Yeah so quick recap:
1st 42:00 Jonny FUCKING Bold
2nd 42:08 PETE SMITH
3rd 42:08 Paul Richard
19th 46:05 Me
31 finishers. 30 on the lead lap.
Felt great racing. Was actually racing until Whitey dropped the hammer on the last lap in the twisties to make sure I wasn't anywhere near him on the power sections. And it worked. And I rolled in from the barriers to the finish pretty easily. Yeah yeah I should have drilled it and finished down in the 45:50s or better but, well we race for a place, right? It isn't a time trial no matter how much it resembles one and feels like it. Still just about place.
I actually felt like I was racing (and I was). Brooks had a great start but he faded a bit. Whitey had a Kick ass start and I rode Sally's wheel up onto his. we stayed in contact with Sally most of the race. At 2 to go she took off and Todd R came by. He was just sitting on my wheel, I guess he got to the start grid at the 30 second warning, for most of the race. Or riding up onto my wheel.
The tires were packing up with the canton slop though. The racing ralph was not the tire choice to make. Would have been better off with a file tread that had good side knobs (like Whitey ran) than these. Wicked slick. Managed to keep it upright (by going too slow i guess) and have a good race and unload watts where I could. Today would have been a course for the Rocket Ron Tubulars. Or maybe the Limus, or the PDX, or Rhynos. Esp when the women got out there. Yikes. S'okay, I probably wouldn't have done any better with different tires.
First race to slather on some JPow blend from Mad Alchemy. Digging the post race burn right now. Topping up with #7 (coffee variety) right now before shower. Muscles feel TRASHED. But I felt good most of the race.
Sorry to everyone who picked tomorrow to race, but I'm glad I picked today. 19th is an improvement over previous years. Last year it was 24th 6 min back on the winner same number of finishers.
Time to get ready for the Halloween party.
heddwch
G
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Canton Cup 2011 pre-game
Between 2006 and 2010 I only missed 2007 (for some reason i don't remember, i could dig back through the web log but i'm doing that right now).
2006 raced the B Masters and finished mid pack.
But looking at 2008-2010 I notice that there have been fewer and fewer racers in the 1/2/3/4 35+ category. There were 63 in 2008, down to 31 in 2010. This year there are 35 pre-reg'd, so I expect that we'll probably hit somewhere in the middle, but maybe not. Should be a few day of (usually are for this race).
Saturday: Rain, mainly after 4pm. High near 44. Northeast wind between 6 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. NOAA.gov
The weather might work in the Day-Of favor in that it isn't going to suck too much. I don't think we'll hit 60 but it might be a solid field.
Hoping for a top 50% for a change. We'll see if it is possible. Officially it is a cross clash with Nick, but any time Marvin shows up, it is game on. He's the target. Brooks too. I have a chance of getting close to him, esp if the baby keeps him up tonight (PLEASE BABY WAKE YOUR DAD UP TONIGHT - REPEATEDLY - BUT FOR CUTE REASONS).
Hopping the little barriers is something i've been grumbling in my head about. Kind of kicking myself for not riding the ones at Mansfield. I should be able to, I've been practicing my J-Hopping on the curbs here. Not the same but not much different. I hope. Going to treat this like any other race... that log... the one that sent Sullivan onto his lid, i ain't gonna hop that (if it is still there).
The Crossresults.com staging should help a bit with the start craziness. But the last couple years with 31 or 38 guys that's two rows plus a few stragglers and we sorted stuff out pretty cleanly. Unlike back in '06 when 80 dudes went off barging and bouncing into off of each other.
Yeah - thinking about it. A little race. But there is no such thing as a little race. They are all important.
The noon start is going to eliminate any confusion with the ritual. Car is full of fuel, B20 even so maybe there's a few more horses but stinkier smoke (sorry people who are around when I leave the race). fuel costs right now are sort of high, but ten cents a mile isn't terrible for operating costs, well fuel costs. Forget taxes insurance and shit that wears/falls apart. But those certainly are low compared to other vehicles. Ah well. it is what it is.
So we'll see the brave and the crazy tomorrow at the hospital grounds.
heddwch
G
G
Holes... TROOF
”Truth” according to religion is relatively immutable. It remains unchanged despite new evidence. There are no holes because the “whole truth” has been provided. “Holes”? Aplenty, but you are told not concern yourself with them.
“Truth” according to science is INHERENTLY mutable - it is provisional based on the evidence on hand. New evidence, new truths - or, more accurately, more complete truths. It never claims to be the “whole truth” as new questions are answered, new questions are asked. “Holes”? Yes, but they are simply questions yet to be answered.
Science is ABOUT the holes.
from russcam
Thursday, October 27, 2011
expanding
I'd say it was the waist line that is expanding from the 4 or 6 donuts I had from a J&WU classes work today, but no, it is digital.
http://nanoscape.tumblr.com/
yeah i hitched up to the tumblr train. Trying something - staying on topic and focused.
Tumblr seems to work pretty well. In fact I really like how the multiple images are displayed when clicked. Pretty slick. way better than i can do here. As much as I've been aware of the tumblr thing I've just never gotten into it - always seemed to be repost centers. But it actually seems to be good for original stuff... time will tell.
It also challenges me to select, edit, critique and collect more images. I see it as a good thing.
I should focus on food but with Nick Cz working on his cookbook for the manorexic cyclist, well maybe that project will come later.
So I even went one further, and am blasting new posts automatically to Faceplace and Twitterdumb. Because everyone wants to see it, right? I will not be carpet bombing this thing with the images, even though it might improve the look/feel of the place. Gotta keep this all consistent. Or inconsistent. A straight up reflection of me.
Canton timing has been tossed back into uncertainty. Looks like I might actually be better off with the rest of the schedules by racing the not as old dude old dudes race.
Took the day completely off the bike, and oddly work. Sick day, had my 40 year check up at the doc's office. Everything seems to be in decent shape. HR was kind of high when i was lying down, probably from the pile of coffee, but the doc seemed pleased that it was 50. Lets see what the blood work says, but it would appear I'm not doing to poorly on the health front. Which really must be a shock, i eat pretty well, exercise pretty damn regularly...
Salad tonight with some left over pasta options for those that want some more food. My friend Justin had planted the bug in my head about dry beans. I'd been 'lazy' and just spending the dollar or two for canned beans to make hummus or chili or whatever. But lately, well I've started the whole soaking and cooking thing.
And I have to say, it is not so bad. I can soak em, and then freeze half or put em in the fridge for a day or two, cook em and then eat em. Pretty simple, AND, I can remove one more source of BPA...
Just waiting for the oldest to get home before dressing the salad...
Remember - you need fat to benefit from a green salad. Seriously. Most of the nutrients that you need are fat soluble, fat free dressing means a couple things: #1 high in sugar and processed corn and soybean byproducts, #2 negative nutrient delivery system. Make your own. It ain't hard and use lots of good tasty extra virgin olive oil and whatever else you want.
heddwch
G
http://nanoscape.tumblr.com/
yeah i hitched up to the tumblr train. Trying something - staying on topic and focused.
Tumblr seems to work pretty well. In fact I really like how the multiple images are displayed when clicked. Pretty slick. way better than i can do here. As much as I've been aware of the tumblr thing I've just never gotten into it - always seemed to be repost centers. But it actually seems to be good for original stuff... time will tell.
It also challenges me to select, edit, critique and collect more images. I see it as a good thing.
I should focus on food but with Nick Cz working on his cookbook for the manorexic cyclist, well maybe that project will come later.
So I even went one further, and am blasting new posts automatically to Faceplace and Twitterdumb. Because everyone wants to see it, right? I will not be carpet bombing this thing with the images, even though it might improve the look/feel of the place. Gotta keep this all consistent. Or inconsistent. A straight up reflection of me.
Canton timing has been tossed back into uncertainty. Looks like I might actually be better off with the rest of the schedules by racing the not as old dude old dudes race.
Took the day completely off the bike, and oddly work. Sick day, had my 40 year check up at the doc's office. Everything seems to be in decent shape. HR was kind of high when i was lying down, probably from the pile of coffee, but the doc seemed pleased that it was 50. Lets see what the blood work says, but it would appear I'm not doing to poorly on the health front. Which really must be a shock, i eat pretty well, exercise pretty damn regularly...
Salad tonight with some left over pasta options for those that want some more food. My friend Justin had planted the bug in my head about dry beans. I'd been 'lazy' and just spending the dollar or two for canned beans to make hummus or chili or whatever. But lately, well I've started the whole soaking and cooking thing.
And I have to say, it is not so bad. I can soak em, and then freeze half or put em in the fridge for a day or two, cook em and then eat em. Pretty simple, AND, I can remove one more source of BPA...
Just waiting for the oldest to get home before dressing the salad...
