I headed down to Kansas City (Overland Park, officially) on Friday for a bike fit at Dynamic Athletics. Why go clear down there for a bike fit? Why not?
Actually, it's like this: Dynamic Athletics uses 3D motion capture and cameras and all sorts of other sweet technology to tell you not only how you're positioned but how you're moving in relation to the rest of your body. I'll write more about it on GamJams later this week, but it was very interesting, to say the least.
Saturday, I jumped on the CX bike in an attempt to ride the Wednesday-night race course at Seymour Smith. I found parts of it, but I ended up just doing a few laps on the CX practice course and calling it good. Of note: Getting off the bike hurts, as a result of, well, falling off the bike a couple of weeks ago.
Power feels OK, just not the on-and-off of 'cross. So that's perfect. Also perfect: 40s, rain and wind on tap for Wednesday. Sigh.
Sunday, I rolled out with KGil for some early miles. I probably underdressed, trusting too much in the thermometer. Toe covers would have been a good idea, along with different gloves. Either way, it was the first time on the bike with the new fit. I didn't notice anything specifically different on the bike, but I felt pretty solid throughout the ride.
What I did notice afterward was a bit of fatigue/soreness in the glutes — I was using a bit more "butt muscle" than before, apparently. And if you're guessing "cross," that's a different kind of pain. The soreness radiated into my lower back a bit, but it wasn't bad. It'll probably take a big before figuring out how the fit has affected performance.
Today — more time on the bike. I ride to work on Mondays, generally. It was a bit chilly this morning at 28 degrees, but it should be pretty nice for the ride home. Tomorrow I'll probably bring the 'cross bike and head down to Seymour Smith with Lucas for a pre-ride.
All in all, I've been able to find a nice balance between home and work and the bike. Then again, it's only been three weeks, and we're three weeks away from the baby. Cue the insanity.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
I'm having a hard time processing this
For the bulk of my life, I've watched Cubs teams that range from very good to average to awful. More of them have been awful than good, but all of the recent non-awfulness has happened during my life: postseason trips in 1984, 1989, 1998, 2003, 2007 and 2008.Of course, all of those trips to the postseason ended badly. I was too young to really remember 1984, though I think I recall watching Leon Durham boot that grounder at first. I was in seventh grade in 1989, and the Cubs really didn't have much of a chance against the Giants. Will Clark was absolutely raking that year.
Amid the circus that was 1998, I was a junior in college. As the Cubs managed to stay in contention, my friends and I managed to watch the games, grill a lot of cheap steaks (like, $1.50 steaks) and follow along. The fact that they even made the playoffs was nuts. The sweep by the Braves sucked, but it wasn't unexpected.
It goes without saying that 2003 was awful. Despite seeing what I've seen over my time as a Cubs fan, that hurt. Like, physical pain.
In 2007 and 2008, I watched in awe as the Cubs won back-to-back division titles for the first time. But they got blasted in the first game of each Division Series and I could see the end coming a mile away.
But for all of those years in between, it's been bad. And those pockets of competency — of good, winning baseball — were likely just a case of every dog having its day. Why? Here are a few snippets from yesterday's press conference at Wrigley Field, introducing Theo Epstein — the former Boston Red Sox GM — as the Cubs' new president of baseball operations:
- "We're not looking for the lucky hit, where you get deep in the postseason and then not be very good for the next couple of years. We want sustained success."
- "The easiest way to start to change the culture is in the front office. Essentially it involves a lot of hard work, setting standards. … If you're not ready to buy into that, you're probably not going to be along for the ride."
- "Our goal is to build the best scouting department in the game, as far as player development goes. … We will define and implement a 'Cubs Way' of playing the game, and we won't rest until there is a steady stream of talent coming through the minor league system, trained in that 'Cubs Way.' "
- "I believe you pay for future performance, not past performance." — talking about free agents
Somewhere along the line, it never occurred to me that the Cubs didn't go about business in this manner. That it was just a string of bad luck and bad decisions that made them what they are. Clearly, that wasn't the case. And it's even more obvious that it wasn't just spending money that made the Red Sox into what they are.
No, it's a targeted, all-in process that starts at the ground level of the organization. And the fact that the Cubs will now be operating that way — in a way that has made the Red Sox the dominant force they are — is almost too much to even grasp.
The Cubs — the Cubs! — viewed not as an every-so-often phenomenon but as a relevant, powerful, force to be reckoned with? I can't even begin to understand what that means.
But, also, I can't wait to find out.
Monday, October 24, 2011
I bet I can beat you
Our neighborhood is pretty hilly, for the most part. But down at the bottom — in the last few blocks — it's pretty flat. As Jack got better and better on his bike, we started going down there when we walk the dogs. We get a walk, Jack gets to ride his bike.Of course, there's the matter of coasting for four or five blocks. We had a close call once, in which disaster was averted by Chris essentially catching him at the bottom of the hill. That could have been bad. But since then, all has been well.
On this afternoon's walk, we went one block farther down than normal. As we got there, we saw tons of kids riding around on the sidewalk and streets. As Jack got close to them, he stopped while the kids asked to pet our dogs. We obliged, and one of the kids started checking out Jack's bike.
"Like my bike?" Jack asked.
"I have a bike, too," the boy said. "See?" He pointed toward his bike, laying on the ground just a few feet away.
"I bet I can beat you," Jack said.
Here we go.
The kid jumped on his bike and went blasting down the street. Jack got rolling pretty good, too. After the boy turned around, he was saying something like, "See ya later!" And then he ate it in the middle of the street.
