Trail Ridin'

Weekend was really cold. So cold that as it warmed up to 40 yesterday, I felt like I didn't need a jacket, or a hat, or pants... meaning I could wear shorts...

Trails were super frozen, and fun. Monk and I racked up some good miles on Saturday doing a 4 park ride. I advised against such a diverse ride, but Monk was insistent. Fun/hard day...

Diane and are experimenting with down draft with a rear spoiler. 

I'd smile but my face is too cold.

mandatory blog self shot- Monk's getting fined for that vest. The Director is strict about uniform violations.

Sunday I had a lot of studying to get to, so I slipped out with the early group, which ended up being a HUGE group and a really fun ride... Maybe the greatest ride ever, cause Peaches was there...

heading up Redd park. I think this is a pee break

see Peaches was there...

chasing Dennis and Todd... 2013 or 2003

Alan the Cleaner and Todd

Self Blog Picture

Fort James, Travis and Kid-Chris ( I told you HUGE Group)

Kurtee Shows of His Companies New Bicycle Specific Lube: SLICK LUBE get it now...

 respect
fatmarc

A Strava Rumble in the Jungle...

This is Jen:

Jen is my friend and my new teammate. Very recently, Jen has become the scourge of my existence.

Let me explain:  So I came into January hitting the ole max weight faster than usual, and with the flu. I had been off the bike for about a month, and I started to have one reoccurring thought:


.
I also noticed the Strava had a basemile challenge. I have never done a Strava challenge, but thought it might provide me with an extra goal, and I figured, I could start to get some hours on the bike, and maybe 200 miles or so...

The first week I pretty much trailed all the folks that I follow. Then slowly and surely I started to move up a little. What I noticed was that my friend Jen was moving up as I was. One weekend I would put in the miles, and the check my ranking... I had slipped infront of Jen. The next morning I would get up and check the rankings, and she had pulled back in front of me. I went out and did a trail ride, she put up 2 hours on the trainer. I'd claw closer, she'd pull away.

So essentially, I started out wanting to try and find my legs. Then the goal became, I wonder if I can get 200 miles in this thing. Then 400 miles became something I might be able to reach. But in reality, I knew the truth. The only goal for the next four days- TAKE JEN DOWN.

Jen, a worthy opponet, has matched me mile for mile, and with four days to go still leads me. My goals of getting some base fitness, maybe 200 miles all out the window. It's me vs. Jen...



good on you Jen... Keep pushing... I'm guessing this in one of those training benefits of Strava! .

respect
fatmarc

The rare friday post...

I got out for the night ride at Fairhill this week. Pace was pretty solid from the get go again... Unlike two weeks ago when the group was pretty small - the group was really big this week, and had even more bawlers if that's possible. CJack had Fiss, J-Williams on his wheel and back in the pack Harlan and Jeffy among a crew of local who's who. I sat 3rd wheel for the first 3 miles or so, and then drifted back in the group a bit to ride with L-Web, Todd, Lisa Lisa , (I)Paul, James T and Todd.

Unlike two weeks ago, where I was on the rivet the entire ride, tonight when CJack stood on it, I felt like I could go with his group, and follow him, where as two weeks ago, when he went, I'd have to claw my way back to his wheel...  I think that's a good sign... Lots of work to do, but luckily, I love the work and I love the process. Bikes are fun.

 A small group of us ended up drifting off the back, and formed out own group. I got to use my "Certified Trail Spinner Night Ride Leader" abilities for the first time. It was a proud moment. I'm sure my parents are proud of that accomplishment. Fatmarc as a trailspinner is probably a story for another day...

Observation"  Fairhill is very dark a night. Much darker than middle run or Ironhill , as there is no light pollution from the towns/suburbs. I'm already looking forward to next week's ride!

School is off to a bang up start. My current class is  managerial decision modeling using excel. Material is incredibly interesting  and incredibly hard. Been putting in a good amount time, but I'll admit having a bit of a tough time. And in other good news, there's a group project. I have two partners, one of which hasn't responded to my emails this week, and the other who just moved to the US 4 months ago and is learning English. I will say my new English speaking partner has been very responsive, and helpful. Guess I'm gonna be writing the paper at the end of this one huh? The problems are really, hard but in a sick way fun.

Anyway, looking forward to getting out on the trails with Monk this weekend...

respect
fm

Ping Pong

Dear Reader,

I was sitting in the student center/cafeteria on break the other night. I am enjoying a chicken wrap. It is tasty.  I watch as two undergrad girls who are playing ping pong. The girls were amazing. This wasn't the ping pong that I am used to playing or watching my friend play in an awesome basement somewhere. They were really good. I mean stand off the end of the table and hit the ball so hard and fast, or cut it so it turns on a dime good. Not the old man, no hand eye coordination struggle to get a volley going kinda crap I am used to. BAD ASS.

How could I turn away. They were amazing, and frankly trying to crush each other. It was awesome. I'll admit that as the oldest dude in the student center/cafeteria, I felt a little weird watching these two girls play ping pong. But damn it, they were bad ass. I enjoy watching bad ass...

second thought- is it wrong to use the term BAD ASS and ping pong in the same thought?

Respect
Fatmarc

My Favorite Commercial

For so many reasons...



FBS spot final from Big Bear Media on Vimeo.

Well done Jonathan, well done.

respect
fatmarc

the swarm

Dear Reader,

One of the things I "enjoy" about this time of year is long road rides. It always feels like we take off and meet up with more riders along the route, the swarm of riders grows and grows until eventually everyone starts heading back in their own direction and it's just a small group again...

4 friends left my house at 8:20 Saturday morning. (me, kid Chris, JHIII, and Jake)(4 riders)

We rolled towards the park on Papermill road.  We were running late, as my mind was fixated on the time it takes me to ride to Papermill park when I am not 180lbs, and in shape. My mistake.

I'll comment here that 180lbs is harder to push up hill than 170lbs. Brilliant I know.

At the park, our group of 4 met up with 5 more from our group (Trav, Dennisbike, Ipaul, Lisa, Cleary)
as well as the Team DE ride, which 3-4 would join us heading up to meet the Willowdale ride, and the others split off... (18 riders total)

Cresting North Star, the Team DE group peeled off and headed for Landenberg. (10 riders in our group Rich, and Hendrickson included)

At the base of Mt. Cuba, we met the Willowdale group. Usually 30+ riders, today maybe 15, as our group instantly doubled the size of the overall  group. (30 riders or so)

At the base of Bancroft, we picked up the Team De group again with some other riders as well. The swarm had become it's biggest  (Eric,  Doyle, Blair, Brandon R, Chris E- on a mtb no less and a bunch more I couldn't  ID in my oxygen debted state) (Almost 40 riders)

This is where the group was it's largest, and it was fun be pulled along in such a big group. Really fun stuff. Not to mention getting to BS with Bob Ruether is always rad too.

Just past the Loch Nair Golf Course, our group pulled off of the Willowdale ride before it kicks into high gear, and we rode across Woodview Roubaix  9 riders in our group. (Me, Kid Chris,Jake, JHIII, Dennisbike, Lisa, Ipaul, and Cleary) (9 riders)

At 841 and Old Baltimore Pike, three more peeled off as Ipaul , Lisa and Cleary headed back through Landenberg... (6 riders)

6 of us rode together for the final 3 hills, that trust me I was counting down, and saved the best for last as I crawled up my final hill at 6 mph, 180 hr, and all out of gears. Getting off to walk was a serious consideration.

At Sticklersville, KidChris, Travis and Dennisbike peeled off and headed for home. Jake, JHIII and I rolled down Lewisville and mercifully made it back to my place. (3 riders)

It was a tough day, and I proceeded to take a really long, hot shower tying to bounce back a bit, and accomplish the afternoon's goals. Monkey was out riding with Blake, so despite my hopes of this being a 2 rider shower, it was alas not to be this day.  (1 rider)

fun days.

thanks for reading.

respect
faticus

Pouring over my next 8 weeks...

Dear Reader,

Class started last night. Once again I'm the oldest dude in class and again I was freaking out. Adding to my stress was the fact that I tried to get my books online (Amazon) but they didn't have the most recent edition yet, and when I went to the school book store they let me know that they don't sell books anymore, I needed to use the schools online book store. Great... Just how I wanted to start...

I admit, each class when the Professor passes out the syllabus I pour over it. Instantly, I try to make a picture of what I will be doing for the next 8 weeks or so... "2 exams- no worries, 1 Five page paper- totally doable..." And there it was "Group project" Fuck, I just crapped out.

I hate group projects. I partnered up with two kids who sat in the front row and got to class early like i did... I don't know them yet, but banked on the fact if they sat in the front row, and show up 10 minutes early to class, (like me) that maybe we'd attack the class with the same vigor... Let's hope.

Back at today...

respect
fm

Out of the Mist

Dear Reader,
put in some nice miles on the road this weekend. Temps were reasonable despite wet and misty conditions. two good days, and lots of miles. My fitness is pretty low, I suffered a lot and legs are pretty cooked tonight. Gotta say I'm pleased. While I'm not very fit right now, there's a satisfaction in being completely exhausted after putting in some good work. It's January, that's pretty cool...

Saturday:

Sunday:

Yeah, not the most interesting shots- but they were long steady rides... Good stuff...

Cross Nationals were awesome to see on the feed. That made for a nice afternoon...

school starts tomorrow. All those awesome nerves are charging back... should be fun...

thanks for reading.

respect
fm

Getting Back To It...

Did the trailspinners night ride at Fairhill last night. I've been starting to feel healthy again, you know except for a lingering cough. I actually had gotten out on the road bike a couple of days this week. I've definitely put on a few pounds since I wrapped up my cross season, and getting sick has me feeling like I'm starting from ground zero. I'll admit with school starting on Monday, it makes me a little nervous about finding balance again... Aside from being sick, I've enjoyed a little downtime...

The ride was good. The trails were moist, but not really muddy. Spongy - not that you'd sink in, but you'd defiantly need more power to keep the bike moving. Really good group, Jackson lead out early, and set the kind of pace he normally does... Todd would eventually take over the reigns leading. I think I've been following that guy around for 20 years now. I'll admit, I really enjoyed riding with that guy again... He flows like water on the trail... That's how I want to ride, flowing... Not last night that's for sure...

During the ride, I flashed back to the Providence weekend. Not even the race as much as warming up with Nick, Auer, and Craig. It was fun times, bombing around, bouncing off of each other a little, and really flowing around the course... I held on to that memory of being fit, and making the bike do what I want, because I can't do those things right now... Lungs and Legs felt like they were fighting each other... It will all come around... Looking forward to next week's ride down there already... That was a really solid group. A bunch of folks from the Thursday ride last year, and while no one, okay maybe Jackson, is trying to rip off legs, there is something rad riding with a really skilled group. Even if, as in my case, you're hanging on for dear life... Deception and Guile go a long way some days.... Ah, life as a whiny ass mid pack masters racer in January...

This is right for so many reasons:





thanks for reading.

respect
fatmarc

sarlacc

This is our guest room bed. 

I have always found this bed to be comfortable, and when I needed to sleep in this room, it was usually a non issue.

This week  bed has become known as the hole.

While the bed is soft, and I used to find it very comfortable, it appears that a hole has some how formed in the middle of it.

When I get sick, I get exiled to the guest room. Usually not that big of a deal. This week, I have battled the hole all week. I would wake up in feverish fits , sure I was about to fall in the the belly of the Sarlacc Pit, and be digested for a thousand  years.

But then I would look, and the bed would appear perfectly flat. As soon as I would shut my eyes, it was once again as if I was hanging on to the Edge trying not to fall into the giant gaping hole. All the while sweet Layla was happy to sleep right in the dead center of the hole…

Each morning, I swear I needed a rope ladder to climb my way out of that bad boy, but as soon as I turned back around, it appeared flat again…

 I’m getting dizzy from the fevers…

Respect

m

happy new years

caught some sort of bug. I've been working on my own velociraptor noises for the last 24 or so... Hope to be back up and moving soon...


have a great 2013

respect
fm