Double, double, toil, and trouble

Doubling up both days this weekend. After, putting in for my 3 upgrade. Totally unprepared.

Let it rain, let it rain, let's get muddy.

Listening to the Foals album. Going to the show Sunday night, where I'll be sitting on the floor, drinking protein shakes out of PBR cans.

From Turkey Day to Charm City: Thoughtful transitions

As of yesterday, my road season is officially over. This year's Turkey Day experience played out remarkably similarly to last year's. The field was smallish, and I had the legs to make and cover a handful of attacks. The Stars and Bars were rolling four deep in the men's cat four race, including one W3 rider. The three of us more familiar with the men's scene joked at the beginning of the race that we'd be riding for Monika (killer headline photo, btw). Turns out that's exactly what we did.

I knew coming into the race that the sole DVR and DC Velo guys would be very strong, and that ABRT would at least play a role in the race because of its team size. Early on, some young bloke from Princeton attacked, and I bridged up with two other riders. After we made contact, I barked a few orders and the break was underway. It lasted all of a lap and half. I can only imagine that ABRT had a hand in the chase. I covered another attack or two in the middle bits of the race, and another two by alternating ABRT riders in the closing laps. I felt good about the last ABRT attack, trading pulls as we developed a few second gap on the field. Unfortuntately my breakmate's teammates weren't able to lock down the chasing field. I had neither the gas nor the motivation to push through the last few laps, and watched the scattered and disorganized sprint finish from the back of the bunch. Monika took 8th, and from this day forth, shall be simply known as the Man Eater.

Just for laffs, check out my power file, grabbed from my new iBike power meter. See if you can spot the attacks/covers.


I started yesterday's race with an eye on results. I made the wrong gambles and gave my body more credit than it apparently deserved, but I gave it a go. As cross season approaches, I've got eyes on results just the same, but I'm going to try to play it a little smarter Monday to Friday, so those weekend gambles pay off more often. I've put together a training schedule from now until 28 November, based largely on Chris Carmichael's Time Crunched Cyclist. I tried to be honest with myself as to what my schedule would allow, and the time crunched plan promises results with even fewer hours than I've got. One of the tough parts of the training regiment: rest days. Some weeks have two (or even more, gasp!) built in already. I've got so much energy on rest days I can hardly coax myself to bed before 1am.

So to keep myself occupied on those rest days, I'm focusing on another transition. Finishing my MA program (hire me) doesn't mean I can stop learning about and contributing to the discourse on development and conflict in an African context. I'm working on a paper--no, an article--for submission to the Review of African Political Economy. If you're interested in that sort of thing (or aren't, whatever), you can find much more, slightly biased, information by checking this out.

Listening to the Limousine remix of Kites by Geographer. It's got a nice Yeasayer feel to it.

Video games? RFK crit? DC champs? Matt & Kim?

First, why is there no cyclocross video game on any platform? I asked this over some manner of "web deuce" application, and was retwittered by one of my favorite cyclocrossists. Maybe we're one step closer to tapping R1 to sprint, if you get my drift. For those of you not in the know, Pro Cycling Manager is an ideal rest day activity.



Second, what happened to the RFK crit? I love love love being able to ride to races, and add love x 1 for riding to races inside the district.

Third, why aren't there any DC district championship races? The RFK crit would be a great DC crit championship, and DCCX would be perfect to earn the CX stars 'n bars.

Fourth, what do you think about Matt & Kim's new aesthetic? I was taken aback at first, but I'm encouraged by their choice to stick to tried and true lyrical themes.

Required viewing

If you haven't seen these yet....








You're welcome. Oh, and you should watch the 9 ball diaries, now streaming on netflix. Holla at my boy TJ.

Simple as

Simple as that.

Like all good things

As if on cue, I managed to destroy my only pair of this year's team bibs just before my planned final race of the season, the Lost River Classic. The team did a great job hosting the race, and I won't pretend to take any of the credit for its success. Also, big up to "sig." for a well-earned top ten.

My first impulse is to call this season a disappointment. I felt my form improving coming out of the collegiate season, and I anticipated at least a few strong results over the summer. In the end, the only results I'll even happily claim are 10th, 15th, and 20th place finishes at Poolesville, Washington County RR, and Reston, respectively. This season wasn't a disappointment; it was an important learning experience. And for those who don't understand, and ask, "did you have fun?" Short answer, yes, long answer, of course not.

I've got good sensations about my medium-term future in bike racing, especially when it comes to being a part of a team, rather than simply wearing a team's kit when I ride and race. DoJ doesn't just mean Department of Justice.

In the meantime, I've got other things to finish off. In four weeks, I'll be finished with my last requirement in my MA program. Somehow, I totally lucked out, and my last course is War & Conflict in Africa. Being in class is like rubbing my face in a bowl of candy while intravenously consuming pistachio pudding. Absolutely euphoric. If you work for an organization that has even as much as a finger in this field, please, please hire me.

Listening to Neon Bible. Praying the road rash goes away before my one week off-season is over.

Sen. Byrd

This morning, I found myself in the gallery of the United States Senate. On any other day, this would be an uneventful experience. The old adage goes, "if you see two Representatives on the floor of the House, that's one more than usual; if you see two Senators on the floor of the Senate, that's two more than usual." Not today. From ten to four, the Senate held its first lying in repose ceremony in over fifty years.

Robert Byrd was a man of many--often changing--hats. He was a damn good fiddle player, dedicated historian, passionate friend, and reformed racist. This morning, the late Senator was also the reason the old adage was broken. As I sat in the gallery, I saw Senators new, old, retired, and voted out of office, waiting in a receiving line to greet the Byrd family. I'm thankful that my experience with funerals is very limited, but in that experience, I've never seen such a joyous bunch commemorate the passing of a friend, colleague, and family patriarch. The Senators in line were patiently joking around with one another, no doubt sharing their own stories about the Dean of the Senate. The prevailing emotion for the Byrd clan was also joy; they seemed to be there to celebrate their fallen patriarch, having completed the mourning process during the Senator's last days, weeks, and months. It was a beautiful and surreal moment, and I'm confident I'll never experience anything like it again.

Go out and do things--even if you find out they're the wrong things down the road--that bring people to celebrate your life once it's over. Bike racing is wonderful and rewarding, and might give us a few minutes or hours of purpose every day, but it's important to find the things that hold meaning and give purpose to those around and after you. Find those things. Do them.