This is after Jack, when we stopped to let the kids pet the dogs, pulled a similar trick.
It's gonna be like this for a while.
Friday, October 21, 2011
I stayed in my bed!
On Jack's good days at daycare, he announces to us when we pick him up, "I stayed in my bed!"
He has trouble with that, you see. It's not naptime itself — he's conditioned to lay his sweet little head down and catch a few winks after lunchtime. It's an almost guaranteed daily event. The kid will sleep.
No, it's the waking up. More specifically, it's what he does after he wakes up. He's supposed to read books upon awakening, so as not to wake hisco-conspirators friends. On a good day, this is what happens. He gets to put a sticker on his sticker sheet, too. And stickers are as good as gold to a 4-year-old.
Every other day, he wakes up his friends, runs around and generally causes mayhem.
I've been having trouble staying in bed, too, but it has less to do with wanting to get up and rip the place apart and more to do with ... well, I guess I don't know what, exactly.
Sometimes I try to fall asleep and fail, because Chris is even more cooked than me. And she snores, like, instantly when she falls asleep. Being frustrated while trying to sleep is the worst. So I get up and sleep on the couch, which sucks. It makes my back hurt.
Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. So I go sleep on the couch.
Last night, somehow, I was in bed all night. It's been a few weeks. I can't even remember the last time. Moving to the couch has just kind of become part of the routine.
Hopefully this will all get better after the kid arrives. We'll be sleepless, but for different reasons. For now, though, I'm gonna go put a sticker on my sheet and hope for a repeat performance.
He has trouble with that, you see. It's not naptime itself — he's conditioned to lay his sweet little head down and catch a few winks after lunchtime. It's an almost guaranteed daily event. The kid will sleep.
No, it's the waking up. More specifically, it's what he does after he wakes up. He's supposed to read books upon awakening, so as not to wake his
Every other day, he wakes up his friends, runs around and generally causes mayhem.
I've been having trouble staying in bed, too, but it has less to do with wanting to get up and rip the place apart and more to do with ... well, I guess I don't know what, exactly.
Sometimes I try to fall asleep and fail, because Chris is even more cooked than me. And she snores, like, instantly when she falls asleep. Being frustrated while trying to sleep is the worst. So I get up and sleep on the couch, which sucks. It makes my back hurt.
Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. So I go sleep on the couch.
Last night, somehow, I was in bed all night. It's been a few weeks. I can't even remember the last time. Moving to the couch has just kind of become part of the routine.
Hopefully this will all get better after the kid arrives. We'll be sleepless, but for different reasons. For now, though, I'm gonna go put a sticker on my sheet and hope for a repeat performance.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
I wondered how long it would take
Throughout this whole 'cross escapade, the one thing that's been living in the back of my mind is the health of my back. Would it hold up to all of that? Is it capable of taking a fall or hit or something else?
After weeks of hard efforts and running and remounting and sliding out, I had a pretty solid answer: yes, it will hold up and be fine. Little aches and pains, yes, but everybody has those after a 'cross race (or workout, even).
Of course, until last night there was one thing that hadn't been tested — a direct impact exactly like the one that broke my back to begin with. So I went ahead and took care of that.
As we staged for the A race at the Flatwater Twilight Criterium, I looked around in the corral. There were a lot of bikes in there and the course was pretty tight. It would be a challenge. But once we got going, I felt surprisingly good. I'm never going to contend for a victory, but I was closing gaps and pulling myself toward a top-15(ish) finish.
About four laps into the 12-lap race, I had finally closed the gap on a group I'd been chasing, while also slightly distancing the group behind me. I planned on sitting in for a lap and then making a move and trying to get past and up to the next group.
In the tight, swervy part of the course, I was right where I wanted to be, and then ... I was on the ground. What the hell?
I hopped back up and felt a bolt of electricity blasting from my tailbone to my neck. Yep, I somehow landed exactly how I did 2.5 years ago (though without the same force, thankfully). I got up, fixed my shifter — it was pointing decidedly inward — and got going again. A minute or two later, I noticed my hands and fingers were tingling.
And when it was time to turn on the power in the one or two open spots, I had none. Getting off and running the barriers was awful, and it was all I could do to keep turning the cranks.
That was enough for me to pull the plug. Even before I got back to the van, my back was killing me. I got changed and felt it stiffen even more as the cold descended upon the park. A trip to Yia Yia's with the boys (Mark, Lucas, Paul, Rafal and Jordan, along with a ton of Lincoln folks), and the ride home pretty much finished it off. Ouch.
I slept surprisingly well, considering, and I'll probably take an easy spin on the road bike today to see if it'll loosen up. It sucks to have a sore back, but I'm honestly pretty used to that. It's not a big deal. The worst part is that I actually felt pretty solid, and I may well have been able to claw my way back toward the front half of the race.
But that happens sometimes. I'll be nice to my back for the next few days, and then try to get it rolling again. If it works, it works. If not, oh well.
After weeks of hard efforts and running and remounting and sliding out, I had a pretty solid answer: yes, it will hold up and be fine. Little aches and pains, yes, but everybody has those after a 'cross race (or workout, even).
Of course, until last night there was one thing that hadn't been tested — a direct impact exactly like the one that broke my back to begin with. So I went ahead and took care of that.
As we staged for the A race at the Flatwater Twilight Criterium, I looked around in the corral. There were a lot of bikes in there and the course was pretty tight. It would be a challenge. But once we got going, I felt surprisingly good. I'm never going to contend for a victory, but I was closing gaps and pulling myself toward a top-15(ish) finish.
