Cycling Thru Life

Long Beach 2011 Half Marathon

2011-10-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

I (mostly) ran the Long Beach Half Marathon last Sunday, October 9, 2011. The course is very scenic, as it starts downtown and hugs the Pacific Ocean throughout. The run starts by the convention center and Shoreline Village, crosses the Queensway Bridge to the Harbor Plaza and back, and then continues along the bike and pedestrian path that runs from the Long Beach Marina to the Peninsula. You then make your way to Ocean Blvd and finish back on Shoreline Drive. There were an estimated 25,000 runners / walkers and cyclists that participated in either the 5k, 1/2 or full marathon and bike ride.

It was my second time doing it and I must say, it was not the terrible experience that I anticipated. I am not a natural runner so I find it hard to train for these events. I'm obviously training to finish, not to "win" or place in any certain spot. However, I did find the training to be enjoyable, as I spent a lot of time running along the beach with my family. I was a bit more diligent about preparing for this run so I had a goal in mind. I wanted to finish under 2 1/2 hours (I know - slooooow).

My wife and I woke up a bit late, so we rushed to downtown and made it to the starting line a few minutes after the first wave of runners had already begun. Long Beach uses a wave system based on projected times. We should have run with wave 4 or 5, but we were already hot from running from the parking structure to the start line so we jumped in with wave 2.

My run started well enough, as mile 1 came surprisingly fast. We weaved along the course and before I knew it, mile 5 had come. I felt great! I looked at my stopwatch and was right on schedule. No problem... so I thought.

Miles 5 – 9 were uneventful. However, I began to have problems at mile 10. My right calf started to cramp so I had to walk a bit. I looked at my stopwatch and I was actually ahead of schedule, so I took it easy, alternating between a fast walk and slow jogging. I looked at my stop watch at mile 11 and it read 2:08. I was now behind schedule, but I had 22 minutes to finish within my goal. I can run a sub 8-minute mile when I push it, so I still had a glimmer of hope. I picked up the pace and had to stop immediately; now my left calf cramped up. I limped along and tried to stretch out. I walked for a few minutes and tried to go again to no avail. Both calves were gone.

At this point I knew I was not going to make the 2:30 goal I had in mind. I tried to run one more time but could not, so I called it a day and walked the rest of the way. I ended up with a time of 2:51. I was very disappointed and frustrated because I was not sore at all, had no pain anywhere and was not winded a bit. Walking felt fine; running led to an immediate protest from my calves.

I'm now eying the Los Angeles 1/2 Marathon in January, 2012. Again, I will aim to finish under 2:30 and this time, I am confident that I will finish strong. I now know what to do :)

Overdue Update: Kettlebells, Olympic Weightlifting, Paleo

2010-11-17T07:13:00.000-08:00

It's been over a year since I last wrote an entry here! Wow, time sure flies by fast. The daily grind and kids will do that to you, I guess.

A lot has changed. First, I am much healthier! To this point, I have lost over 65 lbs and am very near my goal weight. My fitness level is much improved and my strength is way up. I haven't ridden my bike much, but I've been mainly working with kettlebells and starting to work some powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting into my program. I'll write more about those later, but to be certain, kettlebells have made the difference in my training.

The 2nd major change is my diet. I've learned to not see my diet as something that you do on and off to reach a goal. A good diet is something you do for the rest of your life!

Diet: The usual food and drink consumed by an organism (person or animal).

I'm eating cleaner food by trying to follow the Paleo Diet principles of eating meats, tons of veggies and avoiding processed foods and grains. I say that I am trying because I am not as strict as I could be. I still consume dairy and give in to the occasional burger or pasta plate. But those meals are now a rarity, where as before they were staples.

I'll try to check in more often, but until then, keep training and learning!

ISM Adamo Typhoon and Price Drops!

2009-03-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

I really like my ISM Adamo Road Saddle. I just started riding again after a bit of a layoff to prepare for the upcoming Tour de Cure here in Los Angeles and I must say, I did not experience the discomfort that I had the first time I used the Adamo. Perhaps I knew what to expect now, but after only a few rides, I feel like I have already adapted to it.

