pan in there.
Chopped up one small red onion (first in 1/2 then in wedges)
Chopped up one medium regular onion the same way
When those were chopped I added 3-4 tablespoons of bacon fat and two tablespoons of butter (yeah that's a good amount of fat but wait - it really isn't that much) to the hot pan and then the onions.
In the next few minutes or until the next thing went in I would open and stir it.
While those were going I chopped about 2-3 cups of peeled carrots (into circles).
Then three good size sweet potatoes (okay one white sweet potato and two garnet yams) got peeled and chopped into 1-2cm chunks.
Brussels Sprouts were cleaned and halved.
Broccoli was treed.
Eggplant was cut up slightly bigger than the Potatoes.
And finally two apples were chopped into slightly larger than the potato sized cubish chunks.
So once the onions started to get some color in went the carrots and an appropriate amount of salt.
When the carrots started to soften, in went the Brussels Sprouts and the sweet potatoes and the apples.
While those were getting nice and warm I took the 4 breasts (two chicken's worth), rinsed them off and dried them well.
The pan with the stuff in it got taken out of the oven, and I added some dried thyme and rubbed sage, pepper and a tiny bit more salt. Mixed it all up and then set the 4 chicken pieces across the top (with a bit of the sage and thyme on the skin).
I added about 1/2-1 cup of apple cider and put it back in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.
with 10 to go on the clock I pulled them out, took some of the juice in the pan and basted the breasts (and checked the internal temp - only 135-140 at that point).
Back in they went.
So the Broccoli and the Eggplant got tossed with some salt, pepper and olive oil and put in a separate glass pan in the oven when the timer beeped the first time. I punched in another 10 minutes on the clock and let it all get flavorful.
The odor coming from the oven was heavenly by that point. Oh so good.
After that timer beep I mixed the broccoli stuff around a bit, basted the chicken one more time and mixed the veggies around (to get some even carmelization on them).
Another 5 minutes and the biggest chicken was just under 165. DONE.
Out of the oven, and plated up.
The chicken was unbelievable juicy and tender. Really really amazing texture and flavor.
Oh and I put a dried bay leaf under each breast as I put them in the pan.
Served the chicken with a good spoonful of the juices in the pan and a pile of the veggies.
So
good
pretty easy too, not a huge ton of prep work, and wicked satisfying.
Not much left over though... okay there isn't much chicken left over, and it looks like have some veggies for lunch tomorrow with a few grams of protein (and some wicked tasty fat, not much, like i said this made quite a bit, spread it out and the caloric load isn't so much per serving).
And yes I mention the price of the chicken to demonstrate that I'm still strongly swayed by the price per pound on some items. But this (I believe) is what they call a loss leader, normally these are in the $4-5/pound range... and they tasted REALLY good. The girls went back for seconds (so did I).
No grains, no processed anything, and i now have a few more bones to add to the collection in the freezer to make my next big batch of chicken stock. All the veggies for that matter were local too (farmer's market sourced).
I'd write up the fish recipe but that'll have to wait.
heddwch
G
F'n COOL
Chris Moose Milliman...
Jaw dropping shots.
I just hope he hasn't been motorpacing lately, oh, wait. If he's doing it maybe I should to... anyone in PVD wanna be my pacer over a long lunch hour?
Jaw dropping shots.
I just hope he hasn't been motorpacing lately, oh, wait. If he's doing it maybe I should to... anyone in PVD wanna be my pacer over a long lunch hour?
good shit out there
stuff I can't touch right now, maybe on some of my more lucid and creative days i can be a flickering candle to their 1000watt spotlight, but hey, I'm not the best at much, certainly not cycling or writing. But I am me.
Interview with BillS
It took a lot for me to read past the first question's answer. Seriously. Then I read the second one and the whole bit about his daughter and the points, and i kept going.
Well honestly I'm only about 1/2 way through. It is long and I have only a minute or two here and there to read it. And this has been sitting here for a while between reading it fielding and making calls and emails. Good to be busy, yeah?
The PEZ interview with Steve Tilford is another must read.
His blog post "Got there...." made me think about my Dad and his biannual commute to Colorado. I sent the link to my dad after reading it and got this response:
But on the bright side it will cool right the fuck down for Canton. Might actually be able to wear the team skinsuit w/o overheating or unzipping it to my hairy belly-button mid-race.
Tagging this with food for one link. Corn Syrup Actually Isn't tthe Same as Table Sugar. No shit. One thing that is disturbing is the actual % of Fructose being higher than reported. Close to 65% in Coke, Pepsi, Sprite? GATORADE at 60%? Yikes. Maybe yall can remember some of the sugar uptake stuff I've posted in the past, sucrose works almost the best because glucose and fructose have two completely separate uptake pathways, and to get the most out of a drink DURING exercise or a replacement post exercise you want equal parts of the two. More of one just creates a traffic jam, sort of like express vs local and you're all smug getting onto the Express lanes only to come to a complete stop while the local keeps moving. Best design should be equal parts. If you are the old school cytomax they say add lactate too.
Oh and I still don't get the Honeycrisp fad. Sure they might be great and all but I just hit the last wed farmer's market of the season here a block or two away and picked up some Fuji's. Damn do I love those, texture and flavor is just right and these are slightly on the tart side which is a triple plus.
Here. Check this out:
Now go back and watch it again, in full screen, ignore the words and watch for the smoke trail in the top right corner at the start of the clip... Thanks for the HU Resultsboy
heddwch
G
Interview with BillS
It took a lot for me to read past the first question's answer. Seriously. Then I read the second one and the whole bit about his daughter and the points, and i kept going.
Well honestly I'm only about 1/2 way through. It is long and I have only a minute or two here and there to read it. And this has been sitting here for a while between reading it fielding and making calls and emails. Good to be busy, yeah?
The PEZ interview with Steve Tilford is another must read.
His blog post "Got there...." made me think about my Dad and his biannual commute to Colorado. I sent the link to my dad after reading it and got this response:
"He’s got it right. I avoid Limon and drop south to the springs. "That and a comment about how ugly the weather is (down there MD) for late Oct. Can't agree more. 70°F and spitting rain with chance of some heavy stuff. This is shit weather for October.
But on the bright side it will cool right the fuck down for Canton. Might actually be able to wear the team skinsuit w/o overheating or unzipping it to my hairy belly-button mid-race.
Tagging this with food for one link. Corn Syrup Actually Isn't tthe Same as Table Sugar. No shit. One thing that is disturbing is the actual % of Fructose being higher than reported. Close to 65% in Coke, Pepsi, Sprite? GATORADE at 60%? Yikes. Maybe yall can remember some of the sugar uptake stuff I've posted in the past, sucrose works almost the best because glucose and fructose have two completely separate uptake pathways, and to get the most out of a drink DURING exercise or a replacement post exercise you want equal parts of the two. More of one just creates a traffic jam, sort of like express vs local and you're all smug getting onto the Express lanes only to come to a complete stop while the local keeps moving. Best design should be equal parts. If you are the old school cytomax they say add lactate too.
Oh and I still don't get the Honeycrisp fad. Sure they might be great and all but I just hit the last wed farmer's market of the season here a block or two away and picked up some Fuji's. Damn do I love those, texture and flavor is just right and these are slightly on the tart side which is a triple plus.
Here. Check this out:
Jeb Corliss wing-suit demo from Jeb Corliss on Vimeo.
Now go back and watch it again, in full screen, ignore the words and watch for the smoke trail in the top right corner at the start of the clip... Thanks for the HU Resultsboy
heddwch
G
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Time for the Nationals Debate
Should I stay or should I go?
Actually think my mind might be made up, but in case someone's not paying attention SWA just dropped their fares, $120 each way. So fly out of Manch or PVD into PDX and save a mint on airfare vs flying into Redmond/Bend. Right now you can get there for $280 with taxes, add the $50 each way for the bike box and you still have enough cash to rent a minivan and drive to bend... Hell the drive from PDX to Bend is shorter than Grumpy's drive to a regular cross race.
It is tempting, but this year is maybe time to chill, let the season finish out how ever it does, no pressure, maybe do Ice Weasels or something. We'll see.
With the schedule it sounds like I could do the B race, the Singlespeed race, and the 40-44 race, and the clydesdale race if they have that again. Add all the Time Trials in there and wow you've got one solid week of racing. But. It is a looooooong way to go. We'll see what happens. At least there isn't a penalty for registering late (well there are a couple monetary ones) and hell you can even wait till you get there to register.
The Team does have a super slick killer pad to stay at this year, a mile from the venue, if that far.
Oh and hey - check this out... Solidly - why a 2/3 race anyway? Doesn't anyone pay attention to Verge? seriously. Someone's gotta fix that. So maybe you'd only have 120 racers lined up. And an 8-9 min lap isn't really short.
And commuting to work in shorts and shorts sleeves? Doing hill repeats on foot in nearly 70°F weather this morning? WTF? Is it really that warm now?
Crazy...
Actually think my mind might be made up, but in case someone's not paying attention SWA just dropped their fares, $120 each way. So fly out of Manch or PVD into PDX and save a mint on airfare vs flying into Redmond/Bend. Right now you can get there for $280 with taxes, add the $50 each way for the bike box and you still have enough cash to rent a minivan and drive to bend... Hell the drive from PDX to Bend is shorter than Grumpy's drive to a regular cross race.
It is tempting, but this year is maybe time to chill, let the season finish out how ever it does, no pressure, maybe do Ice Weasels or something. We'll see.
With the schedule it sounds like I could do the B race, the Singlespeed race, and the 40-44 race, and the clydesdale race if they have that again. Add all the Time Trials in there and wow you've got one solid week of racing. But. It is a looooooong way to go. We'll see what happens. At least there isn't a penalty for registering late (well there are a couple monetary ones) and hell you can even wait till you get there to register.
The Team does have a super slick killer pad to stay at this year, a mile from the venue, if that far.
Oh and hey - check this out... Solidly - why a 2/3 race anyway? Doesn't anyone pay attention to Verge? seriously. Someone's gotta fix that. So maybe you'd only have 120 racers lined up. And an 8-9 min lap isn't really short.
And commuting to work in shorts and shorts sleeves? Doing hill repeats on foot in nearly 70°F weather this morning? WTF? Is it really that warm now?
Crazy...
Monday, October 25, 2010
The WEEKEND
no - i didn't race, no CX race reports.
i did ride on sunday, and saturday even (just 50 min on the BLVD doing intervals)...
more on that maybe later, maybe...
oh and as I've been saying for YEARS now, freaking YEARS, it seems a study now is suggesting that Sodium doesn't affect hypertension? being fat does. well hello news flash! But they still kind of say "we" are eating too much salt in the diet. I agree. Cut out any sodium containing product OTHER than sodium chloride and boom, problem solved.
It ain't the salt on the french fries that are killing you, it is the potato and the not-real fat that's doing it's job!
Nice...
i did ride on sunday, and saturday even (just 50 min on the BLVD doing intervals)...
more on that maybe later, maybe...
oh and as I've been saying for YEARS now, freaking YEARS, it seems a study now is suggesting that Sodium doesn't affect hypertension? being fat does. well hello news flash! But they still kind of say "we" are eating too much salt in the diet. I agree. Cut out any sodium containing product OTHER than sodium chloride and boom, problem solved.
It ain't the salt on the french fries that are killing you, it is the potato and the not-real fat that's doing it's job!
Nice...
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Sunset Downeast, Detroit and going local
Sunset magazine in the New York Times. Among the magazines delivered to my mother's parents house were two that I can, without question identify and remember. There were mountains of others but Sunset and Downeast were what I remember. Maybe because for some time the mail lady stuffed them in our mailbox on the dead end street growing up.
So I read that NY Times article, and was transported immediately back to California. All the good parts about it. Both my mother and father grew up in that state, my dad's mom still lives in the bay area on one of the few pieces of bedrock in the region.
Hell with the disappearance of Gourmet maybe Sunset would be a good replacement. And yes, the first really cool morning I'm thinking about warm and sunny California...
It is hard to explain that sort of feeling, maybe it is something that happens when you start your 4th decades on this planet... The Downeast reference, yeah growing up looking through those pages set me dreaming, owning my own Hinckley and an Island with a lighthouse in Penobscot bay... Yeah, my career goals didn't track well with my youthful dreaming, I suppose I should have gone into professional gambling right out of college instead of being a microscope jockey. Things would have been different, maybe I'd be sailing every weekend instead of trying to race a bicycle.
Too late to turn back time, no Ctrl-Alt-Delete in life.
LINK 2
Bittman tweeted this article this monring. (yeah twitter's good for getting targeted info - one day i'll get a hand held computer that has a phone on it and carry those updates with me, maybe, I do kind of like having a phone that is only a phone).
He also tweeted about the CDC prediction that at the current race 1 in 3 people will have type 2 diabetes by 2050. I think that is like the report from a cycling advocacy group in 2000 saying all the petroleum resources would run out by 2010. People are still using Gasoline as fast as they can buy it.
Type 2 is pretty scary, in that it is totally and completely preventable, treatable and curable. Yes. THERE IS A CURE! (eat well, exercise and get to a healthy weight). AMAZING - someone should go on the morning news programs and say something like that. I know i know people struggle with weight. But they struggle with cooking, with finding time to exercise, with with with with... and then they all stay up late watching TV/movies on demand and have to rush around.
Sorry, got some editorializing in there. Wow. Me? Editorialize? NO F'n way.
Oh about that Walmart/big ag article I started Link 2 with. Crazy. I laugh at the corn growers attempted add campaign "sweet surprise" because, yes I joined the public mocking of them. And I think there is enough web/marketing/media savy in their opponents toolbox that big ag is going to have trouble, even with 30 million in (m)ad money. Hell take that 30 mil and stick it into improving the public school food system so our kids aren't so fat and it isn't an issue for those who feel drawn to serve this country to join the service. Different issue I know.
But really can you separate the Type 2 problem and Monsanto/BigAg? More calories for less money? Wait, don't we have a problem with too many calories?
Link 3(ish)
So I've pulled in references from my bipolar upbringing (PacNW vs Downeast) - and here's an article from Detroit. Not nearly as compelling as the first link or as important as the group of links between...
but I spent enough time in the troubled state of Michigan that part of me will always relate to that state.
Link 4 or so
The going Local part of the title. Comes from here but does tie in to the walmart article.
It isn't so much about going local as thinking about it, but it is a fun article about the push towards more self sustainability. Sadly for those residents of Providence, chickens are NOT allowed, it doesn't say anything about my town though, lets see if i can keep my kids from finding out.
See, I knew the food label was going to be a problem. I had resisted for a while, now that I've flipped the switch, I keep pushing towards it, i need to beat myself up on the bike, debating bringing the trainer with me to the city when I have to take my oldest to dance and doing intervals in the parking lot with the iPod instead of looping on the BLVD with the cars and no tunes.
heddwch
G
So I read that NY Times article, and was transported immediately back to California. All the good parts about it. Both my mother and father grew up in that state, my dad's mom still lives in the bay area on one of the few pieces of bedrock in the region.
Hell with the disappearance of Gourmet maybe Sunset would be a good replacement. And yes, the first really cool morning I'm thinking about warm and sunny California...
It is hard to explain that sort of feeling, maybe it is something that happens when you start your 4th decades on this planet... The Downeast reference, yeah growing up looking through those pages set me dreaming, owning my own Hinckley and an Island with a lighthouse in Penobscot bay... Yeah, my career goals didn't track well with my youthful dreaming, I suppose I should have gone into professional gambling right out of college instead of being a microscope jockey. Things would have been different, maybe I'd be sailing every weekend instead of trying to race a bicycle.
