2 Days

I have been crazy, loco, mad, whack'd, insane in the membrane as of late. I know why....... its due to anticipation, day dreams, memories of 3 days spent. I never thought 3 weeks would go so fast, and now I'm faced with just 2-Days.

Look'n fo lub in all da wong pwaces

Renee my coach has me work'n on my beach muscles now, so I think Im about ready to start dating again. I thought I'd put the following things that describe me in my profile:

Outgoing, active, athletic, cyclist, steady job, healthy lifestyle, clean apartment, clean car, loves family and friends.
Translation: No life, purple tight wearing, enginenerd, with a Trex body, who's gotta be gay.

If your gay, sorry, didnt mean to offend you , and Im really not gay, even thought it may appear that way.

SOX ROCK, ROCKS DONT!

Sorry fellow Colorado Dudes, and Dudettes, I was born and raised a BOSOX fan. Growing up in Massachusetts fanhood a requirement to get your learners permit to drive, there are even questions on the written part of the test regarding Sox history. If you get those questions correct you dont have to take the driving test.....they just give you your licence.

Thanks for the logo Renee , a fellow New Englander.

Cross Train'n

I think I might give up the bike for run'n, or maybe .............

Do you know you?

Being true to yourself, finally knowing yourself, and what you truly enjoy, not having to compromise you for anything, and being appreciated for being you. Isn't that what we all want, and desire. The me has always been there, I just haven't been true to it for a long time. Its freeing to be ourselves, and to be at peace with it.

The Power of a Smile!

How much do you smile? What brings a smile to your face? Do you smile when you pass some one on the street? When you're at the store?



Smiles make an impression on people. You never know when your smile can turn some one's day around. Don't hold them back, who are we to deny someone the opportunity experience that good feeling too.



Do you know what makes you smile, what makes you happy? Do you know the feeling of happiness, that feeling you don't want to let go of? If your missing it, you will feel it again, just let yourself, don't deny it. Do you really know what gets you to that happy place? Its always there, we just get off track some times. Try to remember, happieness is a journey, not a destination.

Ive been Mental, and here's the proof.

Don't say it, I already know.............so I'm a slow learner! Its amazing how life stress can effect physical performance. At the end of the season stress levels were through the roof, and my power levels were suffering, and I'm sure it was in part due to these stresses. I could hardly produce a ride with a NP of over 200 watts. A little rest, and a lot of positive energy, and I'm plugging rides with NP of 217 watts over 3.5 hours, and last nights solo effort with a NP of 222 watts over 1.5 hours. Please take note that a major shift has taken place in my life. Things are good, and there is an abundance of positive energy flowing freely in, through, and around my life. As long as I stay out of my own way things will continue on this way. Amazing, what could it be? I think I know what might be a part of this puzzle. Life is such an amazing journey, every experience has been for a reason, I may not know what the reasons are, but they are what have brought me to this point. More will be revealed, I'm sure of that. Happiness is such a incredible journey.

Walk'n 3" above the ground.

You know its good when its in everything around you, you cant get it out of your mind, and you walk around all day with a smile on your face......................

Three Weeks

Good things come to those who wait........and I can definitely wait for this one.

Life....

When life seems bad, its still pretty damn good. But, when life is good, its lights out knock your sox of good..........
Right now life is Gooooood!

Dopers Suck!

I borrowed this from VeloNews:

Friday's Foaming Rant: O'Grady weighs in on 'the decision'
By Patrick O'GradyEditor at large
Filed: September 21, 2007

Priceless!

Rest Day!

I needed a rest day from my week of the bike. So yesterday I decided to let my body heal from the punishment I have been putting it through off of the bike. I have not been this sore since September last year, when I went through the same total body shock! I cannot wait till Saturday, when I will be getting back to what my body knows, and is happiest with.........Make'n Circles!

Running?

