Breaking New Ground for SuperBack!

For the past three years, I've been teaching a core/back care class at 5th Avenue Fitness. Feeling like I'd been creating too deep of a rut with my collection of exercises, I bought a new Triathlete/Cyclist Core Exercise DVD from Carmichael Training Systems, for inspiration. The first time I watched the DVD, it was while eating a bowl of cereal with my feet up on my desk at home. Not exactly what was intended by Chris Carmichael, but even still, I nearly broke a sweat watching it. The second time through the 45 minute workout, I found myself really busting myself hard to keep up and finally had to skip out on some of the reps. Bottom line... room to grow on this video. During the past two weeks, I've gotten good feedback from the class about the new stuff. My favorite part has been expanding the number of exercises in the dynamic warm-up. Preview this video.

New Article Posted in CBC Newsletter

Who cares who's Tweeting? I do. So do lots of other people. Since the Tour of California, I've been following a number of pro cyclists and cycling news organizations from around the world. Just yesterday morning I got a tweet from Lance Armstrong that he was watching live coverage of La Fléche Wallonne road race online at steephill.tv. I browsed right there and watched the last five minutes of the race, too. Seconds after the race, I got a tweet from Johan Bruyneel with the results of the race. Funny thing is, the race was in Belgium, Lance Armstrong was in Aspen, Colorado, and Johan Bruyneel was in Madrid, Spain. I was in Downtown, Oly. To tell you the truth, it made me feel cooler than I really am. :) My article was published in the Capital Bicycle Club April 2009 Newsletter and you can find it below:

On Becoming a Twittering/Tweeting Cyclist (or How to Tweet like Lance!)
By Dr. Andy Rosser, Downtown Olympia

Every morning I wake up to a new text message from Ivan Basso.  At 5:33am this morning, I received a text to let me know that he had taken an easy 2 hour ride on the bike today, had gotten a massage, and was now listening to his iPod.  Earlier than that, though, at 3:47 am, I got a text from George Hincapie to say that he was having coffee with Eric Zabel and they were talking about Eric's cool bike collection.  They are both living on European time so I leave my phone on silent at night.  During a typical day, I might get 20 or so messages like these from around the world from people that I "follow" through an online service called Twitter.  I'm afraid to say, this is one of those things that's caught my attention and is part of my daily routine now.

I'm not alone, though. That message from Mr. Basso went to me and 9,421 of his other "followers."  George Hincapie has 16,925 "followers."  I follow about 2 dozen or so cycling and other personalities, local and abroad.  I mainly got started on it during the Tour of California, since I couldn't park myself in front of a computer and I don't have a TV.  Using Twitter, I was able to open my phone and get up to the minute news from riders, team directors, team doctors, and many others 24 hours a day.  I admit, it's a bit overkill and some messages are better than others, but the stream of information is easy to manage and gives me a whole new perspective on the lives of some of my heros. 

Here are the basics of getting started with this microblogging tool:  First of all, you should know that all of the postings are short since they are limited to 140 characters.  That means you aren't going to end up with loads of long texts on your phone.  You might get a short message, a weblink, or a photolink.  If you are just wanting to dip your toes in first, you don't have to sign up for anything.  It's easy to just peek in.  For example, browse to www.twitter.com/lancearmstrong and you can read about how his surgery went, how his shoulder is healing, etc., posted by the man himself.  If you then want to become a "follower" of Lance, along with more than half a million other people...  sign up for your own personal account.  It's free. 

You can then choose to have postings ("tweets") sent to your phone.  (Make sure you have unlimited texting if you do this!  Otherwise, it could get ugly at the end of the month on your phone bill.)  Next, start searching around for people you want to follow.  Here are some of my favorites:  Lance Armstrong "lancearmstrong," Taylor Phinney "taylorphinney," Ivan Basso "ivanbasso," Johann Brunyeel "johanbrunyeel," Chris Carmichael "trainright," George Hincapie "ghincapie."  You can also follow groups and organizations if they are tweeting...  VeloNews "velonews" and Bicycling Magazine "bicyclingmag" are both active tweeters!  They use Twitter to let you know when they have new information on their website, when they have breaking news, or race results to post.

As you might guess, Twitter is not limited to cycling, though, and it can have some redeeming qualities as an information tool.  You can use it to get local news sent to your phone, weather updates, even hobby information! (Try "everydayolympia" and "wsdot" for some of these "useful" updates. What if you are in to scrapbooking when you aren’t pedaling? How about …”lovetoscrapbook” The possibilities are endless!)