About four laps into the 12-lap race, I had finally closed the gap on a group I'd been chasing, while also slightly distancing the group behind me. I planned on sitting in for a lap and then making a move and trying to get past and up to the next group.
In the tight, swervy part of the course, I was right where I wanted to be, and then ... I was on the ground. What the hell?
I hopped back up and felt a bolt of electricity blasting from my tailbone to my neck. Yep, I somehow landed exactly how I did 2.5 years ago (though without the same force, thankfully). I got up, fixed my shifter — it was pointing decidedly inward — and got going again. A minute or two later, I noticed my hands and fingers were tingling.
And when it was time to turn on the power in the one or two open spots, I had none. Getting off and running the barriers was awful, and it was all I could do to keep turning the cranks.
That was enough for me to pull the plug. Even before I got back to the van, my back was killing me. I got changed and felt it stiffen even more as the cold descended upon the park. A trip to Yia Yia's with the boys (Mark, Lucas, Paul, Rafal and Jordan, along with a ton of Lincoln folks), and the ride home pretty much finished it off. Ouch.
I slept surprisingly well, considering, and I'll probably take an easy spin on the road bike today to see if it'll loosen up. It sucks to have a sore back, but I'm honestly pretty used to that. It's not a big deal. The worst part is that I actually felt pretty solid, and I may well have been able to claw my way back toward the front half of the race.
But that happens sometimes. I'll be nice to my back for the next few days, and then try to get it rolling again. If it works, it works. If not, oh well.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Next time around
Lucas, my new work partner and part-time training partner, and I headed out yesterday to do some sprint/high-intensity work in preparation for the next couple of weeks of 'cross.
While sprinting and high-end stuff is hard to begin with, coaxing my body to do it in October has been especially challenging. What has traditionally been a time of transition and relaxation has turned into a semi-focused quest to keep going fast. It's harder than it sounds.
But there's only about a week left, so I think I'll survive.
What's likely to happen next time around — next time being next summer — is that I'll race pretty heavily through July, chill a bit in early August and then wind it up again for an October/November campaign. I like cyclocross. I'd like to be halfway good at it. And that means I should probably actually, you know, prepare for it.
Anyway, two races left, starting tonight at the Flatwater Twilight race. It's gonna be chilly and, by the end of it, kinda dark. I'll hit next week's race, too, and then that'll be it. Baby Stegosaurus is due about three weeks later. It'll be time for lockdown.
And, at some point, I'll get that new bike built up.
While sprinting and high-end stuff is hard to begin with, coaxing my body to do it in October has been especially challenging. What has traditionally been a time of transition and relaxation has turned into a semi-focused quest to keep going fast. It's harder than it sounds.
But there's only about a week left, so I think I'll survive.
What's likely to happen next time around — next time being next summer — is that I'll race pretty heavily through July, chill a bit in early August and then wind it up again for an October/November campaign. I like cyclocross. I'd like to be halfway good at it. And that means I should probably actually, you know, prepare for it.
Anyway, two races left, starting tonight at the Flatwater Twilight race. It's gonna be chilly and, by the end of it, kinda dark. I'll hit next week's race, too, and then that'll be it. Baby Stegosaurus is due about three weeks later. It'll be time for lockdown.
And, at some point, I'll get that new bike built up.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Zorinsky Hammer: 2011
We live in a pretty amazing age, people. Our daily lives and activities are laced with technology we could only dream of just a few years ago.
That's true not only for us normal people, but for those who really strive to perform at their peak: Zorinsky Hammers.
I'd have to check my training records (which don't exist) for the exact number of times I rode through Zorinsky this season, but I believe it's something like two or three. One time was cold and windy, so nobody else was out there. Another time was an early Sunday morning ride, so there runners all over the place (runners who drove there to run, for some reason).
But the third time (I think) was the most terrifying. Those who have ridden around the paved trail at Zorinsky know that it's sometimes a little curvy and tight, with blind corners and many, many opportunities to wad things up. Those opportunities typically come in the form of dogs, children, runners with iPods, walkers and, of course, fellow cyclists.
Coming around one of those blind corners, just ambling along, I suddenly found myself face to face with a Hammer: in aero bars, head down, iPod blasting. And on the wrong side of the trail.
These hazards matter not to the PR-chasing hammer, who boldly kits up, pounds out his (or her) 15 hill-free miles and returns home to celebrate his (or her) feats of strength.
Thanks to technology like GPS, we can visit Strava and see exactly who these people are. Names don't matter, really. But it's interesting to see so many people only riding on paved trails. The roads are great. The neighborhoods are great. (Seriously, be more creative.)
The 20mph average around Zorinsky? Not so great. Look, it's awesome that you're riding. It's awesome that you're fit. It's awesome that you want to go fast. It would be even more awesome if you came out and signed up for a race. You know, since you like to go fast and all?
But seriously, Hammers: Stop drilling it around Zorinsky. Someone's going to get hurt. And it's probably going to be you.
That's true not only for us normal people, but for those who really strive to perform at their peak: Zorinsky Hammers.
I'd have to check my training records (which don't exist) for the exact number of times I rode through Zorinsky this season, but I believe it's something like two or three. One time was cold and windy, so nobody else was out there. Another time was an early Sunday morning ride, so there runners all over the place (runners who drove there to run, for some reason).
