fatman training is moving

Please redirect yourself to www.fatmantraining.com for the latest upto date posts

thanks

FM

the wheels came off this training ride

I've had better days on the bike, and worse, but then again i can't remember when. I guess the heat took me by surprise today, I started out pretty well, Usually i warm up before tackling the hills, but i took them right out of the gate. That was all well and good. But then tragedy struck!

It was tragic, I was coming down a pretty good hill that was very rough, and the little guy just couldn't hold on.. He fell off in the middle of the road, and as i turned around he was hit by a speeding car... I am beside myself, i wish i could have gotten back sooner and got to him before he was smashed.

RIP 2004 -2007

So after witnessing the death of my trusty tail light I continued to head to Wrightsville, where i caught the bridge into Lancaster county. I must admit i love to ride on their side of the river. roads are smoother, people are much more accepting of cyclists, and overall it is just better.

I climbed up Ironville Pike with ease, and the headed north to Mt Joy. It was on my return where my knee really started to give me issues, and I was starting to succumb to the heat. I stopped and ate some Shot Blox (by cliff bar) and then was back on the road to 441. I knew when i got down to 441 I could catch a Rutter's and refill my bottles, which was perfect timing.

I stopped ate some more fuel, and hit the Gatorade hard. I took some aspirin hoping that it would help the knee, but that was a pipe dream.

I just couldn't get into a rhythm from there home. Then on the return on 462 crossing the bridge, i was going smack dab into a 6-8 mph head wind. It really sucked. Between that my knee, and the dehydration that was creeping in, I had my hands full getting back to my ranch.

Oh well, i just hope this was a poor ride, and not a foreshadowing of next weekend.

Here are the details from today's ride:

2007 Tour de Pink -update-

It is almost here, where we get up early and smell the fresh fall air. We mount our trusty aluminum, carbon fiber, and steel horses for the 200+ mile trek from Hershey to NYC.

Yes it is almost upon us. As i reflect from this point last year as we approached the ride, i was panicking that i couldn't do it, that i was too far out of shape. This year however is a little different. I'm looking forward to it, I'm anticipating a couple good hard days in the saddle.

This year unlike last year we are riding from Hershey to NYC. Monday the final day is a symbolic ride into the heart of the city. We were suppose to be on the Today show, however their management has decided that cancer and this event is not important enough to have on the show..... They SUCK.

However with every seemingly bad turn there is an opportunity, and we are instead going to be shown on the FOX and Friends show. YEAH baby!! The number 1 morning show in all the land!! Maybe i can get them to give a shout out to Fatmantraining.com...

Unlike other morning shows, we do risk being upstaged by a staggering world event.. Understandable is suppose, but tune your tv's Monday AM and watch. If I get more details on times etc I will let you know!!

FM

There is hope for our youth!!

Check out this article that i found on CNN.com.

Youth Loses 20 LBS


Very Cool, Way to go kid!

FM

Fat Man's Gear Recommendation - Running Shoe --

So after much research i decided on a pair of running shoes. I wanted something versatile for trail and pavement. Make no mistake these beasts are best used on dirt and off road. But since I run dirty, i figured these would be good.

Details:

ABZORB® cushioning in both heel and forefoot for exceptional shock absorption
C-CAP® midsole provides cushioning and support
N-Grip™ tacky rubber outsole provides durability
N-LOCK™ external support system ensures shoe is pulled snugly around your midfoot
N-Durance® rubber compound for maximum outsole durability
Synthetic/Mesh upper provides lightweight comfort and support
Gusseted Tongue fully attached to shoe keeps debris out
Color: Black with Orange
Shoe Weight: 283 grams (10 oz)

What I like about the shoes are the fit. Man they fit and feel really great. Even though i was running on pavement the cushioning and support was really good. I got no aches in either my knees or shins.

The biggest feature that I like is the Fully attached tongue of the shoe. It keeps the tongue in place, and thus you stay comfortable.

The fat man will keep you posted on these shoes and how they perform in various conditions

FM

A nice 37 mile ride

This morning my legs were killing me, really giving me crap about my feeble attempt at running yesterday. I knew I had to bite the snake that bit me, and at the least get out on the bike. The run while only 3 miles, made my legs feel heavy and similar to a 100 mile ride.

So after work I suited up, aired up the tires and headed out. Man i felt like crap. I headed out 462 to work on warming up and spinning. I felt slow, the computer just beeped your slow, and i plodded along. I got out to the bridge with a pathetic 17 mph average, Now i was going into a head wind, but still was slow.

I knew i only had a couple of hours of light, so I headed south along 441, and then up 999. As i started up 999 at what turned out to be about half way in the ride, the bike just seemed to be climbing faster and i was actually starting to turn some decent numbers.

So i did a loop off of 999, While doing that i had to stop for a minor mechanical and tighten up the cleats on my shoe. Now what is funny is my quads really hurt, to the point i could hardly get off the bike.

I got the shoes tightened up, and continued on. I headed out to Millersville, and then turned back towards home, racing the sun to the horizon. To my delight, by the time I got to the base of Shoe house road, my average speed was up over 17 mph. Not to shabby, given how my legs felt, and the windy conditions.

Needless to say i have to loctite the screws on my cleats and rest my legs.

Sorry Will no riding tomorrow for the Fat Man!

So i tried Running

Yesterday in an effort to start my next phase of fitness, i decided that a nice leisurely jog / run was in order.

I felt this way primarily because both quads were giving me a lot of crap about cycling. Complaining about having to pedal and that my calf's weren't doing their fair share of the work. (to be honest the calf's are lazy) So I figured I would teach them all a lesson on suffering.

I strapped on my New Balances and after a brief period of stretching was off. First I haven't run in years, oh I've purchased a many a running shoe with every intention of running, trail running, the thoughts of a random 5k circled in my muddled brain, but generally i only wore them to take out the garbage.

So needless to say my legs in general were howling at me, after the run. It was a slow actually lethargic 3 miles, not like my days in high school where a 5k meant being back to the starting line in under 20 min. No more like that was my mile time now, well not quite that bad but you get the picture.

I wanted to focus on my knees, I know my quads are much stronger than they were a year ago at this time, so i was hoping that would help with any knee pain. Much to my delight, no knee pain.

Yes legs, that means more pavement beating.

The thing i always dread about running, is the fact that my quads always feel like a burlap sack full of bricks for days after the run. This was no different, I'm hoping that after a couple of runs that will ebb away.

We will see.

Watch for the Fat man!

T

Opera ....... By Pinnarello

Many posts ago, i mentioned the fact that i desired a steel frame bike. Something that I could put on the pavement for an extended duration. After a great deal of research and as luck would have it a frame in my size was unearthed today.

Over the next week or so I along with my compadre Will, shall build a phenomenal long distance rig that will be sure to turn some heads.

Can i wait,,, no but it will be worth it.

I'm hoping to have a the new ride built by the time we head to Hershey for the TDP next Thursday...

