You and I collide
As you can tell from the website I have been quite busy putting together several events for your racing pleasure. Getting all the paperwork completed and making decisions on how to structure an event is more mentally consuming than anything else. Frankly it's easy work I believe, but every promoter over thinks details before settling on final decisions. There are many considerations when making those decisions, and while I'm usually a quick decision maker it's still a situation where one must analyze all associated risks.
What do you have to look forward to? For starters, there's the criterium series starting up on Wednesday, July 1st. I fully expect every racer in Nashville to attend to begin the hunt for the championship title belt! I think it's worth noting how the criterium series fills the racing calendar gap during the months of July and August. As I stated previously, having the chance to race locally so often should save everyone a ton of time and resources! Moreover, there's no better training than actual racing.
I want to highlight the crit series sponsors for 2009 because they are some of the driving forces making it feasible to happen. Smoothie King of Belle Meade, Murfreesboro Outdoor and Bicycle (MOAB), and Gran Fondo Bicycles are the local businesses involved for 2009. Please support these businesses and let them know how much you appreciate their support of the criterium race series!
Smoothie King of Belle Meade
What do you have to look forward to? For starters, there's the criterium series starting up on Wednesday, July 1st. I fully expect every racer in Nashville to attend to begin the hunt for the championship title belt! I think it's worth noting how the criterium series fills the racing calendar gap during the months of July and August. As I stated previously, having the chance to race locally so often should save everyone a ton of time and resources! Moreover, there's no better training than actual racing.
I want to highlight the crit series sponsors for 2009 because they are some of the driving forces making it feasible to happen. Smoothie King of Belle Meade, Murfreesboro Outdoor and Bicycle (MOAB), and Gran Fondo Bicycles are the local businesses involved for 2009. Please support these businesses and let them know how much you appreciate their support of the criterium race series!
Smoothie King of Belle Meade
Murfreesboro Outdoor and Bicycle
The Ocean Cycling World of Yvon Le Caer
Just when you think you've seen and heard it all. Imagine you're on a relaxing vacation cruise, not even thinking about the bike, and you look over the deck to see some dude pounding the pedals!
French prisoners get their own Tour de France
By now you may have heard about this, but leave it to the French to allow criminals race a Tour while not inviting suspected dopers. I am curious as to how those guys will be able to finish a single stage, much less a whole Tour. Have they all been doing some serious endurance training leading up to this?
How Green Is Your Morning Coffee?
For the record, The Breakaway Blend is 100% Organic and Fair Trade certified.
Two cyclists killed near Tulsa
This could happen to any of us on a group training ride. It's another reason why there is greater safety in numbers, and why I stress solid re-groupings after critical junctures on a ride. There's no way we can eliminate all the risk of course, but who knows, maybe a larger pack is easier for a drunk driver to notice and avoid.
TwoWheelTales.com
A one stop shop of blogs from professional cyclists in the US. It's a great mix of names you'll recognize while also hosting quite a few up and comers like Nick Frey, Mara Abbott and Colin Cares.
Cycling Enters the Electronic Age
Personally, I am not ready to make this transition even if I could afford the huge cost increase. I disagree with Bill Stapleton's comment that most high end bikes will have this within three years or less. Unless if he considers just professional teams riding "high end" bikes because they'll be the ones sponsored by Shimano and their Di2 product. In other words, it'll be provided for free as part of their sponsorship package.
Hulu - Cyclysm Sundays
Imagine my excitement when I stumbled across this link, only to find the videos dated and not full of current race action. Grrr, uh, oh well, kind of like my blog postings huh?! Unlike Hulu I will do better!
Show Me Up, Show You Up
I love reading Doug Glanville's op-extra pieces in the NY Times. This one brings back a lot of memories, and he's speaking the truth - an unwritten rule in baseball about showing one another up. Glanville uses some basic ones to illustrate the point, but the situations are endless as to how someone can show disrespect either to a player or the game itself. He's dead on right, players and managers do not forget, ever. Just when you least expect it your comeuppance will arrive, usually at the most inopportune time. I remember my first professional manager saying after a game late in the season, when presumably we would not see that player again, "I have his name written down in my book. Sooner or later I'll get him back for that." I cannot recall what the guy did, but knowing that manager I'm certain he meant what he said.
I could offer up a bunch of cycling examples where this same rule could (should?) apply. I'm not sure cycling is ready for such unwritten rules though. Moreover, I'm not sure what would be an appropriate response. It certainly does not involve physical retaliation, but I'm creative enough to think of something that would get the point across. Surprisingly, more often than not I see these situations happen between teammates instead of people on different teams. My personal rule is you should always respect your competition, respect your teammate, and avoid saying or doing anything that's going to negatively impact the moment. Easier said than done of course, but if you give respect then you earn respect.
As if that's not enough there is the Tennessee State Individual Time Trial in Lebanon on Saturday, July 25th. The following day, July 26th, there is the NashvilleCyclist.com Coliseum Criterium in downtown Nashville at LP Field, home of the Tennessee Titans. This full weekend of racing should encourage crit riders to also do the TT as well as TT specialists to do the crit! The flyers for all three events are located on the main website of NashvilleCyclist.com.