Remember - you need fat to benefit from a green salad. Seriously. Most of the nutrients that you need are fat soluble, fat free dressing means a couple things: #1 high in sugar and processed corn and soybean byproducts, #2 negative nutrient delivery system. Make your own. It ain't hard and use lots of good tasty extra virgin olive oil and whatever else you want.
heddwch
G
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
New England through Jerry Chabot's POV
There ya go. There are loads of variations, as in turd polishing plant locations, race locations, and a few places he stays but hey - this is a start.
on the lighter side
Here's a few funny dudes who may or may not wear kilts to formal occasions joking as their hot air balloon crashes (don't worry no one gets hurt) http://youtu.be/V01gnjGrglk
and then Mr. Plywood. Maybe you've seen it before, if yes, still funny the second or third time around.
Crazy infographic: a brief history of Web Standards (credit RussC)
Today was a great ride in. Legs and lungs were working together, HR jumped and stayed above 160 for 4 miles, power was fluctuating a bit but goal was to burn the legs up with a variable wattage interval with the goal of keeping the HR pegged. Hurt but hurt so good. Potential for some intervals on the trainer tonight. I'm certainly trending to the 3:15 race. Heck if nothing else to race with JONNY FUCKING BOLD. Suck it murat, i'm putting the f'bomb in there because I want to. Got another day or two to commit (along with everyone else it seems who's racing that race). (Maybe JB will be tired by the second race and won't kick my ass so badly - yeah right).
Okay - this is pretty damn cool. Aerial coverage of a CX race. (direct link to video)GCD has the best quote: "Wow the shots from high up like that make the fields look really small." And seriously putting the Elites and the B fields together at the same time? Nuts. As in small fields.
The course does look pretty cool though. Neat helicopter thing (wait for the end for shots of it).
Hell last year (or the year before) we had Domarski doing a flyover taking pictures from a REAL helicopter at Canton.
One hundred fifty.
The field limit for the Cat 4 race at Canton. Seriously. 150. Last I checked (this AM) it was up to 148, it should sell out before race day. Todd brings up a good point, USAC needs to work on forcing some upgrades. That said, where are these newly minted Cat 3s going to go? Are they ready to get shredded by the wolves in the 1/2/3 races and in the big events where the cat 3 fields fill first, where are they going to go, esp if they aren't old enough to race Masters?
A good problem to have I suppose. (just checked 149!) Although it looks like a certain Tony Thissell is taking up two spots...
SINGMASTER? you're doing the 4 race? Talk about someone who NEEDS to upgrade. Shit. And Kirschner, damn you scotty aint ya old enough to race in the 35+ open?
Ah, well, it is going to be what it is going to be, no? That said you do wind up racing the same people, and after a lap or two it sorts out and with 150 people on the course there will always be someone to chase (even if you are the leader, lapper hunting). Is there a chance any of them will hang out long enough to say hey by the time i show up? Probably not. But damn parking won't be a problem! Assuming the rusty race wagon can limp up that far.
So see ya there - i've gotta get the Map according to Jerry posted.
heddwch
G
and then Mr. Plywood. Maybe you've seen it before, if yes, still funny the second or third time around.
Crazy infographic: a brief history of Web Standards (credit RussC)
Today was a great ride in. Legs and lungs were working together, HR jumped and stayed above 160 for 4 miles, power was fluctuating a bit but goal was to burn the legs up with a variable wattage interval with the goal of keeping the HR pegged. Hurt but hurt so good. Potential for some intervals on the trainer tonight. I'm certainly trending to the 3:15 race. Heck if nothing else to race with JONNY FUCKING BOLD. Suck it murat, i'm putting the f'bomb in there because I want to. Got another day or two to commit (along with everyone else it seems who's racing that race). (Maybe JB will be tired by the second race and won't kick my ass so badly - yeah right).
Okay - this is pretty damn cool. Aerial coverage of a CX race. (direct link to video)GCD has the best quote: "Wow the shots from high up like that make the fields look really small." And seriously putting the Elites and the B fields together at the same time? Nuts. As in small fields.
The course does look pretty cool though. Neat helicopter thing (wait for the end for shots of it).
Hell last year (or the year before) we had Domarski doing a flyover taking pictures from a REAL helicopter at Canton.
One hundred fifty.
The field limit for the Cat 4 race at Canton. Seriously. 150. Last I checked (this AM) it was up to 148, it should sell out before race day. Todd brings up a good point, USAC needs to work on forcing some upgrades. That said, where are these newly minted Cat 3s going to go? Are they ready to get shredded by the wolves in the 1/2/3 races and in the big events where the cat 3 fields fill first, where are they going to go, esp if they aren't old enough to race Masters?
A good problem to have I suppose. (just checked 149!) Although it looks like a certain Tony Thissell is taking up two spots...
SINGMASTER? you're doing the 4 race? Talk about someone who NEEDS to upgrade. Shit. And Kirschner, damn you scotty aint ya old enough to race in the 35+ open?
Ah, well, it is going to be what it is going to be, no? That said you do wind up racing the same people, and after a lap or two it sorts out and with 150 people on the course there will always be someone to chase (even if you are the leader, lapper hunting). Is there a chance any of them will hang out long enough to say hey by the time i show up? Probably not. But damn parking won't be a problem! Assuming the rusty race wagon can limp up that far.
So see ya there - i've gotta get the Map according to Jerry posted.
heddwch
G
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Another Butterfly Image
I'm honestly not super happy about it. The dark bar on there is a charging artifact that I don't want to remove via post processing.
Part of my challenge that I set for myself as an artist with the SEM is capturing an image that doesn't need to be re-touched. No levels or gamma tweaks. Straight up looking good. Part of that is because the output is only 8-bit and, well, that doesn't leave much room for adjustment. I have tried a bit of HDR with the SEM with some measured success but that's an arduous process involving taking three or more shots of the same sample (each shot is about 160s long or so) and sample stability isn't always a given.
The machine magnification was 1800x. And to get a judge of size the tips of the scale on either side of where it attaches to the wing are about 15µm apart (adult human hair is 60-90µm - red blood cells are 5µm).
If you follow me on G+ or Faceplace you may have noticed a repetition of the same images in both places. Marketing I suppose. Post it everywhere and someone is bound to take notice.
I do find great satisfaction in collecting these images... and also in sharing them.
So stop by the Culinary Museum, give them a few dollars, check out the diners, play some ski-ball, take a peak at the new exhibits and the soda fountain and then see the images up close and personal.
-heddwch
G
Monday, October 24, 2011
A pair of Images
...from today on the Scanning Electron Microscope.
If you are in the Providence area check out my Edible Nanoscape image collection at the Culinary Museum www.culinary.org (there is a fee to get into the museum - just FYI).
Butteryfly wing scale (10,000x ~750nm between ribs)
Used Halogen Lamp Filament (low mag)
If you are in the Providence area check out my Edible Nanoscape image collection at the Culinary Museum www.culinary.org (there is a fee to get into the museum - just FYI).
The Countdown Begins
Very soon my bike route will be changing. Piping for the shit plant is going to be installed under the EBBP for a good portion of the route. Honestly the best part of the route. The most scenic part.
The part with the lighthouse, the rocks, the birds... It might mean Seagull bombing season will happen on the heads of the construction workers instead of under my tires, but that's quite a small positive to take away from them taking away a big part of the route.
The part with the lighthouse, the rocks, the birds... It might mean Seagull bombing season will happen on the heads of the construction workers instead of under my tires, but that's quite a small positive to take away from them taking away a big part of the route.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Stretching
Do you stretch? Do you have a reason to?
Are you a hockey goalie trying to be more flexible? Or a ballerina that has to work wicked hard for the flexibility needed?
Now, stretching to help with tightness in the hamstrings or lower back or to improve range of motion aside, there has been some rumbling that it can help with prevention or reduction of muscle soreness.
Sweat Science posted and commented on a new review of stretching.
Before I mention anything else further I'm going to pull his summary of three reasons to stretch:
Are you a hockey goalie trying to be more flexible? Or a ballerina that has to work wicked hard for the flexibility needed?
Now, stretching to help with tightness in the hamstrings or lower back or to improve range of motion aside, there has been some rumbling that it can help with prevention or reduction of muscle soreness.
Sweat Science posted and commented on a new review of stretching.
Before I mention anything else further I'm going to pull his summary of three reasons to stretch:
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Mental War
Got a good solid mental war going on right now in my head.
The rational side says the latest change (expected - but not desired) is a good thing for cross racing (less time on my feet, more time to recover/rest/train) and hanging with the family (home to cook dinner more nights), but the other rational side knows sort of that the fine thread we're hanging on with just got thinner and all that is gained doesn't lighten the load or improve.
And it has been a struggle to focus on the positive to be honest. Nothing to do about it. At this point.
Good news side is the images from the Edible Nanoscape have been hung in the gallery at the Museum. Stop by and check them out (the museum has some pretty cool other stuff there too, worth it not just to see the images). Maybe I'll even get to have a mini-opening some evening. Not holding my breath on that one though. Esp since it has only taken 7 months to get this far.
I did manage to skirt the heavy rain clouds this morning and ducked into the office with barely a drizzle out there. Not sure I can make it home with as much luck but we'll see. I did was the drive train and the bike last night.
