Happy New Years!!

Reset those odometers!! I am not exactly sure, in fact I am definately not sure how many miles I had this year, but it was more then 7000 and quite possibly 8000!! Wow.

See ya in 2008!!
Ray

Whats new pussycat?

Hey all. Its been a rough 17 days off the bike. Not really because of not riding, but my back decided to take a crap on me and then add to that all I seemed to eat for two weeks was cookies and delicious, but unhealthy food. I threatened to thrwo away all the sweets in my house this morning and I am the guy who believes in trying to never throw any food away!!

The back is just annoying, not a real problem. I just got used to having no back problems for a few wonderful months of my life!! Todd Palmer and I are working on it and I now do a 40 minute exercise routine (every day-Yuck!!). But now that I am back to riding I am going to find it VERY hard to stay motivated and keep up the exercises AND riding.

As for Christmas I got a Nikon D40 camera and zoom lens. I so wish I had it for Cross season so I could have contributed to the photo sharing. Tonight I took it to my daughter's friends birthday party and shot a zillion pics and even a whole bunch on the ice as we skated. I was a bit scared of falling and breaking the camera, but I skate ok I guess. I loved photography in my youth so this is another flame reignited.

Thom Domonic and I finally got together and he went to town with his gauges and measuring devices and we came up with an extreme set-up to see what it was like, then we backed it down to what is a reasonable change. All in the name of science and I do mean that. I am a strong proponent of the Wobblenaught fit done for me by Mike Vannuci at Bike Authority. But we learned some great stuff that I can say that after just one ride will be a benefit. We made great strides in aligning my knee via the use of the BG footbeds in my Sidi's and the use of the Varus shims. Thom could see it and i could feel how much easier pedaling in a smooth vertical arc is with some changes. Whats of great interest to me is that at a certain height above my current saddle height (a few mm to compensate for the shims and footbeds) and a few extra and my knee alignment improves again.

Time will tell if there is any benefit or (eek) a loss in power at threshold with a slightly higher saddle height. But the changes in the shoes is very welcome.

I guess thats it. Looking forward to some LSD!! OK now you know what that is. Long Slow Distance!!

Happy Holidays

Now this is the way to do it!! Enjoy and I really do mean Happy Holidays to all my friends straight form the heart!!

Christmas List

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Did you ask Santa Claus for anything bicycle related? But how about if you could have an ANYTHING bicycle related Christmas list? What would you ask for?

Heres mine (today at 12:21pm, tomorrow or even in 20 minutes it could change dramatically).

Zipp 404 rims with DT 240 hubs, CX Ray spokes.
Zipp 808 rim with DT 240 front hub and CX Ray spokes
HED 100mm or Zipp 1080 rim with Powertap SL hub and CX Ray spokes
Zipp Sub 9 disc Wheel

Box full of tubies to try!!

Oval A900 JetStream Carbon TT Fork

Easton Attack bars for TT bike

Two SRAM Red Grouppos with Zipp Vuma Quad Cranks or Campy record UT cranks.

and a partridge in a pear tree...

Sidialized or Specialidis??

Hey, wanna know how to kill two birds with one stone? Well first youve got to be in my position which I'll try to explain. Again and again I talk about the "old" days, but when I bought my Sidis (size 44.5) I was 30 lbs heavier and even then I was amazed at how much my feet had grown and flattened after so many years in the hotel and restaurant business. I used to wear 42 Time shoes. Man I loved those shoes AND my Time Mag pedals (have three sets too). But also I couldn't find new cleats and I didn't want to add adapter shims and plates even if I could find them. Anyways imagine my surprise when I tried to put them on and I couldn't even get my feet all the way in.

So I bought some Sidi Geniuses and the size that fit was 44.5. Well fast forward to this past summer and my feet wallow in them. I am sure its costing me bit of power when I need it the most. So I know I am going to buy a pair of Specialized S-Works shoes before racing season starts (size 42.5 or 43), but in the meantime its annoying how loose my Sidis are.

Oh-yeah-also in the meantime I buy some $79 Nike (I think) mountain bike (mtb) shoes when I buy my cheap Cannondale F5 mountain bike. Well-two cyclo cross races lugging these heavy shoes(and no spikes) I buy some Specialized mtb shoes (half the price of equivalent in my eyes Sidi Dominators). They have the Body Geometry (BG) foot beds. So much stiffer, lighter and the BG footbeds are amazing. I swear I am spinning better and putting big power down seems easier. The latch for the buckle? Well lets say Specialized needs to go back to the drawing board there.

