Keeping it in Perspective.

On today's bike ride into work, I was thinking more about my last post and staying focused. That brought me around to also thinking how insignificant it is in the grand scheme of things. With Earthquakes in China and Typhoons in Burma, spending time thinking about it at all seems a bit silly sometimes.

On the other hand, life goes on with our without us, and I think we should all aspire to be at least content in whatever we do, no matter what that whatever happens to be. Who knows what tomorrow brings? For example, A meteor could end it all pretty quickly for the parasites on earth we call humans. "Global Warming" wouldn't mean much if that happened now would it? The earth would go on spinning happily, warming AND cooling a few thousand more times like it has in the past, for a few more billion years and never miss us. Not to mention. there's a huge percentage of the population (spooky yeah I know) that actually believes 2012 will be the end. LOL

If we can put a smile on another person's face once in awhile, that's a bonus. We only go around once, and it sure beats being miserable all the time, so I'm gonna keep riding a bit, have some fun, and try not to impose my will on too many others while I'm here.

OK, I feel much bit better now. Blabbering over.

Keeping Focused.

Yesterday's race went alright, but there's plenty of room for improvement. I got up feeling pretty lazy today and when the rain came I almost felt relieved, telling myself I had an excuse not to get out there and ride. A trip to the bookstore is always a great motivator for me. All the bicycling magazines, books on training, racing,... not to mention all the other good books I wanna read. Sometimes it's the small things like that is what it takes to put things back in order.

After a much needed mid-afternoon nap, I noticed the sun was starting to pop through the clouds. 5pm, I've gotta get my ass in gear and on the bike. Wet roads and two hours of easy recovery riding later I felt great. I've got three more races between now and the big race on my calendar this year, so it's time to get back to training, work on my weaknesses, and most importantly,...

Stay Focused!

Of course, that's on top of trying to be a good Dad, Husband, doing well at work and keep the freelance work coming in. Riding, Racing and being in shape is fun, but it's not everything.

Union Grove Road Race Report.

After a week of easier riding I was itching to ride today's race up in East Earl, Pennsylvania. Though my bike's bottom bracket is screaming like a nagging wife, I treated her to new bright orange Bontrager handlebar tape. It's a bit brighter than the orange on the rest of the bike, but I'm hoping it tones down in time. The new bottom bracket is on order and should be in this week.

This was my first race on the Kelly Benefits/LSV racing team and I wanted to do well for the guys. We had six riders in the Cat 4/5 race. First off I gotta say, they are a nice bunch of guys and can't wait until our next one. That reminds me, I have to change my US Cycling ID card to show my club affiliation.

The Race As I Saw It: There was a pretty full field of about 70+ riders and the start was tight. While waiting for the race to start, Mari and Mae were yelling Go Daddy Go! Go Daddy Go! from the side of the road. That got a bunch of laughs from the crowd and definitely lightened the pre-race jitters for many, including some guy repeating their words, Go Daddy Go! Go Daddy! The KB/LSV guys and I didn't get a very good position this week, about mid-pack so getting underway was a bit stressful but everyone made it to the first turn OK and the racing commenced. The course was generally much more technical than my previous 3 races starting with a downhill and narrow curving section, with an uphill right, level back straight, a couple small hills, metal bridges, then more curvy narrow roads toward the finish. A great course really. Amish country is so beautiful. We passed a couple horse and buggies during the race, and a group of kids sitting on a stoop in front of their barn cheering the riders each time we sped by.

I had a really poor start and ended up mid/back of the field. It was tough moving up with the yellow line rule in effect. It seemed I'd get a few places, only to be passed again by guys taking a big risk into corners or crossing the yellow lines on the outside leapfrogging towards the front. I bided my time, while seeing the KB/LSV guys in a nice tight group up towards the front of the Peloton. I was very impressed with Howard's position up near the front. He did just what he said he was going to do and it looked like it was working.

