Now That's Funny

For those of you that don't get Road magazine, youre missing out. Not just on the great photography, bike reviews and insightful reporting. They have all of that down. Because you probably missed this.

Okay, don't burst an iris trying to see why this is funny. Here's a closer look.

Nice wedding tackle, chief. Some people are apparently way more excited about the team tt than others.

Seriously, I expect this level of proof reading here at LTP, but damn! That's funny stuff.

I don't know if it means Optygen makes you so fast that you blow the kit right off of your competitors? Maybe its one of Bruyneel's secret motivators. Hide the scary naked dude on the hill and when they come by........ATTACKKKKKKKKKKK!!

Maybe he's really bad at pooping while wearing bibs?

The ad says "field tested by team Astana" they mean the supplements right?

The mind boggles.

Just thought I'd share.

Post Tour Blues and The New Program

Now that the dust is settling from the TDF we get to see what was really going on inside Astana. Apparently, Contador finally felt like a big enough boy to speak his mind AFTER the race. Come on "bert. Couldn't you have MTFU'd and been honest during the race? Surely you weren't worried about losing friends on the team.

The Colbert Report broke the news that Contador is even branching into self-promotion with an armband that immediately screams his name.

Good luck next year on Euscatel(sp?) , and when you attack your teammates there, do it early. They wont be around at the end.

Obviously this man can ride. Great climber? check. Great tt? double check.

good teammmate? hmmmmmmmmm.

Good for the sponsor who paid for this to happen? uh, not really.

Im obviously as far from being a pro as a cyclist can get(shutup Garner), but as a business person what Contador did was anti-sponsor. I thought those were hard to come by? Your team had a chance to sweep the podium but you wanted to win a little bigger? doooooooood/hermanooooo. Don't bite the hand that feeds you/gives you free bikes/clothing etc.

I wonder if Levi and Horner have tried on their new Team Radioshack Kit? 2010 should be a really interesting tour.

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A Whole New Program

In other, non-champion cyclist bashing news, I am actually really excited about my Cyclocross training program this year. I've been doing some endurance work already with some long(for me) 2 hour cross rides to build fitness/reduce fatness, but the real fun starts in about a week. I skipped ahead on the training schedule to see what was in store for me and wow!! Curtis has hit this one out of the park. Very skill specific workouts, drills that look like fun(painful, but fun), and a workload thats going to be tough but seems to point in the direction of the races.

Its very different than last years program, which was more general.

I'll still suck, but I'll be well trained to look as though my suffering is more meaningful at the very least. And suffering without meaning? What a waste.

We'll see. I'm signed up for the Kings Cross in late September with a packed field of me, Doug and halioris(mr not mrs)(i think). Hope I'm not in the back row, as they're doing call ups by registration date. Sigh.

Bring on the fun. If I survive this weekends field test, then alles goed.

If not, there's always the Cambridge Police Department. they should be hiring about now. I could go there and feel like a genius. Actually we all could.

It's not their fault. I heard Mel Gibson wrote their training manual.

I know cops are usually a little jaded, but you can imagine the conversation. "yeah, yeah, you're friends with the president. Why I'm having beers with him next week myself"

Don't you hope that in the secrecy of the oval office, Obama looks him in the eye and just asks him. seriously. "WTF Cracker?"

My only disappointment is that the Pres drinks Bud Light????? Support a small business and throw down a nice american craft brew. We could send Fatty up there to be the beer sommelier. Trust me on this. Our man can guide you, or let Myerson do it. You know he wants to.

Trust me, the bud light crowd would've checked the professors ID too. Have a nice Magic Hat.

Sorry. That was 2 "trust me's" in the same thought, and you know thats how my people say "F-You"

Of course I didn't mean you. Well, some of you.

Sunday JMF ride and post tour blues

what better way to spend the last day of the tour than to gather some friends and head for the hills? It was good to ride with fatty and k2, garner, the papist, herr schmelzer and the dream. Dean brought a map to plot our folly more specifically. We hit three of the major climbs and rode fast through the flat areas. It was around 3 hrs of fun and suffering. More suffering for me than the rest seeing that I was at Dug's house reliving high school until 1am. Why do I think jello shots taste good? That was rhetorical, leave me alone.

