A Reason Things are Screwed Up...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/12/earlyshow/main4595179.shtml

Maserati

On my way home I saw a guy w/ NY plates driving a Maserati. Only some f*&%$#ng egomaniac spends that much on a car - I wonder if he worked for one of those banks (yeah, that failed and got a government IV)? If he did/does then really whose car is that anyway?

About my ornery early AM mood. I didn't get to bed until late last night (Leah and I have been watching this show called "Dexter" - both of us are addicted). Besides, couldn't really sleep anyway because someone forgot to tell the maybe 22 year old girls who live below me that their college experience ended last year and that having "little" parties CONSTANTLY bothers your neighbors. Well one of the guys they had over got locked out early this AM and rung their doorbell every 5 minutes for :45 minutes at 6AM. I heard the downstairs doorbell loud and clear...how could they have missed it. My dog heard it too and believe me, he let me know that someone was there. I guess I shouldn't be too hard on them because I slept through a bomb threat during my freshman year of college. I straight slept through it. Anyways I go outside and let the guy in. I kinda felt bad because I was real dick to him (I asked him if he was going to keep ringing the doorbell even though nobody's answered the door), but I kinda don't because I really didn't get that much rest (< 4 hours) so that these kids can have a good time. I don't sleep that great anyway (well, maybe only during bomb threats) so I just got up.

And they're rude too. They'll walk right by you and say nothing - both of them. Its just disrespectful - and I've honestly had it with people w/ bad manners or who are disrespectful. On the other hand I know that at times I can be introverted and I'll keep to myself. I guess there are two sides to every story, and I don't know their side although I wish they would shut the hell up at a decent hour - and 2 AM is not a decent hour.

On the stressful front I've picked up some additional responsibilities at work. Lots of hallway stuff, some bad hallway stuff. I am bad luck - every time I'm on something happens. I find the most complicated and stressful situations. Its been some getting used to but I think I'm managing it. I've got one year left of school. I cannot wait to be finished with classes. Last year, I took 7 classes which is probably what put a huge dent into my cycling season, not to mention social time. Its getting a little better now though, work is work.

I rode my cross bike 30 miles today...on the road. It felt great although my bike was undergeared (36x16). I haven't been really riding and it I think I'm starting to get my Mojo back. I'm still gonna hold off training until January though because whenever I can only stay excited for racing for a while.

I had a good run yesterday - I kept it to 7 miles. Yes, knees still hurt. Yes, IT band started up too...so I know I've got to be careful. I've got to go run on the track/treadmill instead of the roads.

Since One Could Only Pre-Reg

I will voice my opinion that I'm not in favor of pre-reg only races. It would have been cool had they had the registration up until the day before instead of closing it out on Thursday. It was for this reason that I did not go to Northampton and ride the Sunday race. I'm sure there was a reason for having such a short deadline and I know that promoting a race is complicated. On the upside, the race promoters would have at least a few more entrants, and hence more revenue if they relaxed their deadlines for registration. Furthermore, I don't think that it would be that hard to produce a bikereg printout of confirmed riders on the night before (so close registration on Friday PM for Sat and Sat. PM for Sun.) and then assign numbers from there. Honestly, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to make it so I didn't register. So, I'm going to do a Plymouth race next week...maybe Sunday. Hell, maybe even Saturday. Maybe both even! We'll see.

Anyway, I haven't been riding. I started running a lot more and lifting weights. I did my longest run ever today - 10.1 miles. It really wasn't all that bad, although I have some interesting chafing issues which I will spare folks from reading about. I kept my HR in the aerobic zone except when I ran up College Hill which put the ol' HR in the red. This week I got 28 miles of running in, which is more than I've ever done. I wish I ran in high school though - my skinny ass got bounced around the football field in the fall. I still do not understand how the hell people can run marathons....my knees started getting some pain at mile 7 so I think that might be my limit for running. I'll give the long run another shot though next weekend. I've got the singlespeed cross bike ready. I can't wait to ride it. Hopefully I can get it out for Wednesday down at the NBX course where I am lining up at the rear and just riding the course for fitness and fun. Call it low expectations, lack of self-esteem or whatever, I feel no shame in doing this purposely at this point.

