Let the madness begin

Yesterday was my first triathlon, and before I get into the details, let me just say that I sit here typing with total rigimortis of the legs.

Initially I was very apprehensive of how well I'd do in this "sprint" tri (1k swim, 22k bike, 5k run). It is well known on the swim team that I usually sit out for at least a 50 in any distance over 200 yards, and even more if its a repeated middle- or long-distance set. Typically its because my shoulders fatigue quickly (I'm built for sprinting). Add a wetsuit on top of those shoulders, and it only gets worse. Then there's the bike...I just bought a road bike and only rode it twice before the tri, which isnt much less than I've ridden my other bike since last fall. Lastly, I HATE running, and only ran a total of 6 miles within a month before the race.

Alas, the competitor in me kicked into high gear, and I was in good spirits come the start of the race:

Pumped up before the race.

So we (The Maestro and I) setup and suit-up...get ready for our wave of the swim to start. My strategy was take it long and slow, stay to the outside, and just hope to do the whole thing freestyle. Apparently 1min before the gun, The Maestro noticed a marked difference in my demeanour--going from jovial to ultra-competitive. What can I say, I'm thrive in competition. So as the swim started, I thought The Maestro was going strong, so I took off in a nice relaxed swim. Being on the outside, I went off course several times. The first turn I looked back and saw that most of the green caps (our age) were behind me. (Kickass!) It was then that I started eating the feet of the previous wave. I am not exaggerating with the term "eat"...the lake was as murky as a body of water gets; it was nearly impossible to see your stroking hand in the water. The ego boost of being out in front definitely improved my swim--the other reason I sit out a lot in distance practice is just the knowledge that I suck at a 200+, whereas I'll do sets of 200 IM's with no problem.

End of swim: 5th place age group; 17th overall (11min)

Transition: Let's just say that I was in the bottom 10% of T1 transition times. (3min : 51sec) I had lots of problems putting on my shirt--never again.

Bike: The course was very technical, with rolling hills, turns, and few straight-aways. At least it didn't get boring. But the hills were punishing, and its where I took over many people (it seems like people are afraid to stand and peddle...I dont know why). But after my 17th place in the swim (besides the absolute shitty T1), then only place I could go is down...which I did. Rank 144 (54min).

Stock pic of my bike...just add pedals and aerobars.

Transition: Not nearly as bad, though I dropped my Oaklies running from the "end bike" to the transition area, had to turn around and go back for em. Embarrassing, to say the least.

Run: This portion was the antithesis of the swim. Swimming I past just about everyone, running, everyone passed me. In all, I overtook two people. I had no legs to begin with...and the start was a sadistic uphill portion that made everyone just want to cry. But I ran/jogged the whole thing, which bettered my goal of "no walking."

The Maestro was not happy about getting smoked.

All in all, it was a very fun event, and if nothing, I learned a little about my own mental toughness. Needless to say, all I did when I got home was be lazy and sleep.

Not looking so fresh after the race.

I Look Like a Fool For Nothing!!

Our late blog-friend the GCC scolds me every time I'm sighted biking without my helmet. I'm foolish, I know. There's no excuse, even for a gay man who needs unmolested hair at all times. But I literally did a LOL today on the Metro while reading my latest Scientific American magazine. Link to article

The New Bike

After an arduous search across at four DC neighborhoods and six bike shops, I finally settled on one I liked. Since there is sometimes a dearth of bike reviews, I'll give mine for the models I tested. Ultimately, I was looking for something around $500 (so I can afford to have it stolen again), hybrid (but a rugged one), smooth gear components, and a more aggressive geometry--I didn't want to sit completely erect. I ended up buying a Gary Fisher Wingra.

Bike Reviews
Gary Fisher Wingra
Price: $465 (Capitol Hill Bikes)
Description: My previous bike was a Gary Fisher, too, and I was happy with the ratio of price:component quality. I also very much liked the Genesis frame line, which my Marlin was part of. No wonder I liked geometry of this bike--it was also a Genesis frame, meaning I had the same body position on this hybrid as I did on my mountain bike. Excellent. That was the most important selling point. The more forward position really allows ya to churn through those steep hill climbs--something very common in DC, especially in Adams Morgan, where I live. If you've ever gone up 15th St NW between U and Columbia, you know what I mean. The frame is also pretty light, an aluminum alloy. Surprisingly for aluminum, it doesn't ride that rough. The gears shifted very nicely, maybe even better than my older Marlin, though those components were considered an upgrade (Shimano Alivo vs Deore). We'll see in a few months how they last. The tires were also what I was looking for--not smooth, thin road tires, but instead puncture resistant with some actual tread to help out in wet weather. Good overall blend of quality, price, and ride. This is the bike I bought. I also slapped on some toe clips, bar ends with padded grip tape, a Pit-Bull U-Lock with additional rear tire chain, and head/tail lights.

Others Tested (in no particular order)
Jamis CodaSport
Price: $480 (City Bikes)
Description: This bike was silky smooth in its gearing, but I felt like I was straight out of The Muppet Movie, where Kermie and Piggie are biking down the road in their cruisers. It felt like I was sitting completely upright, which I did not like. Also, as a gay man, the paint job was something to be desired.

Giant FCR3
Price: $495 (The Bike Rack)
Description: Not bad, overall middle of the line. This one did not shift as well as the Jamis, and the geometry was somewhere in between the Fisher and Jamis, but still a little too erect. Tires were a little too much on the "road" side of the continuum. The weight was great on this, very easy to carry up the Metro escalators (or so I could tell).

Trek 7.3
Price: $480 (Revolution Cycles)
Description: Since Gary Fisher and Trek are owned by the same parent company, these two bikes were pretty similar. Good body position and components, for the money. The Fisher edged this one out because of the tires, I also did prefer the rugged powder black paint on the Fisher over the glossy blue of the Trek.

Marin Lucas Valley
Price: $799 (Big Wheel Bikes)
Description: Nice bike, just too much money. The frame was an aluminum and carbon fiber composite, making it very light, but able to dampen shock. Shifting was smooth and the geometry was great. Shame it wasn't $200 less. But that's the trade-off between money and performance.

Become Wrath, Become Vengeance!

I've discussed my bike on several occasions (such as here and here). I depend on it as a mode of transportation since I am a car'less urbanite here in DC. In one of my previous blogs I wondered how I would react if my bike was stolen--since it almost happened 3 weeks ago. Sunday afternoon I went to my gym and locked my bike up outside of the WSC on Connecticut Ave. This is an exceptionally well populated area because of the Hilton next door. And the bike racks are blocked from the street by a line of cars, so I usually felt pretty secure there. You can see where I'm going with this. I decided to work my ass off at the gym, staying twice as long as usual. I emerged from the dungeon-like atmosphere at WSC to find three bike racks completely empty--including the one me bike was attached to. No signs, no cut locks, just empty racks. Some S.O.B. had a banner day.

I told GCC the other week when we were discussing this issue that I would probably cry if my bike was stolen. Surprisingly, I didn't. I think our conversation, which could be summed up as "having your bike stolen is inevitable, its bound to happen sooner or later", prepared me for this moment. It took 5 seconds to register what happened, then I started walking home--as it started to rain. Luckily I caught some cops at the Starbucks and filed a report--very fortuitous, since it meant not having to wait hours to do it after calling the PD. I doubt I would've filed a report otherwise. So the only remaining question is whether I file an insurance claim against it.