But the third time (I think) was the most terrifying. Those who have ridden around the paved trail at Zorinsky know that it's sometimes a little curvy and tight, with blind corners and many, many opportunities to wad things up. Those opportunities typically come in the form of dogs, children, runners with iPods, walkers and, of course, fellow cyclists.
Coming around one of those blind corners, just ambling along, I suddenly found myself face to face with a Hammer: in aero bars, head down, iPod blasting. And on the wrong side of the trail.
These hazards matter not to the PR-chasing hammer, who boldly kits up, pounds out his (or her) 15 hill-free miles and returns home to celebrate his (or her) feats of strength.
Thanks to technology like GPS, we can visit Strava and see exactly who these people are. Names don't matter, really. But it's interesting to see so many people only riding on paved trails. The roads are great. The neighborhoods are great. (Seriously, be more creative.)
The 20mph average around Zorinsky? Not so great. Look, it's awesome that you're riding. It's awesome that you're fit. It's awesome that you want to go fast. It would be even more awesome if you came out and signed up for a race. You know, since you like to go fast and all?
But seriously, Hammers: Stop drilling it around Zorinsky. Someone's going to get hurt. And it's probably going to be you.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Settling in
After a week on the job, I'm getting the feeling that the hardest part about this transition is going to be the flow of the day — different events and places at different times — rather than the job itself. That's not to say the job won't be challenging, but trying to figure out what I'm doing and when has proven more difficult so far.
Take Friday, for example.
My new road bike arrived around 1 or 1:30. I wanted to pick it up at some point so I could build it that night. But nobody could get into the warehouse (no keys), so I had to find a key and go down there myself. And after I jammed the box into the back of my car — which was surprisingly easy, considering the size of the box — I was headed back to the office.
Lucas and I planned on riding for a bit, but by the time we got done with our stuff and got ready to go, it was 5. Sigh. I got home a bit before 7, ate, got Jack in bed and then finally got going on the bike. It was done at 11:30. Yeah, I kind of took my time in getting it done.
The inaugural ride was a four-hour session the next morning with KGil and the Bike Masters group. I did some sprinty, climby things a few times but otherwise played it pretty chill.
And the bike? Well, it rode pretty much the same as the last one ... because it is the same as the last one. The only differences are the bar (same top shape, shallower drop) and the wheels, which rolled smooth and fast and all of that. Also, when you wind them up, they whistle.
I'm not sure if that's cool or not. For now, at least, it's a little cool.
And then I did chores the rest of the day on Saturday. I think that's how most normal people spend their weekends, right?
Sunday was a quick trip to Des Moines and back for a wedding reception/party thing.
And now it's Monday again. I'm doing my best to get psyched up for racing on Wednesday. I even brought the Cronus to the office with me today. You know, for riding. We'll see.
Take Friday, for example.
My new road bike arrived around 1 or 1:30. I wanted to pick it up at some point so I could build it that night. But nobody could get into the warehouse (no keys), so I had to find a key and go down there myself. And after I jammed the box into the back of my car — which was surprisingly easy, considering the size of the box — I was headed back to the office.
Lucas and I planned on riding for a bit, but by the time we got done with our stuff and got ready to go, it was 5. Sigh. I got home a bit before 7, ate, got Jack in bed and then finally got going on the bike. It was done at 11:30. Yeah, I kind of took my time in getting it done.
The inaugural ride was a four-hour session the next morning with KGil and the Bike Masters group. I did some sprinty, climby things a few times but otherwise played it pretty chill.
And the bike? Well, it rode pretty much the same as the last one ... because it is the same as the last one. The only differences are the bar (same top shape, shallower drop) and the wheels, which rolled smooth and fast and all of that. Also, when you wind them up, they whistle.
I'm not sure if that's cool or not. For now, at least, it's a little cool.
And then I did chores the rest of the day on Saturday. I think that's how most normal people spend their weekends, right?
Sunday was a quick trip to Des Moines and back for a wedding reception/party thing.
And now it's Monday again. I'm doing my best to get psyched up for racing on Wednesday. I even brought the Cronus to the office with me today. You know, for riding. We'll see.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Everybody cut footloose
In my past life as a bike shop manager, various opportunities and programs presented themselves on a fairy regular basis. Some are big deals, some are not. Some, frankly, are a waste of time.
And there are some that are no-brainers.
Last week I spent about six hours pretending to be an Oakley rep for KGil's annual Bergman Incentives show. Held at the Midtown Crossing cinema, the show is an opportunity for Bergman vendors to show their products off directly to the buyers. Oakley is among those vendors, though their corporate sales rep couldn't make it. And that's where I came in.
Though I spent the first 30 minutes with my head spinning — there some seriously grizzled road-dog salesmen there — I got it figured out before things got too busy. And when it wasn't busy, I found myself drawn to the flat-screen TV near my table. It was playing movie previews pretty much non-stop.
Check that, it was playing ONE movie preview: Footloose. The new Footloose. It was interesting the first time, and maybe even a time or two after that. But pretty soon I was stuck in a loop of "Look away! No, I can't!"
As far as I can tell, here's how the movie will go: Dumb high school kids go to a kegger, dance a bunch and then die in a head-on crash. The heartbroken townsfolk decide that dancing — not drinking and driving — is the root cause. Of course.
And then, salvation for teens who love dancing arrives in the form of a surly looking teenager from ... somewhere. There's something to do with a demolition derby and an exploding school bus, along with an "Oh, hey, that girl is hot!" montage. And then, in a fit of rage against some sort of something ... the new guy starts dancing in an abandoned warehouse. Where better?
