There's a couple of things that I've been training for lately- I'm getting ready for this weekend's 100 mile Centurion Bicycle race with a group of friends on a team we're calling "Something About Mary" in honor of our friend Mary who we lost during Ironman training last year. I'm also in the middle of training for the Chicago Marathon with Team In Training- and along the way raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. You can make a donation to those efforts here.
Between the two efforts- this weekend was "one step up and one step back."
Starting with the Centurion training- Something About Mary hit the road early on Saturday morning and rode about 70 of the 100 mile course. We rode about 35 of it last weekend and I had a horrible ride. About 25 miles into last weekend's ride I BONKED- I got dizzy, felt really weak and thought I was going to throw up.
So after last weekend's debacle- it felt good to get out on this course and ride it like I know we can, or more precisely- like I know I can, as I was the one having problems last weekend.
We started at Uphill Grind in Cross Plains and rode out to the loop- did one loop plus a smaller loop that included the big Enchanted Valley hill. I felt good throughout the ride- maybe a little tired by the end of the Enchanted Valley loop- but really good overall.
On the course we ran into a couple guys riding from Oregon to Maine. When we got back to Cross Plains after the big loop we stopped for a water refill at Uphill Grind before heading out for the last few miles. As we left Uphill Grind, we saw the cross-county travelers again, so we rode back to them and told them about Uphill Grind. When we finished our ride they were still there, telling stories of their adventures to all the other riders that were hanging out at Uphill Grind.
We finished off the day with a great smoothie- definitely hit the spot after the ride.
That was the "one step up" part of the weekend. The "one step back" part came on Sunday. It was a step back, in that I didn't get out for the planned Team In Training run on Sunday afternoon, but it was worth it. I spent the day working as the race announcer for the Bicycle Races at the U.S. Transplant Games. I remember from the last time I was a race announcer (about 15 years ago at Madison Marathon- long before I was active myself), that this is a really tough gig. Even now that I am a fairly active guy, this is still a tough day- in fact I'd say this is actually harder than racing.
This was a particularly inspiring race to work- transplant patients from all across the country come together once every other year for the games- they rotate through cities- last time Philadelphia, this time Madison. 1500 athletes + family and friends and some doners and their families too. It makes for a pretty emotional event.
Beyond the obvious emotion of the event and the inspirational part of watching every athlete- fast and slow alike- come across the finish line, the coolest non-race moment came when I was looking down at my notes- I noticed out of the corner of my eye a Felt bike with an argyle patern ride past- I looked up just in time to be staring Christian Vande Velde from team Garmin/Slipstream in the eye. Christian has had a couple of top 10 finishes at the Tour de France. Christian's brother Ian was competing and won his age group in both the 5k time-trial and the 20k race. A woman who I assume was his grandmother wanted to introduce us, but I was too busy at the moment...maybe next time.
Hey Pat! I'm just seeing this post now. Nice shout out! I'll let Ian & CVV know. I was looking for a transplant games video and google led me to this post. As a side note, Ian is now prepping to compete in the world transplant games in Sweden this June! We're going to swing by Switzerland first and catch some pro racing at the Tour de Suisse. Can't wait!
Thanks again for helping that day on such short notice!
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, it is another gorgeous Monday, fit for another great show at the Crystal Corner tonight.
Through locking ourselves in the barn on Irish Lane, tossing some ideas around, as well as a few choice beverages to...
Hey everybody, we were thrown for a loop by the twist this week, but were able to make one of our "oldie but a goldie" songs fit the mold.
We have a few songs that we have played consistently over the years, and we are very happy that we will be...
We just received word of what this weeks twist is, and...oh boy. We need to take our "signature song" and cut it to only 2:30 without going over. Amberstein does not simply play 2:30 versions of our songs...so this could be interesting.
Last...
In 1984, Rockwell rose to number 2 for 3 weeks in 1984 with "Somebody's Watching Me." The backup singer for the song was Michael Jackson. How did Rockwell get Jackson to help him? Well, Rockwell's real name is Kennedy William Gordy and he...
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The singer sounds like a raspy blues dude who's definitely been around the block a few times....but surprisingly, Jamie N. Commons is only 23 years old!
He was born in England, but...
Last week, I decided I would try one new, healthy food a week, and asked my facebook friends to make some suggestions.
The first thing I tried was mango. I'm sure I've had other mango flavored things, and mango as part of something else, but...
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Artist: Alchemilla
Hail From: Boston
Song: 'The Wheel'
Album: Diamonds From The Penny Arcade
Sounds Like: Hole, Pearl Jam
In Their Words: "Alchemilla had been trying to write a ballad for a little while but it wasn't happening. There...
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, it is another gorgeous Monday, fit for another great show at the Crystal Corner tonight.
Through locking ourselves in the barn on Irish Lane, tossing some ideas around, as well as a few choice beverages to...
Hey everybody, we were thrown for a loop by the twist this week, but were able to make one of our "oldie but a goldie" songs fit the mold.
We have a few songs that we have played consistently over the years, and we are very happy that we will be...
We just received word of what this weeks twist is, and...oh boy. We need to take our "signature song" and cut it to only 2:30 without going over. Amberstein does not simply play 2:30 versions of our songs...so this could be interesting.
Last...
In 1984, Rockwell rose to number 2 for 3 weeks in 1984 with "Somebody's Watching Me." The backup singer for the song was Michael Jackson. How did Rockwell get Jackson to help him? Well, Rockwell's real name is Kennedy William Gordy and he...
Have you heard the song "Rumble and Sway" yet on Triple M?
The singer sounds like a raspy blues dude who's definitely been around the block a few times....but surprisingly, Jamie N. Commons is only 23 years old!
He was born in England, but...
Last week, I decided I would try one new, healthy food a week, and asked my facebook friends to make some suggestions.
The first thing I tried was mango. I'm sure I've had other mango flavored things, and mango as part of something else, but...
There's only one thing that might be worse than the Neil Diamond/Barbra Streisand duet "You Don't Bring Me Flowers." And that's Jonathan Suttin doing his best crooning...doing both parts. Most unpleasant.
A lot of people liked this song...
Artist: Alchemilla
Hail From: Boston
Song: 'The Wheel'
Album: Diamonds From The Penny Arcade
Sounds Like: Hole, Pearl Jam
In Their Words: "Alchemilla had been trying to write a ballad for a little while but it wasn't happening. There...
