Seriousness

When I planned out my race season back in December I also planned to take it seriously. That meant training on a regular basis and intaking the correct nutrition as well. So far into 2011, I am sub-par at best. As of now I think it is 11 weeks till HC 100 and I am still 7.5 kilos overweight, and have yet to demonstrate self control when it comes to eating. I used to be very good, but now I am horrible. What's worse is I am not setting a good example for my future students. As a PE teacher I must live the lifestyle I am passionate about. Not to just talk about it, and make a hopeless attempt at living it.

Matt Fitzgerald who writes RACE WEIGHT talks about how if something is documented than it can be managed. Maybe that's what I need to do.

Shit!

It's been a long time since I have posted up, and the cause is stereotypical of not enough time in the day.

Well since my last posts I have done three races. Norman, Ok XC, San Ysidro Dirty Century, and Dawn to Dusk. Long story short, all three had their ups and downs and I learned a lot. For example, I learned how I am beginning to ride better and better, but am still lacking that final push to prevail me toward my goal of beginning a top level xxc racer.

Goals to work on.

1. Better time usage for school, work, and riding.

2. Quit being a fat ass and gain self-control over food.

3. Quit being paranoid about my bike.

To expand on topic 3, after I returned from Gallup my bike just began to feel funny. Funny as in something felt wrong or flexy. Well I have not been riding good since than. Honestly, I have lost some of the form I had achieved for Gallup, and with 12 hours in the Wild West about 2 1/2 weeks away, I need to get on the horse to be prepared.

Luckily school will be done in 5 days.

Back pain and pizza

today was supposed to be a self-emposed can-o-whoop-ass but turned into a cry fest for my aching back!

I think I know the culperate, and that would be my 120mm stem that needs to be reduced to 100mm . It may also be the negative 6 degree angle that needs to be made into a zero degree angle. Could never bring myself to have positive rise.

also probably need to do some more stretching.

Good news, we had pizza in class tonight. Let my little fat kid in me out with 4 slices of cheap ass pizza.

Really need to figure out this back problem because races start in a month with first big challenge being Dawn till Dusk in little less than 2 months.

Time to get back to class.

What-a-shit.

Well right now my brain is almost fried because of all my writing for Grad school. It's bad because all I want to do is the minimum work and get out. I need a swift kick in the butt.

I'll be honest with y'all. Whenever I needed motivation for school, I would go to What-a-shit and do homework there. Reason being, I would look back and imagine myself flipping burgers and I don't want to flip burgers. Wrong....yes....effective...always.

Trying times

Been awhile since I stepped on my virtual soap box, but there have been some issues to deal with first.

Mainly right now I have sick grandma who has been in the hospital for about the past week and things are bleak right now. However, things do look to be turning around and maybe she could get out of here within the next week or so.

So what has been up with me?

Well currently I am at a cross roads because I have been accepted to ride for Team CF. Though when I saw the jersey for the first time a lead weight sank in my stomach. Not because of the design, but for the amount of times the Big Red S is presented. A total of 10 time for jersey and bibs!

WTF!

For those that don't know, I loathe the Big Red S because their bikes are not better than Jamis', Scott's, or Siren's. All they do is spend a shit ton of money on marketing and let the little guys innovate for them. Although that is good business strategy, it still is a douche move in my opinion.

And that brings me to the cross road of selling my soul to ride for a cause I believe in. I believe in riding for a cure for CF, because my brothers have it. I do not believe in show casing a company I do not believe in. All of this makes me think that I will not sign, and continue with the privateer gig. I mean it's not like they were going to pay for anything, I just get to buy a jersey for cheaper price.

If you hadn't heard the weather in Lubbock has been the shit (bad kind) for the past two weeks, and has meant for little riding time. But, the weather looks to be turning around now and should lead to much more riding as long as the school work gets done first.

So how is school?

Well I learned that Hell is just a giant data entry for a meta-analysis, and I don't want to go there! The department still cant make up their mind about whether to allow graduate students to produce research projects instead of thesis works. Funny because it's a ton less work, and it helps professors get published more. Though when has TTU ever done something smart?

Well I don't plan on leaving people in the dark for more than 2 or 3 days, but sometimes it happens.

Rubber side down till next time.