Settled on the ideal way to get the chain perfectly clean.
1st use the EVerLube in a Park Chain cleaner (clamp on things) and clean chainring and jockey wheels.
2nd wash with bucket of soapy water and hose with focused 'stream'
3rd dry chain
4th lube up with EVerLube, wipe excess off
5th let sit overnight. Perfectly quiet smooth like new chain.
Stupid brain thinks I should sell this stuff (and send a royalty to ErikV) but my other stupider brain says no one would buy it esp when they can make it so easily themselves.
Stupider brain probably will win out. I do need to pick some more raw materials up soon and make a new batch. Finally to the bottom of the gallon. Might as well get that done this weekend since I'm not headed to Maine for DECX, I've been putting off the oil change in the Rusty Race Wagon too. Might as well get all that stuff checked off the list. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.
Gotta stay positive right? Keep plugging on in face of it all. That's Big Ringing it.
heddwch
G
The rational side says the latest change (expected - but not desired) is a good thing for cross racing (less time on my feet, more time to recover/rest/train) and hanging with the family (home to cook dinner more nights), but the other rational side knows sort of that the fine thread we're hanging on with just got thinner and all that is gained doesn't lighten the load or improve.
And it has been a struggle to focus on the positive to be honest. Nothing to do about it. At this point.
Good news side is the images from the Edible Nanoscape have been hung in the gallery at the Museum. Stop by and check them out (the museum has some pretty cool other stuff there too, worth it not just to see the images). Maybe I'll even get to have a mini-opening some evening. Not holding my breath on that one though. Esp since it has only taken 7 months to get this far.
I did manage to skirt the heavy rain clouds this morning and ducked into the office with barely a drizzle out there. Not sure I can make it home with as much luck but we'll see. I did was the drive train and the bike last night.
Settled on the ideal way to get the chain perfectly clean.
1st use the EVerLube in a Park Chain cleaner (clamp on things) and clean chainring and jockey wheels.
2nd wash with bucket of soapy water and hose with focused 'stream'
3rd dry chain
4th lube up with EVerLube, wipe excess off
5th let sit overnight. Perfectly quiet smooth like new chain.
Stupid brain thinks I should sell this stuff (and send a royalty to ErikV) but my other stupider brain says no one would buy it esp when they can make it so easily themselves.
Stupider brain probably will win out. I do need to pick some more raw materials up soon and make a new batch. Finally to the bottom of the gallon. Might as well get that done this weekend since I'm not headed to Maine for DECX, I've been putting off the oil change in the Rusty Race Wagon too. Might as well get all that stuff checked off the list. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.
Gotta stay positive right? Keep plugging on in face of it all. That's Big Ringing it.
heddwch
G
When you've watched the Course Tape
Check out BtB Season 2 Episode 4
"Behind The Barriers" Season II Episode 4 from Behind The Barriers on Vimeo.
"Behind The Barriers" Season II Episode 4 from Behind The Barriers on Vimeo.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Going back
and re-reading this got me thinking about things in a different way.
Solid truth to what he's saying. The last four points have been quite effective for me. I haven't really done the whole motorpacing thing yet. I'm not really looking forward to jumping onto a dumptruck vs smashing into it.
But the others? I blew myself up last week doing the last one, in a very similar routine to the one JV outlines (i read this on Sunday, not last week - remarking that the novel shit up coming up with may not be infact novel but shit i've abosrbed from reading all the training crap I've gotten my hands on in the last bazillion years).
Riding so hard you puke? F'yeah. Well i don't puke easily but I know the intervals were good when i taste blood.
Recovery. Knowing when to pile on the calories and when to lay off are big factors here. Pile on the calories between races, esp following your saturday one. Sunday? Don't bother to fully recovery. Eat just enough to replace what you used and to do some of the repair, let the recovery rides on Monday and Tuesday and normal 'healthy' eating fix the rest of it. If you pile on the calories you'll just wind up over doing it and packing in the fat.
Epigenetics. Goes beyond athletic development. My parent's parent's generation probably set us on a epigenetic expression pattern change that is just now amplifying to the point where it is out of control. It may take a couple generations to repair the damage, or we just progress along the lines of Wall*E. We're moving in that direction.
Essentially evolutionary change, but faster because these aren't genetic changes, but changes in how things are expressed and how the body reacts. Food indeed affects your body and your genetics. Tiny tiny amounts make a big difference. Reversing the damage is not easy, and studies are showing these methylation and histone modifications and what not are inheritable.
You are what your genetics are but you have the ability to push the envelop a bit. So make sure you are pushing it in the right direction.
Traditional toxicology is inadequate at determining true health impacts. The insect neurotoxins in the pesticides and the broad spectrum antibiotics used and the preservative chemicals in foods do have an impact on gene expression, and that is not measured from what I am recalling about the tests for human safety. Food science is great but it is greatly flawed in assessing the true impact of chemicals we are exposed to that are labeled "safe," esp those that may be acutely toxic in high doses but in low doses are 'acceptable.'
Now, say you're cranking it out in the 55+ group... do you care? Maybe you should. You've got the potential to hang on for another 30-40 years. That's a long fucking time. And quality of life then depends on your bodies ability to keep that genetic machine working completely.
Anyone younger, shit. You don't have a choice. But then you do. You always have the choice. I've got friends debating tipping etiquette in a forum, and I have nothing to contribute. Not only am I really essentially not drinking, I never go to the bar to drink so tipping isn't something i've thought about lately, combined with the fact that we just don't eat out at all. The occasional pizza carry out, and my wife does take the girls to lunch now and then but me? I don't tip. Food. Make it yourself. Not having to think about the tipping issue sure doesn't support the restaurant industry but it really impacts the food I'm putting in my body.
I think some Pad Thai is on the menu tonight - lets see if i have any limes at home (could be a problem)
heddwch
G
Solid truth to what he's saying. The last four points have been quite effective for me. I haven't really done the whole motorpacing thing yet. I'm not really looking forward to jumping onto a dumptruck vs smashing into it.
But the others? I blew myself up last week doing the last one, in a very similar routine to the one JV outlines (i read this on Sunday, not last week - remarking that the novel shit up coming up with may not be infact novel but shit i've abosrbed from reading all the training crap I've gotten my hands on in the last bazillion years).
Riding so hard you puke? F'yeah. Well i don't puke easily but I know the intervals were good when i taste blood.
Recovery. Knowing when to pile on the calories and when to lay off are big factors here. Pile on the calories between races, esp following your saturday one. Sunday? Don't bother to fully recovery. Eat just enough to replace what you used and to do some of the repair, let the recovery rides on Monday and Tuesday and normal 'healthy' eating fix the rest of it. If you pile on the calories you'll just wind up over doing it and packing in the fat.
Epigenetics. Goes beyond athletic development. My parent's parent's generation probably set us on a epigenetic expression pattern change that is just now amplifying to the point where it is out of control. It may take a couple generations to repair the damage, or we just progress along the lines of Wall*E. We're moving in that direction.
Essentially evolutionary change, but faster because these aren't genetic changes, but changes in how things are expressed and how the body reacts. Food indeed affects your body and your genetics. Tiny tiny amounts make a big difference. Reversing the damage is not easy, and studies are showing these methylation and histone modifications and what not are inheritable.
You are what your genetics are but you have the ability to push the envelop a bit. So make sure you are pushing it in the right direction.
Traditional toxicology is inadequate at determining true health impacts. The insect neurotoxins in the pesticides and the broad spectrum antibiotics used and the preservative chemicals in foods do have an impact on gene expression, and that is not measured from what I am recalling about the tests for human safety. Food science is great but it is greatly flawed in assessing the true impact of chemicals we are exposed to that are labeled "safe," esp those that may be acutely toxic in high doses but in low doses are 'acceptable.'
Now, say you're cranking it out in the 55+ group... do you care? Maybe you should. You've got the potential to hang on for another 30-40 years. That's a long fucking time. And quality of life then depends on your bodies ability to keep that genetic machine working completely.
Anyone younger, shit. You don't have a choice. But then you do. You always have the choice. I've got friends debating tipping etiquette in a forum, and I have nothing to contribute. Not only am I really essentially not drinking, I never go to the bar to drink so tipping isn't something i've thought about lately, combined with the fact that we just don't eat out at all. The occasional pizza carry out, and my wife does take the girls to lunch now and then but me? I don't tip. Food. Make it yourself. Not having to think about the tipping issue sure doesn't support the restaurant industry but it really impacts the food I'm putting in my body.
I think some Pad Thai is on the menu tonight - lets see if i have any limes at home (could be a problem)
heddwch
G
well tuesday is here
and no race report.
or anything else...
odd.
Or not.
I had a decent list of stuff to write about, some I think somewhat novel in ways to think/approach food and eating and exercise and what not. Some stuff was nucleated by a blog post or a web page and something was from an analog bit of reading i did.
But right now.
Meh.
or anything else...
odd.
