Friday, August 1, 2008
Today's Workouts
Lunch time run of 11 miles. 90 degrees and humid. Legs were pretty sore and tight from yesterday's 23 miles. I probably looked like a geezer running for the first 4 miles or so. After that my legs loosened up and the rest of the run was pretty good.
Stuff Catholics Like
"The Rosary", says the Roman Breviary, "is a certain form of prayer wherein we say fifteen decades or tens of Hail Marys with an Our Father between each ten, while at each of these fifteen decades we recall successively in pious meditation one of the mysteries of our Redemption." NewAdvent.org
Catholics love their beads. Large ones, small ones, stone or plastic or wood, most Catholics have lots of rosaries in their house. Lying near the family bible, around the neck of a Mary statue, hanging from a bed-post, dangling from the rear-view mirror in their cars. The may never use them or even remember how but they are there. The might have been a hand-me down from a dead grandmother or a 1st communion present or maybe they bought themselves a new pair when they started having kids and wanted to teach them.
The blue-hairs in particular are fond of them. You can see them before, during and after Mass fingering their beads. Praying for deceased husbands, wayward children, the grand-kids, their arthritis, to be regular again and a myriad of other intentions. Hopefully some of them are praying for me also.
Kids of course love rosaries, the large wooden painted ones and the plastic glow in the dark ones in particular. They wear them around their necks, whip their little sisters with them, play tug-of-war with them until they break and the beads go flying all over the place. This happened to my good pair at Christmas morning Mass around 10 years ago.
We were at 8 o'clock Mass in the 250 year-old chapel that is used for special occasions. This is a popular and crowded Christmas Mass. We always go to this Mass and we always sit up in the choir loft. One of the little ones was acting up so I gave her my rosary to hold. And of course another one of the little guys decided he wanted it too. So a tug-of-war ensued and my black onyx and sterling silver rosary was the loser. Beads went fling everywhere, including a few that fell down to the pews below. The worst part is it was during the middle of Mass and I couldn't yell at or whack them...ok maybe that was a good thing...at least from the offenders point of view.
Catholics love their beads. Large ones, small ones, stone or plastic or wood, most Catholics have lots of rosaries in their house. Lying near the family bible, around the neck of a Mary statue, hanging from a bed-post, dangling from the rear-view mirror in their cars. The may never use them or even remember how but they are there. The might have been a hand-me down from a dead grandmother or a 1st communion present or maybe they bought themselves a new pair when they started having kids and wanted to teach them.
The blue-hairs in particular are fond of them. You can see them before, during and after Mass fingering their beads. Praying for deceased husbands, wayward children, the grand-kids, their arthritis, to be regular again and a myriad of other intentions. Hopefully some of them are praying for me also.
Kids of course love rosaries, the large wooden painted ones and the plastic glow in the dark ones in particular. They wear them around their necks, whip their little sisters with them, play tug-of-war with them until they break and the beads go flying all over the place. This happened to my good pair at Christmas morning Mass around 10 years ago.
We were at 8 o'clock Mass in the 250 year-old chapel that is used for special occasions. This is a popular and crowded Christmas Mass. We always go to this Mass and we always sit up in the choir loft. One of the little ones was acting up so I gave her my rosary to hold. And of course another one of the little guys decided he wanted it too. So a tug-of-war ensued and my black onyx and sterling silver rosary was the loser. Beads went fling everywhere, including a few that fell down to the pews below. The worst part is it was during the middle of Mass and I couldn't yell at or whack them...ok maybe that was a good thing...at least from the offenders point of view.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Today's Workouts
23 mile long run. I took in 72 ounces of fluid while running and another 24 ounces right after the run, for a total of 96 ounces or 6 pounds. I weighed myself before the run and after. I was down four pounds. So I figure I sweated out 10 pounds of liquid. Which equals 1.25 gallons of sweat...Cool!
I took a 12 minute ice-bath after the run to aid recovery.
I took a 12 minute ice-bath after the run to aid recovery.
So You Can't Smoke Afterwards Anymore?
An oil painting of a nude woman went back on show yesterday more than 60 years after it was banned for being “too brazen” – only to receive complaints about it because she is smoking.
***warning the page that comes up when you click the link above, has a picture of the nude painting***
Ok now that y'all are back. Whats the deal? Explain this to me. Smoking upsets some peoples sensibilities so much now that they are going to complain about the cigarette in a 60 year-old painting instead of the nudity? People it's art. I'm sure after viewing this painting in an art museum, teens are rushing right out and blazing up a Marlboro or a Kool.
Maybe they should airbrush it or photoshop the cigarette out. And while we are at it lets go back through all the old movies and edit out all the scenes that have smoking in them. Should make for some really short movies. Heck we might have to cut Bette Davis and Rita Hayworth right out of the movies. I'm sure we could dub in Miley Cyrus or Paris Hilton and no one would notice.
Davis
Hayworth
This fits in nicely with what the schools are teaching the kids. They teach the kids how to have sex but heaven forbid if you light up a smoke afterwards.
And for the love of Pete spare me the anti-smoking tirades. No one in my family smokes (cigarettes at least ;)), and just like everyone else out there, we have lost friends and family to cancer. I'm not prompoting smoking, if you want to smoke
But as they say in the Army "Smoke if you got em"
***warning the page that comes up when you click the link above, has a picture of the nude painting***
Ok now that y'all are back. Whats the deal? Explain this to me. Smoking upsets some peoples sensibilities so much now that they are going to complain about the cigarette in a 60 year-old painting instead of the nudity? People it's art. I'm sure after viewing this painting in an art museum, teens are rushing right out and blazing up a Marlboro or a Kool.
Maybe they should airbrush it or photoshop the cigarette out. And while we are at it lets go back through all the old movies and edit out all the scenes that have smoking in them. Should make for some really short movies. Heck we might have to cut Bette Davis and Rita Hayworth right out of the movies. I'm sure we could dub in Miley Cyrus or Paris Hilton and no one would notice.
Davis
HayworthThis fits in nicely with what the schools are teaching the kids. They teach the kids how to have sex but heaven forbid if you light up a smoke afterwards.
And for the love of Pete spare me the anti-smoking tirades. No one in my family smokes (cigarettes at least ;)), and just like everyone else out there, we have lost friends and family to cancer. I'm not prompoting smoking, if you want to smoke
But as they say in the Army "Smoke if you got em"
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Soy Will Ruin Your Love Life
Soy Linked to Infertility
WEDNESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Eating half a serving of soy food a day lowers sperm concentrations and may play a role in male infertility, particularly in obese men, Harvard University researchers report.
We've been down this Soy is Bad road before.
So I can eat tofu, soy milk (how in the heck do you milk a soy bean? do the beans have teats?) and risk losing my Man-Card or I can stick with steak, ribs, sausage etc...and stay a whole man.
This might explain the abundance of kids we have, since we are a soy-free house. Well other than soy sauce. I was on a toe-cheese, I mean tofu, kick around 15 years ago...it lasted about 2 weeks.
No matter how much sauce or flavoring I put on the tofu it still tasted like The Donk's old running shoes. Yes, that bad.
So according to the two latest studies, soy will make you lose your mind and not be able to um...you know (yeah I know the article mentions infertility not dysfunction - allow me a little fun please). On the bright-side, at least if your memory is gone you might not even remember that you ever could do the other thing.
I'm having a hard time deciding which one below to have for supper; the scrumptious steak or the block of tofu that looks like the modeling clay my kids use to make spiffy Christmas gifts with. Actually I'm sure the modeling clay tastes better than the tofu. I base this on the fact that the paste I used to eat in kindergarten tasted better than tofu.
There are around 25 other reasons not to eat soy
To quote Mikes Hard Lemonade Commercials "We don't do Soy"
WEDNESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Eating half a serving of soy food a day lowers sperm concentrations and may play a role in male infertility, particularly in obese men, Harvard University researchers report.
We've been down this Soy is Bad road before.
So I can eat tofu, soy milk (how in the heck do you milk a soy bean? do the beans have teats?) and risk losing my Man-Card or I can stick with steak, ribs, sausage etc...and stay a whole man.
This might explain the abundance of kids we have, since we are a soy-free house. Well other than soy sauce. I was on a toe-cheese, I mean tofu, kick around 15 years ago...it lasted about 2 weeks.
No matter how much sauce or flavoring I put on the tofu it still tasted like The Donk's old running shoes. Yes, that bad.
So according to the two latest studies, soy will make you lose your mind and not be able to um...you know (yeah I know the article mentions infertility not dysfunction - allow me a little fun please). On the bright-side, at least if your memory is gone you might not even remember that you ever could do the other thing.
I'm having a hard time deciding which one below to have for supper; the scrumptious steak or the block of tofu that looks like the modeling clay my kids use to make spiffy Christmas gifts with. Actually I'm sure the modeling clay tastes better than the tofu. I base this on the fact that the paste I used to eat in kindergarten tasted better than tofu.
There are around 25 other reasons not to eat soy
To quote Mikes Hard Lemonade Commercials "We don't do Soy"
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Today's Workouts
10.2 mile run consisting of 2 mile warm up, 12 X 1/4 mile hill repeats with 1/4 mile jog back down. 2.2 mile cool down.
Hot and muggy out today.
This one hurt. Happy June?
Hot and muggy out today.
This one hurt. Happy June?
Family Picture Day
A week ago my extended family met at a local pond with a professional photographer. I also brought my camera along. Here are a few shots.
The Bunch of Us
Mom and Her Boys
Dad and His Girls
Summer Time Feet
Ok This one Might Need an ExplanationWe all wore white shirts and kaki bottoms of some sort. During the pictures this guy came running up saying "why did we start the picture taking with out him"? So we had him jump in for a few pictures. See if you can guess which one he is.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Keep on Trying
Yesterday Joey (10) and Robert (8) did their first kids triathlon.
The race distances were:
50 meter swim
2 mile bike
.5 mile run
They both did a great job. Other than Josh who is in NH for the summer, the whole family was there plus The Donk and his family.
Joey came in 2nd in his age group and Robert came in 4th in his age group.
Joey on the ride home "Dad, now I know why you do these races".
Here are some shots from the day.
The two studs getting ready for the big challenge
Joey running from the pool to his bike
Robert out of the pool and heading to his trusty steed
Joey finishing up the bike
Robert done with his bike ride
Joey crossing the finish line
Dad putting Joey's finisher's medal on him
Robert wrapping up a hard days work
Tired but proud
The race distances were:
50 meter swim
2 mile bike
.5 mile run
They both did a great job. Other than Josh who is in NH for the summer, the whole family was there plus The Donk and his family.
Joey came in 2nd in his age group and Robert came in 4th in his age group.
Joey on the ride home "Dad, now I know why you do these races".
Here are some shots from the day.
The two studs getting ready for the big challenge
Joey running from the pool to his bike
Robert out of the pool and heading to his trusty steed
Joey finishing up the bike
Robert done with his bike ride
Joey crossing the finish line
Dad putting Joey's finisher's medal on him
Robert wrapping up a hard days work
Tired but proud
Sunday, July 27, 2008
A Husband's Dream?
Fla. woman attacked by fox, then shot in the leg
MORRISTON, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say a Levy County man accidentally shot his wife while trying to hit a fox that had attacked her. The couple told deputies they had spotted an animal in their yard Friday morning and went outside to see what it was.
The fox bit the woman on the left leg and wouldn't let go, so she told her husband to get a gun.
The man fired a .22-caliber rifle seven times, killing the animal but also hitting his wife in the lower right leg.
The woman was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The dead fox will be tested for rabies, but authorities say the results won't be available until next week.
What kind of wife in her right mind gives her husband permission to take a shot at her, let alone 7?
But if you are the husband you got to take the shot. I mean how many chances are you going to get to do that.
Don't worry Honey, the only fox that's going to be chewing on your leg will be me.
MORRISTON, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say a Levy County man accidentally shot his wife while trying to hit a fox that had attacked her. The couple told deputies they had spotted an animal in their yard Friday morning and went outside to see what it was.
The fox bit the woman on the left leg and wouldn't let go, so she told her husband to get a gun.
The man fired a .22-caliber rifle seven times, killing the animal but also hitting his wife in the lower right leg.
The woman was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The dead fox will be tested for rabies, but authorities say the results won't be available until next week.
What kind of wife in her right mind gives her husband permission to take a shot at her, let alone 7?
But if you are the husband you got to take the shot. I mean how many chances are you going to get to do that.
Don't worry Honey, the only fox that's going to be chewing on your leg will be me.
Tour de France 2008
And the Winner is...
Carlos Sastre of Spain who ride for Team CSC.
It's been a great sports year for Spain. Nadal won the French Open and Wimbledon and the soccer team won the Euro Cup.
145 of the 180 riders who started the race finished the ordeal today.
The Final Jersey Standings
The Jersey statuses
Maillot Jaune (yellow jersey - overall leader) – Carlos Sastre of Spain who rides for CSC
Maillot Vert (green jersey - points leader for sprinting) – Oscar Freire of Spain who rides for Rabobank.
Maillot à pois (red and white polka-dot jersey - best in the mountains) – Bernhard Kohl of Austria who rides for Gerolsteiner
Maillot Blanc (white jersey - best young rider - under 25) – Andy Schleck of luxumborg who rides for CSC
Carlos Sastre of Spain who ride for Team CSC.
It's been a great sports year for Spain. Nadal won the French Open and Wimbledon and the soccer team won the Euro Cup.
145 of the 180 riders who started the race finished the ordeal today.
The Final Jersey Standings
The Jersey statuses
Maillot Jaune (yellow jersey - overall leader) – Carlos Sastre of Spain who rides for CSC
Maillot Vert (green jersey - points leader for sprinting) – Oscar Freire of Spain who rides for Rabobank.
Maillot à pois (red and white polka-dot jersey - best in the mountains) – Bernhard Kohl of Austria who rides for Gerolsteiner
Maillot Blanc (white jersey - best young rider - under 25) – Andy Schleck of luxumborg who rides for CSC
Silly Sunday
The Jetsons - Who had a crush on Judy or Jane or maybe Rosie?
Scooby Doo - Who had a crush on Daphne?
Flintstones - Who had a crush on Wilma?
Scooby Doo - Who had a crush on Daphne?
Flintstones - Who had a crush on Wilma?
Saturday, July 26, 2008
How Much Caffeine Will it Take to Kill You?
"After 95.23 cups of Brewed Coffee, you'd be pushing up daisies."
I guess I need to try harder. The 6 or so cups a day I drink just aren't cutting it.
Take the test at Energy Fiend
Not just for coffee drinkers
Friday, July 25, 2008
Tour de France 2008
Stage 19 - Friday, July 25: Roanne - Montluçon, 165.5km
The Tour heads back into the centre of the country almost to where it was two weeks ago as the peloton makes its weary way towards Paris. The profile is almost as rolling as yesterday's, beginning with a third and a fourth category climb inside the first 42 kilometres. The mid-section is fairly flat, but then the final 50 kilometres become much lumpier, although there are no classified climbs in this part.
Today is more suited to the sprinters than yesterday, but with a potentially decisive time trial tomorrow the overall contenders may not want a hard day and so a breakaway might succeed.
Roanne is yet another first time stage town, but Montluçon has been visited five times before. Last time was in 2001 when Belgian Serge Baguet (Lotto) beat Dane Jacob Piil (CSC) in a two-up sprint after the remains of the breakaway was swallowed by the peloton. A similar scenario may well play out this year.
Stage description lifted from cyclingnews.com
This will be one of those stages that only serious tour watchers will enjoy. I know I will. Not a lot will seem to be happening. Riders will try to break away but depending on which teams are represented, will decide if they are allowed to get away
As a side note, Damiano Cunego had a nasty crash yesterday. He did Man-Up and finish the stage but withdrew from the race this morning. It was his 4th crash of the tour. Bad luck for the lad.
A great day for the host country. 2 Frenchmen, Sylvain Chavanel and Jérémy Roy, broke away from the peloton and battled it out for the stage win with the Team Cofidis rider Sylvain taking his first ever stage win. It’s good to see Chavanel get the win. He’s been attacking off and on for 3 weeks and never could quite get the win. Well done young warrior.
The Jersey statuses
Maillot Jaune (yellow jersey - overall leader) – Carlos Sastre of Spain who rides for CSC
Maillot Vert (green jersey - points leader for sprinting) – Oscar Freire of Spain who rides for Rabobank.
Maillot à pois (red and white polka-dot jersey - best in the mountains) – Bernhard Kohl of Austria who rides for Gerolsteiner
Maillot Blanc (white jersey - best young rider - under 25) – Andy Schleck of luxumborg who rides for CSC
Tour tidbits
Individual time trials
In an individual time trial each rider rides individually. The first stage of the tour is often a short time trial known as a prologue. The prologue is to decide who wears yellow on the opening day, and provide a spectacle for the organizing city.
There are usually three or four time trials during the Tour. One may be a team time trial. Traditionally the final time trial has been the penultimate stage, and effectively determines the winner before the final ordinary stage which is not ridden competitively until the last hour.
On a few occasions, the race organizers made the final stage into Paris a time trial. The most recent occasion on which this was done, in 1989, yielded the closest ever finish in Tour history, when Greg LeMond beat Laurent Fignon by eight seconds overall. Fignon wore the yellow jersey for the final stage, with a lead of 50 seconds, and was beaten by LeMond's superior time trial performance. LeMond's unusual handlebars which placed his forearms close together and reduce wind resistance, and his streamlined helmet, were considered to be a large factor in his victory.
The Tour heads back into the centre of the country almost to where it was two weeks ago as the peloton makes its weary way towards Paris. The profile is almost as rolling as yesterday's, beginning with a third and a fourth category climb inside the first 42 kilometres. The mid-section is fairly flat, but then the final 50 kilometres become much lumpier, although there are no classified climbs in this part.
Today is more suited to the sprinters than yesterday, but with a potentially decisive time trial tomorrow the overall contenders may not want a hard day and so a breakaway might succeed.
Roanne is yet another first time stage town, but Montluçon has been visited five times before. Last time was in 2001 when Belgian Serge Baguet (Lotto) beat Dane Jacob Piil (CSC) in a two-up sprint after the remains of the breakaway was swallowed by the peloton. A similar scenario may well play out this year.
Stage description lifted from cyclingnews.com
This will be one of those stages that only serious tour watchers will enjoy. I know I will. Not a lot will seem to be happening. Riders will try to break away but depending on which teams are represented, will decide if they are allowed to get away
As a side note, Damiano Cunego had a nasty crash yesterday. He did Man-Up and finish the stage but withdrew from the race this morning. It was his 4th crash of the tour. Bad luck for the lad.
A great day for the host country. 2 Frenchmen, Sylvain Chavanel and Jérémy Roy, broke away from the peloton and battled it out for the stage win with the Team Cofidis rider Sylvain taking his first ever stage win. It’s good to see Chavanel get the win. He’s been attacking off and on for 3 weeks and never could quite get the win. Well done young warrior.
The Jersey statuses
Maillot Jaune (yellow jersey - overall leader) – Carlos Sastre of Spain who rides for CSC
Maillot Vert (green jersey - points leader for sprinting) – Oscar Freire of Spain who rides for Rabobank.
Maillot à pois (red and white polka-dot jersey - best in the mountains) – Bernhard Kohl of Austria who rides for Gerolsteiner
Maillot Blanc (white jersey - best young rider - under 25) – Andy Schleck of luxumborg who rides for CSC
Tour tidbits
Individual time trials
In an individual time trial each rider rides individually. The first stage of the tour is often a short time trial known as a prologue. The prologue is to decide who wears yellow on the opening day, and provide a spectacle for the organizing city.
There are usually three or four time trials during the Tour. One may be a team time trial. Traditionally the final time trial has been the penultimate stage, and effectively determines the winner before the final ordinary stage which is not ridden competitively until the last hour.
On a few occasions, the race organizers made the final stage into Paris a time trial. The most recent occasion on which this was done, in 1989, yielded the closest ever finish in Tour history, when Greg LeMond beat Laurent Fignon by eight seconds overall. Fignon wore the yellow jersey for the final stage, with a lead of 50 seconds, and was beaten by LeMond's superior time trial performance. LeMond's unusual handlebars which placed his forearms close together and reduce wind resistance, and his streamlined helmet, were considered to be a large factor in his victory.
Today's Workouts
10.2 mile run at lunch time. On top of yesterday's long run this was just a joy. It took 8 miles for my legs to loosen up and stop hurting. The last 2 miles or so were some what enjoyable.
And I used up a big portion of my Gatorade squirting it at a dog that was chasing me. Stupid dog owner (he was in the front yard). I should have just let the dog chase me but he was running around in the middle of the road with lots of cars heading his way. Too bad the nitwit that owned him didn't chase him out into the road (kidding). I did notice that when I came back that way a little bit later the dog was inside. Maybe my calling the owner and irresponsible so and so. Dude owes me some Gatorade.
It was kinda like this but my shorts are much shorter and my legs are waaaaaaay tanner (dude get some sun - seriously) and better toned.
And I used up a big portion of my Gatorade squirting it at a dog that was chasing me. Stupid dog owner (he was in the front yard). I should have just let the dog chase me but he was running around in the middle of the road with lots of cars heading his way. Too bad the nitwit that owned him didn't chase him out into the road (kidding). I did notice that when I came back that way a little bit later the dog was inside. Maybe my calling the owner and irresponsible so and so. Dude owes me some Gatorade.
