Warm weather…Plz?….

Instead….Madison puts a Snow Emergency in effect.  God damn it.  Just a couple days ago I was thinking about possibly starting to ride to work because snow was melting and the roads were not that bad.  Right when I start thinking that…6-9 inches of white crap.  Maybe I should move in with some of you Tucson folk.  Until that happens though its still the rollers…however they are most definitely ok to ride for 3-4 hrs when watching something cycling related such as the Giro or TdF.  Its just so easy to get into it.

I’m just happy to have the motivation to be putting in 2-4 hrs everyday on the rollers down in the dark gloomy basement.  But I know soon I’ll be getting my Team Madone…the weather will get warmer, Spring Break will be coming, I won’t have to work as much and the racing season will be upon us!

So far I’ve lost 12 lbs since Nov/Dec.  Definitely changes the way I feel….better.  I haven’t been this light in a long time.  Seth Meyer…I’m coming for you!  Actually if I ever got that tiny I don’t think my body would work.  Getting closer and closer to my ideal racing weight.  I’ll probably achieve that during Spring Break training camp with the UW Cycling Team.  I’ve been going the no Gluten no Dairy route.  I have my ideas about those two food items and having them out of my diet has honestly made me feel tons better!  I really don’t miss milk or cheese…I know I’m from Wisconsin.  And the bread and pasta thing can easily be exchanged for other carbohydrates.

Other than that….I drink too much coffee again.  But I’m using it in good ways with my training regime.  I just need to get a better sleeping pattern then I’ll be going real good like!

Ciao ciao….

Waitey

2010
02/09
CATEGORY
Cycling
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Masochism….

“Gratification gained from pain, deprivation, degradation, etc., inflicted or imposed on oneself , either as a result of one’s own actions or the actions of others, esp. the tendency to seek this form of gratification.”

Cycling = masochism.

Who in their right mind inflicts pain on themselves and likes it? Cyclists, thats who.  Cyclists have to push harder and harder, going over their limits just to get better, faster and more powerful.  Yet once they hit that excruciating pain cave they decide they have to go faster and even harder.  It doesn’t make sense.  Yet theres something about it that can’t be explained.  Its the feeling, the satisfaction of knowing that not many people in this world can (nor want to) do such things to their bodies.

For example…who wants to do this:

I spent this evening (a Friday night) down in my basement on my rollers inflicting pain….just to get that little bit faster.  Yeah, you can call me a tool.  However, I don’t have a beer belly.  I don’t get tired walking up one flight of stairs.  I won’t wake up in the morning feeling like death due to a hangover.  And I saved money in the process.  I’ll still be able to function the next day and want to ride again!

I enjoy what I do.  I do ask myself sometimes why I do this to myself.  But I know the answer.  Yesterday I was finishing up some 10 minute long intervals.  I wanted to fall off my rollers in the last 2 minutes of the last couple I did and just pass out (not in a bad way).  But I stayed on and finished, and got ready for the next 10 minute interval.

I watch my diet the best I can, train for hours in a basement, and figure out what I still need to change to get faster.  Lately I’ve been extremely motivated to ride everyday and even do interval after interval!  Honestly I can’t wait to get outside to ride, but I know I have to put the work in right now in my basement.  I know it’ll pay off when the time comes.

I’m happy now though because I can feel my training has been paying off (as well as diet).  I’ve lost 12 pounds since November and can definitely feel the difference in how my body works and feels.  I’ll take it!

More masochistic actions still to come in the next weeks!

Ciao ciao….

Waitey

2010
02/06
CATEGORY
Cycling
Life
1 comment

Hillsboro-Roubaix….

First race of the year….Hillsboro-Roubaix.  5 hrs south of Madison in Hillsboro, Illinois.  An 87 mile Belgian style road race over cobbled village streets.  Add cross winds and (usually) nice weather and you have a great race!  A lot of big hitters usually head to the race to compete for honors.  Robbie Ventura ex-US Postal Pro rider will be in attendance.  I know a bunch of other names on that list and we are going to have a fast and awesome race.

You can get more info on the race HERE

Better start training a little harder!  Up the trainer time!

Ciao ciao….

Waitey

2010
02/02
CATEGORY
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Coffee, people, dietetics….