The group voted to stay off the gravel today and just climb. Just what the hangover needed. I do feel that this completes the circle of life. Put the toxins in>sweat the toxins out>repeat.

We got back to Heine Bros and I sat down with schmelzer and the dream for an orange and cream Jones soda. Straight cane sugar to bring me back from the dead. What was I thinking attacking the group on Eastern Pkwy? I wanted to ride like a kid. And if it weren't for that f'ing red light, Garner and I might have gotten away. Probably not.

I won't spoil it if anyone hasn't seen the end of the tour, but god what a finish. My problem is what to do now that its over. Cross season is just around the corner. Thank goodness.

the cyclocross news-great site

I can't believe that I'm just now stumbling upon this. the cyclocross news is a fantastic site where they compile all the top cx sites and show you thumbnails of the latest posts. It totally saves you time in your quest to waste time on the interwebs.

check it out here- the cyclocross news

Appomatox at RRCC until first Blood

As you all know, Curtis is trying to kill me with the CX workouts I insisted on doing. My fault as usual. So after work, after not successfully recruiting anyone else to suffer with me, I packed up the barriers and headed to RRCC. Now last time out I had numerous "interactions" with the dog-people(not weird halfbreed beasts, thats E.KY, I mean the dog owners that populate the park) so this time I had a plan. Upon parking and getting my feces stacked vertically, I met, and befriended several of the dog owners and the dogs themselves thinking that they would leave me alone. I am an idiot. After an hour or so of chasing 16 yr olds on hot laps(thanks mr bain) and doinng barrier work(timing is still suspect) I went to ride some of the sand pits on the back side. As I came thru one of the larger traps a large black german sheppard came running alongside me. I heard the owner calling him, and figured I'd ride towards him and get the two together. as I approached and stupidly slowed down, the dog lunged and I felt something hit my left knee. the owner was all apologies and we parted on good terms. No need for the post-race blow-up thats been seen(not ofetn, but seen). Until I started to ride away and realized I was bleeding!! The little f***er bit me!! CALMLY, I rode back over to" bitey the ass-dog" and his owner, and nicely asked if the dog had all of its shots. Seriously. I know noone believes me, but in a very civil tone, without starting a sentence with the word "motherf***er". Tempting, but didnt.

I guess I figured the guy would apologize????? Instead, he quick stepped it to the car and tore ass out of the lot.

Now I can be intense when pissed, but really, I wasn't. I just wanted to know how much trouble this was going to be for me. What can you do? I don't blame the dogs(except this one, jeezz) It's the owners. Just as guns don't kill people, bullets kill people. I had it all worked out with the other dog people. They went to the right, I stayed on the left. Plenty of park for all of us right?

Well it definitely broke up the intervals I was working on. Then I had dinner with my boss. Hopefully these things don't come in bunches. I don't need bunches.

the campsite ride

Saturday was time for a good long ride, so I cajoled Dean "the dream", the papist and MR Roberts into heading for the forrest to climb some hills and leave the pavement for some gravel riding. we left the highlands with a shot of espresso in at least me and the pope and spun towards the South end. One of us(pope) re-evaluated his priorities and turned back to ensure that his wife had a good birthday. properly done. As a trio we climbed some of the fearsome named hills like Jefferson and Martin hill rds. Then, after a few "extra" turns, Mr Roberts guided us to my somewhat secret gravel road section. Carbon fiber, fat 25c tires and gravel are a perfect mix. We did a circuit or two and then slipped back out of sight, down the hill and back East towards the bubble where we live. Great preparation for the Gentlemen's Race, looming in the not so distant future.

HL Menken said "there comes a time when all good men must spit on their hands and hoist the black flag" gross but sooooo appropriate.

The only dark clouds of the weekend were the two crashes that hit close(way too close) to home. Both Sherri and Webdude went down this weekend. Speedy recoveries to both of them. they say "that which does not kill you, really pisses you off" or its something like that.

