Saturday, October 31, 2009

Zen

I planned on writing more about DCCX. Really, the bottom line is that I finally finished an effing cross race. Glory! After two totally disastrous attempts at the beginning of the season, I finally took some time off to figure out the sport fundamentally. While I still need a ton of work on my remount, I managed to gain enough confidence practicing on my own (with some stellar help/motivation from Peter, Lindsey, and Jim to name a few) to feel comfortable racing again. The course was perfect - only one dismount - and a few technical-ish sections. The ridiculously rambunctious Coppi cheering section was most definitely the highlight of the race. Here's a pic that Chris Scott posted...I definitely smiled a few times around, but clearly I was in some kind of "zone" for this one:



Awesome. Yes, that sign does read "KILL IT MEG." Love it! Still basking in it, I admit. My teammates rock. And DC-MTB put on a phenomenal race from start to finish.













So, in other news, I'm in a book club with some buddies. We recently finished The History of Love, which was quite good. It reminded me of a more sophisticated version of The Time Traveler's Wife (which I loved) - the quality of writing just seemed a bit better to me. Sections of the book are narrated by different characters entirely, so it takes a few re-reads to get the hang of it at first. But the intricate workings of the storyline reinforce a level of anticipation on behalf of the reader, and I found myself turning the pages expectantly.  I recommend it. Our next book is called The Help. I shall report back.

Meanwhile, I'm slowly plowing through Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. My dad has always raved about this book, saying it's what truly changed the way he approaches obstacles and challenges in life. Without giving too much away, this book is a very personal philosophical journey through rational and irrational thought - neither of which the narrator can ever fully define. He (the narrator) is a true realist - one who views things not for what they are, but for what they are made of or what they represent. The zen of maintaining his motorcycle serves as the pinnacle of his thought process. He compares this way of thinking to the more romantic/classical approach - those who are content to perceive things as a whole, at face value.

As I've been reading, I've found more than one example of how incredibly classical in thought I lean. I am trying to ammend this a bit, particularly as it relates to fixing my road bike. For years, my old Giant never saw a bit of TLC unless I sent it to the shop for a tune up. I never understood anything about how it worked, why something would break...even how to change a flat tire. One could also call this lazy. But it was truly more of an unwillingness or lack of desire to learn about it - I just want the thing to work as it was intended to.

This book has motivated me to spend a little time getting to know the inner-workings of my bike. As has Brian. Talk about a realist. When he and my dad get together, they go around just trying to find something to fix. Really so they can take it apart, and learn how it works. Meanwhile, my mom and I just watch and exclaim "how romantic!" Or something like that.

Anywho, this is a book you really need to sit down and READ. And reread. Passages and sentences. Truly absorb and understand what this man is saying. It's fascinating, eye-opening, life altering stuff.

And I'm going to pick it back up now.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

DCCX

Right, so I do need to post a little something about DCCX...and I shall later today. But in the meantime, the bottom line...I finished! And here is a picture Bruce Buckley took to showcase how intent I was on finishing. ACK!

Luckily, I am actually still normal(ish), which is a smidgen better depicted here, post race:


Monday, October 19, 2009

Go Do List

Thank the lord that weather is over with. What a horribly rude/unnecessary awakening to the fact that it's not summer anymore. In any case, this week looks like it's going to be glorious, and I think I've emerged from my funk thanks to the Shenandoah air. As such...my go do list for the week:


Monday:
Tuesday:

Wednesday:
  •  So this looks kind of cool. All week it's Design Week in DC - I never knew this existed.  In any case, at 8 am on Wednesday, Teaism is hosting a discussion on online branding. Says it's for AIGA members only, but I don't buy it.

Thursday: 
  • Race Across the Sky - looks like it could either be really good...or really predictable (it's a feature on this year's Leadville 100. If you'll recall, Lance kicked everyone's ass). Either way, if it features bikes on a big screen, I'll gladly partake.
Friday:
  • Athlete: The Sports Illustrated Photography of Walter looss. At the Newseum!
Saturday: Two fun female cycling shindigs to choose from!
Sunday:
  • DCCX! Wrangle up some cowbells and come drink beer and eat frites while heckling those of us on two wheels.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Sometimes, it's all you need.

Nothing like a few cold, brisk days in the country to bring things back into perspective.

Like most outdoor enthusiasts in the DC area, I came down with a gnarly cold this past week as soon as the weather turned. That, coupled with some overarching feelings of inadequecy in life, job and training - I took to my warm condo and relatively uncomfortable couch and hardly moved for four days straight. No bike, no gym, no random adventures. For anyone who knows me, this is...unheard of. But, it's what I felt I needed.

Turns out, I was wrong.

I've been in the mountains for less than 24 hours now, and I already feel completely rejuvenated. Brian and I packed up some warm clothes and our cross bikes and got the hell out of the city Friday night. As soon as we exited 66, the rain stopped. By the time we reached the Shenandoahs, you could actually see stars.

