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Two weeks ago I went down to Louisville for the Ironman. I was volunteering as a kayak-er for the swimmers and then cheering my friends on the run course. I was 99.9% sure I didn’t want to sign up for IMKY 2011 but this trip finalized my decision.
I’ve been thinking about the IM a lot and I’ve come to a conclusion. It’s kind of like that first shot of dope. Junkies spend their lives searching for that first high. That’s kind of how I feel about doing another Ironman. I don’t think I will ever feel that first (and only) Ironman finish. There is nothing like it. That day is still by far the best day of my life so we’ll just leave it at that.
Check out the kids kayak they gave me. I sat in a puddle of water for 3 hours but it was a lot of fun cheering the last swimmers in.
* I am really appalled at the rumor that they ran out of water at some of the aid stations and people were picking up empty bottles and filling them up with garden hoses. Ironman should be ASHAMED. This year there was a 28% DNF rate as the temps rose to 102 with the heat index. Ambulances going off all fucking day.
The night before the race I had dinner with some fucking awesome Louisville bike people, including Joan Hanscom, race promoter for the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross. She’s going to put me to work this fall. I may be sorry I asked for it, but hey, I gotta learn from the real deal. Joan also happens to be the Producer of the 2013 UCI Cyclocross Elite World Championships and the 2012/2013 Masters World Championships.
Did you know the USGP pays *** EQUAL *** PRIZE MONEY to the top three pro’s?
WOMEN GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF CASH AS THE MEN.
The USGP in Louisville features the infamous “green monster“. Come on out and race on Oct 23rd and 24th. I am working all weekend as well as racing.
I was checking out KatieFnCompton’s twitter page and she’s none too happy about the extra cash at CX Vegas. I must have jumped my guns on that one. Apparently the men are paid 10x (fucking 10x!) more than the women. You can see the payout amounts here on page 5. Still, Gnome assures me he’s heard through appropriate sources that the promoters are starting to listen and the ladies are going to continue to get more cash. I believe him. The conversation has to keep going though. (IE: I won’t STFU.)
Old news, but still mentionable. I adore Coach Troy and the Spinerval DVDs. He was training for an Ironman and decided to race the Leadville 100 (who DOES that?). Well he crashed, had surgery, and isn’t racing Ironman Wisconsin this weekend.
And I’ll leave you with a feel good Drunk Cyclist story. Dave and Dominic reunited via DC after 20 years. They were old flatland buddies. Shortly after I started writing here, I posted some pictures of Dominic downtown, and lo and behold, someone recognized him.
Last night was their first Flatland session together. They were both so happy.
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I’m glad I went online tonight. Great post. That’s the Ohio River, right? Which direction does that picture face?
Good to see Troy is ok.
Have a few of his videos. Great workout when time-crunched.
Tho riding indoors is Gawd awful and I’m seriously dreading the coming winter.
thanks LJ, that pic is facing the indiana side, we were on the KY side.
I think men should get paid more. I mean look at how many more men show up to those events versus the women and you have to think about who draws the crowd/money. If more men enter into an event then hell yea they should get paid more. Be real, this is like saying WNBA players should get paid the same as NBA players.
Here’s why you don’t want to do Ironman: Rule 42 – A bike ride/race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run. It’s the rules… Because the bike is the answer to life, the universe, and everything.
Judi – I was cruising over the river the day before, saw all the shit taking shape. I was actually hoping to go and watch, but work got in the way a bit. Glad you had a good time!
El jefe – That was the first thing that came to mind as soon as I saw MDOT in the title. Just watching wouldn’t be in violation, correct?
I’ll second the Jar, great post! Gonna give that cross thing a try this year. The Kona’s wearing some new Mud Wrestler’s and a 40 ring up front and looking hawt. Heigh ho the derry-o a crossing I will go
Whoops, an apostrophe snuck in there.
@#5-Waitiminnit here, el jefe-Does that mean I can’t ride my bike down to the swimmin’ hole for some skinnydippin? And where does that leave the humble but loveable beach cruiser?
Nice work Judi. I always like reading a bit about your life out there in ohio. And looking at that pic of those nuts swimming in the Ohio, and you know what I’d be doing? I’d be hanging on to the side of your kiddie boat. Fuck that shit.
I had a killer time today out at the Barn Burner mtb event here in Flagstaff, AZ. Myself and Fiddy traded off 26 miles laps in a duo effort to knock out four. That we did, and after fifty miles of that, my body aches that good post ride ache. Those poor kids hitting the tar miss out on that sense of accomplishment, but it’s not for all now is it?
Based on Not Sexist’s comment, I know there are those who look at the issue of payout with an immovable logic, but the point does not reside in the math. Equal payout is about supporting men and women equally as they strive to reach the podium. There just can’t be a bad thing about kicking down to both sides for what is ostensibly the same job.
Using the bike as a tool allows you to break any rule you want. Especially if the activity involves swimmin’ or beer drinkin’
In that case I am on solid ground. Whether for commuting, or beer runs, or working out the kinks of mind and body, or restoring within me the eight year old that just wanted to ride-I have always used the bike as a tool. And invariably it has been the right tool for the job at hand.
el jefe, just clicked your link. Your a caver it appears…Recreational or what? I did all of my undergraduate research in caves. Best of both worlds, course credit and fun as hell.