Lets keep our fingers crossed that group set, wheels, and frame all arrive with plenty of time to spare.

While this ride won't be as balls ass fast as my Masi, it should make for a more pleasant ride.

I've also gone to the other side for components. We will be hanging Campy off this bike, so that will be another nice change from the shimano that is on the Masi.

I suppose the next thing to do is to start detailing what gear i use and how i rate it... Good idea...

I'll start later with the Masi Grand Crit. but in one word Awesome..

T

New Functionality !!Snapshots!!

Introducing Snap Shots from Snap.com

I just installed a nice little tool on this site called Snap Shots that enhances links with visual previews of the destination site, interactive excerpts of Wikipedia articles, MySpace profiles, IMDb profiles and Amazon products, display inline videos, RSS, MP3s, photos, stock charts and more.

Sometimes Snap Shots bring you the information you need, without your having to leave the site, while other times it lets you "look ahead," before deciding if you want to follow a link or not.

Should you decide this is not for you, just click the Options icon in the upper right corner of the Snap Shot and opt-out.

Patron Saint of Cycling

Patron Saint of Bicycling:
Madonna del Ghisallo

Medieval legend says that Count Ghisallo was travelling near the village of Magréglio when he was attacked by highway bandits. Spotting a image of the Virgin Mary in a roadside shrine, he broke away from his attackers and ran to it. There he took refuge, pled for Our Lady's protection - and was miraculously saved from the robbers.

As the story spread, the Madonna del Ghisallo became known as patroness of local travellers. In more recent times, cyclists would often stop to rest and pray at the chapel, which is a local landmark, and is at the top of a steep hill.

After World War II, Father Ermelindo Vigano, pastor at the shrine, proposed Ghisallo as the site of an Italian shrine for bicyclists, and she was given as patroness of cyclists on 13 October 1949 by Pope Pius XII. The chapel has become equal part religious shrine, part cycling museum, with artifacts and photos from the sport. There is an eternal flame that burns there in memory of the cyclists of are no longer with us, and services each Christmas Eve and the Feast of All Souls commemorate them.

Monday Night Ride

As daylight is now starting to dwindle the Monday night rides have been moved to 5:30. Now only the hardened come out. I've heard for the past couple of weeks, that they are fast, and they are seeming to lose their social aspect and are more focused on squeezing out 20 miles before the sun sets.

After 70 miles yesterday, I decided to challenge my right quad. That muscle has been giving me shit all year, so i figured to shut it up, by hitting the pavement this afternoon.

I got to the Colonial Coffee Shop, and yep there was the dude that races for the Monster Health Care Team, This dude Tim who owns more bikes than Britney Spears does stupid shit, Josh, and some other fast people.

We headed out, i knew i forgot something, yeap my inhaler, The colder fall air really raises hell, fortunately Josh had my back, and handed me his.

We rolled through the "water street route" Some decent climbs, and some fast down hills.

I felt pretty good, I was able to actually push and climb, which was nice, and kept a decent average speed.

River Route Cond't

The one thing about cycling is the details, you have to be able to do several things at once. Drink, brake, signal, etc.

The key is being able to look down the road, anticipate obstacles, pick your lines etc. The skills you pick up on the bike translate to the car. You need to anticipate what other people are doing. When you see the stupid blond pulling up at the intersection smoking her cigarette talking on the phone, you know she won't see you coming on the bike. This happens allot, sadly it is the cyclist responsibility not to die.

Many a time i've winged a water bottle at some person that doesn't look, the key is too look in the car and get eye contact.

The other detail, that has plagued me this season are flats. like what the hell. I've ruined now 3 tires, (there expensive) Sunday was no exception, we were rolling through Dallastown and all of the sudden there is a large thumping noise from the rear tire. I can hear air escaping. I roll up to Will, and we (he) proceeds to change out the tube. We pulled out a 2 inch nail that was stopped by the rim. After fixing the and re inflating the tire, we were rolling again. We strongly considered hitting Starbucks for a latte, but decided to keep rolling.

Next time I'll be picking up a Pumpkin Spice Latte and using that for my fuel home.

T

River Route 1 -- Tim 1

The series between the River Ride and Myself is even at 1 a piece. The last time you may recall, I bonked pretty hard. Yesterday however I gave those hills a little something something.

The day started cold and stayed cold. I met Will at his place at 7:15 and we suited up, I had my arm warmers and a vest on, but never really felt warm. We headed south to pick up river road, then on to the loop. It was the kinda of cold fall morning that you hoped the sun would burn off the chill, and turn it into a warm day. However, as the sun rose, the clouds rolled in, and we didn't really get any heat from the sun until we were pulling back into Will's.

It wasn't my fastest ride of the year, but with over 7000 feet of climbing, it may have been one of my strongest. I'll need to duplicate this performance on Day 1 of the TDP as that is a long hard day of climbing.

We headed south and got abused by the horrid roads. I felt good then, but my lower back today feels like i slept on a bed of baby head sized rocks.

As we turned the corner and crossed the bridge toward home, we got much better pavement but started into a headwind that added insult to injury given the hills we were facing.

The intrinsic beauty of this ride, is that your either descending, or climbing.

We headed up 74, and then looped through the east side of York, and rolled back via 462.

All in all it was a good ride, beautiful day, and always a pleasure to ride with Will.

Details:

some political ire

It is funny how politicans flip flop. But this makes you sick.




T

Ride with Josh

What the hell was i thinking.... I got an email from Josh, asking if i want to go for a ride. I figured what the hell, that was the irrational part of my brain responding before I could think.

Josh, has put in over 2000 miles on the bike this season, his team just won a 24 hour mountain bike race... Sure i'll go out for a casual ride. (hence what the hell was i thinking)

Okay serious, you only get better / faster riding with people better than yourself. No doubt about that. I met him down on Eastern Blvd. We headed out, with time against us as our days are getting shorter we decided to climb up and around the landfill ( damn that stinks) Then out around Samuel Lewis Park, then back down Cool Creek and back 462.

I didn't have my heart rate monitor on, but lets just say, that while Josh was talking away, I was thinking how i could respond with the least amount of words.

All kidding aside, i thought i did modestly well climbing with him. There is no doubt in my mind that he could have flown over those hills, but i also didn't feel that i was so slow that he was bored...

None the less, it was great to be out on the bike, Josh is a hell of a guy.

We hit 462, and were cruising back, when this dude on an Iron Horse pulls out in front of us, He doesn't even gesture that we are there, and continues on. Well that was kind of an ass thing to do, fellow riders on the road and you can't even acknowledges us.

So Josh is like, i need to smoke him, There was no doubt that we were going to spool it up, I shifted down and started to dump huge piles of coal on the burners, as we were coming into Hellam there is a nice little hill, so with my cadence up around 115, I was reeling this ass in. Josh, on the other hand, explodes past me and him, (Josh was more of blur) and is gone, there was some smoke, but not much else.

