Found this video of the last 2 laps of a UCI Cyclocross world cup race in Kalmthout. I mean, this is so sick.
So, while I'm thinking about goals for next year, USAC CX Nationals are in Madison, WI in 13 months. Just sayin' ...
2010 Cycling Results
It's not quite time for my annual winter return to the blogsphere but I was writing up my race results for my team for my annual race reimbursement (big thanks to our sponsors) and wanted to share.
Here are the results for my 2010 cycling season. I listed race name, type, category and result. Top 10s are highlighted.
Here are the results for my 2010 cycling season. I listed race name, type, category and result. Top 10s are highlighted.
- Sugar Hill XC - MTB - Beginner - 1st
- Michaux Mash - MTB - Men's Open - 16th
- SoYoCo Circuit Race - Road - Cat4/5 - 16th
- Carl Dolan Circuit Race - Road - Cat3/4 - 27th
- Farmersville RR - Road - Cat4 - 19th
- Turkey Hill RR - Road - Cat4/5 - 1st
- Bunny Hop Crit - Road - Cat 4 - 76th
- Bike Jam - Road - Cat4 - 19th
- Fulton RR - Road - Cat4 - 1st
- Mt. Nebo - Road - Cat4 - DNF
- Cargas Criterium - Road - Cat4/5 - 7th
- Brownstown RR - Road - Cat4 - 3rd
- Long Pine Classic - MTB - Single Speed Sport - 6th
- MD Crit Championships - Road - Cat4 - 10th
- Ronde Van Mullica - Road - Cat4/5 - 3rd
- Grandview Grand Prix - Road - Cat3/4 - DNF
- Rockburn CX - Cyclocross - Cat4 - 42nd
Upgrades:
Road: Cat4 --> Cat3
MTB: Beginner --> Sport
That's 17 races across 3 different cycling disciplines with 8 top 10s including 3 wins and only 2 DNFs. Between the value of the merchandise I won, as well as the cash and team race reimbursements I'm look around $500 of cash and prizes this year. This was my best season, by any measurement, in any sport, ever.
Looking through my training log I can see where it came from: 260+ hours and 3,700+ miles of riding over 29 weeks including 25 interval sessions and an 8 day period averaging 3 hrs a day. My highest volume week was nearly 19 hours of riding.
What about 2011?
Well it's time to use the holidays to stop and reflect and think about what I want to accomplish is 2011. I've got a lot of options and a lot of exciting new opportunities. But that's for another post.
Happy Holidays,
a
Race Report: Cargas Cat4/5 Crit
Sunday, June 21st, 3:40 PM
Race #11
7th
___
Historically I haven't done well in criteriums, not really having the tactical and technical knowledge necessary to win the fight for position before the sprinting even starts. But I came to the Cargas Crit in the middle of the my best season of racing with a mind to change that. I had high hopes because of an 11th place finish at this race in 2007 which had actually been one of the few high points of a season otherwise full of DNFs and disappointments.
In the end I might have had the strength to finish higher but given the way the race played out I was happy with the results.
The Cargas criterium course is shaped like a capital letter "D" with the start/finish coming just past a ~200m hill on the straightaway. This year father's day was blazing hot with temps over 90 degrees on a fun and fast but shadeless course.
The 4/5 race had about 50 starting riders with 4 of my teammates in the mix. I did not start the race out very smart. Taking long pulls in the wind to come around the sides of the race, etc. After about 5 laps I felt terrible. The heat was killing me, I felt zapped of energy and nauseous. I got into the middle of the peloton and stayed there for about 8 laps.
Still feeling the heat but riding more economically I got myself back into the 1st 10 wheels with about 6 to go.
As I said I'm normally not a very good crit rider. My sprint is pretty good for my cat but I have tendency to end up on the front too early and get swarmed on the last lap. So I tried to stay heads-up and jumped into every move that came by me for the next few laps.
In classic cat4/5 fashion the entire field sat up with 3 laps to go to rest up for the finish or whatever. So I got hung out to dry a bit and ended up leading the field for 2 full laps going into the bell lap. It's not the best way to race but that's how we do it so I played the game. I just rode tempo pace and waited to jump on the the attacks when they came.
