Pay-Ree Roo-Bay, Mon Cherry

The 2010 race coverage is on Versus TV network, Sunday 4-11-10, 6-9p. 
I'm pulling for George Hincapie (US) and David Millar (UK), and Big Jens Voigt (German) if he's riding.

Most of all I'm pulling for Bill & Marge out in CO.  Knowing them both, I'd put every penny on them to kick the snot out of Guillain-Barre.

Here's a taste of the race also known as the Hell of the North. 



Hincapie targets this classic every year.  He's never won, 2nd once. Bad luck often sabotages him.  His handlebar stem snapped on the cobbles in 2006.


Watching Paris-Roubaix should be a nice way to put the feet up and finish off a solid April Sunday that will start with the Cherry Blossom 10 miler.  Should be about 50F, sunny and standard 5-10mph winds at the 7:40a start.  I think I've got sub70 in me.  But can I take the Mayor?

The plan was to double up the Cowley factor and run it with Dad.  Life intervened, however, and he is headed to Denver to lend a hand to B&M. 

This year the Cherry B is streaming live video available at the race link above.

Chew on This

Is science confirming we really are what we eat, drink, breath, absorb?


I won't attempt to sum it up, let the pbs piece speak for itself.

I find it fascinating.

Classics

4hrs of scrubbing and one 1965 dime later, the gray (grey) chair has been released from the laundry/storage room.  The sticky-to-the-touch factor is largely gone.  Having gotten off my butt I can now - as The Fonz would say - sit on it (the chair and my derriere).

I'm thinking 1hr of work removes ~8-10yrs of grime.  If that '65 dime is any clue, I could put in another hr or two of detailing work.  It's fit for the "Madmen" set, as is, eh?  Well, give or take a decade.

Sunny 90F weather this week.  Went to the Ag Center for a change of riding scenery.   90 degrees + recently spread manure made me acutely aware of wind direction - sometimes you don't want a tailwind. Regardless, well worth the 20min drive.  An endless diet of Rock Creek and River Road gets old.

  A thousand words may not do it justice.  
Visions of Ken Kesey behind the wheel.

Just a few miles from 495

The biggest sporting event of the Belgian calendar went off last weekend.  Think Superbowl and World Series.  The Tour of Flanders ("Ronde van Vlaanderen") an annual event since 1913.  One day and 162miles of narrow roads, cobblestones, hills, mud and fans.

Next weekend: Paris-Roubaix (1893), "the hell of the north," another legendary one-day cobbled classic renowned for it's 17 (more?) sections of cobblestone roads.  Riders will be digging into their suitcase of courage, eh Paul?

American rider George Hincapie in Flanders. 

from cyclingnews.com

Out the Door

Riding outdoors after weeks stuck on the indoor trainer.


see more dog and puppy pictures


Carried the new b-day Luminix camera with me on my first outdoor ride in what seems like forever.  Took a video while on the sections of road closed to autos.  Didn't dive into the detailed settings on the cam, just turned the dial to video and hit start.

That's the start of a smile.

HEY - For a great story and short video worth watching, go here (Mark's NPR blog), where you can see technology being creatively, simply and effectively put to use to improve the world (NYC).


+++++++

Consistency happening:

Sat. 3-6-10

Run 68mins steady, ~9mi, felt decent, little left Achilles, low near ball or ankle, stopped massage,poof gone, sunny near 50, light winds

8-10min trans to Bike

Bike QR trainer after run, lost data somehow when attempting download.   

45mins easy-steady, ~14.5mi

Sun. 3-7-10

Bike Fuji Outdrs, 

~2hrs15, ~40mi, frolic around RCP (battery dead on PT- no data)

Upper 50’s sunny, stopped to smell the roses, take pics, try new cam.

Mon. 3-8-10

Bike Fuji Outdr, Rock Creek etc., hi 50’s sunny

     Duration:              1:33:09 (3:03:09)

     Distance:             27.843 mi

10min trans to Run

Run 40mins steady, ~5.3mi

Tue. 3-9-10

Run 52mins frisky, ~62F, Beach path run, ~7mi

10min trans to bike

QR trainer indoors, easy, hi rpm spin, spending more time in aeros

     Duration:              54:41

     Distance:             18.12 mi

Wed. 3-10-10

Crap sleep last night, crap food = blah

Run 55mins steady, Beach path, ~61F, clouds, no wind

Bagged planned trainer ride

Into the Outdoors

Good weather threatens.  Finally.
The snow is nearly gone and temps may break 50F this weekend.  Shoulders should be dirty but dry and ride-able.

