Manions day 1 & 2

Today was day two of Manions cross, yesterday was day 1.

Both days were interesting as this is my first year racing as a cat 2. Saturday we had 16 in the open field and i finished 13th. Today i think we had 13 and i finished 11th. I think the two behind me didn't finish.

The results are bad but realistic, im not discouraged. I had a lot of fun both days and it was great to be racing again. i forgot what it was like to compete. Of course i'm not doing much competing in the open category but you have to start somewhere.

My fitness should only go up from here so it's going to be a fun year. Hopefully i learn how to suffer because thats really what it's going to take.

It was a great weekend and the team did an awesome job putting on the event. Seeing all the familiar faces just reinforced what i was feeling... It's cross season.

Day 1

I lost contact with everyone after about two minutes but towards the end of the race i passed two guys. Besides that it was me trying to self motivate since the race was so far in front of me.

Day 2

I felt  surprisingly good considering the hard effort from the day before (another sign that bodes well for  future races) and i think i held in with the pack a bit longer, but i honestly dont remember that much.   I am however aware of how many guys from the 3's race finished ahead of me. Yesterday it was 4 and today if might of been 5. It's slightly emberrasing, but only slightly. At the end of the day were all just people and sometimes were up and sometimes were down. I'm going to keep working hard to go up.

Notice to everyone: I've mentioned this to a few but to make it official... i'll buy a beer for anyone who is a 3 and finished ahead of me in a race where they start you guys behind us. This beer will be delivered upon my terms. So it may take a few years, but i'm good for it. 

It's only been two races but i'm almost up to a 12 pack.

Bring it on!

Cyclo-Cross

Manions Cross is this weekend.

Current forecast calls for Sunny and 70 degrees. Not bad. You should come out and race.

Look for me at the way back of the open race.

Not sure what else to say. Talk is cheap.. I love you all. See you at the races.

Last Monday

Today is Saturday but last was Monday was Monday and i rode my bike that day.

I participated in the weekly Colavita Parisi recovery ride. We leave Volker Bicycles on 39th at 6pm and ride for maybe an hour before winding up at McCoy's in Westport. Although on this particular Monday we skipped McCoys because the 816 Bicycle Collective was having a fundraiser at The West Side Local restaurant. We decided to go and donate a little cash to this good cause, and eat as much free food as possible.

The Fuzz

Saturday mornings 9am ride got off to an exciting start. Cops! The ride starts at Union Station and the Parisi coffee shop inside is nice enough to offer up free espresso (that's why you should have a coffee maker sponsor your team) so we always walk inside with our bikes and hang out for a bit. Well apparently theres beem some mis communication about wether or not we can walk inside with our bikes and bike shoes. The Union Station security guard said it was our shoes that were the problem. I showed up late so I cant tell you all the details but right as i arrived three squad cars pulled up and three cops headed inside. They were smiling a little.

After a little arguing we departed for our ride, so it was (thankfully) anti-climatic.

You'll all be pleased to know i got my espresso just before it all went down.

The ride, as usual, was fast.

Cyclo Cross is coming!

Tonight i rode my cross bike. It's been a while. X and i did the practice race at Hyde Park. Wednesdays at 6. We do some specific skills work and then a short practice race or two. It's a hard course without much recovery, great practice. Hyde park is awesome.

It's great to see so many people out and about and getting ready for cross.

It's also great to see the Ghostbusters, complete with Mr Stay Puffed, hanging out by the JC Nichols fountain.

I intended to blog yesterday

(Another sign of impending doom for this blog, i'm now blogging about blogging.)

I always wanted this blog to be fun and entertaining and yesterday on the drive home from work i was feeling fun and entertaining. I often brain storm on what i could blog about that night, the pic's i can take, what i can talk about, etc. but lately it never comes to fruition.

Yesteraday i had a plan to blog (happens a lot), i rode with x (happens a lot) i took the pictures (happens a lot) then came home and ran out of time to blog (happens a lot).

So just imagina this post is filled with pictures of:

•  me changing pedals from my single speed to my road bike (we saw Premium Rush on Monday (which i also intended to blog about) so of course i had to ride my single speed after seeing it).  
• X and i doing sprints down Main st.
• Me making a smoothie in our new blender.

Question - My wedding is coming up and X and i still need the song for our first dance.

Any suggestions?