Bike Pjorn:I think I'm crossing over to the dark ( cannondale/specialized) side...

Well as much as some of my Tour post have exclaimed I am a Giant fan boy, brought up on my knowledge of cycling by the venerable AL the all-knowing roadie/pro-mountain bike guru mechanic at the Bike Rack. But after browsing the net for prices and contact info ( still trying to get sponsorship. maybe I'll luck out and win that mountain bike at Waramaug and then I can sell it to finance my plane ticket and/or tri bike..hopefully mom and pop will get the real estate business and gift basket business up and running and I'll be making secondary income lifeguarding and delivering gift baskets (via bicycle gotta get that long ride in somehow.).)But upon looking at Cannondale's website I found their corporate base is in Bethel. This now has me pondering....maybe I'm Cannondale's type of masochistic, underdog psychopath.

Reasons for

Cannondale:http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/07/cusa/road/ironman/model-7RM2D.html

A) I'm a local boy. (which might lead to more local sales.)

B) these guys sponsored Team Barloworld, a cycling team with a budget most other pro teams would laugh at, but they were driven as hell and walked away with a king of the mountain's jersey and two stage wins. Me I'm a semi-broke college triathlete driven as hell, and given the right tools I just might produce a bike split that'll turn some heads.

C) They're bikes are a little pricey but they're definitely cheaper than scott, litespeed, and issac, and can kick just as much ass. Also they're made with pride in the USA, and what could be better than an American kid competing in a foreign in race on an American bike.

D) Angry Runner standing saying "Do it. Go Cannondale!"

Specialized :

A) discount tri/ time trial bike. Their transition comp is going for about $1800, not bad considering everybody else's comparable model is in the close to $2000-$2500 range. http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=22295

B) I think it would be cool to star in one of those "I am Specialized" commercials.

C) It is the bike of choice of Katherine, the sexy Canadian cycle chick....

Kuota: ( but I dare not ask for sponsorship....actually I think I will what's the worst they can do say no.)

A) Two Words K-Factor and valuehttp://www.trisports.com/kuk10520.html:

Trizilla is offering a deal on the BMC TT TimeMachine3 only $1300.00http://www.trizilla.com/triathlon/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=1454&idproduct=12088

Then there's Trek:

A) I get a discount from Newington Cycle because they are the official cycle shop of CenTri.

B) Time Trial Bike going for
$1800.00http://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/bike.php?bikeid=1496000&f=5

C) I can wear a Team Discovery Jersey and not feel like I just 10 syringes of Testoterone in my butt .

Stick with Giant:

http://www.racycles.com/GiantTrinityAlliance1Bike-idv-6137-347.html


A) Price on the Alliance A1 just dropped to $1900.00


B) Al could probably get it to me a a better deal because these guys have been supplying me since I was rebuilding 10 speeds in High School

Oh the torment! Well Hope you enjoyed the bike Pjorn. Peace.

R.D.

I'm Rick James, Bitch.....

My boss has given me August 11 off so I can have free reign at Lake Waramaug. It was sort of a roller coaster:
10:00am
Bossman:I don't think I can give you the eleventh off.
Me: ( while silently cussing in my head) Can I at least come in late. I won't be in later than 9:30.
Bossman: We'll see. It just that if you do something crazy like crash and break you hip, we're screwed.But you know what I'll get back to you on it.
Me: ( cursing co-worker who has taken 3 weeks off to go to Albania) ok.

3:30Pm
Me: Hey (bossman's first name), do you think I could talk to you about some of my PTO (paid time off. It's a Websterism.)
Bossman: Sure step into my office.
Me: Well I'm looking at doing Ironman New Zealand next March and I was wondering if I could cancel my PTO coming up in two weeks to use it then.
Bossman: Well you have 5 days carrying over already..but if you want to use them as a sick day cushion. You could. You just need to use 5 days before the end of the year.
Me: ( thinking of a strategic week to take off in October or November.) sounds good to me. About next Saturday any chance I can come in late.
Bossman: Actually I just got off the phone with (manager of the float tellers' first name.) We're getting a float next week so you have the day off.
Me: (in my head SWEET!) Thanks ( now begins a boring dialouge of how I'm looking for a better paying position ie PROMOTION, my boss revealing his plans of working for the samething, pretty much everything short of a happy hour invite.)

So yes next Saturday I will be doing the Nutmeg State Sprint Tri and I will finally get to meet the u famous New England ex-patriate No wet suit girl.
Well no I've got to get on the bike before heading out to celebrate my little brother's birthday.( He just turned 12, and I really hate this 10 year age gap. He's into Pokemon and Yugi oh and I'm into triathlon, cars and girls. Well it'll only be 2 more years before we're more on the same wavelength.) So that's it for now...I just had to exclaim that I AM THE RICK JAMES IN GETTING DAYS OFF FROM WORK....BITCH!
R.D.

Ok Enough about New Zealand back to the tasks at Hand.

Alright my last 6 posts have been about the ongoing war between my mind, checkbook, and IM. New Zealand ( which I signed up for Last Night...the die is cast bitches, time to kick some Kiwi ass.) But now I come bck to cold hard reality. I still have 5 races on tap for this season, before I take a two week break and get my ass into Ironman shape.
The first is Sunday's Niantic Bay Tri....in which I Bob-o, Bob Almighty, Iron-Bob,Bobby D, come up with your own nickname , will take on the fast as all Hell relay of Angry Runner ( jumping into this race as the Angry Swimmer), Ralph, and Trainer. Since I've gained better bike handling skil-ilzs, I should better my pathetic 42 min. bike split from last year, and knowing that I am full capable of winning the swim leg, and I have a pretty dissel run am I too aragant to say that I could top 10?

The second is the infamous Nutmeg State Sprint Tri. If I can get the day off I will be going for blood and gatorade......yes that explains why I always compete with my signature red swedes. I would like to overall it, but I'm definately looking at a higher placing than in the Waramaug Sprint because I will actually warm up before hand and all that gravel is finally off the road.

Race 3 after a week of strictly training is the Park City Mossman, It's flat, its fast, the swim's a little choppy, so it will be a race to remeber. Also Angry is doing this as his first Olympic distance so I have to give a shout out.

Race 4 Will most likely be the Dave Parcells Madison Swim. I hope that it will be CenTri's big breakout into the college triathlon scene. Other wise it will just be a fun late season race.

Race5 Will be the Nutmeg State Half Iron. This will be my second half iron of the year and my last flat out tri before Ironman New Zealand. I am hoping to break 5 hours, but I will just be happy to beat my time from the Patriot Half. Bjoern will be doing this race as his first Half Iron ( shout out to the founder of Cen Tri) and a couple of the Cen Tri guys are looking at doing a relay. All in all it should be a good day for HEAT's collegiate development team.

I would like to add a 6th race to this year's schedule as part of my run prep for Taupo. I am considering doing the Greater Hartford Marathon or half as part of my flat out run phase. I will already have the base from training for the Halfs, and I'm just looking to finish. Also it will give Angry and I some time to Holla at the pure run chicks.

To answer some replies to my last blog:
Claire: Yes I am crazy, but as you said in one of your earlier comments when I concidered doing an IM you said "what you don't know can't hurt you." So yes am I crazy in trying to gain a Kona slot, yeah, but if I get it the payoff would be great.
Angry: I will not ask you for money. I will donate to the fine folks at TNT. And your cynical, smart ass and sarcastic coaching and cheerleading will be with me in spirit, coaching me clad in an under armor polo, shorts and clip board. I f I start seeing visions of this Obi-Wan Kenobi style during the run I know that I did not take in enough electriolytes.

Bob-o's Going to Taupo.

That's right I'm deciding to take the leap and enter Ironman New Zealand. Am I crazy, most likely, do I need to be locked in a room with a little white jacket, hopefully not. But yes, I think I'm going to bite the bullet and spend the small fortune to go to New Zealand. Why? I'm obseessed with doing an Ironman and trying to get my lycra clad ass to Kona. What better place to do an Ironman than among the Kiwis. Sure it's an early season race, yes it's going to require me getting out of bed a 5am every freaking morning to get in a run or bike. Yes I'm going to freeze my beans off in the winter going out for 20-25 mile training runs or the imfamous 120 mile training ride (Melissa have the car ready to meet me in Richmond, RI ). Yes I know I will have to get a bike trainer and run on a treadmill, or ( my kness are aching just hearing this) running laps around CCSU's 200 meter track in the bubble, when mother nature or my professors (whomever is worse ) force me to run indoors to avoid:

a) getting mugged trying to do campus loops in New Britain

b) the teeny boppers mentioned in previous posts from hitting me as they try to do make up, talk on their cell, and try to control their crappy little civic on icy back roads.

c) having my hands get numb so I can type the 20 page paper on Balzac that I should have done 3 weeks eariler that I put off to get in more training.