I never dreamed back when NashvilleCyclist.com was hatched in 2004 that I would be so involved in race promotion. I saw an opportunity to offer relevant bicycling information online while also helping to pull a fragmented community together. I recall the first meeting I ever sat through involving myself and many others to organize a race, and I remember feeling like it was overwhelming with such huge personal risk. Nowadays it's not so overwhelming, quite easy really, but the risk is still there. Either way, it is very rewarding to be able to contribute and offer these racing opportunities.
With all those public announcements out of the way it's time to clean out the IE favorites folder.....
I never dreamed back when NashvilleCyclist.com was hatched in 2004 that I would be so involved in race promotion. I saw an opportunity to offer relevant bicycling information online while also helping to pull a fragmented community together. I recall the first meeting I ever sat through involving myself and many others to organize a race, and I remember feeling like it was overwhelming with such huge personal risk. Nowadays it's not so overwhelming, quite easy really, but the risk is still there. Either way, it is very rewarding to be able to contribute and offer these racing opportunities.
With all those public announcements out of the way it's time to clean out the IE favorites folder.....
The Ocean Cycling World of Yvon Le Caer
Just when you think you've seen and heard it all. Imagine you're on a relaxing vacation cruise, not even thinking about the bike, and you look over the deck to see some dude pounding the pedals!
French prisoners get their own Tour de France
By now you may have heard about this, but leave it to the French to allow criminals race a Tour while not inviting suspected dopers. I am curious as to how those guys will be able to finish a single stage, much less a whole Tour. Have they all been doing some serious endurance training leading up to this?
How Green Is Your Morning Coffee?
For the record, The Breakaway Blend is 100% Organic and Fair Trade certified.
Do you want to know what it's like to be involved in a crash? Here's a bird's eye view!
Two cyclists killed near Tulsa
This could happen to any of us on a group training ride. It's another reason why there is greater safety in numbers, and why I stress solid re-groupings after critical junctures on a ride. There's no way we can eliminate all the risk of course, but who knows, maybe a larger pack is easier for a drunk driver to notice and avoid.
I am really bummed to be missing this awesome event! I'll be in Chattanooga for the State Criterium Championship instead. It's a tough choice between the state jersey or delicious homemade ice cream. Oh the sacrifices I make for this sport!
Wow, the date on this news item is proof I'm woefully behind. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean is on the right track with his walk and bike initiatives, which are capitalizing on his predecessor's achievements. Yet, still so much more to be accomplished.
TwoWheelTales.com
A one stop shop of blogs from professional cyclists in the US. It's a great mix of names you'll recognize while also hosting quite a few up and comers like Nick Frey, Mara Abbott and Colin Cares.
Cycling Enters the Electronic Age
Personally, I am not ready to make this transition even if I could afford the huge cost increase. I disagree with Bill Stapleton's comment that most high end bikes will have this within three years or less. Unless if he considers just professional teams riding "high end" bikes because they'll be the ones sponsored by Shimano and their Di2 product. In other words, it'll be provided for free as part of their sponsorship package.
This is a cool story about how he came across a strong talent on the bike. I think we have all had moments on various rides where we thought, "who in the world was that?" Those are great opportunities to follow up, keep tabs, and maybe even help further their development like Powers is doing.
Hulu - Cyclysm Sundays
Imagine my excitement when I stumbled across this link, only to find the videos dated and not full of current race action. Grrr, uh, oh well, kind of like my blog postings huh?! Unlike Hulu I will do better!
Show Me Up, Show You Up
I love reading Doug Glanville's op-extra pieces in the NY Times. This one brings back a lot of memories, and he's speaking the truth - an unwritten rule in baseball about showing one another up. Glanville uses some basic ones to illustrate the point, but the situations are endless as to how someone can show disrespect either to a player or the game itself. He's dead on right, players and managers do not forget, ever. Just when you least expect it your comeuppance will arrive, usually at the most inopportune time. I remember my first professional manager saying after a game late in the season, when presumably we would not see that player again, "I have his name written down in my book. Sooner or later I'll get him back for that." I cannot recall what the guy did, but knowing that manager I'm certain he meant what he said.
I could offer up a bunch of cycling examples where this same rule could (should?) apply. I'm not sure cycling is ready for such unwritten rules though. Moreover, I'm not sure what would be an appropriate response. It certainly does not involve physical retaliation, but I'm creative enough to think of something that would get the point across. Surprisingly, more often than not I see these situations happen between teammates instead of people on different teams. My personal rule is you should always respect your competition, respect your teammate, and avoid saying or doing anything that's going to negatively impact the moment. Easier said than done of course, but if you give respect then you earn respect.
posted by NashvilleCyclist.com at 6/11/2009 01:02:00 PM
2 Comments:
Just wondering how everything will be coordinated downtown Nashville on 7/26. Music City tri is also happening on the same day...around the same time.
Yes, it is an issue already being addressed between all of the parties involved. More to come later.
Post a Comment
<< Home