His fit of perfectly choreographed rage inspires a dancing REVOLUTION. Bring back dancing! Bring back the prom! Or some other significant event that involves dancing! (No word on the kegger.) And then Dennis Quaid furrows his brow a bit, the local yokel law enforcement officers try to keep the kid down, he dances anyway and then, somehow, it's over.
There may be more to it, but probably not. There was also a constantly rotating ad for simulcast presentations of the upcoming Metropolitan Opera season. It's in HD, by the way.
There was a reward for all of this, of course. I got an Oakley polo shirt and a free lunch. Oh, and these:
Split Jacket in white, Radar in crystal gray. Cool.
And there are some that are no-brainers.
Last week I spent about six hours pretending to be an Oakley rep for KGil's annual Bergman Incentives show. Held at the Midtown Crossing cinema, the show is an opportunity for Bergman vendors to show their products off directly to the buyers. Oakley is among those vendors, though their corporate sales rep couldn't make it. And that's where I came in.
Though I spent the first 30 minutes with my head spinning — there some seriously grizzled road-dog salesmen there — I got it figured out before things got too busy. And when it wasn't busy, I found myself drawn to the flat-screen TV near my table. It was playing movie previews pretty much non-stop.
Check that, it was playing ONE movie preview: Footloose. The new Footloose. It was interesting the first time, and maybe even a time or two after that. But pretty soon I was stuck in a loop of "Look away! No, I can't!"
As far as I can tell, here's how the movie will go: Dumb high school kids go to a kegger, dance a bunch and then die in a head-on crash. The heartbroken townsfolk decide that dancing — not drinking and driving — is the root cause. Of course.
And then, salvation for teens who love dancing arrives in the form of a surly looking teenager from ... somewhere. There's something to do with a demolition derby and an exploding school bus, along with an "Oh, hey, that girl is hot!" montage. And then, in a fit of rage against some sort of something ... the new guy starts dancing in an abandoned warehouse. Where better?
His fit of perfectly choreographed rage inspires a dancing REVOLUTION. Bring back dancing! Bring back the prom! Or some other significant event that involves dancing! (No word on the kegger.) And then Dennis Quaid furrows his brow a bit, the local yokel law enforcement officers try to keep the kid down, he dances anyway and then, somehow, it's over.
There may be more to it, but probably not. There was also a constantly rotating ad for simulcast presentations of the upcoming Metropolitan Opera season. It's in HD, by the way.
There was a reward for all of this, of course. I got an Oakley polo shirt and a free lunch. Oh, and these:
Split Jacket in white, Radar in crystal gray. Cool.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Back at it
The post-race routine after the Omaha Cyclocross Weekend went like this: exhale, eat everything in the house and then don't move for a week.
Yup, that's what I did. Despite having awesome weather and a not-too-stressful schedule, I did nothing for a week after the Sunday race. No Wednesday-night 'cross practice — I was cooked from being a fake Oakley rep earlier in the day — no Tuesday ride with EOB. We moved furniture and had Mexican for lunch instead.
The streak ended when I kitted up and rode to work — the last day at the shop. I had a nice Sunday ride, rode to work on Monday and now I'm back in the groove again. 'Cross practice is tonight, which could go a number of ways, including awesome (because I'm rested), so-so (because the edges may be a bit dull) or awful (because I've done so little in the last two weeks).
We'll see, I guess. Regardless, my time with the Cronus is growing short. Should any of you get a chance to ride one (or get a good deal on mine, since it's a demo), take it. It's an AWESOME bike.
I'm hoping my Ion ends up being awesome, too. The geometry and fit are the same, so the transition will be easy. I have pretty much everything I need except shifters. I should get around to that sometime, huh?
Yup, that's what I did. Despite having awesome weather and a not-too-stressful schedule, I did nothing for a week after the Sunday race. No Wednesday-night 'cross practice — I was cooked from being a fake Oakley rep earlier in the day — no Tuesday ride with EOB. We moved furniture and had Mexican for lunch instead.
The streak ended when I kitted up and rode to work — the last day at the shop. I had a nice Sunday ride, rode to work on Monday and now I'm back in the groove again. 'Cross practice is tonight, which could go a number of ways, including awesome (because I'm rested), so-so (because the edges may be a bit dull) or awful (because I've done so little in the last two weeks).
We'll see, I guess. Regardless, my time with the Cronus is growing short. Should any of you get a chance to ride one (or get a good deal on mine, since it's a demo), take it. It's an AWESOME bike.
I'm hoping my Ion ends up being awesome, too. The geometry and fit are the same, so the transition will be easy. I have pretty much everything I need except shifters. I should get around to that sometime, huh?
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Life on shuffle
Though there are a number of different ideas about such things, I'm of the opinion that people work better — and by work, I mean "function on a daily basis — on a fairly set schedule. While there's a certain draw to coasting through the day, it tends to not do much for me.
Because if I'm given the option of a floating, free schedule, I tend to literally not do much. I look up at the clock and it's 4:30 in the afternoon. Whoops. But if I have a time for writing and a time for riding and a time for ... whatever ... those things get done.
With a new schedule — 9-5, essentially — I'm forced to rearrange my daily dealings. And, starting the second day of the festivities, I have no idea how that's going to work. Check that — I have sort of an idea.
Mondays and Fridays, I'm going to ride to work. It takes just under 40 minutes both ways and includes a few decent hills. That'll do.
Tuesdays and Thursdays I pick up Jack from daycare, so I need to be out the door by 5. Depending upon how the days stack up, I might be able to ride over lunch.
