FIRST RUN

Before today the most I had run was 2 miles on the treadmill.I've been wanting to get into running for a while now but its tough to run when I have a perfectly good bike to ride!I had a tough time getting going this morning making excuses not to go.I preregistered for the Montvale 5 miler a few weeks ago.I have to admit it was a blast.I kept a steady 5-7 mph pace the whole time.I was stoked I was able to run the whole time!Cardio wise I felt GREAT.I finished a little better than midpack in 52 minutes and I'm definatly happy with that I was just hoping to survive!If I can just stop drinking beer to help shed another 5-10pounds,no no that's crazy talk!The race was held at the Montvale park and trail system.Kenny Palmers done a great job on thease trails and he's still improving on them!Props to Josh and Gina Gilbert of Mountain Junkies for putting on a great event!

Dropping Bombs on em

Windy in temps in the mid 40s perfect conditions for a road ride!Only about 13 people showed up for the ride.The climb up mill mountain was uneventful felt pretty good as long as didn't try to overrev the engine.At the top me David and Jeff Shuster hooked up and set off on a threeway down the parkway.Great pace especially with the winds gusting up to 40mph!Worked out good everyone taking there turns pulling.Ended up averaging 16.8 MPH.Off the parkway we headed back thru town.I was happy to sit in and spin!Then "snap"David went off on a breakaway I had to chase and it was back and forth like that all the way back! Good ride despite the crappy conditions!

David's still Laughing...

Took off from Davids house around
9am for a easy spin on the road bike done the Tuesday ride route getting off the parkway at the field.Pretty good ride except at the last stoplight my cleat on my left shoe had came loose and I couldn't unclip so.... That was embarrassing I fell on the pavement and scraped my knee.I think Davids still laughing. ...nice.Anyway reminder to check the bolts on the cleats!swweeet

GETTING DIRTY AT THE COVE

Good turnout for the first Thursday ride of 2010.It was great to get some dirt in the lungs!Pretty good recovery ride after hitting the road hard this week.Around 8 miles in a hour compared to 20 on the road.Right now my focus is on the road.I'm addicted to the speed.

1st Tuesday Beer Ride

Love this ride last year was my first time attending it.I feel I gained more speed from this ride then any amount of training I could do.Im more of a mountain biker then Roadie but I can't deny that I love the speed and intensity of this ride.There's something about pulling around 28mph on the flats that's addictive! My wingman "nighthawk "was there when I needed him coming around me on a hard sprint back to the start and telling me to get on his wheel and then I returned the favor on the last pull back into downtown roanoke.We came withen 20 feet of the "fast guys "but couldn't reel em in. Next time we'll get em!Awesome ride !I'm addicted to the "high" that comes after pushing yourself as hard as you can then just a little more for sure!

Peakin

Peaks of otter a epic ride of sorts.Totaling 63 miles out and back from Davids house.Most of it climbing.I've been looking forward to doing this ride all winter.So I met up with David around 8:30 this morning and headed up the mountain it was supposed to be warm today but it was freezing the farther up we got.So we made it to the great valley overlook and decided to turn back.It was freezing on the way down!Overall a good ride 26 miles total.Still early in the season for this ride.Maybe next weekend....

DEATH MACHINE

Rainy rest day what to do? Been wanting to get my SS back together. I robbed some parts off it to sell earlier this year.So I used what I had to get it going.Crappy raliegh drop bars that came stock on my raliegh supercourse.Check.Crappier Hayes nine that came stock on my first mtb.2005 giant iguana.check. yet to be used London fixie bike SS cog.check.4 beers down,dark and raining, check. More beer upstairs. Check........maybe a test ride tommorow.....

Nice ride

Today was going to be a rest day me and David have ridden together about 4 times this week.And it was raining.I've been hitting the gym hard and running some to train for a upcoming 5miler.But its hard to turn down a nice day and a willing partner.We were going to take it easy but it ended up being a pretty fast ride!So were not riding tommorow unless. .................

CARVING BEDFORD

Sweet pics from 3rd and final Bedford Mtx race.