Or not.
I had a decent list of stuff to write about, some I think somewhat novel in ways to think/approach food and eating and exercise and what not. Some stuff was nucleated by a blog post or a web page and something was from an analog bit of reading i did.
But right now.
Meh.
Friday, October 14, 2011
nailed it
http://www.chasing120.com/2011/10/december-comes-early-its-not-title-of.html
go read it... wicked funny
go read it... wicked funny
Crazy week
Loss, Spirit Animals, Dubstep, CX Category, Training, Twenty Years...
I'm one of four brothers. And I do a half ass job of staying in touch with all of them, but that actually turns out to be pretty good. I talk to all of em at least once a week or so, feel pretty close to all of them. Thoughts are with Fatmarc and his brothers. I can't really imagine, well I can, my imagination is pretty hardcore, it has to be tough though, I've been lucky to this point. I'm 40 years old and haven't lost any immediate family. Grandparents, yes. But the rest are all hanging on. I like it that way. But I know it can't last that way forever. I'm going to be a pretty solid wreck unless I go first...
I'm one of four brothers. And I do a half ass job of staying in touch with all of them, but that actually turns out to be pretty good. I talk to all of em at least once a week or so, feel pretty close to all of them. Thoughts are with Fatmarc and his brothers. I can't really imagine, well I can, my imagination is pretty hardcore, it has to be tough though, I've been lucky to this point. I'm 40 years old and haven't lost any immediate family. Grandparents, yes. But the rest are all hanging on. I like it that way. But I know it can't last that way forever. I'm going to be a pretty solid wreck unless I go first...
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
epigenetic work
Well I managed to stay on track with the 'PROgram' this morning.
Honestly it is probably too late to tweak a huge amount of the DNA with methylation esp when it comes to developmental expression but hey, whatever, maybe it will make a change (fat chance), but it is possible. And with that possibility I managed to get some discipline.
Felt good. Wicked hard, but pretty good.
Honestly it is probably too late to tweak a huge amount of the DNA with methylation esp when it comes to developmental expression but hey, whatever, maybe it will make a change (fat chance), but it is possible. And with that possibility I managed to get some discipline.
Felt good. Wicked hard, but pretty good.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
New interface fup
So yeah, that last post, didn't realize I was writing it in HTML mode and totally forgot that hard returns aren't coded... (yes it is an option i just didn't have it checked - oops)
one giant block of text
not so awesome
sorry about that - to the three people still reading this stuff
And i'm playing with this jump break stuff
one giant block of text
not so awesome
sorry about that - to the three people still reading this stuff
And i'm playing with this jump break stuff
Distance
Yesterday was the first day I actually pretty much just took off and had as a vacation, in a while. The two weeks this summer with the girls and the stay-cations (one in July and one in August) were nice and a good/much needed break but mostly they were full of catching up with stuff. Yesterday felt like a Sunday, but without any sports to watch on TV during the day. No veg.
Woke up late (well dog woke up early and i fed her and then climbed back into bed), the girls got up a bit late too, and then we made waffles.
And hung out. Washed both the commuter and the Race bike, lubed the chains and assessed what was going on with each of them. Cleaned up the back yard a bit more, but generally didn't do much.
So needed.
Woke up late (well dog woke up early and i fed her and then climbed back into bed), the girls got up a bit late too, and then we made waffles.
And hung out. Washed both the commuter and the Race bike, lubed the chains and assessed what was going on with each of them. Cleaned up the back yard a bit more, but generally didn't do much.
So needed.
Sunday, October 09, 2011
Cross is for Cold Weather
And a good deal of the guys who are racing in the Master categories can be typified as those who excel in the cold and feed on it.
This weekend has not been a weekend for us.
Cold and wet is best. Gloucester got close but still no cigar.
Will it get cold before Warwick?
Today was the antithesis of cold. 80+ is too hot. I blew up. I GeWilli'd the race. Mushroom cloud in the trees.
Kaboom.
But even with the epic implosion I still managed to stay on the lead lap, and wasn't DFL...
Bring on the cold please. And today's course was so f'n fast. SO fast. No rest. Power power power power power power.
I should have put a bottle cage on at the least. But I raced. And as my littlest said while we were walking to check the results, "It isn't about winning, you raced, that's what counts."
Damn she's smart.
My hip flexor took a beating with the super high speed barrier. And my back was enraged by the two step dismount on the new section by the reg tent. But I managed a finish.
and that's enough, for now.
This weekend has not been a weekend for us.
Cold and wet is best. Gloucester got close but still no cigar.
Will it get cold before Warwick?
Today was the antithesis of cold. 80+ is too hot. I blew up. I GeWilli'd the race. Mushroom cloud in the trees.
Kaboom.
But even with the epic implosion I still managed to stay on the lead lap, and wasn't DFL...
Bring on the cold please. And today's course was so f'n fast. SO fast. No rest. Power power power power power power.
I should have put a bottle cage on at the least. But I raced. And as my littlest said while we were walking to check the results, "It isn't about winning, you raced, that's what counts."
Damn she's smart.
My hip flexor took a beating with the super high speed barrier. And my back was enraged by the two step dismount on the new section by the reg tent. But I managed a finish.
and that's enough, for now.
Saturday, October 08, 2011
Providence Festival of Cyclocross Day 1
Wow.
Painful course, esp for those who crashed. Thoughts go out to Rob Hult who went down really hard in the transition to the finishing stretch. Rumor has it that his arm bone was nearly poking through his skin it was broken and displaced so badly. I hope Jonny Bold is okay. I passed him as he pulled the plug by the Cliff Bar sugar station and then heard the rumor that he crashed hard.
Jerry kept his shit upright, but maybe that's because he says he didn't have legs and wearing gloves he couldn't drive the bike. Curtis squeaked into the top 10, but a whole new crop occupied the podium. Okay Wilichoski, isn't new this season but he's new this year. Results here.
My personal race? Lined up somewhere (on the left behind Wade). And we started. It was brutally hot (for a CX race) but off we went. At least much of the course was shady and we were carrying a shit ton of speed through most of it. It didn't feel nearly as oppressive as White Park up in Concord, NH.
I didn't have the same snap as Sunday at gloucester off the bike. Hoping to find a bit of that tomorrow.
Start was fast, fast, fast and faster. And I hit cruise control and parked it just below the redline and followed wheels. A few dudes tried to get a bit douchey, but most of them ended up behind me w/in a lap or two. I passed more people than passed me once we hit the barriers, but then that is what happens when you wind up close to DFL. But pass drill it and pass and I worked my ass off and didn't slide too poorly.
Matt B found some crazy mojo and was hopping the barriers and putting time in to me through them, skilz that I don't have. Oh well. I worked my ass off. Screwed up a few turns here or there. Botched it big time with Todd Rowell sitting on my wheel, pretty embarrassing really.
Best part was reeling Gary David in, until two to go when he found a second gear or i just screwed up and he got slightly more of a gap.
It really hurt. Brutal pain, not much rest and if you did rest you were losing time big time. I figured most of it out about the same time Gary A did, it got me close enough to sit on his wheel until Sean rode through me and inspired Gary to pedal just a bit harder.
I made the first page of results. 50/70 starters and 61 finishers, pretty far behind the winner by "those who do not suck" standards but for me? It was good. I'm happy with it, esp coming off of this week of course set up, life stress, and not riding again.
Got my normal pre-ride routine down pretty well, but the whole parking challenge fractured the team pretty well and there was no cohesive gathering point. Not that we needed to hold hands and say a prayer before the race or anything. The whole not drinking beer at the race does certainly change the social dynamic of the event. That's something that I'm actually grappling with a bit. The trade offs are probably worth it but it feels different. Still pretty awesome to see everyone and hang out pre-race. Post race I've been so cooked that I just feel like taking a nap. So that's part of it.
Racing with the fast old dudes is pretty awesome and pushes me to stay focused and work harder to improve, it is all good and pretty rewarding.
Tomorrow is going to be pretty brutal, esp wearing a dark long sleeve skinsuit (i'd wear shorts and a jersey if either of them fit well enough - i'm too skinny for them). But tonight is a load up with salt night and fill the body with as much fluid as I can to keep everything lubricated for 50 minutes or how ever long it takes me to finish.
Again, thoughts go out to those who hit the deck today. Heal fast.
Heddwch
G
Painful course, esp for those who crashed. Thoughts go out to Rob Hult who went down really hard in the transition to the finishing stretch. Rumor has it that his arm bone was nearly poking through his skin it was broken and displaced so badly. I hope Jonny Bold is okay. I passed him as he pulled the plug by the Cliff Bar sugar station and then heard the rumor that he crashed hard.
Jerry kept his shit upright, but maybe that's because he says he didn't have legs and wearing gloves he couldn't drive the bike. Curtis squeaked into the top 10, but a whole new crop occupied the podium. Okay Wilichoski, isn't new this season but he's new this year. Results here.
