How?
In the kitchen....cooking it up
We are moving and shaking over here at YGD headquarters. Right now, we are revisiting our old embrocation recipe that old Borgman gave us years ago. Also, we are working with our clothing vendors to produce an expanded store. We are really excited about it. We'll have the classic YGD trike shirts in different colors, really nice beanies to stay warm this winter, and super pimped out neck gaiters that will add an extra style point to your next ride.
We'll set up a pre-order soon that will offer discounted prices so make sure you follow us on the facebook and the twitter..and here too of course. That's it for today. If you have any requests or ideas of YGD stuff, let us know at yougotdropped@gmail.com and we'll look into it.
Daily moment of zen
We'll set up a pre-order soon that will offer discounted prices so make sure you follow us on the facebook and the twitter..and here too of course. That's it for today. If you have any requests or ideas of YGD stuff, let us know at yougotdropped@gmail.com and we'll look into it.
Daily moment of zen
CYBERMONDAY
Apparently, today is CYBERMONDAY. If you want a good deal on our shirts and socks, enter code CYBERMONDAY at checkout. Link is to the right over there ------>
Spread the word. Textspychatgrambook your friends!!
YGD OUT!!
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| YGD HQ in all its glory!! |
New Storefront - Check it out!
Hey everybody, I'm coming out of the weeds in real life. I've been getting a few emails letting me know that the YGD storefront has been down. Sorry about that! I let the old vendor expire as I wasn't 100% happy with it. We are now back and running. Fully operational with a new vendor that, I think, is better for my readers and online shoppers.
Before it expired I received a large supply of t-shirts and socks so we are back up and running now. Go to the link to the right and check it out or just click here.
New is the ability to make a team order for our popular socks pictured below. Get your crew together and get a good price on some cool socks. They are perfect for Fall cool weather rides and cylocross action. The shirts are the same as ever. Just our classic YGD trike design on a black shirt. Punk rock saved our lives.
I'm also looking for some additional items to post up over the fall and winter months so if you are interested in anything specific, drop me a line at yougotdropped@gmail.com and I'll look into it.
Thanks!
YGD
SuperDrop Osborne
Even with five katrillion wins to your name...this might happen.
Thanks to Bruce Buckley for the epic droppage pic of SuperDave.
Just a bit short
From a race from the land of hanging chads, amusement parks, and oranges comes this gem. We've seen early celebrations gone wrong but, at this angle, we are looking at at least 20 meters to go with a charging group behind. Darwin award goes to...? Guess who won?
Pictures of You
I'm gonna try and give the people what they want. Photos and videos from this past weekend's races. have something you want up here? Email us at yougotdropped@gmail.com
2014 Collegiate Road National Championships
USA Cycling actually has a pretty nice gallery up.
Richmond 2015 Criterium
Colonelsharon was in Richmond photographing the P123 race
Bunny Hop
AJWallace's Collection was photographing the 123 race
VeloGirl was also photographing the 123 race
Wheelistic Photography has shots of Cat 5, Masters 3/4, and Women's Open
Lesley Olson was at the morning races
Amy Ta has a nice collection as well
Lesley Olson was at the morning races
Amy Ta has a nice collection as well
Iron Hill Challenge
Rocco Trapani has helmet cam footage of the Cat 3 race here.
Lessons Learned - Don't Crash
Two longish videos of crashes over the past week from domestic racing. Crashes happen of course but wow.
The first was from yesterday's Tour of the Gila Stage Race. Nothing unusual here but a pretty cool perspective from the director's vehicle. You have to feel sorry for all the guys who are caught behind the crash. Not sure if the field left them or if officials neutralized the race. I'm guessing the former. Anybody know?
The second video here is ridiculous. I understand what the moto official was doing here protecting the rider with his moto and... it actually worked. HOWEVER, it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to predict the outcome of which was 20 or so adrenaline filled bike racers going over 30mph in the apex of a blind corner. Where were the other officials? A course marshal waving a flag? Anything besides making a rider get up after a crash and wave his hands to the peloton to slow down? Another official should have been on the scene (don't they have radios?) and stopped the race immediately.