Hopefully enough "brown water and hugs" as Skiles put it, will get them both back in action soon.

Motivation....and the means to follow it (doug)

So, I've read all the articles about the loss of motivation once a marathoner or athlete finishes a big event. I understand it, feel it, and understand the importance of latching on to a new future event to stay (or get) motivated.

Ive taken these past few days off completely, am feeling good again (finally) after Muncie, and am ready to go. I've searched for something small just to get the juices flowing, to no avail, but did go ahead an register today for both the Columbus Sprint Challenge and the first OVCX race of the season. The Columbus triathlon is a really fun race (800m swim, 18mi bike, 3.1mi swim) that I did last year and loved. This will at least keep me motivated to keep up marginally with training. The Kings Cross, the first of our OVCX series, was kind of a no brainer. I'm planning on racing at least 9 races (of the 14 OVCX schedule) this year, and hopefully actually placing once, since they've created a beginners (Cat 4) Masters division.

Lurking in the background, however, is the Rapha Gentlemens' Race, which Brian has secured a spot for, and is working so hard to put a team together for. This is the experience of a lifetime for any fun loving, pain loving, cyclist, and I WANT to do it for the experience, but, although I think I'm up for the idiotic training and dedication, don't think I can justify the the selfish expense (however incidental). You see, up until now, the conversation has been between the few guys mostly committed, and whether we want to go with the "Rogue" team kits, or if we want to make a new team name and get new kits specifically for this race (while I sit wondering how I could do any of this, especially if there was a cost of new jerseys -- I can't even afford the flight out, let alone the cost of getting a bike out there...get the picture?).

That's where I've decided YOU all could come in (or at least where I'd float the idea). We (read: I) need your help. Unlike our world travelling Brian, I do not bleed money. So, assuming some of the few hundred viewers of this blog are not just Brian from different computers, here's what I'm thinking....bear with my begging:

Why not a "Love the Pain" team for the Rapha Gentlemens' Race? First, maybe one of you bored people own a company, that would love some fun promotion. Or, maybe, just maybe, there actually are a few hundred of you that could spare a buck or two to help provide 1) a plane ticket or two to Portland, or 2) a jersey to 6 sadistic idiots, or 3) a bike transport/shipment to Portland, or 4) a rental car during for the wknd out there.

My paypal account is at doug.roemer@insightbb.com (same as the t-shirt order site). Just put "poor doug's Rapha GR fund" in the memo and donate away...

I thought I'd throw the idea out there. Maybe you want to sponsor the transport SUV (we have to secure our own transportation for us and 6 bikes to the starting line). What's that cost you? $300 for the rental, plus the cost of a car magnet so you get some cred in the video. Heck, design your own car magnet, and it'll go on the car.

Maybe you'd rather throw $1200 at us to sponsor the jersey itself. We could get a custom LoveThePain jersey made with your company's colors and name all over it. I'd LOVE to race this thing in a Pink and Blue polkadot, "Phil's Pest Control/LoveThePain" jersey.

Maybe you just agree to pay for my plane ticket (screw my rich teammates), and I'll just mention your name randomly everytime I'm on camera. I've been watching NASCAR since I was 4, and I wouldn't have any trouble rattling off something like this at the end...

"Well, Bobro, I just feel bad for the Phil's Pest Control LoveThePain team today. We had a great bike today, and I was hoping we'd have a better finish. It just turned out that the uphil portions got the best of our Phil's Pest Control Bianchi Champion d'Italia machine, and that our Phil's Pest Control motor lacked the leg power we'd hoped it had when we started. I know that we're going to have a great future working with Phil's Pest Control, though, and if we ever participate in the Gentlemens' race again, the Phil's Pest Control team will be right back on top."

Whoa, right? All that for just a few hundred bucks? I know, awesome. Hey, you've got the paypal account and the e-mail address. Just let me know how much you want to contribute and how you want it allocated. If you can only afford a few bucks, I need it, and if I'm able to afford the trip I will personally PRINT each contributors ($2 or more) name on my jersey in PERMANENT MARKER! If they take the event photos in high enough resolution, you will for sure be able to blow the photos up to see your name. Really, what more could you ask for?

