Seems like a good time of the year to look to the future, and reflect on the past. My future looks increasingly good, my family is healthy, my children are everything a father could ask for, and my health is improving. I work with a good group of people and I know that we are making positive changes in the lives of many in our community. So here are some reflections of 09 and goals for 2010.
OUCH
Health: 2009 – my first (2) broken bones of my life (finger, collarbone). A private battle with depression(now public) lowlighted the last 5 months of the year. 2010 – I will recapture my fighting weight 162lbs and will avoid any unnecessary broken bones.
Bicycling: 2009 – Made a maiden voyage to Moab, rode STP, High Cascades 100, Raced on the GT Dirt Coalition Team, rode over 5,000 miles for the first time, hired a coach, fired a coach, did not finish near the podium in any races. 2010 – have fun with racing, ride the Death Ride, RAMROD, and back to the team 24 hour, make at least 1 big mtb trip with the boys.
The Future
Family: 2009 – watched in amazement the maturing of my girls(time truly flies), watched Madison swim better than I ever could, watched Caitlin pump out push-ups because she thinks it’s fun, listened to my wife’s advise(thank you), adopted a male stray just to have another man in the house and subsequently had him fixed (sorry Runo). 2010 – spend more time in the outdoors with my children, spend more quite time with my wife, get Caitlin to pedal a bicycle, continue to encourage Madison to ride with me(on trails), stay in better contact with my brother/parents.
Great Times
This afternoon on the windiest day of the year I loaded up the whole family to head to Horn Rapids in Richland, WA for what is my last race of the season. When I say windy I mean volcano blast zone, sustained winds of 30 – 35mph, gusts to 65mph. On the way we hear a strange sound from the roof, I diagnose it quickly as a piece of molding that’s been loose for about a year and continue at 75 with the aforementioned crosswind. I was wrong as I usually am when it comes to diagnosing anything, it was the Thule cargo box about to fly off the top and land in Walla Walla. After reaffixing the box we continue on our way only to have the molding strip come loose and thrash around for the last 20 miles of our trip.
The race itself was straightforward; twisty, sandy, flat singletrack, open 10 laps, expert 8 laps, sport 6 laps, beginner 4 laps. I chose to ride the GT Peace 29er multi, because the course was flat and smooth and the fact that with my training hours in the past 3 months I couldn’t justify riding the Marathon, it would be an insult to the bike.
Long Season
I finished in the back quarter of the expert field, Big Larry won the Sport with Chacho in 5th in the Sport. During the post race raffle BL won a saddle bag/trouser strap/first aid kit, Chacho won nothing and I won a $40.00 gift card from REI, the race sponsor. Following the raffle we finished off a great day with a 10 course meal at PF Changs.
Thanks to GT for a great year of racing and riding, the support was outstanding and I’m looking forward to avoiding the mishaps and improve on my so so performances this year.
All 3 off you have spoken, so I must warn you to leave this blog immediately if the site of shirtless overweight men make you sick.
You’ve been warned…….
Current weight: 188.9lbs – 11/16/09
11/16/09 before slim down
Madison and Grace on singletrack
My wife had wanted me to go to Costco with her but I made up the excuse that I was taking Madison and Grace for a mountain bike ride. I say excuse because, though, Madison has been going on rides with me for 3 years now, they have all been on the road, her off-road experience has been limited to a block of gravel on the way to school and the “kid’s race” during the 24 hours around the clock in Spokane. I was a bit shocked and honestly a bit nervous when Madison agreed to go with me to ride a real trail. I loaded the truck with bikes and dog and let Madison borrow a pair of my arm warmers for her legs and a long sleeve compression shirt to keep warm out on the trail. We made it to the trail head and decided to take it easy and cruise down the jeep road, no problems, Madison was having a blast. When we hit A trail just after the creek section Madison was off her bike and started to walk it, I was sure we were near the end, expecting a melt down or long walk back to the truck we pressed forward to the bow tie where A, B, and C trails come together. To my utter delight Madison wanted to continue on B trail in the opposite direction of the parking lot, riding I might add. So we continued, I took the above picture and a few more and finally made it back to the trail head about an hour and 20 minutes after we started. Madison is excited and wants to go again, I’m on cloud nine. It’s nearly indescribable the joy and pride I felt when I watched Madison riding singletrack with a smile on her face. What a beautiful day!
Madison and Grace on the over/under
Weight this morning: 187.8
Not quite where I need to be, but in the right direction.
The Chinook Fall Series race on Sunday was a blast, I love when I can set-up a course that makes total strangers swear at me. I will be hitting the indoor training hard in the next 5 weeks to hit my goal of 162.3lbs.
Lat chance to keep from seeing my bloated self on this site, 1 vote for photos, so the other 2 of you have to cast your vote before Thursday at 5:00pm PST or you’ll see more than you ever wanted.
As Fall turns to Winter I begin my familiar journey of becoming re-acquainted with my bicycle and indoor trainer. Unlike most cyclist I know, I love the pain and suffering an indoor trainer session can inflict, the kind that cannot be replicated outside. 20 degrees in the garage, space heater blowing on the front of your legs, the sweat on your back and back of your head freezing, 5 – 10 – 15 – 20 sets of max intervals, almost falling of the bike and stumbling into a quite house where your family has been asleep for an hour, it gives me shivers just thinking about it. Unfamiliar for me this winter at least for the last few since the transformation (Clydesdale to Whippet) is paying attention to my diet and becoming strict with my consumption of everything good. I do have a goal of shedding 27 pounds by January 14th, and I won’t really start trying until November 1st, that’s right 75 days to lose 27 pounds, .36 of a pound a day, crazy? maybe, but you can watch me succeed or fail right here.
So my question to anyone, well the 3 of you that read this, should I or shouldn’t I post a pre-photo? It is pretty ugly and I have to look at every morning after I shower.
Weight this morning: 190.6lbs
So I haven’t been here in a while,,,so what? What have I been up to in the last month and a half? and what will I be up to in the next month and a half? who knows? and isn’t that the wonderful thing about life?
In early October I rode with big Larry for his 50th birthday, he ran up the score on me, my 11 year age advantage was a dis-advantage. For the ride, Revolution Cycles in Yakima set me up on a GT Marathon 29er, the bike was as efficient as my 26er climbing, pleasant surprise, but was unbelievable on the descent, I actually gapped Chacho a couple times, thanks guys. So, that, a 3 hour tour of Surveyor’s Ridge and 2 1/2 hours on Shoreline in SLC wraps up my September and October riding. What the??????
I have successfully put on my winter coat, weighing in at 190.8 lbs on 10/19, What the??? and yes that’s 25.8 lbs over my fighting weight. I will be trying to guilt myself into weight control ala Fatty by posting my weight every week for the forseeable future. Give he all the crap you want guys, I need the motivation.
I will race my final race this season at Echo on November 8 as part of our Chinook Fall Mountain Bike Series. I will have the Youth Mountain Bike Program Trailer, GT Dirt Coalition Tent and all the GT bikes I own at the race for people to check out. On that topic, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to race for and talk to people about GT this year, though the engine has had issues. My GT Marathon Pro has operated flawlessly, my GTR Team is a rocket and the folks at GT and dealers have been outstanding.
Yesterday I walked my youngest daughter to her first day of “real” school. As we walked, she set a pace that was all about business, purposeful and brisk. I tried in vain to slow her pace, so I, her father, could savor the experieince, she had things to do and places to be. I think as we age, though I am not “old” by any standard, we require more time in the experience to remember the experience. I find myself taking more pictures of everything I do and everywhere I go, when I was younger, relative, I never took any pictures and honestly I kind of regret that my memory needs the help to remember even some of the places I’ve been…. back to the first day of school, Caitlin met the principal, met her older sister (a 3rd grader at the same school), met her mom (a teacher at the school), and finally made it to her classroom. She had already met the teacher, so after a polite hug to say hello she was off to discover her bag hook, put her name in the no bus slot, put here class supplies in the proper place, sign-in and get her balloon name tag, she was off, things to do, leaving my wife and I standing in the middle of a kindergarten class by ourselves. At this point a felt a twinge of sadness as my youngest daughter no longer relies on me for everything my wife doesn’t do (wife 90%, me 10%). She now has a measure of independence that leaves Da Da (better than “pops”) a little empty.
My wife and I left after a quick kiss and words of encouragement, the best I could come up with was…”Do Good”.
During the afternoon I went to pick up a single rose for her, as I did for my older daughter on her first day, and quickly got home in time to make a card for her, the girls walked through the front door at the same time as I placed the card under the vase on the dining room table, perfect timing for a pro-pro*. After the typical what did you do today, I asked, how was your first day of school? the reply:
IT WAS AWSOME!!!, WICKED!!! THE BEST DAY EVER!!!!
I can’t remember my first day of school, but I have this feeling the day unfolded the same for both my parents and I.
*pro-pro – profesional procrastinator.
Mike Ripley of Mudslinger Sports is to be commended, the High Cascades 100 was probably the most rider friendly support I’ve experienced in nearly 20 years of racing. The volunteers were organized, enthusiastic, and very efficient. At each of the 4 Aide stations I was greeted by a volunteer that took my bike, asked if I needed repairs, lubed my chain and pointed me in the direction of the food and hydration. I never had to fill my CamelBack as a volunteer took it from me and filled it with my choice HEED or H2O. At Aide #2-#3 I was handed an ice cold wet towel to clean my face, OUTSTANDING JOB!!!!!
The Marathon Pro performed Outstanding, allowing me to ride faster downhill and even though the engine was sputtering the Marathon hooked up awsome on the climbs.
Alone in the Forest
The race itself reminded me of the kinds of courses I raced in the early 90’s, truely epic, real mountain biking. My race was unspectacular, good pace to the first check point, 3 miles later no legs, 72 miles of railing down and climbing at a snails pace. I’m already looking forward to next year.
Chacho Cruising Sweet Singletrack
Big Larry, 50 and Flying
Quick report – I finished, Chacho finished and Big Larry finished. The course was great, the volunteers were beyond anything you could expect, and the weather, let’s just say, “Chamber of Commerce Day”.