Too late to turn back time, no Ctrl-Alt-Delete in life.
LINK 2
Bittman tweeted this article this monring. (yeah twitter's good for getting targeted info - one day i'll get a hand held computer that has a phone on it and carry those updates with me, maybe, I do kind of like having a phone that is only a phone).
He also tweeted about the CDC prediction that at the current race 1 in 3 people will have type 2 diabetes by 2050. I think that is like the report from a cycling advocacy group in 2000 saying all the petroleum resources would run out by 2010. People are still using Gasoline as fast as they can buy it.
Type 2 is pretty scary, in that it is totally and completely preventable, treatable and curable. Yes. THERE IS A CURE! (eat well, exercise and get to a healthy weight). AMAZING - someone should go on the morning news programs and say something like that. I know i know people struggle with weight. But they struggle with cooking, with finding time to exercise, with with with with... and then they all stay up late watching TV/movies on demand and have to rush around.
Sorry, got some editorializing in there. Wow. Me? Editorialize? NO F'n way.
Oh about that Walmart/big ag article I started Link 2 with. Crazy. I laugh at the corn growers attempted add campaign "sweet surprise" because, yes I joined the public mocking of them. And I think there is enough web/marketing/media savy in their opponents toolbox that big ag is going to have trouble, even with 30 million in (m)ad money. Hell take that 30 mil and stick it into improving the public school food system so our kids aren't so fat and it isn't an issue for those who feel drawn to serve this country to join the service. Different issue I know.
But really can you separate the Type 2 problem and Monsanto/BigAg? More calories for less money? Wait, don't we have a problem with too many calories?
Link 3(ish)
So I've pulled in references from my bipolar upbringing (PacNW vs Downeast) - and here's an article from Detroit. Not nearly as compelling as the first link or as important as the group of links between...
but I spent enough time in the troubled state of Michigan that part of me will always relate to that state.
Link 4 or so
The going Local part of the title. Comes from here but does tie in to the walmart article.
It isn't so much about going local as thinking about it, but it is a fun article about the push towards more self sustainability. Sadly for those residents of Providence, chickens are NOT allowed, it doesn't say anything about my town though, lets see if i can keep my kids from finding out.
See, I knew the food label was going to be a problem. I had resisted for a while, now that I've flipped the switch, I keep pushing towards it, i need to beat myself up on the bike, debating bringing the trainer with me to the city when I have to take my oldest to dance and doing intervals in the parking lot with the iPod instead of looping on the BLVD with the cars and no tunes.
heddwch
G
Friday, October 22, 2010
friday link round up
Cycling:
http://www.bigringriding.com/, not a huge archive but after RyanTKelly tweeted the link the server kept crashing as all 17 of his followers proceeded to browse the whole site this morning. (check his latest web log entry - more fodder to fire at the upgrade afraid).
Be Bad, Ride better?
#1 - got it, no problem there, will remember to vocalize it next time
#2 - no problem, I can stretch the shower bit, a little, or actually probably a lot farther than I'm comfortable with.
#3 - that extra 7.2 minutes might be the difference i need - PASS ME A BEER!
#4 - how about a whole bottle of the stuff?
#5 - oh yeah THREE IN A ROW, BRILLIANT!!!!
#6 - already doing that and my blood numbers are better than most healthy 20 year old kids.
#7 - this i could certainly do more of, the sleeping thing...
#8 - if you say so
#9 - bring it on
#10 - oh now this might get me in trouble but, hey, those look like good number boosts...
Enough about that... Food links
Perils of Cheap Seafood (please don't buy farmed salmon - it tastes like cardboard and probably isn't much better for you and right now it really fucks with the ecosystem).
People with kids take notice - and if you don't have em and know someone who does - bug em.
oh and
FUCKING FRENCH FRIES ARE NOT A FUCKING VEGGIE FOR FUCKS SAKE PEOPLE!
They are pasta, white rice, except worse, loaded with fat and bitching amounts of sodium. Good if you just did 4 hours of riding in the middle of the summer, not so good if you're a fat ass sitting on the couch watching TV for hours a day.
Not a very good chance you'll get listeria and die from buying your veggies at the farmers's market... but at the store that buys the cheapest price point veggie? watch the heck out.
So after that wonderful bit of people dieing because of tainted veggies, how about this SHOCKING news:
Food inspection is often Flawed? NO SHIT!!!???
yeah
i had a cup of coffee today, can you tell?
heddwch
G
http://www.bigringriding.com/, not a huge archive but after RyanTKelly tweeted the link the server kept crashing as all 17 of his followers proceeded to browse the whole site this morning. (check his latest web log entry - more fodder to fire at the upgrade afraid).
Be Bad, Ride better?
#1 - got it, no problem there, will remember to vocalize it next time
#2 - no problem, I can stretch the shower bit, a little, or actually probably a lot farther than I'm comfortable with.
#3 - that extra 7.2 minutes might be the difference i need - PASS ME A BEER!
#4 - how about a whole bottle of the stuff?
#5 - oh yeah THREE IN A ROW, BRILLIANT!!!!
#6 - already doing that and my blood numbers are better than most healthy 20 year old kids.
#7 - this i could certainly do more of, the sleeping thing...
#8 - if you say so
#9 - bring it on
#10 - oh now this might get me in trouble but, hey, those look like good number boosts...
Enough about that... Food links
Perils of Cheap Seafood (please don't buy farmed salmon - it tastes like cardboard and probably isn't much better for you and right now it really fucks with the ecosystem).
People with kids take notice - and if you don't have em and know someone who does - bug em.
oh and
FUCKING FRENCH FRIES ARE NOT A FUCKING VEGGIE FOR FUCKS SAKE PEOPLE!
They are pasta, white rice, except worse, loaded with fat and bitching amounts of sodium. Good if you just did 4 hours of riding in the middle of the summer, not so good if you're a fat ass sitting on the couch watching TV for hours a day.
Not a very good chance you'll get listeria and die from buying your veggies at the farmers's market... but at the store that buys the cheapest price point veggie? watch the heck out.
So after that wonderful bit of people dieing because of tainted veggies, how about this SHOCKING news:
Food inspection is often Flawed? NO SHIT!!!???
yeah
i had a cup of coffee today, can you tell?
heddwch
G
weekend starts here
well tomorrow morning likely it will start here:
for me while everyone else will be starting their morning something like this
rest
at least as far as the cycling legs go... not exactly as planned but that's life, resting up, recharging the batteries, not the worst thing in the world. I'll get some intensity in tomorrow, and a long ride in on Sunday and be back at it ready to go next week leading up to Canton.
That and i've got a serious beef with the mail system for never getting me issue #10 of Cyclocross Magazine. Seriously. I finally sent them an email asking if/when the next issue should arrive and well... um, it has been out for a while now I guess. No wonder I was baffled when FatMarc mentioned the whole Mayhew article. Damn it IS a good one.
Best issue yet? I think so. I love me the mental stuff, Marvin Z's columns in Pez, hell IIRC maybe even Myerson has an article about the mental side of stuff over on his cycle-smart page. Well let me say it differently, I really appreciate reading about it because that is almost a bigger issue for me than speed. I've got leg speed in there somewhere... I know I can go fast, but mr. overthinker here usually finds a way for the brain to screw it up. Time to dig out my stack of print outs and start reading it all over again.
After I re-read the articles in there. Heck that Jake Wells article is awesome.
All this stuff - from the Kraus bit, to J-Pow and now Jake Wells, stuff is sinking in and making sense. Lights are turning on.
One thought I had at some point was I should really write down the plan for next year NOW before I forget all these nuggets of wisdom and beat myself up the first month next year. Making sure to add in variables if i'm too cooked to train effectively. I'm tempted to try and make one of my old HR monitors work if only to get a morning resting Heart Rate to track.
Who knows that's a long way off - i'll get CRS and start all over the same (man I hope not).
Time off the bike hasn't been bad. nice bit of recharge. I should really sniff some glue before Canton though. Would be nice to roll around there with less than 45-50psi in the tires.
heddwch
G
That and i've got a serious beef with the mail system for never getting me issue #10 of Cyclocross Magazine. Seriously. I finally sent them an email asking if/when the next issue should arrive and well... um, it has been out for a while now I guess. No wonder I was baffled when FatMarc mentioned the whole Mayhew article. Damn it IS a good one.
Best issue yet? I think so. I love me the mental stuff, Marvin Z's columns in Pez, hell IIRC maybe even Myerson has an article about the mental side of stuff over on his cycle-smart page. Well let me say it differently, I really appreciate reading about it because that is almost a bigger issue for me than speed. I've got leg speed in there somewhere... I know I can go fast, but mr. overthinker here usually finds a way for the brain to screw it up. Time to dig out my stack of print outs and start reading it all over again.
After I re-read the articles in there. Heck that Jake Wells article is awesome.
All this stuff - from the Kraus bit, to J-Pow and now Jake Wells, stuff is sinking in and making sense. Lights are turning on.
One thought I had at some point was I should really write down the plan for next year NOW before I forget all these nuggets of wisdom and beat myself up the first month next year. Making sure to add in variables if i'm too cooked to train effectively. I'm tempted to try and make one of my old HR monitors work if only to get a morning resting Heart Rate to track.
Who knows that's a long way off - i'll get CRS and start all over the same (man I hope not).
Time off the bike hasn't been bad. nice bit of recharge. I should really sniff some glue before Canton though. Would be nice to roll around there with less than 45-50psi in the tires.
heddwch
G
Thursday, October 21, 2010
This is PRO
Such and overused phrase, calling something 'Pro' but hell it works.
Note he says WHEN possible, AND rested. need the combination of both.
Pretty straight ahead common sense thing. But I'll be the first to admit that last month I was doing the workout because it was what i had planned for that day, not how i felt. I'd probably have had better results if I'd slept in and done nothing for a couple of those weeks.
Tuesday morning I actually did feel rested and I had the opportunity. Yesterday, not so much. Today? Even less. Climbing into bed and then falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow is probably a good indication that I'm not well rested at the moment. A great time NOT to drive to maine (no matter how much I'd love to race that verge stop) and race a double. If you aren't going up and want to do a long 3-4 hour ride early Sunday morning at a mellow (for me and a few teammates) ride out of the providence area drop me an email ... gewilli at gmail...
heddwch
G
I’m just taking it one day at a time and trying to get in some decent training when it’s possible and I feel rested.(check the vid @ about 8:49 for a cameo by former weblogger CCC).
Note he says WHEN possible, AND rested. need the combination of both.
Pretty straight ahead common sense thing. But I'll be the first to admit that last month I was doing the workout because it was what i had planned for that day, not how i felt. I'd probably have had better results if I'd slept in and done nothing for a couple of those weeks.
Tuesday morning I actually did feel rested and I had the opportunity. Yesterday, not so much. Today? Even less. Climbing into bed and then falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow is probably a good indication that I'm not well rested at the moment. A great time NOT to drive to maine (no matter how much I'd love to race that verge stop) and race a double. If you aren't going up and want to do a long 3-4 hour ride early Sunday morning at a mellow (for me and a few teammates) ride out of the providence area drop me an email ... gewilli at gmail...
heddwch
G
The Sweet Potato, miracle food
So calling it a miracle food automatically dooms it to have someone find some reason why we all should stop eating them or something. Oh well. F'it, they taste good, and have a bunch of crap in them that make em better for you than regular potatoes. Although I'm still skeptical. But hey, they taste good.
So. This summer I learned something. People cook them in microwaves. Wash it then put it in there for like 10-20 minutes on high depending on how many you have. Cool right?
I was perusing Nancy's Food blog and found this recipe. Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie. Sounds good. Nice potato, gravy, beef, corn, peas... wait... this doesn't just sub potato for sweet potato... nah it adds chicken. Worm wrangler's stories of poultry factory (I now recall the discussions about the factory/plants at CMU) has me always leery of chicken and you're way better off using grass fed ground beef instead of chicken (pretty close to the same price), but be that as it may, I'm not talking about that. It is about the sweet potato, and something I don't get.
That whole microwaving thing.
Seriously. Why? Doesn't make sense. Why not?
You're going to peel them anyway (usually). And peeling takes a second. Put a pot of water on with a steamer basket (most people who eat well should have at least one steamer basket in the inventory), peel the potatoes. Rinse them off. Cut them into 1/2 inch slabs (that's it, no need to quarter or what not).
Oh and cutting potatoes and root veggies: PUT YOUR SANTOKU KNIFE AWAY!!! This is a job for your chef's knife. Seriously. Not your awesome Chinese cleaver either. You have more than one knife for a reason, right? If you just have one, go get a cheap chef's knife for this purpose. Doesn't have to be all that special or sharp, just needs to be strong and shaped like a wedge (like a chef knife is supposed to be).
Using the chef's knife takes less effort and going back and forth between you'll be surprised... worth getting something else dirty, even if you are like me and have to wash what ever you get dirty.
So once you've cut these sweet potatoes into slabs, pop em in the almost boiling pot with the steamer basket, put the lid on and in 10-15 minutes check em. Should be done. With the lid drain the water, then pull the steamer basket out, and mash the potatoes right in that pot.
SIMPLE.
Faster than the microwave. Possibly less energy use too. Some people would argue that steaming doesn't kill the life forces in the food either, if that's a concern. Nice and even cooking if you cut them all the same thickness. Mashing them is easier too.
If it takes more than 3 minutes to cook in the nuker i generally go conventional. I just don't like cooking in it. making a bowl of oatmeal at a time is easier in it, no worrying about burning the milk on the stove top, warming up leftover food is great in there. But primary cooking? Not so much.
Oh and no training yesterday. Picked up the girls early and I was tired, instead of doing some threshold intervals on the trainer in the back yard... I took a nap. And instead of waking up at 5:15 to get the Z5 1 min set in, I kept sleeping. Tired. Not racing this weekend. Resting up seems more important (maybe I am starting to learn something after all). A certain coach said just soak up info, it'll be as effective as paying for a plan... I tend to agree with him. And next year? Next year it'll be a whole sale GeWilli program from rest to intervals... make it nice and complicated - new emphasis on recovering, and racing early. I hope maybe that with Alan's help and others we can push the New England cross scene into January so September can go back to being pre-season. Esp as the summer seems to linger much longer, seriously we shouldn't be racing in 65°F weather this time of year? Should we? It might get cold soon enough, i'll bite my tongue and see what happens. Sleep seems to be trumping hard training and last year I hit this week so wasted and worn out that I spent the weekend sick in bed. Trying to avoid that this year.
heddwch
G
So. This summer I learned something. People cook them in microwaves. Wash it then put it in there for like 10-20 minutes on high depending on how many you have. Cool right?
I was perusing Nancy's Food blog and found this recipe. Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie. Sounds good. Nice potato, gravy, beef, corn, peas... wait... this doesn't just sub potato for sweet potato... nah it adds chicken. Worm wrangler's stories of poultry factory (I now recall the discussions about the factory/plants at CMU) has me always leery of chicken and you're way better off using grass fed ground beef instead of chicken (pretty close to the same price), but be that as it may, I'm not talking about that. It is about the sweet potato, and something I don't get.
That whole microwaving thing.
Seriously. Why? Doesn't make sense. Why not?
You're going to peel them anyway (usually). And peeling takes a second. Put a pot of water on with a steamer basket (most people who eat well should have at least one steamer basket in the inventory), peel the potatoes. Rinse them off. Cut them into 1/2 inch slabs (that's it, no need to quarter or what not).
Oh and cutting potatoes and root veggies: PUT YOUR SANTOKU KNIFE AWAY!!! This is a job for your chef's knife. Seriously. Not your awesome Chinese cleaver either. You have more than one knife for a reason, right? If you just have one, go get a cheap chef's knife for this purpose. Doesn't have to be all that special or sharp, just needs to be strong and shaped like a wedge (like a chef knife is supposed to be).