So THAT happens... then the braniac in the lead vehicle parks the lead vehicle right in front of the crash..where the last collision was...until it has to take off and be part of the race again. WTF? I was CRINGING while waiting until a rider hit the rear end of that vehicle. Luckily that never happened. The race seems to have kept on going while they stabilized a rider.
I'm not sure in what other sport would let stuff like this happen. In huge, nationally televised games, the officials will stop a game to make sure the player is ok, keeping that player on the field, stopping play, the game loosing it's rhythm, the players getting cold. Player safety is first.
MY first reaction would be to neutralize these races, especially for the criterium and ensure rider safety. Maybe I'm getting old and soft and don't throw caution to the wind as much as I used to. The free lap rule here is stupid. Just neutralize the entire race until it's 1)safe for everybody to race again and 2)safe to neutralize and remove the crash victim from the scene. That is all.
The first was from yesterday's Tour of the Gila Stage Race. Nothing unusual here but a pretty cool perspective from the director's vehicle. You have to feel sorry for all the guys who are caught behind the crash. Not sure if the field left them or if officials neutralized the race. I'm guessing the former. Anybody know?
The second video here is ridiculous. I understand what the moto official was doing here protecting the rider with his moto and... it actually worked. HOWEVER, it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to predict the outcome of which was 20 or so adrenaline filled bike racers going over 30mph in the apex of a blind corner. Where were the other officials? A course marshal waving a flag? Anything besides making a rider get up after a crash and wave his hands to the peloton to slow down? Another official should have been on the scene (don't they have radios?) and stopped the race immediately.
So THAT happens... then the braniac in the lead vehicle parks the lead vehicle right in front of the crash..where the last collision was...until it has to take off and be part of the race again. WTF? I was CRINGING while waiting until a rider hit the rear end of that vehicle. Luckily that never happened. The race seems to have kept on going while they stabilized a rider.
I'm not sure in what other sport would let stuff like this happen. In huge, nationally televised games, the officials will stop a game to make sure the player is ok, keeping that player on the field, stopping play, the game loosing it's rhythm, the players getting cold. Player safety is first.
MY first reaction would be to neutralize these races, especially for the criterium and ensure rider safety. Maybe I'm getting old and soft and don't throw caution to the wind as much as I used to. The free lap rule here is stupid. Just neutralize the entire race until it's 1)safe for everybody to race again and 2)safe to neutralize and remove the crash victim from the scene. That is all.
Greg Lemond Fixes a Flat
Soon enough we'll see Lemond v Armstrong on Fox in a cage match. For now, Lemond just won...again.
How to Fix a Flat from 9W magazine on Vimeo.
How to Fix a Flat from 9W magazine on Vimeo.
Tuesday Multimedia Link Dump
I'm gonna try and give the people what they want. Photos and videos from this past weekend's races. If you have or know of anything, email us at yougotdropped@gmail.com
Melford Circuit Race
Wheelistic Photography was at Melford Circuit Race
#colinmustmove up also has a rear view cam of the 3/4 race there too. Go to 36:45 and watch the Artemis rider move the rider in black a nudge touching him on the arm and from behind. Not cool man. Lower body only if you need to do that, please.
Kent L. has a different perspective of the same race
Page Valley Stage Race
hemhauserphotography was taking photos at the Page Valley Stage Race Criterium
You can also go to the Page Valley Stage Race Facebook page and see hundreds of great photos on there. ...like this one...which is awesome. This guy is awesome. The thunderdome awaits!!
FairHill Mountain Bike Race
Todd Bickling did a bike race off road at FairHill
Melford Circuit Race
Wheelistic Photography was at Melford Circuit Race
#colinmustmove up also has a rear view cam of the 3/4 race there too. Go to 36:45 and watch the Artemis rider move the rider in black a nudge touching him on the arm and from behind. Not cool man. Lower body only if you need to do that, please.
Kent L. has a different perspective of the same race
Page Valley Stage Race
hemhauserphotography was taking photos at the Page Valley Stage Race Criterium
FairHill Mountain Bike Race
Todd Bickling did a bike race off road at FairHill
YGD's Take on the Lance Armstrong - Outside Interview
.
