The Game Plan

I'm still on a bit of a high from my race on Saturday. Nice to know that my work is paying off and it really motivated me for what's till to come. This week won't be exactly what I want due to a trailcare day on Saturday, but I'll get some good work in anyway.

Today I really wish I'd had my camera when I went out to "The Farm" to start working on the tree that fell on the MTNX course. It was HUGE! I cannot express to you how big that fuckin' thing was. The CIC (our DH/MTNX director) and the AOL ( my LBS wrench and the best damn freerider I know personally) met me out there and we went to work. I think we got everything I could with the equipment we have. The rest is saved for the pro's. We need to get it moved so we can get dirt brought in next weekend and the fact that it was covering the last berm!

Tomorrow I'm meeting Higgs and we're going to start trimming back the trails. That will leave us less to do next weekend. Between all this, I'll find time to keep training.

Monday-off
EZ RIT ride-2 hrs.

Tuesday-days
Tempo run-25 minutes

Wednesday-days
Tempo bike-20 miles

Thursday-days
EZ run-30 minutes

Friday-6p-2a
Long Bike-4 hrs.

Saturday-6p-2a
Trailwork

From the Outhouse to the Penthouse

So my day started off a little rocky. I was running late out of the house then missed my turn to the park in Chillicothe. I finally got there and got registered. I went back to the Jeep to change clothes and decided I better drain the weasle before I warmed up. Only one problem......they had TWO Johnnies and the lines were out of control. I finally did my thang and my warm-up consisted of my run from the head to the start/finish line. So I'm already flustered as the race starts. Then a block in I realize that I never started the HRM that I ran all over hell to find a battery for. I start it and the sound mode is on.......anoying! So I just turned the thing off. I put my head down and ran mad.

I had a very good pace going for me and nearly blew up at the end. I came across at 24:27, a new PR and over 2 minutes faster than my last 5K 2 months ago. To top it all off I won this.


This thing was like a $60 gear bag. It is sweet as hell. I finished the day off working on trail at Black Partridge.

Hopefully Howie is still going strong at his 12 hr. race. He should have about 90 minutes left. Roll on, Milkman!

Pre 5K Mode

So I'm on my 4-day weekend, just relaxin' a little bit before tomorrow's River Run for Wellness. I got a quick 20 minute run in this morning and then went grocery shopping for this week's grub. I spent the rest of the day between Ades ordering Tri shorts and then on into Peoria for some Elete and a battery for my HRM. Scored a new battery, but the Elete had to be ordered. No biggie, I have enough to get me through the next week.

Tomorrow's run starts at 8 a.m, so I need to be up by 6 and getting some grub in me. I'll stick to the oatmeal/coffee breakfast and a Red Bull on my way. That seems to be working so far. I'll also mix up some Heed for after the race. When the race is done it's off to Black Partridge park in Metamora to start the ADA trail there.

Not sure what my goal for a time is tomorrow. I just want to feel good and finish strong and have a smarter race from w/u to finish.

Aerobar Report

Oddly enough, I didn't mind them too much. I took them out yesterday for a hard effort ride. I ended up at 22 miles just over an hour. I was really hoping to be faster, but I'll take it. Anyway, the aerobars took me some getting used to, but all in all weren't too bad. I tilted my saddle down slightly as recomended by all that I talked to. My junk was still feelin the pressure at about the 13 mile, but it wasn't too terrible.

I guess my biggest adjustment was I shifted late or not at all sometimes. I was reluctant getting out to make the shift. As I got more comfortable, I was able to make the shift and keep an arm in the bars. My handling was also a little "twitchy" early on, but that smoothed out also. JHiggs has a different style bar I might try and compare next week.

Speaking of new stuff. Here's my new Bell Ghisallo road helmet.


Two days of hard efforts has my legs a little dead today. I'm going to get in an EZ run today and a spin on the RIT tomorrow if the weather holds.

Good Race at the 'Poo

Once again the KMBC folks put on a great race. Numbers were down a little, but the race was a success in spite of it. 81 racers on possibly the best trails in Illinois. Two injuries to speak of. A two broken collarbones, broken rib and a punctured lung. That's a lot of carnage for one XC race.










Of course Higgy couldn't leave home without his Scooby sheets!

Got the aero bars installed today. I'm a little aprehensive about them, but if I don't give them a try, I'll never really know. Tomorrow I'll give them a whirl on a quick 20 mile tempo ride.





I'll take tips from anybody. I'm a lost ball in the tall weeds right now with them.

Weekly Plan of Attack

I need to have a good week this week. I have a 5K on Saturday in Chilicothe. The River Run for Wellness. I'm not going to "prep for it at all, just count it as a tempo run. I'm all about getting ready for July 16th right now. That means steppin' it up.

Monday/4-mid
tempo run-25 minutes

Tuesday/4-mid
tempo ride-20 miles

Wednesday/4-mid
EZ run

Thursday/4-mid
RIT 2 hrs.

