Still Dreaming of The Tour

Load the tents. Get your fenders.

Sprint to all the town signs. Attack on all the hills. Points for Pride, but ride as a Peloton.

Dip our tires in the Ohio River. Fill our bottles from Fountain Square. Sample Ohio's best beers from Breweries in Cincinnati, Wooster, Cleveland, and Portsmouth. Taste Ohio's best wines in Ashtabulah County and Ripley. Stock up on Amish breads to Carbo-load.

Wow, Ohio has a National Park? Ride through Cuyahoga.
Ohio to Erie Canal Path

Raise some glasses in Ohio's Wine Country.
Western Reserve Green Way in Ashtabulah Cty

When? Maybe this year, maybe next year. It all depends upon vacation time. Can't they just pay me not to go to work?

To rest or not to rest?

So last year once the OVCX season ended I really hit the training hard getting ready for Worlds.
I started setting new best times on my familiar routes and I logged more miles once I stopped racing.

But this year I am feeling very overtrained and drained. Plus, a lot of desk time has led to some muscle injury in my back and hamstrings.

So maybe this week I'll take some time off, see how I heal. Planning to set a new base until the end of the month. Go out for long, fun rides and remind myself what those old familiar routes look like.

I ran and rode 725 miles last year. Can or even should I try to top it this year? We'll see.

I'll try to really focus on stretching and yoga too. Plus some TriggerPoint and Stick massages, and hopefully some ART treatments at Norwood Chiropractic will sort me back out.

In Pursuit of Power, to Battle with Powers

So I bought my big boy UCI license, and my goal for this year will be to race the USGP and UCI races with the Elite 1/2 field. I figure utter humiliation will make for incentive to train hard and be my best.

Check out this power data from Ryan Trebon, phenominal! Aside from the power, I also to work on my skills to make sure I am smooth and flawless, I can't waste any of what little power I have.

Perfect Attendance Award?

PHOTOS BY VELOVIVID, JULIE LEWIS-SROKA, KAREN WH, BLAIR FRALEY

I mentioned this on twitter a month ago: I have raced in 30 straight OVCX races counting last weekend's races. I'm like the Lou Gehrig/Cal Ripken of OVCX.

Last year's Cincy3 weren't part of the series, I did miss two out of the three races due to work and course set up. In 2011 I missed the Java Johnny's race due to course set up. I did miss one other race that year, I could not go to FishSticks in Louisville. I had a cool excuse though, I was showing a film of mine at the Cincinnati Art Museum! Let's see how long this can go!

But, I should work on quality over quantity.

Look out Pros!

So last year I bought an international license to race the Masters Worlds in Louisville.

I want to get my money's worth, so I decided then that I wanted to use this as a opportunity to race with the big boys. I wanted to see how I stack up while I am healthy and fit, training a lot and maybe at my fastest.

Bjet is such an inspiration to me. She has been racing in the top ranks locally for years, and I am so proud of her when she gets a top-15 and finishes on the lead lap.

I am amazed at the level of quality and talent. Locally, I feel confident that I could race myself onto a podium of a CX race any day of the week. Then I go to CapCity and I am lucky to get a top 6 or 7. Then I got to OVCX and I am lucky to even break the top 20 or 30. Now I am looking at these UCI events and I will be lucky to finish a lap or two down! Then those guys go to Europe and are lucky if they finish in the top 20. Wow!

I'll keep you abreast of what it is like to race at the top. By the way, Joachim Parbo is having a clinic at Devou Thursday night. he's a cool dude. Love him! He has furry legs.

Don't mess with Texas Armadillaz

Some artwork from the artist Oscar Morris, created for Art Cranks.

Reminded me of my trips to Austin. One trip I saw a squashed Armadillo in the bike lane. Grosskins.

Dear Diary

I've been having so many adventures. I need to catch up! Well, maybe sometime soon there will be stories to tell.