Here we go. Where to start with this? First, I'm about to puke. Whoever is Lance's publicist should be fired. Here is my dissection of this 'interview' and I use that term loosely. It's very obvious that this was an opportunity for Outside Magazine to boost visitation to their site with the agreement from Lance Armstrong's camp of pre-loaded questions to give Lance a safe platform to present himself as an everyday guy (even down to the attire). That's fine, I guess but this leaves me with an even worse taste in my mouth. Armstrong should try to continue to stay out of the public eye but for some reason (sociopath?), he can't help it.
So here's the plan from Armstrong's camp:
First, let's put out a video of Lance changing a flat tire to show the world that he has a sense of humor. Then, let's conduct a controlled interview in a dirty bike shop where Lance is wearing everyday work attire to appear like the common man. People will view this as Lance being open (note last question) and will connect with Lance on a personal level.
Gross. I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop since Outside released the video of Armstrong happily changing a tire so I'm happy to dissect this interview for my audience.
"The questions"
Did you feel like you won those bike races? - Armstrong goes on about how he feels like he won the bike races and that it was a level playing and that 'someone' should be named winner of those Tours. So far, I'm actually with him, kind of. I can see his point, to a degree. BUT, we all have to remember that their were major implications that he continued to dope during Lance 2.0 during an era where there were supposedly clean teams. Armstrong says it was a messy time and that everybody played that way. Not true. That era is ruined and I think having those victories listed as vacant is the right message to send to anybody THINKING about using PEDs to prepare for a Grand Tour.
Were you just the best at the arms race or was it a level playing field? - He puts the perspective of training and eating, and the technology. Drugs were just a part of that and again, he talks like EVERYBODY was doing the same thing. Again, not true. While maybe the top cyclists of that era also had doping programs, Armstrong and his team had THE BEST program. THE BEST illegal program. He knew it and it seemed like so did everybody else in the pro peloton.
What have you been doing the past year? Okay..this is where I start projectile vomiting all over my keyboard. First, the viewer HAS to notice that Lance is pretty damn tan. He still has houses in Hawaii, Texas and Colorado. Not feeling too damn sorry so far. He gives the popular answer 'making sure my family is alright' but follows it up by saying 'he's working on his golf game.' WOW! His answer should be "I've been in therapy 5 times a week for my narcissistic tendencies and have been asking for forgiveness from everybody I hurt." Just my opinion.
Been on the bike lately? Don't care about this...except he mentioned that he needs to be fit to ride in Colorado. Puking again.
What do you want your legacy to be? Again, not caring at this point but he does seem to have come to terms that he can't control that. Maybe he HAS been talking to somebody to seek self improvement....or maybe he just talks to his publicist who tells him the right thing to say in a pre-loaded interview.
Do you think you paid a high enough price? - He's been stripped of his titles. He's had to pay up some serious money. However, it still seems like he has enough to go around. Again, he says he can't answer that question because so many people have different opinions on what his punishment should be. Awww..poor Lance.
Is there a part of you that's happier now that you can be so open? I didn't think I had anything in my stomach to vomit out anymore but apparently I did! First of all, the question itself. We have not seen Lance since his Oprah interview last year and even in the teaser article below the video it says: "In his first public appearance since his Oprah confession, Lance Armstrong opens up again about his revoked Tour titles and how life has changed since the doping scandal peaked"
How is doing this video being 'more open'?
Armstrong uses triathlon training and Livestrong as main talking points where he spent the majority of his time (rather than fighting legal issues) before shit went down. Also, puking points for me.
Man, I really don't know what else to say here. Lance, you need help in more ways than your public persona. PLEASE seek help. Use whatever money is leftover and hire the best shrink you can. Apologize to people and mean it. Find religion. Give your jerseys back. Use your knowledge of doping and do something to help combat it for future generations. THAT should be your legacy. Don't just be a guy that jetsets around the country running and cycling. What you did for cancer was big. That was an achievement. You might be able to do the same thing for anti-doping. Don't seek attention for it. Do the right thing.