Caved a fair bit in the Austin area and Mexico. Some work, mostly fun and mapping. I can only do basic rope work, so no expedition work. Haven’t been in a couple years because of grad school. Things should settle down in a couple of months after comps and advancement, so maybe I can get underground again. There’s a bunch of caving in the area, but it’s a lot of muddy crawling for the most part. Big walking passage is rare around here.
Cool. Let me know if your ever up in Mammoth Cave system vicinity. There’s whatever kind of caving you prefer in these here parts and plenty of miles to do it.
…jeezus…i get squirmy just looking at “national geographic” photos of spelunking…
…“muddy crawling” ???…fu-u-u-ck…dunno if i’m a ‘fraidy bitch or if it takes a special mindset to do that shit but that just gives me the ‘willies’…
…okay…i’m gonna go stand out on the deck & take some long, slow, deep breaths now…
J: First high link was a trip. I love my drugs in general, but that was some wild shit. Big diff between getting baked regularly, having an occasional drink, and a rare trip; compared to what those folks were up to. That is a wild, brutal culture with such a high likelihood of a torturous, grueling downside. It’s so fucking brutal out there for some folks. Thanks for opening me to some heavy shit.
@17 aa – i wondered if anyone clicked on that link. that was my friend tracy in the documentary. we were in SF together. the doc. started filming about a year before i left SF. i knew at least two of the other junkies in that film too. tracy was one of the 1% that made it out. she has 12 years in NA now and runs around the tenderloin helping other kids get off dope now. super cool girl. black tar heroin aint no joke.
First link: All I can say is Thank Gawd I was born scared of needles.
I thought I was bad.
All a personal choice tho.
Good to see some make it out that hole.
Makes my hole seem a lot shallower.
…i’d rather shoot dope than belly crawl through little claustrophobic holes underneath the ground…
…although at this point in my life, they both kinda sound like the same thing to me…
…just sayin’…
My hole is more of a divot compared to that shit fest.
Only thing I gotta say is that as a kid, I never really saw my choices as deliberate opportunities. It seemed more a thing of chance and I just wanted to be included. I’m fortunate my need to be included didn’t lead down junkie road.
that’s some terrifying shit.
bgw – I’ve never tried any hard drugs really, but when your caving, just think, you are probably seeing something only a handful of people have EVER seen.
I have crawled, waded and climbed all day just for the opportunity to see an endangered Kentucky cave shrimp, Indian artifacts or just to be doing it, many hours and miles. The vast darkness and uncertainty of what lies ahead is enough to get you high to the beejeezus. Shit is for real, it can kill you and I have never had more fun. If only there were more caving related jobs out there….
…bg_cyclist…you have my full respect for having the mindset/heuvos (or whatever it takes) to do what you do & you absolutely have my interest regarding this from an archeological perspective because there’s a totally fascinating aspect to what you describe but i seriously can’t imagine doing that…
…i still recall a national geographic article on spelunking from years ago where they were slithering through these tiny tunnels, sometimes filled w/ water & i honestly remember the photos making me squirm…hell, i had a ‘cat scan’ the other night because of a little ‘incident’ & while i knew it was in my best interest, i had to summon all powers of ‘the zen zone’ just to relax while i was in that fucking tube…arhhh !!!…
…as far as the drug life, while i’ve been athletic & particularly into cycling for the last 40 years, i’ll make no bones about it & adversely i’m not ‘bragging’ about it but yes, i have shot, smoked & snorted “hard” drugs…it was a long time ago & while the actual quantities were limited, my need to experiment meant i tasted the whole fucking spectrum…no need to list to sensationalize but believe me, “been there-done that”…
…also years ago, i had friends die due to their involvement w/ hard drugs so while the nasty shit that people do doesn’t bother me, i take it all seriously from the aspect of it involving lives…
…the actually disgusting part of that lifestyle as depicted in the video is the squalor…bunch a’ cyclist’s shooting up ‘epo’ in a clean bathroom doesn’t seem nearly as bad, does it…
…to me, it’s the same basic mindset though, whether it’s the immediate rush through your veins into your head or the adulation of the crowd when you cross the line as a winner…
Its cool, bgw, it was the 70s, everybody was doing it!
You should def. check out some ‘more open’ cave tours. Ever in KY, you can’t not stop in. They even have lights and shit goin down there, but those tuberculosis huts, aw, I wouldn’t worry about those.
caving is big down near the gorge in ky. we used to go down there as kids and trip on acid and camp.
…bg_cyclist…“pirates of the carribean” at disneyland is kinda like an open cave trip in a boat, right ???…
…i did that recently & i was pretty brave in that one…but i did have a beautiful girl to hold me close in case i got scared…
…just sayin’…
J: Knowing that scene and some of the gang, wow; good for you and Tracy for letting it go and playing other games in life.
I’m going to NY, NY for a while and taking a rd bike. Any must do trails or rides that I should do out from the city? I’m good for 4-6 hrs. Don’t have my mind around too much out there for riding yet.
aa – im sorry, dont know much about nyny. have fun. tons of good riding there im sure.