Local Wins World Title

Congrats to Jennie!
http://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=3520

Blog?

Sorry no time to blog, too busy working, sleeping and trying not to get my ass kicked too badly at races!
I do have a sweet new bike that fits like a glove, though. No excuces on that front.

Marcroft

A new concept!

Well, training has not been going too well, I haven't felt sick at all, even pretty good during the week, but the last 3 weekends I have been unable to ride, just sleep.
Today was my return to somewhat normality, I wasn't very fast, but I did get to put in a long ride with Stoked and Ed Harley. We went to Sultan, nice and steady,we even had reasonable weather. I suffered on Ed's wheel quite a bit, but at least I was out there. I know, once again, March and April will be Results free for me AGAIN this year, but I hopefully things will get better by May.

Let's see how I feel tomorrow! That will tell.

I am so looking forward to getting my new race bike built up, just waiting for the components. I think it will help my morale, and hopefully I'll reap the benefit of having ridden 28c tires all winter on my already heavy bike.

I saw my neighbours Marcroft rain bike tonight, it looks great.

Weekend Recap

Not that I want to go over what was a bad weekend, but here goes.
My freewheel broke on Saturday's ride, all I had was freewheel. Darren P was a hero, though, he rode home from McDonalds hill got his car, and a replacement wheel, and drove me home. Thanks DP I owe you one, or six.
I spent Sat afternoon working on my bike (and sulking!)
Sunday's ride started out promising, but wasn't too long before I figured out I didn;t feel too good. Maybe a coffee stop in Snohomish would help? NOT. I was sooo slow coming back High Bridge Rd. I just told Martha and Martin to leave me in my misery at 8 mph. They waited a few times, I wasn't getting better, eventually I told them "please leave me" and they did, I could always call if I was not going to make it.
Then the Husky Cycling team blew past me, Galen introudced me to them (now they'll know me as the slow old guy we saw in January!) as they passed.
I started to recover a bit after crossing hwy 9, and decide to take a shortcut and hooked up with Martha and Martin before Bothell and managed to stay with them to Logboom.
The one bright spot of the weekend was a good dinner with good friends on Sunday evening. Now let's try to be better next week.

Congrats to Kenny on making the Final of the scratch race at the LA World track cup this weekend!

Mick

Training mode and other things

Well, I'm trying to get into the swing of a training routine, and trying to ride a little faster (than 14mph!) I'm not doing too well, though we did have a great ride in awful conditions last Saturday.
There were 11 of us rode from "downtown" Arlington,Wa. mostly my Teammates, from Seattle and Bellingham, and Jason, Flavio and Mike from The Garage Team. It was 37 degrees as we left towards Darrington, on the 107 mile trek.
Well, as we neared Darrington it started to rain, then we saw the snow on the roadside and in the fields, that made it colder, plus it started to rain harder! Everyone was struggling to stay warm, and Robin was to turn back, until Ed Harley and I said we wouldn't let her go alone. She stuck it out and was really strong, as usual, by the end.
It was a great training ride, not too hard, but I know I was tired at the end, and felt it on Sunday's ride.
I must say Robin Secrist and Daisy from WWU were really impressive, they never struggled to keep up and took their fair share of pulls, and Daisy only started riding in the fall!

I also wanted to note that my former Club Mate won a Golden Globe award on Sunday night! Yes, though I never rode with him, didn't meet him either :-) But Daniel Day-Lewis was a member of the Emerald Cycling Club in Dublin, as I was. I heard he used to ride quite often back then, not sure if he still does.

I have a couple of photo's I need to post, My new look and my new Marcroft frame....It is really sweeeet!

Let's hope the roads clear up and we can ride this weekend!

Mileage Confessions

Jan 3rd 2008
Happy New Year

Well, seeems Stoked has started a trend by posting her mileage for 2007, so please forgive me for my sins....here are the details.
Total Mileage........................................... 13,029
biggest mileage month....May .................1,387
Longest Ride.............................................. 200 miles and on the tandem too!!!!
Total days off the bike in 2007................39

Tonight was a nasty ride home from work, was raining sideways. Shouldn't complain wasn't snow or Ice.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I hope you get some time off work to enjoy the season, and have some fun.
I have to pay for my sins of the past year and only get 1 day off!

Have a great Holiday

Mick

No such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes!

Well today was one of those classic northwest winter days, rain and 38 degrees, let's hope we don't have too many more.
Due to the fact that I didn't ride yesterday, plus the several pounds of chocolate I must have eaten at work this week, nothing was gonna stop me riding (well ice or snow would) today.

Low and behold, others had the same idea, as we had 10 show up for our team ride, and the Byrne Invent guys, who were originally planning on doing Snoqualmie Falls (that wasn't gonna happen!) had a good turnout too.

It was a nice ride around the lake if, like Stoked and I, you had enough clothes to keep you warm. The fact that everyone was on their rain bikes, and the weather kept the pace more mellow than has been the past few weeks.

We did the CycleU TT on weds too, and I'm happy to report my time was back to my first effort, 15.11. My next one is Jan 9th, I think with all the holiday goodies Stoked has been making, my chances of breaking 15 mins are nil, maybe Jan 23rd?

Crazy CCX riders

I went to watch the USGP in Portland, I was impressed by the toughness (or stupidity?) of those guys and gals racing in horrible conditions.
Here's a Frazz comic appropriate for winter riding that Splinter Wrenn posted

http://www.comics.com/comics/frazz/archive/images/frazz2007121018501.gif

Ireland and Other Events

Well, I'm not going to post any pics. Just want to say I had a fine time in Ireland, didn't drink as much as I might, being as I was the designated driver for the duration. I made up for it in pastries and cookies! That's all I ate between breakfast and dinner, washed down with tea or coffee, of course.
My sister and her husband had a slide show on Sunday evening, of their trip to India.

