In the meantime

Yeah, I know, slow month on the blog. Thanks to the few of you who cared enough to write in and complain. So what have I been up to? Let's begin with "the NOTS."

I am NOT running my air conditioner, because it's NOT like summer out there. I am also NOT sitting on my couch right now, because my MacBook is NOT working. I did NOT purchase an extended warranty when I bought it 18 short months ago, so I am NOT happy. This situation is somewhat relevant to my NOT blogging, as I am NOT thrilled about sitting here at my desk, because that is NOT that much different than working.

I'm also NOT too impressed with the new layout over at cyclingnews.com, although if you adblock all the flash content, it's NOT really much different than before. I will NOT miss the corny lead-ins and headlines ("Altinbasak dreams of Harlem glory"). I have NOT been bike commuting, and I do NOT have an excuse. I had a bunch more of these, but I'm NOT really awake so I'm NOT remembering them right now. Oh yeah, I'm NOT watching any television because I do NOT have cable and I did NOT purchase a digital converter. If anyone has experience with a USB TV tuner, preferably cross-platform, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Most of all though, I've NOT been racing. In fact, other than a few times up at the CBTT, I didn't compete at all between Sunapee on May 16 and Ninigret this past weekend. I did NOT attempt to defend my title at the Rye Duathlon because I have NOT been running nearly enough. In fact, I've been down to once a week or so, and I've only accumulated about 17 hours in my running shoes for the entire calendar year. Contrast that with 52 hours for the same time period last year and you'll understand why I was NOT confident going into Sunday's Children's Museum 5 miler, held just around the corner from my home. You'll also understand why I'm NOT unhappy about putting up my slowest race pace in over two years, because it was NOT nearly as bad as I'd expected. Ok, I'll stop now.

In between I did a bunch of training, and a bunch of just riding for fun. Me and the Cronoman did a solid slugfest one day where we explored the area of Dougie's lunch rides. Of course we didn't think to check a map or anything first, so we never found Chestnut Hill Road. Next time. I also did a bunch of "workouts" which is a good way to cut an evening ride short after you "meet all your training goals." Kind of an excuse to go home while it's still light outside. I also tinkered with my bikes a bit and made my old bike fit much closer to the way my new bike does. It's still good enough for criteriums like Ninigret... I also entered D2R2, which was another reason I'm interested in keeping my old bike up and running. The first time I did this (for me) 10 hour event, I rode my ill-fitting, super flexible, no water bottle bosses cyclocross rig, using 700x35 Paselas and a 38x32 low gear. That was OK, but then last year I decided to use my P.O.S. low-end aluminum commuter bike, with the same tires (we know how that went). The triple crank was nice to have, but that bike doesn't fit so well either, but also is a bit heavy and totally rides like shit. The frame is, as they say, lifeless. you get what you pay for sometimes I guess. I rode this same bike on Six Gaps last year too, so I suffered on this beast of a machine for my two longest outing of the year. This year I decided that even though things like this aren't races, I owe it to myself to set up something a bit nicer. One of these days I'll procure a bike purpose-built for this sort of thing, but not this year. I don't want to subject my new carbon bike to the flying rocks and pounding of D2R2's 130k of dirt roads though, so right now I'm thinking of going with the Kinesis/"Motobecane." The 28 mm Paselas just barely clear the brakes, but I might be brave enough to try 25s this year. With the boneshaker aluminum frame, the Thudbuster ST seatpost might be pressed into service just for the day. The fork on this thing is pretty "compliant" already, so no worries there. I'll break the bank and purchase an IRD 30T 10s cassette, and pair it with a 34T front ring, or maybe even try one of the 33T TA units. Not sure if that is worth the money though.

This weekend, the Team BOB Olde Home Day Circuit Race is on deck. I'd sort of like to make it to my old stompin' grounds, Thompson Speedway for the MRC race later that night, but with a BBQ at Duano's house slated for Saturday afternoon, I'm not sure an evening race would be such a good idea... Just give me a little extra racing room if I decide to show up.

Running Sunday kind of gave me the bug to keep going with that too. I can't say I've enjoyed my infrequent training runs so much lately, but the pure suffering of running five miles flat out brought back the spark. I'm not sure how to handle this as I've let my bike fitness slip a bit already (translation: added a few kgs), and so I need to bear down and focus to prepare for the Hilltowns-Bow-Mt A TT-D2R2 block of events coming up in a month or so. Running won't help much there, but I'm still going to try to work some in so that I can be ready for the fall races. My foot seems OK, and that is after running in flats on pavement at the race. That's it for now, thanks for hanging in there and reading. I'll think about a Ninigret race report for tomorrow.


I went to Fenway. The game rained out just after five innings and the Sox lost. I am the albatross.


I raced at Ninigret.


And made the winning break, but did not win.