Might have to clean a water bottle or two and head out for a ride.

Can't remember the last time I was out on the road.  It's been all trainer for quite some time.

Training is going on.  Nothing special.  Happy to be healthy and capable of doing something daily. This week, I got in the pool for the first time in a couple months.  I'm slow for sure, but I haven't forgotten how to follow the black line from one end to the other.

Need to decide on some racing.  Only thing on the calendar so far is Cherry Blossom 10 miler in April.

++++

Mon. 3-1-10

Swim 30mins a.m., ~2:15 100m pace, easy-steady, some left breath. 

Run 42mins frisky p.m, ~5.7mi

6-8min trans to bike

Bike QR trainer, steady, some steady+

Entire workout (180 watts):

     Duration:              1:24:25 (1:25:25)

     Work:                    909 kJ

     TSS:                     109.8 (intensity factor 0.884)

     Norm Power:      190

     VI:                          1.06

     Pw:HR:                 10.81%

     Pa:HR:                 6.81%

     Distance:             28.853 mi

                                    Min      Max     Avg

     Power:                  0           285      180      watts

     Heart Rate:         97         156      142      bpm

     Cadence:            34         98         87         rpm

     Speed:                 2.4        24         20.5     mph

Tue. 3-2-10

Swim 30mins, easy-steady effort. Front delts barked for the first 10mins tight/sore from yesterday’s swim.  Handful of little twinges and tweaks from muscles/ligaments etc. being put into strange use.

Run-Bike

Run 35mins frisky again, ~4.8mi

8-10 min trans to Bike

Bike QR trainer steady into steady +, 2-3mins hardish before cool

Entire workout (185 watts):

     Duration:              57:25 (57:28)

     Work:                    636 kJ

     TSS:                     77.6 (intensity factor 0.902)

     Norm Power:      194

     VI:                          1.05

     Pw:HR:                 n/a

     Pa:HR:                 n/a

     Distance:             20.074 mi

                                    Min      Max     Avg

     Power:                  0           281      185      watts

     Cadence:            36         98         86         rpm

     Speed:                 2.9        24         21.0     mph

 

Wed. 3-3-10

Run 54mins, frisky, ~7.3mi

Thur. 3-4-10

Off.  Exercised some heart at AIM.

Fri. 3-5-10

Swim 40mins a.m.

Run 56mins p.m, steady, ~7.3mi

10min trans to bike

Bike QR trainer steady

Entire workout (177 watts):

     Duration:              58:08

     Work:                    619 kJ

     TSS:                     72.9 (intensity factor 0.867)

     Norm Power:      186

     VI:                          1.05

     Pw:HR:                 0.78%

     Pa:HR:                 8.08%

     Distance:             20.04 mi

                                    Min      Max     Avg

     Power:                  0           268      177      watts

     Heart Rate:         88         158      140      bpm

     Cadence:            41         96         86         rpm

     Speed:                 3.5        23.9     20.7     mph

Devereaux Damsel

 It's not a birthday without a slideshow.

Years of unwavering love and support (and prize winning caliber knitting) for your family and your reward is being subjected to the blogging, youtubing, re-gifting whims of said angels.

Happy Birthday!

Enjoy.












*Sport note - There was much premature celebration re the 2012 Giro d'Italia starting in DC.  I was leading the charge and now feel a bit like this poor fellow.

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 

Snow-jo

Humanity may hit the halt button when nature drops a few feet of snow, but the clock rocks on. The calendar is merciless. Reeeee-lentless - Much like the pitiful punster who pens my titles.  

I've emerged from the snow blitz older, slightly heavier, still mired in a patch of career quicksand, and whinging endlessly to myself about all things derailed by a little frozen water falling out of the sky.  Aches and pains are squawking just a little louder. Woe is me.

