Update: Listens and Reads

The best books and music of 2010 (at least for me)...
Listening to:
1. Geof Bradfield - African Flowers (Origin 2010)
2. William Parker/Inside Songs Of Curtis Mayfield - I Plan To Stay A Believer (AUM, 2010) 
also: WIlliam Parker - inside Songs Of Curtis Mayfield (Rai Trade, 2007)
3. Dan Weiss - Timshel (Sunnyside, 2010)
4. Jon Irabagon - Foxy (Hot Cup, 2010)
5. Alex Sipiagin - Generations (Criss Cross, 2010)
6. Atomic  - Theater Tilters (Jazzland, 2010)
7. Ralph Alessi - Cognitive Dissonance (Cam Jazz, 2010)
8. Jason Moran - Ten (Blue Note)
9. Lisa Mezzacappa/Bait & Switch - What Is Known (Clean Feed, 2010)
10. Tomas Fuliwara & The Hookup - Actionspeak (482 music, 2010)
11 Fats Waller - The Last Years 1940-1943 (Bluebird, 1989)
12. Nels Cline Singers - Initiate (Cryptogramophone, 2010)
Readings:
1. War - Sabastian Junger

2. The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest - Stieg Larsson

3. The Jazz Ear - Ben Ratliff

4. The Forsaken - Tim Tzouliadis

5. Thelonious Monk - Robin Kelley

6. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter - Seth Grahame-Smith

7. Let The Great World Spin - Colum McCann

8. Sunnyside - Glen David Gold

9. Await You Reply - Dan Choan

10. Invisible - Paul Auster

Don't you hate it when life intrudes on your race weekend?

My last race of the year, ALEXANDRIA and I hadn't even considered it all week because of work. Night before, I dragged myself home from a hell week. Well, there's racing tomorrow. But my mind was elsewhere, as was most of my TEAM. Vacations, kids back college, the honeydew lists, sloth, slowness, and the consumption of buttered rolls kept our team to just three. Well, Chairman Fred and myself, plus THE IP, that's "The International Playboy" Ted Pablo - who is not even on our team until next year...extra points for THE IP

Back to the race: At the start NO TED. Here he comes, 2 hour drive from Cleveland and he arrives AFTER the scheduled start. Boys boys, please let this man dress and line up proper. Thank you

First lap, and if you've raced the Welsh Hills you know there is a screaming downhill into a mean left turn. Fred and I previewed it in warm up. THE IP didn't. We also saw that there was plenty of gravel in the downhill roadway....none of which IP saw. I tried to tell him about the downhill as we neared...but

My next task was to convince the leaders to sit up and wait for the guy who drove 2 hours only to crash on the first lap. They agreed, Fred dropped back to pace him back into the race, as I chatted about how the Tour de France would have been different if Alberto had only waited for Andy...la-dee-da.

The race progressed and I kept thinking about work. Damn, I have to remember to copy this file and transcribe that conversation. Halfway through the race and I sat up. Just sat up and pulled over. Who was I kidding, my heart wasn't in it.

...and the season ends with a whimper.

You are so beautiful you should be guarded by monkeys

I am accepting submissions/nominations for the year end Beehive Books/ Breakaway/ A World of Pain cycling awards 2010. Email them directly to me: corroto@earthlink.net or write them on a $20 bill, tie the bank note to a rock and toss into my backyard.

2010 Canadian-American Games

I participated in the Canadian-American Police-Fire games this past week and it was very cool, but let me tell you it is kind of odd racing without any teammates. Here's the short story:

Thursday night was the crit in Dublin, Same course I broke my shoulder five years ago. Gulp....We had 17 in my Master's race. Majority team there was Chicago Firemen and some guys that never raced crits. So, I did what Chairman Fred would do, sprinted from the gun and led most of the race. I felt pretty good, breaking some legs on that short steep uphill. After 1 lap to go was called I jumped right after turn two, hit turn three with a gap and no one followed me up the last climb, there was to be no sprint for 1st. Gold for Pantani. Podium questions were about exorcising the Ghost of the collarbone. 

Friday Night was street sprints. The course was 500 meters long (built with Farmer John in mind) with competitors required to maintain lanes for 250. Kind of strange racing, because 500 meters is too far to sprint and breaking from lanes at 250 doesn’t allow for drafting, so it was pure power then almost coasting to the line. It is however a great spectator sport, with guys cranking like madmen for less than a minute. I finished third, and of all the events, this hurt my legs the most. I’m guessing I have to work on my above-threshold riding.

Saturday was a road race in Zanesfield, where we have raced before, except the course hit a steep and long climb a half mile from the start. I think we had 20 racers today, and all but 6 were blown out on the first climb. Round we go and I get pipped at the line by the Ramon Colon, a cop from Wash. DC who beat me in every heat Friday night in the sprints. 

So I finished with Gold, Silver, and Bronze, and had a great time. 

Abbey Scores a Lake Hope Podium

Hey, even the women on A World of Pain cycling can kick your ass. Yeah, I'm talking to you Mr. Couch Potato-head. Abbey Trimble podiums in her very first race! She's out training while you are surfing the internet. Shame.

