i sucked today.

[swoop]

i had to say it out loud. nothing like having a ton a friends around at a race and having a baaaaaaaad day. even my diaphram hurts. can you pull a diaphram? (seriously). i felt like someone was punching me in the ribs the whole time. not a sexy feeling.

the worst part is that they had a guy on motorcycle with a video dude on back and they were right there on me when i blew-up. and they stayed with me for an entire lap while i was making snot bubble animals. so now.. there is digital proof of the suck and drool. oy vey.

lordy, i am wasted. when this sport sucks.. it really sucks. tell me about your good weekend ride. please.

i don't know how the elite fruiters do it.

[dbrk]

swooppal,
Today my palJim and I did a beautiful four and half hours on near-empty roads around the Finger Lakes. Incredible views of the lakes, perfect weather, and friendly folks on the road waving back whenever we waved. Next time, come out with us. Feel better, bro. There's tomorrow.

dbrk

[The Spider]

Updave and I headed down the beach road, 25km one way and returned. Just some nice k's having a chat. Popped into a great little cafe and watched the street become empty. It's cold and the wind is chilling. But the riding and friendship keeps us warm.

Bad days happen to us all. and your right, this sport is so hard on those days. But think, you still did something that 99% of people cannot (or will not) do.....and that deserves respect.

It also proves that your not drugged up to the eyeballs :)

[gasman]

Sh@t swoop- I'm 52 and I always suck. Don't feel bad. I love to ride and I hate bad days just like you.I'm going to try another race tomorrow, well later today as it is 1 AM, and I will be up all night working in the OR .I'll be tired and suck but will go out and try.
We all have bad days just remember the times you have been in the winning break.It will happen again and you'll be the hero.

Back to work.

[stevep]

nother race next week.
get to it.

[Kines]

see my "cramps" post.....

[Too Tall]

Yeah but you raced :)
Me, I took up another sport and rode in the rain which a,s it turn out, is one of my favorite things.

[catulle]

swooppal,
Today my palJim and I did a beautiful four and half hours on near-empty roads around the Finger Lakes. Incredible views of the lakes, perfect weather, and friendly folks on the road waving back whenever we waved. Next time, come out with us. Feel better, bro. There's tomorrow.

dbrk

Oh, just the occasion for some Theodore Dreiser. I wonder if Bike Nashbar may have a book holder for the handlebar, atmo.

[theprep]

I'm feeling for you swoop. When ever friends and family come out to spectate I seem to ***** the bed.

My legs felt great yesterday and I still blew snot bubbles. 100k in the rain, I didn't care, a little like Begium, and I had a Chimay the day before. I just wanted a top 4 to qualify for the Empire State team. I made 3 big mistakes though.

1st mistake was peeing off the back. Shouldn't be too hard to get back on, wrong! 2 miles chasing at 25-30, ouch.

OK still feeling good. I tell myself "Don't get involved in any of the 5 preems(sp?)", Really "Don't get involved in any of the 5 preems".

2nd mistake - going after preem no. 4. I won it.

3rd mistake - Just made $10 let me try for $20 with preem No. 5. Got pipped at the line and now I'm shot from sprinting 2x. The preems are done and the smart guys start attacking and the pace picks up big time.

Now the snot bubbles start and I'm dizzy and crosseyed for the next 10 miles. I kind of remember Spicoli giving me a few shoves in the rear to keep me from falling over. I'm begging for a flat or a mechanical. If there was a crash, I think I would of steered into it, just to end my misery.

Long story short, 3 man winning break with 2 miles to go. I try a flyer for the 4th and final qualifying slot with 1k to go. Swooped up with 100m to go. Spicoli wins field sprint for 4th.

Had fun,
Joe

[manet]

ya but you got to work on your tan

[swoop]

ya but you got to work on your tan

if we are gonna get technical here.. we should say that i've increased my pink and freckle.

[Jack Brunk]

Noel,

It was a great day! I finished mid pack for my first race and it was a blast. I only wanted to throw up my guts three times and the bad cramp in my calf still didn't prevent me from having a great time. I was able to get my act together on lap seven and was able to overtake quite a few riders on the last four climbs. If the race would have lasted another hour I think I could have finished alot higher. I looked for your car but I couldn't find it.

Jack

[swoop]

great job jack. i looked for you too. i rode to the race.... hence no car. and i didn't start until 3p. i spun around the parking lots for a while looking for a serotta.

it was ugly. you guys did ten laps??? that's amazing... we were flying and i think only did 13 or 14.

[Ginger]

Lets see...

Friday night a nice 4 mile ride to a bar-b-que...cosmopolitans out of a water bottle. Good fun. Hamstrings are a little sore and I can't figure out why. All I can think of is I wore higher heels than usual Thursday.

Saturday. Wake up and my hamstrings are really painful...still no idea why. No ride. Trail day and big Italian family reunion. No. I'm not italian, but others in my family are. Lots of food. Even some I can eat! Eat waaay too much. That'll leave a mark.

Sunday. Hamstrings are still sore. 55 miles with my riding buddies on nicely paved back roads with little traffic. 7 am start. Beautiful sunny morning, 53 degrees at the start warming to mid 70s during the ride. Breakfast at the half way point. Some clouds rolled in so we didn't roast in the sun.

I discovered that a powertap allows you to quantify exactly how badly you suck...of course, my buddies told me I should have saved my money because *they* could tell me for half the price.

[Jack Brunk]

Noel,

I rode my Pinarello Dogma so as not to harm any of my carbon bikes. I wished I had taken my Ulteam for a little different gearing on the climb.


Jack

[Birddog]

Boy I sucked too yesterday, but I still managed to stumble into 1st place at the state time trial. My placement says more about the lack of competition in my age bracket than it does about any ability I have. My hammies were so sore that I could barely walk the rest of the day. Still, I'll take it.

Birddog

[spiderlake]

A little late to the party but I rode a new trail on Friday (MTB) that is awesome. Tight, technical trail with lots of man-made obstacles. It was a great break from the norm and I quickly learned that my bike handling skills suck! I went into this ride thinking I was going to hate the man-made obstacles but I gotta admit they were a lot of fun and every one had a bypass route so you could opt-in or out of each. Some of the obstacles were well beyond my talent level but I did find some of them to be a lot easier than they looked - especially the teeter-totter.

I had planned to get some road riding in as well but got put to work moving lumber all weekend and it is raining cats and dogs right now. Maybe tomorrow.....

[hypnos]

I've been sucking this whole season so far.

[bigbill]

I did the Aloha State Games road race in the Masters class. Too Tall, I will give you one guess on which of my teamates completely dominated the 1,2,3 race. The week before, I basically dislocated a rib from the cartilage in my chest playing softball. I saw stars when I yawned. I took it easy all week and entered the race only after I could take a deep breath without getting woozy. I rode at the front controlling the pace, blocking for teamates, letting doomed breaks suffer off of the front, and finally sending a teamate into the winning break before two laps of blocking and generally pissing off the rest of the group. The last lap I just slid off of the back and watched the sprint for fifth. I went home, showered, took a flexoril, had a beer and watched Nascar.