So, in an effort to fill my new found spare time, I decided to take a little trot yesterday. I went to this place down the street from my humble abode, where the trails are nice, smooth, and soft. I remembered from my experiences last year that this would probably make me sore. When have I ever listened or payed attention to past experiences. I fully knew the risk, and proceeded to take 2 laps around this beautiful, scenic, 2.5 mile loop. Mind you I went very slow attempting not to repeat the agony caused by the constant pounding of one foot after the other on this beautiful trail. Ah, the sunset, the cool breeze, the wildlife, very enjoyable, I could have continued for hours. That was yesterday..........Today, OUCH!!!!! Damn that shit hurt! I can barely walk.

What No Bike?

So 07 is in the books. Man, what a fun year. I finished the season with a 6th at the Parker Crit.......Mission Acomplished. I was hoping to finish the season with some points, and I've been flirting with the elusive top 6 for the last couple of races. Finally the last race of the year, I was able to sneak a point! Holy wow, I was able to meet all my goals for the year. Now its on to Transition........Hmm, first order of business, NO BIKE FOR A WEEK! Well almost a week, Saturday I am doing a Big Ass Mountain Ride Part II. So, NO BIKE UNTIL SATURDAY! So I let the air out of my tires, and brought my pumps to work. Yeah, take that see who's smart here!, as much as my bike is taunting me, Im not going to give in.

So Monday was day one with no bike. I was planning of going to Yoga at the gym, but my work schedule, and empty fridge prevented me from making the class on time. I opted to do some upper body weights. Now I remember the pain from last year when I started lifting after the season was over. So I went extremely light with the weights, and did some high reps. OUCH! Damn my shit is sore today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing, racing bikes all summer and Im totally out of shape. And again, the dudes a the gym were laughing at the little guy with the girly weights, or maybe it was my purple tights.

GO FIGURE

I've had a Cat 4 girls sprint all year, and ironically last night I think I may have upgraded to a Cat 3 girls sprint. Recorded my highest power of the year in the 20 sec, High Speed Sprints I was doing. It wasn't a fluke either, I almost repeated that power in the last sprint. Watch out Girls! HA.

Time for Transition

Yep, its here , the last work out of the year. We'll not that any of my workouts have been much of workouts lately, but I think I'll give it one last effort tonight, and do em all.......hmmmm
Next up, Parker Criterium.....Last road event of the year. Wow, where did this season go? I can still remember riding out to Carter Lake with the guys, and freeeeeezing my ars off, like it was yesterday. And those Stazio Training Crits.....oh good times! We'll what a season its been, I think one of the highlights of my season was sharing a bed with Kenny at Dead Dog. Buddy, you gotta shave your back if you wanna spoon again. HAhahaha! Oooooo, I gots a feeling next year is gonna be fun! But first, I think there are some fun, long, coffee shop tour, sprint for the town limit sign, laugh your ass off rides in my future. Hey, anyone wanna ride bikes? I got no more intervals, i got no more intervals, i got no more intervals.........at least for now.

IM GONNA MISS THIS GUY!

Casey at Niwot! Just a good guy!

WARDROBE MALFUNCTION?

I swear these shorts are lined with Kevlar, I went down twice this season and walked away with minor abrasions. I just need to learn how to keep the rubber side down.

TV TIME?

Its a race!

....and Im winning!

In the big leagues, team directors will send riders off the front at the start of a race with no ambition of winning the race. The sole purpose is to get their sponsors TV Time.

At the Copper Mountain Criterium, I was getting my sponsor some TV time, unfortunately there was no TV, and it appears I didn't get very far off the front, and the only person that told me to do it was the little voice in my head. I could have sworn I was wearing a race radio, because he kept saying, YOU CAN DO IT. That little director often gets me in trouble when I listen to him.

I LOVE FREE STUFF!

I received a free lap in Sundays Niwot Criterium, unfortunately it was not exactly free. The price was one pair of bike shorts, a nice hip pointer, and a gouge in my right elbow.
About 15 minutes into the SM3's race the heavens opened up on us, but i'll get to that.