I've been using my twitter account to send out near daily updates on everything from my recent rides, getting new tires, getting dropped from a group ride, crossing my fingers for good weather, getting a flat tires, etc.  You know... things people are REALLY(?) interested in hearing about.  Okay, maybe not everyone needs to know all that stuff, but I have to admit some of my tweets are more interesting than Lance's... I'm just sayin'.  Tweet you later!  To follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/andymanr  

WEB: www.rosserchiro.com
BLOG: www.rosserchiro.blogspot.com
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/andymanr

More Like Chris Horner Than I Thought

This morning I read a message that Chris Horner (@hornerakg) posted that read "Sitting at home with my friend 'The Stick' and watching B-ball on TV." For those of you who don't know who or what "The Stick" is, here's your chance... It's a very simple hand-held massage tool. I use it every day in my office and it's used by professional and amateur athletes around the world. It's popularity among elite athletes can probably be attributed to Jeff Spencer, a Doctor of Chiropractic, who brought it to Team Postal way back in the day. He was the team's chiropractor through all of Lance's wins and for Alberto Contador's win of the Tour de France. Dr. Spencer talks extensively about the health and performance benefits of using The Stick.

So... what's it is, and what does it do. It's like a rolling pin for your muscles. While it definitely isn't a replacement for the skilled hands of a massage therapist, it can help speed recovery by warming up muscles before exercise and carrying away metabolic waste after exercise. A very simple investment of your time can get you back on the bike or running with less muscle stiffness/soreness left over from previous exercise sessions. This can be very handy for those of us who find that we recover slowly or are at risk of over-training. Click for VIDEO.

Buy it from me, get it at a cycling or running shop, buy it online.

Cheers! Dr. Andy

Herbal Intervention... A New Reality TV Show!

This morning I got a good laugh from a story that a patient told me, though, I don't know that it's really all that "funny." Apparently she knows someone who was thrashed with stinging nettle plants by friends as a practical joke. Ouch! If you've ever brushed up against this plant wearing shorts, or, as I have done, tried weed-wacking it down, you know that it's got a burning sting that lingers. It may also form small welts and blisters on the skin. The upshot is that it has traditionally been a treatment for injured muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, anemia, urinary problems, hay fever, sprains and strains, tendonitis, and insect bites. Anyway, I thought about how this might be the start of a new reality TV show called "Herbal Intervention." Thus, the laugh. Otherwise... not funny. Poor fellow.

Here's more information from the University of Maryland Medical Center on Stinging Nettle, and it's possible benefits for the ailing:

Stinging Nettle LINK

Cheers, Andy

Volunteer Park Race Report

Saturday morning found me rolling out of bed at about 5am in an effort to make everything fall into place and be in Seattle in plenty of time for racing at 8:45am. That was all fine and I didn't even get lost since I was following teammates to the race from the highway. What I didn't count on was how long it would take to get registered and set up to actually warm up. After standing in line, etc. I only had about 5 minutes on the trainer. For this race I was hoping for at least 45 minutes to an hour. Bummer. I did get a chance to go around the course a few times, at least, though, which was a positive thing.

The group took off from the line and quickly strung out until riders were strung out all along the course. We were 100 stong in our group racing around a course that was less than a mile. I did my best to hang in and found myself speeding up slightly as I went through a few laps (4?), but that wasn't enough... The race official blew her whistle and pointed me off the course as the lead group was rapidly bolting up the hill behind me. As I was pulling off the course, the rider in front of me was also exiting, but got himself tangled in the safety tape and fell over. Then I passed another guy leaned forward and dry-heaving. I thought to myself... "Never a bad day to ride." Next year, I'll hang with the group a little longer. Until then, I think I have a little work to do. :)

It was great to see my teammates working hard and directing parts of the race. I was totally impressed with the women's team. One of them kept the pace at the front for several laps. Nice job up there. Hope you heard us yelling for you!

Andy

Last Minute Posting

Well, I guess this is what it's all about. I am out the door in a moment to head up to Seattle for a criterum bike race at Volunteer Park. A special treat today is being cheered on by my friend Ann, who is visiting from Virginia! Rock on!

The weather looks overcast or rainy today. Maybe my early race will be rainy. I'll be letting some air out of my tires, if it is.

