Friday, September 26, 2008

Stuff: Changing

This spider has been hanging outside the studio window for two weeks. I don't like spiders.

I've been neglecting the blog of late - there's stuff going on but it's too early to type about yet. Suffice to say that there are some important changes happening in the next 6 weeks or so that are good, exciting things that are still developing. Part of that is the fact that I will indeed be racing a cyclocross season, albeit abbreviated as I've literally not even touched my cross bike yet. I need to do a little practicing if I expect to perform respectably for my new cross team.....

Here's the playlist from this morning's spinning session - some tasty 10min threshold intervals on short rest - and then a few other things I've been rotating lately. Enjoy.

White, Discussion - Live
Hey Man, Nice Shot - Filter
Such Great Heights - The Postal Service
The Pretender - Foo Fighters
Get off My Cloud (live) - The Rolling Stones
Heavy Fuel - Dire Straits
You - Candlebox
Gamma Ray - Beck
Watch the Tapes - LCD Soundsystem
Emerge - Fischerspooner
Turn My Head - Live

Other good stuff:
On the Airwaves - The Shazam
Can't Stand It - The Greenhornes
My Kind of Girl - The 45s
Gimme That Shot - The Charms
Lost my Motto - Cotton Mather
Put Some Hurt on You - Boss Martians
What Ever Happened to My Rock n Roll - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Straight Shooter - Reigning Sound
I Woke Up This Mornin' - The Mooney Suzuki

I have to give a little time to the Chi-town MLB scene since I am a serious baseball fan. As I predicted months ago, the sorry sorry sorry Chicago White Sox are not going to make the playoffs and will go down in flames due to an inconsistent starting rotation, a weak bullpen and failure to execute the aggressive 'small ball' tactics to score runs and win games. Sorry boys, the long ball isn't everything. The Cubs, on the other hand, are the real deal and I noticed that a long time ago. They've got all the pieces to the World Series appearance puzzle plus some helpful luck here and there - not to mention Sweet Lou driving the bus. Boys, it's your year!!

Okay, I'll start being a girl again now...thanks for reading - I'll be keeping the blog updated as stuff develops.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

A Day in the Land of Beer, Brats and Cheese...


Mike Santi's rooster, The Flying Dutchman

Details of the annual Wisco ride are forthcoming....

Saturday, September 13, 2008

A Good Day - If You're a Duck...

Josh and Mike - Post Ride
Rain had been falling steadily for nearly 24 hours when the clown car headed for Garden Prairie for a 40K TT, the final event in the Mid America Time Trial Series. Josh and Mike were sitting untouchably 1st in the 50+ and 40+ masters categories and held 1st and 2nd in P1/2 going into today's TT. I was feeling good after a hard week of training and a day of rest - and hoping that the rain would slow a bit before start time. There had been significant flooding throughout the area so there was a legitimate possibility that parts of the course would be affected. Fortunately, that turned out to not be the case.

I found myself sitting in the car as the rain cascaded down the windshield without any motivation to get on the bike - I was not 'feeling the love. 'I've raced in the rain plenty and it doesn't bother me in the least, especially not for a time trial. Something was missing today - odd too, because up until the very moment that I decided to bail I was in a good mental groove and ready to hit it hard.

I think maybe I'm really just ready for a racing break. Don't misunderstand - I LOVE to race the bike and don't want to stop training hard, riding my ass off, getting stronger. It's just time for me to step back from the anxiety for a little while and race because I want to, not because I feel compelled to. What does that mean for cyclocross? Not totally committed either way, really. It'd be hard to blow it off entirely so who knows? I might show up for a race or two or three....

So my sorry, wet ass waited for Josh and Mike to come back in after their rides and tell me all about what I missed. Josh rolled back first with Mike not too far behind. The were both thoroughly soaked and actually had a very good day on the bike. In the end, Mike had the fastest time on the day and earned 1st place in the Pro1/2 category for the series. Josh was right behind with the second best time on the day and 2nd in the series. So impressive - I can't tell you how happy I am for both of them. Way to go guys - you are my heroes.

The latest playlist included some Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, more Kings of Leon, Dead Can Dance (The Ubiquitous Dr. Lovegroove), more 22-20s, The Les Claypool Frog Brigade, Boy Kill Boy and some Elvis Costello, just for kicks. In print I've started 'Breakfast of Champions' by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. so far, so good...

To close I want to wish my parents a very happy 39th Anniversary. Mom and Dad, thanks for everything.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Da Champs - Again!!

Ted, Paul, Mike and Josh - TTT Champions! Boys, you look EXCELLENT in stars and stripes!

* Sigh* I did not ride my bike today. Instead, I got to drive the support vehicle for my favorite masters time trial team for the FIAC 4 Person Team Time Trial. I did it last year and had a blast so I was flattered when I was asked to again be Directeur Sportif for the day. The guys were the defending champs and entered this edition of the 4 person looking to have another winning ride against 10 other teams in their category.

We rolled in the dark to lovely Utica, IL under cloudy but not threatening skies (listening to the soundtrack of my choosing, thankyouverymuch). As the sun came up the fog burned off and we were left with a nearly perfect day. I say nearly perfect only because there was a significant amount of wind that definitely had the ability to suck the life out of the legs on various stretches of the 50K course. The guys were all very well prepared and warm-up went without incident. I ran around pinning numbers, pumping tires, setting up trainers, motivating (take no prisoners!!) and getting the car ready for 'go time.'

In the start house

Things were running a little late but once we got going everything was moving right along - the guys passed the three teams that started before them well before the turnaround point. From my vantage point in the car it seemed that at times they had to work a bit after taking a pull to find the draft but otherwise they were relatively smooth. It all went pretty much without incident - Josh executed an impressive maneuver to avoid a snafu through one turn but other than that it was uneventful.

My view from the car - can't beat that with a stick, eh?

I pulled up next to them a few times along the way just to see how things were going - I must say that to witness how incredibly hard they were all working was pretty amazing. They were intensely focused and totally burying themselves and suffering - going as hard as they could. Shiver. Winning was so gratifying - they EARNED every bit of it. Overall their time was fourth fastest - pretty darn impressive when you're competing against teams with a current National Champion and one with a former USPS pro and a professional triathlete. Guys - you fascinate and impress me beyond words. I can't think of a better way to have spent the last part of my birthday weekend - thank you!!

What I'm reading right now: 'Gideon's Spies: The Secret History of the Mossad' by Gordon Thomas. Next up: 'Breakfast of Champions' by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. The latest grooves: Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon, Devil in Me by 22-20s, I Will Possess Your Heart by Deathcab for Cutie, and some random Goldfinger and Arctic Monkeys, among LOTS of other things that I don't have time to list right now.

Thanks for checking in....one last thing: CONGRATS to my friend Kurt McDonnell who finished his first ever Ironman in less than 13.5hr. Way to go Kurt!! Now, let's talk about that bike leg...