We came out of the 1st corner of the last lap riding 5 or 6 abreast. Yes, I realize how ridiculous that is. I was on the right edge of the pack and looking across the peloton I saw a train of riders coming up the left. I yelled for the field to jump on them as the lead out for the sprint started.
Of the guys who were awake on the front the left side jumped first, the middle followed and the right side (including me) got in behind maybe 10 wheels back. We were going single file at this point but I saw that the lead guys had opened up some gaps so I come around the riders in front of me to chase back up. Coming into the last corner I was sitting in the top 10 but gapped off the top 5.
Going through the last corner (a left-hander) I checked my 3 o'clock to see a train of guys coming around the outside 2 or 3 wide and starting to come even with me.
*Uh-oh*
And then I got the horrible feeling in my stomach that I usually get in the last corner of a cat4/5 race when riders try to rail a corner 5 mph faster than they have all day (see BikeJam).
Sure enough they took the corner too hot and went into the right gutter. I was fortunately about 3m off to the side as one guy came unclipped and teetered for what seemed like an impossibly long time with his body off to the side of his bike and one leg straight-out across his saddle at 90 degrees to the ground. Somehow everyone stayed up but as you can imagine there was a bit of braking, shouting and bumping.
With that disaster averted and the lead guys close but not close enough to draft off I fired up for a long (250m) uphill sprint into the wind. I kept the leaders close and maybe closed the gap a little. Only one other guy cleared the field as well and he passed me about 20m from the line as I was fading from the long effort.
I crossed the line somewhat wobbly and cross-eyed but in 7th, one spot outside of the upgrade points but in the last money spot for $30.
The heat definitely took it's toll and despite racing for less than hour I was a shuffling zombie for the next few hours.
But, now I know I can race a crit.
Race Report: Tour of Mt. Nebo
Saturday, June 12th
Race #10
Tour of Mt. Nebo Cat 4/5 Road Race
27M
DNF
___
After a nice 2 week break from racing I kitted up again in mid-June to take on the Tour of Mt. Nebo. I had heard stories, rumors, about how this race was supposed to be "pretty hilly". Ha!
Tour of Mt. Nebo was by far the hardest road cycling race I had ever done.
IT didn't help that the night before the race I had rare bout of insomnia and rolled out to race on 2 hours of sleep. While I was feeling awake enough I was not set up for a great race.
The race itself was a meager 27M, 3 times around a 9M loop. But the course contained 600 ft of climbing per lap including a 100m section at 18% grade. It was over 90 degrees. And while 70 of the 84 starters finished nothing could give a more deceiving impression of what this race was like.
I have never seen a race hemorrhage riders like this before. The race is just a long series of climbs and descents leaving the "peloton" a long splintered line of riders. At the 1/2 way point I was one of maybe 25 remaining riders.
We had dropped over 50 riders 14M.
At was at the 1/2 point we came into a small descent and I knew I was in the red and breathing as hard as I could. We finished the descent and I was still panting. We then started climbing the 18% grade section.
Not good.
So for the first time this year I watched the peloton roll away from me as I cracked, slowed to a crawl and got dropped.
But cracked or not I was on an 18% grade and whether or not I was hyperventilating I had to keep going to finish the lap - even if it was just to get home. So I slowly, slowly, agonizingly turned the cranks. For the 1st time in my life, even including my first horribly unprepared cycling trip I took to the mountains of North Carolina, I wanted to walk up a hill. I wanted to stop and walk more than anything. But if I stopped I didn't think I would be able to start riding on this grade again and more importantly I wasn't going to walk. I looked down at my computer.
I was going 3 mph.
And I was passing people.
Finally I inched over the top of the climb and proceeded to ride as slow as possible until my heart rate came back down. I felt much better now that I could breath and was able to pick things up to a moderate pace. I met up with another rider I knew and we were working our way up a small climb when we heard a crash behind us.
I turn around to see a bike, riderless, skidding though a T intersection. The rider was a few meters behind it in full slip'n'slide mode - on his back, feet first, arms over his head and bounce/sliding over the pavement.
We were maybe in the top 40 at this point and strung out with no one around us. The guy I was riding with and I looked at each other and shook our heads.
"Morons"
I finally limped my way to the top of the final climb of the 2nd lap with encouragement of the spectators. I pulled over at the start finish and watched the long ragged line of riders limp in.