On the bright side, I've come thru beaucoup shoveling sans hernia. And, with a bit of creative fact twisting (aka lawyering), I may have a few things going for me.  I have no alimony, no child support, no credit card debt, 10 years of base to lean on when resuming training, oh, and plenty of teeth - woohoo!

Actually, my water bottle overflows with good fortune - physical health, loyal friends, great family.  Thank you all.  Unleash as many embarrassing photos of me as you can dig up - you won't shake me.  And if you post 'em on facebook I won't see them, which helps.

Trainingwise, the snow stole my mojo.

Was in a nice groove of run consistency over the last 6 weeks or so.  Poised to commit to a race or two, perhaps a mary, and get all sciency with training. Or, at least vary my pace and PE, maybe even strap on the HRM. Mix in some Daniels stuff.

For a long time I've monitored only the duration of runs, guesstimating pace and distance.  All intensity has been on the bike, and once a week at most. Recently I started to progress from simply run often, to sprinkling in some structure with a weekend long run and mid-week tempo run. 

Enter the effing snow.

Note the appropriately white zone of runlessness on the right side of this chart.
The chart also shows all of my swimming.  Oh yeah.

Seems some runners keep right on rolling. They do a particularly fine job of dealing with snow in Boulder.

Locally, the snow didn't stop these crazies. They ran.  In their underwear.  For charity.  Nutters.  God love 'em. 

2mins, with interviews and video of nearly naked runners in Cupid's Undie Run.



If you need more, short article here , and some pics here.

It's a winter twist on the Hawaii undies run held the (taper) week before the Ironman. It began years ago with a few triathletes poking fun at themselves by donning the gaudiest, skimpiest tri-geek gear and parading around Kona.  It's now a staple, and fund raiser.  Giving back by taking it off.

One more video. This one re Hawaii undies.  Can you ever have too much of athletes in tighty whities?

Snow Show

That's right, another set of snow pics.

Some random shots from the recent snowfall.

Images of "Storm One" 2/7/10 on PhotoPeach


Note on the hat:  More than just a phenomenal style statement. It really worked to keep the snow out of my face during a walk when it was coming down thick and fast.  Just had to shake a couple inches off of it a few times when it got to be more snow than hat.

Training: does shoveling and snow walking count?

Born in 2010

Twenty-Ten. That just sounds cool, eh?

Curveball coming at ya. I'm really not accustomed to congratulating someone other than myself, but I'll give it a go.

Congrats!! to the VA Rhims and the ABQ Fanaris.  Welcome to the new additions.

This pic is straight from Chuckie V's blog.  

It's a great blog. That might even be Chuckie.

Aiden (guessing on the spelling), the local snowmageddon arrival swaggered into the world early this morning flexing all of his 8.5lbs, announcing his presence with authority and a strong set of pipes.

While a few days ago the advance scout, little miss name tdb (hurry up and throw that dart at the wall of names already M) sauntered gracefully on stage out in New Mexico.  Now you've each got both kinds (country and western).  Nice.

I know many people are very happy for you all, especially me.

A New Local Tri for 2010

There's a new tri in town this Spring.  The Washington, D.C. Triathlon with Sprint and Olympic distance options was just announced.

(Note: there is another new event in October on the Columbia Tri course out in Ellicott City, MD. The Half Full Triathlon - .9mi, 56mi, 13.1mi.  Very appealing distances for a crap swimmer like me.  A definite maybe, October is a long way off.)

I hope the DC Triathlon is a success and an annual staple race on the local calendar.  Tough economic times to put on a new event.  I don't plan to enter this one, at least not this year.  The DC Tri Club will be providing volunteer support, so that may be the way I show my tri love.

Why not race it?  More cons than pros, for me.  If I were from out of town this would be a tempting destination/vacation race, the chance to race around the monuments would probably trump all the negatives.

• June date = good
• Sprint and Oly options = good
• Riding on closed roads in the nation'c cap = rare gift
• Early start. 5:30a for the Sprint, 6:30a for the Oly. Damn. = call it a push
• Sleep in my own bed (no hotel $) and enjoy a short drive on race morning = very nice 
• Must travel to and from the transition area at least twice -once Saturday to rack the bike and again Sunday for the race.
• Packet pickup is Fri. or Sat. only, no race day, so add that trip too.
• Loop course = meh
• Lots of turns on the bike course = double meh
• 1.5-2mi distance from finish line back to transition = hot steaming grande of meh.    The swim start and finish, and the transition area is along the river near the Lincoln Memorial, but, the race (run) finishes at 3rd and Pa Av.