Wednesdays will be a mid-day ride, probably. Well, at least when it starts getting dark at 5.
And the weekends? I imagine it'll be a long day and a short day.
So that's riding. The rest of it? That's where I really don't have any idea. It'll work out, though. It usually does.
For now, though, I'm going to try to make my office voicemail work. The phone's been blinking at me for a while now, and I have no idea how to make it stop. Sweet.
Because if I'm given the option of a floating, free schedule, I tend to literally not do much. I look up at the clock and it's 4:30 in the afternoon. Whoops. But if I have a time for writing and a time for riding and a time for ... whatever ... those things get done.
With a new schedule — 9-5, essentially — I'm forced to rearrange my daily dealings. And, starting the second day of the festivities, I have no idea how that's going to work. Check that — I have sort of an idea.
Mondays and Fridays, I'm going to ride to work. It takes just under 40 minutes both ways and includes a few decent hills. That'll do.
Tuesdays and Thursdays I pick up Jack from daycare, so I need to be out the door by 5. Depending upon how the days stack up, I might be able to ride over lunch.
Wednesdays will be a mid-day ride, probably. Well, at least when it starts getting dark at 5.
And the weekends? I imagine it'll be a long day and a short day.
So that's riding. The rest of it? That's where I really don't have any idea. It'll work out, though. It usually does.
For now, though, I'm going to try to make my office voicemail work. The phone's been blinking at me for a while now, and I have no idea how to make it stop. Sweet.
Monday, October 10, 2011
The calm before
Today is the day.
I've been looking forward to starting at Harvest for a couple of weeks now. But I've also been looking forward to that "normal" schedule that's been so elusive for most of my adult life. Nine-to-5(ish), Monday through Friday.
Interesting.
I got up yesterday and rode for about four hours. EOB and KGil and I hit Bellevue and downtown and then coffee. After the Omaha CX weekend, I didn't get on the bike for another week. My schedule was crazy, yes, but I really just didn't want to ride. So yesterday's ride was nice. I feel recharged and ready to go do more silly things on bikes.
And speaking of silly things on bikes: There's new stuff coming.
This is the new road bike, which is pretty much the same as the old road bike except for the wheels. It's a 6 Series SSL with Force, carbon bar and stem and the new Aura 5 deep-section wheel. I rode the wheels at Trek World and they felt pretty awesome. Lighter than the old ACC wheel and nice and smooth. Since I have my low-profile Dura-Ace wheels, I don't need a second set of those. The Aura will do.
And then there's this:
Cyclocross has intrigued me, and though I'd love to just hold onto the Cronus CX I'm riding, it's a demo that apparently has to go back. (Something about me not working there anymore. Whatever.) So when I'm done racing here in a couple of weeks, it'll be gone.
In its place will be an Ion Pro frameset. My build will look like the one above, except it will be Force instead of Rival and Shorty Ultimate brakes instead of Shorty 4s or 6s or whatever's on there. Wheels, for now, will be the ones from Orange Crush (which is now re-retired). I figure I have almost a year to figure out better race options (that don't include my Dura-Ace wheels). I'm sure something will come up.
Things are going to be crazy around here for a bit. And then there's the matter of the baby who's due in six weeks.
I'm gonna need more coffee.
I've been looking forward to starting at Harvest for a couple of weeks now. But I've also been looking forward to that "normal" schedule that's been so elusive for most of my adult life. Nine-to-5(ish), Monday through Friday.
Interesting.
I got up yesterday and rode for about four hours. EOB and KGil and I hit Bellevue and downtown and then coffee. After the Omaha CX weekend, I didn't get on the bike for another week. My schedule was crazy, yes, but I really just didn't want to ride. So yesterday's ride was nice. I feel recharged and ready to go do more silly things on bikes.
And speaking of silly things on bikes: There's new stuff coming.
This is the new road bike, which is pretty much the same as the old road bike except for the wheels. It's a 6 Series SSL with Force, carbon bar and stem and the new Aura 5 deep-section wheel. I rode the wheels at Trek World and they felt pretty awesome. Lighter than the old ACC wheel and nice and smooth. Since I have my low-profile Dura-Ace wheels, I don't need a second set of those. The Aura will do.And then there's this:
Cyclocross has intrigued me, and though I'd love to just hold onto the Cronus CX I'm riding, it's a demo that apparently has to go back. (Something about me not working there anymore. Whatever.) So when I'm done racing here in a couple of weeks, it'll be gone.
In its place will be an Ion Pro frameset. My build will look like the one above, except it will be Force instead of Rival and Shorty Ultimate brakes instead of Shorty 4s or 6s or whatever's on there. Wheels, for now, will be the ones from Orange Crush (which is now re-retired). I figure I have almost a year to figure out better race options (that don't include my Dura-Ace wheels). I'm sure something will come up.
Things are going to be crazy around here for a bit. And then there's the matter of the baby who's due in six weeks.
I'm gonna need more coffee.
Friday, October 7, 2011
That's life
Generally, when you think of a temporary situation, it's a period of time that lasts a few weeks or months. It's something to deal with; something to get through and move on.
That was the plan when I started at the Trek Store in March of 2009 — a pit stop at a bike shop and then onward to greater things ... whatever that was.
Throughout the summer, Chris asked me whether I'd seen anything new on the job front. Finally, in August, she asked if I'd even been looking. And no, I hadn't. I knew a few months earlier that I wanted to stay at the shop.
Honestly, I had no idea if it would work. But Chris warily agreed that it was the best option — provided I keep writing on the side to help fill out my portion of the earnings.
