Monday, December 29, 2008

Apparently, I love December...

The last two years have been very good to me in December. In addition to being the month we celebrate the birth of Christ by plunging into debt, I was able to get in significant amounts of riding:

2007: 655 miles
2008: 631 miles with three days to go.

For the purists, not all of these miles are outdoors. Many are trainer miles watching movies and doing Spinerval workouts.

Should be hitting the Superdrome tonight if the temperature holds, so I can take one of the IC3 youth out and get him some off-season practice. A few laps for me as well.

I did get in a very good metric ride last Friday. Good in the sense that it was much hillier than the routes I normally take, and much of it was with a 30+ mph cross or head wind. Speed was not the goal...miles and climbing were. The targeted trainer sessions made the hills much flatter than they normally are.

Cyclists to pray for: Gary and Andy.

DB

Thursday, December 18, 2008

IC3 Junior devo

I got the pleasure of handing over an IC3 team bike to a very deserving youth that I coach last Saturday. Still need to fit him to it and go for a test ride. Can you tell how sick he is behind the smile on his face? This is the first road bike he will have ridden, being a track racer and all...

IC3 Junior Devo program



Cyclist to pray for: This kid ^^^ (Landon - health and safety on the bike)
DB

99 things

This has nothing at all to do with being an aging cyclist...just thought it was a fun idea I saw on a friend's blog. Bold items are those I have done, Italics I can see doing someday:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars - summer YMCA camps
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain - if riding a bike up mountain passes in Colorado counts, sure :)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo - LOL...took 40 years to get me to lip sync in the choir
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child - Hi goofball!
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked - Huntsville, TX as a teenager with a stranded car
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - many times. Called in "golf"
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (Why ruin perfectly good knees?)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run - Hit one over the fence, but it was ruled an out as it was the 4th of the game and the limit was 3. Church league softball
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors - mom was born in Fort Worth, TX, does that count?
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke - not on your life
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant - paid for coffee for the car behind me at Starbucks once
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance - after a haed on collision at 55mph in 1991
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie - saw "Necessary Roughness" being filmed in college at UNT
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - 3NF, inc. 2001 - 2008.
58. Taken a martial arts class - jujitsu club at UNT, 2 classes.
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies - I'm not a girl, and mine are grown.
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason - I've given for no reason, but never received
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - at least a gallon
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - still have my BMX bike
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job- 2003, after 18 months, was told I didn't have the skills (?!?!)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle - crashed one at 5mph in a parking lot learning to ride :)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car - 1994 Chevy Beretta
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper - 4th grade class was interviewed. Been on radio too.
85. Read the entire Bible (working on it)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life - hope to be part of someone's eternal salvation someday before I go home
90. Sat on a jury - 2008 - Guilty.
91. Met someone famous - soap star in my family, and raced Lance Armstrong before he was anyone, 1989 or so
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby - made one...does that count?
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Thursday, December 4, 2008

USA Cycling Coach

For my faithful reader(s)....

There's now a new image over on the right that USA Cycling's coaching program allows me to use, so I thought I should explain :)

I have been a certified Level 3 (beginner) cycling coach since early 2007, and expect to continue to be one until nobody ever asks me for cycling advice anymore.

I am not a PhD in Physiology, or a Power training expert, etc. I am a basics coach. I teach how to ride on the track without falling off. I teach the value of yelling "hole" and "car back" on group rides to newbies.

Services I offer and how much:

Junior track racing (as a helper to Suzie at the Superdrome): Free.
Junior track racing - open session: Free if I'm going anyway.

Junior road riding - Free until you get faster than me, then go hire Chris Williams or Max Miley

Adults, riding/racing - Free for members of IC3

Adults that want dedicated riding time and training programs....please hire Chris, Max, Richard Wharton, etc. These guys have proven experience taking riders to the next level. I am not building a coaching practice. I just want to get people started safely and then watch them grow.

Special note to parents:

If your kid wants to start competitive cycling, please consider the Superdrome youth development program. Track racing is one of the safest cycling forms out there. No trees, no glass, no cars. IC3 member or not, I'll help them get going both riding and racing when they are ready. Suzie Goodwin runs it, I help out when I can. The IC3 youth program in fo page is here.

Cyclist to pray for: Todd.

DB

Monday, December 1, 2008

Just laugh...

Got a flat last night.

On the trainer.

At least it wasn't the front tire. That would have been too "Fred"....

I'll fix it tonight and try again to burn off that pecan pie...

DB