Granted, we're not roughing it. I am extremely lucky in that my parents own a place out here, and are kind enough to let us come relax every once and awhile. Today, we took to mapping out a solid cross course on their property - excellent varying terrain and some challenging grade here and there. After a nice hiatus from the bike, it felt great to get back out there and just play around for a bit.

So...I suppose my point to this post is this: don't give in to the weather, to the stresses of everyday life. Well, maybe give in for a few days, but then find your druthers and drag your butt out of bed, and find a mountain or two to stare at. Breathe in some deep, fresh breaths of good clean air...and think about something other than yourself for a few minutes. It's remarkably energizing.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Pilar

I'm not quite sure what it is about Bar Pilar that I love so much. A few things it potentially could be:

- They have cold Woodchuck Cider (not to mention an incredibly diverse and creative drink menu)
- It is just dimly lit enough that you can still see everything, yet feel comfortably serene and quite warm & cozy
- It's never super crowded and you can 9 times out of 10 find a table or seat at the bar
- The food is fantastic. Small plates, which I love, all very creative and extremely delightful. Most recently, I enjoyed their grilled calamari with red sauce (wow) and a handful of mussels in a delectible white wine and garlic sauce. Everything I've tried there, however, has been quite tasty, so I'm fairly certain you can't go wrong.
- Their website is simple yet effective - just like their drinks, food and atmosphere. Winning combination.
- It's on 14th Street, and as a rule things on 14th Street are cool

I think that sums it up for the time being. If you haven't been, you should. It's around the T St. block.

In other news, Red Bull Art of Can exhibits today through the 19th at Union Station. I'm excited to get down there to check out our local artists ability to manipulate a Red Bull can (or cans), and the new Bike Station.

HP at 5 - see you (me) there!

Monday, October 5, 2009

Of Note

1. Today, I changed my work blackberry signature. Where it once read, "Sent from blackberry while driving with knees," it now reads, "I stopped blackberrying while driving, and so should you."

Let's face it. It is incredibly stupid to text or email while you are driving a vehicle. It's almost like you black out for a few minutes while you're either reading or typing...and then suddenly, you're back to the task at hand: driving a vehicle that weighs approximately a ton or so that you, and only you, are controlling with two hands and one pair of eyes. Not to mention the folks in the lane(s) next to you. They're also texting and not paying any attention to you or the road.

Granted, I'm a hypocrite, and it's not like I haven't been doing this for many, many years. But I am lucky nothing has happened. Except for that one time, when I was entering an address into Garmin, and I rear-ended "Queen" in the middle of Southeast DC. I paid her $1000 for her "bumper" - it wasn't in tip-top shape to begin with, I can assure you. But since I was the a-hole who ran into her, such was the price I had to pay. STOP TEXTING AND DRIVING! Obama says so.

2. Something else to add to my to-do list for this week:

http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2009/09/google-dc-talk-oct-9-lolcats.html

It's going to be interesting and probably a bit of a hoot, if I had to guess.

Ruminations

Generally speaking and via my own observation, most folks can be separated into one of two very distinct camps.

1. Those who incessantly try to lose 5 pounds.
2. Those who have never thought for a moment about losing 5 pounds.

The reason I bring this up is multi-faceted.

First, there are so many disturbing myths about how one can go about losing weight. I recently read another blogger's post about a 10-day cleansing diet they tested out. This blogger lost 8 lbs in about two weeks. Two weeks later, they'd gained it all back and then some.

Authors and "doctors" have made millions of dollars off of fad diets and quick fixes. Every time I see a commercial for the next version of ephedrine to hit the market, I can't help but feel really sorry for anyone who actually gives it a whirl. Human beings are actually supposed to eat. Like, real life food. Even food that tastes good! Shocking, but true.

Here's the story. I, for some reason, have a minor obsession with reading about nutrition, health foods, calories and so on. I've read so many articles, sometimes I can hardly keep them all straight. But I find it incredibly interesting and enlightening, and it's helped me keep my head (somewhat) when it comes to weight and weight loss.

Just for kicks, I'm going to tell you (even if "you" just happens to be...well...me) what I know to be true. The body is an amazingly intelligent, rather self-sufficient entity. We've been around for a long time, us humans. Over the years, we've grown less and less active. It's not really our fault. Cars came 'round, the internets, the cell phone, the Metro, the Segway...and so on. That, plus we no longer have to forage for food. (Although some still do, and I hope I get to try it out some time!). Add all of these factors up, and you have a lot of people who barely get out of their chairs each day.

Of course, there are those of us who spend hours in the gym or on the bike. These folks should, in theory, be able to stay lean. However, I'm sure you've noticed that this isn't always the case. I've seen many a large marathon runner cross the finish line. They're burning thousands of calories a week while training. How can this be?

Here's the bottom line, people. It's been said before, and I'm going to say it again. You eat too much.

Yes, I know, it's hard to hear it. But it's undeniably true. Whenever I complain to my trainer that my butt won't fit into my jeans, she reminds me how easy it is to losen them up a bit. You simply have to do three things. Just three. Three easy steps! No diet pills included.