I have two days left at the shop — today and tomorrow. On Monday I'll take a different turn and head to Harvest for day one. And that will be the start of another great adventure.
For all of the uncertainly around the time when I left the newspaper, things couldn't have turned out better. The next phase wouldn't have been possible without my time in the store. And that time wouldn't have happened had I not been set free to begin with.
And if you take a wider picture, what would my riding be like had I not landed where I did? Would I be riding with the same people? Probably not. Or not as often, at least.
I'm not a big fan of the "everything happens for a reason" line of thought. I think that's just a way to make people feel better about the randomness of life. That's what you say when you can't think of any good ways to explain something.
More likely, everything just sort of happens. And it's up to you to figure out what to do with it.
Eventually, provided you're willing to take a chance now and then, you'll end up where you belong.
That was the plan when I started at the Trek Store in March of 2009 — a pit stop at a bike shop and then onward to greater things ... whatever that was.
Throughout the summer, Chris asked me whether I'd seen anything new on the job front. Finally, in August, she asked if I'd even been looking. And no, I hadn't. I knew a few months earlier that I wanted to stay at the shop.
Honestly, I had no idea if it would work. But Chris warily agreed that it was the best option — provided I keep writing on the side to help fill out my portion of the earnings.
I have two days left at the shop — today and tomorrow. On Monday I'll take a different turn and head to Harvest for day one. And that will be the start of another great adventure.
For all of the uncertainly around the time when I left the newspaper, things couldn't have turned out better. The next phase wouldn't have been possible without my time in the store. And that time wouldn't have happened had I not been set free to begin with.
And if you take a wider picture, what would my riding be like had I not landed where I did? Would I be riding with the same people? Probably not. Or not as often, at least.
I'm not a big fan of the "everything happens for a reason" line of thought. I think that's just a way to make people feel better about the randomness of life. That's what you say when you can't think of any good ways to explain something.
More likely, everything just sort of happens. And it's up to you to figure out what to do with it.
Eventually, provided you're willing to take a chance now and then, you'll end up where you belong.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
I wonder what happens now?
Upon reading of the passing of Steve Jobs last night, I made a mental tally:
All of the iPods get used on a near-daily basis. The iPad has become indispensable, which is not wholly unsurprising. It's a pretty cool device. I'm writing this on a MacBook and our iMac downstairs — now four years old and performing as well as ever — is the hub of digital content in our family room. We streamed the playoff baseball games last night to our downstairs TV. It was pretty cool.
The ideas for all of these computers came from the head of Jobs. (Well, except that old boxed-up desktop. It was from the era of gray boxes that all looked the same and existed in 15 different versions. In fact, that computer is one of the reasons Jobs came back. You're welcome, world.)
While Jobs didn't invent them, per se, or physically come up with the design for them, he pushed those in his company to make them better. Over and over and over he demanded better. And we ended up as the beneficiaries of that work. (Of course, Apple got our money, so it's more like a win-win thing.)
For me, it's not that Jobs and Apple made awesome devices, it's that those devices changed the way we consumed the various content available to us. Until the iPod, what was the best way to take a bunch of music with you? A binder of CDs? (And don't say it was one of those early MP3 players — those things sucked.)
And after a few evolutionary changes, that iPod then had internet access? What? And then that iPod grew into a tablet computer, which can do video chat and internet and music and movies.
Pretty crazy stuff. Not only did Jobs push his own people to make better stuff, Apple pushed other companies to make better stuff. The Android phone I use every day wouldn't be around without Apple's iOS platform. And each step one company makes, the other counters it and ups the ante. (Meanwhile, if you're a BlackBerry person, it's more like one step forward for Apple, three staggering steps sideways or backward for Research In Motion.)
In the end, yes — it's all just stuff. But that stuff helped define the technology of my era. I've been using Macs since elementary school, when my mom would bring one home for the summer. I was the editor of my high school yearbook on a Mac. I started in newspapers on a Mac. When I start at Harvest on Monday, it will be on a Mac.
Apple, I'm sure, has a plan in place for what happens now. The stuff we'll see over the next two years is probably well underway by now. Whether Apple can still make great things shouldn't be in question. But will Apple still be able to say "make it better" and force other companies to play catch-up? That's the question, isn't it? I guess we'll find out.
Thanks, Steve.
- Four iPods
- One iPad
- Two notebook computers
- Two desktop computers
- One WiFi/backup disk
All of the iPods get used on a near-daily basis. The iPad has become indispensable, which is not wholly unsurprising. It's a pretty cool device. I'm writing this on a MacBook and our iMac downstairs — now four years old and performing as well as ever — is the hub of digital content in our family room. We streamed the playoff baseball games last night to our downstairs TV. It was pretty cool.
The ideas for all of these computers came from the head of Jobs. (Well, except that old boxed-up desktop. It was from the era of gray boxes that all looked the same and existed in 15 different versions. In fact, that computer is one of the reasons Jobs came back. You're welcome, world.)
While Jobs didn't invent them, per se, or physically come up with the design for them, he pushed those in his company to make them better. Over and over and over he demanded better. And we ended up as the beneficiaries of that work. (Of course, Apple got our money, so it's more like a win-win thing.)
For me, it's not that Jobs and Apple made awesome devices, it's that those devices changed the way we consumed the various content available to us. Until the iPod, what was the best way to take a bunch of music with you? A binder of CDs? (And don't say it was one of those early MP3 players — those things sucked.)