Using the chef's knife takes less effort and going back and forth between you'll be surprised... worth getting something else dirty, even if you are like me and have to wash what ever you get dirty.
So once you've cut these sweet potatoes into slabs, pop em in the almost boiling pot with the steamer basket, put the lid on and in 10-15 minutes check em. Should be done. With the lid drain the water, then pull the steamer basket out, and mash the potatoes right in that pot.
SIMPLE.
Faster than the microwave. Possibly less energy use too. Some people would argue that steaming doesn't kill the life forces in the food either, if that's a concern. Nice and even cooking if you cut them all the same thickness. Mashing them is easier too.
If it takes more than 3 minutes to cook in the nuker i generally go conventional. I just don't like cooking in it. making a bowl of oatmeal at a time is easier in it, no worrying about burning the milk on the stove top, warming up leftover food is great in there. But primary cooking? Not so much.
Oh and no training yesterday. Picked up the girls early and I was tired, instead of doing some threshold intervals on the trainer in the back yard... I took a nap. And instead of waking up at 5:15 to get the Z5 1 min set in, I kept sleeping. Tired. Not racing this weekend. Resting up seems more important (maybe I am starting to learn something after all). A certain coach said just soak up info, it'll be as effective as paying for a plan... I tend to agree with him. And next year? Next year it'll be a whole sale GeWilli program from rest to intervals... make it nice and complicated - new emphasis on recovering, and racing early. I hope maybe that with Alan's help and others we can push the New England cross scene into January so September can go back to being pre-season. Esp as the summer seems to linger much longer, seriously we shouldn't be racing in 65°F weather this time of year? Should we? It might get cold soon enough, i'll bite my tongue and see what happens. Sleep seems to be trumping hard training and last year I hit this week so wasted and worn out that I spent the weekend sick in bed. Trying to avoid that this year.
heddwch
G
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
want to make
Grilled Pizza... ala [Ted] King.
Yeah did ya get that? ala king? like as in chicken ala king? My mother made that occasionally when I was little, i think it was chicken in sauce served on toast, i remember liking it.
Anyway. So want to make that. BBQ and everything yeah.
I don't have any pizza screens though (not good) and that's what I though when I saw his butterfly. Well really I thought about ErikV's use of pizza screens. Thinking that's what ya need for a grill.
Of course last night on ATC (season 10 Salmon—Indoors and Out) they talked about grill pans (not sure if it is in that link or not). The winner was the Webber one: here.
They had very poor reviews of the one that Nancy used for the BOLD grilled veggies. They said it steamed the veggies more than it grilled them, and the smallest veggies still managed to slide through the holes.
So yeah i totally want one of those webber pro grill grate, along with a handful of nice stainless pizza screens.
Oh and I'd have to make the BBQ sauce from scratch - can't handle buying the other stuff... esp with liquid smoke in the pantry.
Yeah did ya get that? ala king? like as in chicken ala king? My mother made that occasionally when I was little, i think it was chicken in sauce served on toast, i remember liking it.
Anyway. So want to make that. BBQ and everything yeah.
I don't have any pizza screens though (not good) and that's what I though when I saw his butterfly. Well really I thought about ErikV's use of pizza screens. Thinking that's what ya need for a grill.
Of course last night on ATC (season 10 Salmon—Indoors and Out) they talked about grill pans (not sure if it is in that link or not). The winner was the Webber one: here.
They had very poor reviews of the one that Nancy used for the BOLD grilled veggies. They said it steamed the veggies more than it grilled them, and the smallest veggies still managed to slide through the holes.
So yeah i totally want one of those webber pro grill grate, along with a handful of nice stainless pizza screens.
Oh and I'd have to make the BBQ sauce from scratch - can't handle buying the other stuff... esp with liquid smoke in the pantry.
PBR - the roots behind the discovery... and other stories
Read this article first - (or not) then come back
So yeah well I've got this little brother of mine.
back say many moons ago, he was freshly freed of college plan for music a year or two in and he started being a bike messenger.
Back then messengers actually used geared bike, usually road bikes and sometime they'd just use the bike they would race on the weekends. Some Seattle messengers used mt bikes with Specialized Fat boys and fenders and bar ends for warding off the occasional door.
No one used a track bike for messengering. But my brother and another guy he worked with got tired of wearing out chains and cogs and went got track bikes. My bro described it more like a Zen state of riding, very different and it gave a new challenge, made it interesting. But IIRC he went back to gears because he started working doing long distance bike deliveries. 30-40-50 mile trips for a delivery, to the outlying Seattle areas. That never made sense to me but hey - if you can keep a couple messengers fed there's got to be some money there.
But this isn't about my little bro (who ain't so little, and is just a couple years younger than I am - no so young either) and his bikes.
No, not the bikes but I have to set the scene. Hell he had perfect white guy dreadlocks in High School (shaved his head clean in the bathroom 5 minutes before graduation - much to the horror of all the girls and my mother).
So where did these messengers hang out? The found the oddest, deadest, lowest traffic bars in the city to hang out. They became regulars. These old bars weren't selling much of the trendy new Micro-brew the rest of the city watering holes were switching over to. No, these places hearkened back to the real roots of that city. The Blue Collar workers from the shipyards or Boeing or the docks/longshoreman. It really was a big blue collar area, that's why you'll still find some of the most hard core rednecks in Western Washington - honest hard core dichotomy now. Back when these bars were popular the white collar paper pushers worked in the Smith tower or one of the smaller office buildings. Yeah Smith Tower used to be offices. I'm talking before 1975, hell 20 years before that too. Doesn't seem that long ago to me but then, well... probably not to man of you, my friends reading this. Okay if Hoppy garden has gotten this far 1975 is like prehistoric times for him.
So those workers would all have their local place. They'd stop on the way home every day to check in with their friends. They'd have a couple beers, a couple shots maybe and head home to their arm chair, watch some news and eat the dinner their wives made for them. These bars survived on routine and tradition. Pabst was one of the few surviving beers from that era still in these bars when my brother started messengering.
PBR also happened to be THE cheapest beer. Dollar drafts, Fifty Cent Drafts, you could get loaded on a bike messenger income. You could also drink a ton of it and not really feel too bad the next day. And it was cheap. And Iconic. These guys felt pride in drinking something with those roots.
Then it became popular with people trying to work into that messenger culture, but it really stayed low key until the birth of the hipster years after my brother moved on from delivering stuff on two wheels. Damn hipsters saw the messengers as easy prey and swept in and took their traditions.
Sometime in the blurry transition between real bike messengers and ironic hipsters pretending the folks at Pabst changed it all up:
Or you can head over and read Walker's original piece from 2003.
And i should add - it is a DAMN good read. Sitting here a few years later, the story of Narragansett beer isn't much different, another Virtual Brewery, with a local marketing campaign not dissimilar from the one Pabst started back in the early 2000s.
And I'll be honest. a Gansett tall boy is one of my go to options for one reason, it is cheap, and not offensive. I can appreciate a damn fine beer, but sometimes, you just want something cold and bubbly to drink that isn't a soda or fizzy water.
So I probably could have said - just read that first link and this other one and say my bro was in on the local indie music scene and was a bike messenger in the 90s and was instrumental in giving PBR it's first bump. But now? He won't touch the stuff.
He left PBR pretty soon after leaving the messenger scene, likely because he saw it becoming trendy and he wanted to blaze his own path. That punk ass kid brother of mine certainly has. And to make it worse? He's really one of the only fat vegans I know. He became a vegan back in 1991, again, waaaaaaay before it was popular, or easy to do.
I'm sure everyone knows someone like my brother who lead a trend and then jumped, he is still a vegan, vegan house, vegan kids, vegan wife... and still doing just what he wants, his way, and I admire that in my little brother, even if he is responsible for the whole hipster infatuation with PBR.
heddwch
G
So yeah well I've got this little brother of mine.
back say many moons ago, he was freshly freed of college plan for music a year or two in and he started being a bike messenger.
Back then messengers actually used geared bike, usually road bikes and sometime they'd just use the bike they would race on the weekends. Some Seattle messengers used mt bikes with Specialized Fat boys and fenders and bar ends for warding off the occasional door.
No one used a track bike for messengering. But my brother and another guy he worked with got tired of wearing out chains and cogs and went got track bikes. My bro described it more like a Zen state of riding, very different and it gave a new challenge, made it interesting. But IIRC he went back to gears because he started working doing long distance bike deliveries. 30-40-50 mile trips for a delivery, to the outlying Seattle areas. That never made sense to me but hey - if you can keep a couple messengers fed there's got to be some money there.
But this isn't about my little bro (who ain't so little, and is just a couple years younger than I am - no so young either) and his bikes.
No, not the bikes but I have to set the scene. Hell he had perfect white guy dreadlocks in High School (shaved his head clean in the bathroom 5 minutes before graduation - much to the horror of all the girls and my mother).
So where did these messengers hang out? The found the oddest, deadest, lowest traffic bars in the city to hang out. They became regulars. These old bars weren't selling much of the trendy new Micro-brew the rest of the city watering holes were switching over to. No, these places hearkened back to the real roots of that city. The Blue Collar workers from the shipyards or Boeing or the docks/longshoreman. It really was a big blue collar area, that's why you'll still find some of the most hard core rednecks in Western Washington - honest hard core dichotomy now. Back when these bars were popular the white collar paper pushers worked in the Smith tower or one of the smaller office buildings. Yeah Smith Tower used to be offices. I'm talking before 1975, hell 20 years before that too. Doesn't seem that long ago to me but then, well... probably not to man of you, my friends reading this. Okay if Hoppy garden has gotten this far 1975 is like prehistoric times for him.
So those workers would all have their local place. They'd stop on the way home every day to check in with their friends. They'd have a couple beers, a couple shots maybe and head home to their arm chair, watch some news and eat the dinner their wives made for them. These bars survived on routine and tradition. Pabst was one of the few surviving beers from that era still in these bars when my brother started messengering.
PBR also happened to be THE cheapest beer. Dollar drafts, Fifty Cent Drafts, you could get loaded on a bike messenger income. You could also drink a ton of it and not really feel too bad the next day. And it was cheap. And Iconic. These guys felt pride in drinking something with those roots.
Then it became popular with people trying to work into that messenger culture, but it really stayed low key until the birth of the hipster years after my brother moved on from delivering stuff on two wheels. Damn hipsters saw the messengers as easy prey and swept in and took their traditions.
Sometime in the blurry transition between real bike messengers and ironic hipsters pretending the folks at Pabst changed it all up:
Pivoting off the unlikely discovery that PBR had a following among bike messengers and indie rockers, the beer’s brand managers opted for an approach that eschewed television ads and big-ticket sponsorships in favor of potlucks and art shows.So yeah, maybe you can blame the birth of the hipster on their favorite and identifying beer on the corporation in charge of the label.
Or you can head over and read Walker's original piece from 2003.
And i should add - it is a DAMN good read. Sitting here a few years later, the story of Narragansett beer isn't much different, another Virtual Brewery, with a local marketing campaign not dissimilar from the one Pabst started back in the early 2000s.
And I'll be honest. a Gansett tall boy is one of my go to options for one reason, it is cheap, and not offensive. I can appreciate a damn fine beer, but sometimes, you just want something cold and bubbly to drink that isn't a soda or fizzy water.
So I probably could have said - just read that first link and this other one and say my bro was in on the local indie music scene and was a bike messenger in the 90s and was instrumental in giving PBR it's first bump. But now? He won't touch the stuff.
He left PBR pretty soon after leaving the messenger scene, likely because he saw it becoming trendy and he wanted to blaze his own path. That punk ass kid brother of mine certainly has. And to make it worse? He's really one of the only fat vegans I know. He became a vegan back in 1991, again, waaaaaaay before it was popular, or easy to do.
I'm sure everyone knows someone like my brother who lead a trend and then jumped, he is still a vegan, vegan house, vegan kids, vegan wife... and still doing just what he wants, his way, and I admire that in my little brother, even if he is responsible for the whole hipster infatuation with PBR.
heddwch
G
POTM
So yeah a theme here. Good or bad - F'it.
I caught Mark's tweet about his web log post.
Solid man. I've been saying for a while, esp here in New England, the top 10 people in any given Cat 4 field, road or cross, SHOULD be AUTOMATICALLY and FORCIBLY upgraded to cat 3 with more than 2 or 3 top 15 placings esp with the size of the fields we have.
But that's my opinion. They should probably push the front of the Cat 3 field up as well.
And then later he mentioned his upgrade request was denied.
Bigger issue - seriously, a set of wheels for winning a cat 4 race series? Nice and all but in 1997 or '98 when i discovered the sport I just got a plaque with my name on it as series winner. 2nd place got jack... i also got a "hey, welcome to the B race." The fields in Michigan were wicked small compared to the 100-200 rider fields you can see at either ends of the country but there was a concerted effort to get faster and when you did you moved up. End of story.
CAT UP or STAY HOME.
My road team mate is (in my mind) guilty of staying a cat 4 way too long. he is "justifying" making the front end of the race faster than it should be with teh complaint that he doesn't want to race later in the day. Oh boo hoo. You've done your time, move on and cat up Man. CAT UP (road and cross).
Maybe Crossresults should put a list together of these Cat 4 sandbaggers and send it to the USAC official in charge of upgrading. Would make it better/easier for the beginners. Not maybe so much for me because those old Cat 4 35+ guys are probably a lot faster than me right now. Would give me more people to chase but stick me further back. Not sure that's a good thing for me.
Oh well. Great post by Mark, I probably ruined the taste of it with my expounding on it but hey - this is my web log, want to read something good? go somewhere else, I'd say Solo's page but he's down to one post every couple weeks, not much new content over there (okay just checked, still me leading him in PVD).
heddwch
G
I caught Mark's tweet about his web log post.
Solid man. I've been saying for a while, esp here in New England, the top 10 people in any given Cat 4 field, road or cross, SHOULD be AUTOMATICALLY and FORCIBLY upgraded to cat 3 with more than 2 or 3 top 15 placings esp with the size of the fields we have.
But that's my opinion. They should probably push the front of the Cat 3 field up as well.
And then later he mentioned his upgrade request was denied.
Bigger issue - seriously, a set of wheels for winning a cat 4 race series? Nice and all but in 1997 or '98 when i discovered the sport I just got a plaque with my name on it as series winner. 2nd place got jack... i also got a "hey, welcome to the B race." The fields in Michigan were wicked small compared to the 100-200 rider fields you can see at either ends of the country but there was a concerted effort to get faster and when you did you moved up. End of story.
CAT UP or STAY HOME.
My road team mate is (in my mind) guilty of staying a cat 4 way too long. he is "justifying" making the front end of the race faster than it should be with teh complaint that he doesn't want to race later in the day. Oh boo hoo. You've done your time, move on and cat up Man. CAT UP (road and cross).
Maybe Crossresults should put a list together of these Cat 4 sandbaggers and send it to the USAC official in charge of upgrading. Would make it better/easier for the beginners. Not maybe so much for me because those old Cat 4 35+ guys are probably a lot faster than me right now. Would give me more people to chase but stick me further back. Not sure that's a good thing for me.
Oh well. Great post by Mark, I probably ruined the taste of it with my expounding on it but hey - this is my web log, want to read something good? go somewhere else, I'd say Solo's page but he's down to one post every couple weeks, not much new content over there (okay just checked, still me leading him in PVD).
heddwch
G
QOTM
You want to hold your hoods in your hands like a pair of baseball bats you plan to smash the course with, not places to gently rest your hands while you think about how good you look in your Rapha kit.