Sunday

Good morning people. It is Sunday Jan, 30th and that means one thing and one thing only. World Cyclocross champs were today, and the winner is not Sven Nys. DAMNIT!! Though kudos go to Znendek Stybar for his great ride today.

Well we have our own little cx race today, and I know at the end or halfway through I am going to be in severe pain. This pain could easily be taken care of by training, but who wants to do that. Ohh I do!

However, because That other bike shop incorporated will not hire people, I have been pressured into being at work when I shouldn't be. I keep telling them no more, but still with no one there to help out I feel obligated to do so. Stupid emotional connections....which has led me to the conclusion I must leave the bike shop world and reintegrate with the rest of society. However this won't be until July at the earliest.

Well today starts the 3 week race period. I need to start getting some form.

Why Primal? Why Off-road push bike?

When I first started this little website/blog/soapbox to world I knew one of the first questions asked would be about the name.

So WTF is The Primal Cyclist.

Simple, it is about a system of beliefs and lifestyle choices that enable one to obtain the greatest possible level of fitness for themselves. Being primal does not mean rolling in the dirt and eating small game, however that can be fun at times. Especially rolling the dirt. Being primal is about regaining a sense of how your body reacts to movement, nutrition, sleep, and other variables that can affect motor performance.

I'll list you some of my favorite resources if you want any more info.

www.marksdailyapple.com

www.caldwellpe.com

www.chekinstitute.com

www.dunamisfitness.com

These resources help to provide me with the best available knowledge to achieve optimal efficiency.

The second question question people would ask is why cycling; more specifically, why mountain biking?

Truth is I owe my life to the bike. When I first re-started riding bikes about four years ago, I was not the best state of mind. Mostly minor bouts of depression, but it was still enough to cause me to feel negative about myself. Well to simply put it, I bought a mountain bike to ride some trails for fun. I rode and I crashed. Many times (12 over the handlebars). After awhile I started to race the mountain bike, and I became addicted to that as well. I also started to see my depression start to get better. So that's one of the many reasons I love the off-road push bike.

Lazy (busy ass) Sunday

Sitting here at my local market with my notebook, I came with the intention of cranking out a bit of work. Well that happened. Score is Cheese 1 and Laziness 0!

Todays work was just more grad school nonsense, and includes finding references that support the reason for decline of physical fitness teachings post WWII and through the 1990's. Also cranking out explicit description on the procedures for my project, which literally is a step-by-step direction as to how to do something. Sometimes I wish researchers could just go with the flow, but that won't happen anytime soon.

Oh well it's just another "thank you sir, may I have another!"

The original plan was to make the drive to my mountain biking mecca (Palo Duro Canyon), but plans changed at 1 am when I decided to start reading my 44 page research article! Thanks Doctor Dave for that shit. Well I could only read about 10 pages and called it a night. So instead of PD, I get to head out for a rumble in the MLK jungle.

The saddest reality, after all the hard work Grizzle and I put into that trail system, nobody will help take responsibility for it. It will just be the same routine during the summer when the "fair weather" rider comes into the shop and asks, "Can you believe the city doesn't take care of the trail?"

If I could bitch slap every person who said that, people would confuse me for PIMP.

Just might as well get some training in for the 2011 season while the trail is still some what ride able. At least I have some good training starting for the next three weeks with two cross races and a mountain bike race.

Wonder what Mushu is doing now?

Friday

Well the life of grad student is about to begin taking over. Met with my professor today, and we talked about my research project/thesis. The talk went like this...

Prof. "Well I finally was able to start making corrections."

Me: "Cool! (In my head: "Well you said you'd start doing that in December!!!! Fuck!!)

Prof: "You do have a lot we need to correct, and you need to make sure your references are spot on."

Me: Sure thing. (Damn it)

Prof: "Luckily, time is on our side."

Me: "Yeah it is for now." (Would have more time had you done this shit in December!!!)

After that little meeting I realized that my effort in writing is definitely not associated with my ability.

School shit aside, I guess the 2011 season is in its infancy. Last weeks cross race showed me that my body is not in tip top shape (No shit!!). After leading four laps the back decided to shut down, rendering me the ability to pedal a push bike. Looks like I will need to put some training in for the next cross race which is Jan. 30th in the LBK. May also partake in another one the next weekend in Amarillo, which will signal the end of cross season for me.