It's been raining lately here in Los Angeles. I have a nice spinning bike that I use but it has a regular saddle with a nose. I was thinking of replacing it with an ISM when I ran into this, the ISM Adamo Typhoon:

Extra padding and gel; I like it already! The MSRP is $139.95, which is lower than the Adamo Road saddle that's on my bike. However, Amazon.com has it for only $77.50. That is a great deal!

I am going to buy this and stick it on my spinning bike. I experience the same discomfort and numbness when I'm on the stationary as when I was on my road bike, so I think this will be a welcomed change.

For $77.50, I don't think you can go wrong. Buy it here:

http://www.amazon.com/ISM-Adamo-Typhoon/dp/B001F6Y52C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=generic&qid=1236267381&sr=1-1

The Adamo Road, which I own and highly recommend, is also significantly lower in price now, available for $93.00. Get it here:

http://www.amazon.com/ISM-Adamo-Road-saddle-dark/dp/B001GSQVXK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=generic&qid=1236266649&sr=1-4

Keep riding!

-------- __o
----- _`\<,_
---- (*)/ (*)

Tour of California!

2009-02-14T21:01:00.001-08:00

I enjoyed watching the Tour of California today. I was especially glad to see Floyd Landis riding again. I know all the hype is around Lance Armstrong and team Astana, but I really think Floyd got a raw deal. Perhaps he doped, maybe he didn't, but he proved that the samples were tainted and protocol was not followed. Why should he or other cyclists have their career destroyed by people who themselves can't be held to high standards? It doesn't make sense.

Here are some of the notable results:

1. Fabian Cancellara - Team Saxo Bank - 00:04:32.91
2. Levi Leipheimer - Astana - 00:04:34.11
3. David Zabriskie - Garmin-Slipstream - 00:04:35.56
6. George Hincapie - Team Columbia-High Road - 00:04:36.25
10. Lance Armstrong - Astana in 00:04:37.17
90. Floyd Landis - Ouch Presented By Maxxis - 00:04:53.26

So enjoy the Tour of California and welcome back Floyd!

Windows 7 or KDE (GNU/Linux)

2009-02-06T09:09:00.001-08:00

Great little video showing... I'm not sure what:

Bicycle your way to fitness

2009-01-14T06:48:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles Times has a 4 part series of articles about getting the new year off to a healthy start. The series is titled "Getting Good" and the first 2 articles deal with running and cycling:

A running program that fits your stride

Bicycle your way to fitness

Although meant for beginners, there are some good tips. Here are some excerpts of what I thought were good ideas:

Establish a routine - make time and try to stick to a schedule.
Get the right equipment - good fitting shoes, get your bike fitted properly.
Eat more meals at home than at restaurants.
Incorporate sprints.
Cross-train - to relieve your body of the aches and pains of running or cycling only. Mix it up!
Be realistic about your goals.

The other 2 articles will deal with swimming and strength-training. Check them out at the L.A. Times Health section.

Frank Zane's 9-to-5 workout from Iron Man

2009-01-06T23:34:00.000-08:00

Iron Man magazine has a new workout sequence that I'm going to follow for a while:

Week 1

Monday: Push

Tuesday and Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: Legs

Friday and Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Pull

Week 2

Monday and Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: Push

Thursday: Legs

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Pull

Sunday: Rest

Week 3

Repeat week 1

Push workouts consist of working chest, shoulders, and triceps. Pull workouts consist of working back and biceps. I'll throw in abs here and there. As you'll notice, you never workout on a Tuesday or a Friday.

I'll vary the exercises and see how this works. The only problem I see is the back to back workouts on week two. I always like a day between workouts, but I'll take the two days off in a row offered by this routine. We'll see how this works.

Los Angeles to D.C. for Obama's Inaguration

2008-12-17T17:58:00.000-08:00

The L.A. Times has a great story about a cyclist riding from L.A. to D.C. to see Barack Obama's inauguration in Washington on January 20, 2009. He's doing it solo, averaging about 120 miles per day. As of the articles publication, Ryan Bowen is in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Check out the article in the Los Angeles Times:

Headed to the inauguration on two wheels, a hope and a prayer

and Ryan's web page

Biking for Obama.

