Friday, November 28, 2008

Boltingberg and TURKEY!

This is Boltinghouse hill. The most famed of the Monroe County "bergs." Less than 1 mile, ~225', ~3minutes.


Thanksgiving day I wanted to get out for quick ride before heading home. I planned to go out via Griffey Lake, go up to the 'fire station,' turn around and come back in. Somewhere along the route i realized i haven't ridden Boltinghouse all year, so i decided to make that my route. And so it was. Actually, they have paved Boltinghouse Rd. since I'd been on it and it was ~a million times easier to negotiate when you don't have to watch/switch your line constantly; kudos.


Then came the feast. Thanksgiving was great. Time w/ the fam, and good eats. We spent the day hanging out and chatting. My brother and his wife were absent (out of country I think), but we still had a good day. I came home with what seems to be fewer left overs than years past, but that's probably good.

Tomorrow is Storm The Greens CX race in Louisville, KY on the same grounds (different course though) as the USGP there. It's looking like rain, so we'll see how this one turns out.

Oh and 2 more things:

1) as I type I'm making turkey stock out of the carcase from our feast. I'm planning to make some turkey/rice/veggie soup with it.

2) one of my fav bands, The Detroit Cobras are coming to Indy this Friday (12/5). Best of all, the show is free! I've never seen them, but I guess they kick ass live.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Tailgating



I have had my eye on this field for a long time for CX practice. I think it's overspill parking/tailgating for IU football (it's right across from the stadium).
I made myself a little 7 or so minute loop w/ a run up and two natural barriers ( a stream bed and a tree stump). It also has a grind uphill grass section and a faster dirt down. It is a pretty good cross training ground.

On the way over I kind of told myself to ride hard, but knowing I can't really do race simulation for CX because it's just too hard of racing. It's been a few weeks since I've raced and I guess I forgot how f*****g hard it is to ride a bike in grass. My HR was definitely in "race sim" mode, and the loop was short enough that there was no recovery.
Plus, temps were low-mid 20's, and I had to stop and strip off some clothing because I was sweating way too much for as cold as it was. I guess all that means it was a pretty good workout.
Oh, but to reinforce my amature status, it should be noted I bothced a re-mount after the run up and slammed the back of seat into my leg...hard. It hurt(s). But hey, i guess even Sven nyes fell into a barrier and got a black eye earlier in the year. And last week Lars Boom crashed himself into serious injury in his warmup laps, or was that Niels Albert, whatever, maybe I'm not as D* as I think!
Yesterday (Tues) I got out to Panynetown for a ride-run-ride. It was cold, and the trail was covered in leaves making footing a little difficult, but I had an okay run. Actually, I fell on one of the downhil switchback because it was so leafy my feet just slipped right out from under me. No hurts or anything, just a spill. Oh, and there was a hunter on the trial as well. I hate guns and they make me nervous. Especially when it's some hillbilly out in a woods in rural Southern IN. I got my run in, but was a little uneasy knowing that some dude was out there listening for russling.
T-giving tomorrow! One of my fav's!
happy T-G'ing!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Indoor gym (dungeon?)

This is my basement/indoor workout facility/dungeon. I am trying, and have been trying since last year, to not view it as a dungeon, or torture chamber and last year I was able change my outlook on indoor training. I need and want to see it as a necessary part of getting fast, not mindless torture.
Anywho, I was down there today due to rain. rain I can handle, 40's I can handle, but rain and 40's? Not gonna happen.
Yesterday I woke up feeling stiff and unbalanced. I had a 3hr MTB ride planned, and got it in (2hr 44min, 28.8miles), but my technical riding was off. I rode fine overall, good pedalling, etc, but I was kind of all over technically. Oh well, it happens. It was sunny and in the high 40's; killer day to be out. There were, however, a ton of people out, all which were going the opposite direction we were, and being a proper gentleman, I tend to yield to other riders. So I was stopping and getting off the side of the trail every minute or so through some sections.
Thanksgiving is this week which is awesome. Going to the 'rents for Turkey, etc.
Guns-n-Roses new album, Chinese Democracy, 15 years in the making came out yesterday. It is a Best Buy exclusive, which totally blows, but I got it anyway. It's pretty good. Axl's voice is still fully intact and he has lost none of his range. I theorize this is due to, while other rock singers that are still around (say, James Hetfield of Metallica) have been on the road or in the studio belting it out 300 days a year for the last 15 years, Axl has been doing nothing, so his chords are where he left them after the Use Your Illusions tour (which was w/ Meatllica). I don't know, but the album sounds pretty good.
Happy Thanksgiving all.
I hope to get out this week for some solid workouts, I am racing the next 2 weekends, then a week off.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Friday. 20*

