Sunday, April 30, 2006

cold rain, a visit and a victory

CRAP weather today. It rained all day and never got out of the mid 50’s. I called Ryan about 10:30 this a.m. and called the ride off. Even if it quit raining, I wasn’t going to go outside due to the wetness and low temps. You know what that means though: trainer in April (end of April, at that). I rode two hours on the stinkin trainer. Whatever, I needed to ride, but wasn’t willing to get out, so that’s what I get.
My parents came to town last night. We went and ate at The Irish Lion downtown. It is a good place for sure. The first three pages of the menu are liquors and drinks, but the food was great. The place has more scotches, single malt scotches, whiskeys, Irish whiskeys, single barrel whiskeys…than you would have ever thought existed. They also have a section of appetitfe’s and digestife’s, which is something I’ve been wanting to get into for a while, but don’t know what’s what. Maybe the Irish Lion would be a place to go to start. I wanted to eat red meat, so I got the leg of lamb, which contrary to what it sounds like, is just slices of meat, au jous. It was good, but I don’t like real tender meat and it was super tender. I’m glad I got it to try it, but lamb isn’t on my list of "get agains." My pops gave me some money, so Linds and I went to the store today and go the hookup. Good stuff. My parents rule. They brought us some good-to-have items as well. Some soup and stuff to get us through the next week or so.
Madd props to Danny P for a) winning the cat 3 crit race in Anderson today (Sun.), b) for 5th in the Anderson road race yesterday, c) a good enough result in the Anderson time trial to earn 2nd overall for the stage race. That rules.
Josh P didn’t fare as well, but still finished after reeling in a couple attacks AND crashing in the crit today. Those guys are tougher than me for racing in the rain. I suck for riding trainer when there is a race going on that my team and homies are racing. But the three amigos (as I just dubbed Josh, Dan and me) are doing good. Josh has an OVR win from last year and now Danny P and I both have wins this year.
Lindsay’s MTB clinic was cancelled, but she didn’t find out until she got all the way to Indy. She ended up meeting up w/ a couple other Indy MTB girls and they all rode Town Run in the rain anyway. She said she rode pretty good and was able to pick up some pointers from the girls anyway (I think one of them was one of the instructors). Good for her, could have been a total bust, but she needs to learn to ride in the wet sooner or later. More good stuff.

Friday, April 28, 2006

The Flood

I didn’t get a post yesterday. I got in late due to a screw up w/ the end of day report at work, then had a Tortuga team meeting to go to. So I didn’t get home until about 8:00, had to eat, shower etc, then the ebloggger site was not working right, so I just didn’t want to mess w/ it. I got in the standard Wed. 4 hill ride yesterday. It was a little chilly, especially on the descents, but I made it. I should have wore gloves, but didn’t. My hands hurt they were so cold. By the time I left work I was about hungry enough to chew my hand off, which is pretty much how I always feel, so I stopped by the BBC (Bloomington Bagel Company) for a bagel. It never ceases to amaze me that if you get a bagel w/ no cream cheese, or schmear as they call it, it’s only, like 70cents. That is killer.
I rode the Schwartz Ridge Hoosier Hills route today for a short easy Friday jaunt. I tried this route a little over a month ago and the road at the SRA (State Recreation Area) for Lake Monroe was flooded over. It was a Sunday, so we had time to get lost if it came to that, so we found a ‘new’ way in (and didn’t get lost). Well, this road was STILL flooded today. It’s been over a month. And the water’s high; around 3’. It makes me wonder when they will stop calling it a flooded road and just start calling it part of the lake.
Anywho I now knew another way in, which I took. No biggy, but given this ride hits a few busy ass roads AND seems to be perpetually flooded, I may just dump it and stick to the Bethl-hwy45-russell road ride instead for short Fridays.
Looks like some rain this weekend. Ryan and I and some peeps were (are) planning a Nashville ride, so hopefully we can get that in, or at least something. If I’m on a trainer this weekend, I’ll be pissed. Plus Lindsay has her girls MTB skills clinic in Indy Sunday so hopefully that parade doesn’t get rained on either.

~A couple numbers~
I was figuring out abotu hpw many milesI have on my chain and here's where I am:
For the season (which started the third week of Dec for me) I have 2,089 miles.
For the calendar year (Jan 1 through yesterday) I have 1,946 miles.
Not too shabby.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Cold Solo (but try to make it hard) Wed.

