Mama-Mia!

The Giro in the U.S.?  

Tu sei pazzo!

**UPDATE: Lisa Kilday digs out the details and crushes my Italian Ice dream.** 

Pass the vino and stock up on olive oil.

An official announcement is unofficially imminent.  Sources say the 2012 Giro d'Italia will start in Washington, D.C.  Others say it may. The Jeee-row, first raced in 1909, is one of the big three Grand Tours along with the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.

The prologue, a short individual time trial which kicks off the three-week race, will/would be the first Grand Tour ride held outside Europe.  DC may also host the next day of racing, "stage one" (the day after the "prologue").  Yes. YES.  Enjoy our nation's capital for a 2nd day.  Might as well.  The daunting logistics can't be any worse for a second day in the home of the brave.

If it comes together, Mayor Fenty will no doubt be slammed by some locals.  I'll never make partner if it takes me 45mins to get to the office on a Saturday! I'm losing billables, damnit! Hang tough Mr. Mayor. You'll be my Giro Hero if it happens

If happens will anyone come? Why travel to downtown DC, elbow your way to a spot on the course where you just might glimpse riders for a subliminal second or two, all the while having no idea who they are or what is happening in the race?  Hey, is that dude in first place, last place, or what??  Haven't I seen him three times already?  They all look alike!  Which one is the American?

You're probably clueless as to the racers, the rules and the race and likely to remain so between now and 5/10.  Don't let that stop you from partying Italian style on the streets of DC.  Enjoy an amazing atmosphere and maybe, accidentally, spy the blur of a colorfully clad skinny guy on a bike whizzing past.

Post-race, keep the party rolling at home watching the race coverage on TV.  Follow the race, or not. Plan now to have an Italian grandmother installed in your kitchen for the weekend. Don't soil the day with americanized italian food, go for the real thing.

(explicit)


And, Patriots, there will be U.S. riders racing.  The USA Rules! Beat-Down Bandwagon will come down off the cinder blocks in the front yard - All aboard!  This is a prime opp to be there when the red, white and blue lays the wood to some haughty Euros.  Think of it an as an Olympic weekend.  I'm no curling or ski-cross fanatic, and neither are you, but when it's US v anyone it's ALL IN. Face painted, flag waving, U-S-A chanting, and flipping back to 24 or Antiques Roadshow when there's no American in the event.

Put the Screws on Me

 and i'm gonna screw right out from under you"  I heard Johnny Cash say on one of his visits to Folsom. [Hey, I was doing a short stretch for picking flowers outside Starkville. Oh, wait, that's a different song.]

To snow flakes massing in the upper atmosphere: I'll put the screws in these and run right through you.

 

One down, 10 or 12 screws to go.  

Bring it Mother Nature. Bring it.

Screw shoes won't work in all snow conditions, but if they'll make a few otherwise unrunnable days runnable it's well worth the $4 in screws and a recently retired pair of shoes.

They say a few inches of snow may fall here tomorrow.  WTF!? Silly overpaid meteorologists.  Is there no Continuing Meteorology Education requirement?  Please, re-up on the latest science.  How else could they have failed to account for some of the most potent anti-snow elements known to science?

First, the screw shoe effect. Duh. Like lugging an umbrella guarantees no rain, prepping a pair of screws shoes should end winter.  Second, there is a DC weather phenomenon scheduled (tick the oxymoron box) for tomorrow.  No way will snow survive the hot air generated at the White House Health Care Summit.  Trust me, no appreciable snow tomorrow.

Actually, I remain hopeful that some sort of progress will result from the Summit.  Put the screws to 'em President Obama. If you need to administer a sharp kick in the ass I've got just the shoes to do it.

Training stuff

Sun. 2-14-10

Run 47mins, ~6.1mi, blah.

Mon. 2-15-10

Run 61min beach dr, ~8mi, pres day holiday, light snow falling

Tue. 2-16-10

Off

Wed. 2-17-10

Run 49, ~6.25mi

12min trans to

Bike QR trainer steady

Thur. 2-18-10

Run 54mins steady, ~7mi

10min trans to bike

Bike QR trainer

Fri. 2-19-10

Run 40mins steady, ~5.25mi

Sat.  2-20-10

Run 80mins, ~10.5mi, beach dr

Bike QR trainer

Sun. 2-21-10

Run 51mins beach dr, ~6.6mi

Bike QR trainer

Mon. 2-22-10

Off

Tue. 2-23-10

Run 50mins steady, ~6.5mi, hi 30’s, moist, felt decent energywise, good above the knee, tight achilles/calves both legs

10min trans to bike

Bike QR trainer, build to tempo, hold tempo, finish with 2x3mins (1min RI), cool down