So here's the plan from Armstrong's camp:
First, let's put out a video of Lance changing a flat tire to show the world that he has a sense of humor. Then, let's conduct a controlled interview in a dirty bike shop where Lance is wearing everyday work attire to appear like the common man. People will view this as Lance being open (note last question) and will connect with Lance on a personal level.
Gross. I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop since Outside released the video of Armstrong happily changing a tire so I'm happy to dissect this interview for my audience.
"The questions"
Did you feel like you won those bike races? - Armstrong goes on about how he feels like he won the bike races and that it was a level playing and that 'someone' should be named winner of those Tours. So far, I'm actually with him, kind of. I can see his point, to a degree. BUT, we all have to remember that their were major implications that he continued to dope during Lance 2.0 during an era where there were supposedly clean teams. Armstrong says it was a messy time and that everybody played that way. Not true. That era is ruined and I think having those victories listed as vacant is the right message to send to anybody THINKING about using PEDs to prepare for a Grand Tour.
Were you just the best at the arms race or was it a level playing field? - He puts the perspective of training and eating, and the technology. Drugs were just a part of that and again, he talks like EVERYBODY was doing the same thing. Again, not true. While maybe the top cyclists of that era also had doping programs, Armstrong and his team had THE BEST program. THE BEST illegal program. He knew it and it seemed like so did everybody else in the pro peloton.
What have you been doing the past year? Okay..this is where I start projectile vomiting all over my keyboard. First, the viewer HAS to notice that Lance is pretty damn tan. He still has houses in Hawaii, Texas and Colorado. Not feeling too damn sorry so far. He gives the popular answer 'making sure my family is alright' but follows it up by saying 'he's working on his golf game.' WOW! His answer should be "I've been in therapy 5 times a week for my narcissistic tendencies and have been asking for forgiveness from everybody I hurt." Just my opinion.
Been on the bike lately? Don't care about this...except he mentioned that he needs to be fit to ride in Colorado. Puking again.
What do you want your legacy to be? Again, not caring at this point but he does seem to have come to terms that he can't control that. Maybe he HAS been talking to somebody to seek self improvement....or maybe he just talks to his publicist who tells him the right thing to say in a pre-loaded interview.
Do you think you paid a high enough price? - He's been stripped of his titles. He's had to pay up some serious money. However, it still seems like he has enough to go around. Again, he says he can't answer that question because so many people have different opinions on what his punishment should be. Awww..poor Lance.
Is there a part of you that's happier now that you can be so open? I didn't think I had anything in my stomach to vomit out anymore but apparently I did! First of all, the question itself. We have not seen Lance since his Oprah interview last year and even in the teaser article below the video it says: "In his first public appearance since his Oprah confession, Lance Armstrong opens up again about his revoked Tour titles and how life has changed since the doping scandal peaked"
How is doing this video being 'more open'?
Armstrong uses triathlon training and Livestrong as main talking points where he spent the majority of his time (rather than fighting legal issues) before shit went down. Also, puking points for me.
Man, I really don't know what else to say here. Lance, you need help in more ways than your public persona. PLEASE seek help. Use whatever money is leftover and hire the best shrink you can. Apologize to people and mean it. Find religion. Give your jerseys back. Use your knowledge of doping and do something to help combat it for future generations. THAT should be your legacy. Don't just be a guy that jetsets around the country running and cycling. What you did for cancer was big. That was an achievement. You might be able to do the same thing for anti-doping. Don't seek attention for it. Do the right thing.
Is There Enough Room for Multiple Races During the Same Weekend in MABRA?
Maybe. Maybe Not. Yes and No.
The BIGGEST race this upcoming weekend for MABRAians should be the Tour of Page County Stage Race and by all accounts, it is. However, it's not without a little overlapping of new bike races as well as some pretty prominent local teams racing in other spots around the country. More on that on Friday. First, we kick a dead horse.