From Mr Blackwell. That and Myles must have been listening to the IM chat I had with G-ride a couple days ago/last week when he called me Grumble Wookie, and then it spiraled down to where his annoying critical nature makes his character C3PO, and Curtis B's flair for style and attracting chicks makes him a shoe in for Han Solo. Eventually someone had to be Yoda. Who better. Myerspace. Mr. Yoda. Speaks mostly in 140 character phrases. Perfect for the Yoda, Twitter is.
Props Mr Blackwell, nailed it with that analysis. That and, sorry Cathy and the rest of the NEBC female crew, I'm with him on the knee high socks. Solobreak can get away with his pipi longstockings socks because he doesn't wear them at every race and he's been pulling em up to his balls for probably 20+ years now, or at least as long as he's been doing cross from the sounds of it. And he's old enough that he doesn't have to pull them up as high as before, Thank GOD for the support of lycra!
The tallest socks that should be worn in cross would be these You can order them from the web page there or find Gary David (or any of us Cyclocross racing grassroots team members) at a race and save yourself the shipping, bring a 410 for one or $20 for two pair. Pro-tip. Get one a slightly larger size (they are wicked thin) you can stick a pair of your woolies under the socks and look cool even when it is cold out. Because, You HAVE to have a big red and white CX on the socks. It isn't ironic, it is cool.
Monday, October 18, 2010
MRC Cyclocrossracing.com Spectacular
Man that was an awesome race. Hard, but flowing. I could break it down into sections knowing I needed to keep on the gas - in the red - to a point where there was a mini recovery. Or just link em together.
Wow that course was awesome. Except for some kid who normally races the B race aging up and deciding that holding a line wasn't much fun and felt obligated to push me into the tape and wrap a stake into my crank and tape around both sides of the bike.
Flyover was totally cool, I probably paused way too long at the top some of the time but no worries on it even being so tall, and slightly afraid of heights.
I linked the whole race together. Raced hard the whole time, not fast, no not by any means. But Moose Milliman was there and he might have hated it but man it was racing. And fun. The family came up and ROB BAUER set up a killer kids course, that slayed me. Totally slayed me. More on that later.
This morning I noticed Chip Baker making a comment over at Facebook on one of Matt Kraus's notes.
With all the old dipshits who read this I'm surprised they couldn't lay it out as clearly or as simply as Kraus did. Shit I needed to read that before Gloucester or Providence. And yeah I'm probably pushing the envelope with the over training (not just last week and those 10 hill sprints - but I actually felt pretty decently recovered then - my recovery has been good, I just suck).
But damn if Matt didn't lay it out in a way that made it click. Milliman was talking about it too, coming on into form for his A race, Putney.
Suddenly it makes sense why I start to come into form and why I've always seemed to have my best races at Plymouth South (mid Nov).
Oh well, taking this coming weekend off but it sounds like John has a killer race set up in Maine. One of these years I'll make it up there... one of them...
heddwch
G
(proper race report may or may not be coming, along with photos)
Wow that course was awesome. Except for some kid who normally races the B race aging up and deciding that holding a line wasn't much fun and felt obligated to push me into the tape and wrap a stake into my crank and tape around both sides of the bike.
Flyover was totally cool, I probably paused way too long at the top some of the time but no worries on it even being so tall, and slightly afraid of heights.
I linked the whole race together. Raced hard the whole time, not fast, no not by any means. But Moose Milliman was there and he might have hated it but man it was racing. And fun. The family came up and ROB BAUER set up a killer kids course, that slayed me. Totally slayed me. More on that later.
This morning I noticed Chip Baker making a comment over at Facebook on one of Matt Kraus's notes.
With all the old dipshits who read this I'm surprised they couldn't lay it out as clearly or as simply as Kraus did. Shit I needed to read that before Gloucester or Providence. And yeah I'm probably pushing the envelope with the over training (not just last week and those 10 hill sprints - but I actually felt pretty decently recovered then - my recovery has been good, I just suck).
But damn if Matt didn't lay it out in a way that made it click. Milliman was talking about it too, coming on into form for his A race, Putney.
Suddenly it makes sense why I start to come into form and why I've always seemed to have my best races at Plymouth South (mid Nov).
Oh well, taking this coming weekend off but it sounds like John has a killer race set up in Maine. One of these years I'll make it up there... one of them...
heddwch
G
(proper race report may or may not be coming, along with photos)
Saturday, October 16, 2010
3,001
Post number. Day-um.
That's really not that many i guess, right?
Let me lay down on the couch for a second. Today I came to terms with the fact that this season is not one of my better ones. I can't expect to improve every year without having a flat or bad year. Maybe I've hit a plateau. Maybe the end of the year last year is as fast as I'll be. If so? Great. I can be happy with that. I'm not genetically gifted in the way of cycling legs and lungs. I learned that a long time ago. But I love this cyclocross crap.
Coming to terms with it after today's race was pretty big. I can just head out and race. Expectations are out the window. I've successfully kicked the whole crossresults points ranking out of my head. WHO CARES what that number is. It is what it is, and yes, that number is f'n accurate so everyone should use it, and I'm happy starting in the back. No worries. It is where I belong this year.
I feel about 100 pounds lighter right now. There's still that albatross of the wedding cake fly reel hanging over my head. If you actually got this far and are reading it and know someone who is a crazy salmon fly fisherman, tell them you know someone who is trying to sell a Gar Wood Fin Nor #3 wedding cake Fly Reel, original series. I'll make em a great deal. Seriously. You all sit there and read this crap, no adds, see if someone you know wants to buy it. Get the damn albatross off of my neck. Yall have my email (check the profile - it isn't hard to find).
One other thing I've realized: I've been going non-stop since coming back from Nags Head this summer. July to now. No downtime. Maybe there was something but looking back? I dunno, I keep going from big thing to big thing to craziness to more and more and more. No wonder. Seriously no wonder. Nice to finally have that realization. So much stress about the rusty trusty race wagon, presentations, new bike, season expectations...
Where's the reset button. Season begins at Canton now.
Whole new slate.
I love this CX stuff, but man did i get hung up on how well i was doing, or not doing. Screw all that. I might be seeing more of Jonny Bold this season, but you know what? He's not that bad of a guy, I don't mind the opportunity to say hey.
coach or no, this season starts now, i don't even think Kurt Perham could whip my ass into form at this point, so lets let it ride and just enjoy the shit out of this stuff. Because man, it IS fun.
heddwch
G
That's really not that many i guess, right?
Let me lay down on the couch for a second. Today I came to terms with the fact that this season is not one of my better ones. I can't expect to improve every year without having a flat or bad year. Maybe I've hit a plateau. Maybe the end of the year last year is as fast as I'll be. If so? Great. I can be happy with that. I'm not genetically gifted in the way of cycling legs and lungs. I learned that a long time ago. But I love this cyclocross crap.
Coming to terms with it after today's race was pretty big. I can just head out and race. Expectations are out the window. I've successfully kicked the whole crossresults points ranking out of my head. WHO CARES what that number is. It is what it is, and yes, that number is f'n accurate so everyone should use it, and I'm happy starting in the back. No worries. It is where I belong this year.
I feel about 100 pounds lighter right now. There's still that albatross of the wedding cake fly reel hanging over my head. If you actually got this far and are reading it and know someone who is a crazy salmon fly fisherman, tell them you know someone who is trying to sell a Gar Wood Fin Nor #3 wedding cake Fly Reel, original series. I'll make em a great deal. Seriously. You all sit there and read this crap, no adds, see if someone you know wants to buy it. Get the damn albatross off of my neck. Yall have my email (check the profile - it isn't hard to find).
One other thing I've realized: I've been going non-stop since coming back from Nags Head this summer. July to now. No downtime. Maybe there was something but looking back? I dunno, I keep going from big thing to big thing to craziness to more and more and more. No wonder. Seriously no wonder. Nice to finally have that realization. So much stress about the rusty trusty race wagon, presentations, new bike, season expectations...
Where's the reset button. Season begins at Canton now.
Whole new slate.
I love this CX stuff, but man did i get hung up on how well i was doing, or not doing. Screw all that. I might be seeing more of Jonny Bold this season, but you know what? He's not that bad of a guy, I don't mind the opportunity to say hey.
coach or no, this season starts now, i don't even think Kurt Perham could whip my ass into form at this point, so lets let it ride and just enjoy the shit out of this stuff. Because man, it IS fun.
heddwch
G
TCC Mansfield Hollow Cyclocross Race
Wow that was hard. Ron managed to create an even more challenging course. I guess it wasn't hard enough before so he added some extra barriers, three total, classic two sand pits were there, if you could ride it great but the penalty for f'n it up was severe so most people in all the races opted to dismount going into it and just running it. You could hit it with speed so you could dismount and just haul ass through the sand. The double up was getting looser and looser through out the race but still rideable if you didn't screw up.
Kyle Wolf was sitting in the pits as an official offering some heckling "You gotta pedal to go fast" or something like that.
I got there with some time to pre-ride before the 11pm race started, figured on pre-riding then and getting one more lap between the 11 and 12 race, then sit on the trainer until my 1pm race. Yeah I did the 2,3,4 race, the B race. 13 guys took the line for the 35+ 2,3,4 race, and with only 7 pre-registered Whitey and I both had the same though "lets race with people" good move? Yeah I think so.
I'm always shocked when I race in other fields just how slow the starts are. That and I had a nice front row start. On the inside.
Relaxed and easily we started. heading down to a 180. I'm feeling good, sitting in about 5th or 8th, somewhere like that. Until my inside line stuffs me into a BIG F'N STAKE. Nice 2x2 stakes Ron. Can't blow through them. And while I untangled myself 20-30 guys streamed past. AWESOME. Okay, recover, move it.
So I moved it. Got back in the train behind the Master Antagonist Steven H and we hit the 180 up the off camber street side sort of thing. Burke gave me the 411 and I dismounted BEFORE the 180 and passed about 15 guys running the section. But then I managed to screw up and killed my momentum on the straight section and half of them went by. Steven said "See Ya Geoff" as I was coming up to speed. I hung out about 2 riders back from him for a while. We hit the Log jump (moved up the hill from the past) and Ron had stuck another barrier on the other side of it (barrier number 1). Then around the off camber, through some turns that the kids around me kept overcooking and screwing up, then a new approach to the first sand section, dismount, run it, and a different transition between the two sand sections and then the second one. I ran em both per the 411 from Burke the first lap. Most of the guys were too.
So then we hit that and then the wide open WINDY (gusts were over 40mph) section before the double up section where Hoppygardener screwed up and dismounted mid up, I was prepared and had dismounted at the bottom and gave him a friendly bump as I ran past and jumped on. Loop around a big tree past the pits, hit another set of barriers (#2 and 4th dismount if you could hit the double up section clean). The approach to the woods was harder and I just couldn't seem to dial that bermed woods section in at all. Out of the woods and instead of turning left we turned right and went around the base of the High Tension tower and back to the 3rd barrier in their traditional spot before hitting the start line and then around to the finish.
I was having fun.
Hoppygarden was well behind me, so was Zanc, GLOWA was back there too and Nate. I was feeling good, racing well. It was f'n brutal though and with 2 or 3 or between the two Zanc dissapeared, HoppyGarden came through me and i fell apart and hemmoraged minutes. Zanc was working his way up and I was keeping hoppygarden in sight and was prepared for a good run to the finish. And i did my normal wheels falling off dropping about 2-3 minutes in one lap. Oh it was awful. If i can figure out how to keep the brain in race mode for the whole god damn race maybe I'd get some results.
Uri was coming and well, he was all that was back there at the bell and I pedaled hard enough to finish in front of him. But a good 7 minutes or so back from the ultimate sandbagger Graham Garber. He was almost a minute faster than 2nd place. Come on man, I know you like winning and all but you're a solid A race kind of person, esp at non-UCI events. Totally gets the Sandbagger of the year award IMHO. But that's okay, he's still a 2 (for some reason).
I was way way down, but I had fun. every time i started to get all cranky I thought of the next fun section and got refocused and smiled and had fun. It was tough.
I crashed HARD into the bushes at one point. That probably contributed to the mental crack more than anything. I had a great race going with the dreadlock guy, I'd drop him in a couple sections he'd work his way back up and we repeated that. Then i ate shit in the second sand section when I thought maybe i'd ride most of it like I had in the past years, my dismount was ill timed as my front wheel decided to wash out mid-dismount and I fell onto some pretty pointy bits of the shrub. I had leaves stuffed up under my skinsuit legs. I thought I'd ripped the shorts open or was bleeding, but not, just felt like it. Totally shook me off my game and dreadlock guy got around me and I couldn't shut the pain out to make enough power to stay with him.
It was a shitshow on my part. But you know what? I don't care. I'm having an absolutely horrible year fitness wise for some reason but it is still fun when I let me self enjoy it. Just have to figure out how to keep engaged in the race the whole time.
Maine weekend is going to be good for me. In that I'm not making the trip up there. Maybe I'll work on getting a nice long ride in and maybe try this sleep thing I hear about. Some people say sleeping is good.
Oh and the pancake thing? They were wicked good but not maybe the best prep, I was hungry and ate a handful of peanut butter and jelly between pancake with about 2 hrs to go before the race because I was wicked famished and well... i started burping peanut butter. Could be the 2 hour thing but sticking with the egg sandwich seems to be better at keeping me from feeling hungry through the race, although maybe next time I'll try something different.
That and I managed to smash the top of my right foot on something, probably during the crash, it hurts like a MoFo. Ouch.
heddwch
G
Kyle Wolf was sitting in the pits as an official offering some heckling "You gotta pedal to go fast" or something like that.
I got there with some time to pre-ride before the 11pm race started, figured on pre-riding then and getting one more lap between the 11 and 12 race, then sit on the trainer until my 1pm race. Yeah I did the 2,3,4 race, the B race. 13 guys took the line for the 35+ 2,3,4 race, and with only 7 pre-registered Whitey and I both had the same though "lets race with people" good move? Yeah I think so.
I'm always shocked when I race in other fields just how slow the starts are. That and I had a nice front row start. On the inside.
Relaxed and easily we started. heading down to a 180. I'm feeling good, sitting in about 5th or 8th, somewhere like that. Until my inside line stuffs me into a BIG F'N STAKE. Nice 2x2 stakes Ron. Can't blow through them. And while I untangled myself 20-30 guys streamed past. AWESOME. Okay, recover, move it.
So I moved it. Got back in the train behind the Master Antagonist Steven H and we hit the 180 up the off camber street side sort of thing. Burke gave me the 411 and I dismounted BEFORE the 180 and passed about 15 guys running the section. But then I managed to screw up and killed my momentum on the straight section and half of them went by. Steven said "See Ya Geoff" as I was coming up to speed. I hung out about 2 riders back from him for a while. We hit the Log jump (moved up the hill from the past) and Ron had stuck another barrier on the other side of it (barrier number 1). Then around the off camber, through some turns that the kids around me kept overcooking and screwing up, then a new approach to the first sand section, dismount, run it, and a different transition between the two sand sections and then the second one. I ran em both per the 411 from Burke the first lap. Most of the guys were too.
So then we hit that and then the wide open WINDY (gusts were over 40mph) section before the double up section where Hoppygardener screwed up and dismounted mid up, I was prepared and had dismounted at the bottom and gave him a friendly bump as I ran past and jumped on. Loop around a big tree past the pits, hit another set of barriers (#2 and 4th dismount if you could hit the double up section clean). The approach to the woods was harder and I just couldn't seem to dial that bermed woods section in at all. Out of the woods and instead of turning left we turned right and went around the base of the High Tension tower and back to the 3rd barrier in their traditional spot before hitting the start line and then around to the finish.
I was having fun.
Hoppygarden was well behind me, so was Zanc, GLOWA was back there too and Nate. I was feeling good, racing well. It was f'n brutal though and with 2 or 3 or between the two Zanc dissapeared, HoppyGarden came through me and i fell apart and hemmoraged minutes. Zanc was working his way up and I was keeping hoppygarden in sight and was prepared for a good run to the finish. And i did my normal wheels falling off dropping about 2-3 minutes in one lap. Oh it was awful. If i can figure out how to keep the brain in race mode for the whole god damn race maybe I'd get some results.
Uri was coming and well, he was all that was back there at the bell and I pedaled hard enough to finish in front of him. But a good 7 minutes or so back from the ultimate sandbagger Graham Garber. He was almost a minute faster than 2nd place. Come on man, I know you like winning and all but you're a solid A race kind of person, esp at non-UCI events. Totally gets the Sandbagger of the year award IMHO. But that's okay, he's still a 2 (for some reason).
I was way way down, but I had fun. every time i started to get all cranky I thought of the next fun section and got refocused and smiled and had fun. It was tough.
I crashed HARD into the bushes at one point. That probably contributed to the mental crack more than anything. I had a great race going with the dreadlock guy, I'd drop him in a couple sections he'd work his way back up and we repeated that. Then i ate shit in the second sand section when I thought maybe i'd ride most of it like I had in the past years, my dismount was ill timed as my front wheel decided to wash out mid-dismount and I fell onto some pretty pointy bits of the shrub. I had leaves stuffed up under my skinsuit legs. I thought I'd ripped the shorts open or was bleeding, but not, just felt like it. Totally shook me off my game and dreadlock guy got around me and I couldn't shut the pain out to make enough power to stay with him.
It was a shitshow on my part. But you know what? I don't care. I'm having an absolutely horrible year fitness wise for some reason but it is still fun when I let me self enjoy it. Just have to figure out how to keep engaged in the race the whole time.
Maine weekend is going to be good for me. In that I'm not making the trip up there. Maybe I'll work on getting a nice long ride in and maybe try this sleep thing I hear about. Some people say sleeping is good.
Oh and the pancake thing? They were wicked good but not maybe the best prep, I was hungry and ate a handful of peanut butter and jelly between pancake with about 2 hrs to go before the race because I was wicked famished and well... i started burping peanut butter. Could be the 2 hour thing but sticking with the egg sandwich seems to be better at keeping me from feeling hungry through the race, although maybe next time I'll try something different.
That and I managed to smash the top of my right foot on something, probably during the crash, it hurts like a MoFo. Ouch.
heddwch
G
It is a Pancake Morning
probably put a fire in the wood stove morning too but i have just a few small logs of oak to go in there, not much in the way of fuel.
It is cool in the house but I kind of like it, and that means I'm finally starting to lose the heat adaptation, bring on the elevated dermal respiration rates! F'Yeah.
The dog let me sleep in sort of. She wanted to eat first at 5:30, and then 6am, and both times she settled down when I told her to lay down and let me sleep some more. But by 6:10 she was body slamming the bed and wacking it with her tail, shaking her ears and starting to make some quiet vocal noises. Seriously. Come on, I'm not racing till 1pm, don't have to leave till 9 or so and you're waking me up now?
We've got a big sleep over tonight, and the later race means I can get a nice big breakfast made for everyone. Pancakes have been requested. I'm looking forward to a big stack of them. Honestly, I'm getting a bit tired of the breakfast sandwich pre-race meal. We'll see what a big stack of pancakes does for me, and if I want a big stack I'm going to have to double the recipe to have any with the 5 other hungry mouths to feed. And everyone has a nice busy day today, soccer, modern dance, so the extra calories will be burned off in no time. These kids of mine seem to have a metabolism like I do, good stuff.
So I tagged this with food because it is time to rehash the pancake/waffle recipe. It is NOT acceptable to use a mix, even one as awesome as Bob's Red Mill. (okay fine looking at that makes me think twice - that sounds pretty good, not the point though). So lets argue not that the product isn't amazing, but say you're trying to stretch a buck until you win the next race or want to make sure you have entry fee to race so you can watch your friends take home all the prize money. $15/7 pounds. Not a bad price really. But, organic whole wheat flour will run you between $3 and $5/5 pound bag, and then, well Rumford baking powder isn't all that pricey, organic cane sugar is about a buck and a quarter a pound, everyone has salt laying around. And buttermilk is great but when you only use it for pancakes the powder options is good but I've got a better substitute for that (50/50 milk and yogurt).
Yeah it is all pre-mixed and what not but you've still gotta do the whole eggs and milk/water and butter/oil.
So it isn't really saving you much time.
So Pancakes (I'd better write faster or i will run out of time to make them - no worries everyone is still asleep - even the silly old dog):
Single batch, actually this batter works great for waffles too for you crazy hupcake/belgian wanna be types. Pancakes are just a tad easier to make.
2 or 3 eggs depending on size (jumbo or medium)
1 cup Milk
1 cup Yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon salt
Beat the eggs till just blended, add the rest of that stuff and blend together. Dissolving the sugar and the salt in the liquid makes sense to me so that's why i do it this way.
Next on top of the liquid I pile up:
1 cup of all purpose Whole Wheat flour
1 cup of all purpose White flour (makes the pancakes just a touch lighter)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder (aluminum free stuff)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon-tablespoon of cinnamon
Putting the small dry ingredients on top of the dry stuff and then mixing it all in works really well for me. You could alternatively put the dry stuff in a different bowl, mix them and then dump into the wet stuff - or put the wet stuff on top of the dry. I like only having one bowl to wash and since I do the cooking AND the dishes it is something i think about.
Okay. Mix just until barely integrated. The less mixing the better the pancakes.
Now you should have the skillet warming up.
In that skillet put 4 tablespoons of butter to melt. Once the butter is just melted pour it all into the batter and fold it in gently. I prefer to use butter instead of oil because it gives a much better mouth feel and texture to the pancakes than oil. That and Olive oil doesn't taste right in these pancakes and you don't want to cook with vegetable/sunflower oils at all (high omega 6 levels). Grapeseed oil might actually work, light in flavor and a decent balance of fatty acids I think.
Okay.
There ya go.
At this point you can add some frozen blueberries, or chocolate chips before cooking.
One nice variation is to substitute 1/2 of the milk with apple cider and add extra cinnamon and then grate an apple into the pancake batter (nice big slot grater). Those are damn good.
Today will be probably a variety batch, some chocolate chips and some blueberries and some plain. To make that work I'll just add the berries or chips after putting the pancake batter in the pan. I hear a few little monsters moving around and talking, best get the show on the road. I'll probably be increasing the recipe by 50% or so, maybe doubling it today, okay I'm going to double it.
Oh and always the ingredients should be organic, and local if possible - it does make a huge difference for the planet, your food, and your health. Yeah yeah go ahead and argue that it doesn't if it makes you sleep better at night, you'd still be wrong. *game,set,match*
heddwch
G
It is cool in the house but I kind of like it, and that means I'm finally starting to lose the heat adaptation, bring on the elevated dermal respiration rates! F'Yeah.
The dog let me sleep in sort of. She wanted to eat first at 5:30, and then 6am, and both times she settled down when I told her to lay down and let me sleep some more. But by 6:10 she was body slamming the bed and wacking it with her tail, shaking her ears and starting to make some quiet vocal noises. Seriously. Come on, I'm not racing till 1pm, don't have to leave till 9 or so and you're waking me up now?
We've got a big sleep over tonight, and the later race means I can get a nice big breakfast made for everyone. Pancakes have been requested. I'm looking forward to a big stack of them. Honestly, I'm getting a bit tired of the breakfast sandwich pre-race meal. We'll see what a big stack of pancakes does for me, and if I want a big stack I'm going to have to double the recipe to have any with the 5 other hungry mouths to feed. And everyone has a nice busy day today, soccer, modern dance, so the extra calories will be burned off in no time. These kids of mine seem to have a metabolism like I do, good stuff.
So I tagged this with food because it is time to rehash the pancake/waffle recipe. It is NOT acceptable to use a mix, even one as awesome as Bob's Red Mill. (okay fine looking at that makes me think twice - that sounds pretty good, not the point though). So lets argue not that the product isn't amazing, but say you're trying to stretch a buck until you win the next race or want to make sure you have entry fee to race so you can watch your friends take home all the prize money. $15/7 pounds. Not a bad price really. But, organic whole wheat flour will run you between $3 and $5/5 pound bag, and then, well Rumford baking powder isn't all that pricey, organic cane sugar is about a buck and a quarter a pound, everyone has salt laying around. And buttermilk is great but when you only use it for pancakes the powder options is good but I've got a better substitute for that (50/50 milk and yogurt).
Yeah it is all pre-mixed and what not but you've still gotta do the whole eggs and milk/water and butter/oil.
So it isn't really saving you much time.
So Pancakes (I'd better write faster or i will run out of time to make them - no worries everyone is still asleep - even the silly old dog):
Single batch, actually this batter works great for waffles too for you crazy hupcake/belgian wanna be types. Pancakes are just a tad easier to make.
2 or 3 eggs depending on size (jumbo or medium)
1 cup Milk
1 cup Yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon salt
Beat the eggs till just blended, add the rest of that stuff and blend together. Dissolving the sugar and the salt in the liquid makes sense to me so that's why i do it this way.
Next on top of the liquid I pile up:
1 cup of all purpose Whole Wheat flour
1 cup of all purpose White flour (makes the pancakes just a touch lighter)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder (aluminum free stuff)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon-tablespoon of cinnamon
Putting the small dry ingredients on top of the dry stuff and then mixing it all in works really well for me. You could alternatively put the dry stuff in a different bowl, mix them and then dump into the wet stuff - or put the wet stuff on top of the dry. I like only having one bowl to wash and since I do the cooking AND the dishes it is something i think about.
Okay. Mix just until barely integrated. The less mixing the better the pancakes.
Now you should have the skillet warming up.
In that skillet put 4 tablespoons of butter to melt. Once the butter is just melted pour it all into the batter and fold it in gently. I prefer to use butter instead of oil because it gives a much better mouth feel and texture to the pancakes than oil. That and Olive oil doesn't taste right in these pancakes and you don't want to cook with vegetable/sunflower oils at all (high omega 6 levels). Grapeseed oil might actually work, light in flavor and a decent balance of fatty acids I think.
Okay.
There ya go.
At this point you can add some frozen blueberries, or chocolate chips before cooking.
One nice variation is to substitute 1/2 of the milk with apple cider and add extra cinnamon and then grate an apple into the pancake batter (nice big slot grater). Those are damn good.
Today will be probably a variety batch, some chocolate chips and some blueberries and some plain. To make that work I'll just add the berries or chips after putting the pancake batter in the pan. I hear a few little monsters moving around and talking, best get the show on the road. I'll probably be increasing the recipe by 50% or so, maybe doubling it today, okay I'm going to double it.
Oh and always the ingredients should be organic, and local if possible - it does make a huge difference for the planet, your food, and your health. Yeah yeah go ahead and argue that it doesn't if it makes you sleep better at night, you'd still be wrong. *game,set,match*
heddwch
G
Friday, October 15, 2010
Sugar, Garlic, Ginger: A Cold Remedy You Shouldn't Like - Tejal Rao - Food - The Atlantic
Sugar, Garlic, Ginger: A Cold Remedy You Shouldn't Like - Tejal Rao - Food - The Atlantic
Totally agree with it. Honestly I think the big active ingredient is the garlic. You can get around drinking it by cutting a clove into quarters the long way (making pill shaped torpedos) and swallowing them whole. Put them skin side down on your tongue, not cut side or you'll not be happy. And the raw bit is important, which may mean this gal's tea probably doesn't benefit from the garlic added and you're just left with the stinky sulfur compounds and not the kick ass, ass kicking allicin. But hey maybe it still works, what do I know, i'm just a bike racer.
Totally agree with it. Honestly I think the big active ingredient is the garlic. You can get around drinking it by cutting a clove into quarters the long way (making pill shaped torpedos) and swallowing them whole. Put them skin side down on your tongue, not cut side or you'll not be happy. And the raw bit is important, which may mean this gal's tea probably doesn't benefit from the garlic added and you're just left with the stinky sulfur compounds and not the kick ass, ass kicking allicin. But hey maybe it still works, what do I know, i'm just a bike racer.
NYTimes and Wholewheat pasta
Oh yeah. Can't agree with the article more. Esp the quote from Marion Nestle:
No they don't. And protein plus pasta really only has an extra gram or two of protein over the non-enhanced variety (check out the label) worth diluting the pasta? No. (Link credit goes to my wife - i don't read the NYTimes enough to catch all the good stuff like that.)
Right now I'm loving the Wholefoods 365 organic whole wheat pasta. I actually really do like the taste, it is nutty, not quite as sweet as the malty goodness of grapenuts but still tasty.
I used linguine with the sauce last night and complex flavors all worked like a symphony or a DJ AM mix.
Simple. Solobreak pulled out the rule from someone about not buying food with more than 4 or 5 ingredients or better yet buy food w/o a nutrition label. Michael Polan uses the 5 ingredient limit as one of his "Rules" in this book. But I heard it from that crotchety old bastard Solo before Polan published his book.
“I object to people adding stuff to food to make it seem healthy,” she said. “Pea powder and flaxseeds don’t belong in pasta.”
No they don't. And protein plus pasta really only has an extra gram or two of protein over the non-enhanced variety (check out the label) worth diluting the pasta? No. (Link credit goes to my wife - i don't read the NYTimes enough to catch all the good stuff like that.)
Right now I'm loving the Wholefoods 365 organic whole wheat pasta. I actually really do like the taste, it is nutty, not quite as sweet as the malty goodness of grapenuts but still tasty.
I used linguine with the sauce last night and complex flavors all worked like a symphony or a DJ AM mix.
Simple. Solobreak pulled out the rule from someone about not buying food with more than 4 or 5 ingredients or better yet buy food w/o a nutrition label. Michael Polan uses the 5 ingredient limit as one of his "Rules" in this book. But I heard it from that crotchety old bastard Solo before Polan published his book.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Diversions
that make you really think.
Citizen Architect made me do that tonight. Wow. What a show.
For some reason I linked Samuel Mockbee with Sheldon Brown a few moments after watching that film and absorbing it.
Both of these men stricken down in their prime by a disease, robbed of their full gift to the human race, but having given enough to gain immortality in their own right and circle.
What bike mechanic doesn't know the name Sheldon Brown. If you wrench and don't? Shame on you. Saint Sheldon Brown as anointed by The Church of The Big Ring. I get goosebumps reading that post. I get goosebumps way too much but that's a different matter all together.
Anyway, growing up I had this desire to be an Architect for a while, before I discovered what Naval Architecture was and before I headed off to do a 3/2 program at a liberal arts college but wound up leaving with honors and distinction in botany - crazy kid, yeah.
Two books stood out, one by Stanley Tigerman, and another was a how to build your own house. The latter I memorized practically. Parts that sunk in still to this day are the year round survey. Figure out what the land does before trying to impose your will. Learn where the vista is, where the vernal springs are, where does the sun rise and fall through out the year.
Stuff like that. Things I imagine maybe Mockbee would have taught.
I'm god damn good at what I do, there's no question, but occasionally I capture a glimpse through an outstanding film like "Citizen Architect" and wonder what if...
What if...
I still have plans for my dream house. And I can still visualize them. The one change I would have to make is to kill the garage full of cars and create a kick ass bike shop in there instead. The cars can stay outside.