Tour de Cure Long Beach to L.A. – New Route

2008-12-10T21:43:00.000-08:00

I participated in the last two Tour de Cure events, but the new route this year has me excited. The route will start at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, go to San Pedro and up to Palos Verdes and back. The gradient on this ride is going to be a challenge. There are five distances available, starting from 5 miles all the way to 60. The 60-mile ride sounds like a lot of fun:

The 60 Mile Palos Verdes Challenge – Be among the first cyclists to ride across the Gerald Desmond and Vincent Thomas Bridges, over the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, to Ports O’ Call at San Pedro and then loop around the picturesque Palos Verdes Peninsula with its stunning views and soaring climbs and descents.

The rides are well supported and there are plenty of experienced cyclists willing to help pace or just keep you company. The event is for a worthy cause, fighting diabetes. The ride takes place May 31, 2009. I’ll be at the starting line. See you there!

To sign-up ($15 early registration fee), volunteer or just learn more, check out the Tour de Cure website:

Tour de Cure Long Beach

Custom Bikes

2008-12-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

So what type of bike do you ride? Does your bike HAVE to be a Trek, Specialized or Giant? What does your choice of bike say about you?

Today's L.A. Times has a good article about custom shops. The article is entitled, "Bicycle builders are on a roll." The advantage of these bikes is that they are built to order. Most shops will request the rider's measurements or, if the buyer lives near by, will fit the rider at the shop. The result is a bike that fits the way it's supposed to.

These bikes are not cheap, ranging from $2,300 to more than $4,000. Here is the website in the L.A. Times article: http://www.townsendcyclesltd.com/

Here's one that I'm looking at: http://www.leopardcycles.com/

Check them out!

Warrior Diet by Ori Hofmekler

2008-12-02T20:47:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon "The Warrior Diet" book by Ori Hofmekler while reading Iron Man magazine. The basic principle is this: undereat during the day and overeat at night. There is a lot more to it than that, but the diet promises to 'restore' bodies to the lean and mean fighting machines that the ancient warrior's possessed.

The book is a very interesting read. There is a lot of background information with a full description of the program. I'll post more as I finish reading the book and perhaps give the diet a shot.

LA Marathon Moving Dates?

2008-11-28T19:18:00.000-08:00

Bad idea! That seems to be the public consensus behind the new owner's of the L.A. Marathon's decision to push the marathon from March to May. This is the 2nd time the L.A. Marathon is moving in the last year. The first planned move to President's Day (February 16, 2009) fizzled because that day is a Monday and not many people have it off. So, the new owners decided to move the marathon to Memorial Day (Monday, May 25, 2009). Problem solved, right? Wrong!

As the message boards in a couple of LA Times articles (click here and here) show, people are not happy with this move. People are concerned about a couple of things, namely the hotter weather (a 10+ degree difference from March to May), the fact that not all people have Memorial Day off, and the increased traffic due to holiday travel plans. People liked the Sunday schedule. Here are a couple of snippets from some of the comments posted:

...ultimate in stupid decisions...
...it's already too hot to run the marathon in early March...
...L.A. lost football, I guess L.A. will now loose a marathon...

Reading the stories printed in the local newspapers show that it is not entirely the fault of the new owners. There are some city authorities who asked (demanded?) that the marathon be moved from it's Sunday home. The new owners, Frank McCourt who also owns the Dodgers, therefore tried to find a Monday that would work for everyone.

Regardless of who is to blame, moving the marathon farther up than it's previous March date is a bad, bad, bad idea! If L.A. officials will really not allow a marathon on a Sunday, how about shooting for a Saturday or even if needed, move to winter instead of spring. These may not be the best suggestions, but L.A. deserves a 'cool' marathon. Let's learn form the Chicago debacle and give L.A. a safe marathon.

LA Times Electoral Map

2008-10-28T17:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a cool little map provided by the LA Times. The LA Times projects that Barack Obama will handly defeat John McCain and win the presidency. Play around and create your own scenarios by clicking on the states:

Long Beach 1/2 Marathon

2008-10-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

At the urging of my wife, I ran my first 1/2 marathon earlier this month, the Long Beach 1/2 Marathon. I didn't train as well as I should have, but all things considered, it wasn't such a bad experience. It was fun running through downtown and seeing the crowds. For the first time, I was the one being cheered on.

