New PRO - NOT PRO Diet

Tired of the temperatures getting lower & the scales numbers getting higher?
Are you a real hardcore cyclist or at least wanna be this year?  If you are (or want to be), this new diet may be for you.  First you have to decide if you are truly a hardcore cyclist.  Here's a little quiz to test ya ....Do you know who this is in the pic below?

If I say "Giro", "precipitation",  and "Andy", what comes to mind?  And what is a "Festina" and what does it have to do with cycling?

If you know these right off the top of your head, this diet is for you.  It's based on a rather simple concept ... no points, no crazy calculations, no label reading, no mailman delivering meals -- basically no nonsense.  Here's how it works ... every time when you open your yap to put something in it, you have to decide if it is PRO or NOT PRO.   At the end of each day, you must reflect on how many times you answered PRO or NOT PRO.  If you consistently noting PRO much more predominantly than NON PRO (and being brutally honest with yourself), chances you are on the right path.  So here's some guidance:

PRO:  modest serving of oatmeal or raisin bran or two egg whites plus 1 whole egg scrambled-- NOT PRO:  4 egg, ham & cheese omelette with a side of corn beef hash
PRO:  turkey on wheat w/veggies, no mayo, side salad w/sprinkle of olive oil -- NOT PRO:  Philly cheesesteak with fries
PRO:  grilled  Ahi, sweet potato & green veggies -- NOT PRO:  The 16 oz "king cut" filet with mashed potatoes & gravy
PRO:  a glass of wine w/dinner -- NOT PRO:  a bottle of wine w/dinner

There you have it.  Simple, straightforward and just like your training log -- if you're not honest, you're only cheating yourself

Sneeuwschoenen

 

Have ya been doin' the Sneeuwschoenen thing?  Ya gotta face a few basic facts of life here in CNY & upstate NY ... one of those undeniable facts is that it IS gonna get cold and snowy for a relatively sizable chunk of the calendar.  Sorry kids, just no way around it if you truly "live" here and call this place home.  This pretty much leaves you with two choices come snowflake season .. you can hibernate or you can celebrate. 

So sneeuwschoenen ? ... we're talking celebrate.   The sneeuwschoenen (or snowshoes) scene seems to have inched just a bit closer to becoming a mainstream winter fitness activity here in da 'Cuse.  A quick peek at the local "events" calendars for Jan & Feb show three snowshoe races  (Highland Forest, which was last weekend and upcoming events at Sunnycrest & Beaver Lake parks).   There's also a NYS series, a state champs, a New England series, Empire State Winter Games, and stuff all over place if you look for it. 

You lackin' da sneeuwschoenen?  Rent'em.  Various options all around town.  This way you get to test drive 'em without the commitment.  Get out to Highland or Green Lakes or wherever.  Check out the scene on-line and then get out there.

Surf's Up . . .

Sorry for the lack of posts. The holidays tend to sap anything resembling inspiration from me. The good news is that the holidays are behind us and I've been logging plenty of outdoor base miles. It seems like more and more people are coming around to the idea of riding outside through the winter. That said, there are still plenty of people that think sliding around dodging snowplows is crazy. I wrote a post on surviving the challenges of winter riding last year, so I won't go that route again, but I will say this: These are some of the best rides of the year. Each season brings with it variations in training and mindset. Spring for me is for the local classic road races. Summer is for Tuesday Night races and Fall is for CX. Winter is for long rides on sketchy roads on a slow heavy bike with nothing to worry about but base miles. Wind it up to Z2/3, and let the conversation flow. Hill repeats have their time and place and I look forward to those workouts, but nothing clears the head or raises the spirits like 3-4 hours of riding in the cold and snow.