Well this guy was starting to talk as i went past him, The kinda talk that just pisses you off, something to the effect "oh i see your not standing" blah blah blah. Well just then I dropped like 5 gears in the rear and the Masi shot up the hill, like a slow moving 45 cal bullet (Josh would have been something like a 30.06 i.e. Fast)

He was dropped.

Josh and I continued through Hellam navigating the cars, and chatting, When tough guy, goes past asking why we were going so slow, Oh for god's sake shut up. I immediately got on Josh's wheel as we went past him again.

Well never the less i peeled off at Shoehouse Road to head home, and Josh Continued back to the shop.


All in all a great evening ride.. A little smack on the way home, and all is right with the world.

Perhaps my crazy ass will catch up with Josh some morning.....

New Features for Blog

You'll notice on the left side bar a call me button! This gives my adoring fans a way to call me directly.! Isn't technology great.

It is fast and simple and user friendly. Just click the button, and the number you input will start ringing and when you pick up you will be connected.

So try it. Leave me a message of support!

Later

T

Some local Press!

In a world of apathy and self absorption, two men have ventured out into the world of advocacy and charity!!

Will Mahler and Myself will be heading out for 200+ mile trek from Hershey to NYC, The goal is to raise money and awareness for Breast Cancer.

Take a look at what our local rag had to say when they interviewed Will!

T

General Update

Many of my faithful readers have told me that they would donate to the tour de pink based on my fitness improvement.

So with only 3 weeks to go, here is an update.

I started the adventure weighing in between 189 and 193 Today I'm weighing in at 171

However to be fair what i should have been measuring is my waist and quads. My quads are getting bigger and my waist is getting smaller, and we all know muscle is heavier that fat.

Another good overall measurement of fitness would be the body mass index:

• Underweight = <18.5>
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
  

Myself at 190 gives me a BMI of 28.1

Now at 170 my BMI is 25.1

Other side effects include fitting comfortable into some jean, wearing shorts that i haven't worn in years etc. But I'm in no way were i want to be. I'm grateful there are some tangible benefits from the exercises and better eating habits, but i still have a ways to go.

Going soly on BMI my ideal weight would be 150, If i can get my weight under 160 I'll be very happy, my reason for saying that is that there are some limitations to relying solely on the BMI calculation:

BMI is a reliable indicator of total body fat, which is related to the risk of disease and death. The score is valid for both men and women but it does have some limits. The limits are:
It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build.
It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass.

My assumption today is that if i can get my weight down to below 160, I'll have a great platform for training for other events, thus shedding any residual weight i wouldn't need. For example, lets say that Will talks me into a 24 hour race next summer, well if my weight is down, i can start training and focusing on the event, without worrying about how much i weigh etc.

But there is more to the success I'm having than just riding the bike 2 or 3 times a week, I've had to change my eating habits, control my intake of calories, and really WANT to do this.

I've been following Chris Carmichael's book which i recommend to any and everyone, regardless of your fitness. The title of the book is Essentials for a Winning Life.

In my head i had broken my trek back to a fit individual into three phases.

Phase 1: Get on the Bike

Cycling

Eating Healthy

Phase 2: Cross Training

Cycling

Cross Training Running, Weights, etc

Eating Healthy

Phase 3: Event Performance

Cycling

Cross Training

Eating Healthy

I've done pretty good in phase 1, I've logged some decent miles on the bike, I've dropped some weight, which is important when i start running, and by doing something that i enjoy it has kept me motivated. Phase 1 will complete with the Tour de Pink, However i am already starting the transition into cross training, so keep reading on what activities I'll be doing to get me to a well rounded fitness.

My hope is to leverage Phase 2 through out the winter months, when i may not be able to get on the bike, The goal there will be to maintain and improve my fitness, so that I'm not starting over in the spring.

Phase 3 will kick off when i decide on tackling a new challenge, Racing, Mountain climbing, what ever. I'm not worried about what the activity will be, My focus is to be ready for what ever it is.

T

Recovery Ride

Sunday as indicated in the previous post, i had bonked, and was hurting after 70+ miles. The lack of proper nutrition, and grueling climbing had left my legs hurting, and left me unable to sleep.

After laying in bed for a while, i got up, and rubbed the legs down with icy-hot and tiger balm, watched some MASH reruns, and feel asleep on my futon.

When i woke up, my legs were really tight, and sore, Funny though how after walking a round the house for 10 min, they were fine.

I really wanted to get out and do some more miles, However Kathryn and i decided to spend the morning playing, which there is no better past time.

I finally got out in the afternoon. It was a short ride over to Will's as we were going to spend Labor day with a little cook out at his pad.

I left the house feeling pretty good, I figured i would head across the river, then either up Chickie's rock or up Ironville Pike.

As i headed down 462, i realized that i may be able to turn my best time down across the bridge. By the time i got into Hellam, i felt pretty strong, and figured that at most is was going to do 20 miles, that i would dump a huge shovel of coal on the burners and see what i could do.

As i headed across 462 the legs felt OK, not great but to my surprise, i was moving pretty good. I hit the bridge, and was able to hold over 21 mph, and finished with an average speed of 19.9 mph. My previous best time across the bridge was 19.5 mph.

Anyway, I decided to climb up over Ironville Pike, it was a longer climb, and since i was feeling good, why not. I went up and over that like i was on a vtwin Harley.

I got to Will's at 4:30, and he filled me on the the 24 race at Seven Springs. Matt, Jason, Josh, and Blake, crushed the competition and won the race. Awesome job guys!! Check out (http://stickboycircusbike.blogspot.com)

Here are my ride details

BONKED

After a leisurely start to the day, i thought it would be a good idea to get some serious miles in. So i lubed up my bike and finally got on the road at 1. My plan was to do something different.

Yesterday Kathryn and i rode around the west side of the Susquehanna River, and noticed a bunch of hills, and some really decent terrain, so i figured i would incorporate that.

My plan was to head out to Columbia, down 441, then follow that until i could cross the Susquehanna again, and then head north back to 462. It was a great plan. However sometimes reality is cruel.

Not that i consider myself an athlete, but anyone who rides enough, or runs, or does any physical exertion, knows the concept of bonking.

The best way to know if your dehydrated on a bike is really simple:

If you see a plastic soda bottle laying on the ground, filled with what looks like urine, and you consider stopping and drinking it, well then your dehydrated.

While it wasn't exceptionally hot today, it was hot enough to ensure that you need to be drinking plenty of fluid. I was rolling really well into Columbia, hell I've ridden that enough that i could do that with my eyes closed, i crossed the bridge averaging over 18mph and didn't feel that i was really pushing. Now that is slower than my pace set last week, but there i was pushing it. Anyway i pulled really good along the river, and up and over Turkey Hill, and then headed south.

