I do not necessarily like the task of shaving my face but I do like a good shave. In fact it was in the act of preparing to shave that I cut the tips of my fingers the other day - not a good start to my shave.
My wife of course loves a good shave but will tolerate me for a day or several if I stave off shaving on my days away from work (where I'm required to be clean shaven).
Legs are altogether another manner. Cyclist as a lot tend to shave their legs - most racers and a good percentage of recreational cyclists. I personally opt to shave infrequently at best their as well. At best during the racing season I do it once a week, sometimes though slipping to 2 weeks between. Off season it's catch as catch can.
I was listening to the Vuelta a Espana broadcast on Universal Sports the other day and one of the commentators mentioned that the race leader (Valverde) had actually shaved that day (he typically looks like he sports a couple days worth of beard); and it got me thinking.
With the time trial coming up perhaps he's shaving now and then purposely letting it grow so as to gain an advantage in his otherwise sub-par TT skills. By letting his hair grow just a little over the next few days he is gaining a tiny bit of grow to promote a better airflow (much like the boundary layer devices on aircraft) which pull down the air closer to the skin. This would smooth the airflow rather than have it leave in a turbulent manner, thus reducing drag and allowing the racer to go faster.
We shall see if my hypothesis is correct after Saturday's ever important TT - does he keep the Golden Jersey?
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Goodnight Armadillo!
Walking down the street in Orlando this evening I did not see:
Gorilla, or
Elephant, or
Lion, or
Giraffe, or
Hyena, or
Mouse.
but I swear I heard Armadillo say Goodnight!
Gorilla, or
Elephant, or
Lion, or
Giraffe, or
Hyena, or
Mouse.
but I swear I heard Armadillo say Goodnight!
Monday, September 14, 2009
If only
Tis getting to the end of the cycling season and the "if only's" are taking hold.
If only I had...
...done this,
...not done that,
...more of these,
...bought some of those,
...taken the advice of,
...not listened to,
Not to be confused with that you've done anything wrong in the past, but rather how you can improve in the future.
This is of course a good thing. Without the second guessing as to how you could have done better, which happens after every race, as well as every season - you might as well quit (and a lot of people do). I think you need that questioning of your performance to reignite the passion to try & succeed and meet your goals.
For example, I can attest to thinking during and immediately after every Ironman race I participated in (and I've done 9) that this will be the last one I ever do. It took as little as later that evening or the very next day to get the "if only's", and I was hooked into doing another one. Of course that's been over 10 years now - but I know I've got at least another one in me.
The "if only's" apply to life as well - what can I do to be a better husband, lover, father, friend, pilot, smoothie maker, blogger, etc.
A lot of people coast in their comfort zone without ever fully applying the "if only's" they themselves identify. I'm as guilty as that as anyone - as it takes time & commitment to continually apply the corrections or changes necessary.
I think athletes are better suited to try new things -especially when it applies to their athletic performance - though whether that makes them better at adapting to changes necessary in the rest of their life is an open question.
If only I had...
...done this,
...not done that,
...more of these,
...bought some of those,
...taken the advice of,
...not listened to,
Not to be confused with that you've done anything wrong in the past, but rather how you can improve in the future.
This is of course a good thing. Without the second guessing as to how you could have done better, which happens after every race, as well as every season - you might as well quit (and a lot of people do). I think you need that questioning of your performance to reignite the passion to try & succeed and meet your goals.
For example, I can attest to thinking during and immediately after every Ironman race I participated in (and I've done 9) that this will be the last one I ever do. It took as little as later that evening or the very next day to get the "if only's", and I was hooked into doing another one. Of course that's been over 10 years now - but I know I've got at least another one in me.
The "if only's" apply to life as well - what can I do to be a better husband, lover, father, friend, pilot, smoothie maker, blogger, etc.
A lot of people coast in their comfort zone without ever fully applying the "if only's" they themselves identify. I'm as guilty as that as anyone - as it takes time & commitment to continually apply the corrections or changes necessary.
I think athletes are better suited to try new things -especially when it applies to their athletic performance - though whether that makes them better at adapting to changes necessary in the rest of their life is an open question.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Strong...
...is what my wife is after nearly 2 months of gimping around on crutches - today being officially cleared to resume limited weight bearing activities (light walking, swimming, and stationary cycling) to get her strength back in her atrophied left leg. She begins PT next week. Plan has her resuming her flying in another 6-8 weeks depending on her progress.
It took only was 5 seconds to put her in the situation where the hay ride for my eldest daughter took an awful turn - resulting in my wife getting clipped in her left knee (like a linebacker blindsiding a QB) when the tractor driver popped the clutch prematurely. The tibial plateau fracture was surgically repaired to offset a divot that would have had her knock need and leading to premature osteoarthritis.
Folks don't try this at home - when that little voice says something may not be quite right - stop & listen.
