rather be outside

work sucks. what i would give to not work. but, i wouldn't want to win the lottery either. i read an interesting article this morning about some past lottery winners. some are broke, some are dead, some committed suicide, some are in prison. who am i fooling? i would love to win the lottery! i'll take my chances.

i had an awesome run after work last night! i was doing some calculations and determined i needed to run a 20:48 to keep at a 8 min/mi pace. the other two times i timed myself, i came up with 23:33 and 22:18. the 20:48 looked to be pretty tough for me to beat. i ended up running a 20:34 last night! a 7:54 pace! now if i can keep that up for 10k, i'd be very content. i think running w/o pain really helps. it keeps you focused on running and not the aches and pains.

i was emailing with scotty q yesterday and he said he has not thought about making a softtail 29er. oh well, he pretty much convinced me a custom 29er is the way to go. i also found another blog yesterday where this guy was testing whether or not a 26er was as fast as a 29er. his results showed that the 26er was faster for him on a course w/ lots of climbing. hmmm....makes ya think if all this hype is true. soooo, i've decided to go back to the el cheapo redline monocog 29er. if i don't like it, i could sell it w/ minimal loss of $$ and minimal investment.

i can't wait for it to get warm! spring is right around the corner, i can feel it!

still dreaming...ugh!!!

so i'm trying to figure out which 29er to get. yeah, yeah, i know, you thought i had settled on the monocog until i could get enough cash together for a geared build. i'm thinking, screw it. all i would need is a frame, fork, disc wheelset, disc brakes and then swap the rest of the parts over from my fango. that wouldn't be all that expensive, right? i'm pissed that they don't make the reba 29er w/ brake bosses. if they did, i could use my sweet king wheelset from my crosser and i wouldn't have to buy discs or a new wheelset. that would save me about $400-500! it's the sizing that's gotten me all messed up. on paper, the 16" dos niner is almost identical to my fango. i'm just wondering if i would have any toe overlap or if i would feel cramped on such a small frame. the 18" looks a little roomier w/ a 90mm stem but the standover clearance would be nil. i think i would want the smaller frame as opposed to racking the boys on the top tube when i bail on some technical rocky section. oooorrrr, i could go the custom route and have scotty quiring build me up a nice steel 29er. but, i really want the softail design. i love it on my fango. grrr...i'm being so indecisive. maybe i should just stick w/ the monocog and be a single speeder like all the cool people!

sick?

i wish my body would make up it's mind. am i going to get sick or am i not? i felt pretty crappy this morning but felt pretty decent most of the day. i felt so good, in fact, that i even went out for a second 3 mile run. the good news is that it was another pain free run! i don't think my legs, knees and hips ever felt this good after 6 miles. i need to make sure i'm not adding miles too quickly. i definitely don't want an early season injury. i'll probably just stick to the bike tomorrow, but if i'm really tempted by the sunshine, i may go out for a quick 3 miler.

looking at alex's blog revealed that those cats did 91 miles today....in the frickin' wind, no less! i wonder how many miles amanda ended up doing? those guys aren't world class endurance cyclists for nothing! very impressive!

i'm hoping i can keep this cold at bay because i would really like to get out for a ride tomorrow. if i wimp out and think it's too cold out then i guess i'll stick to the trainer. okay, off to bed early on this saturday night. quite a change from those crazy weekend nights in the fall!

blah

well, i couldn't fight off this cold any longer. woke up in the middle of the night a couple of times w/ a sore throat and just an ill feeling in general. i called amanda this morning and reluctantly told her i probably shouldn't ride. it really isn't all that cold out even though it's windy as hell. she said it was cool and decided to join robert's insane group ride.

the sun came out so i decided to venture out and get a quick run in. i made a few more tweaks to my "custom" orthotics i fabricated earlier this week. considering how much knee and hip pain i had after my wed. night run, i couldn't believe how good i felt after 3 miles! almost no knee pain and absolutely no hip pain! i'm very happy about that since i was feeling pretty frustrated on wed. night. it's so nice to run pain free. now i need to work on my speed and endurance. have i mentioned i'm a HORRIBLE runner? i have no idea how people can run so fast!

if i'm feeling better tomorrow, i would like to get out for a ride. there's a fun group leaving from stoney high school, but that's quite a drive. i'll see how i feel in the morning. in the meantime, i'm going to be taking more zinc, getting some rest and watching the bronze medal hockey game.

