Rain Rain

My bike is in the shop. Getting a new bottom bracket and they'll tightening up the hubs for me. Thought it was my headset but a loose hub was giving me trouble on the control. Looking forward to a tight re-energized ride. Now a new pair of shoes would also add to my performance. Ship-po, one of our dogs, has recently developed a fondness for my foot wear. Bontrager is coming out with a new shoe.

Tomorrow is the WORS mega event the 'Subaru Cup.' We''ll see how the bike rides. The Wednesday night races are cancelled indefinitely. Some photos of the devastation the recent and continuous storms have wrought. Sure there will be plenty of trail work as the WORS and WEMS races approach. The flood waters washing through the channel near my home attract the gulls as they swoop down on small fish and large tadpoles. Found this guy still breathing on the path along our flood wall and threw him back in.
To the west the trails are flooded and blocked with fallen trees so I took a ride to the lake. They finished that bridge at the Lake Shore State Park so it is an easy ride along the lake bypassing the Summerfest grounds. Was a good ride outside of trying to get from the 6th Street Bridge to the Third Ward. The new Canal Street corridor is very bike friendly. A confusing mess to get through the First Ward.

Found this blog on gardening that links to an endless stream of garden blogs. Been doing a bit of work on my own piece of God's good earth. Some parts looking fairly nice while most is still unkempt. Go around helping my parents, my Church and others with their yards and properties during the week, and have the retail business and MTB competitions taking up my entire weekend. Still getting some time in to send out some resumes and develop my own design projects. Have to get down and do some more writing too.

The begonia in the planter gets too much direct sun here and the cosmos, phlox and black eyed Susan's are slowly coming to life. The sedum are always fine. The wet weather actually makes it easier to weed. The vegetable garden however has been doing poorly. The trouble with planting the leafy crops early is rabbits. They don't have much else good to eat. The only thing we have coming up are the radishes and some spinach I planted a couple weeks after the first planting.

Here is Tun-tun yesterday watching my wife slice up some liver. He is very concerned about our diet. He still hangs on. His breathing is getting more difficult the last couple days.

Its fun to help people and I'm always happy to give all these free endorsements. That's why everyone speaks so highly of me.

A Proper Diet

Today is 'National Donut Day,' though the prominent posting on the MSN home page, lacking any reference to the more traditional remembrances, has come down. Started in 1917 it is actually related to the care of our troops.Pick N Save is advertising 10 Cliff bars for $10. My wife didn't buy any but she did pick up some donuts. Last week my wife (not shown) was in jubilation over finding this 10 lb bag of pancake mix for what she said was an incredibly low price. Good for waffles too, with whipped cream and maple syrup. A fried egg with ham and a cup of coffee rounded out breakfast.

People always want to take a sympathetic tone and say that if I really try I can lose weight. Like I'm just supposed to stop eating but I don't have the will. No, it's because I feel like crap, just plain ill, and can't get anything done if I can't eat properly. To have a proper approach just based on your diet requires almost professional advice, not to mention time and money spent on the proper foods, if not outright hiring a personal chef. All things I can't afford or take time to coordinate. Not that I eat too much. I have milk with protein powder or a meal replacement bar on occasion for lunch. Some of the bars are really old and hard. The ones where the wrapper blows up like a balloon I tend to throw away. My brother successfully follows diet programs all the time and his results are minimal. Sometimes your fighting your genes.

Also, I have an alternative that I know works and fits into my desired lifestyle. Before being aware of all my health problems and their seriousness I already started exercising regularly and building muscle mass which had positive effects in my weight 'control'. What really started to work in regards to weight 'loss' was intense physical activity, namely in competition. Outside of being physically active nearly the entire day I can actually lose a pound a week, if not more, during race season.

Another alternative may be to exercise three hours a day or longer. Never achieved that winter training goal and seldom get out for rides longer than 18 miles. Need a few long rides to get ready for the Reforestation Ramble, the one marathon XC event this year in the WORS schedule. Some soft short inclines but most of the double track is firmer than the Nine Mile Forest double track was.

I tend to eat healthier and even less when I get my body into the fat burning mode. Supplements help in that regard too. I tend to take them in different combinations and on an irregular basis. Too much of anything isn't good for you. All is for naught if I can't get enough sleep.

The Nine Mile Start and my finish. Great job by my beautiful wife on the finish!