People say things happen for a reason, I don't buy it. Things just happen, you figure out as you go, there is no rhyme or reason, it just is, move on, make do and keep going minding your mounting responsibilities as you go.
Mockbee started the rural studio just before I graduated from college, and i doubt even if I had managed to swing a degree change or had gone to a different school that i would have wound up there or something like it. But man, that Eisenman dude is a giant douche (at least as protrayed in the film) - wow.
Sleep is beaconing me. No more time to reflect on what ifs and what might have beens, time to focus on the here and now, the present and make the most for the future on the path unfurling in front of me.
heddwch
G
Citizen Architect made me do that tonight. Wow. What a show.
For some reason I linked Samuel Mockbee with Sheldon Brown a few moments after watching that film and absorbing it.
Both of these men stricken down in their prime by a disease, robbed of their full gift to the human race, but having given enough to gain immortality in their own right and circle.
What bike mechanic doesn't know the name Sheldon Brown. If you wrench and don't? Shame on you. Saint Sheldon Brown as anointed by The Church of The Big Ring. I get goosebumps reading that post. I get goosebumps way too much but that's a different matter all together.
Anyway, growing up I had this desire to be an Architect for a while, before I discovered what Naval Architecture was and before I headed off to do a 3/2 program at a liberal arts college but wound up leaving with honors and distinction in botany - crazy kid, yeah.
Two books stood out, one by Stanley Tigerman, and another was a how to build your own house. The latter I memorized practically. Parts that sunk in still to this day are the year round survey. Figure out what the land does before trying to impose your will. Learn where the vista is, where the vernal springs are, where does the sun rise and fall through out the year.
Stuff like that. Things I imagine maybe Mockbee would have taught.
I'm god damn good at what I do, there's no question, but occasionally I capture a glimpse through an outstanding film like "Citizen Architect" and wonder what if...
What if...
I still have plans for my dream house. And I can still visualize them. The one change I would have to make is to kill the garage full of cars and create a kick ass bike shop in there instead. The cars can stay outside.
People say things happen for a reason, I don't buy it. Things just happen, you figure out as you go, there is no rhyme or reason, it just is, move on, make do and keep going minding your mounting responsibilities as you go.
Mockbee started the rural studio just before I graduated from college, and i doubt even if I had managed to swing a degree change or had gone to a different school that i would have wound up there or something like it. But man, that Eisenman dude is a giant douche (at least as protrayed in the film) - wow.
Sleep is beaconing me. No more time to reflect on what ifs and what might have beens, time to focus on the here and now, the present and make the most for the future on the path unfurling in front of me.
heddwch
G
Roasted Red Pepper, Cauliflower, Alfredo Sauce pasta (with green peas)
I gotta work on the titles. Jimmy E, it is your damn fault I'm trying to get this down.
(damn i just negotiated myself a few more minutes on this thing hope it is enough)
So.
Dinner was a basic old school traditional Alfredo Sauce. But with some additions and expansions.
Before making the sauce it was time to roast some cauliflower. Chop it up, mix it with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and pop it in a convection oven at 450 degrees until is it nice and dark and brown.
Oh and while that's in there toss in a red pepper or two. Gotta make sure you get that pepper nice and toasted (good amount of black eh?).
So yeah. Get that done.
When it is finished (30 min or so) turn off the oven and get to work on the pasta.
You could start the water and make it all simultaneously.
Okay I'm watching Citizen Architect and that new york dude Peter Eisenman sounds like a giant douche and jackass. But then like he says w/o him you wouldn't know where the spectrum ended. It ends with him. Good thing
Okay - so timing on cooking it all is up to you. Realistically if you are prepared it could take you maybe 45 min total with some time chilling having a beverage during a few spots.
Back to the food.
1 cup heavy cream (organic of course)
get it in a pan and warmed up
2 cloves of garlic (pressed into the cream)
let it meld - add the chopped up red pepper (oh yeah - this is why you want to do the roasting first - you need the pepper flavor to infuse into the cream).
Once the cream starts to bubble add 1 stick of butter. Yes. A whole god damn stick of butter. You're a damn bike racer get over it - you'll burn up the fat no problem, if not, don't worry - organic butter doesn't make you fat. And yeah, you've ootta use unsalted organic butter that doesn't have butter flavor added to the butter.
Once the butter is melted in and integrated pull out the red peppers and add 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (i used a Reggianito), maybe 1.5 cups.
Add a touch of milk if is too thick. Don't let the heat get too high or it will all separate and get grainy *yuck*
So. I use that organic whole wheat pasta from Whole Foods ($1.29/pound), once it is cooked add the pasta directly to the sauce, add the red peppers back in, and a good amount of frozen organic peas.
To serve add the tossed pasta to a bowl, spoon a mound of the roasted cauliflower (they tastes like french fries if you did it right) on top, grate some more fresh cheese on there add some pepper (and salt to taste) and in my case a good sprinkling of extra hot cayenne pepper.
Oh wow it is good. Don't eat too much. It is a dinner meal. It is about the flavors, the super savory pepper and cauliflower, the sweetness of the green peas balanced with the heat of the pepper and smooth depth of the cheese and cream.
Eat up.
cooking is good, but use good ingredients or you might as well start with sawdust or crude oil.
heddwch
G
(damn i just negotiated myself a few more minutes on this thing hope it is enough)
So.
Dinner was a basic old school traditional Alfredo Sauce. But with some additions and expansions.
Before making the sauce it was time to roast some cauliflower. Chop it up, mix it with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and pop it in a convection oven at 450 degrees until is it nice and dark and brown.
Oh and while that's in there toss in a red pepper or two. Gotta make sure you get that pepper nice and toasted (good amount of black eh?).
So yeah. Get that done.
When it is finished (30 min or so) turn off the oven and get to work on the pasta.
You could start the water and make it all simultaneously.
Okay I'm watching Citizen Architect and that new york dude Peter Eisenman sounds like a giant douche and jackass. But then like he says w/o him you wouldn't know where the spectrum ended. It ends with him. Good thing
Okay - so timing on cooking it all is up to you. Realistically if you are prepared it could take you maybe 45 min total with some time chilling having a beverage during a few spots.
Back to the food.
1 cup heavy cream (organic of course)
get it in a pan and warmed up
2 cloves of garlic (pressed into the cream)
let it meld - add the chopped up red pepper (oh yeah - this is why you want to do the roasting first - you need the pepper flavor to infuse into the cream).
Once the cream starts to bubble add 1 stick of butter. Yes. A whole god damn stick of butter. You're a damn bike racer get over it - you'll burn up the fat no problem, if not, don't worry - organic butter doesn't make you fat. And yeah, you've ootta use unsalted organic butter that doesn't have butter flavor added to the butter.
Once the butter is melted in and integrated pull out the red peppers and add 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (i used a Reggianito), maybe 1.5 cups.
Add a touch of milk if is too thick. Don't let the heat get too high or it will all separate and get grainy *yuck*
So. I use that organic whole wheat pasta from Whole Foods ($1.29/pound), once it is cooked add the pasta directly to the sauce, add the red peppers back in, and a good amount of frozen organic peas.
To serve add the tossed pasta to a bowl, spoon a mound of the roasted cauliflower (they tastes like french fries if you did it right) on top, grate some more fresh cheese on there add some pepper (and salt to taste) and in my case a good sprinkling of extra hot cayenne pepper.
Oh wow it is good. Don't eat too much. It is a dinner meal. It is about the flavors, the super savory pepper and cauliflower, the sweetness of the green peas balanced with the heat of the pepper and smooth depth of the cheese and cream.
Eat up.
cooking is good, but use good ingredients or you might as well start with sawdust or crude oil.
heddwch
G
Marathon Legs
I have them.
Well that's what Turdowski called them. My hill intervals hurt, but walking has been weird esp going down stairs. I can bound up them no problem, I can get pretty much full power to the pedals on the bike doing intervals (well my feeble power anyway), but walking down stairs? STILL HURTS.
Thought about it a bit but Turdowski sort of confirmed what I was thinking, the part of the hill climbing interval that hurt the next was the running down. I guess running down a 12-16% grade 10-11 times in a row sort of works a few muscle groups I've yet to use.
At least I didn't feel any slower going up on my mandatory dismount and stair run on the way into work. Pretty odd. Oh well.
10x100 for the ride home.
And this week, with the added training, I'm WICKED HUNGRY... A L L T H E T I M E ...damn metabolism. I suppose as long as I'm always hungry (even getting a good balanced b-fast and normal-for-me size lunch) that might mean i'll be able to shed a pound or two a week maybe, even half a pound down a week would be huge as the season progresses. With the one assumption, keeping power and energy levels during the race up.
Alright - time for the ride home:
Thanks for the tune-age for the ride home Chandler
here is one more - i love this track!
Oh it was an intersting ride in. 1m max efforts (5 of em) but before that it was a crazy sprint fest trying to catch a woman's puppy who was f'n FAST on the bike path. I chased him up to riverside before he dashed through the trees to a house and into the neighborhood. Spent a good 5 minutes tracking him down before he bolted for the woods. The woman had picked up help from a few others so I headed off to work. I hope she found the puppy, man tring to catch a 20 pound speedy puppy on a bike is harder than it would seem.
heddwch
G
Well that's what Turdowski called them. My hill intervals hurt, but walking has been weird esp going down stairs. I can bound up them no problem, I can get pretty much full power to the pedals on the bike doing intervals (well my feeble power anyway), but walking down stairs? STILL HURTS.
Thought about it a bit but Turdowski sort of confirmed what I was thinking, the part of the hill climbing interval that hurt the next was the running down. I guess running down a 12-16% grade 10-11 times in a row sort of works a few muscle groups I've yet to use.
At least I didn't feel any slower going up on my mandatory dismount and stair run on the way into work. Pretty odd. Oh well.
10x100 for the ride home.
And this week, with the added training, I'm WICKED HUNGRY... A L L T H E T I M E ...damn metabolism. I suppose as long as I'm always hungry (even getting a good balanced b-fast and normal-for-me size lunch) that might mean i'll be able to shed a pound or two a week maybe, even half a pound down a week would be huge as the season progresses. With the one assumption, keeping power and energy levels during the race up.
Alright - time for the ride home:
Thanks for the tune-age for the ride home Chandler
here is one more - i love this track!
Oh it was an intersting ride in. 1m max efforts (5 of em) but before that it was a crazy sprint fest trying to catch a woman's puppy who was f'n FAST on the bike path. I chased him up to riverside before he dashed through the trees to a house and into the neighborhood. Spent a good 5 minutes tracking him down before he bolted for the woods. The woman had picked up help from a few others so I headed off to work. I hope she found the puppy, man tring to catch a 20 pound speedy puppy on a bike is harder than it would seem.
heddwch
G
80% rule
as commented on by a pair of the hardcore backbones of NECX.
Check it out.
Right on JD. Thanks for EVERYTHING man!
Check it out.
Right on JD. Thanks for EVERYTHING man!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
two options
I'm either finally doing the work or I just overdid it. Sticking with the positive side I'm going with the former.
yesterday the plan was for some hill running intervals, 10 min warm up followed by 10 repeats. Timing with the car (before the starter) everything was going to work out so I would get here and do the run on the East Side Hill repeat course. Or at least pick one of them. So I picked one.
South Court.
I didn't pick the easier section above that from Congdon st to Prospect on Meeting, no I did the Benefit to Congdon section. I think it is the last three sections on Brent's map here. Oh and Brent, don't use JPGs try PNG files for stuff like that - the aliasing isn't nearly as bad. It starts at 15.8% then drops down to 12.7% finishing off at about 6.1%.
It is hard. 10 of those? Ah hell why not. And of course I lost count somewhere between #3 and #5, So I erred on being on #4 and then did 7 more just in case. I probably should have picked #5 and only have done 5 more, but I didn't. Yeah I should really figure out how to count. But the planning worked out, the final one was to failure. I literally couldn't take another step at the top. And I still had to get up that last stretch of Meeting street, stopping your intervals in the middle of the hill when you need to get to the top is kind of stupid. And honestly I had planned on running that whole last section until I got to Congdon.
I walked up the hill around for about 10-15 minutes cooling down before cleaning up and getting to work.
I'm wrecked today. And that's a good feeling. A POSITIVE feeling.
One that is helping fuel the desire to get better. I know I will never ever see the front end of the category I'm racing in, and getting lapped by Kevin Hines (talent at a level found in one in eight million people) isn't such a terrible thing.
Myerson's points are well taken, a couple days later, wow I can't wait to get back in there. Finding the right line. Getting the start nailed. Being in control of the things that I can control, doing the little stuff, having fun and letting the results sort themselves out as they will. That's the focus. And honestly that's what drives me.
I know there's little chance of me getting fast enough to do much more than hopefully have a race like this one. That's all. And part of me really needs to ignore my places behind jerry or PBJ. 71% of the time he's finished in front of me. Last year at the end of the season the margin narrowed and then I had three in a row, but I found form and he was burning out. gotta focus more on the Williams/Lehman battle. That and the new kid on the block Josh Gunn.
I'm grateful for friends who send me private emails of encouragement with suggestions, "90% of this game is 50% mental." And yeah don't we know it.
Mentally I had a tough second day. But I can't let one bad race define a season. it is a season after all. Hell i can't let a tough month of racing do that either. Success is being there. Starting, AND finishing. Competing and working on this game. It is just a game. But more than that, it provides a focus for me and a challenge. It doesn't come easy for me.
Enough focusing on it. Coach's plan that he pulled from somewhere has "1 hr skills" for tonight. Um. Yeah. Skills? Not my weak point. Sure I can always improve my cornering but look, I need to focus on the speed and fitness side. So I'm going to ignore that and walk the bike home... keep the joints moving and allow active recovery to take place to prepare for tomorrow and then the weekend.
Oh and The Six P's. Love them.
And I definitely gotta "Deal With It" better.
I can't help but wonder if 20 years ago Chip Baker and my brother were at the same race... in the same race maybe...
oh if you haven't been keeping up with Steve Tilford... go give his latest on Thor a read.
heddwch
G
yesterday the plan was for some hill running intervals, 10 min warm up followed by 10 repeats. Timing with the car (before the starter) everything was going to work out so I would get here and do the run on the East Side Hill repeat course. Or at least pick one of them. So I picked one.
South Court.
I didn't pick the easier section above that from Congdon st to Prospect on Meeting, no I did the Benefit to Congdon section. I think it is the last three sections on Brent's map here. Oh and Brent, don't use JPGs try PNG files for stuff like that - the aliasing isn't nearly as bad. It starts at 15.8% then drops down to 12.7% finishing off at about 6.1%.
It is hard. 10 of those? Ah hell why not. And of course I lost count somewhere between #3 and #5, So I erred on being on #4 and then did 7 more just in case. I probably should have picked #5 and only have done 5 more, but I didn't. Yeah I should really figure out how to count. But the planning worked out, the final one was to failure. I literally couldn't take another step at the top. And I still had to get up that last stretch of Meeting street, stopping your intervals in the middle of the hill when you need to get to the top is kind of stupid. And honestly I had planned on running that whole last section until I got to Congdon.
I walked up the hill around for about 10-15 minutes cooling down before cleaning up and getting to work.
I'm wrecked today. And that's a good feeling. A POSITIVE feeling.
One that is helping fuel the desire to get better. I know I will never ever see the front end of the category I'm racing in, and getting lapped by Kevin Hines (talent at a level found in one in eight million people) isn't such a terrible thing.
Myerson's points are well taken, a couple days later, wow I can't wait to get back in there. Finding the right line. Getting the start nailed. Being in control of the things that I can control, doing the little stuff, having fun and letting the results sort themselves out as they will. That's the focus. And honestly that's what drives me.