Single Speed

I now own a ghettoized single speed cross bike. Since my shifter was busted I simply took off the rear derailleur, broke the chain, shortened it and reattached it. I rode it around for about a half an hour today...and I need to shorten the chain again because its not where I want it to be. I'll get to it. Working on bikes is something I'll do...but I'm not particularly good at it nor do I really enjoy it. So I'll have to repeat the chain shortening chore this week. One thing I will say is that the lighter bike with no derailleur feels like you are flying up hills. I might have to lighten up my road bike. I'm from the school of thought where minor fluctuations in weight don't matter...I might change my philosophy now.

Apart from this I've been running. Did 6 miles today. I did 5.4 miles on Friday AM (0530) and a couple other runs last week. Running in the morning kinda sucks, but its kinda good also because I got a ton of shit done - like I was hyper productive. I'm trying to get up to 25 miles this week. I did not get the ten in but I'm hoping to get an 8 mile run in tomorrow. I've started lifting weights too...at the YMCA. Its supposed to help and believe me, I need help with my riding esp. power output. I hope a solid season of weights will help my power output and breakaway/TT type of riding.

I'm really tired of writing papers. Like, really tired of it. Leah and I are going to Not Just Snacks tonight to get Indian food. I love Indian food. It is my favorite.

The Middleboro that Wasn't

So I rushed all around to get myself to Middleboro. Got lost in Middleboro and in some other town next to it. Found the venue after getting tailgated twice and flipped off once. Took out my bike and rode it around. Rear has a flat - wasn't flat the other day but it's flat now and I haven't ridden it since I got it back. Whatever, easy to fix. I put on my new cross tubular wheel I was going to ride anyway and it felt "fresh."

I'm all psyched to ride and to "attempt" to race this thing. (I'm kinda out of race shape and suck at cross anyway). So then I decide that I'm going to shift. Nothing happens. Hmmm? Why? Well the housing which the cable presses against - from the derailleur itself to the rear stay was not attached? OK. I can fix this - so I reattached it. Now, I haven't ridden this thing since I got it back from the shop on Monday which was a mistake. Shifters still don't work. Lube the hell out of them. Nothing except a pair of lubricated hands (some of the bike lube actually took the glue that was still on my hands from gluing up that tubular last night). Shit. So I can either race tonight in my 36x13 or maybe the 50x13 (yeah, right) or I can sit it out and maybe not risk any injury. I totally could have raced but I really didn't want to at this point - especially in that gear ratio.

So solution number 1 is to buy a new shifter set for my road bike and attach the old road shifters to my cross bike (I don't give a fuck about cross...its just something to do for me). Solution two is to simply create a single speed by breaking the chain. I think this might be the solution. Anyone else have any solutions?

Apart from this I've been running. I did 4.5 miles last PM, easy and I'm not sore. Saturday was one hour - which is a personal record. (you bet I was sore after that). I don't know how people manage to run marathons - I give them credit. Before this winter is over I'm going to do my own personal half ironman w/o the swim (maybe I'll use my rowing machine instead). Lets say a 60 mile ride and then a 13 mile run. Should be possible. On tap this weekend is a 10 mile run. I've taken on a lot of new stuff at work and running fits in way better to my schedule anyway.

Thanks for reading my complaints. Well, maybe some racing next week. The time off thinking about racing has been good for me. I'm starting to think about road again (with excitement) even though its far off.

NBX

I'm going down to the 'cross series tomorrow night. I have room for one. Lv @530 or within 10 mins of that.

How ashamed would my dog be if a video of him reacting to the bath was posted on the internet. Shaking, whimpering, whining, hiding...all because of the bath.

Don't do this.

Do not leave a pen in your pants pocket when you do laundry. Trust me on this one. Don't do this. Ever.