Rehabilitation

Solid weekend of bike racing; the first for a little while. I'm starting to get some of my snap back which is really encouraging. It almost feels like I belong in a pack again. It reminds me a little of what David Millar was going through after the Tour. He said something along the lines of how he was ashamed to call himself a bike racer because he couldn't pedal in anger at all, only little wimpy please don't hurt me pedal strokes. While I am not as British as he is, or nearly as cool, or nearly as much of an ex-doper (Im still doin it), or I just didn't get done with le Tour, I kind of get where he is coming from. It felt good to be able to put in an effort and know that it was good, strong, and respectable. It was something that made other people hurt, not just something that made me want to say uncle and stop.

The Iowa Crit Championships was a 50k rectangle with a bit of a hill on it. Enough to get out of the saddle, not enough to cause any suffering. Only 14 guys rocked the 1/2 race. While that is lame, it made the race a bit harder. There's no place to hide, especially when you are a recovering triathlete. I went with a few moves that I thought had some promise, ones without Sean Walker in them because I thought he might've been too marked, which might mean something else is more likely to go, but none of those managed to stick. The first one with him in it did stick, which was right after the last one I was in got caught. Sweeeeet. We got lapped by one dude (Lou Wagga-something) and he he hauled our asses back to the rest of the break who was lolligagging and playing grab ass. The sprint was for second, but I didn't really contest it. The powersticks were shot from all the accelerating. I was a bit honored, though, that Jim Cochran tried to give me a lead out. He was out of it because of a tactical mishap (good idea, he though if he dropped back to the break we would catch back up with them and be equal with us, and then launch back off the break...smart, really smart) It was all I could do to get on his wheel, and once I was on, we both kind of crapped out. Well, I guess I don't want to speak for him, too, regardless, I crapped out and said thanks anyway. It was kind of fun to get a lead out from one of the best riders in Iowa, though.

While I was all concerned about me, I nearly forgot how to include how my brother did. He kicked some ass, he did. He was all decked out in his Andalucia jersey and rode a smart race. He stayed tucked in nearly the entire race and only worked when he had to. The best part of the race was most definitely the final sprint. Nick, probably not the best sprinter in the world, managed to eek out his 5th place finish with a bike stab. Without it I am convinced he would've been regulated to 6th, but as is, the bike stab got him the extra couple of dollars. Yeah, we practice those, and it paid off. I got video of it, but I am too lazy to load it on to the pooter. Ill probably get to it soon. With races like that he'll surely be getting his upgrade and wins soon. He's got a brain to win, and legs that are getting as strong as his brain. Plus, hes got a MEAN bike stab...

The Rum Village/Indiana State crit was fast and I raced better. Unfortunately, as we were rolling back into South Bend Jenn pointed out that the Bissell team car was right behind us. I only saw one guy in it, so, I thought second place still isn't that bad. Too bad when I showed up they had 7 or so riders in a field of 45. Awesome. They managed to win all 5 $100 primes and take the top 4 spots while laying waste to the rest of us. Way to leave some for the rest of us, guys. I raced well, tried to win, and was happy with it, even though I got around 14th or 15th. I knew they were just going to keep sending guys off the front until someone stayed, so, I went with moves I thought were promising. It was somewhat of a crap shoot, and I didn't win. Apparently, no one but the Bissell dudes won. I stayed in the front a lot and drafted off their little train they had going on. I felt so pro. At the end of the race, after their break of 3 lapped us, all 7 of them lined up with 2 laps to go and put the hammer down lead out train style. It was pretty dope to see it. The pack strung out in an instant and the elastic snapped and the top 12 guys got on the good end of the spit. I was a little too far back and had to work my balls off to get back up there. I thought I was far enough up. Distance from the front I was probably fine, but, all the guys that were in the pack might have been what caused it? I dont know...dont know if I am going to worry so much about it.

So, good weekend. Didn't win any money, but feel like a bike racer again. Woo hoo! Got a lead out from someone that is likely better than me, and then tailgunned Bissells little train deal. Way cool.

Now that Im back here at school, I suppose I can throw little snipets from school in. I was in the dining hall by myself, mainly because Jenn decided to go get good food with her friend and her parents and because I am now that loser senior that stayed on campus, and I was walking in the dining area after getting my food and could not get through. There was a pack of girls between the regular ice cream and the soft serve "fat free fro yo machine" (which is apparently way healthier than ice cream, it doesnt have any fat!! OH MY GOD! SO HEALTHY!!) When will these little girls learn? They can't stay little hanging out by the fro yo machine - A: so, no fat...that means they make up for it in sugar..morons B: if you at least sat down afterwards youll have to get your fat ass up to refill your bowl, as opposed to just having to reach over C: If your ass is sitting down, then I can get through...which is the most important thing ever.

Mellotron Scratch

So, the title of this entry has no particular meaning to anything. It is the song I am listening to right now by Porcupine Tree. I thought it sounded kind of cool, and I just didn't want to have a lame "state crit" title. Like I said, that is lame and I can do better than that. I much rather have a nonsense title than a lame one. Plus, the one I have post crit will likely have the words state crit in the title. By the way, I finally figured out why I like the word terriblismic so well. The ending of terriblismic is akin to pessimistic. The connotations of the ending give it the pessimistic feel. I like it, a lot.

Anyway, we are on the eve of the Iowa State Championship Criterium. I sit here with my Michelob Ultra relaxing and unwinding. Normally I drink a more manly brew, even with all the cycling and endurance sport specific advertising the Ultra does. The main reason I drink it is because I got it for free at a 2bee race and as a good college student and beer drinker, The DJ does not discriminate, no sir. Plus, the 12 oz "slimline" cans, a la redbull, are kind of nice; they make me feel slim and trim, just like the can and we all know what slim and team means - FAAAAAASSSSTTT. That is what I will be in the morning, fo sho. My past few races I have tried to play the good kid and not drink or do anything "bad"/"detrimental" before races, but have done worse than I had when my I took part in my few vices before races. So, tonight we'll try to test the hypothesis on whether or not Tim races better with or without beer and hopefully soon we'll see if there is any correlation there. Tonight it might help with all the stress of packing to get ready to take off for school again and bla bla bla bla. Its sucks when you have to pack up your life every couple of months to move it across the country. Honestly, it blows...

My apologies, I digress. Game plan for tomorrow. Objective 1: stay on two wheels. Objective 2: dont get dropped. Objective 3: Mark any move that has a B2u, mercy, and All9Yards dude. Objective 4: Place in the money. We'll see how well this one goes. The legs don't have the snap they used to, but I won't be getting tired over the course of the race, I just might not be able to accelerate with everyone. Like I said, we'll see. I'm actually more excited to watch my brother race, I have a feeling he'll pull a good one out tomorrow. Probably a lot better than me, he nailed Pigman last weekend so there is no reason he can't do the same tomorrow. The Cat 3 race should be exciting to watch - a whole bunch of even matched people with some good teams going at it. I'm looking forward to that, probably just because I know almost all the people in the race. As far as my race goes? I feel like it will be just like the Cat 3 race except with more "old dudes" and less "young dudes." Same type of things - a couple of big teams controlling with a few wild cards....I guess kind of like every other bike race?

I need to put some pictures up from Pigman. While my performance blew, I at least looked good while doing it. I take comfort in knowing, though, that composure and how you look while suffering is as, if not more, important that how you do while you suffer. Hopefully I'll get some pictures from this weekend, too. Smell ya later.

Terriblismic

So, yeah, I made up a word. So what? Shakespeare made up words and he was considered one of the greatest writers of all time. Get what I'm saying? Anyway, my word is pretty much just terrible with a funny ending. It means about the same thing, but is way more fun to say.