I know there's little chance of me getting fast enough to do much more than hopefully have a race like this one. That's all. And part of me really needs to ignore my places behind jerry or PBJ. 71% of the time he's finished in front of me. Last year at the end of the season the margin narrowed and then I had three in a row, but I found form and he was burning out. gotta focus more on the Williams/Lehman battle. That and the new kid on the block Josh Gunn.
I'm grateful for friends who send me private emails of encouragement with suggestions, "90% of this game is 50% mental." And yeah don't we know it.
Mentally I had a tough second day. But I can't let one bad race define a season. it is a season after all. Hell i can't let a tough month of racing do that either. Success is being there. Starting, AND finishing. Competing and working on this game. It is just a game. But more than that, it provides a focus for me and a challenge. It doesn't come easy for me.
Enough focusing on it. Coach's plan that he pulled from somewhere has "1 hr skills" for tonight. Um. Yeah. Skills? Not my weak point. Sure I can always improve my cornering but look, I need to focus on the speed and fitness side. So I'm going to ignore that and walk the bike home... keep the joints moving and allow active recovery to take place to prepare for tomorrow and then the weekend.
Oh and The Six P's. Love them.
And I definitely gotta "Deal With It" better.
I can't help but wonder if 20 years ago Chip Baker and my brother were at the same race... in the same race maybe...
oh if you haven't been keeping up with Steve Tilford... go give his latest on Thor a read.
heddwch
G
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Thanks SOUPS
Oh and who'm I kidding, figure it out? Me? (end of last post - if you are reading it chronologically).... If I figure it out and some how get fast and competitive and stuff, what the hell will I write about?
Struggles in the back, no podiums to show for it so i write about my horrible bike racing, racing to stay on the lead lap now and not always succeeding. Don't get me wrong. I'd love to find some higher measure of success, and it drives me. I crave it. But what can I do but keep working towards it, and I will. Damn it. Even if they manage to turn the East Coast Scene into a Hipster Tractor pull, because that really wouldn't be so bad. Who cares who is showing up to the races as long as they are coming and having fun watching "us" hit ourselves in the head with a hammer. And yeah. Those corners are pretty damn fun when you finally dial them in.
Struggles in the back, no podiums to show for it so i write about my horrible bike racing, racing to stay on the lead lap now and not always succeeding. Don't get me wrong. I'd love to find some higher measure of success, and it drives me. I crave it. But what can I do but keep working towards it, and I will. Damn it. Even if they manage to turn the East Coast Scene into a Hipster Tractor pull, because that really wouldn't be so bad. Who cares who is showing up to the races as long as they are coming and having fun watching "us" hit ourselves in the head with a hammer. And yeah. Those corners are pretty damn fun when you finally dial them in.
Hipster Tractor Pulls
What a divinely inspired phrase to use describing the Cyclocross scene in Portland, OR. Seriously - cracks me up now again thinking about it.
Myerson has gotten way too much patting on the back for that short bit of prose but it's pretty solid, and not that far wrong.
Take my race on Sunday as an example. It didn't go so well. First lap i didn't get off to a great start, thought I did but in my pre-riding I jumped on the course as it went by the startline headed to the triple bypass of spectator crossing death and I completely blanked on checking the start. never really assuming it was going to be changed but not giving it a thought (worse). Not till the start did I realize woops I'm way f'n out of position here - but I managed to slither and slink up a bit but mostly I still came through there pretty close to last. Up and down and around, running. Someone broke the stake on the double off camber 180 and I just stepped over the fencing (invoking the Paul Curly rule: "if it isn't taped it is only a suggestion"). But it was tight through the middle of the triple, then the whole run in into the barriers. I wasn't last but I was doing a damn good job getting there.
Barriers were okay - managed to survive and get around. Until we dropped into the bowl for the first time. Tall Embro guy who I crashed in front of at Gloucester on day two stalled and kind of dove across my line forcing me into the roots and ultimately I didn't have enough momentum/power/skill to recover and was able to reach out and with three finger tips grab the tree bark with enough force that I didn't slide backwards all the way down the hill. A bit later my fingers were burning so much I had to look at them, I thought there was a chance that I had ripped the skin off and they were bleeding (they were numb - couldn't feel a thing from the treebark). But I recovered and managed to get back on the end of the conga line. Yeah. Me. Lantern Rouge. Not even one lap in. Oh so not a good spot to be.
We headed around to the triple for the third pass, down in front of Timmie's van and up the dirt. EVERYONE was riding it. And riding it clean. No issues. It was easy. Everyone EXCEPT THE GUY IN FRONT OF ME. Seriously. I was riding up on his wheel, maybe too fast but I was holding momentum and traction and he started to bail, and I was set up to slide around to his left, leaving a couple feet to spare. Well. He stopped. And put a foot down, except it wasn't just down, it was out to the left and in my line, no room to avoid it and I had to stop and put a foot down, awkwardly. And then he took off.
And then I was riding alone. Saw Buck walking off the course, a couple guys with flats came back through me and then there was CTodd.
That jackass was up by the start finish. But before I realized who was yelling at me at the S/F line I noticed that there were 4 to go. FOUR? MORE? Shit I thought the laps were longer and man - didn't expect 7 laps.
That sucked some anger out, not that my legs were doing anything. To make it all worse Steve Lehman was never behind me all race. He's always behind me and just works his way through me or up to me. Sunday? I dunno what he did, maybe he warmed up or something but he was gone, up there with G-ride and GCD. Of Course Kyle Wolf working as an official didn't help. Kyle and I were in the pits for JONNY BOLD's win and while Roger Asphlom struggled in the ice. Last year Kyle seemed to figure out the cross thing, but he said he'd rather hang out at a cross race and get paid than to pay money to see how much he sucked, he said he knew how much he sucked and didn't need a reminder.
So Ctodd, sitting up there with 3 to go shouted "YOU AREN'T DFL AND YOU AREN'T GOING TO GET LAPPED" and you know what? That fired me up. Not enough to catch anyone (I was so alone at that point) but I dug deep and sucked every last watt out of my poorly trained legs because damn it that would be awesome.
Saddly, I came back around for the next lap and there is a 1 to go sign... shit i'm going to get lapped... and CTodd stands up and covers up the 1 to go and tells me I have 2 to go. Huh, that only means one thing, Leaders are coming through soon.
How soon? Time to untune out Richard and Company on the PA system. On a race like Saturday I don't hear the announcers at all, even going by the speakers, the sound doesn't register, sometimes I need to work on tuning other stuff out while racing. I come through the section off the grass and hear that Mark M is headed past the big Oak. "I wonder if that is the tree over by Kinnen (sp?) at the start, if it is I will be seeing him sooner than later." Uh oh. It is. "ONE TO GO FOR MARK ONE TO GO."
shit.
so I ride, one eye looking over my shoulder. I make it around through the up and down and then through the middle of the triple bypass before he's on me and he goes flying through. I did learn a new line through the post pit corner left hander with the roots where solobreak and g-ride decided to cuddle. And then i had to wait. And pedal really hard. And wait. And keep pedaling before the next gang came through. That was the long haired vandessel rider with Kevin glued on his wheel 18 second of spacing later. Then came Kevin, he caught me going through the pits maybe on the other side from where Mark got me, I got right the hell out of the way for all those guys and even shouted some encouragement.
I knew it was one of my worst days on a bike in a race in a while. Right from the start it was a doomed race. But I worked and wrung every last bit out of me. I didn't give up. I didn't stop hitting myself in the head with the hammer until I crossed the finish line. And it took a long time of being a mopey pissed jackass before I could even act somewhat normally or talk to anyone.
Right away I fired my coach, I was left wondering wtf to do. How to make it work. How could I salvage the whole rest of the season.
But then you know, I knew going into the weekend that I rarely have one good race let alone two after a rest week. Last year I either delayed the rest to the week after PVD or that's how I planned it anyway either way there was no way I could have carried a full program last week (which isn't much but it is more than doing nothing).
So really, with all the distractions, the rest week, the decent day on Saturday, totally didn't sleep well at all Saturday night... considering I finished with out crashing or breaking any equipment, I was able to drive myself home w/o stopping at the hospital on the way home or being picked up from the hospital, it really was okay.
that and the only time I get to cheer for Jonny Bold is when he's lapping me, well I guess that's okay too... once or twice... no more than that though.
Tubular tires were delivered yesterday, got them stretching, going to get them glued up. Kind of odd how when they showed up all the pre-season planning was over. Was that what was killing the mojo? All the bits in line? Now to try and sell that pesky fishing reel, and the wicked cool salmon flies and what ever else I can turn into cash instead of just a box full of cool old junk doing me not much good.
Oh and while G-ride might be a little old Justy, I'm a big old high torque diesel motor in desperate need of new nozzles and a turbo upgrade, maybe a chip tuning. But I think the chip tuning is more in line of how my wife described it (scoop the brains out, throw it on the ground, stomp on it and put it back in), or as Solobreak and others say "Stop thinking so much."
Team Mate and all around awesome guy Mark SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUPS Suprenant sent me a few shots, and I might get around to posting them... maybe...
I did manage, despite the Solenoid on the starter hanging up and getting jammed in the start the motor position but don't extend the bendix and keep buzzing away and changing the whole dynamics, to get a workout in. Coach is giving me the same shit from last year, only a month or two earlier. I think he thinks that hitting Phase 5 in November will be better than hitting it in December. And well, I need to not over think it and just do what he says. Okay so he's not really a coach as much as a trainer. I have Nega-Coach for that, telling me all sorts of things, not nearly enough of which I remember when I need to.
Oh well - one of these days I'll figure it out...
Myerson has gotten way too much patting on the back for that short bit of prose but it's pretty solid, and not that far wrong.
Take my race on Sunday as an example. It didn't go so well. First lap i didn't get off to a great start, thought I did but in my pre-riding I jumped on the course as it went by the startline headed to the triple bypass of spectator crossing death and I completely blanked on checking the start. never really assuming it was going to be changed but not giving it a thought (worse). Not till the start did I realize woops I'm way f'n out of position here - but I managed to slither and slink up a bit but mostly I still came through there pretty close to last. Up and down and around, running. Someone broke the stake on the double off camber 180 and I just stepped over the fencing (invoking the Paul Curly rule: "if it isn't taped it is only a suggestion"). But it was tight through the middle of the triple, then the whole run in into the barriers. I wasn't last but I was doing a damn good job getting there.
Barriers were okay - managed to survive and get around. Until we dropped into the bowl for the first time. Tall Embro guy who I crashed in front of at Gloucester on day two stalled and kind of dove across my line forcing me into the roots and ultimately I didn't have enough momentum/power/skill to recover and was able to reach out and with three finger tips grab the tree bark with enough force that I didn't slide backwards all the way down the hill. A bit later my fingers were burning so much I had to look at them, I thought there was a chance that I had ripped the skin off and they were bleeding (they were numb - couldn't feel a thing from the treebark). But I recovered and managed to get back on the end of the conga line. Yeah. Me. Lantern Rouge. Not even one lap in. Oh so not a good spot to be.
We headed around to the triple for the third pass, down in front of Timmie's van and up the dirt. EVERYONE was riding it. And riding it clean. No issues. It was easy. Everyone EXCEPT THE GUY IN FRONT OF ME. Seriously. I was riding up on his wheel, maybe too fast but I was holding momentum and traction and he started to bail, and I was set up to slide around to his left, leaving a couple feet to spare. Well. He stopped. And put a foot down, except it wasn't just down, it was out to the left and in my line, no room to avoid it and I had to stop and put a foot down, awkwardly. And then he took off.
And then I was riding alone. Saw Buck walking off the course, a couple guys with flats came back through me and then there was CTodd.
That jackass was up by the start finish. But before I realized who was yelling at me at the S/F line I noticed that there were 4 to go. FOUR? MORE? Shit I thought the laps were longer and man - didn't expect 7 laps.
That sucked some anger out, not that my legs were doing anything. To make it all worse Steve Lehman was never behind me all race. He's always behind me and just works his way through me or up to me. Sunday? I dunno what he did, maybe he warmed up or something but he was gone, up there with G-ride and GCD. Of Course Kyle Wolf working as an official didn't help. Kyle and I were in the pits for JONNY BOLD's win and while Roger Asphlom struggled in the ice. Last year Kyle seemed to figure out the cross thing, but he said he'd rather hang out at a cross race and get paid than to pay money to see how much he sucked, he said he knew how much he sucked and didn't need a reminder.
So Ctodd, sitting up there with 3 to go shouted "YOU AREN'T DFL AND YOU AREN'T GOING TO GET LAPPED" and you know what? That fired me up. Not enough to catch anyone (I was so alone at that point) but I dug deep and sucked every last watt out of my poorly trained legs because damn it that would be awesome.
Saddly, I came back around for the next lap and there is a 1 to go sign... shit i'm going to get lapped... and CTodd stands up and covers up the 1 to go and tells me I have 2 to go. Huh, that only means one thing, Leaders are coming through soon.
How soon? Time to untune out Richard and Company on the PA system. On a race like Saturday I don't hear the announcers at all, even going by the speakers, the sound doesn't register, sometimes I need to work on tuning other stuff out while racing. I come through the section off the grass and hear that Mark M is headed past the big Oak. "I wonder if that is the tree over by Kinnen (sp?) at the start, if it is I will be seeing him sooner than later." Uh oh. It is. "ONE TO GO FOR MARK ONE TO GO."
shit.
so I ride, one eye looking over my shoulder. I make it around through the up and down and then through the middle of the triple bypass before he's on me and he goes flying through. I did learn a new line through the post pit corner left hander with the roots where solobreak and g-ride decided to cuddle. And then i had to wait. And pedal really hard. And wait. And keep pedaling before the next gang came through. That was the long haired vandessel rider with Kevin glued on his wheel 18 second of spacing later. Then came Kevin, he caught me going through the pits maybe on the other side from where Mark got me, I got right the hell out of the way for all those guys and even shouted some encouragement.
I knew it was one of my worst days on a bike in a race in a while. Right from the start it was a doomed race. But I worked and wrung every last bit out of me. I didn't give up. I didn't stop hitting myself in the head with the hammer until I crossed the finish line. And it took a long time of being a mopey pissed jackass before I could even act somewhat normally or talk to anyone.
Right away I fired my coach, I was left wondering wtf to do. How to make it work. How could I salvage the whole rest of the season.
But then you know, I knew going into the weekend that I rarely have one good race let alone two after a rest week. Last year I either delayed the rest to the week after PVD or that's how I planned it anyway either way there was no way I could have carried a full program last week (which isn't much but it is more than doing nothing).
So really, with all the distractions, the rest week, the decent day on Saturday, totally didn't sleep well at all Saturday night... considering I finished with out crashing or breaking any equipment, I was able to drive myself home w/o stopping at the hospital on the way home or being picked up from the hospital, it really was okay.
that and the only time I get to cheer for Jonny Bold is when he's lapping me, well I guess that's okay too... once or twice... no more than that though.
Tubular tires were delivered yesterday, got them stretching, going to get them glued up. Kind of odd how when they showed up all the pre-season planning was over. Was that what was killing the mojo? All the bits in line? Now to try and sell that pesky fishing reel, and the wicked cool salmon flies and what ever else I can turn into cash instead of just a box full of cool old junk doing me not much good.
Oh and while G-ride might be a little old Justy, I'm a big old high torque diesel motor in desperate need of new nozzles and a turbo upgrade, maybe a chip tuning. But I think the chip tuning is more in line of how my wife described it (scoop the brains out, throw it on the ground, stomp on it and put it back in), or as Solobreak and others say "Stop thinking so much."