Shortly after wifey's injury I came down with a bout of acute bronchitis - which drained my energy (just when I needed to step it up with taking care of our zoo) - lasting about 3 1/2 weeks. I'm finally breathing normally again and trying to get some fitness on the bike. Just as most are probably ready for the racing season to be over I'm looking forward to getting my butt in shape and being burnt out by the start of next season.
Well we're both on the mend and slowly returning to normal speed. I hope everybody's summer has gone better than ours.
It took only was 5 seconds to put her in the situation where the hay ride for my eldest daughter took an awful turn - resulting in my wife getting clipped in her left knee (like a linebacker blindsiding a QB) when the tractor driver popped the clutch prematurely. The tibial plateau fracture was surgically repaired to offset a divot that would have had her knock need and leading to premature osteoarthritis.
Folks don't try this at home - when that little voice says something may not be quite right - stop & listen.
Shortly after wifey's injury I came down with a bout of acute bronchitis - which drained my energy (just when I needed to step it up with taking care of our zoo) - lasting about 3 1/2 weeks. I'm finally breathing normally again and trying to get some fitness on the bike. Just as most are probably ready for the racing season to be over I'm looking forward to getting my butt in shape and being burnt out by the start of next season.
Well we're both on the mend and slowly returning to normal speed. I hope everybody's summer has gone better than ours.
Friday, June 26, 2009
RD Challenge
Gotta post something or be culled from the Pru-Dogs blog.
There are so many good bike routes that have great potential to have races on that require way too much staff to properly man - and racing suffers as a result. Many of the courses we race on year after year are plain boring. Of course my definition or interpretation of racing may differ from yours - I like a challenge, both from the individual racers & the tactics, as well as from the course itself.
Look at the recent Boston Harbor CR to pick an example. Just 4 simple corners with a few rollers, but could be expanded to utilize much more of that great portion of the northern Olympia area, but would require more corner marshals.
More corners, more hills, more variety - instead we settle for a decent course designed for safe racing for all categories making due with what's available. Of course if they'd expand the loop then we'd call it a RR instead. Ravensdale same thing - not the 4-corners race, but the simple loop (which you do enough loops and it's long enough to call it a RR); though it's just an expanded Seward Park (which requires minimal staffing).
We need more turns, more hills, on challenging roads - along the lines of races like the Independence Valley RR which is fairly simple to staff and has good variety while being quite technical. Though if it's too tough people won't show (look at what happens when they go up the S curves at PR), unless it's got a fun factor (the difference between Crystal Mtn Hill Climb & Mt Baker).
We need to break out of the mold to discover new courses or a makeover of some present ones. I think RD's get lazy and offer what's been successful in the past without thinking of how to keep things fresh. Same thing for some area Crit's. Of course attendance is maybe the bottom line and whatever gets folks to sign up & race with the minimum effort is the means to an end.
When I looked at the Glenwood RR course I could've gone for the simple 10 mile loop and settled for the 3 corner option and a boring false flattish sprint finish. It would've required 6 corner marshals. Instead I spiced it up and we have 7 corners over a 15+ mile loop which require 14 marshals and a challenging little ramp for the finish. Is it perfect? Not by any means; too much traffic on a few roads. Not a friendly course for Juniors or those who get dropped outside the confines of the rolling enclosure. And I need to find a better feed zone.
So I've been looking to tinker with it, maybe run it backwards, do a figure 8, or shorten it to a CR with the 5.5 mile loop on the east side of Glenwood keeping the same finish and all the short rollers with the one fast flattish section by the old Pt Orchard Airport. Maybe getting a couple of different west side courses set up for a new CR series.
I've got ideas - and like a lot of other RD's I just don't have a lot of manpower to staff some of the expanded courses as I'd like to really run. Is there a solution to the manpower issue? One idea I'm looking at is getting some non-profit groups and their members involved and committed for the long term for a piece of the cut and not relying on various bike racing teams themselves. Friends & family you can only tap into for so long. Without a big budget benefactor hiring manpower is not an option. If I can get the bodies I can do anything.
There are so many good bike routes that have great potential to have races on that require way too much staff to properly man - and racing suffers as a result. Many of the courses we race on year after year are plain boring. Of course my definition or interpretation of racing may differ from yours - I like a challenge, both from the individual racers & the tactics, as well as from the course itself.
Look at the recent Boston Harbor CR to pick an example. Just 4 simple corners with a few rollers, but could be expanded to utilize much more of that great portion of the northern Olympia area, but would require more corner marshals.
More corners, more hills, more variety - instead we settle for a decent course designed for safe racing for all categories making due with what's available. Of course if they'd expand the loop then we'd call it a RR instead. Ravensdale same thing - not the 4-corners race, but the simple loop (which you do enough loops and it's long enough to call it a RR); though it's just an expanded Seward Park (which requires minimal staffing).
We need more turns, more hills, on challenging roads - along the lines of races like the Independence Valley RR which is fairly simple to staff and has good variety while being quite technical. Though if it's too tough people won't show (look at what happens when they go up the S curves at PR), unless it's got a fun factor (the difference between Crystal Mtn Hill Climb & Mt Baker).