This new word also describes how I raced on Sunday at the Pigman Half Ironman - terriblismic. I had to make up a new word to describe how I raced. I think I used the word awful more than I have the past year in the hour after my race. I have ton of excuses as to why I did so terrible. My swim was awful, 12 minutes slower than my fastest swim this distance. My bike was okay, it was on the low end of acceptable. It would've been more acceptable had I not detonated on the run like I always do. First two year it was fecal explosions, this year...pussitis? I don't know, maybe I was a bit dehydrated or something because I just wasn't there mentally. I could not keep it together for the life of me. The first miles were cooking - 7 minute pace, and it felt like I could've kept it for all 13. Then, as usual, about mile 4 something hits me. I just got this monster headache and lost all mental capabilities. I could not focus on the life of me. I pretty much turned into a big baby right then and there and packed it in. I had hit my nutrition, so I thought. I didn't think I was overly tired, but...I have no idea. The run course is easy, but there is no shade whatsoever and no breeze through the river valley. Maybe I just fried out there? I am almost embarrassed to say how slow I went, but it was 5:20, a good 50 minutes slower than my fastest time. 4:30 is a legit, good time. 5:20 is a time that many people can achieve...women, fat people, old people, people that really aren't as good as me, little kids...you know, people that shouldn't beat me, a guy that probably trains too much. There in lies the problem, though, training too much is just like not training enough - its leads to shit performance. While I don't think I have been training too much because I have barely been training due to work and racing. Hell, I think I have raced every weekend since Ironman. I thought I was going to take 2-3 weeks off, and here I am racing every weekend. Doing too much racing for the base that got beat to hell during Ironman. Great way to recover, dude. I guess sometimes you have to get beat over the head before you finally heed warning. That being said, I guess I wont be hit over the head until next weekend when I attempt to throw down at Pella and South Bend for the Iowa and Indiana State Crit Championships. Hopefully a lot of R & R along with some training to maybe get back in the routine of things. Maybe that will jump start the powersticks? If not, I know a whole month where I don't have anything planned but football watching, beer drinking, causing trouble with the boys, and canoodling with the "old lady"....maybe that will do the trick?

Sorry if you were any of the aforementioned groups above - im just bitter that youre better than me. I'll get over it in time, trust me. Plus, this is the Internet...you can say whatever you want on it without repercussions, right?

Dont Mind This

BioMechanical

So, yeah, I'm going to post twice today. Just on different topics, so it's legit, right? Anyway, threw down at the state time trial last Sunday and it went alright. I improved from my time last year by 45 seconds or so, but with the increased amount of people it still was a so so time. I went low 58, which, is decent, but compared to a lot of people I race with it kind of blew. I got blown away by people I can compete with at races. Not sure if I'm a crappy time trialist (I seem to do well in the collegiate TT's, I TT well at tri's, and I generally TT well...so I don't think this is it) or if this is still "curse" of the ironman or I just last some of the bike racing fitness I once had because of it. I mean, just sit down and think about it, I spent months training my body to putz along for 10-11 hours at a decent pace. I trained all the fast out of my body, and I got rid of all my acceleration and power. I traded it all for unlimited amounts of moderate pace and steadiness. I feel like a not exciting GC contender in le tour (Levi, Cadel...), they never accelerate when the going gets tough, they just keep chugging along and seem to do just fine. The big difference is that they would kick the living piss out of me, probably while doing one leg drills. Anyway, now, not even 3 weeks after the event I expect to have it all back? Yeah, lets get realistic here duder. At least I look sweet when I TT, even without a TT bike...and just imagine this picture with a fake disc wheel aka a disc wheel cover!!! So wicked fast....


At least now, whenever I can't accelerate, I can just think of Paul Sherwinn saying something to the extent of "And now, Campbell is getting those pistons we call legs to wind up that big twin turbo diesel engine of his! He can't match the acceleration of some others, but once he gets up to speed there will be no obstacle capable of slowing this man down!"

Sigh, there goes another one of my Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwinn fantasies, I just wish that they'd announce a race I would do...that would be so sweet.

One of those days

So, three blown tubes and a ruined tire later I finally had the dirt cheap ready to ride today. I was pretty pissed about that, a good $40 down the drain at least. Then, I couldn't find the Rudy Projects. 2o minutes later found out Aaron took them to a Doctors appointment because he might have his eyes dialated...but he forgot to put them downstairs back in their case. Im sure he wasnt wearing them to try and impress the ladies...Then, out on the ride with Nick I managed to pop not only one but two flats meaning I had to have Aaron come pick me up after getting in only 20 miles. Something makes me think something is wrong with the wheel, but damn, I cannot find a thing wrong with it.....ill look at it again tomorrow and figure something out and im sure ill actually find out whats wrong...just one of those days

time trail championships are on sunday. I think the powersticks are recovering, the last week at work I barely lifting anything. Just some sleeping, some drinking, and some walking...a good relaxing week to cap off the recovery from ironman. Might not have some of the same fitness i had earlier in the year, but im going to give it ago and see what happens. Hopefully it starts to come back.