My personal race? Lined up somewhere (on the left behind Wade). And we started. It was brutally hot (for a CX race) but off we went. At least much of the course was shady and we were carrying a shit ton of speed through most of it. It didn't feel nearly as oppressive as White Park up in Concord, NH.
I didn't have the same snap as Sunday at gloucester off the bike. Hoping to find a bit of that tomorrow.
Start was fast, fast, fast and faster. And I hit cruise control and parked it just below the redline and followed wheels. A few dudes tried to get a bit douchey, but most of them ended up behind me w/in a lap or two. I passed more people than passed me once we hit the barriers, but then that is what happens when you wind up close to DFL. But pass drill it and pass and I worked my ass off and didn't slide too poorly.
Matt B found some crazy mojo and was hopping the barriers and putting time in to me through them, skilz that I don't have. Oh well. I worked my ass off. Screwed up a few turns here or there. Botched it big time with Todd Rowell sitting on my wheel, pretty embarrassing really.
Best part was reeling Gary David in, until two to go when he found a second gear or i just screwed up and he got slightly more of a gap.
It really hurt. Brutal pain, not much rest and if you did rest you were losing time big time. I figured most of it out about the same time Gary A did, it got me close enough to sit on his wheel until Sean rode through me and inspired Gary to pedal just a bit harder.
I made the first page of results. 50/70 starters and 61 finishers, pretty far behind the winner by "those who do not suck" standards but for me? It was good. I'm happy with it, esp coming off of this week of course set up, life stress, and not riding again.
Got my normal pre-ride routine down pretty well, but the whole parking challenge fractured the team pretty well and there was no cohesive gathering point. Not that we needed to hold hands and say a prayer before the race or anything. The whole not drinking beer at the race does certainly change the social dynamic of the event. That's something that I'm actually grappling with a bit. The trade offs are probably worth it but it feels different. Still pretty awesome to see everyone and hang out pre-race. Post race I've been so cooked that I just feel like taking a nap. So that's part of it.
Racing with the fast old dudes is pretty awesome and pushes me to stay focused and work harder to improve, it is all good and pretty rewarding.
Tomorrow is going to be pretty brutal, esp wearing a dark long sleeve skinsuit (i'd wear shorts and a jersey if either of them fit well enough - i'm too skinny for them). But tonight is a load up with salt night and fill the body with as much fluid as I can to keep everything lubricated for 50 minutes or how ever long it takes me to finish.
Again, thoughts go out to those who hit the deck today. Heal fast.
Heddwch
G
Friday, October 07, 2011
Gloucester Day 2 (for real this time)
Day Two really started immediately after Saturday's race ended. I recovered enough to make it back to the car, drank a bit of water till everything settled down enough to eat some food. I ate. Drank some more water and got on the trainer.
20 minutes of spinning out the legs was good, I felt much better after that was over. Headed down to the car, and changed clothes and ate a couple of bites of the bacon & egg pasta. So good. Washed the bike and then ate the rest of it while walking around to say hello and check things out. I think. Details are fuzzy a week later.
More or less that was the deal. Drank a TON of water. And not a drop of beer (big change this year). Headed home and finished washing the bike with soap and water, lubing the chain up. For the wet and muddy races I put the EVerlube lube on there and just let the mineral spirits evaporate after working it all in well (instead of wiping it off). Seems to work well. And the chain always washes clean.
(there's still mud on the bike from Sunday. and yes. it is friday)
Kit cleaned, bike cleaned and lubed, we moved on to Dinner. Baked potatoes, salad and some WF pork sausages (they were on sale). Simple. And good.
Sleep didn't really come easily but I did get some, maybe not enough but I got up with enough time to make some more of the same breakfast routine as I did the day before (oats, egg scramble wraps, coffee). Hopped in the car for the run north again.
Got there at the perfect time. Grabbed the number, checked out the course a bit, ran the beach with Nick and the stairs after that. Watched the leaders get through it and watched them race a bit. Got the stuff together, number pinned, joked around with Fatmarc, got props from his brother about my comment that the suit has room for two and moved on to getting the bike set up for pre-ride.
This time I got out there as soon as the race ended. Did a full lap before the women's race and then went back to sort through everything else and hang out a bit and kept getting ready. Relaxed, no stress. Hit the course one more time for a good lap before start of the 45+ race. After that lap I got on the trainer for about 30 minutes, and headed down to the start line to do laps with everyone else waiting for staging. And it felt cold.
And I LOVED THAT. COLD. finally. Temperatures that work for me.
We lined up and it was off. Very fast. And I was not agressive, but I wasn't slow, and that put me in probably about 60th place maybe 70th. Kind of far back. But you know what I did? I passed people.
And I passed more people. We hit the run up and it was a slow slog. Someone tried to grab me and push up on the right hand side, um yeah, no dice dude, we ain't going no where, chill. And we got up and around and pedaled. And we pedaled and we went hard. It was pretty fucking awesome.
The next feature of note was the beach run and the stairs. Again, people wanted to go faster, some how I wound up behind the gimp (he was really visibly limping off the bike esp after the stairs before the remount). Someone bounced his bike or pushed and Jerry snapped back to chill the fuck down or something. And I made like a wall. No one's passing me on the stairs. And we took off. And dropped Jerry.
And pretty soon I was racing. Catching groups, keeping a group from catching. Then a group did get on and one of them would wind up in front but he was so slow in certain sections. Every time we hit the pavement I drilled it like the day before and dropped people or really put them into deep pain to catch back up.
It was working really well for me. Pedaling so hard I was dying but then finding a spot to recover and before I knew it I was pedaling just as hard. If I had been able to ride the corners as fast as some people I'd have been way farther up, i was losing time in some of the sections but just destroying it in others.
The mud wall for example I literally sprinted up it every time on sunday. for some reason it was set up for me. I had made the catch on Carl with 2 to go (bridged up to him on the pavement). I had the group that had been dangling for a lap or two getting a bit closer than i wanted as I hit the stairs but I jammed it HARD up the beach (riding all the way to the base of the stairs is faster than getting off - i didn't get off). Carl was going hard and I was coming in hot and had gotten a good gap on the group of 6 that had been getting too close for comfort. Remounted and the rear tire felt soft, but I was thinking about the next section along the sea wall. Every lap I'd been able to absolutely CHARGE past people and gain time and Carl was in my sights.
Until...
the back end went all squishy.
flat
tire
AGAIN.
With barely more than a lap to go, my brain made a stupid choice to pack it in. No way to salvage the ride and get back to back top 50s at Gloucester, and I don't have spare wheels in the pits or a spare bike, and running the firecrest 303s (which are awesome) the neutral wheels probably would mean I wouldn't have any rear brakes. doing a lap w/o rear brakes assuming I survived the run to the pit meant... well all that created a defeatest mentality. And I pulled the plug. Pissed this time. Sure I am slow. Top 50 in the 1/2/3 35+ masters field is nothing for others, but to me that is a good result. Would have been incredible way to cap off racing on potentially two of the best cyclocross courses ever constructed (I'm serious).
But as it was I rolled back to the car. put the bike in, loaded the stuff, changed, and headed down to say hey to the really old dudes at the pop-up trailer and left. Got home in time to pick up the oldest from Rehearsal and take her shopping with me. And that was actually a great way to cap off the weekend, hanging out with her.
We did put 50ml of Doc Blue in the rear tire while at the shop on Sunday. took a bit to get it filled up, the previous batch of Doc Blue from Quad (not nearly 25ml - maybe 15) sealed the valve for a minute, but we got it all in there. It wasn't sealing well at the shop but I just kept rotating it around, and by the time we got home it was really very well sealed up and only dropped 20 pounds (60-40psi) from Sunday night until this morning. Which is pretty good for a latex tube.
So that's the Sunday story. A kick ass bike race defeated by a lack of air. Oh well. It is racing.
Bring on Providence!
heddwch
G
20 minutes of spinning out the legs was good, I felt much better after that was over. Headed down to the car, and changed clothes and ate a couple of bites of the bacon & egg pasta. So good. Washed the bike and then ate the rest of it while walking around to say hello and check things out. I think. Details are fuzzy a week later.
More or less that was the deal. Drank a TON of water. And not a drop of beer (big change this year). Headed home and finished washing the bike with soap and water, lubing the chain up. For the wet and muddy races I put the EVerlube lube on there and just let the mineral spirits evaporate after working it all in well (instead of wiping it off). Seems to work well. And the chain always washes clean.
(there's still mud on the bike from Sunday. and yes. it is friday)
Kit cleaned, bike cleaned and lubed, we moved on to Dinner. Baked potatoes, salad and some WF pork sausages (they were on sale). Simple. And good.
Sleep didn't really come easily but I did get some, maybe not enough but I got up with enough time to make some more of the same breakfast routine as I did the day before (oats, egg scramble wraps, coffee). Hopped in the car for the run north again.
Got there at the perfect time. Grabbed the number, checked out the course a bit, ran the beach with Nick and the stairs after that. Watched the leaders get through it and watched them race a bit. Got the stuff together, number pinned, joked around with Fatmarc, got props from his brother about my comment that the suit has room for two and moved on to getting the bike set up for pre-ride.