If you are a member of the MABRA listserve and have the stomach to check it out, even on an occasional basis, you might recall a big bashing of Joe Jefferson. Yes, the same guy who, along with his club, has put the Sugar the Honey and the Ice Tea in dozens upon dozens of races over the years throughout Washington County, Maryland. His reasoning, which didn't seem to come soon enough for some, was a financial one. Women, historically, weren't producing revenue. Still, that wasn't good enough for some and a few got upset and said they'd boycott races. One female rider, who is not even located within the Mid-Atlantic and whose presence here was a just a blip on the radar, went so far to tweet to a main sponsor of Tour of Washington County:
Ky Hunter @RambaKy Apr 8
@SRAMroad very disappointed you choose to be the title sponsor of ToWC, a race that is taking HUGE steps backward and excluding women.
What? How does THAT make things better?
I dunno, rather than complain over social media and call for a boycott of races from a promoter publicly on a listserve try to do something positive about it. Find a company that might be interested in sponsoring women's races, come up with some positive ideas that can be executed or host a women's clinic much like is being done at the Dawg Days course this upcoming Sunday.... THE WORLD OWES YOU NOTHING.
Speaking of the world, I know it isn't perfect and that promoters are often held hostage by the dates that they can actually host the events so I'm not assigning blame here to anyone. If the world was perfect, the Melford Circuit Race, The Salisbury Twilight Crit and the Page Valley Circuit Race would not be held during the same weekend.
Thankfully for Page Valley race promoter, Chris Gould, who seems to pour his heart and soul into hosting races, Page Valley looks to have pretty standard registration numbers with Cat 3/4, 4/5 filled and about 40 women total signed up for the races. That's not that bad. I'm assuming the 17 or so women signed up for Melford are more interested in a learning experience than the stage race experience. That actually works.
However, a new race busted onto this year that almost nobody signed up for. Most likely because people DID want the experience of a stage race rather than a downtown twilight criterium experience...which is also pretty freakin' sweet.
I do remember the Salisbury Festival Twilight Crit was announced. It had a 1/2/3 race with a pretty nice payout. With very low registration numbers, that seemed to have changed and the 1/2/3 field was eliminated and now the Cat 3/4 race is the main event.
I feel bad for the promoters of this event because it seems to be an example of them probably only having ONE DATE to choose from since the event was to take place the same weekend as the town's festival. Speaking of a festival in Salisbury, I'm not sure what they celebrate besides Frank Perdue. It's the gateway town to Ocean City for most. My guess is that some people would take advantage if it were summertime; hit the beach, do a crit, and then knock back a few mind erasers at Seacrets in Ocean City. Race promoter dudes..convince the town to have their festival in the summer, when the stench of industrialized chicken is at its highest, do the crit, then head over to Ocean City to check out all the celebrities on the boardwalk.
I just hope that this race can eventually happen because it does sound really cool. See you out on the tarmac!
Joe Jefferson Baby!!
I wish everybody would get off Joe's tip about no women's fields at Tour of Washington County. Joe has been promoting racing in our region forever and usually has offered fields. I think with his track record, he should be given a break. I can't find any evidence of him not supporting women's bike racing OR promoting racing just for the sheer dollars. You go Joe!!!
Bow Down to the Cycling Gods
I grace you with non-freezing temps.
Those that rode throughout the winter will be rewarded. Those that did not will feel the agony of droppage.
My Off-Season
March has been here for over a week. Here in the Mid-Atlantic, I think Mother Nature is finally getting the word from Spring but she's been pretty damn fussy and is threatening at least one more flurry before she's done. If you are in SoCal, the Southwest, Florida or another place it's been warm all winter, we all hate you but would appreciate an invite next year.
Me? I'm okay with the cold weather I guess. I wish you got upgrade points for hours spent outside in weather under 30 degrees by themselves..but they don't.
Anyways, now is about the time you start seeing people that you know (not professional bike racers) post pictures of them in exotic training locations or doing massive miles between races. Good for them. I'm hear to tell you to not stress. It's March. They are eager. They beat you in training in March. Sure, they probably will be better than you for most of the year too but whateves. Also, oftentimes people say that those going well early will burn out by so and so date. Sometimes that happens. Usually not.