Now there was one fatal flaw to my plan, on any ride over 35 miles, i generally stop to get some Gatorade thus allowing my not to get dehydrated. Today by mile 30, i had exhausted my accleraide, and figured that sooner or later i would hit a gas station. Well it was later, much later. 16 miles later! (that is over and hour without any electrolytes) One of the things that helped to hold off the dehydration, was the fact that i did manage to find a hose outlet along side a baseball pavilion, and stupidly only took a little bit of water. I had it in my head that a gas station would be right around the corner. (Next time I'll fill both bottles)

Anyway i finally pulled into the gas station, legs cramping, head starting to ache, and really moving slow. Now to compound everything else on this ride, i figured that i did approx 7000 feet of climbing.

I went into the mini mart almost delirious, bought two large Gatorade's, a liter of water, a Hershey bar, and a rice crispy treat.

After getting some strange looks, i paid, and headed out to fill up the water bottles, and enjoy a snack.

The candy bars were like through dry pine boards on a roaring fire, they lasted all of about 20 minuets. I really need to figure out how to eat while riding (okay so i know how, i just need to do it, i just have a fear of barfing)

Anyway, I headed north, and finally climbed up and over cool creek road back into Wrightsville. Then back to the home.

You'll notice on the map, that my GPS bonked as well, so i calculated the mileage based on my average speed and the actual time i was on the bike.

Total for the day was 74.26 miles
Climbing 7000 feet
Average speed 13.8 (horrid)

What concerns me the most, is that with the elevation and the distance, that this ride closely resembles day one of the tour de pink.

So the conclusions that I've drawn are

• I'm still out of shape
• I need to eat better while riding
• Plan better stops or take more fluids

My knee is also the other concern, it really didn't handle the climbing as well as i had hoped. Apparently I'm going to need to invest in a compact crank as the knee isn't tolerating the low cadence on the climbs. I'm going to need some smaller gears to keep things spinning.


Just a note that the info below is not exactly accurate, but at least you'll be able to see the route.

Friday evening ride

Well after a hectic week of work, i finally got out on the bike, fortunately the long weekend made for a quite Friday thus allowing me to get out.

I started with ambitions of doing significant climbing, but after 15 miles, i was suffering from some sever rot gut. Figures! Oh well i was also heading down 441 south and got sick of the truck traffic and decided that climbing turkey hill would have to wait for when I'm in a group.

I turned up anchor road, and then weaved my way back to Columbia then on home. I felt good when i left the house, but towards the end i wasn't all that motivated. My right knee wasn't doing all that well either. I hope to get more riding in this weekend, and hopefully condition the knee, it hasn't bothered me in some time.

Time will tell.

Giving

Over the past several years i have had the good fortune to be in reasonable health and have really enjoyed cycling. Every year I attempt to raise funds for one or more charities. Last year Will, Josh, and myself participated in the Tour de Pink, to raise funds and awareness for Breast Cancer in young women. The organization that is hosting, and organization, and benefiting from the money raised is the Young Survival Coalition

I like this event for several reasons, First it is a physical challenge, it is 220 miles over three days, so it is alot of saddle time, and you do need to be in some shape.

Second: In my mind all cancer sucks!! So raising money to help find a cure for breast cancer, may lead to finding a cure for other cancers. The YSC does not only a great job fund raising etc, they are also a tremendous organization in terms of support and resources for those afflict with cancer.

Last year i meet some great people, I know i will again this year, i also know this ride will challenge me. Last year i was concerned about finishing, this year, i will have the luxury of pushing myself and leaving it all out on the 220+ miles between Hershey and NYC.

I would urge all reader to donate, It is tax deductible, it is for an awesome cause!

Donate Here!!

For those many generous donations.... I thank you!!

Thanks

T

Back in the Saddle

So after a week break from the bike I forced myself out for the Monday night ride. My legs felt pretty good, but my heart and lungs were suffering, hopefully it was just the shock being back on the bike.

We did the Ladies sprint triathlon route, there are some good climbs, and a couple monster downhills.

While i didn't break my max speed, i did manage 53.2 mph down one of them. On one of the other descents the computer said i hit of 60 but, that is just crazy cause it wasn't that big of a decent, and I'm sure i wasn't on a Ducati. But i think with a big enough hill and the tall gearing on the Masi, 60+ isn't unachievable. hehe




I'll try and see if i can get out again today!

T

i'm Back

Last week i packed up the wife and the baby, and headed for the hills. Well the lake. We went up to the finger lakes for a week long vacation. I had high hopes for cycling and relaxing, but sometimes reality is cruel.

For the record i had a pretty good time, the cottage, had no tv, no cell service, and no Internet. I must admit that was fantastic.

The downside of the week was the weather, I had two main focuses for the week, fishing and biking. I only got out fishing 3 times, and cycling 0 times.

Monday - Wednesday it was cold and rainy, Thursday and Friday we had to fight our way through some significant thunderstorms.

Oh well. i do feel a bit rejuvenated none the less, and while i'm not looking forward to starting work today.

T

Short Quickie

Tonight i decided after dinner that i would get a quick ride in. I thought i would go out across the Wrightsville bridge and back. I was annoyed that i didn't get any riding in the morning, so i figured i'd make the most of the evening ride, and keep the hammer down.

My first mistake was forgetting my inhaler, not that i require it, but my lungs defiantly tightened up. Yeah i figured that cost me some speed.

It amuses me to play games while i'm riding, tonight's game required me to see if i could get to the bridge with an average speed of 20 mph. Well I got to the end of the bridge with a speed of 19.5. Not bad, probably could have done 20 with the inhaler.

What really pisses me off, because i'm a guy with pride, and testosterone, is when someone just spanks you. I was heading towards the bridge, moving at a good clip when i passed a gent that had just turned on 462. He had a yellow jersey and was riding a FELT. Now i passed him on a descent at about 39 mph. I didn't pay him any attention. A few minutes later I'm climbing one of the rollers, and he goes past me like i'm going backwards. I'm like you've got to be shitting me. So I decided that my best option was to pull a Rasmussen and pull him back in.

Well that didn't happen, i was able to match his speed, and if it were a race, at least I would have controlled the damage. He turned off in Wrightsville prior to the bridge, so it would have been interesting to see if i could have paced him across it. oh well i'll be fast next time.

I turned around and headed home. i did the 17 miles in under an hour. although my computer showed an average speed of 16.8, It had to be faster as i did the 17.22 miles in 59 min.

Anyway, good just to be out tonight, even if it was short.

The nice thing about motionbase.com is that you can easily see improvements.

Earlier this year on June 4th i did the same ride.
Avg speed 14.2

Today

Avg Speed
17.5

Not to shabby.

Anyway, i've got to adjust my heart rate monitor as that was really flaky today, perhaps i'll add a new battery to it.

Here are the details of today's ride.

Crazy Ride Idea

After thinking what would be a really hard cool ride. I've contemplated it, I've thought about it, and now I've got it.!

200+ miles of riding. Not sure if i could pull that off in a single day or not, but it would take about 12 hours and an average speed of 17 mph to do it.