Love at First CX & A Gentlemen's Race Update

Love @ First Cx

At first glance I thought Curtis was trying to kill me. Who could blame him, but a 2hr cyclocross workout in July? WTF, this IS what Im here for, right? Buy the ticket, take the ride, right?(I love quoting bessie's uncle)So after some healthy thunderstorms, I packed the bike onto the car and headed to RRCC.

This was going to be my first real chance to ride the tubulars that Aaron from the Mtn Bike Depot had glued (challenge fangos, I do love the fango)

Hot laps, barriers, cornering drills, barriers, Supposed to be hot but not laps.

I really did forget how tough this is. I was sweating buckets, eyeballs out, spitting cotton, you name it. But it was a blast. The new tubies actually do make a difference. Granted the mud was just the right texture but the bike felt glued, and I pushed the leaning and speed limits with each lap. It actually went from a little timid to balls out railing the corners. Of course next time I'll never be able to repeat it, but it felt good.

The barriers are rusty as hell. I know it should be

dismount>step>jump>stepstep>jump>step>remount,

but my timing isn't quite there yet.

practice, practice.

GENTLEMEN'S RACE

I met with a few of the gents at the Dundee Tavern to work on logistics such as travel, shipping the bikes, training and such. I am really excited about the group and will go through the who's who on my next post as this is getting "doug-esque" in length, but without the interesting details.

Suffice it to say that there is some hard riding going on and we should be ready to suffer come September. We're planning to leave the pavement for a while on this weekends long ride. That should be big grins in itself.

I Really Should've Known Better

I'd like to thank FaceBook for ruining all my memories by updating them with reality.

I can accept change, but do I really want to?

No. Not really. A little bedrock is nice sometimes. Ask the Flintstones.

So spake the luddite.

Addendum...(Doug)

I managed to get to the final results page of the race just now and may have realized something. Despite the fact that I would have loved to have performed better, I think I might have to accept the fact that in "LONG DISTANCE" triathlons (I'd like to make the distinction, at least for now), I am not a contender in any discipline. I managed to finish somewhere near 600th or worse in every discipline in Muncie, even the ones I did MY best in. I realize the run sucked...but even if I'd run a 2:10-2:15, I still would've been nearly last in my age group.

Now I realize how horse race handicappers have it so tough. Ha Ha. Coming into this race, I was 1 for 1 winning my age group this year. Then I nearly finish last in this race. It's all about the "class" you're running against.

Respect the Endurathon (doug)

Wow. So the Muncie Endurathon is over, and it was fun, albeit tough, for everyone. The Rogue team represented themselves very well, present company (borderline) included. This year's event approached "epic" (at least in my mind), and it went much differently than I expected...and yet the same as I expected. Let me explain. Both Michael and I were right, in certain ways. The man knows his stuff (which is why I defer to him and his brilliant bride so much), but I managed to make myself "right" too. I had predicted a 6:30 Endurathon for myself, while he expected a bit better out of me. He knew just what he and Marcia could do. I'm just going to make one quick comment that I may not have handled the nutrition aspect of the race as well as I could have, which may have led to a slightly (very slightly) lower performance, but that otherwise I can't complain. My Rogue teammates kicked butt (as did many of our other friends), and it was one of the most enjoyable days of my life, despite the weather.

Now, for those of you who don't enjoy meticulous mathematical evaluation, you can skip to the end of this discussion. I think it's interesting enough that although I went into this race thinking that 6:30 would be a good time, I am now unhappy with my 6:30 (actually 6:35). You see, my 6:30 goal came from the following thought:

1. My BEST 1.2 mile swim ever, in calm, controlled water, was 46 minutes.

2. In my 3 prior triathons (all sprints), I have averaged 18-20 mph, for 12-18 miles (depending on the race).

3. My fastest 1/2 marathon ever was 1:49:00

So, I figured, that if you put the "perfect" 1/2 Ironman" together for me (allowing for a 50 minute swim due to the current and waves, a 19mph bike, and a perfect run), with 5 minute transitions, I would finish at 5 hours and 47 minutes. In other words, if I was able to do each Endurathon leg alone, 2 weeks apart, so that I could do my best, my time would be 5:47. I then started adding some "leeway", based of possible issues. First, I thought I'd have some trouble in a windy, wavy, swim course. I might get off track, swim longer, panic, etc. ADD 10 mins. Next, on the bike, I just gave a 10 minute break for the fact that I'd not ever gone this long w/o drafting with a group. I mean, we normally average 18mph on our 60 mile rides, but we draft. And I've managed to average 20mph in a 14 mile sprint triathlon, but no way can I hold that speed for 56 miles on my own. ADD 10 mins. Lastly, the run. Now this is my forte, I thought, BUT after 56 miles on a bike, I can't run a 1:50. I thought I was being generous by saying I could (at worst) run a 10 minute mile, right? That's 2:10 added to the rest, which puts me at essentially a 6:30 (6:27). Mostly perfect day, happy finisher.

So, why is my 6:35 so bad? Because it didn't happen that way. What happened instead was a bit frustrating. Shockingly, I had the best swim EVER! I came out of the water, after the most fearful, daunting swim into a headwind and waves, in just 48 minutes. Then I had, in my mind, one of the best rides I could imagine* (please note this asterisk), despite the heavy headwinds and driving rains, and finished in 3:05:00. I was GOLDEN. Even a measly 10 minute mile would get me a 6:10 or so, which would be amazing!

An then came the run. The part that I was looking forward to. I took off from T2, got about .5 miles, and my legs just locked up. Not just A leg. Not just a part of my legs. MY LEGS. Both quads, both calves. Everything. I was going to quit. I actually had another participant stop and help me work out one of the bad cramps (I was laying down), and then I stood up, and started walking. I figured that if I could walk the whole thing, I'd at least finish, and if I had to stop, I'd stop. By mile 3, I'd loosened up enough to start shuffling/jogging some, and I was able to get through the rest of the course by run/walk (mostly walk). I finished the run in 2:30 (an impressive 11.5 minute mile), for a 6:35. Could've/Should've been a little better, but still a fun day.

So, was it just tough conditions that got me? NO WAY. I think, despite the slightly bigger waves than I expected in the water, and the relatively windy and rainy conditions on the bike and run, the weather wasn't much (if any) of a factor. Veterans (Michael, Marcia) and first timers (B2, Coldweiser, and Jackie - the prettier of the wonder twins) all did exceptionally well, so I can't blame anything but whatever caused my cramping (again, I'm already googling nutrition articles) for my goof up. I just want to say "wow" to all my friends and Rogue club mates who did so well. That was one tough day's work, and you all kicked ass. Special props to a couple folks, if I may indulge. First, as B has already mentioned, our friend David was cruising to a PR for sure when he took a wicked spill on his bike during the end of the bike leg. He still managed to get up, fix the flat, dust off the road rash (I saw some of it, and it is seriously nasty), and still finish the race in 6 hours. Simply ridiculous, if you ask me. Secondly, my man Coldweiser. I called this good old friend out a few months ago, when he had just started running again after some time off for having 2 kids. I mentioned to him that he might want to start riding a bike, and then told him to "man up and join me in Muncie". Not only did he buy a bike, learn to ride it, and start swimming, he registered for Muncie, showed up, and finished in 5:48. I guess you "manned up". Serves me right for challenging the guys I know are better athletes than me. Jon, you rocked. Check out Jon's videos on VIMEO.

[*HERE'S THAT ASTERISK: I need to throw a special thanks to our friend Brian Blackwell - B2 - who, if you read my last post, helped me "rearrange" my aero bars, last minute. With the driving, sideways rain, and the 15-25 mph winds in our face for some of the bike course, I needed my "aero" positions more than I ever expected. I would not have made it that 56 miles were it not for the subtle changes that B2 helped me make at 9pm Friday night. Thanks, Brian!]

So, I'm not sure where this leaves me. I clearly am missing something (most likely nutrition wise) that is causing me these minor (yet important) issues in these endurance events. I mentioned to B on the phone today that missing my 4 hour marathon time by 5 minutes this year left me with no regrets. I'd given my honest best effort, and came up just short. I can accept that. This race, however, leaves me torn. It was not my best performance (although it was my best effort on this particular day). I'm not sure I want to get involved in what it takes to train for this length event again, yet I now think I could get that 6 hour mark in a true best performance. I almost think I'd like to try again next year for that goal (and if it hit 6:05, on my best day, as long as I didn't have an issue like the cramping, I'd be good with it). Tough to say. I also don't know where it leaves me on the whole Full Ironman discussion. Do I want to do the event just to do it. I clearly will never "compete" for even a top 50%, so is it worth training so hard just to finish that event in 16 hours, walking it in? I don't know. I almost feel like if you can't do it "competitively", or at least reasonably competitively, then don't do it just to do it. I almost felt guilty and embarrassed walking across the finish line yesterday. Mad at myself. I mean really...80th out of 89 in my age group? I'm not working out everyday, and running, and riding, and doing boot camp, just to show up at an event to be in the bottom 10%.

Oh well, regardless, I know I'm looking forward to many Olympic distance tri's (and sprints), which fit better into my pattern of A.D.D training I suppose (i.e. no commitment). I need the ego boost, I think.

So, what next? Well, besides my little tri schedule, we obviously have the OVCX season coming up. More importantly, though, I also believe I'm ready to commit to the Gentlemans' Race as well (see Brian's prior posts ad nauseum). As is typical with the things I get involved in thanks to Brian, I do not belong or deserve to be invited, but I'm happy to give it a try. Wish us luck, we'll need it.

Big Time Tri-Peoples!!

I don't want to steal Doug's thunder, hopefully there'll be a race report with all the details today. I just wanted to say congratulations to everybody who busted their butts at the muncie Endurathon yesterday. Seiler, Tallgirl, Dug and Meesus Dug, K2, the right rev blackwell all kicked ass. I heard a story of one serious hardman, a Herr Schmelzer, who tossed his bike down the road, looked at his road rash, got up and finished the damn event. Tell everybody else to HTFU david, you win that one for the day.

Hopefully we'll get full updates from Douglas soon, and then we delve into darkness. CX season buildup begins.

And don't let me short the hairier legged rogues amongst us. I'd like to hear how the Cherokee Mtn Bike race went. God knows Aaron and Mary did yeoman's work getting things ready. Whats the dilly? any good words?

Famous Last Words (Doug...yes, Doug)

What!? So I've been busy and $#!%. Work, kids' camps and t-ball, car shopping, and training (at least up until a week or so ago) have kept me from the blog for an extended period of time again. Luckily, as usual, B doesn't disappoint, and I have kept up of Facebook, for what that's worth. Anyway, with less than 36 hours to go before the starting gun goes off in Muncie, I thought I'd post a little pre-race thinking. It probably won't surprise you to know that I'm sitting here, beer in hand, after visiting our friend Mr. Blackwell for some last minute advice on where these silly aero bars actually go. I put them on a few weeks ago (moved from the cx bike), and rode a few 20 mile rides with no trouble, but a 54 mile ride last weekend left my hands numb and my back achy, and I decided that of the approximately 1,000,000 possible setups that could occur when a complete novice idiot just slaps aftermarket aero bars on his bike with no direction, the one I ended up with might not have been the proper one. Thus, once again, I'm breaking the cardinal rule and making major setup changes just days before a big race (if you recall, I bought new running shoes about a week before the marathon in Nashville). Never fear, though. You see, the normal "stupid rules" don't seem to apply to me. If they did, I would have been killed or seriously injured years ago, when my college roommates and I used to hurl each other down flights of stairs for fun, so this should be no issue. I think my biggest mistake might be that I'm thinking of joining a large contingency of racers from Louisville at the Olive Garden for dinner tomorrow night. THAT might finally be the risk that does me in...