I must admit that there are moments, on unavoidable roads with icy shoulders and cars that are annoyed you're out there, it can get a little dicey. The prospect of getting mowed down in the summer by some idiot trying to text their wife that they're picking up KFC for dinner certainly crosses your mind, but it does seem that the frequency of driver stupidity increases in the winter months. I'm assuming that some of them are pissed that we're tying up their roads in the winter now too! Some of them are probably a little agitated already because it's 14 degrees out and their car is freezing since the window is open so they can smoke. On the other hand, there are just as many people that are impressed and happily wave.

One thing is for sure, the risks are higher, but the gratification is higher. I used to listen to some surfer dude or skydiver on TV say something like "hey bro, if this is how I die, I died doing what I love." Or, "If I get eaten by a shark, that's cool man, circle of life bro." In turn I'd think "what an a-hole." I think the last few seasons of riding in the winter have given me a similar outlook. The simple act of riding outside in the elements have become some of my favorite rides. I find myself at the end of long rides rolling down hill no handed just taking it all in. Racing and fast group rides bring on a tremendous high, but it's a sugar high. A sugar high has it's place, but during the winter months, I'm enjoying the long slow burn.

So, if I get hit by a snowplow tomorrow morning, know this . . . I'm well insured so Mrs. Skinny will be fine and up until the last second when the shark ate me, I was in love with my life.

Some random surfer quotes:
"I took off on a wave, went down the side, popped out the other end, and went, shit, I'm still alive!" - Greg Noll

"For those searching for something more than just the norm. We lay it all down, including what others call sanity, for just a few moments on waves larger than life. We do this because we know there is still something greater than all of us. Something that inspires us spiritually. We start going down hill, when we stop taking risks." - Laird Hamilton

"You either surf or you fight"
"If I say its safe to surf this beach Captain, then its safe to surf this beach. I mean I'm not afraid to surf this place, I'll surf this whole fucking place!"
"Charlie don't surf!" - Kilgore (Apocalypse Now)

And I can't resist a lame quote from Point Break:
If you want the ultimate, you've got to be willing to pay the ultimate price. It's not tragic to die doing what you love. - Bodhi

So Let Me Explain

Ya it's been a while ...So bite me (ha, dog humour).  So not one of my best pics but I can't be on my A-game all the time.   I had a long CX season being the unofficial Team Ommegang-Syr Bike mascot, I been pissin in snow up to my chest for weeks already and then the holiday stresses finally got to me.   I had to blow off some steam ya know, let my hair down a little and next thing ya know things  got a little wild watching the Pinstripe Bowl.   I hope Drummroll don't notice I broke into his secret stash of Omme... dumbass thinks he's all clever keeping it in the downstairs closet out of sight.  He's too busy stuffing his face and whining about the BIG numbers on the bathroom scales lately to notice anyway.    I shouldn't bust on him too much, he's had a few bumps in the road this year and he still takes time to give me my favourite belly rub.

All in all it wasn't that bad of a year for me (aside from a couple minor incidents ... like those 2 skunk run-ins -- freakin little cocky, smelly bastards anyway -- and the new barf stain on the downstairs rug).   I got to run around in the woods alot, spent a few nights in a nice hotel, went on a wine tour, and kayaked alot this summer. The bonus was that I got to the beach this summer and play in the surf a bit and even camped out in a tent.  You haven't lived until you rolled in and gnawed on a rotting salty crab. 

Anyway, wanna wish y'all a Happy Humper Dog Holiday Season and tell ya to make sure to live it up in style! ... Doggy Style !!

Le Metier

While Drummroll cannot take credit for uncovering this (that goes to BIG Dave), you might wanna check out the latest post to Michael Barry's blog (see link below).

If you're asking who Michael is, well too bad for you (and you are not permitted to read further .. go do your homework).  First, he is one of the pure North American "good guys" in the pro peloton.  Secondly, the dude is a damn good writer.  Maybe you've caught his stuff in Velonews or have you ever heard of his book called Inside the Postal Bus?  This is the book that lets you take a peak of the craziness surrounding Lancemania a few year back in the US Postal days.

