Packing for my bike race last night, the 12 hours of Lodi my first raceAfter hurting myself last year. My teammate Lauri and I upset the fieldMade up of 20 all male teams. That was pretty awesome. I wasn’t even sure I wouldBe able to finish. This time Lauri and I are teamed with her 12 year old son,racing in the single speed class. This will be Lauri and Jeff’s last race for sometime asThey are moving to France for a year for sabbatical. I really wantTo send them off with a bang. As I pack I hear bog Segar sing on the Radio
“Here I am, on the road again, here I go playing star again, Here I go turn the page…”
I ponder to myself, another weekend another Race. You know I think I stopped writing down my results. Does it really Matter anymore? I’m not always sure. It’s about the experience, it’s about The process: train, sacrifice, suffer, eat right, get weight down, why can’t I get beyond 167? Rest, check over the bikes, stress out, get it together, driveTo the race. Have a good day or a bad day, sometimes the bad days are the best days. Go home start the process all over again. Does any of these make sense?Is it all worth it? Usually.
Sometimes… sometimes I wonder what it would beLike to be normal? What would it be like if I had just a normal life, work, Hang with the dogs, drink a sixer, and watch the game. What if I had short Hair, and shaved everyday, what if I kept up with my yard work instead of Training for 4 hours each Saturday morning. What would my life be like? WhatIf I didn’t think pink was sacred, and that cycling was just an activity, notA life changing experience. Not some kind of secret cult that membership is earnedThrough hard work, and suffering, and well laughter and fun… I wonder…
the dryer buzzer goes off, I’m snapped back Into reality. The verve is on … “it’s a bitter sweet symphony this life yeah” My mind changes, I love this suffering, I love this process, I love this lifeI have a great life, I have a great wife, I have a great team, a great job.I love that I don’t have to shave everyday, and that I’ve had one haircut in theLast two years. Instantly I am energized… I can’t wait to see my wife today to giveHer a big ole kiss, I can’t wait to race. 5:00 can’t get here soon enough..
respect
fm
13 comments:
good stuff
this is way off topic here, but fatmarc, perhaps you could organize a singles ride for all of the single bikers in your area. i know you are married and love your wife, so i am in no way suggesting that you participate. but, i would imagine that you know a lot of eligible ppl who would be able share their bicycle lovin.
maybe i'm smokin the big stuff today, or maybe it was your most recent and very heartfelt entry that's got me pinin' for someone of my own to think of as i do laundry and listen to the radio and ponder the joys of life.
Kick some Lodi ASS Lauri, Jeb and FM Of course good luck to all the other Spor Whores as well!!! I am sorry to be MIA this time..
I will try to rock and rock in my own way up here at sunday's race.
look forward to seeing some awesome pix from event...watch Jeb doesn't drink too many Rock Stars !!! KC
Word. I'm up to the same thing today, running around doing last minute shopping and packing for Lodi this weekend. Will be out there in the Duo class, Huevos Del Toro team, on my singlespeeded Karate Monkey. Its going to be awesome. Good stuff!
beingNormal is overRated.
nobody is normal, really. you may seem normal to outsiders until they get to know you. then they realize that you're just as beautifully weird (or, in some cases, disturbingly weird) as they are.
fatmarc, do you mind all of these anonymous posters waxing pseudo-philosophical on your blog?
nope, I kinda dig it.
Racing for me was always and only about the experience. I never complained about course conditions, the weather, who was there...that's not why I did it. Luckily I earned a paycheck doing it, but, regardless of the paycheck, I would have still competed. I miss it terribly, imagine going cold turkey from the lifestyle of a racing cyclist, because a few doctors told you to stop hitting your head or you may not remeber who you are let alone what I bicycle is for...
Cycling has changed my life 2 times, the first time, it gave me memories of people, places, and moments, the second time, waas when I couldn;t compete anymore, and was forced to walk away from it. That moment was harder than climbing any hill in colorado in your biggest gear. There was nothing like that moment.
Being an average Joe, is not for guys like me, we go insane and open Bicycle shops, just to keep a toe in the water....
Maybe someday I can return to the lifestyle. But until then I'll try to act like an average Joe. My kids think I'm insane anyway.....any other 41 year olds skateboard to work today besides me?
stay Rad
shit negro, road racing looks bad 4 me these days. Time to join you at the cross (dressing) runways.
This broken hand sucks, but it's good to have peeps I know still suffering and keeping the word going. Use the force this weekend and tell the Webber-Bahnson family hi!
C Ya at Gra-no-no. I'm going to try to bring my hoochie mama.
I thought I got to be PhilosophicalMark.
Oh well, I'll be healthyeatingMark instead.
Good luck this weekend!
Good stuff. Safe travels and race. See you on the line tomorrow! Jase
if you were normal you would not have hated me as you trailed behind me for 100 yards looking for a spot to pass
great post
great race
looking for the race report
good for me to meet laurie and jeff
as a parent it is always inspirational for me to meet abnormal parents making their lives work
promoter phil rice from this weekend's event is also someone i look up to
nice seeing you down at lodi farm. Congrats to you, lauri, and that fast little bastard jeff.
i've never hated owning only a singlespeed so much, but i don't think i'll ever ride anything else.
see you on the dirt
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