Ryan and I had planned to hit it this a.m., but when it was 40* and my phone rang around 8:30 a.m., I knew it was a solo day for me. Ryan didn’t want to get out; too cold. Can’t blame him, it was damned cold. 40* feels really cold right now, but I wore knickers anyway. I had to wear gloves and an insulated long sleeved top, but I made it.
I did the normal South Shore route, but backwards. So instead of being west bound on SS, I was east bound. Either way you have to climb through Yellow Wood St Forest on Hwy 45 and it’s always hard, I think. I didn’t feel like I could find a good, hard, fast rhythm, but my stats were good. I rode pretty fast for doing that ride alone. Especially given the fallen temps. It was rather windy too, out of the NNW. With town and everything I averaged just under 19mph, which I’ll take given the circumstances.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

4 THINGS-

I've been tagged---

Four jobs you have had in your lifetime
1.Lifeguard
2.Line Cook
3.Child Care Specialist (yep)
4.Bike Shop Guy
Four movies you would watch over and over:
1. Ski School
2. House Party(s)
3. Back to the Future(s)
4. Goodfellas
Four places you have LIVED
1. Frankfort, Indiana
2. Muncie, Indiana
3. Bloomington, Indiana
4. In a van down by the river?
Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. Simpsons
2. Family Guy
3. Futurama
4. American Dad
Four places you have been on vacation:
1. L.A.
2. Madison, WI
3. Birch Lak, MI
4. Edisto Beach, SC
Four web sites I visit daily:
1. Yahoo! (for mail)
2. Velonews.com
3. Cyclingnews.com
4. weather.com
Four of my favorite foods:
1. Carrots
2. Corn
3. Rice/beans/veggies
4. salad
Four places I would rather be right now
1. Riding Road
2. Riding MTB
3. Riding Cross
4. Overhauling bikes, but nice bikes. Either mine or appreciative racers/high end customers

So Gina tagged me, any readers feel free to copy/paste this questionaire, delete my answers and insert yours.

Blame it on the rain, yeah, yeah

Hindsight is usually 20/20, but how did we ever believe that the voices behind Milli Vanilli belonged to the faces of Milli Vanilli? Those two just didn’t look like they would harbor the soul full voices that we all heard.
Anywho, I was rained out today. I decided last night that if it was raining when I got up, it was back to bed. I don’t race for a couple weeks, so a slightly lighter, weather interrupted week won’t do any harm. Well, it wasn’t raining, but cloudy and dark. I figured I go ahead and get up and see what was to happen over the next 30-45 minutes while I had coffee and stuff. It rained a little, so I decided it was off. Then it cleared a little, so I decided it was back on. I dressed, left and it started raining before I even got through campus. I had my rain jacket in my pocket, but that was for if it let loose while I was 20 miles from home, not 2. I turned back in and got in 21 minutes and 5 miles for the day. So, I’ll be about 30 miles and 1.5-2 hrs down at the end of the week, but as I said, it’s not a race week, so whatever.
The rest of the week is looking okay, so we’ll see what that brings. This weekend on Sunday Lindsay is going to a MTB skills clinic for women @ Town Run Park in Indy, so I may go w/ her and meet some people and ride MTB’s. Or I may try to get in a ride to Nashville via Bear Wallow Hill (one of the top hardest climbs around here). I’ve been wanting to get in this ride for several weeks now, but either foul weather or racing has gotten in the way. Maybe his weekend. Then again though, the Town Run race always goes to someone who has ridden the course a bunch, so I should probably go ride it. We'll see.
Oh, and check out Lindsay's second place finish form DINO Avon: (it's a result page, not a pic)
http://www.dinoseries.com/mtb/results/2006/tuneup/BeginnerWomen.htm

Monday, April 24, 2006

Easy day after a hard weekend

Usual Monday 1 hour easy spin on rollers this a.m. After a decently hard weekend of racing, I feel pretty good. My back hurts a little and it’s upper not the typical lower. I was in my drops for pretty much the whole race yesterday, hammering, so that probably did it, having to hold up my head.
Looks like I’m not racing road again for about two months. June 25th is the Morgan Monroe forest RR down here and I probably won’t go to any between now and then. The Anderson race is this weekend and would be a good one since it’s on my old stomping grounds, but it’s Saturday and I need to work.
So , that’s that. Another week gone, another one starts. Whatever that means (nothing).

Sunday, April 23, 2006

McCormicks Creek RR, in the money!

