Paceline Clinic

Saturday we did a paceline clinic.  We rode up and down Canada Road practicing staying together in a line, yelling out things like "car!" and "hole!"  and going faster without having to exert ourselves as much.  The concept is basically that the lead rider takes all the wind and those behind get all the benefit.  Since being in back is so great and it's so unfair to make one person always be in front, we take turns.  It's pretty dern tootin' actually.

My buddy Simon came out and shot some interviews with me.  We interviewed Evanne the honoree and got her story (it's in the video blog) Plus, we interviewed some other folks.  The plan is to release those videos as soon as I get around the cutting them!  So watch the video and get a sense of why I'm doing this and why it's so important to donate!

We rode our time trial on Saturday.  I rode a 44:30 time.  We went down Portola Road to Sand Hill road to Alpine and back to Portola.  It was a nice little loop.  

Donations are going well, we're just trying to figure out how to get the biggest bang for our buck with the stuff that friends are donating.  I also need to get off my butt and videotape Bip and Renel talking about their donations and whether you can bid or buy raffle tickets for them.

So stand by, I should have it all sorted out by next week.

This week we begin our hill training.  And on Saturday we start pace lines.  The good thing is that we're riding on Canada Road which is part of my regular ride...so that's cool.

Watch the new video and remember to donate!  The link is to the right.

Wow! I rode Canada Road again. What a difference it makes when your brakes aren't on! What a nice ride. Just an easy clip on the slight uphills and the downhills are just steep enough to get a little speed up. The fog started to roll over the hills about the time I was finishing up.

Today's theme: Do I shave my legs? Is it weird for people who see me pass by that I have hairy gorilla-ape legs? What about th eguys who zip past me on their bikes as I hammer at an amazingly slow speed. I mean, is it really important? Would it be a psychological boost on those longs straightaways? Would it make me faster? Or would it have a calming effect on my fellow riders and innocent bystanders knowing that order has been restored, the sun is in the sky, the cars are in their lanes and another cyclists has shed his leg hair. After all who wants to get passed by a guy who doesn't dress the part. When I'm riding I always feel better if the guy who is faster than me is dressed properly. I mean if someone looks like they just pulled a T-Shirt off the floor, slipped on a pair of baggy shorts and is wearing the first Bell Helmet ever made (you know, the black hard shell) goes zipping by, I kinda want to hang up the bike and take up macrame. But if that same guys is wearing a Webcor jersey with matching tights and a snappy helmet with matching shoes I don't feel so bad. I think, "OK, well that guy probably doesn't have a full time job. He has so much time to ride that he makes this look easy." Of course it never enters my mind that I'm 44 and need to up my conditioning.

So maybe Clinton and Stacey on "What Not to Wear" have a point. If you dress the part you feel better about yourself and that translates to how others view you. So maybe if I shave my legs the guys in the matching outfit will feel a little better about himself if he passes someone who is dressed well, too.

OK, enough. Remember to donate! My donation link is up and to the right. Hit the link and donate! Thanks for watching.

June 7th

So Saturday we had our first meet and ride.  We rode about 15 miles through Los Altos.  It was a nice quick clip through some beautiful side streets.

What floored me was that later we heard from the honorees, the people who have experienced leukemia or lymphoma.  The stories of their battles with the various diseases and how the money raised from Team in Training is so important really focused me on how crucial it is to not only ride, but raise as much money as possible.

On my video, you'll hear from one of the honorees.  Recently diagnosed, he came to tell his story. Seeing his obviously strong spirit and love for his family sums up what we're riding for better than a few words on a blog could ever do.

Over the next few weeks I hope to capture the stories of the remaining honorees.  My hope is that after seeing and hearing their stories, you will be inspired to donate whatever you can to the cause.  

Just click on this link:  http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/moabtour09/keck  

and please donate what you can.

Light ride today.  I went for about an hour on the trails around Foster City.  Do we need an etiquette class for trails?  I mean seriously.  Cyclists, walkers are not pylons to race around as quickly as possible.  Walkers, if you're walking with a friend, try not to walk in both lanes.  I know its fun to walk next to your friend/lover/confidante but how can I pass you without scaring the beejeesus out of you?  I have to ask...sometimes loudly.  Whew!  Lecture over.

The ride?  Nice.  I was relieved it was light.  I need lessons in not tensing up my shoulders and back.  Other than that?  There's nothing better than being on a bike.

OK - So my first official training ride.  I took Canada road from Edgewood to Woodside and then back to 92 and back to Edgewood.  Not a bad ride.  A lot of slow gentle hills.  A lot of wind though.

I was riding between Edgewood and 92 when I spot a big guy on a bike slowly making his way up the hill in front of me.  I stay calm (I love a challenge)  As I ride up the hill I notice he's getting closer.  He gets off his bike at the top and pretends he's fixing his bike.  All sorts of judgemental thoughts fly through my  mind as I pass him.  I am the man on hills!

I'm cooking along a few minutes later when he flies right past me.  He's quickly puts about a few lengths of embarrassment between us as I turn to make the leg back to Edgewood Road then home.  

A little way down the road I hit a downhill and keep thinking the wind is holding me back...a lot.  I keep wondering why I have to mash down hills to get any speed.  My front tire is making sounds.  It's either going flat or it's sighing from the excess weight I've put on lately.  That tire is a dick!  Anyway, the big guy goes zipping past me on the downhill, I push but can't catch him as his knees flare out to the side every time he pedals.  Then I notice my brakes are rubbing. 

My front brake had been cautiously on the entire ride as if it wanted to make sure I wasn't going too fast.  No wonder I felt so tired.  I centered the pads again, spun the tire and set my target on Mister Big Guy who is now a good ways away.

Birds sing, angels cried, rainbows descend from the sky!  What a difference.  That's why I ride!  I was remembering that feeling you get when your bike responds as if the brakes aren't on.  I stood up on the pedals and bonking be damned I was going to catch that guy before Edgewood Road.

A few slugs of the water bottle, a couple hundred gasps for air and a death defying mash up a hill in the big gears and Mister Big Guy had no idea what hit him when I zoomed past at the last possible second before Edgeware road.  Well, it probably looked more like a six year old walking quickly past a two year old, but who's keeping score...other than me.  And Mister Big Guy goes home knowing he's been vanquished by me.  I'm sure he's telling a story about some slow guy who was sucking for air at a stop sign at Edgewood Road and how he schooled him on Canada Road.  Ah, perspective!

Tomorrow I ride!

I want to thank everyone who has donated so far.  I also want to mention that I spoke with Bip Roberts, former major leaguer and Renel, the voice of the Giants, and they've offered to donate their time for the cause.  I plan on interviewing them to announce what they're offering and how you can get it.  I really appreciate their kindness, because I know how busy they are!

Tomorrow I ride!

Tomorrow after work I officially start training.  My schedule says I need an hour ride.  Last time I rode after work I went a whole five miles on Canada Road before I bonked!  Wow!

Maybe I should eat something before I ride.  Tomorrow I plan to have a snack, get a stretch and then go for an hour, which should translate to roughly twenty miles-ish depending on how I feel.

So let's light this candle!  And remember to donate!  Here's my donation web page:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/moabtour09/keck