Last night our team held a clinic for racing these short, intense races. It's a lot like cyclocross in terms of intensity, only if you fall, the surface is less forgiving. The speeds are faster, too. Thankfully it's only going to be about a 40 minute race.

http://www.supersquadra.com/VP.aspx

Hopefully after today, I'll be stronger for cyclocross...

Cheers, Andy

Ben Folds on Chiropractic

It took me a couple of listens through to realize that Ben Fold's song Dr. Yang contains a good dig on chiropractic! He also digs on acupuncture and fortune telling. Here are the lyrics:

Hey Dr. Jack. Bend me like a pretzel til I crack. Line my joints and bones. Beat me up and send me home.

Ben! Rock on, baby!

Tomorrow is cross training in the pool with Annie and then a good long night's sleep in anticipation of a LONG, LONG ride on Sunday in 60 degree weather (37 at the moment, btw.)

Cheers til later, Andy.

Independance Valley Road Race 2009

Funny to think about now, but one of my original posts covered my participation in this race last year. The IVRR is in our back yard... and Saturday it was a cold/rainy/snowy mess. I started with the pack and ended by myself, having been dropped on one of the hills. (Okay, the first hill...) The temperature hovered around 34 degrees, with large snowflakes falling and lots of rain. I was soaked within a few miles. The two laps of my race were very different from one another. Each was 20 miles, but the second seemed much longer, of course.

I worked through my first lap with a chase group that had one or two strong riders in it. I wasn't one of them, but as it turns out I was more stubborn/persistent as they chose to go home after the first lap. I turned uphill for the second lap which I would complete mostly by myself. I made sure to eat and drink all I could during that lap because I was getting cold by then. Not shivering yet, but getting very tight though my upper back due to the cold. I did have the pleasure of riding along with Kerri from the Women's Cat 3 race who was passing me. We shared our Green company for a few miles until she turned off to take her third lap. I was done, though, as my two laps were up!

Back at the tent I was greeted by well wishing from my teammates and then started shivering that didn't really stop until I was nearly home! I finished 25th out of 58 with more than 25 competitors having dropped after lap 1 due to weather.

A Very Big Checkmark for 2009

One of my cycling goals for this year was to accomplish a pack finish in the race without being dropped. Well, I did it last weekend at Mason Lake #3 in Shelton, WA. I decided to race Masters C category which is beginners 35+ instead of Category 5 which is also a beginner category, but, well, less old. :)

I started with a group of 75 riders and ended up finishing 41st after a grimacing sprint to the finish. The bigger story of the day was all of the work that our team accomplished up in front of the pack as they did a lot of pace setting up there. I hid in the pack behind others and did my work to hang on.

My favorite part of that race was the thrill of using my head to keep myself focused on where I was in the pack. What I was doing there, and whether I needed to be somewhere else doing something else. That was WAY different from other races where all I could do was hang on until the team took off ahead of me and I waved goodbye for the day.

Next week... Independence Valley Road Race. Big hills in our own backyard!!

Cheers, Andy

St. Patty's Day Wishes

These are some of our patient's wishes for St. Patrick's Day:

~I wish Oly had an Italian Deli.
~I wish for Peace on Earth.
~I wish that you know LOVE.
~I wish I had a fireplace (and a livingroom.)
~I wish I had a canoe.
~I wish Dan could play Cribbage.
~I wish I were in preschool right now.
~I wish my birthday was a National Holiday.
~I wish that I had Luke's bike.
~I wish for a prosperous and sustainable future.
~I wish for a bountiful garden.
~I wish my cats would let me sleep for more than 3 hours at a time.
~I wish I lived in a Dome Home.
~I wish I could teleport.
~I wish for a prosperous future.
~I wish for a true love.
~I wish for my granddaughter's healthy outcome.
~I wish my family would come visit.
~I wish I could be a goat.
~I wish I didn't have to be here.
~I wish I were a female singer-songwriter.
~I wish my moma would move to Olympia.
~I wish it would stop raining on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at lunch.
~I wish for a new pair of bike shoes.
~I wish to make a heart as a present for Dr. Andy.
~I wish I had super powers. (invisible forcefield, transport, shapeshift, superfast)
~I wish I had a puppy.
~I wish I could solve the Rubik's cube.
~I wish I could eat cheese.
~I wish I didn't cashier anymore!
~I wish I could own a farm (yay for chickens!)
~I wish I could grow taller.
~I wish all kids could have free healthcare!