November 28th,

Well, a week later I discover this draft post!!! Happy Thanksgiving ;-)

Yes, my sister and her husband went to an Orphanage in India and spent 3 weeks cleaning it up and bought bedding and replaced windows with money they raised at their church in Ireland. Really cool gesture and an adventure for them too.

We then had a great turnout for the Thanksgiving day ride to benefit Northwest Harvest, with donations totalling $1,500 when all is said and done. Thanks to all who came and donated.

I took a day off work today, as I had two dentist visits to do, I had my crown put in this afternoon. First I went to the Orthodontist and discovered how much that treatment costs! more than my TT bike cost .... and she wants me to wear braces for 2 1/2 years. I do think I need to do it, as it will pay off in the long term, at least I hope.

I'm going to Portland this weekend to watch the US GP cross races, and help Gavin Mannion with anything he needs for the race. I raced with his dad in Ireland in the 80s, before he emirgrated to Boston. Gavin is 3rd overall in the Junior series heading into this weekend, chasing our own NW starlet, Steve Fischer.

M

Buckeye

I just want to tell everyone that has a CycloCross bike to appreciate what pnwbuckeye is doing for you this weekend and go out and RACE the Washington State CycloCross Champs as hard as you can.
You see, after suffering their first loss of the season last weekend, the Ohio State Buckeyes football team is playing a must win game (against the hated Michigan Wolverines) to get to the Rose Bowl, and their #1 fan is promoting a bike race for YOU!
So, go out there , have fun, and thank Joe for putting on great bike races. I would go but I will be on the other side of the world, visiting the old country (After last years efforts, there's no limits to how far I'd go to avoid a 'cross race).

Have fun, race hard and wear speedo's! and maybe gold body paint?

Mick

Good Weekend of Training

We had a dry weekend in Seattle, a rarity for November. As Stoked was out of town I got a long ride in on Sat, and another good ride in today.
We had This Guy and This guy on our ride, they ride on this guys Team. It was windy, and we rode across the Lowell Snohomish rd, the first guy tore our legs off, he was on his race bike, mind you.
After the ride I put new chains on both our bikes, hope they work ok! I also discovered we both, especially me, need new pulley wheels on our derailleurs.

Slainte

Breaking News

Stangelator posted to his Blog Enjoy, and let's take bets on when his next post will be!

I did the Cycle U 10k computrainer TT tonight, I forgot how to suffer, and got spanked, by a non racer, at least I think he is. He should be racing if he can do a 14.55 for that 10k! I did 15.11, only 8 secs off my best last March!

I will wear Axley (or Ginny) on my jersey for at least one race next year if Pruitt can break 15 mins!

Hasta

Thanksgiving Day Benefit Ride

Thanksgiving Ride to Benefit NW Harvest *
For at least the fifth consecutive year, members of the Seattle bike racing community will gather on Thanksgiving morning for a ride to benefit Northwest Harvest. Thanks to the generosity of local cyclists, this ride raises more than $500 each year for local food banks. The minimum suggested donation for the ride is $5 per rider. Riders will gather at 9:15 in the Leschi neighborhood for a social-paced ride around the south end of Lake Washington, departing at 9:30

Be there or be square.....or too round after dinner!

Gossip Column

She was 12 when he won his first tour?

Ashley Olsen dating Lance Armstong?
Actress Ashley Olsen is reported to be dating former Tour de France winner Lance Armstong.
According to US reports, the pair were spotted socialising together twice this week.
People magazine reports that the 21-year-old actress was seen with the 36-year-old cyclist at the Rose Bar in the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York on Monday night.
A source told the magazine: : "Lance was hanging with her, definitely. [Olsen] was very flirtatious, and was sitting on his lap."
The pair were also reportedly spotted at the Waverly Inn restaurant in New York on Wednesday night.

The Acrobats

That's the new local team that are gonna be the crit kings? Oh, I mean Adobe ;-)

Well, I got two nice rides in this weekend, south on Saturday and North on Sunday, and wet both days. It was the first good weekends riding I've had in about 6 weeks.

I also got my measurements for my new frame, will send them off tomorrow. It's gonna be a sweet custom job, you'll all want one when you see it!

Stoked has a fun team put together for next year, they are all excited to race and have fun together. That's what it's all about.

Later, Mick

Dog days

Well, It's about time to post again, but will I?

Maybe this weekend. Not much motivation for anything lately!

At The Dentist!

Went to the dentist this morning, It had been too long.
Now I have to pay! The bills are already looking to be in 4 figures, after Insurance pays their share. And that's only the beginning.

Do I want to spend mucho $$$ on braces?

Reality

Well, that day of rain sure brought an end to any hope of riding anything but fender bikes for the rest of the year.
That on top of two days in bed makes racing seem like months ago!

Work has not been much fun lately, don't know what's gonna happen there. Suddenly, after 9 years I've become a problem? To a manager who is 1 year with the company, and complaining will only make it worse. I expect to get demoted in the next few months. What the heck?

I am going to visit family in Ireland for 4 days in November (plus 2 days travelling), hopefully I won't go "Postal" before then!

Post Racing depression?

Not been feeling too chirpy this past week, is it post race depression, or the fact that my boss has been busting my chops? I even lost my "ride friendly" work schedule....That Sucks.

Oh, Yes go out and buy a MARCROFT winter bike!! or 'cross bike, If you're into that madness.