Utah Cycling Association

CAT. 5 Results and Points

thage — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:07:00 GMT

I received and heard a few comments/questions concerning Cat 5 results posted on the UCA site. I first want to say I think the Cat 5's are our most important category and I am pleased to see so many Cat 5's riding the early season races. I hope they find racing as enjoyable as I do. If any new rider ever has any questions, please feel free to come talk to me at any point. I'm the short, bald guy with big ears in a pink and purple jersey in the 1/2 field. Can't miss me. In fact, if you have any questions on the sport please ask any Cat 1 or 2. We may seem intense (and sometimes snotty)on race day, but we are really good guys and are always willing to lend a hand and give advice. And truth be told, the 45+ racers are typically ALOT smarter!! So feel free to ask them as well.

Back to the results... I try to post the Cat 5 results as often as possible. The UCA Results page's true purpose it to track UCA points, which the Cat 5's do not get. Cat 5's do not get UCA points, because it is designed to be an introductory category and there shouldn't be a Overall Series Champion, because hopefully most Cat 5's will be Cat 4's. We don't want Cat 5's to sandbag. There is plenty of time for that when you get to the Cat 4's and 3's ;-). There are limitations to the import system I use for results. The system is based on using license numbers to post results. Since a large portion of Cat 5's use One Day Licenses, it is hard to post the results. In the absence of a license number the system "creates" a rider. In a perfect world, it would work great. But that means all names, etc have to be perfect (spelling,etc). It can create problems down the road with duplications in the system.

The UCA website was designed to compliment the results posted on the promoters website, not to be the sole arena for race results.

See you at the races!

Todd

Ogden Crit May 3rd

TMac — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:41:00 GMT

As many of you know, the Buffalo Stampede at Antelope Island had been replaced with a criterium in Ogden. Registration and information available on Sportsbaseonline: https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Item.aspx?item_id=2473

East Canyon RR

TMac — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:28:00 GMT

This Saturday April 26th will be the Sports Am East Canyon Road Race. Registration for this event is CLOSED. Please carpool as parking is very limited.

Results Up to Date

thage — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:43:00 GMT

All the results are updated through Tax Day, with the exception of the juniors from TVSR. I should have those finished this afternoon. It's a ton of file uploads with the stage races, so if I missed a stage, etc. please send an email to todd@davidhollands.com. The Tax Day 1/2/3 race may look a bit different. With the new bylaw, the Cat 3's are scored within the race, not within the category. With the strong showing of alot of Cat 3's placing in the top half of the race, they picked up a fair amount of points over the competition that sat this one out.

Remember, if you show up as Unattached or have problems with your team name, etc. please contact your Team Manager.

Thanks and hopefully see everyone at East Canyon. Please remember to car pool.

Todd

Hell of the North results are up!

TMac — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:49:00 GMT

We've worked out the glitches since Todd got back and we have loaded results. Please check with your club representative if your team affiliation is incorrect; it is their responsibility to see that the correct roster is on the site.

Spotlights

TMac — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:04:00 GMT

As much as we love Jillian and Cyclesmith, it is time to recognize other deserving UCA participants. If you have a suggestion, please send them to terrymac at xmission dot com.

Hell of the North results

TMac — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:02:00 GMT

We will get them posted soon. Our results guru, Todd H., is in Colorado and will post them as soon as possible. Congrats to all the winners and new UCA points leaders.

Upgrade Procedures

thage — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:50:00 GMT

USA Cycling has changed category upgrade guidelines. The major adjustment weighs field sizes and placing to fairly award points for smaller field sizes (basically what the UCA has had to do for a long time anyway). It's very simple, larger field sizes (50+) earn maximum points, smaller field sizes earn fewer points.

This new system is retroactive (12 month window) and may open the door for some of our riders to qualify for their upgrade. Please double check your qualifying points before applying. For those who are marginally qualified, I will want to see wins and/or out of state placing and experience.

For riders upgrading from 5 to 4 (required 10 mass start race experiences) the UCA will accept up to 8 Crit Series races (RMR & DMV only). TT's, hill climbs, triathlons, century's and group rides do not count towards Cat 4 (or any other) upgrade.

When you qualify for your upgrade please go to "My USA Cycling" page at www.usacycling.org and request your upgrade. Please provide race date, name, type of event, category, number of participants and placing.

After your upgrade has been approved please "Print Authorization to Ride" for proof of upgrade at your next event. USA Cycling charges a small fee for an updated card.

See attached 2008 upgrade guidelines.

See you at the races!

Cameron Hoffman

Upgrade Representative (UT & ID)

camzilla@gmail.com

For Those Who Don't Read Comments...

Ryan Barrett — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 13:07:00 GMT

Okay, it's official I am following Hardwood (just like I will all year) to Wordpress. www.turbocycling.wordpress.com. I haven't had a chance to pretty it up yet, but check, check, check it out.

BTW, you gotta read the comments, that's where all the fun is.

Re-Name the Blog Contest

Ryan Barrett — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 15:04:00 GMT

As it looks like I am getting booted from the UCA site, I am going to set up camp elsewhere. I'll probably keep the title "Straight Outta Provo", but if someone can come up with something better, I'll give you something cool*. Answer in the comments section.

*Coolness being a personal judgement, it is not guaranteed. Offer not valid in all states. See box top for Official Rules. You must be over 18 or have a parents signature. Thousand may enter, few (like one) will win. All rights reserved. All wrongs revenged.

Circling the drain...

daveh — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:19:00 GMT

I just got done reading Marek's post and related commentary. Fun stuff. So since we're circling the drain in blogville.uca.com/blogs-suck, I'll give my 2 listeners a forwarding address: www.daveharward.wordpress.com

It would be fun to see more of our cycling community doing some blogging. It's fun to hear about all of the misadventures. Everyone knows about blogspot thanks to Team Rico, Prime Rib Time yaaaaaa, BartmanG, Sandros, even T-bird changed addresses, et. al. Check out wordpress as well. They offer free services there too.

If you like to Blog here let your voice be known....

Marek — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 14:28:00 GMT

I do not know about you but I get a kick out of all the random this and thats that I get to read here. Ryan B coming straight outta provo....Sandie....The Mop...all a good read! Well word on the street is if you want to read from these personalities in the future you will not be able to do it here! The UCA has decided that this site does not need Blogs or Forums so they are having them taken off. Along with a bunch of other information.

Isn't it great to have a commitee of people (better said one or two in that group) that know exactly what you want and what is best for you. They just know if you were not here waisting your time blogging you would train more and race more....but only on the weekends! They are sure that forums and blogs offer nothing to the common good of cycling in Utah. Sometimes Less is just Less... Less racing durng the week does not equal more racers on the weekend...it just equals less racing. Less little cool places to talk about racing and shoot the bull do not make for a better site....it just means less time to enjoy all the cool people who race.

Hey is it still ok to race a UCA event if I am running Campy or is that going to be out as well?

How a Saturday Should Be...

Ryan Barrett — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 13:55:00 GMT

I was a little bummed first thing, because I had planned on doing the I-C-U-P (say it phonetically, please) in St. George and getting out of the arctic. However, after the water heater incident, I didn't have the nerve to ask my S.G. benefactor to stay there again so soon, plus I don't have a mtn. bike. Anyway, I wound up making an awesome day of it.

Took the girls out for a hike up South Fork in the morning. It was a balmy 13 degrees when we hit out, but it was sunny and not at all windy, so it felt fine. There was so much new snow. Haley hiked maybe half the time on the way up, intermingled with being pulled by Kelly on the sled. I had Morgan on my back, so I was getting my workout too.

Stopped for a cuppa Seattle's Worst at Border's on the way home.

Lunch with the girls.

I was pretty worked, but hopped on the Seven and went around West Mtn. really hard by myself. Felt really good for the first couple hours and then was dead for the last hour.

I think this is my new Saturday plan. Do something with the girls in the A.M. and then ride in the afternoon. They nap then, so it's easier for me to get out. The PROvo ride is still where it's at, but I just can't leave at 10 and get back at 3. When I do this, the girls are napping by the time I get home and when they get up, it's too close to dinner to do anything, so I might as well have just been gone all day. This doesn't do anyone any good.

Anyway, that night I went and got "Stage 4 Owned You" tatooed on the inside of my eyelids, and took a break dancing class at the malt shop.

Maybe all this stuff didn't really happen, but some of it did, I assure you.

It's looking like I mightn't race at all in March this year, which would be probably the first time since around '93. That 1993 for you, kids. I only have 5 vacay days this year, and to use 2 of them for San Dumass just doesn't add up at the moment. Still, I am feeling pretty good, and wish we had some local stuff going on sooner rather than later.

Back in the early 00's (??), March was the busiest racing month of the year for me. Merced, Visalia, Redlands, Another Dam Race. Yeah, we always skipped See Squatters and went to AZ for ADR, 'cause it was easier money, I guess. On that note, it looks like I'll See Squatters for the first time ever this year. Anyway, I guess that was only 12 racing days (Redlands was six days back when), but add in another 8 days of travel, plus training and working 20 hours a week and I was a pretty busy 12k dreamer back when.

All for now.

Goin back to Cali...

Marek — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 21:34:00 GMT

It is that time again... Time to take the BRT over to the early season races in Cali. Merced... Central Valley... Sequoia... All great events! Nothing like seeing the best of the best duke it out three weekends in a row. Health Net and Toyota United put on quite a show last year...as did Victory brewing for the ladies side. Cant wait to see Nicole Evans in her new TEAm Lipton kit going at it with the big girls. Props to her for coming so far so fast!

My all time favorite from last years Cali swing was a cat 3 at the Central Valley Crit trying to tell me he was 5th when he was closer to 15th. Nothing out of the ordinary exept this clown was wearing a long sleeve leopard print skin suit (I kid you not). I showed him the pics of him crossing the line and counted back from the leader to him... I gave him my stand by line... "The eye in the sky doesnt lie" He looked me dead in the eyes and said "thats not me"! Keep in mind I am shooting pics at 2500 frames per second... so not only could you see the spots on his hag bag, you could see his red goatee and the rubber bands that tied it in a point. Oh and the sparkly red diadora shoes were clear as day as well. Even with all of that... yes we are having this go round while he is still in his kitty shammy and wizard of OZ shoes... he still swears its not him?! So I zoom in and point out the tighty whitey under wear lines he is rocking in the picture and I ask the announcer Dave Toll what he thinks. Dave says into the mic with this kid standing on stage " Dude in that outfit anything less than an arms in the air, 30 second beat down WIN and I would be hiding under this stage" I swear all 10,000 spectators stopped pointed a laughed! Needless to say the leopard slinked away...presumably under the stage as Dave had recommmended.

yes... goin back to cali...to cali....to cali

I Suck (again)

Ryan Barrett — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:45:00 GMT

Aaaarrrrghhh!! Our fRedlands entry didn't make it by the deadline and we didn't make the cut. 100% my fault as I handled it. I was on the fence about going in the first place, but I really didn't mean to screw over my team. Maybe I am biting off more than I can chew at the moment.

Not literally because we all know I can chew a lot, but yeah, I think I am on the verge of cracking.

Day 12 just for the FAT of it

Marek — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 17:19:00 GMT

Day 12
178lbs
Food: Not enough of it..
ride time: 1hr upper to lower Z1

Wow! Ready for spring/summer! This one nice day followed by two bad days is the crapps. Going from trainer to outside and back again makes for less then prime riding. I used to never ride the trainer...I would go ride in the snow if I had to...then I got into riding the trainer alot! I could sit there for hours and just toil away. Now I am good for 1hr max on the trainer...partly due to the kid factor. It is hard to say no to my 4yr old when she walks up and says "play with me daddy". The other apparently has to do with my music selection...I listened to Leftfield...leftism yesterday. Soon we will all be free of the trainer and the cold...Opening day at RMR is the 17th (weather permitting) and everyone who can not travel can get their race on.

As for me I am getting ready to head to Cali for the first 3 NRC races...hopefully the weather will be nice there! Last year it rained and was cold every event up to Redlands. There is nothing worse than standing around behind a bunch of computers in the cold and wet watching everyone else race. Though I have to say I do get the best seat in the house. Bike racing in the USofA is in pretty stellar shape right now...Tour O Cali...Tour O Missouri...Tour O Utah...Draper Days! Does it get any better than that!!

The SLC is not 87F

daveh — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 20:45:00 GMT

After making it to San Jorge late Sunday night, we got a few hours of sleep and then got rolling Monday morning to finish off the drive home from VotS. Before I get into that, I went out for a ride today around noon. I went past a sign that said 37F. In Phoenix on Saturday it was 87F. Big difference. I have to say it was nice to just be in jersey and bibs. I did not, however, walk around post-TT in my skin suit with the legs rolled up and the top tucked in at my waist. This same guy has done that the past 2 years…strolls up and down the parking area.

I don’t think I gave the rundown on the criterium yet. It is a fun race that is typically fast and usually has at least one crash. Unfortunately I was standing at the middle of the course when the Pro women decided to stack things up. I left the course after seeing that…guess I should have done it sooner. I hate to see crashes. Mr Fasse of the VMG squad lit up the finish of the Cat3 race and apparently sprinted at the front for probably 500+ meters. Guys were trying to pass him coming down the straightaway and he was having none of it. Sweet!

The legs didn’t feel too great as I was warming up and I wasn’t too surprised. Saturday was a tough day. We got lined up and the pace stayed fast most of the time. The new Rock & Republic Racing team were laying in wait all race. As an aside on the Rock & Republic Racing team…on Friday a convoy of 3 pimped Escalades roll in to the parking area of the TT. Their kits are all black with skulls with wings which is really sweet, although Clinger was sporting all red. They are intimidating without the tough guy kits, Clinger’s facial ink and Leograndes full body ink – Sleever, you got some catching up to do on this cat. These guys are crit/tough-guy racers extraordinaire. If you ever want to move up in a race at the right time, try to stay on Clinger’s or Friedick’s wheel. You’ll get going at the right time, it’s just a matter of staying with them as they go.

So back to the crit…it was great to have the first crit of the year as an 80+ field going super fast for 70 minutes. That shakes all the cobwebs loose from the winter training. I had to get my legs going for the first 20 minutes and then I tried to get myself positioned a bit better. I was able to get pretty close to where I wanted to be, but as usual at this race, I am a few guys too far back. When we got 5 laps to go the Rock Racing guys lined it up at the front. Successful Living tried to take it over at one point and didn’t last. We rounded the last corner with about 300 meters to go and I was already 53x11. I moved up a few spots as we came to the line for a 27^th. It was good to have it end incident free for the criterium.

I haven’t heard from The Body but he got knocked down during the road race and his hand was gigantic on Sunday. I think the remaining UT riders survived carnage so that is good. As usual, Sandros rode a great race, and Santa stayed out of trouble to both finish top-10. VO2max Perry made the move in the road race…his effort in the crosswind probably blew me up as we tried to make it across to the break and he finished up 13^th overall on the weekend. Good job also to the young cats from Contender who put Nate on the podium in the Cat2’s.

Why Are You So Good??

Ryan Barrett — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 14:37:00 GMT

The Sandy lost the TT at Valley of the Scum by less than a second. To put it another way, he kicked the crap out of everyone but one guy, but I try to keep things in the most negative light possible. I haven't got the full scoop, but it sounds like things went a bit downhill from there. Still, a pretty schweet way to kick off the gaming season. I know I have said this, but I am still perplexed by the idea that Sandy never found a real (ie- paying) pro contract back when he was young and fully trying. Maybe that's a backhanded compliment, I don't know. I do know he is good. And I kinda wish I could've gone to support him because I have a sweet method of keeping G.C. guys from doing anything stupid like wasting energy. I pre-emptively do all the stupid things, that way they don't have a chance. Unfortunately, I only have 5 paid vacay days this year, so I have to use them pretty sparingly, and VotS is not a favorite of mine as evidenced by the fact that it's been 5 years since my last attendance.

Got my new bike. Holy crap!! In stereotypical style, I went out for a hard 4.5 hours for the first ride. Non-typically, I wasn't sore after because this bike actually fits. Go to Canyon Bikes up on the hill and get fit. Better yet buy a Seven and get fit.

I am probably the only dude who hooked a trailer up to his Seven for it's second ride. At least, I got one ride in before dragging the anchor!! It still felt good.

Oh yeah, for my out of state friends, it was 60 yesterday and we had 3" of snow on the ground when I woke up.

Day 1-second half, Day 2 and Day 3 prep of VotS

daveh — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 14:39:00 GMT

The TT ended up being a rough day out. After a good warmup, I rolled up to the start house. Curtis Gunn from So-Cal rolled up and started talking to an official he knew. He was talking smack about his equipment. Gunn went with a fixed gear with a 60 tooth. I'm not sure what cog he had on the rear, but it was small. In the end, he finished close to Sandros who happened to light things up and only miss 1st by 1 second I think. That's fast. I ended up having a decent ride. I was nearly the same time gap back from the leader, who was slower than last year. I was 27 seconds slower than last year, but I think it was a tougher day. The crazy thing is that time gap from the winner of the stage last year had me in 9th and this year 27th. That's a lot of fast TT guys. For a 30+ minute effort, I was pretty worked. After dinner it was back to Motel 666.