My wife is an avid runner so a 1/2 is not much of a challenge for her; it was for me! I was able to keep a good steady pace until mile 10. At that point, things just sort of froze and I had to do a little walking here and there for the next few miles. My time wasn't bad for my first real run. As I said, I didn't train properly, as the longest training run I put in was a 10K, which is a little over 6 miles.

My wife is already eyeing the LA Marathon in February. Can I do it? I'm not sure I want to. Running 1/2 a marathon was fun, but after I was done, I could not imagine doing it all over again in order to complete a full marathon. With training, perhaps I would have enjoyed it more. Unfortunately, I'm down with a sever cold now so I haven't run in a over a week. I hope I don't loose much conditioning as that was hard work!

Instead of running a marathon, I'm thinking of doing a century. I'll see what comes up in '09!

Lance Coming Back!

2008-09-27T10:38:00.000-07:00

So Lance Armstrong is coming out of retirement... good or bad? I think it'll be a good thing. A few posts earlier I was lamenting how uninspiring the Tour was this year. Armstrong's presence will be sure to add a little kindle to the Tour. I'm looking forward to that.

Can Armstrong win? I'm not sure, but this will make things interesting. I do feel for Levi because he now looks to be Astana's 3rd choice, behind Armstrong and Contador. I like Levi, but at 35, he is no spring chicken. Then again, Armstrong is 37 so... lots of questions going into the Tour.

It was good to read that Armstrong will be riding in the Tour of California. Maybe I'll go see the finale, since they usually end somewhere close to my hometown, Los Angeles.

Noseless saddles and hills

2008-08-28T17:20:00.000-07:00

I received a comment regarding hills and noseless saddles. First, let me stat that I live in LA and I am not around many hills. Griffith Park, Pacific Palisades, Palos Verdes, Malibu, Los Angeles National Forest and the surrounding areas all have some nice descends, but I'm closer to the beach and so I mainly fide flats. Second, I am just a recreational rider so I do not engage in races or feel the need to descend like a bat out of hell. Safety, which is one reason I bought the Adamo, is always paramount when I ride.

That said, the few hills that I have ridden were not much of a problem.

One of the main criticisms of the Adamo saddle and other noseless saddles is that riders lack control when descending. As stated, I've gone down a few hills and there is a slight difference in the feel. However, I never felt out of control. You can also grip the top bar with your thighs to help you gain even more control if needed.

I do strongly recommend that you first ride with your noseless saddle on the flats for a while just to get used to the feel. It is different. It will be uncomfortable for a while. But you will adjust and you will be thankful. Once acclimated, you will not want to go back to conventional saddles.
If you buy / own a noseless saddle, be patient and continue to ride. As I stated in my review of the ISM Adamo road saddle, the feel is radically different and there will be discomfort and pain. My advice: work through it! It's an investment in your health.

So... does anyone still watch cycling on TV?

2008-08-26T17:01:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted. This year has brought a new job, new home and a child! I've been busy and trying to keep it all together. I think I'm doing OK.

I did manage to watch the Tour this year but I have to admit that I was not very excited about it. It seemed dull to me, even though the commentators kept trying to hype it by calling it the most open Tour in history. Yeah, open does not mean exciting. Add to that the Astana Cycling Team ban and I did not have a favorite rider. Levi Leipheimer and Alberto Contador, the 1st and 3rd place riders from last year's Tour, weren't even allowed in the race so that immediately blew a lot of steam from my anticipation.

So yeah, I watched... barely. I cheated and for the most part, watched the climbing stages and time trials. Did anyone else watch?

Soccer

2008-01-05T13:52:00.001-08:00

My family loves soccer. They watch the Mexican League and the American MLS. I live in LA and we don't have a football team, but we do have the LA Galaxy.

I remember liking and playing soccer as a young kid, but I also played baseball and soon football took over my sporting interests. The Showtime Lakers of the late 80's also were a big draw so soccer took a back seat.