Anyway, bike fit changes, new compression socks (still haven't decided if I'm wearing them during the bike and run, just the run, or just for recovery), and a full week of tapering/detox (but for a couple of "triathlete beers" (MGD 64) tonight) aside, I am feeling pretty good about Saturday. I've trained to where I feel comfortable, and now rested to where I feel pretty strong. I think I've got a good Transition plan together, and it appears at this point that the race will be wetsuit legal (it will be close). So all that's left is the race itself, and the stuff that's out of my hands. Hope for good health, no injuries, and decent weather.

On the tapering note, I took essentially the entire week off, but for a great little lake swim and bike ride workout yesterday. You see, Alison and I signed her up for the sprint distance race on a whim the other day (she'll be doing that with absolutely no training, or even any exercise, in the last few months -- god bless her), so we needed to get her out on her bike and in the water just to make sure everything was working. We did a 20 minute open water swim at the quarry with the awesome group from the Training Studio, and then jumped on the bikes for about 30 minutes (her first time on the bike since the super sprint earlier this winter/spring). She did great, and is ready for her sprint. I know she'll do well, and more importantly, have fun (and just have something to do while we're all doing our thing).

So I guess that's it. We're mostly packed up, and plan on getting on the road tomorrow around 1pm (right after the funeral for the father of a friend of ours, and a really cool guy -- R.I.P. Bruce Kranz, you'll be missed!). We should get to Muncie by 4 or so, hit the pre-race meeting, meet up with my friend Jon -- who is coming from Ann Arbor (Booooo!) to do the race with me -- and our other Rogue, Training Studio, and Louisville friends, and then have dinner as a group somewhere. After that, maybe I'll head out and buy a new tri suit, get a different bike, get some new running shoes, and tie one on before the race. OK, maybe not, but I'm looking forward to seeing how this race goes because it might have a big impact on whether I start planning to either improve my time in a 2nd 1/2 IM, or (ahem, doubt it) even look toward a full IM someday, or whether I just start getting back to reasonable training levels and race Olympics and sprints while also enjoying some of the other stuff I love. I suppose regardless of how this goes, once it's over, my attention will probably turn back to CX for this year (YES!).

Race report to come (maybe even a mobile update post). I know Michael posted a great time last year (around 5:05) and will for sure be looking to better it. Our friend David S. is racing to beat a 5:30 or so (I believe), as is Mr. Blackwell. I'm still sticking to my 6:30, as I simply cannot figure out where I'm going to pick up minutes to beat that time. Again, with it being a first try, the goal is really to finish, and I'll be happy as long as I can get through it without any major malfunctions. Maybe the course is faster than I am giving it credit for. We'll see where the time falls, and I'll know better for the next time.

Good luck to all our other participants. I'll see you up there tomorrow.

Good Luck To All My Iron-Peoples!!

or half Iron-Peoples as the race may be, but then whats the other half?

Seriously, the Muncie Endurathon Half-Ironman is this weekend and Dug&Alison, Seiler&Tallgirl, K2, Rev Blackwell, Herr Schmelzer and a whole bunch of you people who can't seem to pick one hobby and stick with it, will be gutting it out on a tough but cool course.

Good luck, transition well, race hard etc.

Im looking forward to hearing some details.

Remember, while you're suffering I'll be at the Forecastle Festival..........let's say ....not suffering.

I expect to see you there upon completion.

How To Gamble Effectively

Seriously, don't bet against  Lance Armstrong.  4 days in and a strong second place.  The mountains should be where this gets really interesting as he has Contador on his tail.  They say a fool and his money were lucky to get together to begin with, betting against Armstrong is the surest way to separate them.

All the closet Lance fans are coming out of the closets.  Welcome, get yourself some coffee and a chair.  I'll start.  My name is Brian and I'm pulling for Lance.

group  "hi brian".............

What a wild Weekend!

As I said, we here in the village have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to cycling and great sports spectating in general this weekend!!

First off we have to congratulate Tracy Tolson on defending her national championship and showing the whole country whose town this is.  Nice link to the story in our local fishwrap the Courier-Urinal.

Nice pix too!!

We also had Texas Roadhouse Local John Puffer on the podium as discussed here

Great to have our hometown folks kicking serious Masters ass!!