I'm going to switch things up a bit this year and not give a shit. I'm going to 'race into shape'. I'm going to get my ass dropped so often this spring that I will actually consider quitting this stupid sport and spend more time with my family. Nooo, we wouldn't want that, would we? I spent the most time off the bike than I ever have since I started bike racing this offseason. Hell, MY off-season consisted of at least two IN-SEASONS for other people I know. You know what? It was awesome. Let me exsplain.
I ate whatever I wanted. People would ask me if I wanted more just to be polite and when I said 'Yes' a shock was felt around the kitchen table. I had ice cream. A lot. I had beer. A lot. It was good. I shared these things with 'normal' people at normal events while often times STANDING. You know the 'normal people' i'm talking about right, the kind that aren't obsessed with a power to weight ratio of handlebar tape or how your power numbers cannot be accurate because of calibration issues.
My free time opened up. I learned that I didn't have to make the group ride every day. By letting go of that, people in my life who depended on me could depend on me. I worked around their schedules rather than the other way around. Who knew other people wanted to do stuff other than let me ride my bike? I got bonus points. Bonus points lead to other happy things.
I got into other things besides biking. I learned to fix things. I picked up my guitar and played songs I haven't played well in years, I binge watched Netflix shows (while not on the trainer), I beat Grand Theft Auto. My life was full.
Life was great. I was actually considering not racing next year. Hell, SUP paddleboarding looks preety rad, right? I mean, CrossFit too!
But then one day I struggled. Struggled to button my 'loose' fitting pants. I knew things were getting bad earlier in the week while shopping for shoes and I was only considering slip-ons.
Nope. I call bull-shit. That ain't happening to me. Time to stop having fun and get things going. No more beer. No more ice-cream. Track the calories. Ride the bike. Log the miles. Intervals. Groups. Strava. KOM. PR. Wko. Compete. Win. Loose. Have fun on the bike.
Routine. I was missing cycling from my routine. Without it, I was turning into your everyday average suburban dude who didn't want to miss the grill sale at Home Depot. But with it, I'm a fucking SUPERMAN. With the cycling, my body fat percentage is in the single digits. I look younger than my neighbor's kids. When I got to the doctor, they freak out about my heart rate. I eat better. I feel better. I have more energy. I'm more tired too. With cycling, I have something in my life that is constant, that takes me away from the stress of everyday life. I get creative ideas on the bike..like this blog.
So 2014 is here and bike racing is upon us. I say BRING IT. I might not start strong this year but I'll figure it out and we'll all have a gay time enjoying my own droppage, which I will post here if I get caught.
How was your off-season? Who is the next big thing? We want to hear it. Comments. Below.
Me? I'm okay with the cold weather I guess. I wish you got upgrade points for hours spent outside in weather under 30 degrees by themselves..but they don't.
Anyways, now is about the time you start seeing people that you know (not professional bike racers) post pictures of them in exotic training locations or doing massive miles between races. Good for them. I'm hear to tell you to not stress. It's March. They are eager. They beat you in training in March. Sure, they probably will be better than you for most of the year too but whateves. Also, oftentimes people say that those going well early will burn out by so and so date. Sometimes that happens. Usually not.
I'm going to switch things up a bit this year and not give a shit. I'm going to 'race into shape'. I'm going to get my ass dropped so often this spring that I will actually consider quitting this stupid sport and spend more time with my family. Nooo, we wouldn't want that, would we? I spent the most time off the bike than I ever have since I started bike racing this offseason. Hell, MY off-season consisted of at least two IN-SEASONS for other people I know. You know what? It was awesome. Let me exsplain.
I ate whatever I wanted. People would ask me if I wanted more just to be polite and when I said 'Yes' a shock was felt around the kitchen table. I had ice cream. A lot. I had beer. A lot. It was good. I shared these things with 'normal' people at normal events while often times STANDING. You know the 'normal people' i'm talking about right, the kind that aren't obsessed with a power to weight ratio of handlebar tape or how your power numbers cannot be accurate because of calibration issues.