I found myself following the last World Cup and a bit of nostalgia took over. I remembered how much I would enjoy watching with my dad and brothers. They all still follow soccer, but I was the only one who had no clue what was going on in either the Mexican League or MLS. So this year, I decided I'm going to watch soccer and attend a few Galaxy games. Here are my teams:

LA Galaxy and the Mexico City based U.N.A.M. Pumas will be my teams. I always liked the Pumas because I thought their uniforms were cool. That's also why I used to like the LA Raiders... I hate the Raiders now and rejoice every time they loose. Same for the Rams since they also bailed on my beloved Los Angeles.

The Pumas are the team from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, in Mexico City. I'll root for them since they do represent a University. I'm born and raised in Los Angeles so I always root for LA teams. That made choosing the Galaxy a shoe in.

There's also another reason why I'm taking an interest in soccer again and that is because I will soon be a father. I think soccer is a fun sport and promotes health. I remember playing and wanting to be a goalie because they don't run as much. However, when I played as a striker near the center of the field, I adjusted to all the running. 90 minutes would fly and I didn't remember how much I hated running, but how much I enjoyed playing.

So, soccer is back in my life.

The Mitchell Report On Steroids

2007-12-14T08:13:00.000-08:00

The George Mitchell report (find it on TheSmokingGun.com) implicated 86 pro baseball players. However, no team came out looking worse than my Los Angeles Dodgers!

My question is this: All that roid use and not a single World Series ring? What's the point then!!!?

I'm sort of kidding, but I've written enough about steroids. Succinctly, I don't care. We need to put sports in their proper perspective. Sure, there are million at stake, but I'm not invested monetarily or emotionally so no big deal to me. Spend the time and money investigating REAL crimes, not steroids.

In my opinion, steroids are harmful and kids should be informed. But adults know the dangers of roid use. If they want to trade away their health for a few more home runs and some cash, so be it. It's their choice.

Is it unfair? Of course! Those who choose to play clean end up being penalized. But so are those who are not genetically gifted, sick, etc... Life is not fair!

Here are some of my previous posts on steroids and performance enhancing drugs:

My Thoughts On Doping

Does The Tour de France Matter Anymore

Gracie On The Juice

Big Changes Ahead

2007-08-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

There's been a lag in my posting, but that's due to some recent changes in my life. I will be starting a new job in a few weeks, so everything is a bit hectic.

More soon!

Workout Variation

2007-08-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

As can be seen from my previous post, I don't strictly use Mike Mentzer's Heavy Duty program. I vary the exercises to what I feel works better for me and usually I use 1 more exercise per body part than he recommends. I don't do Nautilus Pullovers because it just doesn't work for me. I also don't squat or dealift due to an old back injury.

I've reviewed and also like Dorian Yate's system, which he based on Mike's Heavy Duty. I don't do as many exercises as Dorian or workout as frequently as he does, but then again, I'm not genetically gifted like he was.

I think this is the best strategy for aspiring bodybuilders or anyone just looking to get fit. Do as much research as you can, intelligently incorporate what is scientifically sound, and alter based on your results.

Workout Update

2007-08-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

Someone left a comment on one of my Mike Mentzer entries requesting an update on my progress. I did write that I was concentrating on preparing for the Long Beach 1/2 Marathon, but due to some recent changes, I've now gone back to concentrating on my lifting.

Sunday was leg day. After a few quick warm up sets, here is what I did (1 set for all exercises):

LEGS
Leg Extensions - 110lbs x 18 reps - I need to go heavier next workout.
Leg Curls - 90lbs x 16 reps - I may go a bit heavier next workout. The machines I use have 20lbs increments, so that may be a bit too much. I'll see how I feel.
Leg Press - 260lbs x 16 reps - Again, I may raise the weight next workout, but not by much.
Calf Raises - 160lbs x 16 reps - This really burned!

The thing about the leg press is that the weight can vary so much from machine to machine. On another machine, I can lift almost the whole stack (340 lbs, I think) but on the brand new machine at my gym, I'm only able to lift about 260 lbs. I don't like doing squats because I had a back injury and it still hurts me, so I stick to leg press as my main leg compound movement.

The workout before was on Tuesday, so I rested 4 days before yesterday. I worked back, traps and triceps. Here is what I did:

BACK
Rows - 210lbs x 8 reps
Pulldowns - 200lbs x 8 reps - I should have used straps. My forearms gave out before my back, so I could have done more reps. I was not happy with this set!
Back Extensions - 180lbs x 18 reps... I don't go to failure on this as I'm very careful with my lower back. I have some pain due to an old injury, so I just go high reps and stop when I start feeling a slight pull.

TRAPS
Barbell Shrugs - 185lbs x 18 reps - first time doing this. I used to use dumbbells before, but my forearms were killing me. Using the barbell helped... I'll use more weight next time.

TRICEPS
Triceps Pushdown - 120lbs x 8 reps - This is on a machine. I don't know if that's the correct name, but the machine looks like a preacher curl bench. You sit on it, put your arms against the pad but instead of pulling for biceps, you push the handles that are by your ears down until your arms are straight, then back.
Dips (on a machine) - 240lbs x 8 reps.

Here is what I did for chest, shoulder and biceps:
CHEST
Incline Press - 270lbs x 10 reps - I'll add more weight next workout.
Bench Press - 225lbs x 8 reps

SHOULDERS
Machine Side Laterals - 110lbs x 12 reps - more weight!
Shoulder Press - 180lbs x 12 reps - I'm a bit careful with this. I have a bit of a problem with my right shoulder (pitching) so I use higher than normal reps.

BICEPS
Cable Curls - 120lbs x 8 reps
Machine Concentration Curls - 50lbs x 6 reps.
I've also tried dong pull downs focusing on the biceps. That worked and I may start using that instead of cable curls.

Each workout takes about 20 mins. I don't rest much between sets and just move on to the next exercise as soon as I'm done.

My Route

2007-08-13T10:10:00.001-07:00

Here is my 31 mile route:

Riding In LA

2007-08-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

My favorite newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, has a scary article entitled, On the mean streets of L.A.. From the article:

In Los Angeles County, bicycle-related accidents have increased slightly in the past year, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety. There were 25 deaths and 2,885 injuries in 2005 and an estimated 28 deaths and 2,910 injuries in 2006.

28 deaths in 2006; not a good statistic! I love riding my bike, but I no longer ride on the streets for safety reasons. I know I'm not helping riders get recognition and standing up for their rights, but it's just to scary.

I used to live in Whittier, CA. I would ride my bike every other day on a 14 mile loop that included Whittier Blvd, a major street. I had a few close calls, mainly with cars pulling out of driveways or cutting in front of me to make right turns. A close call I had jarred me enough that I decided to stop riding on the streets.

I now live in Long Beach. When I first moved to where I live, I would ride my bike on the streets because Long Beach is a bit more bike friendly. There are plenty of bike lanes so riding 'felt' safer. Now, I just ride on the river bed from Seal Beach to Downey and back (click here to see part of my route). There are several parks along that stretch so I can easily ride 50 miles or so, depending on the route that I take.

I've never had a close call in Long Beach, but I hated riding so close to cars and buses. I had to anticipate cars cutting into the bike lane to make right turns... and even cars using the bike lane to pass slower traffic! It just wasn't fun. Riding on the river bed allows me to concentrate on the feel of the ride and that is enough for me. I don't want to 'feel' cars passing me or stop at every red light or stop sign. Now, I only stop for breaks along my route.

The article in the times also has the following:

Scott Sing has had a tire iron hurled at him, a water bottle thrown at his head and been bombarded with racial epithets. And all he was trying to do was ride his bike on Los Angeles city streets.

His cycling and running brethren tell similar tales -- of being peppered with flying objects, cursed or otherwise assaulted -- and those don't even include the stories of near-misses and actual collisions. Such are the perils of trying to do something healthful in a city that's not known as bike- or pedestrian-friendly.

It seems that drivers don't realize that cyclist have as much a RIGHT to the road as they do! I don't understand the aggression toward someone who is doing something beneficial for their body and the environment.

When I see a cyclist, I give them as much room as possible and will even wait for them to pass an intersection instead of racing ahead of them to make a right turn. Since I'm not willing to risk being hurt by riding on the street, the least I could do is respect roadies and ensure that I'm never the cause for their discomfort or an accident.