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY EVERYONE! Dr. Andy

Whatcha Doin' with Those Old Bike Tires?

Even though cycling is a relatively "green" form of transportation, it's not a lifestyle that is devoid of environmental costs. Unless you are extra crafty or creative, there are only so many chapstick carriers and braided belts you can fashion from your old bike tires and tubes. The truth is that most tires and tubes end up in landfills. Some companies offer to re-use these items, and this is great, but often they are selective as to what kind of materials they will collect. One alternative to that in the Olympia WA community is to take them to Les Schwab (yes, the "Free Beef" people.) They have a trailer out in the back of their downtown shop where they collect used auto tires, destined for recycling. When I spoke with their manager recently, he was more than happy to accept bike tires and tubes for free by just tossing them in the trailer. Join in the fun!

Mason Lake #2 Race Report

If a picture can tell a thousand words, I could keep this short because you already know... Instead, though, I present the following 862 words for your reading pleasure.

Yesterday was a wicked day for bike racing, but ended up being a very good one, too... in reflection. Michael picked me up at 6:45 for our trip out to Shelton and Mason Lake. Good laughs were shared as the rain picked up right as we started driving. I needed this because I'd been having a lot of anxiety over this first race of the year. By the time we arrived, the rain was full tilt and perfect for bike racing. I tried my best to keep eating so I had plenty of energy to keep myself warm later. There was a lot of green hiding under our red tent to stay out of the rain as much as possible. I must say, our kits look AWESOME! A little St. Patty's-ish this time of year, though.

Our team had 4 starters in the Cat 5 race and we quickly moved to the front once the race rolled out. During most of the first half of that lap, all 4 of us were up near the front along with a group of Lenovo riders in red. (Their red and our green made the front of the peloton look a little Christmas-y.) I was getting soaked from all sides as the rain had picked up and the tire spray was heavy. Up in the front, though, was calmer than in the back where there was a lot of yelling. "Slooowing!", etc. It was very calm compared to that, in fact. It was nice to be there with teammates, as well, since last year in this race and most of my road races, I was the only Valley rider in the Cat 5's.

My job was clear (to me, anyway.) Since I haven't had a successful pack finish yet, that's my "Goal o' the Year." Still, I had delusions of being able to lead out one of my teammates at the end and be close to the front for a finish. Oh, yeah, and like I said, to be there at all in the first place would be a huge step for me. So in my mind, I was focusing on staying hidden in the pack, doing what I could to stay out of the wind from the front or the side. So far, so good.

Somewhere along the way, we hit some very bad asphalt and I thought for sure that I had a flat so made my way to safety on the side, even raised my hand, thinking I needed my wheels. But as I rolled along now behind the pack, I realized I had just been fooled my own senses. I quickly jetted back up and found a comfortable place behind the pack. Honestly, this could count as a big success for me since last year my race would have been over at this point since I wouldn't have been able to have caught back on. After a few minutes of this, I found a lot of room on the right and found my way all the way to the top third of the peloton and into good shelter behind a very tall Lenovo rider. It was right then, though, that the front started pushing the pace and drove away from the crowd. I saw green rolling away with them (Jeff and Perry?) I started to drift back as I couldn't keep the pace and found myself being too jerky, and feeling the pressure of people wanting to pass me. I led myself to the right and bid farewell to the group. Blah.

I wasn't the only one, though, and soon found myself working with 2 others in a chase group that was going at a nice pace, but not nearly what we'd need to do to close the gap. We caught a glimpse of the follow car about a half mile ahead, and my heart lept up. I remembered the awesome chase group I was in during one of our team rides and thought for sure we had a chance. Unfortunately, these riding companions dropped off and I was left to ride out the rest of the race by myself. I was left with plenty of time to listen to the mental storm that happens when I get dropped. I really had to struggle yesterday to keep my thoughts positive and forward thinking. Admittedly, this is a very big part of my riding. Cycling is no place for me to be a perfectionist, but instead to take it for what it really is to me: A personal development project, physically, mentally, and emotionally. By the time I got near the end of the race, I'd come around to seeing this race for all of it's positivity and that I would, indeed, continue bike racing in the future.

As I was just shy of the finish line after my third lap, I heard "Go Green!" from Kevin's niece (I think). I smiled because this totally made my day. Next week, maybe I'll stick to the group. As for this week, 22nd is a great result.