And, the fee.  The cost involved with a race in downtown DC is unavoidable. It is what it is.  And, it's a fundraiser event. Not firing any arrows of blame at the RD.  But $175 is a bit of a poke in the age grouper eye ($150 off this for first 500 entrants).

It's all a bit like the 2010 Duathlon Nationals in Richmond this April but without any of the positives.  I had a poor race there in '09, but can honestly say that race is well organized.  I can also say the location stinks and the course is awful.  What would Dubya say? Fool me once...

Speaking of tri spending, Runningwarehouse.com may be my new go to for shoes.  Great prices, free 2 day shipping, free returns. Sorry RnJ.

Training:

Thur. 1-28-10

Run 55mins, ~7.3mi, 40F and windy

10min trans to Bike

 Easy trainer spin after run, 53mins

Fri. 1-29-10

Run 45mins on RC path, ~6mi, inserted 10:30 of tempo at 6:40-:45 pace.  Can't remember the last time I did anything resembling speedwork. Plan to add it to the regular mix, gradually, it's an essential ingredient for a BQ.

Core/Lift – 30mins – crunches, ball, pushups, plank, curls, etc.

Sat. 1-30-10

Run 49mins easy-steady, ~6.2mi.  Snowing!  Gorgeous.

Bike QR on the trainer a few hrs after run

62mins - warm up, steady ride, cool

Distance:             21.272 mi

                                    Min      Max     Avg

     Power:                  0           283      173      watts

     Heart Rate:         73         154      133      bpm

     Cadence:            48         98         90         rpm

     Speed:                 3.9        23.9     20.6     mph

Sun. 1-31-10

Easy day. Bike – QR trainer, 50min spin

Youtube-spiration.

It has started to snow here this morning. Maybe half an inch on the ground, and just now I heard a neighbor fire up his snow blower. Well done Mr. Snowver Achiever. The predicted total of 2-6 inches will not be piling up on your stretch of sidewalk. No sir.

On to the videos.

First, a collection of clips, almost all new to me.
Including: Ritzenheim in the XC Nationals; Prefontaine kicking and failing, kicking and failing...; Joan Benoit in the first women's olympic marathon in '84 (LA); Derek Redmond pulling a hammie in the Olympic 800 and limping home with his father; tiny Haile G (check that run form).




And below, American Dave Wottle in the '72 Olympic 800. (Love - LUV - the hat Dave!) Makes me think of Mark Fidrych. How can I never have heard of Wottle, this race?






Next to seeing President Obama throw down a vicious oh-no-he-di-int dunk over John "someday I'll dance with the stars" Boehner, those two run vids are about as good as it gets at gettin' me goin'. While I'm dreaming, how about General Odom (RIP) posterizing Mitch McConnell with a thunderous tomahawk off an alley-oop from the Hopester in Chief...

So, brainshop the love/hate politicians of your choice, into these bits.

On This Day...

On this day, not long ago, my little sister was born.
Happy birthday B! Can't imagine life without ya.

SNOW Post

Snow-acane... Snow-pocalypse... Snow pics!

The mail got through, and brought me a gorgeous card crafted by the guru of the Devereaux Art Institute.



TV let me down Saturday. Stuck inside, I found some good viewing on the afternoon schedule, in particular college basketball and the annual 90 minute NBC broadcast of the Ironman World Champs. Good stuff to watch while aboard the trainer.

Unfortunately, the local major affiliates opted to go for all-day snow storm coverage. A regular sports white-out. Enough to make one stir crazy, stupid,and silly (a nice combo). Probably not as bad as getting stuck on a dead train under the Channel, but enough to get me out the door. I shoveled out of my cave, twice, and toured the 'hood on foot with camera at 4p and again around 9p.

Final total of roughly 19inches of powder here in R'ville. Nice, light, slightly sugary stuff. Not good for the old school runner-suspended sleds. Even an eight foot toboggan might just disappear down into the white quicksand. But, perfect for saucer sleds and those roll-up sheets of plastic. (Remember those? Like giant beach towel sized fruit roll ups?)