Garrett Wonders Weekend

Friday and Saturday included racing in the 7th annual Garrett Wonders race, this year expanded from the downtown Westerville crit to an Ohio Statehouse four corner with a cobbled climb. Yes sir, the Pain-meisters in attendance included Cadillac George, Dave “I Am Curious Yellow” Chambers,” and Marco Pantani for the masters race (along with some Cat. 1 who had once rode the Olympic trials), Farmer John in the 3/4, and Dan ”man o’ God,” and Brian O! Finishing his career as a Cat. 5. 

Where were you? Just fill in the blank, “I did not have________________, today”

Here’s the poop, short and sweet, They do a fantastic job with these events. Volunteers and more volunteers, closed well swept roads, and enthusiastic fans. Always a pleasure to race in those conditions. 

The masters race Saturday in Westerville was all about chasing the Olympian (no one could) then holding on for some prize money. I did both and 7th place finish. Cha-ching No. 1. 

Sunday’s race could turn into a future classic course with a trip up Town Street that is paved, European-style, with those small mis-shapened cobbles. Without an appearance by Mr. Olympian, da Godfather and I had to just follow the moves of Chris Grisvard and Uncle Fester. 

But sometimes you follow the wrong wheel. Neither of those two won, it was this guy from Stark Velo that I chased up the climb every lap (well, a couple times he followed me), rattling several tooth filings loose. 

This was to be a 5th place finish and another check for both Conti and me. Cha-ching No. 2. Hey, I love racing for free.

You ask Farmer John about his yearly big race crash, no way I'm putting myself in that imbroglio. Also ask Brian O! about his tough as nails cobbles race, kinda like a little Fabian Cancellara.

And a big thank you to all the World O' Pain fans that turned out this weekend

Congratulations to Team Type 1 RAAM Winner Tom Kingery

Did you know that three time champion of the Race Across America, Tom Kingery is one of us? Pictured here (standing just to the right of Chairman Fred - who never makes eye contact with another champion) is the Ironman triathlete/type 1 diabetic and a 3 time winner of RAAM. Yep, three time champion. Who knew? Maybe the jersey gave it way, that and his ability to pull a pack of riders at 28mph for nearly an hour might have been a hint.

Last night was his first night back training with his fellow World of Pain riders after his five day, ten hour and 48 minute odyssey over the 3,005-mile course that runs from Calififornia to Maryland. read about it here.

 http://www.teamtype1.org/news_stories/show/74>

Welcome back Tom, now can you slow down a bit?

Support Your Favorite Team...and drink, drink, drink.

Summer cycling heat getting you down? You just finished a tuesday night hammerfest and, well you just didn't get enough World of Pain? You're in luck, because now you can enjoy your favorite beverage in a 16oz American made pint glass and support your favorite cycling team in the process.

Available at Beehive Books, 25 N Sandusky Street, Delaware, OH 43015

the cost is just $6.50 per pint or a set of 4 for $25. 

Your favorite beer included (check your refrigerator, I'm sure there's a cold one in there somewhere)

We Are The Champions, My Friends

A great day for your heroes on A World of Pain Cycling Team (not "a WOP," as Conti registered his race). Today was the Ohio State Criterium Championships. We delivered 4 racers to the start. Chairmen Fred, Cadillac George, Farmer John, and myself.

While my race was truly forgettable. All three of my teammates made the podium. John Price is the Cat. 4 champion, winning a Tissot watch and lots of cash. Fred Parks and George Conti Finish 1 and 2 respectively in the Masters 55-59 category.

Way to go boys...indeed, that was PAINLESS....

Tour of The Valley

As race reports go, this one will be brief. Not that there wasn’t quite a lot to tell you about the three day of racing in Youngstown, Ohio, it’s just that the results were slim.

This race is just in its second year and it has the potential to be a great race. The event is run quite well and has many happy/helpful volunteers. Question: why volunteer for our local Columbus races and then act like a wanker? Only criticism was the high (higher than normal) entry fees. 

The Godfather and I signed up for the omnium (forget spell checker, it means all three races). Friday night was to be a 9 mile time trial. We drove all day through pouring rains, never thinking to bring a turbo trainer to warm up on. Needless to say, I wasn’t about to warm up in a downpour, so I raced ‘old school’ flicked my cigarette out and whispered “avanti” as a heard the countdown , “5, 4, 3, 2, 1…” Conti went old school too, Laurant Fignon- style, traditional bike, while others sported Greg Lemond-inspired solid disc wheels, aero helmets, and real TT bikes. Conti flats right outta the start house (lucky bastard) and I have to endure 26 minutes of rain, and emolument-cover aero-racers passing me. 

Saturday was a 33 mile road race, we were joined by Dave "Marilyn" Chambers and Dan Rhule(s)! When we line up the skies had cleared BUT the turnout was quite low. Where was everyone? We soon learned that participants from year 1 opted out of what might have been the toughest course of the 2010 road schedule. There was a 2 mile climb at 10-12% that destroyed the field, even half the cat. 1 / 2 field dropped out. (note to self: skip RR next year)

Sunday was criterium in downtown, it was flat, fast (we avg. 25.5 mph) and fun. I figured, I finished 15th about 40 yards behind the winner.