I don't have a relevant pic, so I pulled out this gem from the files.
Tom Green came to Muncie several years ago for a show or something and he organized his own "Tom Green Day Parade." It went right in front of the bike shop so I went out to check it out and I had to get my picture taken w/ the "talent" from the local Muncie strip club, Jokers Wild.
Anywho, it snowed yesterday. Enough to coat the sidewalks; not a problem in-and-of-itself, but this morning it's 20. I just don't have the mojo to get out in 20 yet. Plus today is scheduled as a ride-run-ride day, and 1) stopping to change into running shoes, etc is bad when it's real cold and 2) riding after running is bad when it's real cold too because I get sweaty running, then jump into a 20mph bike ride while wet. F that S.
I decided to bag it all, wash my cycling laundry and do some house cleaning.
I didn't fee l real good all week training wise anyway. I got all my workouts in (except today), but didn't feel strong at all. I guess I have to get used to wearing so much clothing my movement is restricted (unlike the skanks in the picture) and it being cold. Those things just slow you down.(period)
I had a good ride yesterday and actually did feel pretty good. I think because I was riding w/ someone (RS) and he was slow(er) too. When I'm alone I push way hard, not willing accept that circumstance is slowing me. When I'm w/ someone else who is victim of the same circumstances, we can match pace w/out bull-headedly pushing against the circumstances the season dictates.
Whatever. We may go ride MTB's Sunday @ BCSP.
Then it's CX races the following 2 Sundays (11/20, 12/7), then a week off of training. Then 2009 training begins. So I have to plow through two more weeks of training, albeit relatively unstructured, then we'll get things going.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Cold, wind, November!



Bean Blossom hill up into Morgan Monroe St. Forest (which they appear to be logging now too).





One of my favorite distributors, Ochsner, had these sweet Assos winter hats on blow out for $12. Anything Assos for $12 is a bargain, and this hat is awesome!


I got out for ~40miles today and felt really good. After seeing how windy it was, I changed my plan from ~50-60miles to ~30. But I felt good enough I turned on some unplanned roads to get some more time in.
I rode my 11speed Giant, so I got a good longer ride in on it w/ some good hills, etc. I have a good feel for it now.
I also got all of our patio furniture in the basement and our hoses in for the winter.
Plus I got some things done to my CX bike I've been needing to do. Amongst other things, I have been meaning to check my wheels, since they are newly built, to make sure they're still good-n-true. They are perfect as the day they wee built; and I have ridden them hard. My wheel guy is an ace. He's a reader, so that's a well deserved ego booster for him!


I also forgot to mention that I took Lindsay to The Irish Lion for her birthday dinner Friday night (though her b-day was Wednesday). We had a good dinner and good time.

Temps are looking COLD for the coming week's mornings. Yippy Yeah!





Saturday, November 15, 2008

What a week

I made salsa. A few friends gave me a bunch of hot peppers. This is carrot, onion, garlic, some tomato and an ass load of super hot peppers. I only recognized the habenaros, but there is some serious fire in this jar!

Man, I think it has rained every day this week. And been pretty cold to boot.I had to make some seat-the-pants changes to training plans this week, but I made it through. I got out for the standard short recovery ride Monday and took out the 11 speed bike for trip #2. I like the stuff, but, still later for review.

Tuesday was looking grim on the radar, so rather than the ride-run-ride @ Paynetown trails, I ran from home to the Y gravel trail, then rode rollers. It was different, but worked.

