Hey there!
So, I ended up racing on Saturday at Sherman Park, a race that's organized by my team. I signed up to help out with the setup early in the morning before the first (my) race at 8:00 am. Helped set up barriers, spent 10 minutes trying to sweep off remains of a dead squirrel from the course. That thing was glued to the asphalt, yuck!
Warmed up with 20 mins to go before the race, lined up, had our rights read by the official and Randy, including the warning about not posting up in a case of a victory unless you're way ahead of everyone. Smart thinking, but I for sure wasnt gonna be making that decision today.
Whistle and off we went- a pack of 50 riders, almost half of whom were my xXx guys. I struggled in the past to stay with the pack, either because of fitness issues or turns and subsequent accelerations. This time around, due to the ease of Sherman Park course, I had an easy time riding with the bunch. I rode on the outside a number of laps, not taking advantage of a draft, to which a few teammates commented aloud. " Grab a wheel, don't waste energy!": they'd say, but I felt fine the whole time. Just before the final lap, I was in the middle of the pack when an ABD rider went down inches from me, and that killed any ambitions to take risks and move up on the final lap.
I simply rode it out and finished with the pack. I rushed off for course marshalling duties and didn't get a chance to see and verify the results. A few hours later, I went to check the results and saw no placing next to my name/number. Apparently, the camera couldn't catch my number as I crossed the finish line and since I wasn't there within 15 minutes to review the tape, I was not assigned a placing in the results. Talked to an official and they wrote in a "pack finish" but couldn't alter the posted results. Fine, I wasn't in the top 10 anyway so who cares. My guys went 1-2-3 and that is a great result.
Spent a few more hours marshalling, saw a couple crashes both of which were not supposed to happen if you ask me.
This EuroCup is turning out to be exciting, with Nederland, Portugal and Croatia being the most impressive teams so far. One more game left in the group of death with Italy, France and Romania still in play to go through to the Quarters. Turkey pulled of an amazing comeback Sunday to make the knockout stages, by scoring 2 goals in the final 3 minutes. Now who can say football is not exciting !? You should have watched this game.
I pick Dutch to win the whole thing, but you never know. We'll see.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
OMG!
Lance Armstrong and KAte Hudson (aka the most beautiful person according to the People magazine) are an item.
Move over Cipo, cycling has a new bad boy.
But then again, Ms. Hudson used to date the Black Crowes singer (you know the skinny bearded pothead), so I don't know what that says about her taste. But she is still the most beautiful person according to the People magazine, so who cares.
Move over Cipo, cycling has a new bad boy.
But then again, Ms. Hudson used to date the Black Crowes singer (you know the skinny bearded pothead), so I don't know what that says about her taste. But she is still the most beautiful person according to the People magazine, so who cares.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Monsters and Inter hate
OK!
So after some debating, I decided to race Monsters of the Midway- a bike race that takes place at the U of C campus. I got there just in time to watch the first lap of Cat 3 race. My girlfriend's work colleague knows a guy on Get a Grip who was racing in the Cat 3s. Also I wanted to see as much racing as possible on a nice day like it was Saturday. Apparently, this guy was waiting for her to come and he brought some cowbells. This guy was so good that he shouted the location and appearance of the bag all while winning a prime on one of the early laps. Impressive. A few minutes later the girls had the cowbells in their hands and were cowbelling the remainder of the race. Not only did they cowbell, they also ran across the park each lap to cheer the racers on twice per lap. Impressive.
Anyway, at 4:00 pm it was time for me to warm up. And so I did. Practice lap and then lining up. I had trouble clipping in but that wasn' the problem as was some sketchy cornering being done by true citizens in this race. No problem, everyone learns with time so I tried to make up ground by sprinting on the straight parts of the course. On the third lap, I had to slow down really bad in order to get through the turns and avoid a few wheels going into the headwind (top part of the course), and by the time I got out of the turns, the front pack created a gap. They were already flying down, as I was getting through the turns. I started hammering and noticed that I had 3 more guys on my tail. Good, maybe 4 can make up the small gap that formed and I dont have to blow up myself chasing the pack. I still dont have enough racing experience to know how much I can push myself to bridge up and not blow up. So I backed off and started working with these guys. 3-4 laps later I realized that the pace of this chase was not fast enough to even avoid getting lapped so I went on my own. I was joined by one of the guys (Flatlandia I think) and we basically traded pulls until the end of the race.
So after some debating, I decided to race Monsters of the Midway- a bike race that takes place at the U of C campus. I got there just in time to watch the first lap of Cat 3 race. My girlfriend's work colleague knows a guy on Get a Grip who was racing in the Cat 3s. Also I wanted to see as much racing as possible on a nice day like it was Saturday. Apparently, this guy was waiting for her to come and he brought some cowbells. This guy was so good that he shouted the location and appearance of the bag all while winning a prime on one of the early laps. Impressive. A few minutes later the girls had the cowbells in their hands and were cowbelling the remainder of the race. Not only did they cowbell, they also ran across the park each lap to cheer the racers on twice per lap. Impressive.
Anyway, at 4:00 pm it was time for me to warm up. And so I did. Practice lap and then lining up. I had trouble clipping in but that wasn' the problem as was some sketchy cornering being done by true citizens in this race. No problem, everyone learns with time so I tried to make up ground by sprinting on the straight parts of the course. On the third lap, I had to slow down really bad in order to get through the turns and avoid a few wheels going into the headwind (top part of the course), and by the time I got out of the turns, the front pack created a gap. They were already flying down, as I was getting through the turns. I started hammering and noticed that I had 3 more guys on my tail. Good, maybe 4 can make up the small gap that formed and I dont have to blow up myself chasing the pack. I still dont have enough racing experience to know how much I can push myself to bridge up and not blow up. So I backed off and started working with these guys. 3-4 laps later I realized that the pace of this chase was not fast enough to even avoid getting lapped so I went on my own. I was joined by one of the guys (Flatlandia I think) and we basically traded pulls until the end of the race.
So another familiar turn of events, but the more you race the better you get, or so I am told. Need to train more and eat a little bit less burritos at Garcia's.
It was a great day to race and a great course, hope to do it next year as well.
Woke up the next morning bright and early to watch the last round of Serie A, hoping to see my AS Roma lift the Scudetto for the fourth time. This promised to be a great 90 minutes of football, with Inter and Roma both playing the teams playing to stay in the top division. Inter played Parma and Roma played the other Sicilian team-Catania. In the 10th minute, Roma scored via Vucinic to become a virtual champion at the time. It stayed like that until the second half when Inter introduced Ibrahimovic, who ended up scoring two goals to seal the championship for Inter. Now I know Ibra is my countryman but there is no love between the two of us. He is one heck of a player and a punk, he just plays for the wrong team.
It was a great day to race and a great course, hope to do it next year as well.
Woke up the next morning bright and early to watch the last round of Serie A, hoping to see my AS Roma lift the Scudetto for the fourth time. This promised to be a great 90 minutes of football, with Inter and Roma both playing the teams playing to stay in the top division. Inter played Parma and Roma played the other Sicilian team-Catania. In the 10th minute, Roma scored via Vucinic to become a virtual champion at the time. It stayed like that until the second half when Inter introduced Ibrahimovic, who ended up scoring two goals to seal the championship for Inter. Now I know Ibra is my countryman but there is no love between the two of us. He is one heck of a player and a punk, he just plays for the wrong team.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Luis Figo - Cat Killer:(
In somewhat related news to this morning's incident, I read this
What a moron. No wonder he plays for Inter.
What a moron. No wonder he plays for Inter.
Rabbit Killer :(
My first roadkill!
Just before I pulled into the parking lot at work this morning, this rabbit runs out of the woods and runs smack under my wheel. I don't know what to say or feel - I am sad for sure. I now somewhat understand the hit and run mentality because I wanted to get away from the scene unseen by anyone, and as quickly as possible (maybe because I was late for work).
It's not a good feeling.
Just before I pulled into the parking lot at work this morning, this rabbit runs out of the woods and runs smack under my wheel. I don't know what to say or feel - I am sad for sure. I now somewhat understand the hit and run mentality because I wanted to get away from the scene unseen by anyone, and as quickly as possible (maybe because I was late for work).
It's not a good feeling.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
May 1st
Today is the International Worker's Day. It is the commemoration of the Haymarket Riot in Chicago in 1886, for those who don't know the origins of this day.
So, this is to all the working people (A rendition of "Bandiera Rossa" performed by a Slovenian punk band Pankrti).
So, this is to all the working people (A rendition of "Bandiera Rossa" performed by a Slovenian punk band Pankrti).
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Ah yes, the blog.
I know I was forgetting something. Just sent my boss a monthly activity report for the month of April, and remebered that my last blog entry was on March 31 - more or less a month ago. I will write a longer post to summarize my month but in the mean time here is my revised lunch rotation (ever since my favorite pizzeria in Niles moved to Des Plaines). So.....
The Biciklista's lunch rotation :
Monday - Chinese at Chinatown on Demspter and Austin in Morton Grove.
Tuesday - Subway or Jimmy John's. Lately more Subway because of the 5 dollar footlongs (oh yeah).
Wednesday - Falafel Plate at the Gourmet Pita on Touhy Ave.
Thursday - Chicken Legs special at the West of Edens, on payday thursdays it is Al's Beef where I treat myself the Giant Al's sandwich
Friday - Corner Bakery or Baja Fresh.
And there you have it. Now you can totally track me down between 12 and 1 pm on any given work day.
The Biciklista's lunch rotation :
Monday - Chinese at Chinatown on Demspter and Austin in Morton Grove.
Tuesday - Subway or Jimmy John's. Lately more Subway because of the 5 dollar footlongs (oh yeah).
Wednesday - Falafel Plate at the Gourmet Pita on Touhy Ave.
Thursday - Chicken Legs special at the West of Edens, on payday thursdays it is Al's Beef where I treat myself the Giant Al's sandwich
Friday - Corner Bakery or Baja Fresh.
And there you have it. Now you can totally track me down between 12 and 1 pm on any given work day.
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