Friday/off
EZ run

Saturday/off
River Run for Wellness 5K

Easy $$$

So I "passed" my physical fitness bonus test today. I was worried for nothing really. Actually the sit-ups were the hardest and I still had 21 secondes left to go. Which was good because I almost blew myself up. I expected the bench and sit/reach to be no problem at all, at it wasn't. We finished with the 1.5 mile run. That was just a tempo run for the week and it went pretty good. I started a bit slower than I would have liked, but I turned it on at the end. So, 60 minutes later I'm $300 richer. Easiest money I've ever made.

Just need to finish off with a slow run tomorrow and then try and get a nice long trail ride in at Kickapoo on Saturday. Race #2 of the I-74 Series on Sunday. We'll see if Howie gets that new composite NRS ready to race.

Payin' The Price This Week

For my weekend of terrible eating. Went home for Mother's Day and of course poured the bad food down my pie-hole like it was going out of style. Bar burgers and assortments of fried foods and beer........not exactly duathlon worthy training fuels. I followed it up with the family breakfast BUFFET this morning. Had someone cut me, I'd have bled sausage gravy! Now I need to pay for it! Thursday is my Fitness Bonus test. 1.5 mile run, bench, sit-ups, sit and reach.

So here's the schedule for the week:

Monday/days
Tempo run-26 minutes

Tuesday/days
EZ bike-90 minutes

Wednesday/2-10
EZ run-20 minutes

Thursday/2-10
Fitness Bonus test

Friday/days
EZ run-30 minutes

Saturday/off
Trail ride at Kickapoo

No Group Ride at K'Poo Today

This Rainy November like weather is starting to piss me off. I was really looking forward to a long day on the trails, but due to the rain, that won't be happening. There is a chance I'll get a run in at Mahomet's Lake of the Woods with Billy, but we'll have to see about that. Working 'til 2 a.m. and no riding has lessened my enthusiasm today.

I'll still be heading over though to see my mom for Mom Day. I'll also get a chance to see a couple old buddies I grew up with so it will be a nice trip. I'm also meeting Craig from Kickapoo for dinner tonight and drop off some Kona Swag. for their race next weekend.



Now that run does sound intriguing. I wouldn't mind testing these Yanks Laces I bought yesterday. I figure I'd give a shot to see if they will be worth using in my Du coming up in July.

I Did It!

The Meschnark to Meschnark Run that is. That means from our place to the Tiffster's parents on South Trivoli Road. 6.5 miles from point A to Point B. I really was struggling this morning and went through quite a range of emotions. Higgins called at th heat my anguish and set me straight. Now I feel great to have accomplished it. More to come later. The week is going very well so far as I'm getting all my rides and runs in so far. Hopefully the weather holds off so I can hit the RIT tomorrow.

Relaxed and Refreshed.....Now Back To Work

Now that I'm feelin' like my old self again, I'm ready to get back after it. This weekend was perfect. The show on Friday with Tiffany and a great ride on the trails with Les today was just what I needed.


Stag Gettin' Ready to Take Flight!
Now for the week ahead:

Monday/off
Tempo run-24 minutes

Tuesday/4-midnight
EZ ride-2 hrs

Wednesday/2-10
Long run-6.5 miles

Thursday/2-10
EZ bike on the RIT-2 hrs

Friday/6-2
EZ run-30 minutes

Saturday/off (vacation day taken)
group ride at Kickapoo

My Happy Place

Well, one of them anyway. That's where I was last night when Tiffany and I got away for the night and went to see The Woodbox Gang. They are as nice as they are talented and it is always a treat to see them. Tiffany and I had a great time and it was a shot in the arm for me. I, admittingly have been a bit of a horse's ass lately and have been stressed out. I was in bed by 9 p.m. all week and didn't do much training since the beginning of the week. Last night was just what the doctor ordered.

Can't lay blame for the stress on any one thing. Work, club stuff, whatever. It all just added up and overtook me a little bit. I work tonight 6-2 but then have a couple days off. I'm going to head out to "The Farm" tomorrow and have fun. Just enjoy the trails, the DH and the cross course. Just me and some bro's. Then I hope to be back at it for a nice Tempo run on Monday morning and get back in the swing of things.

Late!

It Must Be Me

It seems like somehow over the course of the day I mangaed to piss off most of the people around me. Aparently I am too "brash". At least that's how one person put it. Guilty as charged!! I make no bones about it. I don't try to upset people, I just calls 'em likes I sees'em. I don't know any other way. I'm honest, brutaly honest, to a fault at times. IT would seem my co-workers don't like to be told not to abuse their county issued radios when they are in the field. A couple of them don't understand that not everything is an emergency. They'll panic, use air space and we'll all lose the luxury of having them.

Tomorrow is another day. Maybe I can get through it without pissing too many people off.