Mr. Cagle never ceases to amaze me…
Last night on Tulsa’s weekly Wednesday night group ride we didn’t continue our game, because half the players are vacationing in Cancun. This was unfortunate for all of us, because there was now nothing holding Chad back from riding “Tempo” at the front. When he started his "Tempo" I assumed he would blow himself up, because this pace couldn’t possibly be his Tempo. He had the whole group lined up behind him. A couple of us attacked him to try to mess with him, but he didn’t even know we were attacking, with our feeble efforts that looked more like someone trying to pull through than an attack. Toward the end, after he had ridden all but about 10 riders off his wheel from the previous hour of "Tempo", some of us would try so hard to pull through, but as soon as he would let us through it was like there was someone in our jersey pocket with an anchor they were tossing out the back. I would try to drag the anchor for about 30 seconds and then I would be done, so it went like that; Chad for 30 minutes than 1 or 2 guys for 30 seconds, with the majority of the riders afraid to even attempt sticking their noses in the wind.
Our coach has an interval named force intervals. Mat has done some hard research and redefined the force interval as seen below.
Force Interval:
Purpose: To practice your weakness, which conveniently for Chad is his Strength.
Description: Go on a ride with Chad and get "forced" into doing intervals.
Protocol: Eternity at max effort. 0 minutes recovery.
Last night on the Wednesday night ride we played a game where each Mercy teamed up with a Sound Pony guy. Mat was with Mike, I was with Gifford and Chad was with Mickey. Gifford is a power house for short efforts, so he and I launched early before the climb (the neighborhood). We got a big gap, but unfortunately we were caught and attacked at the end by the Miko Simoni and Matiano Cunego duo. It was a convincing win for the polka dot jersey, but we were still second. Eventually we heard Chad’s voice telling Mickey “it’s okay you’re a sprinter, you’re a sprinter”. Next we had an intermediate sprint, and this time Chad and Mickey played the aggressive role, but unfortunately not everyone can hold Chad’s 400+ watt efforts and Chad quickly popped his pony (© 2006 Mat Ankney all rights reserved). Chad and Mickey did recover and Chad went to light it up for the next intermediate sprint. Well Gifford took that sprint in convincing style, coming effortlessly off my wheel and passing Chad like he was standing still. Gif and I also took the 2nd intermediate sprint in similar fashion. Chad and Mickey were out of the equation by now as Mickey couldn’t install a governor on Chad fast enough. We needed to beat Mat and Mike in the final sprint to take green and overall, but I have to admit we got worked. This time it was me who stood up too soon and screwed up the lead-out. Mike and Mat actually passed us seated laughing. With that they secured Polka dot, green and overall, but we got most combative and intermediate sprint. Chad and Mickey were lantern rouge and after the ride all Mickey could say was “team meeting, team meeting”. The funny thing was that Mickey actually passed us in the sprint without Chad, who obviously did more harm than good. I told Mickey that this isn’t the first time Chad has popped a teammate, it happens to Mat and I all the time.
I had a job Interview today, and I was pretty nervous. I haven’t dressed up since my grandmother’s birthday, so I am not accustomed to it.
Let me back up for just a second. I have these blue crocs that I always wear. I don’t like the looks of them, but they are so convenient. My friends always give me a hard time about them. I came into Chad’s work the other day with those things on and the secretary had a look on her face like “look what the cat drug up”. Okay back to my story
I grabbed my resume and ran out the door. I was on the phone with someone, so I wasn’t being very thorough to make sure I had everything. I got in my car and there was a flash of blue. I started cracking up. I had those blue crocs on. I had forgotten to change shoes, when I dressed. Of course I had time to change them and all was fine, but what if I had walked in with a button up shirt, slacks, and nasty blue crocs on my feet!?
Yesterday after our ride my teammate ran to the QT on the corner and got a big 32oz soda / mix drink / suicide something or other, and a bag of candy. I was envious and jealous, but as opposed to punching him and stealing his candy, I patiently waited until today to learn from his ingenious decision and make my one trip. I had a long ride today, so afterward I cruised to that same QT and stared at an intimidating selection of fountain drinks. I gave up and went with a plane coke with ice. To complement it I picked my favorite candy, peanut M&Ms. When I got back I didn’t have any buyer’s remorse as I consumed my treats. There is nothing better to replenish the glycogen stores than a coke and your favorite candy.
Desert came first today, but my meal was really good too. I have this thing I have been making for a while. It’s pasta, shrimp, and edimame (soy beans). It only takes me 10 minutes to make and I put pesto sauce on it. It is really good, considering how bad of a cook I am, I am always proud when I make it, probably too proud, because I took a picture of it.
Yes I am too proud, and I shouldn’t have time to take a picture of my food either. Definitely a waste of time, just like this journal entry.
My old TPT teamate Tom French just finished his first year at KU in Lawrence, KS, and now he is riding his bike across the nation in the “Ride for Hope”. You can read his experiences on his weblog.
Today I was riding with a buddy (Mike Wozniak) and somehow we got on the all too popular subject of doping in cycling. He was telling me about some new website where they drag a bunch of names through the dirt about doping. Let me just say that I believe it is morally wrong to dope and I am against it in any form, but it seems to be turning into a witch hunt. I told Mike that all too often I have seen websites like this, often put together by U.S. pros that maybe felt it wasn’t fare that someone else was better than them. All too often that is the first excuse that a rider will use when they get beat by someone “oh well he must be on something”. Yesterday at the start line of the last Tulsa Tough race riders were discussing how well Brad did at CSC, and an ex Jr. National champion whose name I won’t say said something like “oh and he’s clean” in a very sarcastic tone. I was right behind him and said “hey just because someone is better that you doesn’t mean they dope”, come to find out, he had just said that to say it. He quickly apologized for accusing someone that he had no reason to believe was doping other than the fact that Brad is riding well. Brad has heart and digs deep in races and that has a HUGE performance enhancing benefit. Just because someone is fast doesn’t mean they take drugs. In fact, when I was in Spain this year there was a rider who we were laughing at because he obviously had taken some sort of injection (we could see a round band-aid through his yellow shorts) in a race with no control. He got dropped pretty fast too. So yes it’s obvious there is doping in cycling like most sports, but just because someone is fast doesn’t mean you can accuse them of taking drugs, there are a million different ways to improve without taking drugs.