chicken shit!

so after much deliberation, i decided to cancel my appointment this morning. i felt i had a few more questions for the nurse and wasn't mentally prepared. i will spare you the details of the procedure. the nurse called this morning and put my mind at ease (well, sort of) and i rescheduled the procedure for next friday afternoon. this time, they will be giving me valium. drugs=good.

another long day at work. in fact, i'm still at my wonderful place of employment. trying to plan out my weekend. amanda wants to do a long ride tomorrow. i'm thinking sunday is looking like the better day because they're calling for 40mph wind gusts tomorrow. yeah, i know, MAMA! if we ride sunday, there's a better chance soupy may be able to join us. i'll finalize plans tonight. oh yeah, it will all be depedant on whether or not i get sick. i've been on the verge of getting sick most of the week. you know, that scratchy feeling at the back of your throat. it sucks. anyway, it's time for me to head home and get some grub. i skipped lunch today. was running too late to pack a lunch and didn't feel like venturing out to get anything. i did have some beef jerky though. i definitely enjoy my beef snacks!

oh yeah, me being nosing and all...during my lunch hour, i found the blog/journals of this college intern hussy that works here. just as i thought, a crazy 20 year old chick! big bong collection, going to school baked, trippin' balls on shrooms, boozin' it up. all this while she was in high school two years ago. ah, the kids these days. all i did in high school was booze it up. didn't try the other stuff until i was a frosh in post secondary education. see where it's gotten me? yeah, i thought so.

yawn

getting ready for bed...pretty freaked out about one last test they want to perform early tomorrow morning. not a pleasant test from what i've heard. more on that tomorrow.

i met up w/ soupy at cafe habana for dinner and beers. i love that place! their ipa rocks as does their food. i've never had a bad meal there and i've been there 7 times since xmas. it sounds like soupy is going to help me put together my single speed. i did get an interesting offer from j at our team meeting, but i don't think my imagination would git er done.

well, off to dreamland for far too few hours...

yee haw!!!

i ran (only) 5 miles tonight. my knees were killing me. i'm just not made to run. it was an awesome night though. what a beautiful sunset! after my run, i made some yummy homemade mini pizzas and then played the drums for almost 2 hours! i think that may have been the best i've ever played. i mean i suck and all but i was actually playing some pretty tough (by my standards) songs. i was even being creative and made up some funky fills that were actually played in time. i guess all that air drumming in the car is paying off. whatever!

time to lift some weights. did i mention that i can't WAIT until race season!

it looks nice out!

okay, i'm actually getting outta here on time today. it looks super nice out and a check at wunderground tells me it's 46 degrees out. i'm feeling ambitious today so i'm thinking an hour run today which should get me 6.5-7 miles. i'm not brave enough to use my new shoes w/ the homemade orthotics so i'll stick with my oldie but goodies.

too bad this warm weather isn't going to stick around. looks like another cold spell coming this weekend. can't wait for spring...and my 29er!

i'm a fucking genius!

so after getting home at 7:30 last night, i wasn't in the best of moods. i cooked a tasty tofu stir-fry and then put my engineering skills (which i have absolutely none) to use. i picked up a pair of running shoes last week that, after a 3 mile run, were killing my knees and ankles. since running stores don't take back used merchandise, i was stuck with them. because of my fucked up ankles, it's very hard for me to find running shoes that work. unfortunately for me, they discontinued my favorite model. i have some serious overpronation issues which i did a ton of research on (of course). so i concocted my very own custom orthotics to put in my new shoes. the fit seemed to be very good. since i had just finished a large meal, i didn't think i'd make it too far before my stomach would cramp up. i ended up running for 20 mins. and my feet, knees and ankles felt great! i'm not saying that these are going to work, but i am saying that i'm a fucking genius! um, no, not really...

grrrrr!

work sucks. had samples come in waaay later than they should have. sooooo, i'll be stuck here until about 7. it looks sunny out, and i was hoping to get in a run before it got dark out. looks like that's not gonna happen. i guess i'll go with plan b.

got a pm from a long lost friend last night....junior! sounds like the ladyfriend thang is working out for him. just what the kid needed! he was talking about going out for a beer tomorrow night. that sounds like a fan-fucking-tastic idea. actually, a beer right now sounds pretty fucking good. i wonder if he's planning on bringing jen? if she's half as cool as dana, then he did quite well.

i'm worried about the little m. we took him to see an eye specialist this morning because of his damn eyelashes, and they said he needs plastic surgery to correct them. wtf? plastic surgery? i guess we really weren't prepared to hear that. for those of you not in the know, sometimes eyelashes grow in towards the eye instead of curling out. unfortunately for mason, his bottom lashes grow in and are on his eyes constantly. i can't imagine how horrible that is for him. it's been like that his whole life so he doesn't know better, but he still screams out in agony regularly. so we need to consult w/ 3 recommended plastic surgeons and make a decision on who will perform the surgery. scary stuff...

puttin' on the hiits

i'm in really bad shape. just got off the trainer after doing some killer high intensity intervals (hiit). if you do them right, they kick your ass in 30 minutes. needless to say my ass is kicked.

i can't stop thinking about those 29er's. i stopped by the shop today and mike said he plans on carrying the redlines. woo hoo! if he can get his account set up, i should have one by mid-march.

i must have the winter blues. i've had little motivation lately. not wanting to work (but then again, who does?), not wanting to work out. the work thing is nothing new but working out? i always have energy to work out. i'm working out but just not to the intensity that i know i'm capable of. blah, i'm tired. time for a late dinner and then some lifting before bed.

oh yeah, almost forgot. i ran into limey at the shop and asked him about the 7hrs. of midland. all he could say was that the trail is ROUGH. i was thinking that it may be a good tune up ride for addison. it's on may 6th, the week before addison. i figure i'll be doing an 8 hr. ride that weekend anyway so why not do a 7hr race instead?

spicy!

i really should find a new hobby. who really spends this much time drooling over bikes on the internet? i'm completely obsessed w/ getting a 29er. i'm a big wuss so i want one with gears. a spicy ride (sorry sycip!) like the salsa dos niner seems like my kinda ride. an affordable softail similar in design to my fango. i still plan on getting that monocog 29er since i don't have money to drop on a complete build right now. a boy can dream, right?

hmmm...not a big fan of these sub-freezing temps. i guess i've been spoiled by the relatively mild winter we've had thus far. i'm soooo sick of riding the trainer. well, the thought of riding the trainer since i haven't actually been on it lately. i plan on hitting the trainer for an hour tonight plus lifting weights. i just need to get back into a routine.

am i the only one who thinks that there aren't enough hours in a day? damn, it's already almost 8:30 and i still have to work out and then get to bed at a decent hour. i REALLY need to work on my resume and get that out because i need a new job ASAP. not only do i need to get out of my current company, working for pfizer would net me an additional 15-20k per year! now that's some serious coin. that way, i wouldn't have to approve any more irrational purchases with the wifey. so, it's going to be resume time tomorrow.

time to get on that trainer....2 more months until yankee....

lame as...

somebody kick me already! i pretty much suck. i'm drunk on oatmeal stout and a bottle of cab plus stuffed on homemade, stone ground whole wheat pizza. i should just be called a poser. i didn't get on the trainer yet again. i did go out and buy a new pair of running shoes. see, i told ya i'm a poser.

omg, those crazies went out and rode today. it was like 10 degrees today w/ below zero windchills and those hardcore braved the elements. for some reason it seems like cold temps like that would cause more harm than good. more reason for you to go out and ride, amanda!

it looks like reality set in for me today. i was laying in bed early this morning unable to sleep, thinking about that beautiful silk-ti on ebay. i was devising a plan on how i would talk jackie into letting me buy it. some way to justify it. so i got out of bed and told her i absolutely needed to have it. i'd sell my bikes, ampute my left arm, sell my left nut. alas, i looked at the auction and it's already over 2G. it would just be foolish to spend that kind of money right now on a bike. it is only a bike. i'd have to give up too much to get just one bike. sooooo...i've decided to order a redline monocog 29er instead. $450 and i'll be a wannabe single speeder on a big-wheeled bike. will that make me cool? i doubt it. at least it will make me feel cool.

lust!

