Thursday, August 30, 2007

Lunge This Way

Strength and conditioning time of year has arrived. This time of year is when I get back in the gym and focus on some strength, power and endurance that I might have lost during the summer. Since Velocity worked so well for me last year I decided to use many of those concepts even this early in the off season. Crossfit.com is a great site for some very different workouts. It is a perfect plan for firefighters, I use it as I need during the off season. Yesterday the workout was walking lunges for 400m.

I know what your thinking...that's it? Yeah right. Try it. 400 meters, one trip around a track, 1/4 of a mile, continues walking lunges with your knee kissing the ground. How fast can you do it. I did mine in 18:55. I challenge you to try it and post your times to the comments.

Don't plan on going down any stairs the next day.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Mike Crosses Over


Well Mike got to ride is CX bike for the first time today. I think his words were "I don't think I ever want to ride my mountain bike again."

Also joining at Ipswich was Kevin Porter. Kevin is a BMX guy who bought a mountain bike a couple of years ago. We are slowly increasing his tire diameter. Next is 700c Kevin. And rookie Jake joined us too. Jake works with Kevin at Bike Zone. He had no problem keeping up so maybe keep an eye out for him.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

New Blog

I have started a team blog. VB Wheelmen Racing. Check it out. Click the title or link on the side.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Another Cross Rider is Born

He just doesn't know it yet. Mike Tamayo's girlfriend ordered him a cross bike as a surprise. I just finished building it and just put it in his garage. So after his fire academy this evening he should find it. So I think we will be going to Ipswich on Sunday morning, probably 9 am, so he can try it out on some trails. Join us.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Now What?

The question of what do I do with my weekends now has entered my mind. The road season is over, and since this will be my first ever cross season I really don't know what to expect. I enjoy planning my weekend around races. But at the same time getting my ride done early and hanging with the family is real nice too.

Well I didn't race this weekend (GFTL is just too short to make the trip. I wish I had a track bike and not just a converted fixed gear), so my season ended last week. Did the Saturday morning ride, pushed hard but felt crappy. Road with Tim Shockley on Sunday. We took our cross bikes to Ipswich. Crashed twice.

Crash one: My cross bike's front end shakes when I ride the front brake a lot. I was going down hill on the brakes and the shake distracted me and I wasn't quite lined up with the narrow bridge.

Crash two: Wasn't paying attention. Talking to Tim and approaching a log. Bunny hopped too early. You get the point.

So that was pretty much my weekend. That and High School Musical 2 has been on my TV Since Friday night (those with kids probably know what I'm talking about).

I also discovered a talent of my two year old daughter. She farts on command. That's right. Madelyn can you toot? And she does. That's talent.

I have also started our teams 2008 sponsorship search. I kind of like doing that. So that's what I have been up to. See everyone on the road. Ride safe.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Does this really happen? This is a must see.


http://view.break.com/334275 - Watch more free videos

How Fast Does Time Go?

It seems like just yesterday we were talking about what a great season it was going to be. We trained hard through the cold and come out fit and motivated. Now the season has come to an end. I am very pleased with my teams results this year. If there is anything I can say for sure, it was that we always work as a team. When one of won, all of us won. Good times.


I remember staying up late in hotel rooms with all these guys. We were 16,17 years old and lighting our farts...much to the dismay of Pam Zimmerman who drove us around the country to race as juniors. We went from Juniors to Masters in what seemed like one season (maybe because we didn't race for ten years in between). Now the last of our group has turned the big 3 0 . Happy birthday Jon.


Of course nothing says happy 30th birthday like a race around a go cart track.



How fast can you go? The better question is how fast does time go? Racing seasons fly by, my daughter is starting Kindergarten this year and other is starting Preschool. Us juniors have all turned 30 and most with kids. Time goes to fast.



Speaking of fast times. My new TT bike gave me a new PR in PT TT#3. 53:56. And great race on Saturday. The Masters 30+ was a fast fun race. No one ever stopped racing until the end. It was a great last weekend. Thanks for all the 2007 road season memories.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Anyone need a new job?