Discovery Throwing In The Towel

2007-08-11T07:28:00.000-07:00

I started writing this blog on Friday, but my computer froze up and I lost everything I had entered. So, I'm essentially recreating this blog based on what I remember writing. It went something like this:

This story bummed me out today, Discovery gives up sponsor hunt. The boys of the famed blue train will no longer ride for an American team next year. There were also other headlines including the following:

Discovery cycling team to disband after season (LA Times)
Lance Armstrong and Discovery bail out of cycling (Sportingo)
Tailwind Sports, Discovery Channel's owner, to shut down (USA Today)
Tour de France Winner’s Team Will Disband (NY Times)

It's kind of sad that the team that has won 8 of the last 9 tours couldn't quite pull it together for next year. They won all major tours (France, Italy, and Spain) and both the Tour of California and Tour of Georgia here in the States. Cycling seems to be in a bit of a quandary. All the doping scandals may have claimed cycling's elite American team.

George Hincapie, Discovery's famed domestique and classics rider, will be riding for T-Mobile, a German squad, next year. Seems a bit sad that the U.S. National Champ will be wearing the pink and white of a German team. He'll look weird in those colors!

Also, Levi Leipheimer will be riding for a new team. This is good news, in my opinion. I felt like Levi should have won the Tour but he didn't receive the full backing of Discovery. They chose to back Alberto Contador and although he did win (by 23 seconds, Levi was 31 behind), there are now doping rumors putting his win in the gray. I really hope Levi can win it next year. I'm pulling for you, Levi!

So does that mean there won't be an American squad in the Tour next year? Maybe not. Team Slipstream is making a push to compete in the European circuit. It looks like their goal is the Tour de France for 2008 and, if all goes well, they should get a wild card invitation. Here is the official press release showing that they have signed some major players in order to bolster their Tour selection chances:

July 31, 2007 - Jonathan Vaughters has confirmed three new signings to his Team Slipstream squad for 2008, including the widely rumoured move of Briton David Millar. The American, who has set his sights on taking Slipstream to the Tour de France in 2008, has been courting some high profile riders for his '08 Professional Continental squad's lineup and has finally confirmed Saunier Duval's Millar as one of them.

In addition to Millar, Vaughters has reportedly confirmed on Eurosport the recruitment of two Team CSC stars in Christian Vande Velde and Dave Zabriskie.

756*

2007-08-07T21:58:00.001-07:00

Bonds broke Hammerin' Hank's HR record tonight. Almost immediately, ESPN and many other media outlets began the steroid discussions.

I'm a Dodger fan, but for tonight, I kind of wish they would have just concentrated on Barry's record. There is always tomorrow and the possibility of Bond's facing perjury charges later.

But that's just my opinion.

Discovery Wins Tour... Sort Of

2007-08-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

The Tour de France is over. Discovery won, but only after Rassmusen was bounced off the tour. I still believe that there should have been more proof. The commentators made the point that cycling has entered the ere of 'assumed guilty until you can prove innocence.'

Sad, sad, sad.

Lastly, I believe that Levi Leipheimer was screwed over by Discovery. He should have won the Tour! He lost by 31 seconds, 10 of those unfairly imposed by Tour organizers. He worked for Contador in the mountains and, had he been riding for his spot, probably would have won.

I really like Levi and hopes he can win next year, even if that means leaving Discovery. Discovery has pulled their sponsorship so the team is looking for a new name for the front of their jerseys.

Tour de France: Now What?

2007-07-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought it couldn't get worse. Rasmussen has put the Tour on the front page of all sport pages, including USA Today:

Race leader Rasmussen removed from Tour

First Vino, now Rasmussen. There's also Cristian Moreni, who was caught with testosterone in his system. Him and his team Cofidis are now out of the Tour.

Contador now looks like the likely winner of the Tour, with Levi finishing either 2nd or 3rd, depending on how he time trials on Saturday.

Vino Test Positive, Astana Out Of The Tour

2007-07-24T10:36:00.001-07:00

I was dreading this. I was hoping nothing like this would happen, but here is the headline from VeloNews:

Vinokourov tests positive; Astana withdraws from Tour

I was noting yesterday that the LA Times had a small blurb in the sports section covering the Tour. This headline will surely be a bit bigger in tomorrow's print sports section.