Add to that a fantastic TT in Monaco for the Grand Depart of the TDF and I couldnt figure out what to watch next!  Thank god for the dvr so I was able to see Roddick vs Federer in an all time classic Wimbledon final and then....look around, kids are engaged elsewhere....flipped on the tour to watch Cavendish doling out whup-ass to all that cared for some.  Not bad for a rainy afternoon.

If that doesn't get you out on your bike, nothing will.

TDF Starts Today, WTF People?

I've given this a lot of thought, and I want you all to know that I have tried my very best.  I really believe that I've gone as deep inside as possible and yet, I'm still not cool enough to hate Lance Armstrong. Let's set aside the whole cancer thing, shall we?  I mean of course coming back from death's doorstep should buy you a break, but I've been around enough cyclists to know that's not about to happen.

 Believe me, when REM signed the big record label deal I fell in line with the other lemmings to hate on them.  In all honesty the music wasn't as good so it was easy.  the correlate here is that what REM going big-time meant to us as indy music fans is the same as what Lance brings to the tour.  It's  not our own little thing anymore.  How many non-cyclists watched the Tour in the 3 years that Lance was out? Exactly.  Like it or not, Lance makes the tour relevant to the greater world.  Yes it's frustrating that he's getting the lion's  share of the press but given his record, shouldn't he?

I've seen whole websites devoted to hating Lance, that's a good well written example there.  There are those that claim he doped.  People who are outside of our little punk rock clique(sorry for the line  steal adam), tend to ask us questions about things we have no way of knowing.  Did Armstrong cheat?  Ask me about quantum physics because I don't have any way of knowing those answers either.  I wasn't there, and that is the dorkiest thing you can ask a real pro cyclist.  "hey, do you know Lance?".  You're not winning any street cred with that line.

Now I'll admit, it's really funny watching people heckle Lance.

That shit was funny.  God bless that little fat man for having the creativity and the brass pair to heckle an icon.  He needed it.

So if Armstrong(and a large portion of the peloton) cheated/doped/what have you, do I stop watching cycling?  I still watch baseball and those motherfuckers cheat like crazy.  If Ken Griffey Jr comes out and says he cheated do I burn my Reds hat( the domestic goddess/stat girl points out that although Jr is no longer w the Reds he is historically linked there) in symbolic rage showing my purity of heart?  No, we take away the victories or whatever the appropriate correction is and we move on. I'm not letting doping take baseball away from me, and I'm not letting the anti-Lance BS ruin my enjoyment of the tour.  I love to ride, and this is riding/racing/cycling on the biggest stage we get.  Am I more interested in Paris-Roubaix?  Sure, and I'm not going to quit watching that just because Boonen can't stay out of the Peruvian Marching Powder.

Today the Tour starts with a TT in Monaco.  MONACO!! I'm a child.   I think starting with a TT in one of the most glamourous cities in the world is pretty cool.  I'll admit that I'm kind of pulling for guys like Zabriskie,

 and I think Chris Horner got the hand, but I'm not cool enough to join the army of haters waiting to see Lance fail.

The other big arguement is that he's a bad human.  Leaving his wife etc, etc.  I can't get this involved.  If everyone I pull for had to pass that kind of test I'd have a small group that I could tolerate.

Charles Barkley said "I'm not a role model"  amongst many other highly quotable things, but shouldn't we be listening to the future Gov of Alabama?  It's fun when Sir Charles is right.

Here in the village we are spoiled rotten with cycling this weekend.  Masters Nationals Crits are at Churchill Downs, that's beyond cool.  Watching the best masters racers throw it down under the shadow of the twin spires? Please.  Just add beverage.  Speaking of beverages, the papist has promised a Bobke story, some Liggett ruminations and a few drink recommendations for watching the TDF.

I'll watch today, and I promise to try really hard to hate Armstrong.  Maybe some pointers?

the long way home

yeah this is how it feels to ride fast after 3-4 weeks off the bike.  coming back slowly.

did the club ride in Lex w a customer last night and was flat out for 35 miles. fast and hilly, but hey no bees. the papist is now racing with an epi pen.