Wed and Thurs were rainy/cold so I rode the CX bike both days. Wed I rode out the secret single track to the east side of the county, but it was so leaf covered and wet I crashed over bars once and was dabbing feet constantly; no fun at all.

Thursday I went out Bottom road to a gravel road called Williams that Tim Cote, RS and I used to go bust hill repeats on (thanks to Ren-Jay for reminding of this gem). I did 2 repeats of the "loop" we used to do and it was a really good ride. Tough as nails though.

Friday I rode-ran-rode at Griffey Lake trails. I felt like a million bucks on the run and fine on the bike, but I have been really sore in both of my (current) problem areas the past two days. My lower back (upper butt) and upper back (between shoulders) have been especially bothersome.

Anywho, hope to get in about 3hrs tomorrow. I really want to go to the CX race in Lexington, KY, but it's just farther than I want to drive (drive 3hrs to race for 45min??).

I planned my week off for Dec. 8-13. After this week I'll start in w/ weights and indoor interval riding. This is the plan.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

F*****g Winter!


I got my mountain bike stripped, cleaned and overhauled over the last week or so. Finished product has blue shift housing to match fork and frame accents.
Plus I got my (Giant) road bike fitted w/ a new Campagnolo Chorus 11speed grouppo. I've ridden it just once, so report/pics to follow some time (I need to ride it more).

Man, I'd say winter's here. I guess this weekend (and the 10 day) are below av, but it's cold. I finished out a solid training week w/ a ~3hr ride today. Combine temps that didn't make into the 40's w/ a blistering headwind all the way back from Nashville, and it make s a nasty ride. I was totally dying on the way back. On the positive, one of the roads I planned on taking had a "road closed" sign, so I took a different route and rode a road I've never been on, but heard was cool called Grandma Barnes Road that runs between hwy135 in Nashville and Helmsberg Rd. It's a cool narrow road that is mostly downhill from 135 (of course you have to climb up 135 to get to it). I'm going to put this road/ride in the rotation.
Friday I had to take Lindsay to Indy to catch her ride to Michigan to race the Iceman Cometh MTB race there. I took my road bike (Giant/11speed) and Josh and I rode road up there. It's crazy to me that we rode ~25miles and never really got out of town. I'm used to being out of town for rides in ~10minutes. It was a good ride, but I wouldn't want to have to ride like that all the time.
This weather is going to take some getting used to. Hopefully the wind associated w/ the front dies down because man, today was like Muncie windy, but w/ hills and COLD!

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Computer back, Obama, pics

Sand pit at Gun Club CX.
Barriers at Gun Club.

More Sand.


USGP (I'm #84 back there)



USGP (far left, #84).

I got my computer back. All data is accounted for except Itunes. I can't get it to open and I can''t get it reinstalled. I'll continue to work on it as if feel like it; it's not crucial.

W/ Indiana narrowly going to Obama, my vote might have actually made a difference. That's kind of cool.










Monday, November 03, 2008

Still no computer, quick update #2

I still don't have our primary PC back from repair yet. The hardrive was fried and it has to be replaced. The dude sounded hopeful data can be reassigned okay, but won't know till he's done which should be today.

Despite sub freezing a.m. temps, I had a solid training week last week. I got in all my workouts (I skipped Tuesday's run in favour of a ride though, my left calf or shin or something was bugging me). I raced the OVCX cross race at the Cincinnati Gun Club yesterday. It was a good MTB style course, but had tons of broken clay pigeon things everywhere and shotgun shells littered around too. I finally got a decent start position (4th row, not great, but better than last row) and I ended up 8th/35 or so. The course had 2 long straight stretches that were 25+ MPH, a double sand pit. then lots of tight tech stuff w/ lots of up and down on the back side. It was a lung/leg burner for sure; I was worked straight up afterwards.
Well, now that we made it through last week's cold spell and summer is back, this should be a good week too. I am not planning to race for a few weeks, as the races the next 2 weeks are farther away then I care to drive (Yellow Springs, OH and Lexington, KY). So I likely won't race until after thanksgiving, and I may weigh so much by then that I'll have to enter the Clydesdale division!
I have some pics from the USGP, but they're on the other computer, so I'll post them when I get it back (assuming they're able to be saved).