All the races had started in waves within 15 min of each other and had shared similarly devastating fates as ours. At this point it was impossible to tell who was in what race as everything was pretty much one continuous 9M line of suffering riders with 3 small bunches of leaders in their respective races.
The phrase "death march" leaped immediately to mind.
I decided I didn't need this. There were no upgrade points at the race and I was way outside of any money there was to win. I had accomplished enough this season that I didn't need to finish this race to prove anything to myself. Lastly, I was completely exhausted and any further riding was just going to wipe me out for the rest of the week and keep me from getting quality workouts in.
So I rolled by the start/finish line and made the "cut me off" motion to the race director.
"You done?"
"Oh yeah"
I rolled to the car and sat down.
And it felt fantastic.
Race Report: Fulton Cat4/5 Road Race
Saturday, May 29th
Race #9
Seems like things are really rolling now and my goal of getting my Cat3 upgrade is within reach! Big thanks to Dr. K and Tank for tons of coaching, racing advice and general encouragement this year.
Race #9
Fulton Cat 4/5 Road Race
___
The Fulton road race was the end of my May training cycling. And after not being able to get my nose in the sprint in my last two crits I was looking forward to a long hilly road race with an uphill finish to help sort things out and end the month on a good note.
I was not disappointed.
The race itself wasn't too eventful. We went up hills. We went down hills. Repeat. There was a bit of organization from some teams during some of the attacks/chases but in typical cat4/5 fashion the brakes mostly came back on their own. On the last lap I was expecting an attack on the hills. We rode them aggressively but no one jumped off so things were set up for a field sprint.
Coming into the last 1k there was maybe 1/2 of the 71 starters still together. Having lost a little position on the last climb I was sitting about 15th-20th and boxed in by the yellow line. I was still in this position and chomping at the bit with 300m to go when the road opened up for the uphill finish and there was already a rider off the front going for the early sprint. The field was giving chase along the right side of the road but hadn't started sprinting yet. I worked my way up and 200m to go and the line in sight I knew it was time for me to go. I got all the way on the left of the road, took the safety off, and fired.
I must have caught the pelaton napping or covering each other because I didn't see anyone respond and I was able to jump clear. The rider who had gone early was running out of steam fast and I passed him about 20m from the line. I crossed the line in disbelief but in 1st place for the 3rd time this year.
Since it wasn't a USA Cycling sanctioned race I got no upgrade points (otherwise I would have gotten 10 and gotten my upgrade) but I did take home $80 in cash.
Race Report: BikeJam Cat4 Crit
Sunday, May 23rd
4:00 pm
Race #8
BikeJam Crit Cat 4
___
For the last 3 years BikeJam has been the single most important athletic event on my calendar. More important than the fact it is our team's home race is the fact that is also the only race every year that my friends come out en masse to watch.It's a tactically tough race, almost every field is decided by positioning coming into the final corner. Over the last 3 years I've slowly gotten the hang of it.
In 2008 I crashed going through the chicane and though I got back on the bike with only a few scratches I was pretty badly shaken. I eventually got dropped and pulled. I was not a happy camper. I was actually a pretty bitchy camper.
In 2009 I was in better shape and racing differently. I was learning how to stay in the pack a little better and corner a little tighter. While I was one of the less than 50% of the field to finish this race I got mobbed in the sprint and finished almost last. I was slightly less bitchy camper this time.
In 2010 I returned again as a different racer. Having hit my stride both physically and tactically I already had 2 wins under my belt that year and was looking for nothing less than a 3rd W. I spent about 18 of the 20 laps in the first 10 wheels. Doing my best to be a major factor in the race I was taking pulls, keeping the pace high and hitting the corners fast.
On the 2nd prime a guy I know from another team jumped too early to try and take it. He towed me to the line and jumped around to snatch it up right in front of my friends. Definately a top 5 cycling memory for me.
With 6 laps to go one of my teammates jumped off the front. Another teammate yelled at me to follow but I knew better. My sprint was solid but I was just going to slow him down if I got in a break. We put 3 guys on the front and managed to hold back the field and give him the W in front of a home crowd by about 10s.
With about 2 laps to go it was clear out rider was going to get away so I started to position myself for the sprint. Something happened on the last lap though; I just didn't respond. I saw the moves I needed to be in and I just didn't respond. Somehow I just wasn't there.
Going into the last chicane I braced for the inevitable cat4 crash and sure enough someone takes the corner wide and fast. Breaking and crashing ensues around me but fortunately I was OK. Come out of the last corner a ways back but still in the pack. I pulled whatever sprint I could out and came through in 23rd out of 80 starters and 42 finishers.
I rolled through for a lap and then came back to my friends.
I was not a happy camper.
I slowly rolled past them, shook my head and said something along the lines of "I don't know why I bother with this shit"
I glumly rolled about 20m away and realized I was being a little bitch. I turned around and went back my friends and told them how awesome it was to have them there and thanked them for their support. I explained I was just upset that I had 19 perfect laps and then blew it in the last mile. They understood. They're great friends.
It took a few days for me to calm down about it but at least I kept things under control when it mattered.
Looking back on it while I raced better than I ever have at the race I think I am most happy that I was able to get over myself, deal with my disappointment and focus on what was important; in this case telling my friends how much I appreciated their support.
Race Report: Bunny Hop Crit
Bunny Hop Criterium
Race #8
Sunday, May 2nd
76th of 92 pre-reg'ed
The Bunny Hop Cat4 criterium in Suiteland, MD, just outside of DC, was my 8th race this season. It was my 6th race in 4 weeks and the end of a 3 week training block. Coming the day after my win at Turkey Hill and starting late in the afternoon on a hot and humid mid-Atlantic Sunday day -- it was not a race I was super enthused about. But the money was already paid so I showed up.
The race wasn't really that eventful. It was a 1k 3 corner crit so we had to so a billion laps for our 60 min race. I took probably some of the harderst corners I've taken in a race this year (on hard case tires) but I've made huge stides in my bike handleing so it wasn't as big deal as it would have been a year ago.
I was still riding a bit of a high after Saturday's win in a field sprint so I made a big bridge when a group went up the road early in the rce. It felt fantastic to let out some speed like that but the brake was pulled in after a few laps and I spent about 1/2 the race after that sitting on the back trying not to puke or drop out. Fortunately, the pace was steady and moderate due to the wide open corners so it was safe to hang out back there.
With 10 or 15 laps to go I worked my way back up to the front. Took a lot of wind but felt fine and was back in contention with 5 to go.
At some point after that I got boxed in a little and made the disasterous decision to go back through the pack to get out the side to move back up as soon as possible. This was moronic and ruined my position.
With only a few laps to go I saw the writing on the wall.
It was hot, my legs felt good but I was worn down and mentally checked out. I eased up and just rolled in with the pack. Made a joking show with a couple of other riders of sprinting for 69th place or whatever it was. Hung around after and met some more local riders.
Was just glad to get home and unwind at the end of the day.
In some respects it was my worst race of the year but fortunately I just let it go. There's still a lot of season left to race and for the first time things seem to be on the right track.
The Lifestyle: Some Hard Questions
"An unexamined life is not worth living"
- Socrates
"Just because you're hungry doesn't mean that you're lean"
- LCD Soundsystem
[I wrote this a few weeks ago in the middle of the night. I sat on it for a little while to make sure it wasn't too melodramatic.]
Last week I trained less then I have all year: 2 hours and 10 minutes. Less than during the blizzards. Granted I was out of town but now this week has gotten off to a slow start with cool and rainy temps and I just feel ... out of sorts. Training makes me feel good but not training has also made me feel BAD. My sleep, eating and energy patterns are all out of whack. My schedule is disorganized. I ended up having to take a day off today because of thunderstorms. I tried to get a little extra sleep because I felt I was fighting off a cold and now I'm wide awake at midnight.
As good a time as any for a little introspection so I started thinking about why I train.
Sure, racing is fun. Being in shape is good for you. Spending time outside and with your friends is all well and good. But these are things you can get from being a weekend warrior. And the similarities between that and what I (and most of my friends do) stops there.
I own enough bikes and equipment to ride or race over any terrain in any conditions and repair anything that might happen along the way. I train everyday. Everyday. Snow, rain, heat, cold, mornings, afternoons, evenings. I train through holidays, happy hours, big football/baseball/etc games, BBQs and parties. I think about training when I make plans to eat, travel, have guests and go out. I still do all these other things but they work around my training schedule. It's embarrassing for me to admit this since I am not nearly as good a cyclist as I feel my lifestyle would imply -- but these are the facts.
So returning to the question: why do I train? Concepts like "motivated" and "focused" seem to oversimplify things while "obsessive" seems too damning. The answer is more complicated and not one I fully grasp.
In kicking this around I came to some hard questions about my training. I have no real "answers" - these are things to continue to think about. One of those "personal growth" type things. These questions apply to the range of sports I've dedicated myself to going all the way back to soccer in middle school through to my aspirations of studying Brazilian Jujitsu in the fall.
Here they are:
- Training makes me feel good but do I NEED to train to feel good about myself?
- Do I know how to feel good, and good about myself, without training?
- When in the last 6 months have I felt good about myself in a way that was not directly a result of training or racing?
- Training takes up most of my time but do I enjoy the shelter of that familiar routine where no decisions need to be made about social and other commitments and the perceived implications of those commitments (read: when the last time I went to happy hour, a vacation w/friends or a date)?
- If I train for self-improvement what does that say about me if I am uncomfortable NOT training? Do I train because I'm perpetually not happy with myself as I am?
- Is the need to train something I'll grow out of? Do I need to?
- Do I use training to distract myself from the rest of life and avoid dealing more directly with other areas of my life such as relationships or my career - maybe areas where progress is less measurable?
- Do I make any progress towards other goals in my life outside of training?
- Do I have an identity outside of cycling/sports. Am I comfortable with this identity?
I don't want to sound melodramatic but I think these are legitimate concerns. I mean it's only mid-May and I've already spent almost 200 hours and 2,500+ miles training this year so I think it's worthwhile to spend a little time thinking about why.
In the end, who knows? I can't pick apart every nuance of why I do anything I do but it's healthy to think about it a little bit.
What do you think?
Thanks for reading,
a
Race Report: Turkey Hill Country Classic Cat4/5 Road Race
Race #7
Turkey Hill Country Classic Cat4/5 Road Race
Saturday, May 1st
1st / 75 pre-reg'ed
_____
"One minute was enough, Tyler said, a person had to work hard for it, but a minute of perfection was worth the effort. A moment was the most you could ever expect from perfection."
~Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club
The Cat4/5 Turkey Hill Country Classic was my 7th race this year. It was my 1st ever win in a road race and the first time I had even finished in the top 10 since taking 3rd in a cat5 race at a Great Dane crit in Madison, WI back in 2007. Since it was a 75 person field I earned 10 points toward my cat 3 upgrade.
More significantly, I feel like this was my first real "win" in any sport. I had won races before, going all the way back to Jr. High, but they were always because I outclassed a small field. This was the first race where I got to go head to head against a strong field and come up first.
It was a great feeling.
The course is one of the nicer PA races in my opinion. Each 10k loop has only about 400m of single lane (yellow line) riding. The rest of the course was full-road with 3 rolling climbs leaning into a 1M drag up to the finish. We raced 40k - 25M. I had 3 teammates in the field. 2 dropped out with mechanicals and the 3rd rolled in with the field.
The first lap was uneventful. I sat on the front a little to chat with a friend from another team and one guy went off the front from the gun but came back about 3M later without needing much of a chase.
Coming over a little hill in the first few miles I passed Dr. K and some of my LSV teammates on the side of the road doing a cool down from their brutal 120k race that just ended. I was still on the front at this point and Jamie leaned in a yelled:
"Come on Viana. VENGA VENGA VENGA VENGA VENGA"
There are plenty of other times I would have yelled a joke back but I just kept my eyes on the road and kept rolling.
"I'm here for business not pleasure today"
Yeah, I actually think shit like that.
The 2nd lap was harder with guys from DC Velo and Squadra Coppi pushing the pace on the climbs to shell some of the weaker guys. At this point I regretted doing back-to-back workouts on Tuesday and Wednesday but hung in with the pack. I had a scary moment when a parking cone on the yellow-line section got knocked into the road and skidded right in front of my bike but I just missed it.
The 3rd lap was quite on the front as well. Pace was moderate and more guys got shelled off the back on the climbs. Had another scary moment when a rider in front of me almost went down. Mostly I spent the last 3 laps memorizing the course so I wouldn't make the same bone-head mistake as the week before where I started my sprint late because I didn't know where we were on the course.