First, figure out your basil metabolic rate (BMR). This will tell you the number of calories your body burns when it is doing nothing. Literally, nothing. Just doing it's thang.

Second, using this BMR, find out what your daily caloric intake should be to maintain your current weight. Chances are, you're not doing nothing all day. You either walk to work, ride your bike, brush your teeth...or at least get your butt out of bed to make breakfast. So, the daily caloric intake calculator takes into account how much activity you get each day.

Step three. Subtract 500 calories per day from the daily caloric intake number you just discovered. If you eat 500 fewer calories per day for a week, you will lose one pound (there are about 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat) in said week.

Sounds simple, doesn't it? The truth is, it is. It's simple science. Math, even. Grade school math.

Of course, I get that sometimes it's very hard to say no to the chocolate bacon cupcake craving. Of course it is. But here's the deal - you can eat that cupcake...you just might have to have it for dinner! I wouldn't advise this, of course. But if you really, truly want to lose the 5 pounds, then for 5 weeks, eat 500 fewer calories every day.


Now, some of you (again, possibly just me, depending on whether or not I'm the only one who reads my blog) may have never thought about losing 5 pounds, let alone a pound, in your life. Chances are, you are a male. And males, let me just say this - you are frigging lucky.

Happy calorie counting!

Sunday, October 4, 2009

LSD

What an incredibly perfect, beautiful, slightly autumnal weekend. Autumnal! I don't mind it so much when it feels a bit like fall, as long as jackie's aren't required. I abhor wearing jackets for cold-weather purposes, because it means I am likely frigid straight to my core. I hate it.

At any rate, back to the beautiful, slightly autumnal season. While some may spend hours in front of football games watching teams that have sucked for 20+ years, others begin to log many a mile on their bikes. I, for one, plan to be a part of the latter group. Not that I've ever really been a part of the former...my attention span is quite brief, and watching similar looking plays occur repetitively for hours on end...only to result in a loss by the home team... sounds rather like a nightmare to me. So the mileage it has been, and the mileage it will be.

Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on where you're coming from, I've recently spent most of my hours on my cross bike, trying to figure out how the hell to get on and off the thing without mounting the rear wheel. Some might find this amusing. Others, like myself, find it quite humbling and bruise-inducing. I feel quite sorry for my inner right thigh and ego.



Last weekend was Ed Sanders. I fell on my front wheel as soon as I hit the mud on my warmup lap. Busted a spoke with my knee and then proceeded to flat a few yards later. Walked the long way with head down back to the pit. Did not race.





Brian and Fader lined up  - Brian broke a chain in the first minute and a half, his first race back in a few years. He put in a great effort today at Kelly Acres, as did Fader.

Enough about cross for the time being, and back to the point of this post. This weekend, I decided it was time to bring the LSD back. Long, steady distance. On Saturday, I rode with the two leg-breaking C's (Christie and Christian) on a lovely route in Poolesville, MD. I've copied a link to the cue sheet below (courtesy of Potomac Peddlers) because this route is really worth doing. We ended up logging about 74 miles, while the actual route is only around 68 (who knew the miles were cumulative?? Certainly not us). We even stopped at Homestead Farm, and I was briefly reminded of my childhood pumpkin picking days. But then I forgot about them because way too many folks have discovered Homestead Farm. It was like being in an overcrowded water park. Too many people, too close together. Ick.

Back to the ride. I really regret not bringing my camera. We rode along wheat fields (I think?) that stretched for miles - enchanting, really. I wanted to frolic in all of them. Alas, the C's were a force to be reckoned with and I had to keep up as best I could. The route even included a nice long gravel stretch, and I finally got ahead of the two of them for a few minutes and tested my cross bravery. It felt good. All in all, we had a phenomenal time, and I'm truly looking forward to getting out with the gals more often this off-season.

Do yourself a favor: golden field Poolesville ride cue sheet!

Today, I did the team ride, and had my ass handed to me before we even made it close to the rollers. I suppose road cycling can be as humbling as cross, at times. Today in particular. Brutal. However, even as I rode by my lonesome all the way back from Falls road, I felt reenergized and ready to spend some good QT on the Cannondale over the next few months. And ideally learn how to climb in the process.

In other news, it's Sunday night! Which means it's time to plan the week(end). On the list:

- Interrogation with the Fojol Brothers. More to come on that, stay tuned. Excited.

- Teasim. Time to get to know tea. Brian bought me a fabulous little tea contraption from Teaism (thanks Michelle and Jose!), and I'm ready to get educated. When I quit coffee a few weeks ago, I had planned to allow myself a cup on the weekends, particularly post-team ride if I felt so inclined. Curiously, I haven't even wanted it! I love me some tea.

- Seagull Century. Maybe. Only if it's rain-free and pull-free.

- Green Festival DC. I have missed this the past few years and WILL be going this year. By bike, of course. You should too! We are lucky this comes to our town.

- Taste of Georgetown. Maybe. I have mentioned my dislike for all things crowded, so either on the early or late side to avoid the creepy masses.

There is also Hyattsville CX...a maybe if I don't do Seagull.

Alrighty folks. Have a great week!