My free time opened up. I learned that I didn't have to make the group ride every day. By letting go of that, people in my life who depended on me could depend on me. I worked around their schedules rather than the other way around. Who knew other people wanted to do stuff other than let me ride my bike? I got bonus points. Bonus points lead to other happy things.
I got into other things besides biking. I learned to fix things. I picked up my guitar and played songs I haven't played well in years, I binge watched Netflix shows (while not on the trainer), I beat Grand Theft Auto. My life was full.
Life was great. I was actually considering not racing next year. Hell, SUP paddleboarding looks preety rad, right? I mean, CrossFit too!
But then one day I struggled. Struggled to button my 'loose' fitting pants. I knew things were getting bad earlier in the week while shopping for shoes and I was only considering slip-ons.
Nope. I call bull-shit. That ain't happening to me. Time to stop having fun and get things going. No more beer. No more ice-cream. Track the calories. Ride the bike. Log the miles. Intervals. Groups. Strava. KOM. PR. Wko. Compete. Win. Loose. Have fun on the bike.
Routine. I was missing cycling from my routine. Without it, I was turning into your everyday average suburban dude who didn't want to miss the grill sale at Home Depot. But with it, I'm a fucking SUPERMAN. With the cycling, my body fat percentage is in the single digits. I look younger than my neighbor's kids. When I got to the doctor, they freak out about my heart rate. I eat better. I feel better. I have more energy. I'm more tired too. With cycling, I have something in my life that is constant, that takes me away from the stress of everyday life. I get creative ideas on the bike..like this blog.
So 2014 is here and bike racing is upon us. I say BRING IT. I might not start strong this year but I'll figure it out and we'll all have a gay time enjoying my own droppage, which I will post here if I get caught.
How was your off-season? Who is the next big thing? We want to hear it. Comments. Below.
Socks for sale...get your socks for sale
Even though it snowed today in DC, it's almost the end of February. I hate February. It's the month I am most likely to crack due to cold weather. Plus, Valentine's Day sweets. Get past those in the office.
To celebrate the end of my least favorite month, sock prices have dropped (see that there?) to 7 bucks a pair.
If you want more than a couple pair, email me at yougotdropped@gmail.com and we'll work it out. Love to see a whole team of crazies rocking these.
Store link is top right of this page. Yours in winter suffering.
To celebrate the end of my least favorite month, sock prices have dropped (see that there?) to 7 bucks a pair.
If you want more than a couple pair, email me at yougotdropped@gmail.com and we'll work it out. Love to see a whole team of crazies rocking these.
Store link is top right of this page. Yours in winter suffering.
Please sign this national effort to reduce bicyclist deaths
A sad day for cycling advocacy. This past Friday, a grand jury decided traffic tickets suffice in the case for mother & bicyclist Trish Cunningham, whose life was taken by a motorist while riding. Please participate in the national effort to reduce the number of bicyclist deaths on our roadways. Share this post & Take Action here:
SUPPORT BICYCLING SAFETY HERE:
www.bikemd.org
SUPPORT BICYCLING SAFETY HERE:
www.bikemd.org
Polls Regarding Doping in Amateur Cycling: Please Vote
The more I look at comments listed on this blog as well as on the YGD Facebook page and other sites around the internet, the more questions I gather regarding doping on the amateur level within the sport of cycling.
I'm not putting these polls up for shock value or to be simply to be negative. I truly am trying to understand, on a very basic level, what our cycling community's perception is regarding this stuff.
My first question dives back to debate that the Mid-Atlantic community had last year regarding the hiring of USADA to come out to some random races and do some random testing. A shit-storm erupted on the local listserve with everybody having a comment. This is Washington, D.C. For my poll, let's pretend that there NO COST IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RIDER OR THE PROMOTER. Let's assume that 5 zillion dollars magically appeared from a settlement with Lance Armstrong and all that money would be given to clean up the sport starting with the local levels but on a national scale. So...with all the money in place, is it okay to test amateurs? This includes Masters, Cat 4s...everybody.
The second question in the poll is simply what we think our collective perception is towards one another on a regional level. What's the worst spot around the country? Is doping happening everywhere? Poll note: you can vote for your own region if you think it's the worst.
Who knows? People who make decisions might actually come across this site and might glean something from a totally unofficial internet poll. Maybe this is our way to be heard. I'm trying.
YGD Response to Doping Masters Rider..We have a problem
Over the weekend, I read a few articles about Richard Meeker, a masters racer in California who just received a two year ban. He used the claim that his nutritional supplement he was taking (he won't say what it was) was tainted. JUST TO BE CLEAR, he was popped for using 19-norandrosterone, a steroid that apparently has been banned for over 30 years. It's a potent anabolic steroid and, according to this NCBI abstract, CAN sometimes be found in sports supplements and pig offal (i had to google pig offal but it looks like this:)
The dude who got popped looks like this:
See the resemblance?
I dunno...I race on what I eat and what I drink. I don't even take supplements partly because I'm afraid that something like this might happen to me. All my friends will hate me (more than they already do), I'll have to quit cycling and ultimately find a new sport to fill the void of self loathing and failure that USACycling gives back to me. Maybe I should start taking a one-a-day vitamin and an occasional iron pill when I'm on my period.
There is a well written blog based in SoCal called Cycling in the South Bay.(I recommend you bookmark that blog. Very good reading) that covers what, I think, many master cyclists are probably thinking on the subject.
I have only spent a bit of time racing in SoCal while on business trips but I can tell you, it's a completely different world than back east. I went to one race and in the masters race alone, there was something like 10 national champions and 2 world champions. Everybody was fucking tan and was racing on what seemed like a $10,000 bike. They all had their shit together. Before the race, guys were getting ready next to their team cars, and I'm guessing discussing tactics and the proper way to eat puppies. I was obviously from out of town but nobody gave a flying shit. Totally unwelcoming. To be respected or even noticed, I needed to punch the biggest, baddest motherfucker in the yard., except that couldn't happen because they were all big and bad and I was pale and slow just excited to be riding without a thermal jacket on. I still look back at this open office park crit being held in February as one of the most brutal 60 minutes I've ever encountered on two wheels (partly because I wasn't ready and partly because of the level of competition).
I came back east thinking California guys were fast because it's warm out there, they can train year-round. I was pretty impressed with the scene, actually and I always have wanted to hit it again when I was ready for a good ball kicking. I wasn't thinking the racers were all doped up. Maybe I was naive. Nobody would do drugs for masters racing, right? But then Pete Cannell happened back here and I guess my eyes opened up a bit. There are dicks everywhere.
Even with that being said, I wanna try to give this guy the benefit of the doubt. But then I look at his results:
Holy effing unstoppable RoidMan!!! He won EVERY race he entered between May, 2012 and September, 2012, where he finally got beat (2nd place in the Road Race Nationals.) He must have been devastated (sarcasm font).
I don't want to cast any stones because I'm 3,000 miles away and don't know shit about Richard Meeker or his test or any other bullshit other than what I've read. I just know that one dude won just about anything and everything he entered, was tested, tested positive. That adds up to me.
So... Richard, if you lay eyes upon this blog, I want you to know it's hard for me, some asshat blogger 3,000 miles away, to believe that you were on nothing but bread and water and your shitty nutritional supplement that you claim included anabolic steroids. After reviewing the information, I tend to think you were on some serious Ivan Drago I must break you shit. I'm not telling my audience what to think, I'm just saying I think you did a bad thing and you should live up to it. If you were a real man, you'd walk away from cycling entirely or maybe..just maybe...tell USA Cycling about your methods and where you got your drugs. But, again, not casting stones. Just in case you really are guilty...that's what I think you should do.
What's the point here? I really hope USA Cycling ramps up their testing on the amateur levels. Masters and even category level racing deserves to be run with fairness. Red flags should go up when riders are winning everything they enter. If this is the case, they should be targeted. They should be given fair treatment with everything being kept confidential. If they are found breaking the rules, they should not be allowed to race again, like ever, for the rest of their lives. Bike racing is huge right now. I don't know what USA Cycling's budget is but, they need to devote a big chunk of it to amateur testing. I know it's expensive. I don't care.
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