We need to break out of the mold to discover new courses or a makeover of some present ones. I think RD's get lazy and offer what's been successful in the past without thinking of how to keep things fresh. Same thing for some area Crit's. Of course attendance is maybe the bottom line and whatever gets folks to sign up & race with the minimum effort is the means to an end.
When I looked at the Glenwood RR course I could've gone for the simple 10 mile loop and settled for the 3 corner option and a boring false flattish sprint finish. It would've required 6 corner marshals. Instead I spiced it up and we have 7 corners over a 15+ mile loop which require 14 marshals and a challenging little ramp for the finish. Is it perfect? Not by any means; too much traffic on a few roads. Not a friendly course for Juniors or those who get dropped outside the confines of the rolling enclosure. And I need to find a better feed zone.
So I've been looking to tinker with it, maybe run it backwards, do a figure 8, or shorten it to a CR with the 5.5 mile loop on the east side of Glenwood keeping the same finish and all the short rollers with the one fast flattish section by the old Pt Orchard Airport. Maybe getting a couple of different west side courses set up for a new CR series.
I've got ideas - and like a lot of other RD's I just don't have a lot of manpower to staff some of the expanded courses as I'd like to really run. Is there a solution to the manpower issue? One idea I'm looking at is getting some non-profit groups and their members involved and committed for the long term for a piece of the cut and not relying on various bike racing teams themselves. Friends & family you can only tap into for so long. Without a big budget benefactor hiring manpower is not an option. If I can get the bodies I can do anything.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Butt hard
Down in SFO early today and heading out about 1PM for my nice loop ride. I was feeling good until coming down the hill to Pacifica when I realized the wind was blowing, and hard, out of the south. This is atypical and caught me completely off guard.
So I slogged into the wind, which aided by the coastal overcast made for cool & blustery conditions; very much different from just the other side of the coast range (Santa Cruz Mountains). Turned off of the main road at Lobitos Creek cut-off for a 2 mile climb to intercept the remainder of the Tunitus Creek climb - all in all a 9.5 mile 2500' affair. This was a climb on this years TdCA and one that I frequent when I'm on a SFO layover. The TdCA must've had some influence because gone were the numerous cracks and ruts that makes this road great for climbing but a nightmare for descending. Though I swear the reasonably new asphalt was making the climb slower, albeit smoother. I'll save my review of the descent for another day, as I've been too chicken head down.
On other rides up this climb though the redwoods I've had some wonderful experiences, often passing several others on the way. Not today! Not only was it a solitary effort - but an effort that really showcased my lack of training and fitness. Either that or I can blame it on the fact that I forgot to eat anything until mid-climb and was running on empty.
On the way back toward the airport on top of Skyline Blvd the fog was rolling up and over the road in several spots with gusto, blowing me sideways and forcing me to pedal harder than I wanted on the descent when faced into the wind. Still a good day to be out and look forward to my rematch next week.
So I slogged into the wind, which aided by the coastal overcast made for cool & blustery conditions; very much different from just the other side of the coast range (Santa Cruz Mountains). Turned off of the main road at Lobitos Creek cut-off for a 2 mile climb to intercept the remainder of the Tunitus Creek climb - all in all a 9.5 mile 2500' affair. This was a climb on this years TdCA and one that I frequent when I'm on a SFO layover. The TdCA must've had some influence because gone were the numerous cracks and ruts that makes this road great for climbing but a nightmare for descending. Though I swear the reasonably new asphalt was making the climb slower, albeit smoother. I'll save my review of the descent for another day, as I've been too chicken head down.
On other rides up this climb though the redwoods I've had some wonderful experiences, often passing several others on the way. Not today! Not only was it a solitary effort - but an effort that really showcased my lack of training and fitness. Either that or I can blame it on the fact that I forgot to eat anything until mid-climb and was running on empty.
On the way back toward the airport on top of Skyline Blvd the fog was rolling up and over the road in several spots with gusto, blowing me sideways and forcing me to pedal harder than I wanted on the descent when faced into the wind. Still a good day to be out and look forward to my rematch next week.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Knee
OK so it's been 6 months since the Doc supposedly fixed my left knee - so how come it still feels weaker and less stable than previously?
I've been hesitant to do any artificial weight bearing activity at the gym - letting it fully heal and not hurrying myself back too quickly while risking further damage to the inner workings of the joint. So with my occasionally infrequent & erratic cycling schedule bringing my cardio fitness slowly back to par, I will now try to solidify and strengthen the knee to balance out my full recovery.
I should be ready for the season to begin for 2010.
OK maybe 2011.
I've been hesitant to do any artificial weight bearing activity at the gym - letting it fully heal and not hurrying myself back too quickly while risking further damage to the inner workings of the joint. So with my occasionally infrequent & erratic cycling schedule bringing my cardio fitness slowly back to par, I will now try to solidify and strengthen the knee to balance out my full recovery.
I should be ready for the season to begin for 2010.
OK maybe 2011.
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