Nine Mile

First time for me at the WORS Big ring Classic in Nine Mile Forest outside of Wausau. Drove up Sunday morning as the sun rose. The event did not disappoint. 2 1/2 lbs lighter than the last race. I was actually hoping to catch a smaller field and up my position in the series standing but this was the largest so far this year. The largest WORS race so far this year.

A nemesis of old rose out of the abyss. Passing me in the middle of the second lap I finished a minute behind him despite soundly defeating him in the first two races. At the simply fantastic post race refreshments I found him grinning. He claimed that he had to stop twice to rehang his chain after he passed me.

"And then you had to carry two downed racers to safety before returning to your bike.... right?" I added.

I was slightly dehydrated, my tire pressure was too low and I had slept less than an hour the night before. It could have been different. He complimented me on how fast I was through the single track. That would be single track I had never seen before the race start. Yeah, I'm not without skills..... Or maybe he said that to make himself look better.....

This years designated nemesis failed to impress this race. Went back and forth with him several times throughout the race. Here is a photo caught by the parents of an outstanding young professional (career wise) participant at the end of the first lap. Myself leading slightly, my wife happened to catch us a few moments later (or earlier?) on our camera.

Though he didn't believe he could catch me, spurred on with a challenge by some one we'll call 'Wally' my nemesis came to catch me at the end. The person we'll call 'Wally' led him forward and then jumped in front of me before a section of single track. Spending that section trying not to ride up on his back tire and not knowing he had carried my designated nemesis with him, I didn't pass until the next opening. The person we'll call 'Wally' couldn't keep up.

On the second to final long stretch, as I approached a 90 degree direction change the designated nemesis flew by me into the turn. If I had been on top of things I would have immediately peddled hard in behind him and mimicked him through the turn. Not taking the turn as fast he took quite a lead. Another 90 degree direction change into the final stretch found me well over a good stone's throw behind. Pushed it hard and started closing the gap quickly. May very well have caught him if a young participant/spectator hadn't yelled, "Pump it up." Don't know which of us he was yelling at but the designated nemesis turned to look and managed to barely not loose his immense advantage.

Here is a story that might inspire some younger competitors.

I've Been Slimed!

The magic is back. They cut back the number of prizes this year for Wednesday night racing but I walked away with a slime tube, which I may never use. Additional tire weight is equivalent to twice the weight added to the frame per rotational inertia, at least when accelerating and braking. I have to adjust my headset. It is loose and gave me problems in the race. Finished five minutes faster than last week..... but so did everyone else.

Work, a wedding and two birthdays kept me up much of the weekend. Lack of sleep and an all you can eat buffet is a bad combination. Take away the festivities and attending the WEMS race may have been a wiser choice in regards to my weight, but I gave up the first endurance race of the season. Hope I can make 9 Mile.

Another mountain bike movie, "Home" out on the market. Funny I didn't see it on the marquee when my brother, whom I seldom see, and I went to see "Speed Racer" Sunday night. I had a flashback to my childhood as they approach the Grand Prix. Thought the movie would end and leave me hanging for seemingly endless reruns until I could see the conclusion. We actually really enjoyed it.

Been lucky with the bugs this year, and most of last year. I find that when needed Cutter Outdoorsman water resistant sport formula stick repellant actually lasts through a race. Douse the clothes with OFF but it's minimally effective. Sun screen is a good idea too.

Spring Has Sprung

Wednesday night racing started last night at Crystal Ridge ski hill. The course was rugged. Hard, rutted and bumpy through Kevin's Heaven, more like a rock garden of hardened earth rather than stone. Most of the course ran well. Though many parts were new this year compared to last year the course ran the same time wise. With my laps averaging just under 35 minutes I am doing 8 minutes overall better than last year and felt good through the end of the third lap. Didn't win any raffle prizes even though I needed another new tube. Picked up a nail last week and am down to one new spare. Why God! Why!

Believe it or not there is more to Spring than Wednesday night races. The peach tree I planted a few years ago bloomed big for the first time this year. Misao is excited that we might get some fruit. Also planted a Holly to shade this basement window to block the glare. My wife works at a table under the window.

Not too patient in the gardening area so I tend to plant the radishes, lettuces and spinach and such that can tolerate the cooler spring temperatures. Especially this Spring and we all know it's the weatherman's fault. Spent three plus hours vigorously pulling weeds, mixing and turning soil at Church. Harder on ones back than any ride.

Another sign of Spring. I found this Crane egg on our flood wall coming back on one of my recent rides. Obviously pirated by gulls. (GO Brewers!)