Once cross is over the JOURNEY OF AWESOMENESS will begin at Sanger, Texas for the Frozen Four at Isle de Bois.

I'll post up the revised schedule next time.

Until than, ride it like you stole it.

Things to do

Sitting in my office (giant ass PE gym) and instead of doing school work; I am busy pondering things to do.

1. Get over sickness (doesn't make life easier)

2. Clean apt...WTF mate!

3. Get ass in gear!!!

4. Get over sickness so I can start better training practices for 2011 season.

Well my Go-Pro camera showed up at DFC, but after 4 weeks that money set aside was burning a hole in my pocket. So i spent it. Sorry :(

Also want to learn how to post pictures, because that would be cool beans.

Sickness and Class

Today is the first day of motor leanring, and already have a 7 page article to read prior to 6pm. Maybe Sir Dave won't keep us the entire time (3hrs).

And not to mention the wretched sickness I have developed over the past week. I bet it would make a killer bike race if was one. I'd call it Congestion-Drainage-Congestion.

Deuces.

Thesis talk

Trying to kill some time before today's cross practice at 2pm; really should be doing something school related. I guess talking about it will have to do.

My thesis/research project revolves around the Health-Related physical fitness model, which basically provides a frame work for PE teachers to design lessons to educate students on physical fitness. However, the major problem is there are no specific curricula, and this causes teachers with little or no training to design their own.

Here in Texas, those teachers just choose to do nothing and have their students walk around and play team sport tournaments. And, my project centers on developing a specific curriculum that follows the HRPF model that teachers can use to help prime students for their fitness testing.

The focus of the curricula follows primal pattern movements (Chek, 2000), and laws of primal fitness (Sisson, 2009). From both of these sources, a theory was developed that students could significantly improve quality of life and fitness through these principles.

As of now, I am still in the design process. Come fall 2011, it will be time to implement and collect the data. I hope it works!

For more info on primal pattern movements and laws check www.chekinstitute.com and www.marksdailyapple.com

2011 Season

School is in session and before it gets to hectic I need to post up the so called "season".

Sadly, this is one of the things that force a facial cringe, because it sounds official.

2-27: Saskatchewan Enduro

3-26: San Ysidro Dirty Century (91 mile)

5-21: Cochitti 100

6-4/5: 24 hours in the Canyon

7-16: Breck 68

7-23: H.C. 100 (A race)

8-27: Dbl Boundary (Taos)

10-15: Zuni 100

11-26: PDC Marathon

Seems to be pretty XXC heavy with three hundies. Also pretty heavy in the number of races, previous high was 4 in one year.

Picking up

After setting this up, and taking a year off; I find my self back to picking up.

Earlier, I mentioned my desire to be a professional mountain biker. In reality that dream may never happen; I mean to the extent of being paid to ride my bike in cool places around the world. Here in the U.S. of A. that simply is not the desire for most people, or for businesses to spread the word of their product. It should be...because cycling offers people much more than football or baseball ever can.

For example, the opportunity to regain control from our dependence on oil, cars, and other consumptions. By reading this I am either passionate about cycling... or a fanatic against oil and cars.

I won't lie, I bought a Subaru less than a month ago and I LOVE it! Much better than my wretched Chevy Tahoe.

Any how, picking up where I last left off on being a pro cyclist. It is the ultimate dream job. So I am again planning my season to start this journey. However, it will be a test against my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strength. Mainly, because I have to deal with school and work.

My job entails being a college graduate student and TA. Being a TA is easy, it's being the grad student that bites at times, because on days I want to go ride; I find myself sitting and reading. However, once done the sacrifices will be worth it, and will help me to become a better man in the future.

My season revolves around the High Cascade 100. It is a 100 mile mountain bike race; yeah 100 miles. While that may seem far; to me it is just a number. I'll get more into detail about prep and the usual later. Earlier, I said that becoming pro would be wicked sick, but in all reality that means very little. What this journey is meant to do, is to help me figure out the balance between forces of nature and forces of nurture.

Through out the time, I will talk about the everyday ramblings that it takes to survive grad school, and attempt to live a dream.