On the 4th lap things picked up. I stayed on the front and took some pulls. I wanted us coming into the line fast and strung out. Some other people took pulls as well but DCVelo had a lot of guys in the field still and they were content to get everyone to the line in a bunch sprint and take their chances based on sheer numbers.
The last few climbs were hard but I knew I was going to finish. I ha been watching other riders all race and marking the top guys. There was a rider from BBC that had won Carl Dolan a few weeks ago and a DCVelo rider who had already applied for his cat3 upgrade. I was staying close to those guys and knew I was in good position and I might finally get "a result".
Then I got really scared.
I suddenly felt a ton of pressure. I was nervous. I didn't want to be there. There was too much on the line. I didn't want to fail. While I know this might sound silly since it is "just bike racing" but when you're flying at the line in a tight bumping pack going 25+ mph and slipping ever deeper into oxygen debt - perspective is hard to come by.
I took a deep breath. I'm an American through and through but I get my strength from my roots.I actually thought about clips from that video for a split second. Again, I don't know what to say, I actually think stuff like this.
Now calmed down, I breathed out and faced my fear.
It was a long drag to the line. A BBC rider decided he didn't have it that day for the sprint and decided to lead the field out to the line. Unfortunately, no one wanted to come around him and the pace didn't pick up much after he reached his top speed. I was yelling for the next guy to pull but no one was willing.
The tip of the field was 3 riders long. I was sitting just behind 3rd wheel and off to the right. I knew the rider in the same position off to the left was waiting to hear back about his cat3. As we approached the line I saw him start to move up. I was already getting antsy and decided it was time to go. I remember thinking:
Well at least you'll do OK today since you're IN the sprint for once.
I popped off the front about the same time as 3 other guys. The guy who had gone off the front on the first lap came up the left, I came down the middle and there was a wheel off behind my to my right.
I was a long sprint - maybe 200m. I can't say I could really see/process very much at this point. The rider to my left quick dropped out of my vision (I think he got 3rd) and I just focused on losing the wheel in the right edge of my peripheral vision.
As that wheel slipped out of view as well I remember thinking "I can't believe this is happening"
Finally the line was near enough even I could see it. I furiously let out the last bits of energy I had left and I remember thinking in the last few seconds:
The sight of the line coming at me at 30 mph with no one in front of me and spectators on both sides screaming is one I'll never forget."OH MAN MAN MAN MAN DO NOT BLOW THIS"
I crossed the line in disbelief.
I covered my face. I threw my hands in the air. I crossed myself. I covered my face again.
As the other riders regrouped people started to congratulate me as we rolled past the line and I had to ask them to move over.
Hey, let me out *gasp* let me out *gasp* I'm gonna puke.
I got to the side of the road and collapsed in a ditch. The urge to puke passed and after about 30 sec and I got back up.
Then the best part of my day. I look back up the road and Jamie is running at me with both hands in the air (that's about an 8 ft wingspan) grinning like an idiot. I think he was more excited than I was. He came over and gave me a big hug.
I just shook my head.
I can't believe it. That was the best moment of my life. I just can't believe it.
I'll never forget that race.
The Lifestyle: Only In Europe
Love America as I do, if you tried that shit here, everyone would die. Happy bike to work day.
News (Loosely Speaking): LDS Fixter Elders
Jan Jose Morman missionaries have taken to fixies.
All together now:
What. The. Fuck?
News (Loosely Speaking): WTF Sasquatch @ SSCXWC
Just look at this fucking ad.
I mean. Just. Fucking. Look at it.
What the shit balls is going on?
From looking at it I have no idea what this an ad for other than maybe a Hipster (see PBR sponsor) LARP (the thing where nerds play dress up and fight medieval "battles"). I would expect to see PBR tall-boys, beards similar to the one in the advert and probably a smattering of hippies. Hell, maybe some LTBG groups, environmentalists, Bigfoot believers, Phisheads, and maybe someone from the Jelly Belly Pro Cycling team.
Turns out I'm correct on all counts.
Unless you have a sleeve-tattoo or day-drink Whiskey you might not know that Seattle, Washington will host the 2010 edition of the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships (SSCXWC). This is their promo.
And apparently the Jerry Garcia/Sasquatch/CareBare animal thing is their mascot.
Awesome.