Here's an interesting product someone posted on the WORS message board. Yes people are ranting about gel packs littering the trails and passing among other things.

And the evil evasive (or invasive) species infecting our natural environments garlic-mustard dominates parts of the trail at Hoyt Park. I stopped last week to pull some out before it goes to seed. Met the Beer-man on my way home as he was biking to Harley Woods to meet the DNR about that bear. He said it was futile to pull the stuff up when the river will just carry more in and the seeds last for years.

Thanks Beer-Man. My life is an exercise in futility. Meaningless. I'll just go home and sulk in the corner with my dog that's dying.

There's a country song in there somewhere.... Always wash your bike to stop the spread of evasive species.

Chillfest 2

It was just plain cold at the Grand Geneva Resort for WORS 'Treadfest 2.' The second year for this event and the second year of deep chill. It didn't rain on the Elite racers this year and their race being later in the day they surely considered the conditions perfect.

A beautiful setting, this picture was taken during the final race. The course challenging mind and body the entire way, with some changes from last year. That ten foot drop appearing straight down and a straight up on the other side... fantastic. Just peddle into it, take the G's and fly up the other side. An exclusive course not open to the public. Built by racers for racers.

The overall citizen results showed the course a couple minutes longer than last year and I finished over a minute faster. Marked improvement though I only finished 10th out of a field of 18. The citizen Clydesdale 35+ category the largest field of racers so far this year, with many accomplished WORS competitors. I have buried those I was chasing last year in the series competition and have two reachable challenges before me. Fifth in the series, the difference between me and the gentleman in fourth is 20lbs. Still heavier than I was last year losing a pound a week isn't enough. Hope to get to 240 (245 on the WORS scale) by my birthday, mid-July.

The cold means nothing after the start. The opening climbs, with an intimidating downhill in between spread out the field. Weaving through two or three crashes in the opening sections of single track I entering one section and noticed a rustling in the bushes. Vaguely made out a racer. I'm still wondering how he got so deep into the bushes.

Was discouraged by the clock after my first lap, not realizing it was ten minutes off. A 31 minute first lap followed by a 34+ minute lap. Nothing to challenge me in the second lap. No Clydes to chase in front of me and no one challenging from behind. Only a few women racers, starting three(?) minutes behind, actually passed me. Hopefully that wont happen in future races.

I couldn't find the rock garden though I got some video shots of the Sport leaders on the bench and the Elite start. For photos I tried the scenic setting on the camera rather than the sport setting to keep the flash from going off in the forested sections.

A wedding will keep me from the first WEMS race of the season. Wednesday night races begin tomorrow at Crystal Ridge.

Treadfest Start

Iola Start

Iola Bump and Jump 2008

Part of the parking at the Iola WORS MTB race.

The course was a tad slower than last year with some wet areas that, depending on how heavy you are, felt like 'putting your car into low gear', as one racer described it. The climbs were a struggle for me with the soft earth. Compared to the dust fest of last year it is hard to deny some rider's claims that 'the course was perfect.'

The race tempo revealed that my bike needs slight adjustments to the rear derailleur. My worn back tire failed to lift me over a large root on a climb. Actually could drop to the small ring but the shifting still isn't perfect. All in all the bike did well.

I'm still coughing stuff up out of my lungs and I was a touch dehydrated. I also weighed in 6 lbs above my weight of last year at this same race. Never got near my training goals over the Winter either. But all that was incidental.

The real problem was not fueling my body properly. Frustration over my weight gain kept me from eating much as the race approached. Friday morning I went out for a ride without breakfast. I had a big spaghetti dinner Saturday, the night before, but as one of my competitors mentioned, after the race, you need to start getting the proper carbs/nutrition into your system four(?) days before the race. As soon as the race started I knew I was running on empty. A big bowl of peanut butter Captain Crunch before I left home at 6:00 am, an energy bar and sport drink were about all I had to keep me going. I had more energy 'finishing' the Rhinelander marathon race (20 miles) last year than I had at any point in this race (10 miles). I was passed by a couple of fellow Clydesdales in the second lap which is something that usually never happens after the first lap.

Well. I defeated some riders I was chasing last year. One said this was the first time he had been on his bike this year and another had surgery over the winter. Several in my race classification commented on my strong start (I thought my legs would give out any minute). Ultimately I was over 5 1/2 minutes faster than last year. At 39 minute laps it may appear I am far from laps under 30 minutes but..... I'm not.

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