I could sit here and come up with the million reasons why I shouldn't do this race. The million and a half of why I can't afford it. And the other two million of why my first IM should be something close to home. The sad thing is though I don't want to be one of the legions of New England triathletes that did Placid as their first IM ( not to distract anything from Lake Placid, the course is brutal and anyone who finished it has my full admiration and congratulations on completing such a difficult race. Holla Ken, Cristiano, Mandy, and the other HEATers) I want to do something different, I want to live a life less ordinary. I want to know that if god forbid I reach forty and I can't run or cycle anymore due to overuse injuries, or when I'm ninety and a 17 hour time limit is looking shaky, that I did the crazy races that I wanted to do when I was capable, and that if I have the means I can support some other psyco 20 something year-old whose planning on doing the samething. In grade school I was always that kid who was picked last for kick ball. When I swam and ran track I was told I'd never be a champion,but I busted my balls off harder than any other guy on the team. I know I have the stamina to do this, and I want a Kona slot more than anything, so maybe New Zealand is my ticket in. Yes I know I have Eagleman after that and I could always go for the lottery, but I would like to race my way in, and if I don't get a slot then I want a race experience that will last a lifetime. I want to be more than your average joe Ironman. I want to be that guy running out of T-1 at Taupo whom the Annoucers are saying " here he is the kid from the United States, the 22 year old college student who has traveled half-way around the world from the ice and snow of Connecticut to compete here today..." The kid who despite the fact his some of his teammates were laughing in his face still laced up his New balances and busted his hump at track practice. The kid whose high school swim coach told him junior year "You'll never make a Division-I swim team" , and then two years later was dropping his sister off for swim practice wearing his Fordham swimming t-shirt. And Now as my rational side screams " you can't afford it." "You'll never pay it off." " Wait until you have a cushy job with better pay and stock options." I'm pushing it's negativity out of my head. I will do this just like I've done everything else. I live to beat the odds and I'm going to do it again. I'm going to be an Ironman and I'm going to do it down under.

I'm entered for Eagleman now I'm number crunching for IM. New Zealand

Yes that's right at 9am this morning I beat out the barbarina horde and managed to get an entry into Eagleman70.3 . Did Angry Runner do the same? I'm not sure yet but I'm sure he'll have it posted. Now all I have to do is work my ass off and I'll make it to Kona. Since I'm on the IM kick I still cannot let the idea of doing IM New Zealand die. Is it fate? Am I meant to go and kick the shit out of that race? I did some number crunching at work and have come up with the following tabulations:
U.S. Passport with Photo: $112.00
Airfare from Bradley International Airport on American Airlines (Hartford-Springfield,CT Via Miami and LAX) to Auckland, New Zealand: $1934.00 round trip.
Airfare from Auckland to Taupo via Air New Zealand: $150.00 ( including ground service in Taupo)
Hotel for 7 days in Taupo: $990.55
IM New Zealand Entry Fee: $520.00
Getting an IM finishers medal in foregin country yet understanding what everyone is saying: $3700.00 and Priceless.
Another option was offered from orbitz. It follows:
Flight from Bradley to Taupo via United Airlines +7 days same hotel in Taupo: $2961.00 (round trip)
Bike handling fees $300.00( dirty wankers American at least lets my bike fly for free...ingreats!)
IM entry fee:$520.00
Passport:$112.00
$3893.00 total.... Well it looks like Bob beats the travel deal...choke one up for me.
Now I must start that all important racking up of the fundage. I have sent letters to several of the brands/companies I frequent asking for sponsor ship...I'll be expecting a large stack of rejection letters in the next 10 to 14 business days, but hopefully there will be a diamond in the rough..maybe some one will say "yes we will sponsor you ,you masocistic psychopath." and I'll get cash, or some free shawg.. ( to the fine folks at Giant, Cannondale and Trek if you have a time trial bike you want to crash test I'm game.) Another option on the flights is that since I have spent so much on my Master Card and having been racking up frequent flier miles like a bastard I might actually get a free flight. I 'm also almost tempted into sending a letter in to Waterbury's ...or should I say Litchfield County's newspaper, The Republican American, and tell them of my audacious plan. Granted the snobs in the office will probalby overlook it. Afterall "he is from Wolcott, it's not like he's from Southbury, or Middlebury, or god from a less refined area in Litchfield." Afterall the paper consists of kissing the asses of socialites in Woodbury, Middlebury,Litchfield County, Cheshire...the classy suburbs and completely bashing Waterbury, Wolcott, Prospect, and Torrington. Seriously in the local section you'll read a story about a kindergardener from Washington Depot giving $5000 from his trust fund to help the cancer society, and on the next page read about two lifelong Waterbury boys getting busted for selling dope and pushing prostitutes. Seriously, I don't mean to debase the good deeds of the people of the afformentioned classy suburbs, but can you publish some good stories about the town you based in, and not just when a Republican Politician shows up at a school to try to get inner city votes? ...ok my ass chewing of the Republican American is over. but seriously they do need to print some good news maybe this would be it. Well I want to get a swim in and then maybe a late bike ride so I will stop my rantings and ravings. Also if any one is interested in donating to the Send Bob-o to Taupo fund please leave a comment and I will get back to you in the order they are left.
R.D.