As I keep training I'll be refining the route. Perhaps early October ??

Saturday Ride -60 Miles-

So this week was a little lack luster as far as the amount of riding I was able to get in. So Saturday morning i awoke with grand aspirations to make up for it, and get to my 100 mile mark.

I went out to mapmyride.com to find a suitable route. I figured I would head back up to the MDT (Harrisburg Airport) then out rt 230, cut through Mountville, and continue south looping back to Columbia then home. That route was estimated at 75 miles.

I hit the road a tad later than i wanted but at least i was motivated to get home while getting the miles in.

The good news was for the first 30 miles to the airport, i put down an average speed of 17mph, which for this fat guy is pretty good!. Since i felt good getting there i figured i would spend the next 40+ miles at a tad more relaxed pace.

I headed into E-town to get Gatorade, and a candy bar, I had been without any liquid for about 25 minutes and in the heat i was sure do for some. I filled the bottles, drank what wouldn't fit in the magnum bottles, and headed towards Mt Joy. After getting comfortable climbing the rolling hills, i was just starting to hit my stride, when kerpow my rear tire exploded.

So after taking the tire off there was a quarter size tear / blowout on the tire. I attempted to put a patch on the tire, knowing full well that it would be futile be i though what the hell.

Well it didn't hold, and i blew out my last remaining tube. So after a call to my SAG vehicle i walked up to a closed body shop and waiting.

Beth rolled in after awhile, and i had already removed the tire, as i had a spare tire in the back of the subie. less than ten minutes later i was rolling again.

I still felt pretty good, but the heat of the day had taken its toll, i had to still roll about 25 miles home in about 1.5 hours or so. Had this been the start of the ride, no problem, but now after a while i was getting tired. By the time I hit Chickie's rock my head was starting to pound and i knew i was starting to feel the effects of dehydration. It was the heat of the day and i was sweating more fluid than i could take in.

I focused on my breathing and relaxing as i climbed up and over the monster hill. Still even though i was starting to hurt i still climbed pretty good.

I got into Columbia and realized that i still had to be home in 30 minutes. Well i knew i can make the ride from home to Columbia in 30 minutes because it is down hill, but i hadn't in a long time made the return trip in under 40 min. I was tired, and suffering, but oddly felt that i was going to make it. I didn't attempt to hammer home thought i just set a good 15mph+ pace the entire way. I rolled in at 5:00 on the dot, 30 minutes to the number. I'm still not quite sure how it all came together, but all in all a good ride.

Total Mileage 62.62
Average Speed 16.3
Average Heart Rate 145!





T

Sunrise Friday Morning Ride

So after a week off the bike due to a nice Summer Cold and then extreme heat, and just enough work to keep me busy, I was able to steal away this morning with my guide Will to bang out some miles.

While it wasn't super hot today, the humidity had to be at least 100%. My Oakley's were fogging up like a Chevy after prom.

Anyway It was a pretty good ride, and we averaged well over 16 mph for most of the ride, before Will was like, hey i got a great idea lets do some climbing.

This was after a pretty good attack on the famed Turkey Hill.

Well at least there are some miles for the week, Hopefully I'll get out Saturday and Sunday and Salvage what i can of this low mileage week.

T

Bike Safety

While riding you always have to suffer the indignities of what our society now refers to as the white trash.

These are the people that throw bottles, insults and skim their mirrors so close to your head or shoulder that unless you have a strong sphincter you end up with poop in your shorts.

These are the people that I would throw 8 rounds of hollow point 9mm ammo at if you could draw a bead on them while attempting to stay upright on the bike.

None the less the point of this is people: People on Bikes are Human! No No its true they are.

So the next time you speed past somebody on a bike, cause you have to get your Double Fat Latte at the nearest Starbucks. Consider the consequence of clipping that rider and killing him / her.

In a society of impatience, a society where people text message while driving (oh the stupidity) It really makes cycling a dangerous sport. So for you drivers here are some tips.

1. Remember that you're in a two ton vehicle, if you even tap the cyclist you will probably kill them!
2. Give them Room. If you see oncoming traffic wait to pass the cyclist. Don't try and squeeze between them and the oncoming traffic (dipshits)
3. Treat cyclist as vehicles. They have the same right of way as a car does.
4. Don't pass a cyclist just to turn in front of them

Bottom line is to slow down, give them room, and treat them like a car. (or horse and buggy if your in Lancaster)

Also think of your friends who ride, think about what it would be like if you killed them cause you were in a hurry, or because you weren't paying attention because your cell phone was so far up your ear that it was blocking blood flow to your brain. (And on that note, get a god damn blue tooth head set!!)

Remember when you see a person on a bike, think of your friends who ride!

T

Motivation

Well... There are significant questions around what motivates people. What keeps people in the game, what pushes people to perform, to train, to continually improve themselves?

I think that there is an innate behavior the forces man to compete to push themselves to be better than the next.

In my quest to get back into some semblance of shape i often ask that of myself, what gets me on the bike, what pushes me over the next hill.

For myself it is the reality of not succumbing to the ride, the bike, the hill, or myself. It is the belief that I can improve, that i won't be conquered.

I still find it hard to get on the bike, to motivate myself to get out an ride, it is always easier to sit around, work, or even play with my daughter (the latter being very noble) but in an effort to get in shape so that i can see her graduate, and walk her down the isle all in the next 20+ years I find myself saddled up, out on the asphalt.

Motivation for the super athlete is most likely about winning or more to the point, getting paid, for us mere mortals, it is most likely a combination of things, family, our innate will to perform, our humanity of resolve that pushes us forward. The trick is to figure out how to tap into the motivation that is all around us so that we can be better people.

T

Results from the week.

Well I didn't get out on the Monday Night Ride. I was a tad under the weather, with sore throat and runny nose, and lack of energy. At least that is how is started out yesterday, so i passed on the ride, so i could recover, and today, i'm feeling pretty good.

Anyway i had a pretty good week on the bike.

Miles - 155

Average Speed - 15.1

Average Heart Rate - 150

I think that the biggest improvement has come in the dramatic drop in the heart rate. I found over the past several rides that i am no longer pegging the heart rate monitor and only exceeding my limits on the most strenuous climbs. Where in the past the alarm on the monitor seemed to be chirping at me after every pedal stroke.

I am glad that my average speed is up. I would really like to be able to turn 17 mph as an average speed for the week. but that won't be easy so for the moment I'm happy with the results of the 15 average. To contrast when i started my avg speed was down in the 13's.

This week is going to be a little harder to get miles in due to work, and i may have to break out the trainer and do some training indoors at night. Not ideal, but may be necessary.

Thanks again to Will for some great rides this week!

T

What is the basis for who you are?

I tend to find that cycling is in some ways therapeutic. Typically while riding alone, your mind tends to wander as the continual sound of the chain meshing with the gears creates a kinda of unique white noise.

