CycloCross

I'm really spoiled living where I do. Cyclists in the Milwaukee area are lucky to have an organization like the WCA who sets up racing series. This summer I rode in about a third of the Wisconsin Cup races and I had a great time and well surpassed any expectation I had.

The WCA also organizes about 10 cyclocross races in the fall, the schedule is here. I've been doing some reading and I'm real interested in giving this a try. I want to keep my fitness up this fall without having to whip out the trainer too soon. Plus, a brief cyclocross season will let me focus on something other than work and school ... (i just got my econometrics syllabus and want to cry!)
My problem is that I don't have a cyclocross bike. Does that sound like a problem, or a problem with a really simple solution! I think the Trek XO 1 will be my final choice. I'd be thrilled if I can find an '07 model seeing as the new '08 models just came out and are more expensive.

Floyd

Interesting (an long!) article about Floyd in the NY Times

It's hard to know where to stand on him. He seems like a really nice guy. Normal and down to earth unlike most other professional athletes ... especially those who have won the TDF. On the other hand, that doesn't mean that he wouldn't use drugs. So it's hard for me to make a decision on him.

I think the trial so far is just a farce against him, why hasn't a verdict been issued? It's been months since the trial ended. Certainly the decision has been made somewhere. Why is it being sat on? The trial made a fool out of the testing center in France. Landis, however, was also made to look the fool with the Greg Lemond fiasco. To me Lemond is a whiner (how exactly did he get confessions from both Lance and Landis?), but unfortunately he has a record of being absolutely correct in hindsight about today's professional riders and doping.

Anyway, interesting read. Either way its only fair that he gets an up or down decision. A decision that comes out that says he got off on a technicality isn't fair to anyone.

GUILT

so ... i've got heavy guilt building. tomorrow is the pleasant prairie olympic triathlon. at the moment (15 hrs before the start of the race) here is the weather outlook ... the race is going to occur sometime between "tonight" and "sunday"...

Late Afternoon: Occasional rain and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 66. East wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Tonight: Occasional showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Low around 60. East wind between 8 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Sunday: Occasional showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 9am, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 9am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 70. East wind between 9 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 64. East wind between 9 and 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

not encouraging.

So it goes something like this. Packet pickup is tonight, and you are required to leave your bike secured all night. If its crap tomorrow i'm not going to go to the race, so if I go tonight, leave my goods, and its crap in the morning I still have to go back. however, if i don't go tonight, and decide at 4am that the weather is going to hold, then i'm SOL because they only allow check in this night before.

add to the crap weather, i just haven't been feeling it lately. i think i'm in good shape, i could do the tri easily, i just don't "feel" it lately. i think i need the omnth of august off. i've come to the conclusion that next year it will be a tri specific or cycling specific season. its too hard to do both ... they don't compliment each other well.

against my better wished, and at the loss of $100, i'm calling it quits right now.

big bummer

8/5/07 Workout

Plan was to get up this morning and take about a 100 mile ride out to Holy Hill with some friends. Woke up to rain, went back to bed and slept like a rock. It was like Santa Claus came in the night!

So I sat around all morning, cleaned, surfed online, and watched tv... mostly sat. Eventually I got ready to workout ... nice of me to pick the hottest part of the day.

Swam first, about 2500 yds, descending sets starting at 500 yds. Actually had a fantastic workout. The pool I often swim at is just too warm for me. I like the water cooler, keeps you a bit more on edge. The warm water makes me just a bit lethargic, maybe i'll write a letter ... but I digress. Good swim, shoulders are a tad sore just sitting here at the moment.

Then came the run. It was long, by my standards, 6.5 miles and it was muggy. Down south muggy. It's cooled down the past few days in the Brew City, but the humidity is unbearable. I was soaked for my entire 1 hour run ... even resorted to drinking out of the public fountains lined along the lake front. By the time I got back to my car I was spent, about ready to can out.

Came home, put my favorite Cyclo-Core stretching dvd in and stretched for a bit. I think this may have been the highlight of the day, it felt real good to stretch those hamstrings out a little.

Today's workout is part of my plan to increase volume over the next 6 weeks in prep for my half Ironman. I was encouraged today. The swim will be fine. I can bike in my sleep. And the fact that the 6.5 miles today, while hot, were very bearable was a good sign.

State TT Results

State TT's this morning. Beautiful course, no wind, cool, just how I like it. Rode down with two buddies, suited up, got a good half hour warmup in, lined up at the start and hit it. Actually, may have hit it a little too much, but it didn't matter. POP! I flatted out on turn 1. Not so nice. Was lucky enough to get back to the start where I was told that I could reenter the race, but my original start time was firm.

Lessons learned.
1. Specialized tubes suck. I like that they come in a little plastic baggy pre-talked, but they still suck. I can't even get my pump over them.
2. Canon digital SLR cameras are hot. I ended up blowing my time waiting by taking pics of my buddies. Hold down that camera button and all you hear is "snap, snap, snap, snap" .... i think I blew through about 200 pics .... very nice.

Buddies want to ride a hundo tomorrow am, maybe that will make up for a crappy ride today.

State TT this weekend

This weekend is the State Champ TT in Kansasville, WI. This is the second to last 2007 Wisconsin Cup event. I am currently 20th in the Cat4/5 standings ... not bad for only doing 1/3 of the races and not planning on participating at all. I got talked into doing the first race in April and had fun so I've participated in them when I can. Next summer I'd like to take them a little more serious and try and to the entire series. It may be a good chance to upgrade to a 3. Anyway, I did well in my previous TT and look forward to picking up some more points.

State Championship Time Trial

New Toys

I picked up some new toys online last night, neither have shipped, but I'll comment on them anyway. I made the order through trisports.com.

So first, after the Racine tri I decided that it'd be a good idea to invest a little in a wetsuit. Seeing as the swim in Racine was very cold, but I was not, I didn't think that I needed a full wetsuit for warmth. I'm also a very strong swimmer so the buoyancy that a full suit would provide doesn't matter to much to me. Therefore, I was looking for a suit to provide a little warmth when needed and a little buoyancy only around the core. That barely makes sense, but there it is. I searched and found this Quintana Roo Quick John. It was about the only short westuit I could find and it was on sale as an end of season item, so that sweetened the deal as well.



My second purchase was a "transition" bag. They can call it what they want, but I'm calling it my bike bag. I live about 35 minutes from work, and bring my bike to ride a few times a week. I end up packing all my stuff in a little gym bag and it's always unorganized. Combine that with weekly bike races and triathlons, and I end up with 2-3 bags and my bike in and out of my house when I leave. I'm thinking that this nice big Zipp bag can let me put it all together in one spot and one bag. I hate having to take multiple trips to my car in the am just to workout.

ps, I don't know who this guy is, but he isn't going to look nearly as cool as I will with this bag.


And just for full disclosure, I need to thank mom for these toys. Apparently she didn't like the though of me swimming in the cold ... the bag was just a perk for being a momma's boy.