I'm now left wondering how I will react if/when I see my bike being ridden by some illegal Mexican in Adams Morgan. It was very distinctive--a model not sold in DC, smaller frame than average, along with some modifications. I picture a couple scenarios, and having the official police report increases my options

1. See the person riding it, knock them off it, and make off with my bike


2. Try to follow the person while calling the PD


3. See it locked up at a somewhere and A. disable it by removing/slashing the tires, then call the PD or B. Placing my own lock on the bike

Notice that none of these choices include being passive, peaceful, or non-revengeful. That's not an Aries trait, thus its not who I am. One of my friends left a comment on my Friendster profile, which is true...

--Despite my utter shock at learning I get on his nerves sometimes, I think [he] is an amazingly strong person with a personality that keeps you doubled over, begging for more. ...[He] exudes a simplicity of being that only comes from someone who is comfortable in their own skin. Be careful, though. Cross him, and you're likely to wind up maimed, lying in a ditch twitching uncontrollably somewhere on a two-lane road in South Georgia.

Take note, you god-damned useless life forms that roam the streets of Adams Morgan, I will exact my revenge, and it will be on my own time, when you least expect it!! Hopefully your family might recognize some party of your remains when they're shipped back to Mexico!

I Was Violated Yesterday!

I am not a materialistic person. However, I do become attached to those objects that are intimately tied to my life. Since I moved to DC and got rid of my car (most people's primary object of affection), my bike has become integral in my daily activities. However, that relationship was almost severed yesterday.

I am always extremely cautious with my bike, I lock up both wheels whenever its outside my apartment, as well as remove the seat. I've learned over the last year and a half that DC will take whatever it can get. When in Dupont, I often lock my bike up in my friend's garage at his cafe on 17th St. Though oddly, I always feel more nervous about doing this than just locking it to a street pole. My anxiety was proved right. Apparently, someone broke into the garage yesterday and was able to cut the locks on mine and another person's bikes in the garage. Luckily the fact that I removed the seat from mine made it difficult to get away, and an employee spotted and stopped them before my bike disappeared. My friend wasn't so lucky, his was stolen.

So last night I picked it up from the cafe. I hopped on, and it felt odd. Nothing was wrong with it, just didn't ride the same. I attribute this feeling to the fact that the relationship with my bike had been violated--much like the husband who cannot have sex with his wife after she is raped. Its an intangible feeling. But it still exists. Oh well, I'll get over it. Maybe we need to take a retreat and reconnect--spend some quality time together. Of course, that's after I buy a shiny new headlight and lock.

No, I really am an environmentalist!

I don't think I need to qualify myself as an avid environmentalist. Hell, I've held three job titles that included the word "environmental"...and no, I wasn't a janitor. I gave up my car for an urban lifestyle; bike, walk, or Metro everywhere in DC; turn of my lights and other hippie-like behaviors. But I gotta disagree with today's Washington Post Express article about biking to work. Their arguments for the switch to the bike were pretty weak--obviously the writer drives to NE DC every morning. This column coincided with the news that DC is #5 on the list of worst cities for road rage--something that doesn't mix well with bikers. And we all know that cabbies and bikers mix like Sunni and Shia. The biggest problem with the article is that they focused on long haul commutes of over 10miles--even I wouldn't bike that. They should've found DC residents that do the relatively common 1-2 mile commute--a relatively easy and incredibly fast bike commute, where an extra set of clothes isn't necessary, nor does it take an hour. Do you really think that most people are going to stick with an hour bike ride from NOVA to NW DC? The rest of my points will be bulleted to save ranting room:

• DC is a hilly town
• Most people aren't going to save oodles money...they won't get rid of their cars entirely, and a good bike (something with gears that piss you off after a week of wondering why the front derailleur wont work right) will set you back a good $800. Plus at least $100 a year in maintenance.
• The idea of "joining a local gym" for a place to shower after the bike just adds to the above argument. Tack on $75 a month for that one--DC gyms are a fuckin ripoff.
• I need more coffee: end rant

With that said, in a utopian world, we'd all bike or Metro to work. Actually, we'd have briefcase space cars like in the Jetsons--its 2007, where the hell are they?