It also allows for one to take their mind of the burn in the legs and or lungs. So the last question i contemplated is what defines one? What will one's legacy be?

There are several categories that i see people falling into.

• Family
• Money
• Religion
• Vanity

For me, I hope my legacy will be my family, my daughter whom brings more joy than a trillion dollars, she has really become my motivating factor.

We all need to be grounded in something, there is something that is at the core of us, that is the basis for what / how we make our decisions. It is the very fiber that drives us.

Even if your not particularly religious, fundamental christian values are instilled in us, it is the basis for our government, it by enlarge helps to focus our looking glass of life. One simple illustration would be compare this to radicals of the middle east. They are hell bent on killing, they want to wipe the US and Israel off the map, it would seem that hate has tainted their looking glass of the world.

So my question is when was the last time you truly hated somebody, enough to demand that an entire country be annihilated?

However i would like to think that it is a small percentage of radicals in the Middle East, but i'm not convinced.

So what does define somebody? is it charitable works, is it the wealth they accumulate, is it their bond with their family, is it devotion to God? Obviously all of or some of these factor make up what we are. but ultimately there can be only one core item that is at the root of all of the others.

I would look at it this way, what one factor directs your compass of life?

T

Sunday Early AM Ride

Well,

In an odd turn of events I decided to get out early this morning and bang out some miles. Last night after a series of text messages with Will, we set up for a good ride.

I know i'm getting a tad bit obsessed when I dragged my candy ass out of the bed at 5:45 to get going. Heck I normally wouldn't get out of the bed that early even if the house was on fire.

I threw the bike on the Subie and headed over to Will's, it is so much nicer to ride in Lancaster County than York county, Roads are better, people's attitudes are better, all is well in Lancaster. Perhaps it is that the majority of the people are used to dealing with the Amish and their horses? I don't know but i do prefer it.

Check out the route and details!



The reality of the situation is that in order to improve you always need to ride with someone better than yourself. Thus why I enjoy riding with Will. He knows the roads, climbs, etc to mix up a good ride, and also sets a good pace that starts to push me to keep up with him.

Today's ride offered allot of climbing. I'm still not where i want to be as far as climbing, but i am vastly improved over where i was this time last year or even when i started this year. So progress is being made.

T

Thursday Morning ride

In an effort to get the most complete set of data to everyone, I'm trying some different options from Motion Based. This looks pretty cool, but I am still looking for a real time transfer of data from MB to the blog. That way i can focus on Quality content and commentary and all of the telemetry will be there.



T

A break

I've been off the bike for two days now, really itching to get on it, but my buttocks and knee are a sore, so i decided to give them a break. Hoping to get out tomorrow for close to 50 miles or more.

Still haven't shed as much weight as i was hoping. I suppose it is always easier to put it on than take it off.

Oh well, I guess we will just have to trudge through it.

T

Correction

I went back and looked at all my other rides, and unfortunatly 50.7 is not the fastest speed i have achived on the bike. 53.4 mph is the fastest recorded speed on the Masi. This was set last year on the 3rd leg of the tour de pink.

Looks like i've got something to shoot for!

Tim

Thursday Morning Hiatus

So I got a text from Will last night, to meet him at his house this morning at 8:30 to bang out some miles. Generally i wouldn't be around to take him up on it, but i was as caught up as i get at work, and figured i could work some extra hours this evening to make up for it. (so far it is working out ;)

Anyway arrived at Will's swanky pad, and we headed out. We headed south and unlike the last time we went out, my legs felt fresh and my heart rate was good, so we set a pretty solid pace and made our way to Turkey Hill via Letort road. I think that is a good warm up, because you have these step type climbs to the top. Really gets the legs loosened up.

I took point as we descended Turkey hill, and hit a new max speed for me of 50.7 mph. Yeah baby, glad i was on a MASI.

We rolled into Columbia then climbed Ironville Pike, Again legs felt good and was able to match Will's pace going up it. So some decent improvement there.

Anyway we looped up through Mount Joy and then back to Will's pad.

Ride Details

I will admit that the heat was getting to me today, and as we pulled into Will's i was starting to get a headache. I think it was primarily that I wasn't drinking enough, so I'm gonna have to better manage my hydration on these hot days.

Also i have to find something i can eat while riding. The though of cycling and riding always turns my stomach. I know it is psychological but never the less, I'll have to work through that.

T

Random thoughts of the day

Where is the world going?? I felt compelled to write a post today about the tragedies of our world.

toddlers found under the sink dead.

9 adopted children handcuffed and starved

Teen Charged with trying to steal a women's fetus

I mean what the hell is the world coming too? It is all to easy to read the news and find that humanity is it's own worst enemy.

We can't take care of our children, and yet we expect to evolve? We expect to conquer disease and poverty, but we can't take care of the very fiber that will allow us to achieve these noble goals?

A friend said it best. "you need a license to drive... Perhaps we need a license to bred" Would that philosophy allow us to start to control the propensities of humanity to stem the immoral and reprehensible behaviors?

Perhaps the world has always had these atrocities in their current volume.. Perhaps it is now with the electronic age that we can all be notified and appalled by it.

It is apparent to me that the moral compass of this world is pointed directly at Hell. The news and its outlets, have done us all a disservice, This is they have facilitated humanities acceptance of such garbage. We are desensitized to it, we read it, we say that is sick, and then go on...

think about that the next time you read an article or see something on tv... Think about your own children, friends, family if they were the victims. Attempt to feel some empathy.

T

New addition to the blog

At the direction of my friend Josh (the stupid fast bike rider dude) i have added a summary of my rides.

When I look at this, i see that 300 miles for the year is pathetic. Hopefully by Sept I'll crack the 1000 mile mark and be well on my way to conditioning myself for the Tour de Pink.

Donations welcome (see side bar of the blog)

The other wild hair up my butt idea that i have, is to get a vintage steel frame, like a colnago, pinarell , merckx, bianchi, or de rosa, and build up a long distance bicycle. Steel is Real!!

Could be a real good idea..

T

Mondays Suck

So Yesterday for some unknown reason i decided to Play Racquet ball in the very early AM. Well this after riding 50 miles the day before. Not the best idea I've had.

Two things occurred to me. I'm farther out of shape than i care to admit, and second I'm not good at Racquet ball anymore

Both of these items pissed me off. Oh well such is life.

So after working the day and re hydrating myself, i headed out for the Monday night ride. We again did the Dallastown loop, unfortunatly my Garmin locked up so i have no telemetry from the ride, But we did do 25 miles and i assume my average speed was between 13.5 and 14.5.

My knee was aching pretty good so I hung towards the rear, and focused on spinning and keeping a high cadence.

It was still a good ride, and enjoyed the company of the group.

So since last Friday that is 100+ miles on the road. 1 New tire and 1 sore knee.