So Thom Domonic has gone and got some expert knowledge about the BG footbeds. If you know Thom hes the real deal. Hes not marketing hype and he believes what HE believes. So we talk a bit about them and the advantages of the footbeds and BG shims co-designed by Andy Pruitt Ed.d Director of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. The BG footbeds bring a new meaning to arch support to cycling shoes. I cannot really explain how it works, except its odd and dramatic feeling when standing in your shoes, but feels natural when pedaling.

The shims I have NOT played with, but before I ever knew about shims for shoes I have always believed I could benefit from custom footbeds, but never wanted to spend the money. I felt this way because I have always felt some funny friction or tension n my pedal stroke (especially my left knee) and I sometimes kick out with my right knee as well.

So for less then $50 I got the BG Green (highest arch) footbeds for my Sidis. Not only does the extra arch support and thickness of the footbeds fill up the extra room in my Sidis I can (with Thom's help) play with the shims and see if we can achieve an even smoother, more efficient pedal stroke. My Specialized mtb shoes come with the equivalent of Red BG footbeds (lowest arch). Blue is medium arch, but I dont have those...yet.

In my mind I am thinking already about the benefits it will pay in Time Trialling especially the 40k ones. NO matter how small it matters. But I dont think it will be a small thing. I can also move the BG footbeds and shims from shoe to shoe as well to dial in the best feel and snuggest, but comfortable fit. From the Sidi's to the Spec. mtb to the Spec S-work road shoes and maybe even to the Nike's.

But hey-thats three birds with one stone right? Better pedal stroke, big shoes fit better and can easily move the shims and footbeds from shoe to shoe.

Day Six

So here I am 7 days after the last race and 6 days since my last ride or aerobic activity...... You'd think I'd have nothing to say, but I do. I feel like crap and am running out of bike things to do (oh no-should I start stripping more wallpaper, re-grout the tub, sand and paint the bathroom, put the lawn furniture, Audrey's bicycle and toys in the basement so I can park in my garage again?).

Ive taken off the Muds from my race wheels and hung them in the basement for 2008. Switched tires around on rims, worked on getting the shifting better on the cross bike, mountain bike, road bike. Ive washed and waxed the cross frame, washed the road bike, wiped down the mountain bike, oiled all of the cables, cleaned the cassettes, cleaned the chains, scrubbed the rims of all of the dried and baked in mud and grime. Ive oiled the chains with a thicker winter lube one link at a time. I'm actually thinking when I get back to riding I wont because my bikes are all so damn clean and working so damn quietly...blimey-I don't want to get-em dirty!!

Its amazing, but even without riding i am spending money on bikes and fitness. How can that be? Well theres fenders for when I hopefully start commuting in January, new tires for the mountain bike (made out of Black Chili no less-ok not real chili), new gloves, thicker/warmer socks, used rollers. And then theres buying a medicine ball to expand my core workouts.

But I also might get to try my new Fischer SCS Skate skis this week with the new snowfall today. On Saturday we had some beers (theres been a lot of beer lately) and John Reade showed Audrey and I how to wax and we took turns scrapping and brushing. Talking about snow, I felt so Blah today, had a headache and my backs been hurting (can I say I felt bloaty all day, or is that TMI-hah-too late I said it) I went out during the mini blizzard hitting Cleveland to shovel and take our two dogs on short, but separate walks just to get outside and try and burn off a teensie bit of the good food and beer Ive been consuming.

Oh the guilt and the blah feeling of no exercise. Hopefully I'll get some light exercise in this week with the snow falling. I cannot stand this feeling.

KC Nationals Update!!!

Julie Lewis-Sroka gets 13th int he Womens B race!!

My coach Brent Evans gets a close 4th after running third and Rudy gets 8th while Jeff Craft also nets a top 15 spot in the b mENS 40+ race!! Way to go everyone!! More racing and updates on Saturday.

http://kccrossnationals.blogspot.com/2007/12/morrissey-wins-days-muddiest-race.html

Drew Bercaw also a 13th spot!! Great job!!

http://www.kccrossnationals.com/PDF/RESULTS_PDF/24.pdf

Julie gets a Bronze medal in the 45049 Masters race!! Yahoo!!

http://www.kccrossnationals.com/PDF/RESULTS_PDF/19.pdf

Video of first half lap:

http://www.kansasvideocasts.com/2007/12/14/part-a-2007-cyclocross-nationals-kansas-mens-b-race-40/

Video of 2nd half of lap:

http://www.kansasvideocasts.com/2007/12/14/part-b-1st-lap-2nd-half-cyclocross-nationals-kansas-40b-race/

Rudy and Jeff Craft rock the 50 up Masters races against that guy names Ned Overand..

http://www.kccrossnationals.com/PDF/RESULTS_PDF/11.pdf

Brent finishes 26th in the 40-44 Masters field.

http://www.kccrossnationals.com/PDF/RESULTS_PDF/9.pdf