Sometimes office jobs are ok.
One Week!
tumblrbot asked: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INANIMATE OBJECT?
Easy. My bike.
Recovery is your friend. Choose your friends wisely.
Calm before the storm. Tomorrow morning we go to war.
4 Years In The Making
First Podium Appearance. Let’s hope it’s not another 4 until the next one.
Beauty.Pain
Though not often paired together there is so much beauty beneath the dirt and grim. Welcome to Louisville, KY. Home to the 2013 edition of the Cyclocross World Championships.
Change
“People are always telling you that change is a good thing. But all they’re really saying is that something you didn’t want to happen at all… has happened.” - You’ve Got Mail
It wasn’t that long ago that I set sail on what I imagined was going to be the maiden voyage of a ride that would never end and that could potentially be life altering. To say I was shooting for the stars would be an understatement.
I had grand plans on bringing together the cycling community under one big impenetrable umbrella. I was hoping we could all be one big happy family. Unfortunately, I underestimated the task at hand as well as overestimating myself and my commitment. I’ve realized that my ambitions have changed as well as my goals for this blog.
With that said, I’m moving forward utilizing this blog as an emotional outlet for my cycling enterprise. Call it a joural, race diary or what have you but any and everything related to my personal cycling experiences will be posted here. If you care to keep up with this blog please do so but understand that the current focus of this blog is to now focus on myself and afford me the opportunity to reflect on the past whenever necessary or desired. We’ll continue to have a Facebook presence which will be geared more towards popular cycling and the like.
I’ve truly enjoyed the little I have accomplished with this blog and appreciate the audience I have had. A BIG thanks to you all. I hope you continue to tune in to the chronicles of my life as it pertains to cycling. Change can be hard….but it can also be fun. See you out on the open road!
City of Austin Trail of Lights
For as long as most can remember, the City of Austin has illuminated Zilker Park with a trail of lights. Sadly, due to budget restraints the COA was unable to satisfy the public’s appetite for a festival of lights. We here at Austin.Cadence are happy to announce that the trail of lights has returned and that tomorrow, Thursday the 20th, you will be able to ride your bike through the park in a car free environment. We hope to see you out there!
For more info please visit the following: http://www.austintrailoflights.org/
Limitations…
Two wheels that get you from point a to b. What those points represent are you for you to choose. Happy riding folks!!!
True Grit
Photo courtesy of monskat
grit — adj , -tier , -tiest 1. courageous; hardy; resolute 2. of, like, or containing grit
Six months have passed since I found myself at Seton Hospital with a 12 inch catheter that was intent on stealing my left lung’s lunch money. I was at(or close to) what most addicts would refer to as “rock bottom”. With the threat of a lung that may completely collapse I was forced to face the very real possibility that I may never be able to competitively race a bike again. Few things are as sobering as a health scare.
Fast forward to present day…While I’m only a shadow of my pre-pneumonia form, I’ve been active in nearly every bike race Central Texas has to offer. I have many to thank for this..but that’s a matter best handled in person. At a young age I was taught to never give in. To never give up. To fight till I’m dead. When I was carted out of Seton into that warm Austin air I was reminded of what it is to be alive……what it is to want to fight.
Tomorrow I’ll return to familiar stomping grounds. I’ll return to the Driveway Series presented by Holland Racing. For many this will be a return to old friends and smooth pavement, however, for me tomorrow will be a return to where it all fell apart. Hours after the September 8th running of the Driveway Series my body failed me. It had simply had enough and was unable and unwilling to keep up with my high demands.
Tomorrow I have a unfinished business. Tomorrow I have something to prove. Tomorrow I want to show what it means to race with true grit.
I may not win tomorrow….but I’ll sure as hell make you wish you didn’t show up.
Austin.Cadence Presents
The season opener for PRO Cat 3 Chad Springer. Between shots of espresso and tanning advice, the majority of the Central Texas peloton has been discussing what Sir Springers season opener would be. Tomorrow Springer will bring his defined cheek bones as well as his dual pistoned workhorse of a body to the University Oaks Criterium in San Antonion, Tx. Save the fireworks for the 4th of July cause tomorrow will be LEGEND!!!
Gone Fishin’
I know we’ve been MIA for a while, BUT, we promise that we’ve got more content, races, and familiar faces coming your way! See y’all soon folks!
Online Debate….
A few days ago I was grazing among the online blogs/articles that I frequent when suddenly I was roped into an online debate with who can be best described as “urban fixed gear hipster.” There was discussion on the validity of riding roads like The High Road, Smokey Valley, Big View etc… on a fixed gear. I chimed in explaining that I commuted on a fixed gear for many years but failed to understand this idea of riding these roads with a brake-less fixed gear.
Long story short I was told to “get a pair of legs.” Countless times I’ve been limping home, covered in salt, malnourished and dehydrated when out of nowhere some kid puts the hammer down. I simply pedal along tired and careless…but this time something happened…perhaps it was the wine but I lashed out. The next 2 hours we’re spent awaiting responses and refilling my wine glass.
The next morning I awoke and thought on the events of the previous night and realized the error of my ways. Austin.Cadence wants to remind you that in all aspects of this world there are dumb people…don’t let them rope you in because you’ll end up in the slaughter house…and if you must..do as I do and have a bottle of wine handy.
2011 Tour das Hugel
Pain is an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting iodine on a cut, and bumping the “funny bone.”[1]
It motivates withdrawal from damaging or potentially damaging situations, protection of a damaged body part while it heals, and avoidance of similar experiences in the future.[2] Most pain resolves promptly once the painful stimulus is removed and the body has healed, but sometimes pain persists despite removal of the stimulus and apparent healing of the body; and sometimes pain arises in the absence of any detectable stimulus, damage or disease.[3]
Pain is the most common reason for physician consultation in the United States.[4] It is a major symptom in many medical conditions, and can significantly interfere with a person’s quality of life and general functioning.[5] Psychological factors such as social support, hypnotic suggestion, excitement in sport or war and distraction can significantly modulate pain’s intensity or unpleasantness.[6][7]