Today was the inaugural McCormicks Creek road race. The venue is located about 20min from B-Town, between Elletsville and Spencer. The ride we do to Spencer about once a month or so covers some of the road we raced on, so I semi "new the course" (plus, as you my recall, I went out last weekend and rode the course).
The race 4’s started calm enough, which was good because I did no warm up at all, none. Of course though, as one could expect, 4’s start feeling lucky really quick and start breaking off the front. These breaks were A) covered by me and B) hard for me to cover due to having not warmed op at all. After chasing down these 2-4 person break, I was, generally toast and had to try to recover fast. That was the first two laps. During lap 3 a two man break took off. We kept them in sight, but they had probably 30 seconds. I took the ropes (again) and "we" burned past these 2 right after the big climb on lap 3. I say "we" in quotes because, unknown to me "we" was just me and two other guys. I had broken up the field chasing these two guys down. So, "we" swallowed up and spit out the 2 man break and were off the front for a lap and a half, just the three of us. The third guy (me, a Team XXX guy and another guy, I am referring to ‘the other guy’ as the third guy) wasn’t working at all really. He was sitting on while me and XXX did all the work. I was going to turn around and tell him that if he didn’t want to work he needed to drop back because there was no way I was going to pull him around for another 5 laps and let him sprint past me w/ fresh legs. When I turned to say something to him, he was dropped, so there were then two of us. Me and XXX. We talked it over and decided if we worked and kept it steady, we had it. It was an unspoken agreement, but it worked out to where I pulled up the 2 climbs every lap, then he took the reigns going down hill. Good trade off huh? Anywho, I was stronger and we both knew it, so I had no problem leading on the hills. We stayed off for the rest of the race. I dropped the guy twice. The first time I felt like it was too early to go it alone so I waited for him. The second time he just found the legs and rode back up. The last lap we traded pulls just as we had been and when we got to the long stretch before the turn to the finishing stretched he tried to attack me, but couldn’t shake me. I just started pedaling harder and harder in whatever gear I was in (~53x14 or so) and waited until we hit the corned to the finishing straight. Once we did we both stood and gave it what we had. I was watching XXX’s shadow under my arm and couldn’t see it anymore. I looked back and he was seated, content to roll to 2nd. I crossed the line 1st and won $70.
Not bad. After racing MTB yesterday I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel. It worked out and I won my first road race ever. I’ve won MTB races before, but never a road race. Plus I’ve won money twice this year. Rule.

Saturday, April 22, 2006

DINO Avon

Today was the first MTB race of the year. It’s the DINO ‘tune up’ race in Avon, IN. This is a race that has no points toward the overall for the series, but is a chance to see everyone and how they’re doing. It was also my first ever race in Expert class. This is the top class for amateur racers. Only pro is above it. There were a couple of people I had my sights on going into it. A few guys I either feel like I should be able to beat or that I raced against years past in Sport class that I should be competitive with. I beat the two guys I wanted to beat and that made it a good day. I rode well and felt great. It is a short race, about half of normal. Experts did 4 laps, which took just under 1 hour.
I ended up 8th.
The real story of the day was Lindsay. She has been MTBing for a couple months to try to get into it. This marked her first ever MTB race. She entered beginner class. She’s the success story because she went from ‘being very upset’ about how hard the course was on her warm up lap, to completing her race w/ a smile on her face. 3 women entered beginner class and she was second. The third ended up dropping out, but Linds was smoking her, so she would have beaten her anyway. I’m proud of her. She’s been training on MTB around here, but wasn’t ready for the technicalities that the Avon course threw her way (log crossings, a few rooty steep climbs, tight twisty sections, etc).
When we got back to B-Town the partying here is absurd (Little 500 weekend). We went to go walk around campus and stuff and hung out at a free concert for a while, got a free Frisbee, tossed said disc around some, watched more bands and came home. My contacts were so dirty I could barely see and were really bothering my eyes. I wanted to get home and get them out. Plus I’m racing road tomorrow and want to get to bed kinda early.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

3 out of 4 ain't bad

Thursday is the 4 hill ride for me. However, the road that goes through Cascades was closed for some reason so I missed 1 hill. It’s the first hill, which I call Tibet Hill, that connects the lower cascades park to the upper cascades park. I turned off on a road that I knew would take me to the road that the Tibet Hill goes to, and my total mileage was dropped by only .2miles, so whatever. I rode slow and didn’t feel especially ‘fast.’ No biggy, it happens every so often. I forgot to turn on my alarm, which is set for 7:17 a.m., but I woke up at 7:21 w/out it, so again, no big.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Solo, sleepy, but hard Wed.

Wed is the typical hard ride for a few of us (Shanny included), however I was solo today. Ryan wasn’t feeling good w/ allergies and our usual wed 3rd, Josh, just had some surgery, I think oral. He is spending the summer in Italy w/ another guy we ride w/, Tim, and wanted to get it done before he leaves. That left me.
It hella stormed last night and I was woken up around 5am by thunder and stuff. When I got up to ride, I figured to my still asleep self ‘it’s probably still raining/gonna rain/too wet to ride, so I should just stay in bed.’ I did for about two minutes, then started feeling guilty. I thought ‘I better at least look outside first, then decide.’ It was sunny and perfect, a little wet, but perfect, really. So I rode South Shore, which is about 35 miles w/ just under 1700’ of climbing , not to hilly for around here. I wanted to ride hard, but it’s way easier to ride hard behind Shanny. Anywho, I set out wanting to ride hard and it was a great day for it. Not too windy, sunny and temps around 65*. I went out and hit the ride @ 19mph average w/ town, eating a bar, stopping to pee once and everything. That’s pretty fast for a 35miler down here. I’ve done this ride w/ other fast people and averaged just under 18mph (it was windy, but still), so I’m happy to hit it that hard alone.
When I got home I was locked out. This seems to happen about once a month or so. I have a spare key that I keep by the door to put in my pocket, but I rarely do. I’m a genius. Anyway, Lindsay left and locked the door, which is good habit, but when I don’t have my key it sucks. Today was the longest I’ve had to wait @ 2.5 hours. After riding a hard 35, sitting out on a stoop for 2.5 hours sucks, but I should carry my friggin key.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Spring is back

After summers grand entrance the past few days, it feels like spring again. It was 45* when I left this a.m., which is a significant change from what it has been. I had to dress totally differently. I even had to wear gloves.
Nothing exciting to report. Standard Tuesday tempo ride on the Bottom Rd Loop. It’s warmed up to 60* now, so I was a little warm on the way back in, but not too bad given I was just riding tempo. If it’s like this tomorrow on the hard Shanny ride of the week, I will be straight up hot, so I’ll have to try to plan accordingly.
Last night when I got home, I took my 35 min nap, started a pot of pinto beans, worked on Lindsay’s MTB (adjusted her brakes and made sure everything was tight/in adjustment), pulled the bottom bracket on my MTB (it was creaking) cleaned/greased/re-installed it and removed the lockout form my fork, as I find myself not using it anymore, lubed my road bike chain and put on new bar tape. I worked on bikes for, like, 10 hours straight yesterday; but ahh fresh white bar tape.

Monday, April 17, 2006

Monday roller ride

I did the normal Monday 1hour recovery roller spin. The past two weeks one of my favorite roller riding TV shows has not been on. Baby Loony Tunes was on from 9am-9:30am, but isn’t anymore. Probably shifted w/ daylight saving or something. Anyway, this has forced me onto 45min of Dawson’s Creek. Whatever. I felt really good this a.m. I kind of expected to feel un-recovered. After about 3 hrs yesterday, partially into the wind alone, and walking for about an hour total, I thought my les would have some atrophy, but none. I am completely recovered. Sweet.
We walked to the IU Auditorium to see Mama Mia! It’s about 20-30 minute walk, but the weather’s great, so we hoofed it. We picked up our –comped- tix at the will call window and the face value was $42 each! The seat were great. 11th row, orchestra, stage left; for free. The show was really good. It had its dragging moments, but the musical numbers were great, if you’re an Abba fan, of course. I’d recommend this show to just about anyone, but some people I know would dig it more than others.
It rained hella hard during the show, but was not raining afterwards, which was good due to our walking. I figured if it was pouring I could have called the Shanahan’s to get us, but that would have been totally lame at 10:30 at night. We got home about 11:00 and neither of us had eaten, so we hooked up a small late dinner and called it a night. It was nice to get to go the theatre together and even better to go for free!

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Recon mission

I rode over to the road race course for next weekend. It’s called McCormics Creek road race, but it doesn’t actually go into tMcCormics Creek park. It’s a little under 15miles to the course, then the course is about a 4.7 mile loop. It has just one major climb, but it’s two tier and pretty tough. Today there was a headwind on the climb road, which is southbound, and no cover from it at all. So once you hit the climb, you’ve been hammering into a headwind, then climb w/ a headwind. After the second tier, you descend a bit, then turn right (west) and climb some more. This is gradual climbing though. Shortly after this flattens out, it’s a steady northbound descent (w/ a tail wind today) to a right hander (east bound) flat road, to right hander, which completes the loop to the southbound road w/ the climb. With just one climb on such a short course, it’s definitely not an Adam course; too flat. However, I think 4’s are doing 8 laps, and that hill is going to get harder and harder every lap. If I can stay in contact through all the flat (and possibly wind) sections, maybe I’ll do okay. We shall see. Oh yeah, and I will have raced MTB the day before.
Anywho, I did to laps of the course, but wanted to come in a route to get some miles. I remembered that if I went straight on a road I would normally turn, I would go through Elletsville and could follow the Hilly 100 route back to old 37, if I could remember it. I remembered it all as I got to it. I passed by the intersection where Jill Behrman was abducted a few years ago. It felt kind of surreal w/ all the hype around the case right now since ‘they’ caught her abductor/murderer.
I got in just under 3 hours, which was more than enough for the week. I got in just under 11 hours for the week. That’s great. I need to be doing 10.
I took Lindsay out to Wapahani last night to show her the loop. That gave me an extra hour and means I’ve worked out 7 days, but whatever.
Mama Mia! is tonight in a few hours!

Friday, April 14, 2006

Mama Mia!

The travelling Broadway show Mama Mia! is in Bloomington this week. The final show is Sunday. The musical is about a girl on the day before here wedding, but set to the music of Abba. Now, I’m a closet Abba fan. And I’m a closet fan of musicals. I know that these two ‘closet interest’ could easily lead one to believe that I’m ‘in the closet,’ but I’m totally straight.
Anywho, Lindsay’s plan was to get us tix for Mama Mia! for x-mas. However, our money was far to tight and I told her thanks for the thought, but we had better not spend $80-$100 on that then. So, fine, right? Well Thursday a guy comes into the bike shop and wants a quick derailer adjustment. He says only in town a few days, so I say "no problem, I’ll do it right now." I ask him "what brings you to town for a few days?" he answers "I’m with the show Mama Mia!" Me "really, what role?" Him "I’m the keyboardist for the band." Me "oh cool, I’m a big abba fan [then I tell him the sob story of how we wanted to go but couldn’t afford tix]." End of conversation. I ring him up, he thanks me and heads on his way. I think to myself ‘what a jerk, I gave him my sob story and he didn’t even offer me free tix.’ Well, today he comes back in and says "hey, since Sunday is Easter the house didn’t sell out and they’ve allowed us some tickets at the ‘will call’ window and I thought of you first." So I call Linds to see if she can miss work and she can and we’re headed to the show Sunday eve. Should be good. And see? It all worked out, I helped him out and he helped me out. What a guy. We’re really excited to get to go and very happy that the pianist, Bill Congdon, gave us such a nice, bleated x-mas present. Thanks Bill.

New Kit; Short Friday

I got my new racing clothing kit yesterday. It has been in for while and at the team captain’s house, I just forgot about it until I ran into him at the shop the other day. I’m not the type that feels like every time I get on the bike I have to be kitted out, but I wanted to wear the new stuff today to get a feel for it. The bib shorts have the same pad as the old one’s, so no surprises there. I got a medium bib, which is what my ‘last years’ are, and it’s fine. I got a small jersey and it’s perfect too. Everything looks great, fits great and feels great. All the clothing is Louis Garneau’s top of the line, but being and Assos guy, I tend to do most of my training in Assos.
I did the standard Friday short ride across Bethel, to 45, over Russell rd and back in 45. Nothing spectacular, but I have FINALLY gotten in a full week. Sunday has yet to happen, but I’m on track at along last.
We were woken up last night (4 a.m.) by hella storms. It was lightening, thundering and the tornado sirens went off. I was up for while, so I’m tired this a.m. I’m not sure when, but they did, at some point, change the criteria for setting off the sirens. It used to be a funnel cloud had to be seen, now a warning is what used to be a watch. Used to be a warning would last only a few minutes, now they post warnings for an hour or so. I’m all for better safe than sorry, but "they" seem siren happy to me.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Forgot a few things

1) I was all ready to leave work tonight. Had the money counted, deposit bag dropped, lights off etc and went out to find a rear flat tyre on my bike. That sucked. I had to go back in and fix the flat before I could leave. When you've worked on bikes all day and want to leave, having to go back in and work on bikes (or a [even my own] bike) even more sucks.
2) My paternal grandmother had a stroke and is on a feeding tube and breahting machine. She won't be alive much longer. Well, she's not really alive now, just hooked up to some machines; that's not living it's in limbo.
3) I made a big pot of black beans. The cooked over two days for a total of about 8 hours. You have to cook beans r e a l l y s l o w. Plus they soaked for about 7 hours before ever being cooked. I had beans and ride for dinner (and will have for lunch/dinner for a few days) and it rules. Cheap, filling, good and good for you (read: me).
4) I love my wife. She lights up the room when she comes in. She ALWAYS greets me with a smile. First thing in the a.m. (I get up a few hours before her to train, but she usually is getting up right around when I am getting back from riding), and when she gets home form work (she works evening @ the IU athlete learning center). I sometimes wonder 'why is she so smiley?' It's because she's happy to see me. I like that.
That's it for now.

4 Hill Thursday stats

I don’ t know why I feel the need to name my rides, but whatever, if nothing else it makes them easier to enter on my Polar training calendar.
So, the 4 hills ride is Thursday’s ride. This takes the place of hill intervals in Muncie. Basically it’s a 23 mile ride that hits 4 decent hills. I go to work earlier on Mon, Thurs and Fri, so I have to put in fewer miles.
Here’s the breakdown of The 4 Hills Ride:
Hill #1- Tibet (it goes next to the Tibetan Cultural center in Cascades park) this hill is just the warmer upper: .3 miles and gains 85 feet. Climbed in just under 1 minute.
Hill #2 – Simpson Chapel hill (Simson Chapel in the name of the road)
.326miles and gains 105 feet. Climbed in 1min 33 sec.
Hill #3 – Fire Station (it goes up to the Fire Station on Old SR 37)
.635miles and gain 170 feet. Climbed in just under 3 minutes.
Hill #4 – Griffey Causeway (southbound) (climbs out of Griffey lake valley back into town)
.488 miles and gains 165 feet. Climbed in 2 min 35 sec.
So the total feet climbed for the whole 23.5mile ride is 1240’. Pretty good little ride to get in before work.
Hopefully this killer weather holds out so I can get er in tomorrow. Friday’s the short day.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Windy tempo

