- Had a great base ride with Jon, Mike and Sean on Sunday. Nothing hardcore, just a steady L2 pace for a bit under three hours, about 50 miles or a little less. Just how it's supposed to be. In spite of heavy wind I think we came in with a >18MPH average speed. Efficient training, punctuated in the middle by a triple espresso. A *damn* fine day, though as Jon noted in the last couple miles, "it suddenly turned into a death march and got awful quiet just now." That's what good base training will do to you. You don't pop in epic fashion like you do when your legs blow up in a crit; you just quietly die, still able to pull a bit and wheelsuck a bit, but it's hard and your battery is empty, devoid of energy. You could not accelerate to save your life. All this from slow, *easy* riding. I measure that ride as a success.
- Frame maker, shop operator and high quality elite crosser Molly Cameron is getting a link. I've hesitated for a long time because Molly is a complicated person to discuss, and frankly, I'm afraid of dropping the wrong article in a sentence and pissing her off. Molly sure looks like a dude and as far as I know has XY chromosomes, and races men's elite pretty well, but tells us he's actually a woman, hence 'she.' I'll try to respect that preference. Like I said, Molly is complicated to talk about, but I respect her courage and ability to absolutely throw down on the cross bike. Anyhow, Molly was setting a personal best for Personal Worst at Zolder last week. Since the legs totally weren't coming around, and she was in dead last, she snagged a beer handup, swigged a little, and drove the fans absolutely batshit wild. Now some people approach racing with a real sense of total purity. I think some of that is appropriate, but you have to respect an elite racer who can bring the fun, and when you're sitting in DFL... it isn't hurting anybody. There's a time and place, and Molly judged it right IMAO, and maybe the Cross Gods smiled as a result. Molly finished 25th in Middelkerke.
- Want to read an article that will uplift your spirits so hard that it will squeeze water out of your eyes? Check out this story about a football team that played against the team from Juvie Hall. You have to read it to believe it. The story reminded me about the value of good sportsmanship. When you can be gracious to fellow competitors, you should be. You have no idea what kind of wonderful effect it may have on them.
- Can you smell what David Kirkpatrick and NCVC have got cooking? It looks like a hell of a new road race.
- Congrats to reader and regular commenter Big Mike. He's finishing up his doctorate in physics, and will now spend the rest of his life teaching ungrateful kids how to... um... I'm not sure. I flunked out of engineering school and as far as I can tell, physics education is what they have you do in gym class. Anyhow, good on ya Mike.
3 comments:
Dammit, Jim, you made me get all sniffly before work this morning, and that's usually Fatty's job. The football game story is great.
I might wanna hook up wit youze guyz on Sunday. Give me a shout please!
I am sick no more and need to train, train, train.
Let me add my congratulations to yours re: Big Mike. It is indeed a big accomplishment! Getting your PhD in physics requires dedication, perseverance and a willingness to be someone's biatch for 6 years. And he did it to teach physics (to insolent little sh*ts) no less! Kidding aside, Congratulations to Big Mike! He might appreciate my friend Ben's blog--he too teaches undergrads physics, and makes it sound hilarious.
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