This time I got out there as soon as the race ended. Did a full lap before the women's race and then went back to sort through everything else and hang out a bit and kept getting ready. Relaxed, no stress. Hit the course one more time for a good lap before start of the 45+ race. After that lap I got on the trainer for about 30 minutes, and headed down to the start line to do laps with everyone else waiting for staging. And it felt cold.
And I LOVED THAT. COLD. finally. Temperatures that work for me.
We lined up and it was off. Very fast. And I was not agressive, but I wasn't slow, and that put me in probably about 60th place maybe 70th. Kind of far back. But you know what I did? I passed people.
And I passed more people. We hit the run up and it was a slow slog. Someone tried to grab me and push up on the right hand side, um yeah, no dice dude, we ain't going no where, chill. And we got up and around and pedaled. And we pedaled and we went hard. It was pretty fucking awesome.
The next feature of note was the beach run and the stairs. Again, people wanted to go faster, some how I wound up behind the gimp (he was really visibly limping off the bike esp after the stairs before the remount). Someone bounced his bike or pushed and Jerry snapped back to chill the fuck down or something. And I made like a wall. No one's passing me on the stairs. And we took off. And dropped Jerry.
And pretty soon I was racing. Catching groups, keeping a group from catching. Then a group did get on and one of them would wind up in front but he was so slow in certain sections. Every time we hit the pavement I drilled it like the day before and dropped people or really put them into deep pain to catch back up.
It was working really well for me. Pedaling so hard I was dying but then finding a spot to recover and before I knew it I was pedaling just as hard. If I had been able to ride the corners as fast as some people I'd have been way farther up, i was losing time in some of the sections but just destroying it in others.
The mud wall for example I literally sprinted up it every time on sunday. for some reason it was set up for me. I had made the catch on Carl with 2 to go (bridged up to him on the pavement). I had the group that had been dangling for a lap or two getting a bit closer than i wanted as I hit the stairs but I jammed it HARD up the beach (riding all the way to the base of the stairs is faster than getting off - i didn't get off). Carl was going hard and I was coming in hot and had gotten a good gap on the group of 6 that had been getting too close for comfort. Remounted and the rear tire felt soft, but I was thinking about the next section along the sea wall. Every lap I'd been able to absolutely CHARGE past people and gain time and Carl was in my sights.
Until...
the back end went all squishy.
flat
tire
AGAIN.
With barely more than a lap to go, my brain made a stupid choice to pack it in. No way to salvage the ride and get back to back top 50s at Gloucester, and I don't have spare wheels in the pits or a spare bike, and running the firecrest 303s (which are awesome) the neutral wheels probably would mean I wouldn't have any rear brakes. doing a lap w/o rear brakes assuming I survived the run to the pit meant... well all that created a defeatest mentality. And I pulled the plug. Pissed this time. Sure I am slow. Top 50 in the 1/2/3 35+ masters field is nothing for others, but to me that is a good result. Would have been incredible way to cap off racing on potentially two of the best cyclocross courses ever constructed (I'm serious).
But as it was I rolled back to the car. put the bike in, loaded the stuff, changed, and headed down to say hey to the really old dudes at the pop-up trailer and left. Got home in time to pick up the oldest from Rehearsal and take her shopping with me. And that was actually a great way to cap off the weekend, hanging out with her.
We did put 50ml of Doc Blue in the rear tire while at the shop on Sunday. took a bit to get it filled up, the previous batch of Doc Blue from Quad (not nearly 25ml - maybe 15) sealed the valve for a minute, but we got it all in there. It wasn't sealing well at the shop but I just kept rotating it around, and by the time we got home it was really very well sealed up and only dropped 20 pounds (60-40psi) from Sunday night until this morning. Which is pretty good for a latex tube.
So that's the Sunday story. A kick ass bike race defeated by a lack of air. Oh well. It is racing.
Bring on Providence!
heddwch
G
Great Deeds
Steve Jobs died a day or two ago. Maybe you've heard the news.
Not really a shock, we knew his time was limited. 2003 i think, right? That was the initial diagnosis. My dear friend Amy's father was diagnosed the same thing Steve had. The cancer was found at the end of March. Mr Anderson died on July 8th. Not nearly enough time for the trans-formative power cancer can give certain people.
I watched this unaired commercial and thought of someone else who wanted to change the world...
I made me think about Mark Louis Francis Nicholson enough that I had to take a moment to write this on Mark's FB wall:
Excuse me a moment. I have to close my office door.
We can all conceptually agree that to live life the way Mark and Steve did post diagnosis, to fight and beat the odds the way they both did. Add Dr. David Servan-Schreiber to the list even maybe. We know what we might do if we were given a short time, but without the certainty and the deadline, do we really ever push ourselves the same. Can we even push ourselves that much? For 99% of the people out there, no we can't.
Rolling through the growing list of friends and family who've fought and lost the battle with Cancer, I hate it more each day. I have great frustration in the lack of a desire to work on prevention in favor of a cure, there's far more money to be made in treatment than prevention and as I've said before much in the same way Type II diabetes is being dealt with.
I'm just reflecting a bit.
I have been more cynical and negative about the press and media hype about SJ's passing than maybe I should, that said, even reflecting as I am now I still feel it is a bit overblown. But the human race does involuntarily select single individuals out for greatness, despite the fact that they never act alone, and never achieve their greatness alone.
I tend to reflect on Mark's life more around Cyclocross season because of the few races I picked him up at and we went to together. The time talking with him in the car was awesome. He always did well too and nothing ever phased him except when he thought he lost the green fuzzy scarf, and then it was more sadness and resignation than anger or frustration.
To me, Mark will always be a great individual. And my daughter's words after spending the day at the bike race with him will ever ring true, "Daddy, he is my favorite Mark."
Yes, little one, he's my favorite Mark too.
Heddwch
G
Not really a shock, we knew his time was limited. 2003 i think, right? That was the initial diagnosis. My dear friend Amy's father was diagnosed the same thing Steve had. The cancer was found at the end of March. Mr Anderson died on July 8th. Not nearly enough time for the trans-formative power cancer can give certain people.
I watched this unaired commercial and thought of someone else who wanted to change the world...
I made me think about Mark Louis Francis Nicholson enough that I had to take a moment to write this on Mark's FB wall:
The passing of Steve Jobs, and all he accomplished after his diagnosis reminds me of all you accomplished in your short time with us. I think of all the people who's lives were deeply touched, all because you had cancer. It is a horrible thing that it ultimately took you from us, but at the same time allowed so many of us to be inspired by your soul, your courage, your compassion, your radiant light. I miss you Mark.And now I think I have something in my eye because they are watering so much that I can't really see clearly right now. I'm sure those who were close to Steve must feel the same way I feel thinking about Mark.
Excuse me a moment. I have to close my office door.
We can all conceptually agree that to live life the way Mark and Steve did post diagnosis, to fight and beat the odds the way they both did. Add Dr. David Servan-Schreiber to the list even maybe. We know what we might do if we were given a short time, but without the certainty and the deadline, do we really ever push ourselves the same. Can we even push ourselves that much? For 99% of the people out there, no we can't.
Rolling through the growing list of friends and family who've fought and lost the battle with Cancer, I hate it more each day. I have great frustration in the lack of a desire to work on prevention in favor of a cure, there's far more money to be made in treatment than prevention and as I've said before much in the same way Type II diabetes is being dealt with.
I'm just reflecting a bit.
I have been more cynical and negative about the press and media hype about SJ's passing than maybe I should, that said, even reflecting as I am now I still feel it is a bit overblown. But the human race does involuntarily select single individuals out for greatness, despite the fact that they never act alone, and never achieve their greatness alone.
I tend to reflect on Mark's life more around Cyclocross season because of the few races I picked him up at and we went to together. The time talking with him in the car was awesome. He always did well too and nothing ever phased him except when he thought he lost the green fuzzy scarf, and then it was more sadness and resignation than anger or frustration.
To me, Mark will always be a great individual. And my daughter's words after spending the day at the bike race with him will ever ring true, "Daddy, he is my favorite Mark."
Yes, little one, he's my favorite Mark too.
Heddwch
G
Thursday, October 06, 2011
a connection
To the man who said these words:
"Life is a continuum in which we all owe a debt to the past and are under obligation to the future."
-William Niering
A connection made more profound and personal after discovering something new lately...
He was a brilliant man. One who influenced me greatly. A real mentor. And probably the reason I hit the Botanical vs other focus of study.
"Life is a continuum in which we all owe a debt to the past and are under obligation to the future."
-William Niering
A connection made more profound and personal after discovering something new lately...
He was a brilliant man. One who influenced me greatly. A real mentor. And probably the reason I hit the Botanical vs other focus of study.
still waiting
Haven't written it yet - (day 2 report). Spent yesterday morning helping to set up the Providence Festival of Cyclocross Course. Stevens has some new wrinkles that should make it pretty interesting and while still PVD should be fresh and new (and harder).
