After eating salad every day for 6 months you get good at making salad

Probably nine days out of ten I have some kind of mixed ‘salad’ at work.
On Friday a couple of guys had splurged and gone to Burger King for lunch. After eating one of them complained, “Why did I eat that I feel like shit now” and then he started to ask me about my lunch which was sliced mushroom, carrots, romaine, broccoli, a tablespoon of cottage cheese and a hard boiled egg. “How long did it take you to make that?” which I thought was a strange thing to ask. So I explained that I usually just put some stuff in a bowl, wash it, chop it up and that’s it, only takes a few minute. Then he said, “So it wouldn’t take you much time to make two of them?” Why would I do that?
“Because I’ll pay you five bucks a day," he insisted, "for you to bring me the same thing you eat.”

Post Cross Report

Two days later and legs are still feeling it. Something I realized during the course is that I need to get to a hill like Rosedale Valley Road and spend some time charging up, coasting down lather rinse repeat.

CSAJ Cross - Riverdale Park - November 22 2009

Sunday November 22, 2009

6:30 am
Been up for an hour, had breakfast and have indeed lost my mind because I’ve made the decision to try something new, and in 3 and a half hours will be in the CSAJ (Cycle Solutiosn Angry Johnny Racing Team) Cyclocross race in Riverdale Park. Beginner Men division. Or as I like to think of it, “Beginner Men Over 50 Who Should Know Better”.
Can think of so many excuses or reasons to sit this one out: left lower back has been really sore for the past 3 days. Recovering from cracked rib and torn rotator cuff from wiping out on my bike about a month ago. Got some bizarre irritation or rash on my arms that is sore and itchy and taking forever to clear up. Have never raced before. Have never even been in group ride, don’t know how to handle being among a bunch of competitive riders who would just as soon ride over me as go around.

Race duration is 40 minutes + 1 lap. My goal is to get through one lap without killing myself, and if I can manage that, try to complete 4 laps in the allotted time. I expect the contenders to do at least 6 laps before the final lap bell. Mantra for this event is: ‘It’s only 40 minutes. You can keep moving forward for 40 minutes. Keep moving forward. Keep your feet moving for 40 minutes.’.

Have never done anything like this before but I can see it is a very difficult course. There are (at least) 2 uphill sections which will require me to dismount and walk up, although I expect the other riders to simply charge up those slopes on their bikes. Plus there are the other obstacles that are designed to get the riders off their bikes.

Post Race Report:
Was too old for the beginner division so I entered Master 3 Men (35 and over).. The weather was absolutely amazing for November 22. Started out cloudy but cleared up before the 10:00 am start time. It was cool but not cold with very light winds. It had rained on Friday and some parts of the course were muddy and slippery.
Accomplished what I set out to do: got through the first lap okay. Kept going, didn’t kill myself or wipe out. Could have gone faster on some downhill sections but the main thing is that I kept control and avoided catastrophe. So glad I had practiced controlled skids earlier in the summer. And the bike held up perfectly. Tires slipped a bit on muddy parts so I had to walk which was all right with me. Did not drop the chain. Did not give up even when legs were burning. Did not give up when I thought I was going to throw up. Sure I finished in last place - 36th out of 36 - but I did finish. And now that it’s over I can say that it was fun.

Cycle Solutions, the Local Bike Store where I bought my bike is hosting a cyclocross in a park about 5 minutes from where I live! Didn't get much notice and I had to keep at them to get details but finally tracked down the info and a site map.



Went out today and rode a few laps of the course. Wow it is tough to peddle for an extended period over bumpy grass, leaves covering divots in the ground, trying to climb up dirt hills until your wheels spin, loose gravel on a running track etc. Very humbling when you think you're in reasonable condition but puffing and panting after carrying your bike up a hil that looks like it's only 20 feet or so, haha. The event is next Sunday. Really wish I had one more weekend to train, or even that there was enough sunlight so I could run the course after work during the week.
But it's good too, to figure out what sort of conditioning and training I should be doing in the gym. I've mostly been doing abs and upper body, figuring that the biking, spin classes and stationary bike cardio would take of the legs. WRONG! Need to do more squats, leg presses etc.

Was out there for about an hour and at different times saw two pairs of serious racers all kitted out, testing out the course, too. Glad I'm not racing in their division. I mean I don't know how people can even 'race' this course; it's going to be tough enough to keep from wiping out on the grassy hills and to avoid crashing into other riders in some of the tighter areas.

So my plan is to go there next Sunday morning and then if I think I can have a bit of fun running the course, make the decision to enter - or be a spectator.

What did I see

Friday morning I was heading out the lobby. Comning in was some hipster looking guy carrying a bike frame. Odd so of course I had to say something.
"Lose your wheels?"
"No, I just got this", he replied. "Birthday present, birthday on the 11th.""Nice" I said. It was a blue and green Gary Fisher frame. I leave, get on bike and start thinking, there's no bike stores open at 6 am, where did he get that from. Did he steal it? But if he took a bike locked up outside why take the time to dissassemble it when youj could just ride it home.