Sould I get an aero helmet to go with my zoot suit?

Last night I decided to let the frequent flier miles and hence credit card bill rack up. I went to my usual tri porno site www.trisports.com and after an hour of comparing contrasting, pinching the purse strings, and over analyzing every inch of technical data I forked over hard earned dinero ( ie. sold my sold and pulled out my new Master card) on a zoot T2 Wetsuit..I mean Zoot Sports T2 Wetzoot a normally $275 piece of "speedass" that was on clearnace for $200.00. I then threw down 35 bucks for a fuel belt so I can actually get in runs that are over 15 miles in the heat of summer, without collasping at the Meriden Rd. Dunkin Donuts gasping "water...gatorade...something cold to quench me..." before passing out or digging into the "not so strategically placed" key pocket on my running shorts to grap two sweaty crinkled dollar bills, and then leave the teenager behind the counter a ninety cent tip because I don't want to worry about dropping change on the run back and find myself being stalked by some bum whose following the money trail I'm leaving behind....but I digress.... with my spending spree continuing I threw down $35 for some new cycling shorts, and another $3.00 for a gel flask so I can partake of my jug of Rasberry Hammer Gel goodness. After paying about $5.00 more than I wanted to for shipping ( UPS would take 5 days the Postal service said they could get a peleton of trucks together and deliver this stuff in 3). My order was confirmed and should be on its way to CT in time for me to use at Sunday's Niantic Bay Sprint Tri. So anyway no it's off to do my ten miler that my egg rolls ripped away from me last night, and then a refreshing dip in Waterbury Y pool . So if you happen to be driving through the streets of Wolcott CT "Holla at this playa when you see him on the street." Peace out Homes!
R.D.

Chinese food + Track workout in Watertown=GI distress.

Yes that'so right once again I have shown that I am willing to get a workout in at all costs. Tonight after my plans to run an easy 8 to 10miler were cut short by running errands I decided to to head up to fairly well lit Watertown Track and run a 10k. There are 3 downsides:
1) Watertown's track is not fully lit, hence I wasted gas when I could have just run a Wolcott High.
2) Watertown in an effort to keep from paving their track every two years does not like having people run in the inside landes , infact they close the inside lanes but the townies never seem to listen to that so I was the only doofus running in the outside lanes, killing my split times.
3) I decided to run after a dinner of greasy, msg saturated Chinese food. After 6400 meters (6.4k or 4 miles) I decided to call it quits because my stomach was in knots and I felt I was going to have hot fire spewing out of my ass, alla Cartman gets an anal probe. So that was my day. I still managed to get my 4 to 4.1 miles in in under 35 min. and tomorrow morning I will get my 8to 10 miler in before work just because I'm feeling fat and lazy.

Angry:About the half Century, we'll have to play it by ear. I am down for a 30 miler, I just don't want to over do it before Niantic.

Claire: I might take you up an that race in the Canaries if it's a Kona qualifier ( if I'm the only guy in it under 24 I'm going to Hawaii by default.), although New Zealand is not looking completely out of reach, granted biking in the brutal cold Connecticut Winter is going to suck.

Satan: That Hannibal Lector Chanti Latte story will always be the high water mark of creativity.