The City of Virginia Beach Fire Department is accepting applications until August 17, 2007. I couldn't imagine doing any other job in the world. It's good pay, great schedule and a great life. Click on the title to this post to be directed to an information page. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I am currently assigned to the training center, so if any of you decide to do this and get the job, I will be one of your instructors. It would be fun to have recruits that are in better shape than me (there were one or two in this last class).

The racing season is over now what are you going to do?...I'm going to Disney World.

The trip is being planned, the dates are set, the reservations made and the book is a work in progress. What book? you ask. This one.

My wife, Jenni was born to be a travel agent. Especially for a family Disney trip. This book contains every confirmation number, phone number, contact, park hours, dinner reservations, menus, special events, travel information, lodging and anything else we might need. She makes trips very relaxing for everyone because there is nothing to worry about.

Who is most excited?

Jenni

Caitlyn

Madelyn

We are all excited about December 9-15. Merry Christmas.

Friday, August 10, 2007

My own personal mountain bike trail...

...well sort of. I have been given permission to cut a trail through the woods at work (the fire training center on Birdneck Rd) We have a ton of wooded area and I think I can get a two mile trail, maybe more. It should be fun. Part of it will go through the USAR (urban search and rescue) rubble pile, K9 search course, and a brush fire training area. The real purpose of the course is a running trail for the recruits, but someone has to keep it packed down. So I plan on using my cross bike and mountain bike a handful of times a week. I haven't done much so far...110 degree weather is not nice to be out doing that kind of work. I'm hoping I have some down time with the recruits so I can make them do it.

Just think, I get paid for this.

Any advice for cutting this trail. Right now I am making a real workout out of it. I'm using a rake.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Velocity Sports Performance...almost time to hurt.

Last year Velocity was a sponsor of the Virginia Beach Wheelmen. We spent two months with them (Jan and Feb). It was hard, fun, conditioning training that focused on speed, agility, power and endurance. It was good off season training because it was off the bike. Every single one of my teammates were stronger this year then they have been. I believe it was this training that played a huge role in it.

Although they have general programs, they gave us our own coach and our own training session. I am hoping to do something like that this year. I was wondering if anyone was interested in joining us. I'm hoping to do it starting earlier than January. I was wondering who might be interested in going so I could hopefully get a good group rate and our own coach like last year. Plus I think it would be fun to train with our competitors during the off season. Let me know. Email me or post comments.

Click on post title for a link to Velocity's web site.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Weekend Wrap Up

My new TT bike came in Friday...hip hip hooray!!!! I spent Friday afternoon putting it together. While I was at the shop I got a phone call saying I had to work at the VBFD training center on Saturday...not hip hip hooray! So no Contes ride for me, but I did get a chance to try out the new bike before I went to work. It is a nice ride. Now my Giant collection is complete:

Trance Mtn bike
TCX cross bike
Converted TCR fixed gear
TCR road bike
Trinity TT bike

My wife thinks I have too many...I don't think so, I don't have a green one yet.

TIM SHOCKLEY GETS HITCHED...AGAIN!

Saturday night my wife and I were able to get rid of the kids for the entire night (slept over at grandma's house). Tim and Jennifer Shockley have been married for 10 years, but when they got married they ran off to do it. So Saturday was their wedding day. It was a good time, some dancing, food, friends and alcohol. My wife, Jenni, let loose and I was the DD. She doesn't get a chance to do that very often, so it was fun to watch her have some fun. Luckily she didn't feel it the next morning.

Sunday morning I met my brother and Kevin P. from Bike Zone at Gatewood for a mountain bike ride. I took the cross bike, but didn't ride it. I didn't think Gatewood was the course for it. Had fun though, actually looking forward to this off season being able to ride all my different bikes.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Early Morning Cross

Met Tim this morning for a cross bike ride through First Landing State Park. Lesson learned...it is dark at 5:30 and I need a light. We might be making this a regular Wednesday morning event. Hour long ride. Anyone interested?

Also we had an idea for a winter time cross time trial at First Landing. Renegade style. We would meet there, time trial the distance of the legal path. Everyone puts $5 in (or something like that) and winner takes all. Race at your own risk. Any takers?