And after a few evolutionary changes, that iPod then had internet access? What? And then that iPod grew into a tablet computer, which can do video chat and internet and music and movies.
Pretty crazy stuff. Not only did Jobs push his own people to make better stuff, Apple pushed other companies to make better stuff. The Android phone I use every day wouldn't be around without Apple's iOS platform. And each step one company makes, the other counters it and ups the ante. (Meanwhile, if you're a BlackBerry person, it's more like one step forward for Apple, three staggering steps sideways or backward for Research In Motion.)
In the end, yes — it's all just stuff. But that stuff helped define the technology of my era. I've been using Macs since elementary school, when my mom would bring one home for the summer. I was the editor of my high school yearbook on a Mac. I started in newspapers on a Mac. When I start at Harvest on Monday, it will be on a Mac.
Apple, I'm sure, has a plan in place for what happens now. The stuff we'll see over the next two years is probably well underway by now. Whether Apple can still make great things shouldn't be in question. But will Apple still be able to say "make it better" and force other companies to play catch-up? That's the question, isn't it? I guess we'll find out.
Thanks, Steve.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Just as I expected
If I have one thing going for me as a bike racer, it's a solid grasp on reality. Am I fast? Yeah, sort of. Am I elite? Absolutely not. Remembering that before going into a race and instead focusing on making the most of opportunities presented tends to work best.
That non-elite status is apparent now and again, though I do have my good days. And I knew heading into the first 'cross races of the season that I'd be reminded of that status. I'm merely a budding 'crosser, despite having a sweet bike.
So I did what any hack racer would do: sign up for the hardest race of the day, both days.
When I woke up Friday morning, I was going to do the 3s race both days. Then Brady told me to do the 1/2/3 race, which was 15 minutes longer and stacked with some of the top riders in the region. Paul Webb also goaded me along. Then I consulted Mark. And then I signed up. What the hell, right? (Also, my friends have a warped sense of what's really good for me.)
I finished 14th of 18 or 19 both days. The guys who I expected to beat me did so. The guys I hoped to be able to beat, I did. (Though I hoped to be able to better hang with Jordan Ross. Maybe next time.) I handled the bike fairly well, and only dumped it once — on the low-speed/tight corner portion of the maze. The dismounts were fine, the remounts were 99 percent fine and the rideable sand went without a hitch both days.
So why such a poor finish? Because I have no damn idea what I'm doing. Also, 60 minutes is a long damn time. I've also done zero workouts in preparation for 'cross, other than going to practice once a week. I know for sure I need to start harder, but I spent the weekend trying to stay out of the way of those who actually had chances to win some money. But also, there were a few seconds here and there that could be picked up in corners and stuff.
It's a work in progress, basically.
I have about three weeks of races left before I pull the plug in anticipation of Stegosaurus' arrival. And after that, my Cronus CX is heading back to the shop to be sold as a demo. That's a bummer, because I LOVE that bike. Do I need a pro-level carbon bike to finish 14th? Um, no. I'm sure I can accomplish that on its younger sibling — the Ion CX. It's aluminum, it's fairly decent, it's good enough.
But it would certainly be nice, even though I know full well what cross bikes do in the offseason. So I'll enjoy it while it lasts. And in the meantime, I'm shopping for a new bike for the post-Stegosaurus timeframe.
There's something to this whole 'cross thing after all.
And then there's this, courtesy of Michael Dixon (who also had a nice sequence of me eating it in Lincoln a few years ago):
That non-elite status is apparent now and again, though I do have my good days. And I knew heading into the first 'cross races of the season that I'd be reminded of that status. I'm merely a budding 'crosser, despite having a sweet bike.
So I did what any hack racer would do: sign up for the hardest race of the day, both days.
When I woke up Friday morning, I was going to do the 3s race both days. Then Brady told me to do the 1/2/3 race, which was 15 minutes longer and stacked with some of the top riders in the region. Paul Webb also goaded me along. Then I consulted Mark. And then I signed up. What the hell, right? (Also, my friends have a warped sense of what's really good for me.)
I finished 14th of 18 or 19 both days. The guys who I expected to beat me did so. The guys I hoped to be able to beat, I did. (Though I hoped to be able to better hang with Jordan Ross. Maybe next time.) I handled the bike fairly well, and only dumped it once — on the low-speed/tight corner portion of the maze. The dismounts were fine, the remounts were 99 percent fine and the rideable sand went without a hitch both days.So why such a poor finish? Because I have no damn idea what I'm doing. Also, 60 minutes is a long damn time. I've also done zero workouts in preparation for 'cross, other than going to practice once a week. I know for sure I need to start harder, but I spent the weekend trying to stay out of the way of those who actually had chances to win some money. But also, there were a few seconds here and there that could be picked up in corners and stuff.
It's a work in progress, basically.
I have about three weeks of races left before I pull the plug in anticipation of Stegosaurus' arrival. And after that, my Cronus CX is heading back to the shop to be sold as a demo. That's a bummer, because I LOVE that bike. Do I need a pro-level carbon bike to finish 14th? Um, no. I'm sure I can accomplish that on its younger sibling — the Ion CX. It's aluminum, it's fairly decent, it's good enough.
But it would certainly be nice, even though I know full well what cross bikes do in the offseason. So I'll enjoy it while it lasts. And in the meantime, I'm shopping for a new bike for the post-Stegosaurus timeframe.
There's something to this whole 'cross thing after all.
And then there's this, courtesy of Michael Dixon (who also had a nice sequence of me eating it in Lincoln a few years ago):
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