Fortunately (in my opinion) the 'Tree Warden' is feeling the pain of losing 250+ trees in the Hurricane and had declared the tree and the roots around the trees off limits for the course. Which I like, but also means Stevens has added some crazy turny shit that is very new.
Those of you who showed up in 2005 and 2006 for Nationals might remember the whole Jelly Belly bowl and that side of the hill. There wasn't a blade of grass there. Or in a few other spots. What the crew putting on the race has done is pay for re-seeding of the whole place each year. They are the only group doing that and the Park doesn't do it. Because of a big time cyclocross race the venue has IMPROVED, not been degrade. The park is better due to cyclocross than the opposite.
Pretty cool bit of trivia I think.
Parking is going to nuts because the old racer parking (the road at the top of the hill leading from the Boathouse above the Carousel) is full of trees and limbs and leaves and all sorts of Hurricane Irene debris.
There's space but it will be a bit more creative than in the past. Pit tent parking is going to be on the backside, and of course, no open grills/fires/cooking at the race. You want to be subtle about it, fine, but this isn't a tailgate venue.
I'm going to try and get out and pre-ride tomorrow afternoon, come join the fun if you're local.
Heading back out today to help finish up. We got it almost all staked when I have to leave at 2pm, hopefully the wind will stay mellow and we can get the snow fencing up and most of the course tape up, and what ever else the crazy race designer has in store for those who show up to help.
heddwch
G
Fortunately (in my opinion) the 'Tree Warden' is feeling the pain of losing 250+ trees in the Hurricane and had declared the tree and the roots around the trees off limits for the course. Which I like, but also means Stevens has added some crazy turny shit that is very new.
Those of you who showed up in 2005 and 2006 for Nationals might remember the whole Jelly Belly bowl and that side of the hill. There wasn't a blade of grass there. Or in a few other spots. What the crew putting on the race has done is pay for re-seeding of the whole place each year. They are the only group doing that and the Park doesn't do it. Because of a big time cyclocross race the venue has IMPROVED, not been degrade. The park is better due to cyclocross than the opposite.
Pretty cool bit of trivia I think.
Parking is going to nuts because the old racer parking (the road at the top of the hill leading from the Boathouse above the Carousel) is full of trees and limbs and leaves and all sorts of Hurricane Irene debris.
There's space but it will be a bit more creative than in the past. Pit tent parking is going to be on the backside, and of course, no open grills/fires/cooking at the race. You want to be subtle about it, fine, but this isn't a tailgate venue.
I'm going to try and get out and pre-ride tomorrow afternoon, come join the fun if you're local.
Heading back out today to help finish up. We got it almost all staked when I have to leave at 2pm, hopefully the wind will stay mellow and we can get the snow fencing up and most of the course tape up, and what ever else the crazy race designer has in store for those who show up to help.
heddwch
G
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Day 2 Gloucester
Yeah, it didn't get written last night did it? Nope.
This morning?
Nope.
Did it happen?
Yup.
Enough about me - see how many times you can spot CycloWHAT? and Todd in this:
"Behind The Barriers" Season II Episode 2 from Behind The Barriers on Vimeo.
And then try and survive the first part to get to the end:
And yeah...
So I should write up day two, eventually. I wasted my lunch time watching B2B II 2 and reading Bittman's latest.
Really - go read it. And check the links.
Oh shit (yeah yeah i swear too much - is 40 too old to change?) I was going to do a bit of a food thing, about Oatmeal spurred by the comments from the other post.
And something else too... forget now.
Legs are definitely feeling sore from the weekend even after 20 miles of spinning lightly yesterday (with a couple forced hills of no choice in there to put an exclamation point on the fact that they need recovery). This morning's ride in was fast Zone 1... ala high 90s HRM and speeds between 15-20 (depending on the wind and slope).
On the plus side - Tubular is holding air still. 50ml of doc blue seems to do the trick. That and my new skinny ass is still probably too fat to run the RR tubies at the pressure I was.
So yeah I'll get to writing about Day 2. Soon. Maybe.
heddwch
G
This morning?
Nope.
Did it happen?
Yup.
Enough about me - see how many times you can spot CycloWHAT? and Todd in this:
"Behind The Barriers" Season II Episode 2 from Behind The Barriers on Vimeo.
And then try and survive the first part to get to the end:
And yeah...
So I should write up day two, eventually. I wasted my lunch time watching B2B II 2 and reading Bittman's latest.
Really - go read it. And check the links.
Oh shit (yeah yeah i swear too much - is 40 too old to change?) I was going to do a bit of a food thing, about Oatmeal spurred by the comments from the other post.
And something else too... forget now.
Legs are definitely feeling sore from the weekend even after 20 miles of spinning lightly yesterday (with a couple forced hills of no choice in there to put an exclamation point on the fact that they need recovery). This morning's ride in was fast Zone 1... ala high 90s HRM and speeds between 15-20 (depending on the wind and slope).
On the plus side - Tubular is holding air still. 50ml of doc blue seems to do the trick. That and my new skinny ass is still probably too fat to run the RR tubies at the pressure I was.
So yeah I'll get to writing about Day 2. Soon. Maybe.
heddwch
G
Monday, October 03, 2011
New England Worlds aka CXmas
Two days. Two races. Two results. Some definite progress for me in many areas.
Call it an awesome weekend race. It certainly lived up to the hype in the racing and course and competition departments. The social stuff? Not as much but then, well, you can party or you can act like an 'athlete' or something, some fast dude told me something along those lines this summer. More than a little truth to that.
Pre-amble? Well I seem to be doing much better than last year. Still plenty to work on and both the course and the people around me seem to be important to get my brain in the game, and I've got some tire issues to figure out. The drive up and back wasn't too bad and the Rusty Race Wagon must have wanted to impress the Previous Owner and it did the job quite well.
Race prep for this weekend really did begin on Thursday and Friday. less about being on the bike and more about relaxing, resting a little and eating a ton (of good stuff). The efforts all seemed to pay off, and the rest kept me feeling fresh.
Day 1 dawned and I climbed out of bed nice and late (6am). Fired up the coffee maker, and ate some oatmeal while catching up on the night's twitter noise. Downed the coffee while making the pre-race food.
I've tried a handful of different things. Eggs in a wrap with veggies and some meat certainly kept me full but left me a bit dead. Oatmeal (steel cut or rolled and steamed) alone always left me feeling hungry, but with a bit more energy during the race. Since I've bailed on drinking anything other than coffee or water carbs are sort of important. Eating the oats at 6:30 (5+ hrs before race time) seems to be a good magic number. Seems to work as long as I get a full belly 4+ hours before race time. Then at 3 hours before I eat the 'meal.' Saturday i made a scramble, olive oil, onions, mushrooms, red pepper, habanero, turmeric, black pepper, garlic, napa cabbage two eggs and some cheese. I divided all that into three burrito wraps. Ate them after stopping at the BK road side place there on 128 (just before 9). I actually only ate 2. Saved the third for post race recovery food along with the pasta (carbonara w/bacon) I made Friday night and an apple. Added a bite of oatmeal at 10:40 just before heading out for the second pre-ride recon lap. A Chocolate Cherry Clif shot 20 min before the race and a bunch of water and coffee.
It seemed to work, or at least wasn't a limiter. Curtis is right, what's the point of focusing on all that if I'm not as fast as he is? Well, if I focus on that stuff (that I have control on) I won't suck relative to my potential, as low as the potential might be.
Warm up was 3/4 of a lap before the 10am race. A full lap before the 11am race and then 30 min of trainer ending about 20 min before our race at noon.
The race? Lined up Sort of way far back. Still a good number of rows behind me though. I think I was seeded in the 70s or so with 93 starters that put maybe 20 guys behind me (not that many). But there were plenty of faster than me guys in the row in front of me (Wade Summers, Shawn McCormack, David Stacey...). And really when it came right down to it most of the field really was pretty fast.
We started up the hill and I just chilled, didn't actively try and blow up but I kept my head down in the draft and followed the crowd, pedaling harder than some, but not riding as stupid as others. And we were racing.
Up, turn, off the bike, run, pedal hard turn what not. It was muddy for our race. The rain over night saturated everything and the four races previous to ours chewed up the course very well, worked the water into mud and everything was slick and goopy. Fun stuff. Oh and we had the flyover. Foot deep mud in places on the down hill approach to it. Nuts. The sun started coming out for the 1pm race and the course dried right the hell out. We had the best conditions of the day.
Negacoach was yelling that I was about 50th, which was spectacular for me considering the race predictor. And I was catching Scott Brooks (who usually is way up there with MKR or at least closer to MKR than me). With two to go Scott sort of stretched the elastic a bit and the spots I was catching him weren't compensating for the spots I was losing time on. BUT I WAS RACING! Not just Scott. A few people came through me there with a couple to go. 6 maybe. Too many for certain. But I was really able to unload watts on the paved hill that no one (around me) was matching and in a few other spots.