Biking in this Economy

I read a great editorial in the recent issue of Bicycling Magazine (A Bike is Not a Luxery by Loren Mooney, April 2009.) In a time when so much seems out of control, she brings good focus to the things that we can have influence over. In this article, she names things like miles, hours, watts, and heart rate. All things that are far more within our influence than, say, the evening news, or the stock market. She didn't mention other things that I also think make a bicycle an indispensible tool for self-discovery and emotional development. My reading of her editorial rekindles the coals of enjoyment in my sport, hobby, and passion for cycling.

Whether it has been the negative energy around me, an unusually weird full moon, or some other unknown force (dare I say collective national panic?) I'm ready to bring my focus to a stillpoint of calm and move forward again. This time, with a more robust appreciation for the opportunity to enjoy my rides... despite all else.

Relief for Aching Knees while Cycling

Recently I found a great list of tips for taking care of aching knees in Rene Wenzel's book Bike Racing 101. First of all, the book is great, and filled with tips and useful information for anyone who wants to race or understand bike racing more. I fall into both of those categories, and a third one, which is taking care of people who ride bikes. Drum roll...........

1. Wear leg warmers or tights when the temperature is below 75 degrees. (My comment: Most people will don tights when it's much colder than this, raining, or snowing. The knee is constantly exposed to the wind and is constantly having heat sapped away from it. This can cause muscles to tighten up and create compression and stress in the knee joint.)

2. Get your bike properly fitted by a professional. Position on the bike can change muscle activation patterns and wear and tear on joints and soft tissue. (My comment: Due to the high repetition involved with cycling ..pedaling 90rpm for a 1 hour ride can result in 54,000 pedalstrokes... small errors in fitting can lead to mechanical stress over a short period of time.)

3. Use a good quality stiff-soled cycling shoe. Experiment with float in the pedal for increased comfort. (My comment: A great deal of stress can be taken off the knees by improving the efficiency of energy transfer... cycling shoes accomplish this by limiting wasted energy going into bending a shoe.)

4. Get orthotics fit to your feet or use a stock model from a store for arch support if you have flat feet. (My Comment: I often recommend that someone try superfeet or another stock orthotic that can be purchased at a running/sports store or podiatry office. Pronated feet cause excessive wear and tear on the underside of the kneecap.)

5. Learn to spin. Pushing against big gears can lead to excessive stress on the knees. (My Comment: True enough. If I had one thing to change about my cycling skills as a kid, it would be to spin rather than push heavy gears. Who knew I was going to get older?)

6. Train consistently. Corralling all of your training to one or two days a week or taking time off the bike creates large gaps of training stress on the body, and it's easy to over do it when you get back on the bike again. (My comment: If your weekend rides turn into races and that's the only time you get to ride, your body could be missing out on valuable adaptation time that it needs by having lighter sessions of training on a more consistent basis.)

Wear Your Helmets! A new patient reminded me of this...

Since I can't, of course, tell you directly or indirectly who I see in my office (sorry, but, I can't tell you if I see Bono and the guys or not...), I can use stories to help in my cause of public education. I recently saw a patient in my office who was the bike rider involved in a bike vs. van accident and it was a helmet, without a doubt, that played a serious role in the outcome of the contest. The bike rider had to brake suddenly to avoid a van that was coming directly at her. She quickly ended up on the ground when she lost control of the bike and was then struck in the head by the van's front bumper. The helmet she was wearing was destroyed, but, luckily, her head and brain were not. I have little doubt that she will have a very good recovery from her injuries, and have only superficial scars left for show. She is a very lucky woman who is grateful that she has her memories right now. If you don't wear a helmet when you ride a bicycle, you are making a very risky gamble. Please encourage everyone you know who rides a bicycle to wear a properly fitted helmet. It can make all the difference in the world.

Spring is Coming, The Daffodils Told Me So!

As I went down to my office to get my bike and gear today, I stepped out into 29F weather, fog, and 96% humidity. That has been pretty much the norm since last Sunday's "Grit Ride." To my surprise, there were daffodil bulbs poking up out of the ground about 2 inches. I waited a few seconds before asking them if they really thought they were ready to come up, yet. They stiffly nodded "yes," as if to say, "If not now, when?" May God help them in their quest.