Its very interesting working in a coffee shop and having a knowledge of dietetics (since I majored in that field of study).  People come in and have all these crazy ideas about food, coffee, being healthy (or unhealthy).  I really enjoy listening to people talk about how they eat when they don’t know I majored in such a field.  A lot of the time I just don’t say anything and listening to their reasoning of why they eat that way.  Usually they don’t really know what they are doing.  I want to interject sometimes and correct them, which I have done sometimes.  Skim vs whole, caffeinated vs decaf, small vs large latte, bakery item vs no bakery item.  Should you even drink coffee? And if so how All these crazy ideas, thoughts, theories.  Sometimes its hard to keep it all straight.  

I’m going to watch what I say on this blog, but if you ever want to know more about anything leave me a comment with your email and I’ll gladly answer any questions you have (might have to charge ya though depending on the information you inquire about).  A lot of people come in to my coffee shop and know that I majored in Dietetics so they ask me questions all the time about certain things in the nutritional world.  Its always fun to talk about this topic.  However, I know its hard to change personal characteristics and we are a species of habit.  I know they’ll listen, but doesn’t mean they’ll take my advice.  Food is a hard subject and a sore subject to some.  I have my troubles as well sometimes and jump off the path.  But I make sure to get myself right back on when I can.  

I’m going with Michael Pollan on this one…you have to start eating FOOD.  Real food….you know what it is.  They natural ingredients from nature.  Fruits, vegetables, (grass fed) meat.  I think people should read his books:  Omnivore’s Dilemma and In The 

Ciao ciao….

Waitey

2010
01/28
CATEGORY
Coffee
Food
Life
Work
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Moved….

No not my blog…where I’m living!  I got out of the East Side and am now just living south of the Madison campus over in the Vilas area.  I lived in this area a couple years back and loved it.  I just got lucky and found this place on Craigslist.  

The East side wasn’t too much fun for me.  I had to drive 40 minutes into work on the west side and/or find parking on campus then move my car every 2 hrs because of the stupid 2 hr limit street parking that the city of Madison enforces.  I was away from friends and just was not having a good time.  I just couldn’t take it one day and check craigslist right at the correct time!  I found a place on Drake St. with a very nice (and cheap) price tag to go along with it.  I emailed the tenant and set up a time to see the place and meet the roomies.  

I checked it out with some doubts….too cheap, must be a shithole.  I got there and the tenants were really nice, but I was still expecting to fall through the floorboards or something.  Well, the place is great!  2 stories with basement.  2 bath (one of them is in the basement), free off street parking and free laundry!  The house is awesome!  I have no complaints about this place.  I just got lucky in finding it.  

Its also really nice to be back around good friends and being able to walk to their places.  I can even walk to work on State St. within 15 min and not have to worry about parking or getting a ticket on my car when I return to it!  My commute to West Towne is cut in half and so much more!  

Overall I’m just extremely happy these days!  Motivation to train and have more fun!  

Ciao ciao….

Waitey

2010
01/27
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2010 Season Plans….

So since there are some race dates up I can actually start planning my season race schedule.  It doesn’t start until April but it’ll motivate me to train more.  So until then I continue training.  Also my new bike will be in beginning of March! Also I do have to see what races my team wants us to do…so this is tentative.  

Middle of March: Wheel & Sprocket weekend training camp, Stevens Point, WI 

March 27-April 4: UW Cycling Spring Break, NC

April 10: Hillsboro-Roubaix 

April 11: WCA Great Dane #1

April 17: WCA Menomonee Park 

April 18: WCA Great Dane #2 

April 24: WCA Whitnall Spring Classic/USA Speed Week Athens Twilight Crit

April 25: WCA Fitchburg Crit/USA Speed Week Roswell Crit 

May 1: WCA Circuit of Sauk 

May 2: WCA LaCrosse Crit 

May 6-9: Joe Martin Stage Race 

May 16: Wheels On Willy

May 28-31: Memorial Day Weekend Races (Burlington, Snake, Melon, Quad) 

June 6: Wisconsin State Champs Road Race 

June 12: Wisconsin State Champs Crit

June 17-27: ToAD

July 9-25: Superweek

July 31-Aug 1: Tour of Elk Grove

Aug 14: Wheel & Sprocket Crit

Aug 15: USA Crit Champs 

Sept 3-6: Gateway Cup 

Like I said this schedule is tentative and will probably change.  I want to travel more than what I have listed.  Get out of Wisconsin a bit more.  I also need to wait and see about a couple other different races….and what Dallas and his team is going to do as well.  We’ll see what happens and I’ll probably have a little bit more of a concrete schedule within the next month or so. 