I gots my new credit cards and they're sexy...and I think a girl might be jail baiting me.

well I finally got my AA* Advantage Mastercard in and I think I will christen it by buying new tires for my bike and a sexy Quantana Roo or Blue Seventy Wetsuit. Yesterday I proved that I can actually ride fast on wet pavement with out suffering a horendous and painful crash, as Angry Runner and I did 3 loops of scenic and soggy Lake Waramaug, (22 miles @ an average speed of 20.64 mph.)Followed by a modest 3.5 mile death march...I mean run. Lets face Angry Runner and I started out neck and neck and then I slowly let built up about a 300 meter lead, actually doubling back at one point on the run, but I can't lord this over Angry this was his first brick , and a painful one it was. So Angry here's a shoutout...You've done your first brick and survived this will be reapeated several times before Eagleman next year, but expect them to be longer. Also while up at we bumped into an aspiring 17 year old triathlete (whom I will call Cervelo Chick.) She was up there doing a swim accross the lake followed a run as she preps for USAT junior Nats. Now I met Cervelo Chick when she dusted women twice her age at the Lake Waramaug Tri, She also happens to lifeguard at the pool I normally train at and I've seen her around on the Sprint tri. Scene. Noramlly I'll share tidbits of trainning /college advice becuase hey I started tris at 17, I did college athletics ( shoutout to Fordham Drinking..I mean Swimming!), some of the vets gave me pointers I give first timers pointers it that's whole triathlon circle of life thing. Smething with this girl. now here in lies the trouble she and her mother asked for my phone number because she's prepping to race draft legal events ( and any time Angry and I ride anything flat we're drafting like we're a breakaway in Le Tour) and she would like someone to explain this whole concept to her. (ie: let her suck wheel so she can get a feel for it, so she can get used to having fresh legs for run leg. So next year she can enter U-23 and eventually ITU. come 2012 when she's a pro at this we'll be watching her duke it out in the London Games.) My only fear is I've been bumping into this girl alot in the past two months. I'm starting to get afriad she might be looking at me as more than a friend/advisor/potential Tri coach and more like her college level boy friend. Now if she were 18,19, or 20 especially the 19,or 20, I might not have such a problem with that. But the 5 year age gap between 17 and 22 is huge....On my side I'm winding down with college becoming a somewhat mature responsible adult male, and she's on the complete other end of the spectrum , going into college and getting ready to learn the life lessons you learn the first time you leave home ( ie do not sacrifice toliet paper for bud light, you're parents are actually right about alot of the drugs, alcohol, and tabacco shit :it is bad for you. If you are an Athlete you can get away with wearing PJs or Warmups to class, crap is really expensive when you have to buy it yoursef..etc.). Seriously if she shows up with lipstick and crap on I'm going to be keeping an eye out for Benson and Stabler ( because I don't want to be on the next episode of SVU), and calmly try to talk her down (like give me a call when you're 20 then the age gap isn't so large and you'll matured a little bit ) I mean she is an attractive girl but right now she's too damn young, ( this isn't like the 50's or some of the more traditional places in Europe where this kind of age gap isn't uncommon, but then age teen marriages were common.) So hopefully she only sees me as a wiser, older, mentor/friend/coach..and not as a potential prom date...Well enough with this blog I've got a run and a swim to get it. Leave some smack.
R.D.

*American Airlines advantage not Alcholics Anyomous Advantage were the card is canceled if you use it to buy beer. Yes Satan, I know you were thinking that.

Taps for Sunoco Masters....

Tomorrow at 9am will mark the last time (for the concievable future) that CCSU will play host to a master's swim practice. I remeber when I stumbled apon the program last September and after a pretty successful winter swim season and some ass kicking sets,and stroke refienement from Cassie, it will be hard to see the program go ( granted I haven't practiced there since week day practices ended in late June.) So tomorrow I will suit up fork over $4 and hop in to have Cassie kick my ass one last time,before she leaves to get a real job. Now will be the delimna in the fall when will they open the pool for rec-swim so I can get in valuable training time after a full day of work and classes. And also what will my lifeguarding hours be (so I can fianance a new bike and possible trip to New Zealand or the rest of my psychotic racing schedule. ) I have to say my expereince at Sunoco for the most part was good. I met a lot of guys from HEAT (Pat, Ralph, Cristiano) Katherine (the sexy french Canadian tri chick/cyclist), The Ironman and Ironwoman, Bob Cahill ( the fastest guy over 40), The world's toughest UPS guy, and the others who splashed in throughout the life of the program. To Cassie,Kristen and the others who did a extra hour and a half at the pool with us old farts thank you. Hopefully, there might be a chance to revive the program at a later date, if not it was a Hell of a ride.