Rookie attempt at creating and blogging a slideshow:

Snow Pics for slideshow

First step toward snow fun: find some boots. Do I still have any that will do? In the last closet searched, score! - some old boots, containing misc stuff that apparently took up hiding in the boots to avoid the garbage bin. A little duct tape over some split seams on the uppers and good to go.

Met a few neighbors for the first time in the course of my walk. "19 inches on my deck at 3p " claimed one. Another predicted that "we won't see a plow for a day or two." All were chipper and smiling. Everyone is friendly when it snows. So far. Maybe grumpy sets in after a second day of being snowed in and a hernia or two.

Gas: $2.67-74.

Pre-Hab. Now Would be the Time, eh?

Blah. Winter. Yes, technically, it's a couple weeks away but 3-4inches of snow crashed the weekend here anyway. It was snow in the air, but it became nearly ankle deep slush on the ground.

DC Winter Wuss that I can be, I'm searching for productive indoor, at-home exercise options.

Below, examples of strength and stretch moves tailored to help runners fix imbalances, avoid injury and tightness, and generally strengthen the bits and pieces that play roles in the running movement.

The nice thing about video is the pause, rewind, or ffwd. Follow the whole routine or skim through to pick up new moves and eyeball form. The Howie Long look-a-like instructor/author, Mark Verstegen, is pretty well known. "Core Performance" is one of his better books.



And, two short (really) articles here and here (foot and ankle focus - the amazing toe towel scrunch) on similar strength and stability exercises.

Almost Turkey Time

Not much to report from R-ville. Another fine weather weekend and a 4 star meal at Devereaux.
Looking forward to having B here for Thanksgiving in a few days.

Instead of pics of me, or my bike, or the view from my bike, a couple random cool videos.
B - maybe you'll recognize the scene.

San Fran hills + neat camera work + nifty soundtrack + track bike rider (fixed gear fool) = 1min of mesmerizing mind candy.

HD version here.

Massan from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.

One more, with Johnny Cash and the SPCA.

Also, HD here.

Macaframa from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.

Another Sunday in Rock Creek

The whole town has given up on the 'Skins. Rather than go to the game or slouch on the couch watching, everybody was out enjoying the weather (high 60's) and the car-free sections of road running through Rock Creek Park. Bikers, runners, bladers, dog walkers, stroller pushers, horse riders from the nearby stables.

It was difficult to get shots without people in the frame.
The first few shots are heading South, following the creek.

The Crescent Trail, above.

Experimented with use of the 10sec timer function. Shooting across the road. More bike traffic than cars. Perfect timing by one rider to get in the pic but not block me. Note my mildly nonplussed look. I saw him come around the bend, expected he'd probably screw up my efforts. He was going just fast enough not to do so.

Keen eyes may observe that the jersey and shorts are looking a tad stressed around the waist. Sure feel tighter than they did 8 weeks ago. Hope I don't have my Spandex privileges revoked. Well, it's all part of a plan.

Maybe you've heard the phrase train heavy, race light. Usually that means riding with the heaviest wheels you own, carrying lots of water bottles, redundant fix kits, etc. as a way to enhance the training effect. My dedication runs deeper than that.

Sure, I could just put rocks in my jersey pockets. Weak. I take it hardcore, challenging my limits logging hours a day, every day, strapped into a cookie-filled feedbag, eating more after 10pm than most people do all day. You can't fake the funk people. If you don't work yourself into a carbo-coma you're just not bringing it.

I'm already seeing tangible results. This morning, for the first time in recent memory, I spied belly button lint. It was tumbleweed size, hard to miss.
Yikes.

Duration: 2:21:50 (2:41:54)

Work: 1512 kJ

TSS: 183.4 (intensity factor 0.884)

Norm Power: 203

VI: 1.14

Pw:HR: 1.72%

Pa:HR: 3.93%

Distance: 42.355 mi

Min Max Avg

Power: 0 456 179 watts

Heart Rate: 84 169 142 bpm

Cadence: 22 102 72 rpm

Speed: 2.2 31.9 18.0 mph