I was flying up the wooden stairs and over the barriers. Making up lots of time in those spots. On Saturday i wasn't really making up time on the muddy run up but I wasn't losing too much. We came around and I actually sort of pulled it together after a bit of a slide and while the OA guy (John Meerse) and the CCB guy (Sean Langford) got around me and Meerse passed Langford on the hill, I turned onto the finishing stretch and boom, unloaded every last mg of glycogen and what ever else I had to make those muscles contract and went further into the red than I have in a long time. Sean was already at the TIMMIE pop up (three or four trees up) when I turned on to the pavement so it was going to be tight but unload I did. I did probably sprint in the tops but whatever. Got up to speed and flew past Sean and was making hard core time on John and he looked back and I had just enough to pimp him at the line with a bike throw. Of course as soon as I cross the line I thought "I hope no one is standing in front of me this time" I was focused on the finish line and Meerse. Not what was beyond it.
Fortunately no one was there and I spend the next few minutes (felt like an eternity) trying to recover my breath. It didn't really matter what place it was (54/93) but I wasn't about to get lapped and despite a slight slide I held on to solidly beat the Race Predictor. And it was BRUTAL. And I felt exhausted. Literally walking back to the car like a zombie when it was time to leave.
Highlight was always running into Fatmarc. Also chatting the LVG and the Auer Machine. And hell everyone else. It was good. I did tone the insanity down a bit. Post race I ate the food I brought, drank a bunch of water, and sat on the trainer for 20 minutes. And finally after watching the women's start and a lap or so while chatting with folks I headed home. Pulling in at around 5pm. Long day. But a good day.
The short off the cuff race report that I wrote that night may have a few other details or not. The course was great. A nice mix of go really hard and then recover for a second, and I probably 'recovered' too much but whatever.
I'll get to day two in a bit.
Surprisingly despite the massive amount of off the bike and running (no real long runs anyway, just stairs) and my total lack of any running this year, I'm doing pretty well physically today. Right glute is sore, the top of my calf is sore but that's about it. Heart rate was very acceptably low this morning and the ride in was mellow but not wicked slow, even keeping the HR down. Good signs I think.
Heddwch
G
Call it an awesome weekend race. It certainly lived up to the hype in the racing and course and competition departments. The social stuff? Not as much but then, well, you can party or you can act like an 'athlete' or something, some fast dude told me something along those lines this summer. More than a little truth to that.
Pre-amble? Well I seem to be doing much better than last year. Still plenty to work on and both the course and the people around me seem to be important to get my brain in the game, and I've got some tire issues to figure out. The drive up and back wasn't too bad and the Rusty Race Wagon must have wanted to impress the Previous Owner and it did the job quite well.
Race prep for this weekend really did begin on Thursday and Friday. less about being on the bike and more about relaxing, resting a little and eating a ton (of good stuff). The efforts all seemed to pay off, and the rest kept me feeling fresh.
Day 1 dawned and I climbed out of bed nice and late (6am). Fired up the coffee maker, and ate some oatmeal while catching up on the night's twitter noise. Downed the coffee while making the pre-race food.
I've tried a handful of different things. Eggs in a wrap with veggies and some meat certainly kept me full but left me a bit dead. Oatmeal (steel cut or rolled and steamed) alone always left me feeling hungry, but with a bit more energy during the race. Since I've bailed on drinking anything other than coffee or water carbs are sort of important. Eating the oats at 6:30 (5+ hrs before race time) seems to be a good magic number. Seems to work as long as I get a full belly 4+ hours before race time. Then at 3 hours before I eat the 'meal.' Saturday i made a scramble, olive oil, onions, mushrooms, red pepper, habanero, turmeric, black pepper, garlic, napa cabbage two eggs and some cheese. I divided all that into three burrito wraps. Ate them after stopping at the BK road side place there on 128 (just before 9). I actually only ate 2. Saved the third for post race recovery food along with the pasta (carbonara w/bacon) I made Friday night and an apple. Added a bite of oatmeal at 10:40 just before heading out for the second pre-ride recon lap. A Chocolate Cherry Clif shot 20 min before the race and a bunch of water and coffee.
It seemed to work, or at least wasn't a limiter. Curtis is right, what's the point of focusing on all that if I'm not as fast as he is? Well, if I focus on that stuff (that I have control on) I won't suck relative to my potential, as low as the potential might be.
Warm up was 3/4 of a lap before the 10am race. A full lap before the 11am race and then 30 min of trainer ending about 20 min before our race at noon.
The race? Lined up Sort of way far back. Still a good number of rows behind me though. I think I was seeded in the 70s or so with 93 starters that put maybe 20 guys behind me (not that many). But there were plenty of faster than me guys in the row in front of me (Wade Summers, Shawn McCormack, David Stacey...). And really when it came right down to it most of the field really was pretty fast.
We started up the hill and I just chilled, didn't actively try and blow up but I kept my head down in the draft and followed the crowd, pedaling harder than some, but not riding as stupid as others. And we were racing.
Up, turn, off the bike, run, pedal hard turn what not. It was muddy for our race. The rain over night saturated everything and the four races previous to ours chewed up the course very well, worked the water into mud and everything was slick and goopy. Fun stuff. Oh and we had the flyover. Foot deep mud in places on the down hill approach to it. Nuts. The sun started coming out for the 1pm race and the course dried right the hell out. We had the best conditions of the day.
Negacoach was yelling that I was about 50th, which was spectacular for me considering the race predictor. And I was catching Scott Brooks (who usually is way up there with MKR or at least closer to MKR than me). With two to go Scott sort of stretched the elastic a bit and the spots I was catching him weren't compensating for the spots I was losing time on. BUT I WAS RACING! Not just Scott. A few people came through me there with a couple to go. 6 maybe. Too many for certain. But I was really able to unload watts on the paved hill that no one (around me) was matching and in a few other spots.
I was flying up the wooden stairs and over the barriers. Making up lots of time in those spots. On Saturday i wasn't really making up time on the muddy run up but I wasn't losing too much. We came around and I actually sort of pulled it together after a bit of a slide and while the OA guy (John Meerse) and the CCB guy (Sean Langford) got around me and Meerse passed Langford on the hill, I turned onto the finishing stretch and boom, unloaded every last mg of glycogen and what ever else I had to make those muscles contract and went further into the red than I have in a long time. Sean was already at the TIMMIE pop up (three or four trees up) when I turned on to the pavement so it was going to be tight but unload I did. I did probably sprint in the tops but whatever. Got up to speed and flew past Sean and was making hard core time on John and he looked back and I had just enough to pimp him at the line with a bike throw. Of course as soon as I cross the line I thought "I hope no one is standing in front of me this time" I was focused on the finish line and Meerse. Not what was beyond it.
Fortunately no one was there and I spend the next few minutes (felt like an eternity) trying to recover my breath. It didn't really matter what place it was (54/93) but I wasn't about to get lapped and despite a slight slide I held on to solidly beat the Race Predictor. And it was BRUTAL. And I felt exhausted. Literally walking back to the car like a zombie when it was time to leave.
Highlight was always running into Fatmarc. Also chatting the LVG and the Auer Machine. And hell everyone else. It was good. I did tone the insanity down a bit. Post race I ate the food I brought, drank a bunch of water, and sat on the trainer for 20 minutes. And finally after watching the women's start and a lap or so while chatting with folks I headed home. Pulling in at around 5pm. Long day. But a good day.
The short off the cuff race report that I wrote that night may have a few other details or not. The course was great. A nice mix of go really hard and then recover for a second, and I probably 'recovered' too much but whatever.
Grand Prix of Gloucester was brutal today. Tom Stevens out did him self. The fly over was pretty okay. Could have used a few extra feet on the flat section up top, the approach to is was a nightmare slogfest.
Course was tough. I think I beat the race predictor by 25 places or so which is a huge win for me. Sprinted past 56th and 55th place to nab 54th. 93 starters. Conditions were the most brutal of the day. Still wet and chewed up from all the morning races and the rain, but after our race it started warming up and drying out.
I gave it everything, slipped about 5 spots over the last two laps (actually 7 but i got two back), and was a bit further back from the leaders than i wanted but wow that was tough. Tough course.
Here's to hoping my recovery and the nice 2 hrs in the car on the way home translate into decent legs tomorrow.
And it was fun. A lot of fun. And that made it all worth while. I did walk back to the rusty race wagon for the final time more a zombie than anything, but it was worth the pain and the effort. Great course.
And my Team mate Curtis nabbed the podium. 'Live' results here:http://www.crossresults.com/race/1819
I'll get to day two in a bit.
Surprisingly despite the massive amount of off the bike and running (no real long runs anyway, just stairs) and my total lack of any running this year, I'm doing pretty well physically today. Right glute is sore, the top of my calf is sore but that's about it. Heart rate was very acceptably low this morning and the ride in was mellow but not wicked slow, even keeping the HR down. Good signs I think.
Heddwch
G
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