This course was a fast one, with only one tiny little hill to slow down the pack. Every time around to this one hill, it seemed as though the pack's speed would drop to excruciatingly slow. So slow in fact, that one time up, with the yo-yo effect, I came to a complete stop in the middle of the whole mess, track standing until the race got going again. CRAZY! Well, it did get started again, and me being in too big a gear, had a shoe pull out of my pedal. Luckily I got back in and was able to muscle my way back into the slipstream. Like I said, the speed on this tiny little hill was snail slow. Even so, after the race Steven said guys where weezing like emphysema patients all around him. This kind of racing continued until the last lap where I began to move my way up towards the front, with about 5 miles to go. (5 Mile Laps)

Finally, on the back straights, I got up into a pretty good position around 15 back from the leaders and right behind some other guys from KB/LSV. I didn't see Howard now and wondered where he'd gotten to. The speed picked up finally going over the hill to more-than-snail pace and I think this is where the peloton started to string out with the speed picking up. Eric and I got together at this point, with one other KB/LSV just up ahead. Great, we had 3 guys in the top ten to set up the sprint. Not bad. On the final corner, just ahead and to the left a couple guys got tied together and wrecked right in front of Eric and me. That kinda messed up our sprint. I know Eric is a bit better sprinter than me and was hoping I could've led him out for a good finish. But now it was just a matter of hanging on until the end to see where we'd end up.

Steve ended up 4th, Eric 8th, with me getting inched at the line for 11th. Howard's handlebar came loose, forcing him to end his race with a mechanical with right about 1 lap to go. Major bummer, since I think he had the fitness today to be right up there.

Summary: Looking back, would I have raced it differently? Probably. I had some good legs today and on the last lap there were a few choice spots to make a break stick. Overall though, since this is only my 4th race back in racing after so long, I'm happy to be contending for wins already. I have something now to work on until the next race.

Bike to Work Day.

I suspect there won't be many riders along my route tomorrow on the way to work.

Overnight Guest.

I had an incredibly enjoyable evening putting a new Trek Madone through it's paces after work tonight. It's sitting a few feet away from me as I type this. I gotta say. I can't take my eyes off the thing. No, she's not mine, I'm just test riding her. I'll write a bit more of a review when I have time.

That will be when? After she goes home. Now shhh, I gotta go,...

Stay Tuned.

Millar has a Mechanical!

I know how it feels to have a mechanical, and a wreck, 1k from the finish (I was way ahead and winning the race). I didn't throw my bike though. I threw the road sign that came off and hit me between the eyes. Don't do what I did and hang up the bike for 15 years though David. Use that anger to kick ass tomorrow.

Trentodoc Update: Today's winner Pavel Brutt of Tinkoff didn't even take a sip. Damn!

Thirsty for,... Trentodoc?

They've been spraying a lot of this stuff around over at the Giro the last few days. Zabriskie took a big swig on day one. Bennati, he looks to thin to drink the stuff. Today was Cavendish's turn to spray the stuff around. I wonder how the stuff tastes? No idea, but it makes me thirsty.

Today's Ride: 40 Miles, group ride with Howard, Eric and Luke. Not a hard one this week, but Luke did take one heck of a pull there towards the end.

Rain!

This weather really puts a damper on my riding. Getting caught in the rain is one thing, but heading out in this nonsense is just too much for me. Sooo, it was back to the trainer tonight for me. Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit better.

Daydreaming of bicycles I can't afford. *sigh*

Bennati from Liquigas won today over at the Giro. I have never in my life seen a guy look so fresh after winning such a long race. Amazing. Must be his Cannondale. I saw a team model up at Mt. Joy and it looked like it was going 50mph standing still.

It doesn't get easier, you just get faster.

Well the weekend started out nice anyway. Yesterday I did one of my longer loops of 65 miles. With the really nice tailwind heading back I was able to do it in just over 3 hours. Not too bad riding alone. That finished off one of my better weeks of riding of the year so far. Greg LeMond said something I thought about quite a bit on that ride. He said it doesn't get easier, you just get faster. Since I don't use a computer on my bike I'm gonna have to just guess I'm getting faster, because it sure isn't getting easier.

Today my wife had to work (On Mother's Day?!) so it was just the girls and me. I got to watch some of the Giro online. It was so disappointing seeing Dave Zabriskie's crash. I hope he's ok. My wife got home and the rain started. I was in no mood to ride in the rain so that's pretty much it. This week I have my training mapped out so that Tuesday will be my last hard riding day of the week, with a nice taper until next Saturday's race. Hope all goes well.

Late Start, Late Finish.

Got out the door late tonight and ended up riding much of the way in darkness, mostly from thick clouds, but no rain. Got Lucky I think.

2 hours: 35 Miles, rode easy.