omg, i'm such a loser! so instead of riding the trainer as i had planned, i'm sitting here drinking an oatmeal stout, eating soy and flax chips w/ spicy black bean dip and lusting over something i've dreamed about for a long long time. the object of my desire is depicted in these lovely photographs. it's an ibis silk-ti. just like my fango except it's titanium. i wanted to get a custom ti version of my bike when i could afford it (which would've been never). castellano wants a whopping thirty-five hundered for the frame alone! insane! i found this little gem on ebay. it's in immaculate shape and full xtr. i'm ready to get rid of all of my bikes, parts, frames just to have this work of art. yikes! it's already over $1500 and was just listed yesterday. we'll see. now i just need to wipe the drool off of my keyboard.

oooo, another good find. a redline monocog 29er. i've really wanted to try the 29er but didn't want to shell out big bucks. fret no more! this 29er single speed is going for under $500 complete! that's an unreal price for a bike this nice. if i don't win that silk-ti, i will definitely be ordering one of these. i need to stop looking on ebay and mtbr because i have issues. i'm always wanting to spend money i don't have!

random lunchtime thoughts

it's good to have friends. they pick ya up when you need it, drive you home when you're drunk and kick ya in the nuts when you need a good ass-whoopin'.

this michigan winter stuff sucks! i want to go out and ride. i want to go out and run. i hate going outside and freezing my ass off. i've been wanting to put together my single speed bike for quite awhile now. once again that procrastination thing gets in the way. i have pretty much all the parts laying around the house/garage. i just need to put everything in a box and take to the shop. take it or bring it? ugh! my grammar has gone down the shitter the past few years. too many beers and vodka sodas. hmmm...maybe soupy could help me put it together. he's the main reason why i'm even thinking about putting this together. his new ss looks bad ass! i don't like the idea of a ss but i can't knock it until i try it. i do know that i luv my gears!

see, if i put together my ss and don't like it, i could always sell it. what i really want is a 29er. i'm just afraid if i fall into the 29er circle, then i'll just want to get rid of my other bikes and get some ridiculous high-end custom 29er. yes, i'm crazy like that.

all this talk about bikes and no riding. i feel like such a slug. with all the dr.'s appointments and tests the past week and a half, i haven't done shit. i think i lifted like twice in the last week. i ran 3 miles on monday and rode the stupid trainer on tuesday. so here it is, friday afternoon and i've basically been sitting on my ass since tuesday. it's not like i could actually finish a 12 hr. race on this training schedule. with the freeze yo ass off temps they're predicting for this weekend, it looks like i'll be getting intimate and sweaty with the trainer once again.

oh yeah, and to finish off on a positive note...

a big fuck off to the extremist organized religion fucks for inciting violent riots and killing innocent people. when will you people ever learn? the world would be a much nicer place if you did.

day one

i've been meaning to put one of these together for a long time. for those of you who don't know me, i'm a chronic procrastinator. it's almost like a disease. one of my many illnesses. i'm only as perfect as the next human being.

i like to write. there was a time long ago that i kept a journal. you know, the old school pen and paper kind of journal. ah, those were the days! the days when i was in love with my sadness.

now, life is different. it still has it's ups and downs, but i think my biggest challenge is to stay healthy. i had a 1.5cm growth hormone secreting tumor removed on 06.07.04. my own d-day, if you will. man, did that tumor fuck me up! i'm not all disfigured or anything...uh, i guess that depends on who you ask. my real passion is mountain biking and staying in shape. the damage that i sustained because of the excess growth hormone is my only limiting factor. it is unbelievably frustrating. i really envy all my riding friends who can train as hard as they want w/o any worries of their bodies failing. i'm not talking about just getting sore or minor injuries. i'm talking about sudden cardiac death. scary stuff. yes, that damn tumor caused some thickening of my heart so it's not completely normal. it skips beats sometimes and doesn't feel so good others. BUT, i'm not just going to sit on my ass and let this stop me. i have too much to live for. life is too short to worry about dying.

so here i am, about 18 months post op and i feel like shit. don't get me wrong, i felt fantastic last fall. and what a fall it was! just the last month or so, i've been feeling like shit. some good news though...another clean mri and my hormone levels are in check. just found that out last week. it put a little bit of a setback on my training but it's still early in the season.

i'm so looking forward to racing season this year! i really hope my body will hold up to it. i'm probably crazy for even considering it but i'm planning on doing a 12 hr. solo race on 05.13. my insane riding friends have provided enough motivation for this 1/2 day torture-fest. will i be ready in less than 3 months? who knows? i take it one day at a time...