T

MDT Airport Loop

After a weekend filled with good friends, good bbq, and great stories, our home was once again back to a dull roar. After cleaning the patio, and doing the remaining dishes, i decided to head out on the bike. It was very hot and humid, and I was curious to see if I could with stand the heat on the road.

I also wanted to get as many miles in this week as possible, due to missing my 100 mile target last week.

So if filled the water bottles with the new Acclerade that is now found in your local super market, and headed out.

It was stupid hot out, but for some reason I thought i would head out to the Harrisburg International Airport, and back. I figured that it would be a total of around 50 to 60 miles.

I got out to the airport with an average speed of 17mph, which i thought was pretty good, I also from the start that i wasn't going to kill myself today, and was out just for the miles.

I did the loop at the airport then headed back to York...

As I started back, i realized that there was a very Strong head wind and very dark clouds in front of me. I didn't think i had a strong tail wind going to the airport, but a good thunderstorm can change things quick.

Given the heat, i had drained my water bottles and was starting to get desperate for a mini mart that i had passed on my way to the airport.

I arrived none to soon, and refueled with Gatorade. While there a gentleman whom passed me going towards the airport on my return.. Pulled up as i was getting back on the bike. We chatted for a moment. And then he insinuated that he would see me later. Like hell he will see me later.

For god sakes, can't he see that i'm Riding a MASI Grand Crit?? and that his lowly full carbon trek is no match for it... I'll be damned if he was going to reel me back in.

With new found motivation, I got back on 441 with 18 miles to get back to Columbia then 10 back to the house. I just kept dumping the coal on and was moving pretty good through the wind.

After a while i forgot about the gent on the trek and settled into a good rhythm and was focusing on outrunning the rain and the Chickies Rock climb... I figured if the guy passed me going up the climb then he deserved it.

However at mile 50 I heard the air let go from my rear tire, and alas i had to stop and repair the flat...

However after looking at my rear tire, I put a 1 inch tear in the tire, and new it wouldn't make it the rest of the way home. I used a dollar bill inside the tire, and then inserted a new tube. Just as i was doing that, a pickup truck pulled up, and low and behold the trek dude was in it. He had some mechanical and was getting a lift back.. We got my tire inflated, we both agreed given the damage to the tire itself, that it wasn't likely for me to make it the 10 miles home not to mention the tire was only at 60 lbs of air, far short of the 130 the tire takes, so i called in for my support crew to come in and pick me up. (Beth and Pumpkin Pants)

I did get to climb the majority of the Rock before being plucked off the road.

With that, it is time to invest in a new frame pump, and stock up on tires.

I was disappointed that i didn't get to finish the ride, but also satisfied knowing that i could have.

Hopefully we will have better luck next time.


Ride Details here
T

Week 2 Training Summary

Well..

Just a brief post on the results of week 2.

Mileage 78
Average speed for the week 14.5

Not the best week training.

Still holding off the 13lbs I've lost. But not much more progress there. I find that frustrating. Guess I'll need to do more.

T

Riding with Will

So I went over to see my good friend Will Thursday night, Wanted to check out his new PHAT deck.

He mentioned that we should get up early Friday and go for a ride. Sure i said, somehow when people ask me to get up early and do some sort of strenuous exercise i forget immediately how much i hate getting out of bed, and respond with i'll see you there, or bring it, or consider it broughten....

Anyway... I managed to get my lazy ass out of bed early Friday, ( and it was a pto day for me) and head out. It was the only window I had, as my in laws were en route to visit, and we had a wedding to go to that evening.

I arrived at Will's pad and we headed out. For the first hour I just felt like my quads were bricks, Not as bad as previous rides, but i was tight, not really comfortable. But i was riding okay..

After the first hour we stopped in Columbia, I took the opportunity to stretch and then we got back in the saddle and headed up Ironville Pike. That was a great climb. We then headed back to his place. All in all a good solid ride for me... Worth getting out of bed for!!

Ride Details here


Thanks for the ride W

T

where did my legs go?

So last night i went out, i thought i had some motivation... However after leaving the house i had no motivation, no speed, and no legs. So i figured i would just need to warm up and kept going. Well perhaps i should have stayed home, as i wasn't putting out enough watts to light up Edison's first light bulb.

I headed out to the accomac via river road, then climbed up out of there and went the back way into Wrightsville. I had intentions of going out to Millersville, but realized i couldn't spool it up to get there and back home before dark. So i figured i would head south along the river and hit some big climbs.

The problem with that is, i couldn't get a good cadence going so i was really working my quads with a slow grinding spin, which intern put to much stress on my right knee. So post getting home, i took some pain killers, and iced it.

Pretty sore today so won't be heading out.

Yesterday's Ride

Hopefully over the next couple of day's i'll get a new compact crank for the bike. This should allow me to keep a high cadence while climbing this reliving the strain on the knee. My boy Will is hooking me up. (Thanks !!)

I'll keep you posted on that progress.


Doesn't look like i'll get a 100 miles in this week, but stranger things have happened.

T

Monday Night Ride

Yesterday evening, i headed back from the office with the sole intent to clean up the masi, make some adjustments, and head over to the ride.



With the subie in the shop, i decided to ride over to the meeting place (the colonial coffee shop) I left myself enough time so that i could use the 8 mile ride as a warm up.



That really paid dividends, and I felt really good on the ride. Did i just say really good? i meant felt ok.



The ride commenced by doing the ladies sprint triathlon route, then Terry (the hammer) Neff added an additional 10 miles of what seemed like endless climbing. Great Ride!



Route Info Here


Summary Data
Total Time (h:m:s)
2:34:38
5:00 pace


Moving Time (h:m:s)
2:03:50
4:00 pace


Distance (mi )
30.91


Moving Speed (mph)
15.0 avg.
43.4 max.


Elevation Gain (ft)
+2,690 / -2,937

Avg. Heart Rate
146 bpm
Zone 3.8

Temperature (°F)
71.6°F avg.
73.4°F high


Wind Speed ( mph)
S 7.7 avg.
S 11.5 max.



So the thing that really stood out, was how the heart rate average has dropped. So yet one more sign of improvement!

Mum's and Inlaws ride

So this weekend My wife and I decided to head to upstate New York, to see our parents. I threw the Masi on the racks, and headed north for the 4 hour drive.

After arriving at me Mum's i decided to head from her place to my inlaws. I needed 30 miles to complete a 100 mile week.

No realize that my start was on a good and steep hill, and with no warm up i just got into a smooth rhythm and stated up.

I had to stop a couple of times to make some minor tweaks to the Masi, as she wasn't shifting so well, then had some computer issues......

So finally after some adjustments i was back in the saddle and climbing. Some of the realizations that hit me on the ride were,,

• Damn these hills, it is now obvious why my brother in law is such a strong rider...
• The roads in Broome county suck

Perhaps I should have done some more research on the route, but oh well.

I climbed up past the Broome County Airport, and then headed towards the town of Maine, I love descending, but the roads sucked so bad, that i think i got a feel for what the Paris Roubaix feels like.