It was kinda like this but my shorts are much shorter and my legs are waaaaaaay tanner (dude get some sun - seriously) and better toned.
Stuff Catholics Like
Large Families
(In solidarity with my sister from another mother.)
Ok in general Catholics are know to have larger families than on average. Do statistics support this? I have know idea. Let's not let facts get in the way of my fun people. Besides to be above average in the US you only have to have 2.2 kids. The current 2008 birthrate for the US is 2.1. So all you people with 2 and half kids...give yourself a gold star. Congratulations, you are above average.
Not that it's a contest though. Too bad, I never win anything. Radio contests, Irish sweepstakes, basket of cheer, Russian mail-order bride, lotto etc...zilch, zip, nada, nothing. Well other than Sam's heart which is the coolest prize ever.
"Are All Those Kids Yours?"
"Don't you know what cause that?"
"How do you do it?"
etc...
We get the above questions or some variation of them all the time.
A few of the responses I've come up with:
Yes, they are all ours
Yes, we have a TV; we just don't need it to entertain ourselves
Well, they are all hers at least
No, they keep following me and I can't ditch them
Yes, except for Sam she's the Mother
Yes, I know what causes it and I like it
No, this is not a daycare
No, we aren't Mormon we are Catholic
We had planned on two; but my wife can't count
Yes, we are just trying to be open to life
You should enjoy our large family; they will be paying your social security
We didn't plan the first few; why start now
We have too many? Maybe I should off a few
Kids? What kids?
How do we do it? Well Sometimes I'm...oh never mind
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Tour de France 2008
Stage 18 - Thursday, July 24: Bourg d'Oisans - Saint Étienne, 196.5km
The Alps are behind us now, but this stage is by no means flat with a third, a second and a fourth category climb to deal with. The course doesn't suit the sprinters, but neither is it tough enough for the climbers and overall contenders, for this reason it has breakaway written all over it. Anyone who has managed to save a bit of energy over the preceding few days will have a go here and in all likelihood the time gap allowed will be enormous providing nobody of any note is in the break.
Bourg d'Oisans has been a stage start time 19 times before, but has never hosted a finish. Sitting as it is at the foot of Alpe d'Huez, it is a natural choice for the next day's stage. The last time a stage started here was in 2006 when the course headed north to another mountaintop finish at La Toussuire. Danish super-climber Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) took the victory alone on his way to taking the polka dot mountain jersey.
Saint Etienne is another regular Tour host, having been a stage town 23 times before, partly because it used to be the centre of the French bicycle industry. Last time the Tour was here it saw Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel) cement his seventh and final Tour de France by taking victory in the final time trial of the 2005 race. That day also saw the tragicomic end to Michael Rasmussen's (Rabobank) hope of a podium place, as a disastrous ride saw him crash twice and change his bike three times.
Stage description lifted from cyclingnews.com
Today was a status quo day. Other than the sprint at the end by the 2 riders out in front, not much happened. I suspect tomorrow will be the same as everyone is saving themselves for Saturday’s individual time trial.
Marcus Burghardt took home another Tour stage win for Team Columbia on the 196.5 kilometre trip away from the. Burghardt bested his breakaway companion, Carlos Barredo (Quick Step) in a hotly contested sprint. The Quick Step rider, desperate to salvage his team's lackluster Tour, attacked repeatedly in the final kilometres, but just could not shake the big German.
The Jersey statuses
Maillot Jaune (yellow jersey - overall leader) – Carlos Sastre of Spain who rides for CSC
Maillot Vert (green jersey - points leader for sprinting) – Oscar Freire of Spain who rides for Rabobank.
Maillot à pois (red and white polka-dot jersey - best in the mountains) – Bernhard Kohl of Austria who rides for Gerolsteiner
Maillot Blanc (white jersey - best young rider - under 25) – Andy Schleck of luxumborg who rides for CSC
Tour tidbits - There are three riders away on their own, why isn't the peloton chasing them?
There may be any number of reasons why the peloton doesn't chase down a breakaway. The first is that nobody has decided to chase it down yet. A few riders will often escape in the early part of a stage, tear up the road for a while, gain some valuable exposure for themselves and their sponsors and get reeled in later in the day when the peloton decides to start taking the race seriously.