After a nice talk with my coach regarding my recent racing strategies, err I thing the term that was used was "stupid racing", I was making a serious effort to play smarter than in the last couple of races and maintaining position from 2nd to 5th wheel, rather than pulling the field around. This was a very technical course with 7 corners, two of which were greater than 90 degrees. I found out quickly that any position beyond 5th was too much work coming out of the corners so I decided make the effort and stay at the front, where it was still fast, but a much smoother and even pace. Sprinting 7 times a lap out of the corners is absolutely no fun, and can lead to brain damage due to lack of oxygen, and lactic acid buildup, and I can not afford to lose any more brain cells as you all might know. So, there we were, making circles, the pace was high, but not hold your puke back high, and all of a sudden the sky opened up. The first couple laps were a little interesting. Going from dry pavement one second to soaked asphalt the next required some creative cornering. In other words, hold on we going for a ride. Wheels slide even when you are cautious, manhole covers are like ice, even the striping on the pavement is slicker than @#$%. This combination with a pack of guys that are not afraid to take chance is a recipe for disaster. But, I was extremely surprised when the group throttled the racing back to reasonably fast, with brief periods of cautious. Well, that is until about 4 laps into the down pour when through the 2nd corner I lost traction in my front wheel. I had taken the same line through that corner the previous 3 laps with only a slight slip on the first just after the rain started. I had even backed it off more than the previous laps, as it was getting very slick. After sliding to a stop, I picked up the pieces, counted my fingers and toes, and checked for broken bones. Nope, nothing broken, shorts are shredded on the right hip, and the road rash isnt too bad. Hmm, elbow, ahh, there's a problem, a dime size hole spewing the red stuff, not so bad Ive had worse as a kid. The corner marshal held my bike I slipped the chain back on and I spun through the gears, and all was fine. I was standing there bleeding, sore, and pissed, thinking "man I was having a great ride". Then all of a sudden out of nowhere I had a moment of clarity, ok, lets not sugar coat it, I pulled my head out of my ass. I had to get back to the start, I had a free lap to use. I jumped on my bike and rode the gutter edge of the course backwards to the start, just hoping I would make it back in time to not go down a lap. The whole way back to the start, I was thinking, Im still in this thing. I got to the start finish, rolling by the Cheif Referee, showing my blood soaked elbow, and with no questions he just pointed to the pit area, and gave a encouraging "get to the pit". The guy in the pit asked if the bike was OK, we spun the gears again, and I was good to go. A quick clip in and a push when the lead moto passed and I was back in business. SWEEEEEET, right back where I was before I went down. RACE ON!
Now, the guys in the front hadnt changed, what had changed was that I had crashed, and I think they smelled, or could see blood. The next couple of laps there were quite a few attacks at the front where I was sitting, and it was quite an effort to maintain position. Another thing that had changed was the field, we were a 10 man break, wayyyy off the front of the main field. Apparently there were 7 crashes during the rain, which had now stopped and the field had been shredded. I had no idea we had pulled off like that, until during one lap I heard the announcer shout "this field has been blown to pieces". Well, cool, and next lap what do you know, as we hit the front straight towards the figure 8 portion of the course, where you can see the back straight, there was the main part of the field, a whole 1/2 a lap down. The pace however didnt let down, there were a number of attacks in our break, but it held together. With 3 laps to go I found myself in the familiar position of pulling the break. So I attempted to ease back and allow a couple guys by, but the guys in the break had other ideas, and jumped me. I lost 8 positions, and with 2 laps to go on this type of course, that was too much. The last 2 laps were super fast, and there was absolutely no where, or break in the pace to make up my lost ground. I ended up 8th in the sprint. Damn, but hey I finally broke the top ten in the 3's, and again I learned a lot about racing. Man life is good, my ars is sore, but life is good.