So Drummroll clicked on the link that took him to Michael's website (called Le Metier -- Google-translate it, you'll get it) and read "The Cross" blog post ... and then read a whole bunch more.  His writings on "cyclo-stuff" is like off-season cyclo-crack when it's single digits outside and dark at 4:00 pm ... you just can't get enough.  

Coincidentally, he also has a 2nd edition of a book also called Le Metier out.  It might be a little late to get it on your Holiday wish list but hey, you can try .. and if that don't work, maybe you'll get a gift card that you can use to get it yourself. 

http://michaelbarry.ca/2010/12/the-cross/ 

Commander-in-Chief 'Cross?

So there was some recent Ommegangster banter about President Obama getting a few stitches in his yapper as well as a suggestion that maybe he should consider something "safer" like CX.   After discussing the merits of a "Commander-in Chief" CX event, we decided we might have better luck trying to convince GW Bush to hold a CX event rather than Pres. Obama...... afterall, 'W' did ride MTB on occasion.  We also figured 'W' would like the PR with his new book as well as trying to raise funds and awareness for his memorial library.  This event would be like no other with a list of well known guest appearances by some well known politicos.-- just don't expect Laura to let W have a post race Omme.
Here's the first draft for planning:
-- USA Cycling license or NRA membership card required to race
-- Justice Roberts as the Head Referee/Official
-- A true "open" category following "don't ask/don't tell" criteria
-- Wealthy campaign donors get special access to the course
-- Red course tape would be on your right; blue course tape on your left

-- Dick Cheney would do the start gun
-- Howard Dean as the man in the donkey suit heckling people (yelling "woooyahhh" in a high pitch)
-- John Kerry & Al Gore as the barriers (Gore obviously the much stiffer/wooden-like barrier)
-- Course layout includes a run-up feature where you choose to go right or left -- right carries their own bike, left has another cyclist carry it for you
-- Mission Accomplished banner at the finish

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And a little end-of-season limerick from our friend AJ M's wife ....

All you Sunday 'cross widows give a cheer.

The end of cyclocross season is here.
There are no more races.
So husbands trade places,
And toast your race wench with a beer!

Do some laundry, cook a meal, clean the house.
Remember you do have a spouse
Who supports your endeavors
And gets to ride, never
But complains no louder than a mouse.

Racin down Charlotte way

So Drummroll headed down south to combine a little work with some family holiday action but unfortunately missed Powercross in the process.  After a stop in Johnson City, TN for a little work, he arrived at his brothers Mon eve just outside Charlotte.  To make up for missing Powercross, he found a cx training series race held under the lights at a town park on Tues eve.  As he got dressed he realized that the mtb (cx) shoes were still in the garage back home.  In a true show of southern hospitality, the race organizer loaned his shoes & SPD pedals to Drummroll.  Drummroll found the pedals a little tough to clip into and struggled on a wicked off camber that popped up right after some barriers -- it was a repeated struggle to get clipped in while riding the offcamber.  Anyway, the southern boys can hammer too as Drummroll was a bit humbled despite the shoe situation (4th of 5 in his group).

But that wasn't the end of the racing action; the next venue on Friday was the Charlotte (Lowes) Motor Speedway (CMS).  The waiver was signed and the shoe situation was not an issue as this only required a street car (read rental car in this case).  Drummroll's brother hooked him up with a free pass for three laps at the track. Apparently this is a quasi-Black Friday tradition down Charlotte way.   In groups of about 10 street cars (including Mr. and Ms. Drummroll in a rental, his brother and family in their brand new Tahoe, and parents in ma's Buick) were allowed to circle the track at a pretty good clip (as far as street cars go).  We were able to briefly hit the 85-90 mph range a couple times... and you could even pass (and get passed) if you were being "careful" about it.   The banking was pretty wild to wind through and it was really fun.  Ms. Drummroll even said she wished she could drive which was a surprise cause racing/NASCAR is not her thing by any means.  Hope everyone had a great T-giving.   A little pic of the weekend action below: