Crestfallen Sidekick

Things are good. Just busy.

I registered to vote today. Historically, I have been so wholly disgusted by both options here in our two party system, that I have not been able to stomach casting votes for either of them.

But for some reason, I feel different this year. Perhaps it's that our country is in the shitter and we need a serious changing of the guard cuz what we been doin' didn't work so well. Perhaps it's my age.

Perhaps it's that I finally feel as if I have a decent choice.

But anyway. This is not a political blog. This is a blog about riding bikes and lifting heavy things.

I raced this past weekend on the new CX rig. Strength is fine. Endurance is fine. Balls and bike handling are the limiter.

Who'd have thunk it?

Well, I moved up from 29th to 14th. And I was sitting in 7th-8th until the final (5th lap) when I bobbled a corner and then mis-shifted about the half way point of the lap. I was caught by a group of ~6-7 behind me. I stayed on their tail, then one kid attacked and gapped the group. He was gone. I bobbled another corner about a quarter mile from the finish line. Got gapped and came in 3 seconds behind the other 6 in the sprint. 8th to 14th in the blink of an eye.

I have to say it felt good trying to stay with the front of the race though. I went harder than I usually would knowing there was someone breathing down my neck all day. So hopefully things to continue to improve as the handling chops come around.

I have a lot of updates so I'll be brief.

Saturday, 10/4/08

Race

Sunday, 10/5/08

Sat out the race at Lapham. It was raining and I was behind on work stuff.

Went to the gym and made up my missed workout from Friday

Snatches from floor/standard height
5 x 3 @ 65, 65, 75, 75, 85
4 x 1 @ 90, 90, 100, 105
2 x 0 @ 110

Couldn't get it overhead.

Y-T-W's
4 x 4 @ 5#

Chin Ups
3 x 4 @ BW+20#, +30# +40#
1 x 2 @ BW +50#

That was a brute.

Pallof Presses
4 x 6-8 @ 60,70,80,80 (memory is hazy and I didn't write them down)

Ballistic Pushups
4 x 4 @ BW

Monday 10/6/08

Rest

Tuesday 10/7/08

Back Squats no box
1 x 5 @ 135
1 x 3 @ 165
1 x 3 @ 175
1 x 2 @ 195

My right hip joint was killing me at this point (I think all of the sitting/thesis writing coupled with neglecting my mobility drills of late has tightened things up). Wanted to go for 3 at 195 but couldn't. Wanted to go for a single at 225 for the last set, but that wasn't going to happen. I put 175 on the bar and managed a half squat and called it a day.

Barbell Rows
2 x 6 @ 145

Pull ups
2 x 4 @ BW +20

Renegade Rows
2 x 6 @ 25# DBS

These could have gone better. I need to work on the technique a little.

Bench Press
2 x 6 @ 135, 155

Wed, 10/8/2008
CX Practice

10 laps. 1 crash. 1 Banged up knee.

I was pushing it in corners and I saw Trevor Koss (who has been winning handily my races every weekend) catching up to me. I tried to keep him at bay and took it out of my comfort zone. I made some corners and I missed one. At least I tried to push it.

Thursday, 10/9/09

Assistance work at the gym, low volume

Good Mornings (Dropped the weight a little to make sure to go to through my max ROM)
2 x 6 @ 111

Bent Shrugs
2 x 6 @ 201

Pull Ups
2 x 4 @ BW+20, BW+30

Core circuit

2 x 30" Plank, 15/15 Bird Dogs, 30" Plank, 30" Mtn climbers

Bench Press
2 x 4 @ 165, 185

These felt solid and I'm actually enjoying bench pressing again. Elbow still intact. Woot woot.

****

Seeing this video and listening to it gives me chills right now. I caught a short glimpse of it on a TV program back in maybe 1997. I remember thinking: I've never heard anything like this before. I have to have it.

A song about a little guy. So began my romance with Tom Waits.

I haven't actually seen this video since then. I stumbled upon it tonight searching for Tom House videos. I didn't find any of those.

I remember trying to sort out my 19 year old head laying on the floor at the first apartment I ever lived in. There were 2 bedrooms and I shared it with 3 other people. I did my best to not go home on the weekends because I wanted to be an adult. I wanted to be on my own. And I desperately wanted to hang out with Jennifer Giles.

I remember trying to figure that all out. I remember laying on my back and listening to this song after I got a copy of Frank's Wild Years. (Never could stand that dog). Suffice it to say that a lot will happen in a decade. Suffice it to say that I never really figured it all out.

But despite all that, I'm happy to say that I still talk to Jenn. Her birthday was last week. And she and Tom Waits (and so many other things) always have a special place with me.

Here's to my twenties: