Times Gone By

AULD LANG SYNE

Words adapated from a traditional song
by Rabbie Burns (1759-96)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne

Ditch!

I've been very blessed over the past several years to have put roots down in a wonderful part of the country, the Colorado Rockies. I bought a house up at 10k feet in August and have fallen in love with all things West. Did I say all things?

I've driven into a drift of snow and/or a ditch twice in the past three days, the pipes at my house froze this week and took a day, or so, to thaw and then there is the crazy amounts of snow, the howling wind and the bone-chilling cold to contend with. What's not to like?

Like one of my neighbors told me recently, "we crazies need to stick together." Yep.

I hope the holidays have been everything you and your family could ever wish for. My holidays have been great so far, having been adopted by a co-worker and his family over the Christmas holiday. Firefighting takes no holiday and so I found myself at work yesterday, on Christmas, watching the Simpson's Movie and trying to cram down another traditional holiday burrito. Caught a cold overnight and now I'm up at my chalet warming up and thawing out, just like the pipes.

Bring each other close this holiday season, now and forever. It's warmer when there's more than one...

Tim

Holidaze

Just sitting here at home debating when and how to ride indoors on the rollers today. I snowboard and have alot of fun every time I'm out in the dry Colorado powder, but the bike keeps calling my name. I've had kind of an odd schedule recently with business in and out of work. Consistency hasn't been my strong suit but I think we (the non-winter athletes) give ourselves a "free pass" this time of year, what with the weather and the holidays and the you name it. I have a real hard time accepting down time. Yep, I have to accept down time and don't readily take it. A bit of a secret is that I have the Race Across America, and my Boulder team, on my mind every single day. The RAAM creeps into your bones and I find myself feeling very insecure every now and then with respect to the RAAM. I'm going to race (not ride) my bike across the country next June. Looking out my window June seems a long way away. Looking on my calendar is an entirely different story. I'm wondering what the Jure Robic's and Rob Kish's of the world are doing right now as I sip my coffee and type on the big glowing box.

Better get riding...

TC

P.S. - I like this song by the Old 97's. It reminds me of the asthmatic, hard puffing, weak little kid who grew up to become a firefighter and bike racer.


Friends Forever

I was a debater
Was not a stoner nor an inline skater
Was not a player nor a player hater
I was just a bookworm on a respirator
Who’s to say that’s wrong

I was in the chess club
Didn’t have a swimming pool much less a true love
Didn’t have a dalliance much less a hot tub
I was just a brain whose brain would never let up
Who’s to say that’s wrong

The twelve years after five
Are years we’re lucky to survive
Hang in there friends forever
In memory far away
Hang in there friends forever
In memory far away

Went out for the football team
Found out the hard way you can’t live your Dad’s dream
Had pretty thin skin to be in the machine
Then I found a guitar and the rest’s a fanzine
Who’s to say what’s wrong

The moral of the song
Is that the high school kids are wrong
You know they have been all along
Come graduation you’ll be gone
Hang in there friends forever
In memory far away

Inchoate, etc.

I love the word inchoate and met the embodiment of that word recently. Everybody's always getting somewhere better...why don't we smell the roses or the stinky person next to us?

For something entirely different, the weather out here has taken a turn for the, well, wintry. So, indoors we go! I've been at the gym alot and bought some Spinnerval dvd's to pass the time. Sore butt anyone?

Not much new to report. I'm headed to Cali in February with some teammates from Horizon Organic. Looking forward to the trip and now I have the first target to strike...need to be ready to train and ride and drink. Rinse, wash, repeat.

Off to bed...

Tim

Come and Gone

A co-worker of mine at Boulder Fire told me recently about the sudden and unexpected passing of ultra endurance bike racer, Mike Janelle. Some of you may know Mike from his exploits as one of the members of the Catlin/Beaver Creek 4-person Race Across America team. Yep, the team to beat for the past several years.

By all accounts, Mike was a rider and human full of life and vitality. This was cut short the day after Thanksgiving as his pregnant wife found him dead of an apparent heart attack, at 40 years old.

Mike's death reminds all of us, myself included that we have but one life to live and must take this into account every single second of every single day.

Keep the rubber side down.

Tim

Don't Be Like This Guy

Turkey, stuffing, beer, CU football, more beer. Enough said.

Get On It

Getting back on the bike after a prolonged absence is a bit like breaking the seal on a can of spaghetti sauce. You have to force that sucker open with all your might and feel ridiculous that that can of sauce is kicking your butt. But it does and yes, you are weak.

I've started riding again after about a 2 month absence from riding, spending most of my time in the gym doing strenght training and the like. Went to Copper Mountain last week for the first day of snowboarding this season. I know that's not exactly a cardio workout, but my quads were pretty toasty after a couple of runs on the packed, man-made early season groomers. Looking forward to the "pow pow" as they say out here, but heck, no snow on the ground means an "opportunity" to get some early season bike riding in.

My Boulder team, Horizon Organics presented by Al's Barber Shop, is starting to get out and go for organized group rides on the weekend. The e-mails are starting to ferociously hit, with taunts of "I'm faster than you and it's November" coming at a rapid pace. I had to skip out last weekend due to a nasty little cold I picked up while working an overtime shift at work. At least I was getting paid to be sick.

So, here it is mid-November and I'm already stressing about putting miles on my bike. When I hesitate to ride, all I have to think about is the 2008 Race Across America, and I just jump right back on like a good soldier.

I'm headed out for a ride today out by Golden, nothing fancy, but it is miles and those count this time of year. Into December and January my Cat III team will be picking up with the devils who ride Cat I and II for our team, so I need to ride early and ride often and turn those pedals over.

Keep the rubber side down.

TC

Re-Up

Hi there,

Just got back late last night from a quick vacation down to Florida to visit Grandma Case. Was greeted with super high winds, geriatric drivers and a bunch-o-rain.

Spent a few days resting and recovering from a CRAZY couple of tours at work, which culminated in a rather large apartment fire where my comrades and I rescued 4 people from the third floor of the building that was on fire. Check this out...

Decided to go for a run and remembered, quite immediately, just how much I love cycling and just how much I hate running. I just don't get it. Okay, I was running on the beach and all, but my Chariots of Fire delusions just didn't cut it after a while.

Well, the e-mail flurries from my Boulder based cycling team are falling into my inbox just as readily as the white fluffy flurries dropping out of the sky up at my mountain chalet, I mean, house. Planning for 2008 is already underway, the biggest local announcement being that my Wild Oats Cycling Team will be sponsored by Horizon Organic for 2008. No Wild Oats (vis. Whole Foods buying them out) means no sponsorship. No worries! Horizon Organic is a solid company and my team will be going strong through next season. For heaven's sake, our first group ride of the year is already this weekend! So much for the "off season."

Team Strong Heart and yours truly have a whole bunch of work coming up with sponsorships, donations, budgeting, etc., but we are all extraordinarily excited about the upcoming year. There isn't a day that goes buy without thoughts of the 2008 Race Across America.

Bring it!

Tim

Crash and Freeze

I'm sore. Nope, not sore from an "epic" bike ride out in the ever-colder mountains of Colorado. No, I'm sore today because a couple of nights ago I crashed my motorcycle. Yeah, I'm the guy that rides his motorcycle until the snow and ice starts showing up on the ground. Actually, that's already sort of started out here, but not enough to keep me of the motorbike.

I was about a half mile from my house, riding home in the chilled mountain air when a huge buck jumped out in front of me. Mind you, I've had this sort of thing happen before and yes, it is freakin' scary when some unknowing creature crosses its path with an unknowing human on his bike. Usually it's just an affair forged out of letting up on the throttle and sort of dancing around the deer or elk or coon, or whatever. This time, though, I was on the dirt/gravel road near my house and so my reaction, whatever that was (I can't exactly remember what happened), sent me and bike sliding across the road. I ended up in the ditch after slamming my head, shoulder and knee into the ground. By grace, I was wearing all of my protective gear, save the riding pants I bought a while ago.

So...long story short, I got home in the dark of night, my shoulder is really sore, even today, my right knee is swollen but going down and my neck is getting better.

With that in mind, I've been taking it easy from working out. Yesterday I played basketball with some co-workers and took them to school, especially in the paint. Bottom line is, don't let the gimp get ahead of you because he will get the points at the basket. I tried jumping on the bike after b-ball, but my knee was telling me not to for very long so I went home...

Headed to the Race Across America Fall Festival tomorrow, hosted by the gracious folks at the RAAM organization. As you may have noticed, Team Strong Heart has made a HUGE impact on the RAAM organization and we have a ton of momentum headed into next year's event. I'll get y'all an update on the partay tomorrow, etc.

Keep the rubber side, pedal and motorized, down...

TC

Band of Brothers

Okay, yet again I don't have much to report on the training front, other than that I've been in the gym, out for a fall hike and the mountains to the west of my house are, well, snow covered. In a couple of weeks I'll be headed into Boulder for a Race Across America "meet and greet" with the organizers of RAAM, several current and former racers and staff. It'll be a great fact-finding mission for my own solo effort as well as the 4-person mixed team that Team Strong Heart is building for '08. Stay tuned for a an update on how that whole thing unfolds...
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The meaning of family and friendship has changed dramatically for me since moving out to Colorado almost two years ago for my job. With the cross-country move, the new job, new friends, co-workers, etc., I have had to adjust to breaking bread on Christmas Day with my "new" sisters and brothers at the firehouse while not doing the same with my family in Chicago, have adjusted to sharing the highs and the lows with those same folks, with joining two new cycling teams, one for the Race Across America and one for the "everyday" sort of training and racing that we like to do out here.

Family has extended to include those at the firehouse and those at the local bike race. Joining Team Strong Heart about a year ago expanded that definition and I'm a firm believer that my life is much, much better for it. Now, when my heart is broken or my strength (mental or physical) is failing, I have a richer bank to draw from and to pay back in every little way that I can. I know that I can count on every single person who has chosen to be in my life with my life, quite literally. When the call for service comes in at work and when the starter's gun goes off at the local criterium, I have an enormous sense of support and a foundation for truly wonderful things.

I've had an interesting turn of events in my personal life as of late and the past couple of weeks have proven to me that no matter what road I'm traveling down I am never alone in those efforts and travails. Thanks to all of you who care enough to read my ramblings, support Team Strong Heart and keep an ear to what is happening with my solo RAAM training and TSH in the upcoming year.

Keep the rubber side down...

Tim

What brings YOU here?

Okay, not much to report on the training front other than I've been off my bike for a bit of time and in the gym doing some strength training and core body work. Not terribly exciting but it definitely feels good to change up the pace and get back into the gym on a regular basis. The snow is starting to fly up by my house and this morning I was greeted to a quarter inch of ice on my truck.
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Now for something entirely different. There comes a time when one must assess what brings them to a certain point, if they are comfortable with that point and how they will resolve any conflicts which arise when they deem themselves uncomfortable with that point. I speak in code, however this sort of "crossroads" moment is relevant in sport training and even interpersonal relationships (the most recent example for me, recent as in THIS MORNING). How do we decide what to do when the "cards are down?"

I've been labeled through numerous tests as having the quintessential "field marshall" personality, which is a personality that lends itself to taking all available information, processing said information in an efficient manner and making decisions on the spot. About a year and a half ago I said YES! to joining Team Strong Heart and have never regretted that choice. TSH is an amazing organization that is as vibrant as ever. Great choice!

I know what brings me to Team Strong Heart and will keep me here. I know what brings me to the people closest in my life, even though those people don't always reciprocate that choice (again, in code, most recently I found this out this morning via e-mail (thanks AKB!)). Think about what brings you to the table, whether that table be the dinner table surrounded by family, the table of your local bar with friends, or the table you share in an RV traveling 18 miles an hour across the country.

Sorry for the ramble, but enjoy these song lyrics that came to mind as I closed my e-mail at 4:45 this morning and stumbled out into the misty cold of Mt. Evans, Colorado...this may uncode what I just mumbled about...

GOODBYE: Drive By Truckers
These cities blur before me, a swirl of colors leaned against the sky
Gone so far away and I never really told you good bye
I know it's kind of lame but sometimes things just turn out that way
We were the best of friends and I'll always remember you that way

We started out with nothing, but wild plans and big ideas and dreams
You were quick to swing the hammer and always fast with some ingenious scheme
Sometimes we argued violently but forged it out of bedrock into steel
Our foundations were so solid and our instincts based on something very real
I feel so damned nostalgic every time I think about those times
I forget how it became that I wouldn't recognize you on the line
I start to feel so guilty but goddamn it I swear to you I tried
To bridge between the distances before I left without saying good-bye

I have friends I met last weekend and friends I've had since I was eight
Friends I've said goodbye to and friends who unexpectedly passed away
And nothing is disposable; at least it's never been that way for me
Its not like you were an acquaintance that I could say never really meant anything to me
No we were really great friends and I always thought that it would be that way
Yet I wonder if I'd know you if the guy that I saw last walked in here today
And I swear until I die, I never would have expected you and I
To grow so far apart and leave without ever saying good bye

Transitions

This too shall pass...

Per my cycling coach, Eric Kenney, whom you'll be reading about on this website very soon, I'm supposed to be off my bike as much as possible. Getting fat...check! Actually, I've been in the gym working on lower body and core strength in this transitional phase of training. I'd be lying if I told you that I wasn't fairly pleased with being able to not ride copious miles day after day, as has been my routing throughout this year. So...I currently find myself fighting through a post shift workout, doing battle with the old ladies and their sign-up clipboards at the recreation center and generally doing battle with my need to always have food and drink in my mouth despite not having the activity level to support my latent hunger.

Transitions!

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On a completely unrelated note, last Tuesday, September 11th continues to be a day of mourning and struggle for many in the public service arena. America remembers the heroes and victims of 9/11 and I personally mourn the loss of 343 of New York City's bravest from the FDNY. I count them as part of my extended family and just wanted to include a quick note remembering those who were lost and those who struggle with that loss years after the fact.

Last week, Denver Fire hosted a memorial stair climb at the Qwest building which brought approximately 200 professional firefighters, including five of us from Boulder Fire Rescue, to a challenge of climbing 110 stories in our full firefighting gear, carrying tools and wrapped high rise packs (dry hoseline, spare air bottles, forcible entry tools, etc.). The women and men of the Colorado Fire Service paid tribute to those lost on 9/11 and worked in unison to carry themselves and about 80 pounds of gear each to the top of the Qwest building. Thanks to all who attended and to those who gathered to support our profession.

I'd like to leave you with this in remembrance of all we have and will lose:

Not of the princes and the prelates with periwigged charioteers
Riding triumphantly laureled to lap the fat of the years,
Rather the scorned - the rejected - the men hemmed in with spears;

The men in tattered battalion which fights till it dies,
Dazed with the dust of the battle, the din and the cries,
The men with the broken heads and the blood running into their eyes.

Not the be-medalled Commander, beloved of the throne,
Riding cock-horse to parade when the bugles are blown,
But the lads who carried the hill and cannot be known.

Others may sing of the wine and the wealth and the mirth,
The portly presence of potentates goodly in girth; -
Mine be the dirt and the dross, the dust and the scum of the earth!

Theirs be the music, the colour, the glory, the gold;
Mine be a handful of ashes, a mouthful of mould.
Of the maimed, of the halt and the blind in the rain and the cold -

Of these shall my songs be fashioned, my tale be told.

-John Masefield
"A Consecration"

Bjorn Turoque

Got done with my shift this morning and decided to go for an easy bike ride outside of Boulder... I completely forgot, but there was a HUGE charity ride going on, the Buffalo Bicycle Classic.

I think that we, the guys and gals who race across America or ride all the time, buttoned-up in our lycra and shaved legs, the riders and racers who are sponsored or maybe just get an extra discount due to our repeated visits to the local shop, tend to forget that there is a significant segment of our great sport that serves the people who simply ride for the fun of it, or ride their bike because their knees are shot from running, or maybe they ride because they want to remember what their old Schwinn felt like long ago. These are the people who pay full price for their gear and still wear their Livestrong bracelets, years after Number Seven.

I saw a massive amount of these working class heroes out on the road today as I rode past on my team bike, eating my grossly discounted Powerbar and wearing my Castelli team kit. I think we tend to get way too serious every now and again and force ourselves out onto the bike because we "have to." When was the last time you earned a paycheck from riding or racing your bike?

Look, I am a serious rider and take my sport with one part passion and one part lunacy, so it was refreshing to get out and chat with some of my comrades in sport who don't shave their legs (men or women), and who actually have never ridden on a bike made of carbon or Scandium. These are the true heroes of our sport and the people most likely to offer a friendly wave or a warm hello on a chilly, overcast Boulder morning.

This and That

Yeah, it's been while since I've posted, but in all reality not much has happened out here. I finally got back to work last week after having been out on injury leave with a broken foot. Back to work...check!

I've essentially decided that I'm done racing for the season. Being lazy...check! Actually, the lazy thing isn't entirely true. I've been getting back on my mountain bike a bit and generally enjoying myself alot more on the bike. There's a certain amount of pressure that comes with training, so even if the pace on the bike doesn't slow, per se, the riding seems much more enjoyable.

My friend Eric and I tackled Vail Pass a couple of days ago... It was a beautiful day, but we had both gotten worked the previous night at Boulder Fire. I had seven calls between 10pm and 3am and he had two. So, needless to say we were a bit less spirited than usual. I'd never ridden the Pass before, which is a 50 mile climbing ride from Frisco to the city of Vail. The route travels what used to be I-70...not sure of the details, but someone's painted all sorts of Euro-style messages on the climb out of Vail, which is pretty funny and kind of cool. There is a cottage industry out here of dropping tourists off at the top of the Pass and letting them ride down into Vail, coasting the entire way. This must be fun for them, but I'm into the climbing AND the descending, so out of my way Texan!

Fall is in the air up at my place on Mt. Evans...overnight the temps are in the 40's and it helps to have a wood stove, chopped wood and a warm blanket.

I forgot to mention in my last post that when I was in Chicago and at the US Pro Criterium Championship, I ran into veteran Team Strong Heart Crew Chief, Bill Nicholson. Running into him reminded me of my new found friends in Minnesota and the support that everyone on Team Strong Heart continues to receive. I'm very thankful for the TSH opportunity and everywhere it has and will take me...

Keep the rubber side down...

Tim

Food, Gas, Lodging

Hi all,

Got back late last night from my "epic" motorcycle ride, from my home on Mt. Evans to my parents home out in the Chicago area. My butt and knees are sore, but I'm generally none the worse for wear. Not sure how I stayed on the switchbacks up to my house late last night, but I'm here and that's what counts.

The road is an interesting place to be, especially by motor vehicle. I think that we cyclists are lucky, in that we get to see the back roads and the less beaten path when we get on our bikes. Those two pedaled wheels take us places that the truck driver and the college aged road tripper only has a vague notion of. My motorcycle only has a 3.5 gallon tank, so I had to stop every 130 miles or so and fill up on petrol. The rest stops and gas'n gos of America are a swarthy point on the endless roadmap of America.

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Thanks to everyone who has wished me well for the 2008 Race Across America. Team Strong Heart is a growing organism full of life and vitality. Look for some wildly exciting events and opportunities in the upcoming months.

I'm placing a call out for volunteers for my crew for next year, so if you'd like to help out, drop me a line. I promise the race will hurt me more than it will hurt you. ;)

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When I was out in Chicago I had the opportunity to go watch the US Pro Criterium Championships in Downers Grove. The course was rain-slicked and there were crashes on every corner. Heck, I even saw an uphill crash. Brings back memories of corner number 7. An excellent recap of the race can be found on the Cyclingnews website. Of note, a 20 year old from VMG Cycling (yes, THAT VMG) won the Elite race on Saturday night after a vicious crash in, yep, corner 7.

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So, I'm off for a ride now...should be interesting...haven't touched a pedal bike in 6 days...

Keep the rubber side down...

TC

Miles and Miles

Riding a motorcycle designed for the track across the country is less than advisable. Consider the implications of sitting on a hardened seat, bouncing along the highway at 80 miles an hour, tucked into a position that renders the knees and lower back completely trashed.

Those of you who ride and race bicycles generally know what I'm talking about. Those of you who have raced RAAM know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. Long distance rides and races, of the pedal and non-pedal variety expose the rider to all sorts of new aches and pains, perhaps, that would not revealed during shorter rides. This is probably one of the biggest issues to tackle for the endurance racer and there really isn't a good way to illicit these aches/pains without putting some long miles in the legs and back and neck, etc.

So, after about 19 hours or riding my motorcycle (the miniscule gas tank made stopping every 130 miles a necessity), I made it to Chicago. Rode straight through the heat of Nebraska and the downright cold and dampness of an Iowa overnight. Hadn't felt that kind of chill since the Race Across America and while at first I was nostalgic for the humidity and the night, it soon became a cumbersome task to wipe the mist off my helmet visor and keep the brain awake.

Blah, blah, blah, I made it, but it did prove an interesting comparison between long distance motorcycling and long distance cycling.

Sunday I'm gonna go check out the United States Pro Criterium Championships in Downers Grove. I did that race several years ago and had a blast, up until the last corner of the last lap. Prior to the race it had rained and the course was damp, especially in the corners. The last corner headed into the uphill finish has a section of cobblestones in the exact apex of the turn.

Wet cobblestones plus a bunch of zealous racers equals disaster.

The guy in front of me took the corner hard, his wheels slid out from under him on the wet cobblestones and he slid across the field. I was sitting top ten headed into the finish and then I was doing my best impression of an acrobat. I landed on one guy who broke his shoulder, the guy who hit me ran over my arm, his tire burning my arm and breaking his wheel, and about 30 other guys ended up in the pileup. I was carted to the finish with my broken bicycle where my upset parents sat waiting to see what had happened to their son.

Memories...anyway, I'm returning to the scene tomorrow to check out the pro men and talk to some vendors about the 2008 Race Across America.

Thanks for reading...

Tim

Moooon River

Last minute, I've decided to head out for another sort of endurance ride on two wheels...I'm going to ride my motorcycle out to see my folks in Chicago. The trip is about 1000 miles each way, which I now understand is about a third of the way across America. Ask me how I know that, please... I think the time away from the bike and the rest will do me some good. Plus, I haven't seen my family in a while, so it'll be great to hang out with them. I even get to help my youngest brother, Patrick, move into his freshman dorm. Pretty sweet...

Over the past couple of days I've had some decent riding. I'm really starting to like the ride from Idaho Springs out to Winter Park and back. I read today in Velonews that Winterpark has something like 600 miles of mountain bike trails, which is pretty astounding for one community, even for a community in Colorado. The climb up to Berthoud Pass is pretty sweet, though I'm finding that this time of year the return climb from Winterpark will usually involve some sort of rain. Yep, got rained on again several days ago, but had a blast as usual, climbing up into the clouds.

Today I rode with my friend Eric, and even convinced him to ride some flats out and around Boulder. I'm finding that my new digs don't really allow for riding on any road that resembles a flat, so I need to take it when the opportunity presents itself.

I found a super funny advertisement for Northwave shoes in the latest edition of Velonews. It's titled something like "Northwave Powers" and features Tom Boonen dressed like Austin Powers. It's towards the back of the mag...check it out. Tom Boonen looks, well, special in his velvet and lace suit. I think he looks better in a green jersey, but what do I know?

And now for something entirely different...several days ago I put down the deposit and registration for the 2008 Race Across America. Solo baby! Stay tuned to the Team Strong Heart website for some more exciting updates about 2008 and Team Strong Heart. You won't be disappointed.

Keep the non-motorized and motorized rubber side down...

TC

Settling In

Just bought a house a couple of weeks ago out west of Denver in Idaho Springs. The view to the left is off my deck. I definitely don't live in the town proper, rather I'm perched up on the side of a mountain at about ten thousand feet. If any of you have seen or heard of the Mt. Evans Hill Climb road race, I'm about 2 miles off the course. The road to Mt. Evans is labeled "America's highest road," and my house location has presented some interesting "dilemmas" for me and my training.

First off, the weather up here is completely different from the weather down in the valley. I left for a road ride a couple of days ago and at my house it was a cool 62 degrees (usual evening temps are in the 40's right now). When I got down into Evergreen the temp read 92 degrees. Yikes! At the house I'm in a sweatshirt and jeans. Down there I'm sweating my butt off.

Next, what do you do when you live two miles down a dirt/gravel road and it rains every afternoon at your house? I tried riding from my house on my road bike, it rained while I was away and by the time I got back to my house I (and my bike) looked like I had ridden the Paris Roubaix. I kid you not, it rains EVERY afternoon here. So now I'm driving my truck to the end of the dirt road and jumping on my bike from there.

Lastly, like I mentioned before, I live off the highest road in America. So EVERY time I ride I get about a 10 mile climb back to my truck and house. That which does not kill you will only make you stronger, I guess.

That being said, there are some amazing rides out this way. I rode Idaho Springs to Winter Park last week, 70 miles and two times up Berthoud Pass. It was really fun until it started to rain and then it became miserable. Ever try riding down a mountain pass in the freezing rain, able to see your breath and not feel your arms or legs? I was shivering so much that my jaw hurt. When I got home I was so cold that I was standing in the shower with only the heat on and yep, I was shivering.

I love it!

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I have some great news on the solo RAAM effort front, this week I secured a professional coach who will be guiding my training efforts for '08 RAAM as well as the rest of the cycling season. Eric Kenney is a full-time professional coach who also races for my team, Wild Oats presented by Al's Barber Shop. The organization he works with, Performance Training Systems is a world class coaching and training group for all types of endurance athletes.

Eric and I will be targeting races next season and building a solid training plan around the concept of completing the Race Across America solo, while also completing a season of racing with our Wild Oats team.

Stay tuned for more details on our training plans and efforts.

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That's all I have for now.

Keep the rubber side down...

Tim

Bike 'Er

I'm still laying low from work...the docs from the city still won't let me come back to work, broken foot, but that hasn't kept me off the bike.

Today's the first day in a while sans "Le Tour," and I was supposed to be taking a rest day after having ridden almost 300 miles on the road bike in the past three days. Actually, since being cleared to ride from my doc about ten days ago, I haven't ridden less than 60 miles in a day (I'm not doing the math, math makes me tired). Instead of resting today, I went on a mountain bike ride up in Nederland with a couple of friends from work. We road up some steep fire roads and eventually found the "secret path" that one of my more annoying friends had been "leading" us to for several thousand feet of climbing (maybe an exaggeration).

Along the way we found: a partial jaw bone and teeth from some unknown animal, a wild tundra with flowers that resembled a Monet painting, trees that attacked our progress unexpectedly and yes, we eventually found the "secret path." We got rained on on the way back to town, ran into some honkeys in a really nice Toyota 4x4 (save money on the dental plan, buy a nice truck), talked about work and relationships and how you know when you've found "it," etc., etc.

Dropped back into town via Boulder Canyon, got some T-Bell and went over to Amante to write this and finish a great book I've been digesting, 1491 by Charles Mann.

I got into this sport as a mountain biker and by golly, it's great to get back to it every now and again.

Just read that Iban Mayo tested positive for EPO.

www.doperssuck.com

Velo Scum

Ad nauseum and almost without question, the national media has been reporting on the "woes" of the Tour de France and the "downfall" of the sport of cycling.

When was the last time you took an illicit substance to enhance your performance? When was the last time you put any noxious substance into your body other than the drip coffee at the office or that nasty sandwich from Subway?

Exactly.

The month of July should be the most cherished of months for cyclists across the globe. Instead it has become a shade of itself, a farce, a time when everyone from the Cat V rider getting dropped at the local crit, all the way up to Discovery Channel racer who would not wear the Yellow Jersey today questions what is and has happened to the world's greatest sport.

Celebrate the heart of cycling by encouraging your neighbor to get out and ride his or her dusty ten speed, wave to the auto driver that lets you go first at the four-way stop and take your kids out for a ride around the block, hammer up the next climb like Contador hammered on that not-so-great Dane a couple days ago.

Get out and celebrate OUR passion and steal it back from the dopers, the accusers and the nay-sayers.

Great Divide

Sitting in my favorite coffee shop in Boulder, Amante Coffee (www.amantecoffee.com) watching the Tour and thinking that it would be pretty damn amazing to get out there and do that sort of thing, even for a day.

But...we have that opportunity, we being anyone who owns a bicycle. We have the ability to ride just like to Euro pros and now we can even go to the local bike shop, sign for a second mortgage, and walk out with essentially the same bike that the pros ride. So what's your excuse?

I have a broken foot and my ortho doc has released me to go back to work. Unfortunately the city docs that I work for don't agree, so I guess I'm off work, and getting paid, at least until some time in August. I'll spare you the details, but I'm scrapping my way forward with that whole thing and in the mean time I've been back on my bike since last Thursday.

With my proposal to ride solo in next year's RAAM I've been put into an odd spot mentally and I suppose physically. The thought and idea of racing my bicycle across America all by my "lonesome" seems wildly outrageous, but not really impossible, per se. Honestly I find myself reflecting on this year's race and how I was feeling along the way. Perhaps I find myself in a position where if the body is put into a taxing situation with no expectation of "let-up" outside of abandoning the race or crossing the finish line in Atlantic City, then the body will pay the price and will follow the will of the participant, i.e. me.

Team Strong Heart was formed with only the expectation that we finish. Perhaps that is where I will start for next year and then work forward from there. When I tell the story of Team Strong Heart to people who weren't somehow involved in the effort it always strikes me that a word that comes up is "heroic." Maybe David Bowie is right.

And so...I get up each morning with the expectation that the wheels will turn and the arms and legs will burn.

2008 RAAM Announcement

Hi all,

So after much consideration and a series of "sleepless" nights I've decided to attack the 2008 Race Across America as a SOLO rider.

I recently had a revelation that spurred my interest in the SOLO aspect of the race and believe that I will be well suited and prepared for next June.

You might be thinking "this guy is crazy" and you know that I actually appreciate that thought because it acknowledges the lunacy of racing a bicycle 3100 miles in a very short amount of time. I'm choosing to carry the momentum from our 2007 effort and parlay that excitement, intensity and passion into next year.

Of course, my race effort will not be possible or complete without a complement of crew and supporters for the journey. If you would like to be a part of this Team Strong Heart endeavor, please contact me directly at timothyleecase2005@yahoo.com or through your Team Strong Heart contacts.

Keep the rubber side down...

Tim Case

Wounded Eagle

Alrighty then...

So I was doing laundry late last night and guess what I did??? That's right folks, I broke my damn foot! Sweet! I was walking down the stairs in my basement and hit a bitty half step, rolled my foot, heard an excellent snapping noise and the tendon in my foot snapped a bone in two places. After it happened I went to bed and woke up early to go to work and could feel the pedal pulse throbbing down there. The ED doc thinks I'll be out of commission for 4 to 6 weeks from work and perhaps as long off my bike.

Fall riding anyone?

You know, I had gone on an amazing road ride out on Peak to Peak Highway, and was generally having an a-okay day. Heck, it was even my birthday yesterday! Happy birthday to me. What do you get the man who has everything? A pair of crutches!

If anyone has suggestions for recovery while maintaining my cycling fitness with an immobilized foot, drop me a line. This is pretty much a nightmare come true, especially after RAAM. Luckily the Tour de France is in full swing and those badboys are in the mountains as I type this.

I miss Lance and Jan...

Goodnight and goodluck.

TC

The Day After Christmas

Remember when you were a kid and you had a birthday or a holiday where there was at least one gift that you received? I remember the sound of the wrapping paper crumpling in my hands, the sound of the ribbon straining as I tried to tug apart anything standing in the way between me and the gift. When I finally got to the gift I thought it was the best moment in my young life, how could this get any better. I played with the gift, inspected it from various angles, slept with the gift and then........BAM! The next day there was a major letdown, because you know what? NO more gifts until next year! A sort of melancholy crept in because the power and emotion of getting that gift wore off, almost overnight.

The 2007 Race Across America experience, the crew, the race, my teammates, the connections and pain and wonder and suffering and joy was like a big ole' gift that somehow I was lucky enough to receive. We rode across the country on our bikes, drove our sore behinds back to Minnesota where I met up with several long lost friends and opened up new connections, did some riding, drank some coffee, watched some bike racing, etc., etc. Could it get any better than this?

As I sit typing this I'm at work, working the job that I love in one of the most beautiful places in this country (I can say that now, having visited 14 states recently), yet I can't help but feel a sort of melancholy for this too feels like the day after Christmas.

My cycling form is starting to come back and I've found that the 80 miler just doesn't feel that long anymore and the next hill is just that, a hill. Perspective is a blessing and a curse. For about a week, several weeks ago, I received the gift of being able to race in the "world's toughest bicycle race," with a collection of some of the most genuine, down to earth, intelligent, complicated people I've ever met.

What each of us decides to do with this gift is solely our responsibility. I've chosen to tackle the 2008 RAAM on a two person team. Ever since I got the call from Bernie that he wanted me on Team Strongheart I've been thinking about RAAM and ever since I've gotten back to Colorado not a day passes where RAAM isn't still on my mind. I've decided to take the gift of RAAM and use it, keep it and tuck it away for those times when riding feels more like a job and that hill seems like a mountain. What will you do with the gift?

Why I'm Here

The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster of bad luck during some races, lack of will at others and then the usual assortment of ups and downs that keep us cyclists/masochists coming back for more. I've taken some time recently to reflect on where I've been and where I'm going...

So here we are, just a couple of weeks to go before the start of the race and I just want to affirm several things, both for my benefit and the benefit of any poor sap who might be reading this. Here are some random thoughts on what brings me to the 2007 RAAM and Team Strong Heart...

Why I'm Here:
-For the kids and counselors and anyone who might be remotely impacted by Camp Odayin
-For my own psychological benefit, knowing that I can compete and achieve success on and off the bike
-For my parents, who raised me to believe that the hardest fought victory is sometimes the sweetest and most satisfying
-For my cycling teammates, present and past, who have taught me the meaning of friendship, selflessness and courage, on and off the bike
-For my friends off the bike who have shown me hospitality and generosity through the entire RAAM training and development process
-For my co-workers at Boulder Fire Rescue who understand why I need to eat that organic pasta and push away from the chow table when "Trainwreck" is being served up
-For my roommates in Boulder who put up with my incessant mess of bikes and gear at our home
-For the one friend in Boulder who is always up for a coffee and a ride, even if he whines through the entire ride about how tired he is
-For the people I've met, ridden with, trained with and bounced ideas off of along the way
-For the selfless crew who will help us get across the nation in one piece
-For my teammates on Team Strong Heart who will be sharing this arduous, epic race with, from beginning to end with no questions asked

I am forever changed by all of you and I am ready to lay it on the line on June 12.

Frozen Dinner

Well it had to happen at least once racing out here. Today I was dropped and dropped out of my first Colorado race. So far this season has been looking great...I've had decent early season form, have battled a few colds but nothing too bad and have been looking forward to the RAAM and a great season of racing. So I suppose today was a foregone conclusion and was just a matter of when, as opposed to if.

I was blasted right off the line and I believe that I wasn't mentally prepared to race in mid-40's rain/slush/heavy wind. I spent most of the day trying to recover from overnight at work where we were shelled with 4 calls resulting in about 3 hours of interrupted sleep. In between naps before the race I kept checking the weather which of course looked fine until about 20 minutes before the race when the rain and wind picked up, resulting in a terribly cold field. Right off the gun the pace was ridiculous and it appeared that 2 riders got off to an early break. I had 4 other teammates with but wasn't able to make any sort of attempt at even sitting in. Today's event reminded me that it's: A. early season, B. Colorado racing isn't what I'm used to quite yet, C. good to eat some humble pie in a new race environment with a new team.

Back to work tomorrow, with a couple of heavy training days sandwiched before the RAAM simulation next weekend. I'm headed to the allergist on Thursday to see if I have any recurring or treatable allergies. My breathing has been hard/heavy, especially in the morning, which may be a diagnosable problem. Time will tell.

The next big race weekend comes on the 19th and 20th of this month, just a couple of short weeks away. Have two big criteriums to battle through and should ante up for at least one of them, especially since my team (GS CIAO/Wild Oats Presented by Al's Barber Shop) is co-hosting the race on Sunday. It would be special to race the North Boulder Criterium to a top 5 finish or ride in support of a teammate who may finish strong. Time will tell?

I'll check in post RAAM simulation, early next week...until then...

Keep the rubber side down.

Tim

Critacular

Hi,

Just came off racing a crit in Golden, CO that was packed with riders eager for some recognition and a bit of cash money. I didn't make it into the running for greenbacks today but had a great race and accomplished exactly what I set out to do, namely, survive, move around in the field, try some aggressive moves in the field and at the front, but mostly survive. We had a field that was approximately 70 strong for our afternoon race. I had a couple of teammates along for the race and it was great to see some familiar jerseys in the pack (speaking of which we are styling in our new Wild Oats Presented By Al's Barbershop team kits). The course was a 1k rollercoaster ride with some nasty road conditions, especially across the last sweeping high speed corner headed into the uphill sprint to the start finish (for the Minnesota readers think a cranked up version of the Opus Crit course). I was scared to take a look at the speedometer which was working OT to keep up with my wheel magnet.

Anyway, the race went well and I'll be back at it on May 6 for another crit, this one out in Broomfield, sponsored by Rocky Mounts (also one of my CO team sponsors). Have a hard week of training planned upcoming...big miles, big days out on the road. I'm also starting to think about mountain bike racing and getting back on the trails. I've got a new team bike coming out to me sometime next week (Bianchi San Lorenzo w/full DA and Ritchey accessories, Rolf Prima wheels, etc.). Although my wallet doesn't think it's great, I'm definitely psyched for some new gear to beat up on. All in all, not too shabby...

Keep the rubber side down...

TC

Back in the Swing, 24-7

I got back from England a couple of weeks ago and have been trying to get in the swing of training, back at work, etc. I was welcomed back to the States with yet another cold that is still holding onto me after two weeks. I'm finally catching my breath these days, but not without a bit of a struggle to do so...

Sitting in Minnesota right now waiting for my flight back to Denver to leave this afternoon. Spent the past couple of days hanging out in the Twin Cities and working with Team Strong Heart in our preparations for the 2007 RAAM. We got together this past weekend and rode for 24 hours with our team and with Bill our main crewman and tech guru. The riding was fun and I came out the other end with minimal damage and fatigue despite my condition going in and riding with the team. Although the rides out in Boulder are absolutely amazing and fruitful (usually) it was great to get out here and ride in my old stomping ground near Stillwater, Scandia, etc. Colorado is an amazing state but part of my heart (and sweat) stays in Minnesota.

Next up is a crit back in Golden, CO this upcoming weekend and more training...looking forward to the next phase of training, including ramping up to the serious miles and races this spring and some new gear (bike, clothing, etc.) from the team I race for back in CO...www.gsciao.com.

Stay tuned and keep the rubber side down...

Tim

Yeah Baby!

So I'm leaving for England tomorrow. This has been a tough week for training. I got a good 4 hour ride in on Wednesday and actually got some sun on my face/legs. I don't recall having a tan this early in the season and the "awkward" tan lines are coming in nicely. Besides the mid-week ride, I've had a tough schedule at work and only time to spin on the indoor bike a few times this week. Tomorrow morning I'm going to try and squeeze in a very quick ride before I take off for 12 days. Maybe the break from the bike will do me some good? I'm going to make a hard effort not to gain too much weight and really watch what I'm eating while overseas. Plus, the hotels I'll be staying at all have fitness centers, so really I'm hoping to just cut my losses, maintain a semblance of fitness and go from there...

I'll try and send a post while in England, but we'll see...

Keep the rubber side down...

Tim

Round 2

Just got done racing the Stazio Criterium in Boulder... The race was well populated (I would guess there were about 40 riders) and the corners were a bit congested. My goal for this race was to sit in, not do anything too stupid and see what kind of gas I had at the end. My legs felt a bit chunky today after a couple of hard rides last week, including a brief ride with some pro guys (CSC, Slipstream/Chipotle, BMC, etc.) that caught up with my team north of town. There's this "crazy" group ride that leaves Boulder on Saturdays called the "cycle - logic race" and has everything from pro riders to beginners. We were cooking along at a pretty good tempo, but I was racing today and didn't want to push my luck.

Back to the race...the pace was comfortable for most of the race and I was able to sit in without too much difficulty. The Stazio course has a decent sized hill just after the start/finish corridor so you really need to conserve and get up over the hill in a good spot. The best part about racing up the hill is racing down on the back side of the course, which really gives you an opportunity to "recover," for the next lap.

The finish was a bunch sprint (again) and my version of contesting the sprint consisted of sitting on a Vitamin Cottage rider's wheel, dropping some gears down and pedaling my legs out while remaining seated. I'm going to leave those crazy bar-bending sprints for later in the season.

Next up is a crazy week at work where I'll have to stay focused on training while not actually being able to get too much quality time on the bike. This is followed by a 12 day sojourn to Britain with my two younger brothers. If I can get through the next couple of weeks and not lose too much form I'll be damned happy. Next race is an early season TT in Denver, early April.

Coming back to racing and having the epic RAAM journey to look forward too is really all a guy like me could ask for. I'm on a great team, both for road/mtn racing and for the RAAM adventure. It's a priviledge and an honor to be living/working in Boulder and returning to the greatest sport on earth.

Keep the rubber side down...

Crits and crits and crits, oh my!

Fish eye! Thanks to Dr. Dan and company for the testing last week in Minnesota. I was in the great white north for four days and spent more time shoveling and snow blowing than time working out.

Met up with the team on Friday and barely made it to the airport for my flight back to sunny, warm (relatively), Colorado.

I've been training with long rides mixed up with shorter "rides" on the trainer at work. Last Sunday (yesterday, actually) I raced for the first time in about a year. Hit the Stazio crit in Boulder and snuck in as a Cat IV in the morning. I felt good throughout the race and found it relatively "easy" to move around the field with a few elbows and some imaginative lines around the corners (i.e., gutter riding). Job well done, I must say. Next Sunday is another race day and hopefully I'll find more form.

The upcoming weeks are going to be extremely challenging for me professionally and personally. I've got a bunch of extra training to do at work, including time spent on my usual days off and then on Saturday, March 17 I'm leaving for a 12 day trip to England with my two younger brothers....

Keep the rubber side down.

Race Prep 101

I moved out to Colorado a little over a year ago (Feb. 10 to be exact) and haven't really found a cycling "niche," despite the fact that I live and work in one of the greatest cycling cities in the country, Boulder, CO. Since the first of the year I've been riding bikes more, riding the snowboard less and generally working towards healthy living, consistent riding and more interval work on the bike.

Last Saturday I had went on a group ride/interview with a local cycling team (GS Ciao/Wild Oats) and was asked to race for them for the upcoming season. So...no pressure...new cycling team with some very strong Pro 1/2 guys, some RAAM thing and a cycling season that starts in March. Ugh!

The group ride consisted of about 10 riders, including a World Cup Cyclocross rider and took us on a 4 hour journey into the bowels of the front range. Okay, so maybe the other guys weren't working too hard, but I was feeling the pressure of trying to keep up with some very strong riders all the while talking with the team captain about goals/aspirations, racing/training philosophy etc.

I guess the group ride really emphasized the need for more "serious" miles and the need to get the legs into form quick, as in, it should have been this way yesterday. 4 months to go till the RAAM, about a month to go before my first race of the season and the pace is definitely picking up out on the roads in and around Boulder, Colorado.

The coffee shop my new team met at last Saturday was packed with all sorts of riders. In fact, I lost count after about 50 were milling about outside on the terrace. I saw young guys, old guys, professional riders, beginner riders and there I was somewhere in the middle.

Hey, if you find my cycling form laying on the side of the road, do me a favor and take it home with you and give me a buzz...