Since I did today’s hard ride yesterday, I did yesterday’s tempo ride today. It looked like it could rain when I left, so I said to myself "Kyle, (that’s what I call myself) if it’s raining by the time you hit campus, turn around." It did spit a few drops out before I made it to campus, but I was like "f#*k it, I’m going." I’m glad I did, as it turned out partly sunny. It was in the low 60’s, so temps was perfect. The curve ball: the wind. It was the windiest I’ve ridden down here (at least that I can remember). It’s a steady 20-25mph and gusting to 35. Because of the lay of the land here I had either hills blocking it or tree cover a lot of the time, but at times it was just brutal. That kind of brutal where your cadence drop to 70 or so rpm and you’re going 15-16mph. Plus on the one big hill on the Bottom Rd loop it was a headwind and this is a 8-13mph grinder hill anyway. Add in a gusty wind like that, and the objective changes from ‘get up the hill w/ reasonable speed/cadence’ to ‘keep moving forward and don’t get blown over.’ All in all it wasn’t too bad of a ride. I guess since I was expecting it to be a torture fest, it could only be better than expected. There you go all you Cynics (or ‘realist if you’re a TRUE cynic) and pessimists: expect the worst and you can’t be let down.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Hard Tues (real hard)

So normally Tues is the tempo day and Wed is the hard day, but it’s looking like rain tomorrow so Ryan called last night and wanted to ‘do it’ this a.m. instead. No prob. We went out and busted the Paragon Loop, which is part of the Hilly 100 day 2 route, but a flatter part between Bean Blossom hill and Mt Tabor hill. It’s actually a pretty flat ride all things considered. It ends at Bottom Rd, so you’re riding the bottom loop backwards to finish before headed back into town. I should have known when I showed up and saw Ryan on his TT bike that it was set to be brutal. Plus it was just the two of us, so there were fewer places to hide. Once we got going he told me he wanted to do some ‘speed work’ and wanted to hammer on the flats and dog the hills. So, on all flat pieces of road we’re basically going 27mph or so and riding the hills a little slower than normal. It was tough. We averaged over 21mph with the hills. That’s flying. Although I can take no credit, as I did 0% pulling and 100% wheel sucking. BUT, sucking RS’s wheel at 27mph is something in-and-of itself; at least that’s what I have to tell myself!

Monday, April 10, 2006

Easy roller spin

Nothing special today. Just a normal Monday 1 hr spin on rollers. On the plus, I felt great considering a 3 hr MYB ride yesterday. I half expected to feel bad, as MTB is much harder on the body than road. The climbs @ Brown County are longer and more gradual than a lot of Indiana climbs, which tend to be short and steep, what we call "power climbs." My triceps were a little tender. I don’t want to call them sore, but I don’t want to use words like "tender" either, but it’s done. They weren’t to the point of "hurting" or "being sore," so they were "tender."
Tomorrow I’ll hit the Bottom Rd loop in the a.m., and the week is looking decent so far. I haven’t seen the news yet today, but last I saw it’s looking okay.

Sunday, April 09, 2006

MTBing

The original plan was for a long road ride today until DP called and said that the Bike Line team was going to go to Brown County State Park to ride mountain bikes. I thought this would be an excellent chance to gauge how I’m standing with some of the top experts in the state. I was weary about going off road due to the rain we had Friday, but the trails were 100% perfect, couldn’t have been better really. And, as it turns out, I’m standing pretty good. I lead both laps and only felt like I was working hard a few times. There were a few times I heard things from behind me like "man, we’re not racing today" or "I was on my granny gear there" and stuff like that. That was very assuring, as I mentioned these are some of the top experts and definitely top 15 consistently. It has me pumped for the season. Racing is a lot different from riding, but I’m experienced enough to know how to race, so hopefully I can keep it together over the next few months. I felt great and rode really well. It was great to get out on the MTB to polish up the handling skills. And BCSP is the best riding in the state.
Lindsay was able to go and rode really well. She’s looking more and more promising for her into to MTB racing in a few weeks. Changing courses and changing conditions always are a huge monkey wrench, but she’s doing really well.

IRONMAN AZ NEWS

Muncie fast guy Zach finished 18th in the pro men field. That is awesome. 18th in a friggin Ironman!
Matt didn’t fare as well. He fell apart on the run, but had a great swim and a fast bike. He averaged over 21mph for the 112mile bike. That’s a long time to be going that fast. Great job to both of them (Zach averaged just under 23mph on the bike, that’s crazy fast).

So, I got a little sun on my arms (short sleeves!), got my bike over to the car wash and am ready for the week, which looks like it’s going to be great. Maybe some rain wed/Thurs, but it looks better than what we have been getting the past few.