As for me, today is our first "mock race." As a team, we'll be warming up together from the Valley out to the Boston Harbor Circuit race course for a lap. Then, we'll split into categories and leave in 30 second intervals as category teams, with the Cat 1-2's leaving last. The idea will be to try and maintain a breakaway as long as we can as a team before being swallowed by the swelling peleton. Then, whatever is left over after 6 laps at the end gets put into the finishline. :)

Last year, I did this race and got dropped on the first lap as we passed in front of the start/finish. That left me to ride by myself for 4 of 5 laps. Hopefully, today, I'll have more gas in the tank. Besides, now I have some very sturdy daffodils to inspire me to go for it, no matter whether it seems like the right time or not.

Tour of California Twit and my New PUMP!

I've been keeping in touch with the Tour of California in a pretty interesting way: Via Twitter. For about the past week, I have been getting "personal" text messages from stars and coaches of the Tour. For instance, I've pretty much known every time Lance is getting a massage, eating, or harassing his teammate Chris Horner. (I feel your pain, Chris.) I've also heard quite a bit from Ivan Basso who has returned to cycling after an enforced, um, break from competition. I think some of my favorites have come from him because of his broken English which comes through quite heavily on his postings. My favorite posting, by far is "i eat now." Got it! :)

After a long weekend of riding, I got the chance today to have a nice low pace ride with a few hills. Also we stopped off at JoyRide today to pick up a new pump since I am tired of carrying around CO2 cartridges and not using them because I think they are a waste. I'd rather have the pump, you know. Seems like the right thing. I got a Topeak Morph with a pressure guage. One of my teammates helped me out with it on one of my flats over the weekend. It worked so smoothly, it was like using my floor pump at home. There's nothing worse than having a soft tire when I'm tired and working hard. Anyway, my latest bike crush is the Topeak Morph Road G Master Blaster. Happy riding!

150 miles and still smoldering

Last weekend I was able to do both team rides leaving from the Valley at 10am. Usually my family is in town and I spend one of those days with them, but since they are out of town, I splurged to see what I could do. Looking ahead, I am trying very hard to play it smart and build the endurance to go the distance on Feb. 28 and Mar. 1, 2009, which is our team training camp. Over that weekend, there are two 100 mile rides planned in and around Centralia, WA.

Saturday's ride took us from Olympia to several of the points out into the Sound. We had a nice ride down to the water via French Loop and finally over to Steamboat Island Rd, which I'd never done before. I'd also never gone around Gravelly Beach Loop with the team, and "ouch" was that a burner. I did reached my max speed of 42.5 mph at the start of the loop and that was fun for sure.

I woke up Sunday morning feeling very tired and has some nausea of unknown origin. I didn't really feel sick, but just a little run down, I guess. The previous day of riding was a big stretch for me. I think I knew I was looking down the barrel of another day like it. Fortunately, it was a little lighter duty starting out and we rolled quickly down to Rochester and beyond at a fairly mild pace that I could hang with. I made my way up an incredibly steep hill I'd never been up before, which felt great. (not the right word, maybe proud?) Anyway, I made my way back and made it fairly close to town before the pace picked up and dropped me off the back. Considering the weekend and how far the riding was, I'd say I got an A. Nice to be my own teacher. I was also happy to get some "way to go's" as I was being dropped. I think it was some recognition for hard work. Believe me I know this project takes a long time, and I love seeing little days where it looks like it's paying off a bit. :)

Keeping it Real

Sadly, I heard news that a local bike racer was killed in a traffic accident in Ballard, WA. It's sobering to hear the news and I know that it brings a lot of sadness to his family and the many who raced with him. To me, this has a balancing effect and I know I will have it on my mind the next time I go riding. Bike riding is a bitter sweet joy sometimes.

It seems more meaningful than ever to pass along news about a joint program between the Capital Bicycle Club and the City of Olympia. They are putting together a series of workshops to cover the basics of navigating the streets safely on a bicycle. It's called Urban Cycling and more info can be found here: http://www.olympiawa.gov/events/pwevents/workshop_bike.htm

Steady Focus/Deep Thoughts

A few days ago, I saw an interview with Robbie McEwen after he had just won the Tour Down Under Classic in Downtown Adelaide, Australia. Because this was also the first race of Lance Armstrong's return, a question was asked about Armstrong's performance. McEwen said he looked good, etc., but what really struck me was that he said that Lance wouldn't shake his hand because he didn't want to take his hands off the bars. For many years I've been fascinated with Lance, and this fits with the stories of his meticulous attention to detail. Unfortunately, my fascination deepens... So does the deep stirring of interest in myself as to what I take seriously, what I focus my attention on, and what I hope to achieve.