Team Mate and all around awesome guy Mark SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUPS Suprenant sent me a few shots, and I might get around to posting them... maybe...
I did manage, despite the Solenoid on the starter hanging up and getting jammed in the start the motor position but don't extend the bendix and keep buzzing away and changing the whole dynamics, to get a workout in. Coach is giving me the same shit from last year, only a month or two earlier. I think he thinks that hitting Phase 5 in November will be better than hitting it in December. And well, I need to not over think it and just do what he says. Okay so he's not really a coach as much as a trainer. I have Nega-Coach for that, telling me all sorts of things, not nearly enough of which I remember when I need to.
Oh well - one of these days I'll figure it out...
Monday, October 11, 2010
Providence Cyclocross Festival - day 1
Day 1. Local race. Me getting up early, doing my pre-race thing. Get up, check the twitter feed, email, have a cup of green tea, feed the dog.
Made breakfast that was a whole wheat english muffin, one medium fried egg, some cheese, 50 grams of pork breakfast sausage (precooked weight low fat sausage), radish tops, turmeric, cayenne, black pepper, and a trace of salt.
I made two of them. One went in the fridge for Sunday so I could eat and make a quick getaway (i held the radish tops out of that one, and just put them in before eating).
Got the waterbottles mixed, used the last of the OSJL special Power Bar drink mix (might have to go back to Trial #whatever)... sorted out the shit to bring.
Loaded the tent in the car, the bikes, the wheels, the trainer, and headed out only a few minutes after I planned to. Swung through one of the best coffee shops in the city (Coffee Exchange on wickenden). It is also a quick on and off 195, on my way to almost every race (and the races it isn't on the way to i can go to Coffee Depot in Warren). I usually grab their French Roast coffee. Fill up my travel mug with nice black coffee and head out. I really like their coffee. Good stuff.
Got there, backed down as close as I could to the Pits from the back side to unload. Hauled the tent, the bikes, the cooler, the bag all over to our spot. Turned out to be next to JLS. I got there before the first race started. And was able to watch Nathan T kill it and finish in 3rd in the cat 4 race riding a single speed on a decidedly gear friendly course.
Pre-race was pretty focused, Solobreak was in the race for some reason. Murat was there too, along with Jerry of course. Coach Kurt and the rest of the new england badasses were lined up along with a good half dozen or more people non of us have seen racing this season. I warmed up listening to J-Pow's recommended DJ Scene. Although checking it now he's pimping DJ AM. Hmm. Maybe I have to be more on top of it. Switch it up, DJ Scene got me through G-ster and it worked for day one, but his pod-casts are pretty similar so far. Gotta keep up with that J-Pow kid.
Got a decent warm up in. Hit the course for one lap. Friday I had stopped by and ridden the sections. They weren't linked up yet but, I got a good feel for it and the lines. I felt I had the course pretty well dialed in. And while being only slightly technical we got on and off the bike 4 times per lap. I do actually love that day 1 course. Nice blend of technical stuff and power and on and off. The more dismounts per lap the better. With all the curbs, and everyone flatting I elected to run a bit more pressure in the Racing Ralph Clinchers. I even went as high as 55 on the Giant in the pit. I think I was at 45 f and 48 r. Oh and clearly I'm not skinny or scrappy enough yet. Going to not eat for a week and just train. Maybe I can not be a clydesdale for a change, it is that or boost the power levels enough to compensate.
The tent and that scene was great. Hanging with team mates and having a rallying point for folks to come in and out, check out Burke's power assist bike, it was good but not too distracting. Walked over to the holeshot cafe and bought some more coffee, not bad but not Coffee Exchange good.
Well time to line up on the grid. Got a 4th row start right behind a guy in a white skinsuit and right next to G-ride. Were given the 80% speech, and were sent off. Solobreak was somewhere and Murat was up a row, Lehman was behind me too.
Well White skinsuit guy basically doesn't move, or really just moved so slowly I couldn't go anywhere, G-ride got boxed in pretty good too by the sudden appearance of some orange fencing. But we hit that grass, I nailed it clean and flew into the first hairpin, Around the outside, setting me up for an inside line going to the off camber grass.
Except my front wheel dropped off the inside line into a rut and I had to dab to stay upright. But still wasn't so bad. Decent start. Hit the corners pretty hard, felt good. I felt pretty confident on all the corners. The higher speed barrier approach was awesome. And while there were a few people bogging on the post barrier woops it wasn't so bad. Motored up the climb, settled a bit going into the right hander off the pavement before the concrete stairs, hit my preferred line there. And attacked the pavement. Just attacked it. Didn't get my line around the trees with all the damn traffic, but it wasn't terminal, no one fell off in front of me or stopped in a bad place (like day 2). I wasn't last. Drilled it, flew up the stairs (as fast as I can fly - which isn't). And then worked through the next section around the pits and out to the end turn around, to the up and down didn't bother trying to ride, dismounted early and went. Got around to the pavement and jumped on a wheel as I went around a dieing Murat. I was actually chasing wheels the whole time, riding, not alone.
It was a freaking BLAST. Myette came through though and that wasn't so good. Unhinged me a bit, G-ride and Solo popped on his week and then I rode past them while they were laying on the ground in a tight embrace. And that actually fired me up a bit. The lap before I was yelling (not at him in particular- but about Solo) "YOU ARE NOT IN MY HEAD" and if that didn't work and just make him another racer I wanted to beat... it was great. Soon after that he called G-ride a Subaru Justy and I just about died laughing, as G-ride really was barely powering up the hill before the pavement transition to the concrete stairs. Things were going well. Lehman was no where to be found (yet), I hadn't even felt like i was fading. It was awesome. Maybe you can have a good race after a rest week.
Eventually after their crash I was left alone. I guess I don't ride quite as well when I'm not pushed sometimes, I can ride way faster than I often do mid-race, but I did have one and a half slow laps giving G-ride a chance to power up to me. When he got there though I was go time. And I tried to hang with his wheel, and on Joe's garage wheel. Just barely hanging and they gapped me (i forget where really). But then I noticed Lehman coming up. We were coming in for 1 to go, no leader in sight anywhere, i'd forgotten about 80% rule and still thought we should be fine. And rather than blow myself trying to hold a gap on Steven I eased off a touch until he was on my wheel coming up after the run up.
In my mind I was preparing for an EPIC (yeah i'm using that word) battle royal with my Nemesis and friend Lehman. I felt actually recovered and ready to go destroy that last lap and have a kick ass sprint for 50th place or whatever it was going to be. Coming into the bell lap, no leader in sight and the official jumps out in front of us and says "YOU ARE DONE"
"OFF THE COURSE"
what?
Huh?
sure enough Kim's bike shop guy goes through on the heels of Chabot and the Joes Garage guy and then not 10 seconds later, hell maybe only 5 we get shuffled off the course.
I'm not going to go on a rant here about the 80% rule. They pulled us and I've said my peace with that official and will leave it like that. I was having, not a great race, but it was fun and was so looking forward to that final lap. Lehman has basically had my number all season. Well, of course who doesn't get listed? Lehman. None of the pulled riders were on the prelim results but were all assured that we'd be placed. We weren't lapped though. Not even close. We had time to sit there and argue and complain and bitch as other riders were yanked and finally minutes later, Kevin Hines comes flying through.
It wasn't my best race, but it was fun, it ended on a sour note that had me pretty pissed for a while, but I got over it. Yelled at other racers, generally had a great day. Dragged G-ride back to this place and made everyone some chicken lo mein that got devoured. Easily fell asleep early, only to wake up at 1 then 2 and then for good at 5:30.
Day 1 was in the books. Day 2 was next. In years past I would typically have a better day on Sunday. There are one or two exceptions but not like G-ster and PVD. Could be quite a few reasons, first of which is I'm probably not as rested/recovered as I could be going into the weekend. I'm also probably still out of shape/needing work. But it is odd, usually day 2 is better, or at least consistent. I guess waking up at 5:30 today with the dog probably isn't helping, maybe I'll take a nap.
At least I'm wicked sore today, I felt like I've been through a physical ringer this weekend. I'll try and get out for a nice mellow ride to blow this kack out of the legs. And maybe I'll get a chance to write up Day 2. Although that was a horrible race, nearly a damn copy of G-ster day two but without the flat tire, and instead of one wreck in the first lap it was two near wrecks.
heddwch
G
Made breakfast that was a whole wheat english muffin, one medium fried egg, some cheese, 50 grams of pork breakfast sausage (precooked weight low fat sausage), radish tops, turmeric, cayenne, black pepper, and a trace of salt.
I made two of them. One went in the fridge for Sunday so I could eat and make a quick getaway (i held the radish tops out of that one, and just put them in before eating).
Got the waterbottles mixed, used the last of the OSJL special Power Bar drink mix (might have to go back to Trial #whatever)... sorted out the shit to bring.
Loaded the tent in the car, the bikes, the wheels, the trainer, and headed out only a few minutes after I planned to. Swung through one of the best coffee shops in the city (Coffee Exchange on wickenden). It is also a quick on and off 195, on my way to almost every race (and the races it isn't on the way to i can go to Coffee Depot in Warren). I usually grab their French Roast coffee. Fill up my travel mug with nice black coffee and head out. I really like their coffee. Good stuff.
Got there, backed down as close as I could to the Pits from the back side to unload. Hauled the tent, the bikes, the cooler, the bag all over to our spot. Turned out to be next to JLS. I got there before the first race started. And was able to watch Nathan T kill it and finish in 3rd in the cat 4 race riding a single speed on a decidedly gear friendly course.
Pre-race was pretty focused, Solobreak was in the race for some reason. Murat was there too, along with Jerry of course. Coach Kurt and the rest of the new england badasses were lined up along with a good half dozen or more people non of us have seen racing this season. I warmed up listening to J-Pow's recommended DJ Scene. Although checking it now he's pimping DJ AM. Hmm. Maybe I have to be more on top of it. Switch it up, DJ Scene got me through G-ster and it worked for day one, but his pod-casts are pretty similar so far. Gotta keep up with that J-Pow kid.
Got a decent warm up in. Hit the course for one lap. Friday I had stopped by and ridden the sections. They weren't linked up yet but, I got a good feel for it and the lines. I felt I had the course pretty well dialed in. And while being only slightly technical we got on and off the bike 4 times per lap. I do actually love that day 1 course. Nice blend of technical stuff and power and on and off. The more dismounts per lap the better. With all the curbs, and everyone flatting I elected to run a bit more pressure in the Racing Ralph Clinchers. I even went as high as 55 on the Giant in the pit. I think I was at 45 f and 48 r. Oh and clearly I'm not skinny or scrappy enough yet. Going to not eat for a week and just train. Maybe I can not be a clydesdale for a change, it is that or boost the power levels enough to compensate.
The tent and that scene was great. Hanging with team mates and having a rallying point for folks to come in and out, check out Burke's power assist bike, it was good but not too distracting. Walked over to the holeshot cafe and bought some more coffee, not bad but not Coffee Exchange good.
Well time to line up on the grid. Got a 4th row start right behind a guy in a white skinsuit and right next to G-ride. Were given the 80% speech, and were sent off. Solobreak was somewhere and Murat was up a row, Lehman was behind me too.
Well White skinsuit guy basically doesn't move, or really just moved so slowly I couldn't go anywhere, G-ride got boxed in pretty good too by the sudden appearance of some orange fencing. But we hit that grass, I nailed it clean and flew into the first hairpin, Around the outside, setting me up for an inside line going to the off camber grass.
Except my front wheel dropped off the inside line into a rut and I had to dab to stay upright. But still wasn't so bad. Decent start. Hit the corners pretty hard, felt good. I felt pretty confident on all the corners. The higher speed barrier approach was awesome. And while there were a few people bogging on the post barrier woops it wasn't so bad. Motored up the climb, settled a bit going into the right hander off the pavement before the concrete stairs, hit my preferred line there. And attacked the pavement. Just attacked it. Didn't get my line around the trees with all the damn traffic, but it wasn't terminal, no one fell off in front of me or stopped in a bad place (like day 2). I wasn't last. Drilled it, flew up the stairs (as fast as I can fly - which isn't). And then worked through the next section around the pits and out to the end turn around, to the up and down didn't bother trying to ride, dismounted early and went. Got around to the pavement and jumped on a wheel as I went around a dieing Murat. I was actually chasing wheels the whole time, riding, not alone.
It was a freaking BLAST. Myette came through though and that wasn't so good. Unhinged me a bit, G-ride and Solo popped on his week and then I rode past them while they were laying on the ground in a tight embrace. And that actually fired me up a bit. The lap before I was yelling (not at him in particular- but about Solo) "YOU ARE NOT IN MY HEAD" and if that didn't work and just make him another racer I wanted to beat... it was great. Soon after that he called G-ride a Subaru Justy and I just about died laughing, as G-ride really was barely powering up the hill before the pavement transition to the concrete stairs. Things were going well. Lehman was no where to be found (yet), I hadn't even felt like i was fading. It was awesome. Maybe you can have a good race after a rest week.
Eventually after their crash I was left alone. I guess I don't ride quite as well when I'm not pushed sometimes, I can ride way faster than I often do mid-race, but I did have one and a half slow laps giving G-ride a chance to power up to me. When he got there though I was go time. And I tried to hang with his wheel, and on Joe's garage wheel. Just barely hanging and they gapped me (i forget where really). But then I noticed Lehman coming up. We were coming in for 1 to go, no leader in sight anywhere, i'd forgotten about 80% rule and still thought we should be fine. And rather than blow myself trying to hold a gap on Steven I eased off a touch until he was on my wheel coming up after the run up.
In my mind I was preparing for an EPIC (yeah i'm using that word) battle royal with my Nemesis and friend Lehman. I felt actually recovered and ready to go destroy that last lap and have a kick ass sprint for 50th place or whatever it was going to be. Coming into the bell lap, no leader in sight and the official jumps out in front of us and says "YOU ARE DONE"
"OFF THE COURSE"
what?
Huh?
sure enough Kim's bike shop guy goes through on the heels of Chabot and the Joes Garage guy and then not 10 seconds later, hell maybe only 5 we get shuffled off the course.
I'm not going to go on a rant here about the 80% rule. They pulled us and I've said my peace with that official and will leave it like that. I was having, not a great race, but it was fun and was so looking forward to that final lap. Lehman has basically had my number all season. Well, of course who doesn't get listed? Lehman. None of the pulled riders were on the prelim results but were all assured that we'd be placed. We weren't lapped though. Not even close. We had time to sit there and argue and complain and bitch as other riders were yanked and finally minutes later, Kevin Hines comes flying through.
It wasn't my best race, but it was fun, it ended on a sour note that had me pretty pissed for a while, but I got over it. Yelled at other racers, generally had a great day. Dragged G-ride back to this place and made everyone some chicken lo mein that got devoured. Easily fell asleep early, only to wake up at 1 then 2 and then for good at 5:30.
Day 1 was in the books. Day 2 was next. In years past I would typically have a better day on Sunday. There are one or two exceptions but not like G-ster and PVD. Could be quite a few reasons, first of which is I'm probably not as rested/recovered as I could be going into the weekend. I'm also probably still out of shape/needing work. But it is odd, usually day 2 is better, or at least consistent. I guess waking up at 5:30 today with the dog probably isn't helping, maybe I'll take a nap.
At least I'm wicked sore today, I felt like I've been through a physical ringer this weekend. I'll try and get out for a nice mellow ride to blow this kack out of the legs. And maybe I'll get a chance to write up Day 2. Although that was a horrible race, nearly a damn copy of G-ster day two but without the flat tire, and instead of one wreck in the first lap it was two near wrecks.
heddwch
G
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