Alternatively, it may be that the break is composed of little-regarded riders who are no threat to any of the leaders. If that's the case, it may simply not be worth anyone's while to make the effort to chase.
The Alps are behind us now, but this stage is by no means flat with a third, a second and a fourth category climb to deal with. The course doesn't suit the sprinters, but neither is it tough enough for the climbers and overall contenders, for this reason it has breakaway written all over it. Anyone who has managed to save a bit of energy over the preceding few days will have a go here and in all likelihood the time gap allowed will be enormous providing nobody of any note is in the break.
Bourg d'Oisans has been a stage start time 19 times before, but has never hosted a finish. Sitting as it is at the foot of Alpe d'Huez, it is a natural choice for the next day's stage. The last time a stage started here was in 2006 when the course headed north to another mountaintop finish at La Toussuire. Danish super-climber Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) took the victory alone on his way to taking the polka dot mountain jersey.
Saint Etienne is another regular Tour host, having been a stage town 23 times before, partly because it used to be the centre of the French bicycle industry. Last time the Tour was here it saw Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel) cement his seventh and final Tour de France by taking victory in the final time trial of the 2005 race. That day also saw the tragicomic end to Michael Rasmussen's (Rabobank) hope of a podium place, as a disastrous ride saw him crash twice and change his bike three times.
Stage description lifted from cyclingnews.com
Today was a status quo day. Other than the sprint at the end by the 2 riders out in front, not much happened. I suspect tomorrow will be the same as everyone is saving themselves for Saturday’s individual time trial.
Marcus Burghardt took home another Tour stage win for Team Columbia on the 196.5 kilometre trip away from the. Burghardt bested his breakaway companion, Carlos Barredo (Quick Step) in a hotly contested sprint. The Quick Step rider, desperate to salvage his team's lackluster Tour, attacked repeatedly in the final kilometres, but just could not shake the big German.
The Jersey statuses
Maillot Jaune (yellow jersey - overall leader) – Carlos Sastre of Spain who rides for CSC
Maillot Vert (green jersey - points leader for sprinting) – Oscar Freire of Spain who rides for Rabobank.
Maillot à pois (red and white polka-dot jersey - best in the mountains) – Bernhard Kohl of Austria who rides for Gerolsteiner
Maillot Blanc (white jersey - best young rider - under 25) – Andy Schleck of luxumborg who rides for CSC
Tour tidbits - There are three riders away on their own, why isn't the peloton chasing them?
There may be any number of reasons why the peloton doesn't chase down a breakaway. The first is that nobody has decided to chase it down yet. A few riders will often escape in the early part of a stage, tear up the road for a while, gain some valuable exposure for themselves and their sponsors and get reeled in later in the day when the peloton decides to start taking the race seriously.
Alternatively, it may be that the break is composed of little-regarded riders who are no threat to any of the leaders. If that's the case, it may simply not be worth anyone's while to make the effort to chase.
Today's Workouts
22 miles on the local High School track. 88 mind-numbing laps. I normally run out on the roads but due to the sore ankle I wanted to run on a flat surface.
The ankle felt good for the first 5 miles, miles 6-15 it hurt and the last 7 miles it was numb. The last four miles my thighs and hips were trashed.
When I finished I collapsed on the side of the track and crawled to the Long Jump pit and threw-up in the sand. Then I staggered to the car and tried to drive home. A cop pulled me over for suspicion of drunk driving. When getting of the car for the field sobriety test, I stumbled and fell on the cop who promptly pepper-sprayed me. I was then placed in a holding cell where some 6’4” bald dude named Bubba wanted to make me his girlfriend. Fortunately Sam bailed me out in time. I just made it home. (J-Cleaver this paragraph is for you – is that better).
Hopefully I’ll recover somewhat for tomorrows run.
The ankle felt good for the first 5 miles, miles 6-15 it hurt and the last 7 miles it was numb. The last four miles my thighs and hips were trashed.
When I finished I collapsed on the side of the track and crawled to the Long Jump pit and threw-up in the sand. Then I staggered to the car and tried to drive home. A cop pulled me over for suspicion of drunk driving. When getting of the car for the field sobriety test, I stumbled and fell on the cop who promptly pepper-sprayed me. I was then placed in a holding cell where some 6’4” bald dude named Bubba wanted to make me his girlfriend. Fortunately Sam bailed me out in time. I just made it home. (J-Cleaver this paragraph is for you – is that better).
Hopefully I’ll recover somewhat for tomorrows run.
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