Midrace adjustment to 9 speed...

well, my computer sucks and I had a good post written...and then it shut down. Sweet. I should probably utilize the save now button at the bottom...So, this is going to be short and itll suck...just like my computer and my race yesterday. I still have some post ironman cobwebs. Im improving, but I still dont have the snap and the range I had before the race, it still hurts a little too much. Just some more rest and easy training will hopefully take care of that. I also busted my 13 cog mid race...campy 10 doesnt work to well on makeshift campy 9, no sir it does not. I guess it was time for a new cassette anyway, too bad I have to sell my left nut for it. The only advantage is for the little while I was running 9 I had a bit lighter bike, man, could I feel the difference!!

Anyway, one more week of work and then I get to focus on some racing once again. Im pretty pumped for that. No more manual labor to hinder recovery, no more work to get in the way of training. I cant wait.

PS People shouldnt hammer it through feedzones, its very un euro. Being this is America and not Europe, though, I kind of expect it. If i didnt need to pick up a feed damn right I'd hammer through because thats what everyone else would do. So, next time, whoever ahead of me braked in the feed zone im running into you and causing a huge pile up because at least I wont have to waste a ton of energy to catch back onto the peleton I wont catch onto anyway because you let a giant gap open up....and now Im done...catch all 5 of you readers later

State Road Race Sufferfest

The legs are silky smooth and shiny, they havent been that way since Ironman. That isn't saying much since that was 2 weeks ago, but before that they had been stubly and gross all summer. Finally chicks will be rubbing my legs again, envious of how smooth they are.

108 miles on the bill for tomorrow. Not sure how the powersticks will react to that one with Ironman being a mere two weeks in the past. The fitness is there, fo sho, but have they recharged enough? Will I have enough water/will I be able to get handoffs since there is no neutral support and my team doesn't want to support me in my bid for a state championship (I dont get why they wouldnt want to come out to Iowa from Indiana to help me out, im going to help them out in the crit...)? Will I be able to overcome the powerhouse teams Bikes 2 You, Mercy-Specialized, Atlas, Hawkeye Bike Association, the DEATH SQUAAAAAAD, and whatever other simply amazing teams that I have no chance against that will be there? If I hadn't just done Ironman I probably would've not worried so much about it and just rode off the front for a solo victory. It wouldve been a pretty impressive display of my power and badassness. As is, though, to give the rest the field a chance I through the whole Ironman thing in there so I'd have to contend with all this other stuff. The chess on wheels stuff. I'll come out of it a better bike racer because I have handicapped myself and made myself rely on my cunning and not my fitness. Everyone else has a shot at winning. All in all, everyone wins...

Sha, right! Now time for the super mega realistic ending!

Well, Ill see how long I can hang on and how long I can not do any work. We'll see how much talking the powersticks want to do tomorrow and hopefully they won't want to shut up. If they hole up like 15 year old Tim in front of girls, oh well, I at least achieved what I really wanted this summer. We'll see what happens. Party on, Wayne...

Start of it all...

So, here I am all jittery and shaky from the coffee I drank 4 hours ago. I never "use" caffeine except for races or every now and then when I don't get enough sleep. I had no reason whatsoever to use it today, except for the fact that a new coffee shop opened up in town and ever since the old one closed I had no place to chill in the mornings when I'm home. I went down there hoping to see most of the same faces as I used to, and much to my pleasure I did. Socialized over some coffee, ya know, chatted with the locals. It's fun...but now I'm hoping I come off the caffeine high real soon, I hate this jittery feeling.

Anyway, I was surfing the net and thinking about how I should update the Notre Dame Cycling blog and found myself checking out blogs and ended up reading what seemed like every blog written by a cyclist here in Iowa. I thought to myself "Im a cyclist in Iowa, I like people to know what I think, I like talking trash about people on the internet but not doing it to their face, I should start a blog, too!" So, I did. I'm getting tired of playing the role of anonymous good cyclist, so, instead of letting my legs do more of the talking, I'll let my blog do some, too. I'll write more, probably today, but I really want to eat my pancakes and I should probably fix the dirt cheap so it doesn't explode at the race tomorrow.