Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Done

Done.

I’m done. I have lost all interest in riding my bike. I have only been managing 3 rides a week, all short, all slow. I have not felt good on the bike all year.

I look at the bike with dread and guilt.

Teddy Toe Clips, a long time mentor and role model has even suggested that I forget about it for a while. No sense in pushing the issue. Wait it out until the itch returns.

I’m not sure it will. I find myself getting more and more aggravated with traffic, crappy roads, idiot driver and mostly my inability to feel right on the bike.

I have been leaving a bike in the dining room so it will be easy to get out the door but is had been sitting there for over a week unridden. I put in the basement last night so I wouldn’t have to look at it.

It’s like a friend passing away and not caring.

This is as bad as I’ve felt in years.

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

The other end




Like SB I get a little annoyed about amateur athletes bitching about hardship. Especially those who are Masters or lifetime sub elite athletes. It’s a hobby guys. If it’s too dear quit or cut some corners on equipment. Take the money saved and put it in your kid’s college fund.

There has been little hullabaloo in Rhody about our newest Olympian. Elizabeth Beisel from North Kingstown has made the Olympic swimming team at 15 years old. That’s right, she is 37% as old as Dara Torres.

The local news is full of the 14-year-old LaSalle girl golfer Juliet Vongphoumy who won the boy’s championship (from the ladies’ tees) this year. As of yesterday she was tied for 91st 14 stokes off the pace after the first round of the RI Amateur. She is playing from the men’s tees this tournament.

Both girls are superb at their sport. But which is a bigger achievement. Making an Olympic team or being 9 over par on a local RI course? I wonder which young woman will have greater long term success in sport and in life?

Swimming will have to give way at some point to age and lack of high quality of competition. A young golfer, if good enough, can continue as a pro for ages or be fried by 20 like Michelle Wei or Ty Tryon.

Where is Conrad LeBas? What happened to John DiPippo? Why do so many fantastic junior cyclists disappear once they hit seniors? Is it better to be a Type A , driven, middle-aged weekend warrior or a washed up junior phenom? What are we trying to get out of sport? Who is driving the junior and what is haunting the Master?

Enjoy it. It you are not going to make a living out of it remember where you stand and what you hope to get out of sport.