Ciao ciao….

Waitey

2010
01/26
CATEGORY
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2010 WCA Schedule….

The 2010 WCA Racing schedule is up!  I need to start planning my season and hopefully I hear what our team schedule will look like soon.  I’ll also be traveling with Dallas to a lot of out-of-state races.  

WCA schedule

Just on the rollers still…getting those intervals going.  They hurt….but I guess they are suppose to.  

Ciao ciao….

Waitey

2010
01/25
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2010 Sponsors….

So for Wheel & Sprocket this year I’ll be racing for some awesome sponsors.  On the right of my blog under Wheel & Sprocket Elite Pro Devo Sponsors you’ll find all of them.  

Click on them and support them and our team! 

2010 Sponsors: 

Wheel & Sprocket

Dr. Timothy Tougas, Podiatrist

Menasha Packaging Company, LLC

Otto Chiropratic

Trek Bikes

Sun-Ringle

Tifosi

Bontrager

Giro

Continental

I can’t wait to start racing! 

Ciao ciao…. 

Waitey

2010
01/21
CATEGORY
Cycling
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So close….

Its getting nice and warm here in Wisconsin!  I think we are finally getting our “mild” winter.  We really haven’t had that much snow…its just that it comes all at once and then its chaos.  But overall we’ve only had a real couple days of snowfall.  Thats been nice….you would think that would allow riding outside, but the temps keep that from happening.  However, after Georgia I haven’t really minded the rollers surprisingly.  I’ve been able to pull off 2 hr roller rides fairly easily.  

For the next couple of months I’ll just be working and riding as much as I can.  At the end of March things turn around and the season will begin!  North Carolina training camp will be from March 27th to April 4th.  Hillsboro-Roubaix is the next weekend.  I’ll have to start writing out my racing schedule…I’m also waiting to see what my team is planning on doing.  Oh and after saying that I should probably tell what team I’ll be racing for this year.  I’ll be racing for the Elite Pro Devo Wheel & Sprocket Team.  We’ll be riding Trek Madone 5.5’s!  I can’t wait to get mine in March.  They should be in in March.  It’ll be nice to ride something else.  On the sidebar you’ll see links to all my sponsors….I’ll also let you know a full roster when it comes out.  

So for now I’m just trying to find a way to pay off my student loans so I would have to worry about working so much.  If any of you have any ideas let me know.  Right now I have the idea of asking for 1$ from 50,000 people.  That would clear me from debt.  There are almost 300 Million people in the U.S. 50000 is a very small portion of that and 1$ isn’t that much to a person.  Once I could get this much I could help others.  But why should someone even give me one dollar?  Working in a coffee shop is not going to help me pay off my loans fast….I need another source.  Hmmm?  Then I can honestly help others.  And yes I do know I have crazy ideas…but why not.  If you don’t think then you’re never going anywhere.  Risk is fun!  I’m just putting it out there.  

Ciao ciao….

Waitey

2010
01/19
CATEGORY
Cycling
Life
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Can’t wait until March….

March is the time when all my team goodies come in!  I just ordered my team bike and clothing.  Its time for a new bike.  I’m also getting my P-tap rebuilt with new rim, spokes and axel all thanks to Dallas! 

Until then I’ll continue riding the rollers.  It is getting surprisingly warm here in Wisconsin with near 40 deg temps! I’m thinking some rides outside will be in order this week hopefully and I believe Fozzy and I are planning on a longer 4-5 hr ride outside this coming weekend.  I came off some the Georgia trip with some surprisingly good fitness and I’m feeling pretty good.  I wish I was still in college so I could race the collegiate scene.  However, my first race won’t be until April 10th (Hillsboro-Roubaix).  But looks like I have 2 more training camps before then.  

I like new things!

Ciao ciao….

Waitey

2010
01/18
CATEGORY
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