Friday, April 07, 2006

I got out afterall

So / the missed morning ride, I ended up getting gout anyway. I wen tot work and we were absolutely dead. Weird considering how nice it was. As of 4:00 I would have had 40 hrs, so I jetted at 3:00 to ride. I wen tout and did the Pinegrove/Knightridge TT. It was super windy, but I didn’t really have a tail or head wind. Just cross and swirly (this should have been an indicator of things to come). I did the TT 7 seconds slower than my best, but I rode in shorts, short sleeves and no hat under the helmet. That’s full summer attire. Weird when I think that when I was out Monday morning I was in full winter gear. Anywho, as soon as I finished the TT the sky to the ENE was black. As I crossed hwy 446, I heard the tornado sirens going off. Right then I knew I had to resume hammering to get in. It’s about 20 or so minutes away. Lindsay called me and asked where I was as I was about to turn onto our road from 446, but this is about 10-15 minutes out still. I rode ultra hard to get in and missed the rain by a bit. There was serious rain, hail and strong winds, but I beat them in. Now the sun is back out and it looks nice. Spring, whatever.
I was thinking of racing the Morgan Monroe TT tomorrow, but I’m not. I just don’t want to pay $20 for 40 min of action. I don’ t mind if I have the $$, but I don’t, so no big loss.

Never f**king fails; Murphy's law

To those in B-Town anyway, you’re welcome for Friday morning’s weather. I was so sure it would be a pour fest this a.m. that I didn’t even bother with setting my alarm to get up and check. OF COURSE, I wake up around 9:00am and it’s dry, sunny and 62*. Where’s all the rain? (I can’t believe I’m complaining about it not raining, I’m just bitter because I missed a perfect day) I want Brian Wilkes back. This Jude Wetfield guy on Fox 59 screwed me (kidding). So, per Murphy’s law, if I had set my alarm it would a total sog-out, so you all are welcome. On the plus side, I feel totally refreshed/recovered this a.m. Since I don’t ride Saturday’s, I should be feeling good Sunday, RTR.
Sunday looks okay, despite the temp drops forecasted, so we’ll go long that day. Then next week is forecasted as good, but here in April that could mean 30* temps w/ snow and a hurricane or tsunami or something.
Man, sitting on my butt at my computer while it’s 62* and sunny. I SUCK! No, YOU SUCK WEATHERMAN! That’s right, I’ll transfer the blame all day.
If it stays nice (I just jinxed it) I may go do the Pinegrove/Kinghtridge TT that we did last week tonight to see if I can better my time, although I’m not an evening exerciser, so it may be worse and make me feel like crap.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Raining (a lot), Going through the motions

Man, it has rained all day. All day. It stopped long enough for me to get home this evening, but I got soaked going to work this morning. I got up and got on the computrainer, but I felt like I wasn’t getting anything out of it. I was just going through the motions of pedaling. At two points, I had my eyes closed and my head resting on my arm and I think I dosed off. Needless to say, it was totally worthless. I went through those motions for 1 hour, then got off.
I won’t ride inside tomorrow. I may not ride outside, but I won’t ride inside. I’ll stay in bed. This rain sucks. I can’t get in a full week of training. Hopefully it will clear soon. I need (want) to be getting gin 10 hour weeks of about 160 miles, but I’m averaging 8 hours w/ around 140. Last week was just over 7 hours w/ just under 120 miles. That sucks. This week is looking pretty similar. Crap.
My bottom bracket was creaking a little so I pulled it tonight, cleaned it all out real good (remarkably, there was no water in it at all; 100% dry), re greased the bearing surfaces and put fresh Teflon tape on the threads. That oughtta do it.
Lindsay has some good leads on a few sweet full time jobs w/ the University in different departments than she’s working now. They are along the lines of what she wants to be doing, so let’s all be thinking of her in the next few weeks. .

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Wed hard ride

Got out w/ Ryan and Josh from BGI for the Wed. hard ride. We went out and did North Shore/South Shore. Basically 1) this ride goes around Lake Lemon and 2) this is the Lake Lemon road race course for the IRS race there later in the year. And we killed it. It was a perfect day; no wind, sunny and warm(ish). Ryan , must have been a little tired because on a normal Shanny ride it’s uncommon for anyone to do more than one or two pulls, but we were rotating between the three of us this a.m. That’s fine, he’s pulled me around plenty over the last 3-4 years. Anywho, this ride ended up being just over 40 miles from my house and climbed a little over 2,000 feet. We averaged 19.5mph, which doesn’t seem all that fast, but as Ryan pointed out to me, I’m still stuck w/ Muncie averages in my head. In Muncie, 22mph is killing it, anything between 19-21 is fast and 18 and under is dumpster. Here, as Ryan put it, 18 is rolling good and over 19 is fast. It makes sense as there are several minute sections (hills) where you’re going, like, 7-10mph. That doesn’t happen in Muncie. SO, we killed it.
Dan Daily, who runs the Indiana Race Series (IRS) was in the bike shop today and we talked for a while. I told him I’m excited about the Lake Lemon road race, the Morgan Monroe forest road race, the Morgan Monroe forest time trials and the IRS mountain bike race he’s doing this year. I’m sure he enjoys positive feedback. I told him it’s always a pleasure at his races because he’s such a nice guy. The guy who runs the OVR (Ohio Valley Series) is a jerk and people don’t like him. I told Dan this and he said "well, people don’t have to come to my races, but I get a lot of repeat customers because I treat people well." He’s right.
Looks like I’ll be able to get in the 4 hills tomorrow before the rain starts. Friday may be a bust due to rain, but hopefully tomorrow a.m. will be solid.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Slow, Sluggish