Anyway.. I headed into West Corners and it was a nice flat stretch where i could just through some coal on the burners and flew down route 26.

I made a left and started to climb up and over Day Hollow Road.. As i started up this road, it occured to me that the hills on this road made my old 2.9 liter V6 Bronco II strain going up it. A good couple second gear hills.

That road dropped me off on 17c, and as i started to head to the inlaws, the headwind picked up and my legs started to feel like they had been work. I had one more mile plus hill to climb.

I pulled into my inlaws satisfied that I got to 100 miles for the week. Actually it was 98.8 miles.

Here is the route.

Overall Good Ride

T

Moment of truth?

Well this morning my wife, got my candy ass out of bed and after a stiff cup of coffee, i headed out on the ride. I decided to use the feature of my Garmin 305 to race against myself from a previous ride. My goal was to see if i had made any improvements in my fitness.

Now this is slightly unfair because when i rode the course the first time i didn't know that i would be racing myself. How cruel.

The first issue in the telemetry was the fact that my Heart Rate monitor wasn't working properly, so i couldn't ascertain my total improvement, but..

Here is what i got.

First off i beat my original time by 1.5 miles (meaning i arrived home 1.5 miles ahead of myself)

Avg Speed (mph)
July 11 -------------July 20
13.6----------------- 15.3

Total Time (MIN)
July 11 -------------July 20
1.03.07 -------------55.46

Average Cadence (RPM)
July 11 -------------July 20
61 -------------------78

Click here to see more details of today ride

At the least, there is improvement. So that is good news. Next Friday I'll have to work that much harder as now i know i am racing against myself.

T

A piece of new gear

So I just picked up my new helmet from the shop. It looks pretty nice, though i did notice that some of the pads were missing, and the Velcro on the inside was askew. What ever happen to quality control.

Never the less I took a couple minutes to straighten out the padding, and i am looking forward to wearing it in the heat.

The vents are enormous and should keep my noggin cool and safe.

Here is a review of the helmet. I'll post my thoughts after a couple rides.

T

Interesting Metrics

While contiplating where my fitness level is, I noticed a key metric that is trending in the right way.

Over the past 3 rides, I have dropped my average heart rate from 164 to 151bpm.

It occurred to me to look at this, as while riding yesterday we were climbing a pretty good hill, and the Monster HealthCare rider's heart rate was 113, Will's was 140, and mine was a whopping 170.

Moral of the story is I still have allot of work to do, but I'm heading in the right direction.


Another interesting parallel is that I have dropped 10 pounds since the training started, wonder what the correlation of weight to heart rate is??

Also My good Friend Rob, said that if i drop 25 pounds he would drop a 100 dollar donation to the Tour de Pink. Well Rob, It's ON!

T

Ride / Training Update

Yesterday I went out on my own, probably for longer than I should have, but the bike was working well, and I figured I should make the most of the two hours I had. I left the house and headed for some of the hills between the homestead and the river. Then decided to head along the river for a spell.

I didn't get as far as I would have liked, as there was an accident, but that was probably a good thing as I got back as the day light was starting to fad.

Click here to see the route

Today, I stopped by ED's Ski and Cycle, to see how my friends weekend was camping with the family. He mentioned that they were going out on the Monday night ride, and urged me to join. I had been staying away as I don't have much time in the seat, and figured I would pick that ride up in a week or two. But no time like the present.

I showed up at the Colonial Diner, and headed out with the group. Lots of nice Masi's. The ride was pretty uneventful, and showed that it was true, i can't climb to save my ass. They say the best way to be a better climber is to lose weight.

No shit!

Well while i didn't climb all that great, i still ended stronger than i normally would, and it is a great group of guys and girls, so I'll be making it regularly or as regularly as i can with my schedule.

Here is the link to the ride

Residual Self Image

Residual Self Image (RSI).... Yes that is what they called it in the Matrix when NEO was learning to bend the rules for the first time in the matrix. Morpheus called it his residual self image based on what he thought he was prior to being awaken...

Interesting concept, I think we all have a RSI. I think mine dates to the summer of 1996 when I was in the best shape of my life. I remember it well hiking in the Rockies, while completing my field school at PSU. There was no task, no hike, no summit, no mountain that couldn't be conquered with ease.

Yes that is my RSI. Today I have a good job, a family, and the nagging to get back to my RSI. Is it possible? What will I use to measure it? how will I measure my progress?

First Yes it is Possible, Second I'm sure the word Mount Rainer will be used in some context, and how will I measure my progress.. Well stay tuned.

I think ultimate goals should seem impossible until you line up a series of small goals that when viewed together show the building blocks to the seeming impossible. This is where I am starting today.

I have started training for the tour de pink. While it is a very worth while charity event, to me I will use it as the first significant goal to reach my pinnacle goal.

I've only been on the bike a couple of times this year, none of them were spectacular, and today was as lack luster as you get. Perhaps it was the motivation of the Tour de France that is gracing the vs channel on cable tv, or the prodding of my wife to get out for a ride, but i found myself out on the open road this evening contiplating my lack of fitness and how i was going to get it back.

While I rode i came up with a simple route that should prove more than adequate to gage my improvements over what is left of the summer.

T

Hit and Run

What is up with people? I was driving to work Tuesday of this week, when I stopped at the Valley Forge rest area. I typically stop there for my latte, as i was leaving the rest stop a gentleman rushed past me and out the door. His truck was parked perpendicular behind my car. He jumped in his Ford Super duty and a rushed off. I didn't think to much of it, until I sat down and another gentleman tapped on the window and asked if i knew i was just hit. I got out and looked at the rear of my car and sure enough, 1500 $ in damage. Now I am out my deducible, and this jack ass got off scott free. I think people like the ass that hit me are the lowest form of life, and represent what is wrong with this country. No one takes responsibility or are accountable for their actions. It is a world where everyone is living for themselves, and fear reprisals. I mean accidents happen, the guy was in a work truck, and I'm sure he had insurance. Why wouldn't he stop? At least leave a note with his info. I guess this confirms one observation that I have... People suck. T

Perhaps it is time

Well the year has been pretty good to me. I've put on some pounds, which means I'm eating well, and I have again signed up for the Tour de Pink.

Why.... I don't know...

I suppose because it is hard, and that is the one way I do things is the hard way. Yes that is true, But it is also a great cause..

My motivation is several fold, 1 raise money for the charity, 2 Physically push myself so i don't die young, 3 to see if i can do it.

Yes it is the 3 option that is the most in doubt now, as I've only been on the bike about 5 times this year, with barely a 200 miles under my belt, I'm 25 pounds heavier than i should be, which makes hills my worst enemy.

The other unknown this year is my right knee, the times i have been out, it has given me severe pain, could be from skiing this year, where i wiped out, or could be age. We will monitor that to see how it progresses.

So here it Starts... Where we separate the men from the whining babies of life.

T