It kicks the pant off the weird green anthropomorphic Japananimation Liger thing they picked for the 2010 World Cup (of soccer) mascot.
Also, the flyer implies there will be candy, so I'm in.
Crack-a-Lack,
a
SOTW: The Wild Hunt - The Tallest Man On Earth
[The SOTW can be streamed from Grooveshark widget in the sidebar. As always I encourage you to visit the artist's website and support them.]
I left my heart to the wild hunt a-comin'
I live until they call
And I plan to be forgotten when I'm gone
Yes I'll be leavin' in the fall
It's Back!
The SOTW has been a less that regular feature this year. In part I've had other things to blog about (lots of race reports mostly) but I was also having a hard time finding anything I wanted to throw up on the playlist.
But, I've found a string of good stuff to share. The first of which is this week's selection: The Wild Hunt by Swedish folk artist Kristian Matsson under the moniker The Tallest Man On Earth. It is the title track of his April 2010 release which is the best new album I've heard this year. The title, I think, refers to the European legend of the Wild Hunt. You can read into the possible illusion as much as you like.
I was shocked to discover that Matsson is Swedish because there something immediately Dylan-esque about Matsson's cougar-call of a voice and his wandering lyrics. There is nothing Swedish about this album though - this is pure American folk. It might take a couple of listens but once you get used to his voice I think this is a great track and a noteworthy record.
I hope you enjoy.
I plan to have lots of posts this week and string of SOTW's to come so check back!
Have a great week,
a
The Word On The Street: Blood, Babes, Nuts and Safety
It's Friday. It's been a good week. A funny week. Here are some highlights:
This was the best ride of my life. What stared out as me going to take a piss on the trail turned into a 3M shortcut through the woods, passing stunned MTBers as we took on roots, rocks, mud, streams and drops on skinny road tires and stiff carbon frames. Dr. K did some insane trials riding (trials not trails) to clean some rocks on a stream crossing.
Wow.
"Yo, was that safe? Because that was mad fun."
- Sterling, after I motor-paced him from JHU to Dr. K's house.
Define "safe".
"Now that you've made a blood sacrifice maybe the cycling gods are satisfied."
- Sterling, on Tank's nasty crash last weekend and general cycling mishaps this last month
Hopefully.
"Are [road bikes] ... good for [mountain biking]?"
"I wouldn't recommend it"
- Dr. K to a weekend warrior on the Loch Raven trails as we went MTBing on our carbon road bikes -- because we could.
This was the best ride of my life. What stared out as me going to take a piss on the trail turned into a 3M shortcut through the woods, passing stunned MTBers as we took on roots, rocks, mud, streams and drops on skinny road tires and stiff carbon frames. Dr. K did some insane trials riding (trials not trails) to clean some rocks on a stream crossing.
"Leipheimer leaves DZNuts dangling for Gila stage one win"
- Headline from Tour of Gile coverage.
Hilarious. But I was confused at first because I didn't know that was a team. I wasn't aware of the UCI rule that prevented ProTour teams from participating in continental (non-ProTour) races but I found out this is the reason you have pro riders racing under ad hoc teams like Lance's Mellow Johnny's team (named after his Austin, TX bike shop) and of course ... Levi Leipheimer w/DZNuts.
In my amusement I clicked over to the DZNuts website and came across their "feed zone babe" T-shirt. OK, OK, it's a little 1950's in that "a woman's place is in the feedzone" way but I still thought it was funny. Then I started thinking:
Man, I wouldn't mind one of those ...
A feed zone babe, not the shirt. But then I start thinking:
Well ... I'm not sure if I could fit her in my car w/my bike and my gear. I mean I could put my gear on top of my bike but ... no. No, I can't ...
And I kinda like singing and rocking out on my own on my way to races ...
And my races are too short for a feed zone so I really don't need a girl there ...
And a girl just puts more pressure on placing well ...
*sigh*
These are my actual thoughts. I know they're not GOOD ideas but this is what naturally pops into my head. Slowly but surely "29 and single" is starting to look less and less like a mountain biker's rallying cry around big wheels and one gearing - and more like my destiny. Which brings me to my last quote:
"Please, show a little respect. For I am Costanza, lord of the idiots."- Seinfeld
If you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at :)
Lots of races this weekend and gorgeous weather. Get out there and enjoy it!
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