Day 2 looked to start out good. The forecast was for mid-80s and sunny. I thought that would be great! We rolled down to the course and got things rolling for race day. I'll have to try to take a picture and post it of the sweet wheel setup I was riding. Those wheels are fast! The wind started to kick up hard from the south before the start and I think it kept blowing harder as the day went. On the second lap on the south end of the course it went in the gutter. Ouch. I think the field dropped by 20 - 25. Sandros and Santa were up close to the front protecting their GC positions and doing a good job at that. On the climb we had a tailwind. In 80+ degrees, a tailwind isn't very comfortable, especially when you're hauling up a climb. I heard someone say we were doing 24-25 mph every time up the hill. There were numerous breaks that got away and one was really big, putting the Hagens-Berman GC leader in trouble since he missed the move. There was a hard chase and they were brought back. As we went through the start heading to the south end, Rock Racing legend and tattoo billboard Clinger got off the front with a few guys. We had two times up the hill before the finish. They dangled about 60-90 seconds off the front for a long time, but the pack wasn't too concerned.

When we hit the tailwind I was feeling good so I decided to try to get across because it looked like this would be the move. A Rock Racing guy went with me and fortunately when we got halfway he started to help out. We made it before the top of the climb, and for a while things were rolling. Rubelt came across with someone else and all of a sudden the 2 teams with 2 guys each in the move decided it was time to attack the guys they didn't know. Before long I was taken off the back and gapped. Dejected, I went back to the pack and a short time later saw another opportunity to get across. Bryson ended up with me and 2 other guys. I thought that might be safer since we were all from different teams. Little did I know that I was going to blow in the crosswind section. I tried super hard and was just out of gas. When the pack caught me I got spit out the back. I had used up too much trying to make it to the break the first time and cover attacks. It was a tough call trying to get to the move. If I would have stayed with the pack there was a chance that I could have sprinted it out at the finish. But if I made it to the break I had a chance to gain a lot of time and a high finishing position. I thought I was alright, but I blew. It is February though. Fun and games anyway. I had a great time in the road race. It's good to get the first one out of the way!

A-train and T-bird...Rubelt says hey!

Day before & half of Day 1 VotS

daveh — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 14:58:00 GMT

Team Rico was at my house Thursday morning by 6:00 am. After loading up the race van with all of our gear we got rolling. The drive was mostly uneventful, besides missing I-17 and driving around Flagstaff for a bit. We thought maybe we'd do our ride there, but it was cold. So we decided to bust it so we could pre-ride the TT course. Made it there just in time to get a great pre-ride in before the sunset. I was feeling very good and Rico was going fast and looking fast. After catching some tasty Italian food, we headed for the Motel 666 and messed with some wheels and turned it out for the night.

Right now we're sitting in Paradise Cafe...a far cry from Motel 666...drinking coffee and water, eating EFS bars and thinking about going fast. Miatchaslav registered late and is racing the geezers so he has to go early. Curly was driving down late last night. Hopefully he made it! Rico is waiting to jump online. He's been working on troubleshooting his wireless card to no avail. Miatchaslav should be warming up about now. I think we'll try to get out there before he rolls. Update to follow later today...maybe. Possibly with photos...maybe.

As an aside, it looks like Marek needs some new music...and RB needs to eat something.

Fat Bloggin in the 801

Marek — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:35:00 GMT

Day 6
179lbs
2 day old pork chop for breakfast...lots o water
ride time??? Heat of the moment, ASIA. Hazey Shade of Winter, Bangles. song from 8mile sound track, Em. God Will Cut You Down, Mr Cash. Rock U Like a Hurricane, Scorpions. I Alone, Live. Charma Techno, ????. Beautiful Day, U2. Red Skies at Night, Fixx. Terminator X, Public Enemy... However long it takes to play those 10 songs was the ride time.

I was thinking about this while turning over the pedals today....but I wonder when it went from a ride to training? I went on my first ride at age 4...tried a friends bike. Pushed off the curb and started pedaling for all I was worth. Right before I crashed into a parked car was when I decided that riding a bike was why I was here on earth. Did my first BMX race at age 5...webco was the bike...astrabula forks weighed as much as I did. I won because I had to pedal the entire time...I couldnt coast because my free wheel was bound up. I had to jump off after the finish because the handbrake didnt work.

I rode/raced all through high school...I could not get enough! I rode to school and then when school was over I rode until I had to go home. There were a bunch of us always out messing around...launching of the hood/winshield of feiros...making jumps and trails in the park...we rode everywhere!

In college when all my BMX buddies decided to start mountain biking I took to the road. The road bikes felt faster and less...well...stupid...more refined! I road off and on but just about veryday I could... There was no reason behind it...just fun. Then I showed up at a crit in the parking lot of BYU...I was dropped the first lap....then the international center...same thing happened. Sometime between getting dropped those two days and now everyride became a training ride/race. How did that happen???

Keepin' It Real Skinny

Ryan Barrett — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 21:44:00 GMT

Boot Camp

Ryan Barrett — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 14:13:00 GMT

So yeah, we had our team camp down in St. George over the weekend. It's just like Curious George, according to Haley. For the record, this is the first time I've made it to St. George camp. For the record:

In '0-Fo, I just didn't want to go.

In '05, St. George was flooded out and we did altitude camp at Gardie's full service training center.

In '06, Kelly's great-grandma went on to her reward the same weekend.

So, I was pumped to finally be a part of things. Took the girls down with me and did some hiking on Friday before things go down to bidness on Saturday. Saturday we rode to Mesquite and went gambling and picked up all the retired hookers who quit Vegas. Or we hung out at Subway, while Gardie and Bryson enjoyed the No-Star-Buffet. Sunday we did the Gunlock Loop, which, wow, must've been a man's race, except when it was the women's race, of course. I wasn't sure how I'd fair as I was hawk-up-a-lung sick all week, but I got through okay. Oddly, I don't seem to be recovering from the plague, which I guess when you do more hours in a weekend than you usually do in week kinda makes sense. Anyway, it was a good time. Once I get some pics I'll do something a little more interesting (no guarantees, there).

We have an awesome team and I think this is going to be our best year yet. Personally I think I'm going better than I have at this point in the year since moving to Utah, which says absolutely nothing since I have always sucked at this point.

I was really lucky to be able to bring the girls along. Otherwise, I would've flaked again. What with travelling for work, I'm just not at a point where I'm willing to ditch them for bike crap too often.

One unfortunate incident occured whereby the water heater broke in the condo we were staying in, and I had to call the owner at 2:30 in the morning to tell him his carpet was getting wet. Yeah, that stung. Luckily, he is the nicest guy in the world, and realized it was probably not my fault.

Oh yeah, and Eki, and the J-Rad couldn't make it, which sucked.

Like I said, more when we have photographic proof.

Day 3 of the FAT blog...

Marek — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 01:28:00 GMT

Day 3
180LBS
Rest Day
Oatmeal...Peanut Butter Sandie...Steakhouse Salad... Lots of Water!!

Tomorrow the real training begins...That is when we hit the program HARD! Well as hard as one can when you are 50lbs over weight.

My "FAT" Blog!

Marek — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 15:24:00 GMT

Disclaimer: Al references to “fat”, “being fat” or how fat appears are in no way referenced to the reader. All mentions of such or like phrases including but not limited to “fat arsse” are directed to the writer himself. The reader is in no way encouraged to apply these statements both factual and non to themselves or someone they know. Any names, events, house plants, mentioned in the content of this blog have been changed to protect the identity of the innocent. By reading the content of this posting the reader understands and agrees to the above message.

So I went to lunch with two friends yesterday…Two guys that I have raced with over the years and have enjoyed their friendship and competitive nature. As we were eating I noticed that the combined weight of both of the gentlemen with me may very well not equal the weight of myself. I also noticed them dining on some form of salad while I was eating a very tasty Italian Sausage Grinder with extra Steak Fries! It was at that point I asked myself…..could I be fat?

When I arrived home I decided to put my notion to the test. So I grabbed a handful of mini éclairs and went down to step on the scale….. 181 pounds!? (Yes I set the last éclair down before getting on) Now I am prone to something my doctor calls “sympathy weight” My wife gets pregnant and starts to put on a few pounds and in support of this grand cause so do I. The problem is… here it is 3 month after the birth of our second kid and my wife is somehow her svelte toned beautiful self and I am…well…not! In fact I am 50 pounds heavier than my go uphill fast race weight and 40 pounds over my good crit/TT weight. In short I am FAT!

I look like someone you once knew…but..wait that can’t be him…there is no way he is that big. In the realm of field sports I have gone from all other positions available to goalie. I am not yet big enough to be nuisance to the person sitting next to me on the plane but definitely occupying the ENTIRE seat. It is not a pretty sight!

After spending some time wondering what to do I came up with a plan…I am taking my fat to the streets…I am going public…you are reading the diary of a fat man! I am going to blog my way back to race weight…well…bloging and riding.

So here it goes…

Day 1 weight: 181LBS

Goal weight: 145 LBS

Exercise: 40 min on the trainer

Now what to eat???