What's going on this weekend

Well this week is proving to be the culmination of the Racing Season in Canada



Runner Girl is off to Quebec City, to do battle with her marathon.



Bree Wee is getting ready for Ironman Canada.



Stateside is looking pretty quiet:



Speedy Claire Speed Racer...well I'm not sure if she's racing or not this weekend...she usually is.



Angry is keeping his racing plans under lock and key until Goofy...



Cranky...



Bjoern is getting ready to head over to Europe



Judi, John Hirsch and Tony are in countdown for IM Kentucky.



Saturday I have a 100+ mile ride on tap I figure I want to get all my base builders and long stuff on the bike out of the way for NZ while the weather is still good, then I can focus on letting it rip on my lake loops during the winter months. ( I want to bust 5:30 in Taupo and up the bar in the Bob-o/Claire Bike split battle.) I've been batting around the idea of racing the Hartford Marathon in October, but I'll play that one by ear. Tonight looking at going running or West Hilling it I'll make a decision after work.

Well that's all that's going on here.

For those about to Rock I salute you!
R.D.

New Olympic Sports...

Well I recently found out that this might be Baseball and Softball's last go round at the Olympics. For baseball the Olympics fall at a time when the pros are in the midst of their respective pennant races, so a baseball "dream team" of the top pros is unlikely, so sadly no one wants to see college kids and top minor leaugers earning street credit, so unless A-Rod, Jeter, Griffey, and Big Papi are suiting up in 2012, baseball might be going..going..gone from the program.



Softball well, since it was added in 1996 the American girls have dominated, almost embarrassingly, the only country that poses a remote threat is Australia. And sadly when the same team keeps winning the sport becomes..well boring... it's like the NCAA women's basketball final 4 every year you can expect a show down between Uconn and Tennessee. Needless to say, the sport will most likely get dropped.



So this leads me to ponder what sports will replace the American Past Times.

I have a few suggestions:



Men and Women's Rugby:
It's played the world over. It would appeal to Americans because it's like the NFL only more hard core, no pads, no 10 yard or 10 meter lines, ( ok they have a 40meter line and 20 meter line for penalty purposes ) or cycle of downs just pure and simple 6 attempts each possession to get the ball in the endzone , between the uprights or die trying.


Also I believe the US women would be a medal favorite , after all some of the softball players will need a channel for their rage.



Cricket:
It's kinda like baseball if it were run by the guys at NASA. All I know is the Indians and Pakistanis are sick in it.



Cross Country:
XC was in the games until the 1924 Paris games. The 1924 course was a disaster, there weren't enough aid stations, the weather was in the mid 90's, the course wasn't marked...and as a result the powers that be decided to scrap it. I think it's time XC makes a comeback.



Ultimate Frisbee:
Come on' who doesn't love ultimate Frisbee.



The Iron Distance Triathlon relay:
Michael Phelps on the swim leg for the US, Alberto Contador Cycling for Spain, Rogers Rop on the run for Kenya...it could be a winner, I mean after all who doesn't want to see more Phelps....

The 800m Funyak Medley:
Angry Runner Could bring home gold for the US and A.

Uzi Shooting:
Once again disgruntled baseball, and softball players are favored...just aim for the targets not the judges.

Hot Dog Eating Contest:
USA vs. Japan could be bigger than the Nathan's 4th of July bash on Coney Island. Although there is some argument that another food should be used due to the dietary restrictions of some competitors.

Dodgeball:
See the movie to understand while former Softball standouts would be favored.

Well I've got to send this list to the IOC then get back to watching the games after all I wouldn't want to miss the Gold Medal final of the Egg Toss, after the hard boiled controversy from 04 there is no clear favorite.


R.D.

Longest Ride since the Ironman

Yesterday I got in a 70.99 mile ( 113.5k) ride my longest since a little race I did way back in March. I managed to average 17.4mph not blazing but I'll take it, and all of this was in spite of a 30 min. rain delay. I started on my usual route and the skies were clear blue in Middlebury and Woodbury, I noticed some clouds in the distance but figured what the hell, it's not supposed to rain today. Things went well for the first 12 miles, but as I ascended into Washington the skies got darker and darker. Finally when I turned onto 109 the skies opened, ok I thought it's raining tough shit...then as I got into Washington Depot, thunder started and where there's thunder there's lightning I saw a Volunteer fireman lazily walking into the fire house across the road I decided that might be a good place to wait out the storm.. So I crossed and asked if I could wait it out. After getting the Ok I spent about a half hour watching the skies and a Group of Washington's bravest prep their newest apparatus for a parade/carnival/beerfest in Winsted. If you want to miss a rant on an obscure 70's TV show please scroll past the section in italics.

If any one here is a 70's child or happended to be channel surfing and saw it on TV Land I think I found the offspring of Squad 51 from the TV show "Emergency"

Daddy?

Baby?

Alright so maybe Washington's Rescue 1 doesn't exactly look like Squad 51 , for starters it looks like it's a early 90's model Ford where as Squad 51 was a 70's Dodge, but maybe it was the result of a fling with 80's Ford Ambulance. Irregardless, when I saw the guys loading the heavy equipment into this sucker that's what came to mind. Yes, I know my mind is a scary place.....

Alright back to the cycling. After about a half an hour and a couple of lightning strikes the sky began to clear and the rain lightened up so I remounted and continued to the lake. After a near death experience on Flirtation road, god I hate that blind stop sign, I did 3 loops around Lake Waramaug. I had 3 water bottles with me so fluids weren't a problem, and I figured some flat land work would up my average speed and allow me to work my aero position,it's a good loop to refuel on, as there is very little traffic, and no gear mashing climbs. After the "easy" part it was back to reality As I got up Flirtation Rd. and across 202 I realized I had to pee, ( I don't "let if fly" on training rides in which I don't have a clean pair of undershorts waiting in the car.) shit the little dinner is closed, the Fire Department is in Winsted , the hardware store will probably make me buy something.... I then remembered about Marty's Cafe in the Center of town, it was a little out of the way, but they had to have a bathroom. So I made it to Marty's did my thing and got back on the road. ( also the prices look fairly reasonable, Claire if you're coming up for a "freeze your beans 50 miler" I found a coffee shop that's closer than the Litchfield Dunkin Donuts.) Needless to say the rest of the ride went pretty smoothly, climb, climb, descend, climb into Morris, cuss out farmers who built this town on top of a hill....descend into Bethlehem, Woodbury, do the back portion of the Griskus tri loop like always. I looked at my watch as I got back on to Route 64 I had wanted to get an 80 miler in but once I saw it was about 6:45PM I decided I didn't want to do my quick run in the dark. So I called it quits after roughly 71 miles in the saddle. After a quick shoe change and putting the Stomper in the back of my car, I did the Griskus Tri run loop for a nice 3.5 mile (5.6k) run. It was hardly on world record pace, but I got it done in about 29 min. So that was Saturday,.

Today I have just a long run on tap. I get paid this week and despite everything I need a new pair of Trainers so I'm biting the bullet and investing in a set, I figure I'll buy another set in December because I'll definitely put the miles on them. Well that's all from my neck of the woods.

R.D.