BEDFORD MTX 3 RACE REPORT

Temps in the mid 50's today.70% singletrack 80% dry!Who could ask for more?Race started out pretty good for me taking off hard and maintaining a lead for the first lap.I was going as hard as I could to gain positions.Being in 8th the chances of getting on the podium were slim to none.But I still had a chance of finishing in the top 5 for the series. I held off the fast guys till about the 3rd lap.Dave Thompkins and Robert Clifford were battling it out hard.They both had a great race finishing 3rd and 4th.I passed fellow teamate Paula Schimizzi on my 2nd lap and heldoff Warren Schimizzi till my 5th and final lap.I ended up finishing 10th,8th overall in the series.I'm OK with that its early in the season.Good times great series.Kenny's the man!

RUNNING FROM........

Just registered for my first run.I've been wanting to do one for awhile.I registered for the Montvale 5&10 miler put on by Josh and Gina Gilbert of Mountain Junkies.com.They put on a great event I've been wanting to show my support for awhile. Maybe I should have passed out water!I've been hitting the treadmill after my weight training for a few weeks now.So ill hit some trails a few times this week.Without my Bike!Do I need to wear a helmet?:°

2 Rides 1 Day

Had to take advantage if the nice day and the wife and kids being gone.So I met up with my brother from a different mother Mike at the cove for a easy spin.4 gorge ,1000ft (still covered in snow)then down the drop.Also covered in snow.It was fun as long as you kept your speed up you could stay on top of it.Went down tuckaway (dry)lower comet to fireroad.Then up arrow head (very dry)songbird (muddy n spots )road to parking lot.Great ride!After some Chinese we parted ways and I headed to work (closer then home)for a shower and change of clothes.Hoped on the cx bike and met up with nighthawk for a quick 14 mile ride on the parkway.Good ride we seen Bob Bowman out getting a ride in. Now I have to get ready for tommorows race!

Mcfee's Knob

Wifey and the kids (all 3 of them)went to Damascus to stay with grandma for the weekend.I had to hang back cause the last race of the Bedford mtx series is Sunday.She took my truck and left me with her car.Its not a very convenient bike hauler.So after work I went and hiked Mcfees knob.Great trail.Was gonna see a movie but the thought of spending about a 50 spot on the ticket 2 gallon drink and 55 gallon drum of popcorn didn't sound appealing.So after the hike I met up with David aka nighthawk for some fine Mexican dining.Now home just me and the dog.Its to quiet!Tommorow gonna do a mountain bike ride in a undisclosed locale,then a evening road ride.Gonna be nice this weekend!

MILL MOUNTAIN

Let work around 4 on the crossbike to get a road ride in.Had to keep reminding myself it was a recovery ride.Went thru downtown and headed up mill mountain felt pretty good climbing the mountain.Coming down the parkway I was spinning out the 42 11.I followed the Tuesday beer ride route.I'm really looking forward to Spring for this ride to kick in.With the wind in my face I averaged 14.5 MPH.In the Spring on this ride last year I was averaging 18 MPH!That's hammer down working together with the group.It was a good ride hopefully we can avoid the fun police (snowstorm part4)and get some rides in this week!

Bedford MTX 2

This time instead of 50 degrees and mud we had 20 degrees and 20 mph winds at night to start out in.I started out fast spinning up to about 90 rpms and was maintaining my lead threw the single track.It wasn't much single track but it was enough to to get me pumped for more!Towards the end of the single track i heard the familiar sound of Warren Shimizzi"s hope hub.I pulled him thru the road section then on the turn to the grassy downhill he went around and was gone.I passed a lot of people on the grassy windy hill climb just by spinning up it.I passed Paula on my 5yh lap but to get ahead of her i would have had to pass her 1 more time!She ended up winning by a couple of minutes.I felt OK despite my stomach issues leading up the race.I'm 8th overall in the series with Jen behind me by only a few minutes!I would like to be riding stronger right now but it is really early in the season I remember last year at this series I could barely make it a lap without having to stop and push my bike finishing way towards the back!So I feel I have a good base I just need to build up my endurance.We have a great team this year and looking forward to many more race"s this year.And as always Kenny laid out a great course despite the conditions.He's defiantly got a passion for it and it shows!Next up the last race of the series.Maybe we will have ideal conditions.