As forecasted it was nice and sunny this a.m. Cold though. It was 35* when I left, so I had to wear full winter gear. It was about 45* when I got in, so I was overdressed. I rode my standard Tuesday 33mile tempo ride, but felt slow and sluggish. I couldn’t get a good rhythm. It was windy, in my defense, but I guess it’s no real surprise I wouldn’t feel fresh after a) being sick for four days and b) riding 3 hours AFTER being sick and getting caught in the rain. So I averaged only 17.4, but whatever a tempo ride is dictated totally by feel. It sucks when that feel is crap, but again, whatever I got out.
Daylight Saving is kind of screwing me because it’s colder earlier, which is now not earlier, but the same time (what??). So when I leave at 9:00, it’s as cold as it would have been at 8:00 a week ago. That is a crucial hour this time of year. Oh well, it will be hot soon and I will forget all about it (until I’m ready for bed at 10:00pm and the sun’s out).

Monday, April 03, 2006

Oh man, soggy inside

I set my alarm for 7:30, as usual, but forgot to turn it on. So I woke up at 8:30. I figured ‘no dig deal, I can still get in 45 min or so of roller spinning.’ So I got some coffee, did my morning stuff and went upstairs to change into my riding (inside) gear. The twist: my shoes were still wet from yesterdays downpour. I put newspaper in them to absorb the water, but it was just soaked through and they were still wet. I wasn’t interested in putting on wet shoes to spin on rollers for 45 min., so decided I wold put on my new tyres, which I was going to do tonight. I felt guilty though, so I did a round of sit ups, just so I did something. I need to do a few tings to my MTB too, although I probably won’t be riding it this week due the rain that fell. It needs a few general things and a chain. I have a chain, so no $$ there, which is good right now.
I have the fan turned on my shoes so I know they’ll be dry. It’s supposed to be cooler tomorrow a.m., but sunny and dry so I’ll get out per Tuesday’s schedule. If I can come up w/ the dough, I may race the first of the Morgan-Monroe time trials Saturday. It’s $20, which is a rip for 14 miles of solo racing, but that’s that. If you want to do it, you gotta pay it.
My main Muncie homie Big Matt Stein is doing his first Iron Man in Arizona this weekend, so everybody be thinking about him. Big Zach is doing his first Iron Man as a pro in AZ, so wish him well too.

Sunday, April 02, 2006

Weird weather, 3 hours all the same

The weather was weird today. Strong storm w/ hail were predicted to roll in around 1 p.m. and go all day. Josh and Dan wanted to come down to ride, so we planned on leaving early(er) to miss the storms. Ryan and Fred from BGI left w/ us and we headed out St Rd 446 to do the Hoosier Hills 60k route. We got out to Lake Monroe (side note: we saw Melloncamp’s tour bus leaving his house for the free NCAA show in Indy he’s doing tonight) and just as we were starting to climb out of the causeway that crosses the lake, it started absolutely pouring. We turned around and headed back. Once we got a little ways in, it cleared up so Josh, Dan and I decided to go in on route I know that is a shorter Hoosier Hills option. Well, we got to the Fairfax State Recreation Area (SRA) and the road was under about 4 feet of water. So we turned around and just kind of found our way back into town, rather than re-trace. Once we got into town, it was nice, but really windy (20-30mph), so we decided we would go out and climb this one hill that’s just north of town at Griffey Lake. Once we got there it was even nicer, so we opted to make a loop and head in. During this loop it turned bad looking again, and we thought for sure we were going to get dumped on again at any minute. We didn’t though. Like I said, it was weird. So we got in and put in just over 3 hours. We covered only 53 miles (17.5 av), but with the wind we had to deal w/, that’s not too bad plus we had to skirt through town to get from the flooded rd to the loop we did. Once we got home we met up W/ Lindsay, who rode her MTB on the Clear Creek Trail hooked up w/ Ryan and Sarah, who went and ran after Ryan got home, and got some burritos. We sat outside and had coffee too. It was a really nice day, barring the wind and forgetting that we got completely rained on earlier. Again, weird weather, but I’m glad we got in 3 hours. It was a good ride back after being sick because it was all base really. I have a cough, but my throats fine so I‘m solid.