I'm no prognosticator, but I read the coverage that the Tour receives every day with a slight spec of pessimism. It's hard not to, with all the hoopla surrounding Michael Rasmussen and his alleged doping or attempt to dope. I wouldn't have read any coverage until after I got home because I watch each stage and don't want to know the outcome. Today is a rest day, so I thought I'd catch up with some news.

I'm genuinely sad. I even wrote, before the accident that pushed him out of contention, that I like Vino and wouldn't mind if he got the yellow jersey.

I feel like David Millar:

"I wanted to believe it was a really good day [for Vinokourov]. It makes me very sad. Vino is one of my favorite riders. He's one of the most beautiful riders in the peloton. If a guy of his stature and class has done that, we all might as well pack our bags and go home right now."

Millar broke down into tears when he was asked by British journalist Jeremy Whittle if he was all right, saying, "I just feel like crying right now."

I'm with ya, Millar.

Tour de France: Contador Snags Stage and 2nd Place

2007-07-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

Wow! Yesterday was the best stage of the Tour de France so far. Michael Rasmussen is impressive in the mountains, but the day belonged to Alberto Contador from the Discovery Channel Cycling Team.

I really don't want much TV. I only watch a few shows: UFC and other MMA stuff, House and NCIS, occasional CSI and Criminal Minds. I normally tape everything so as to watch on my own schedule and forward through commercials. I know sponsors, I'm evil!

However, I've been consumed by TV for the last 2-weeks due to Versus' coverage of the Tour. My DVR and now my VCR are broken and I don't have Tivo, so I've had to actually watch TV and sit through commercials for the first time in years!

I stayed up late watching stage 14 last night and man was it worth it! Rasmussen and Contador put up some big attacks and finally broke away to duel out the stage. Rasmussen has the yellow jersey so Contador forced him to lead out the sprint and took it, claiming both the stage and 2nd place overall.

Discovery did a great job. Popovich was impressive hauling both Contador and Levi Leipheimer up the climb, with Hincappie pulling for a long time. They showed they were the best team yesterday, although team Astana still had 3 men finish within a few minutes of Contador.

There's even a short blurb about yesterday's stage on the LA Times:
Spain's Alberto Contador beats Michael Rasmussen in sprint to finish

My wife has been disappointed with Levi but I think he's doing great. He's up to 4th place overall. I think my wife is disappointed because she really wanted him to win, not just end up on the podium. We saw Levi win the Tour of California and really were set on him making this the 9th straight American win in the Tour. Even if Contador can manage to win the Tour and Levi finishes 3rd or 4th, I think my wife will see that as a let down. I'll be happy if either Contador or Rasmussen win. I like Rasmussen and hope he at the least finishes on the podium.

I hate that I've been glued to the TV and Versus' coverage of the Tour for so long, but there's only 1-week left. I'll be sure to post more often after that.

Oh, and thank Versus for covering the Tour de France and cycling!

Steroids Played No Role In Benoit Case

2007-07-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

As I wrote earlier, I don't think that steroids are to blame in the Benoit case. Blaming steroids sounded simplistic and reeked of media sensationalism to me. The toxicology report on the Benoit case was released today. Steroids were found in Chris' body, but note the quote from the article in today's LA Times, Drugs found in Benoit:

The state's top medical examiner, Kris Sperry, said there was no evidence of any other anabolic steroids in the wrestler's body, and nothing to show steroids played a role in the death of Nancy and Daniel Benoit.

"An elevation of that ratio does not translate into something abnormal in a person's thought process or behavior," he said. (bold and italics mine)

I really thought they were going to write that steroids were to blame for Chris Benoit's actions and that the federal government would rename the 'war against drugs' to the 'war against steroids and human growth hormone.' Although steroids were not to blame, I don't see the media or politicians dropping their illogical crusade against them anytime soon.

Muscular Development has a series of articles exposing politicians' hypocrisy towards steroids and human growth hormone. A couple of passages caught my attention. They noted that alcohol has destroyed far more lives than steroids, yet they refrain from commenting and instead exploit issues like the steroids problem in MLB and the Benoit case.

After Josh Hancock died and was found to have an alcohol blood content almost twice the legal limit, did any politician step up and offer to ban alcohol? Nope... and why not?

Also, the media made a big deal out of the Sylvester Stallone issue when he transported HGH to Australia. Why? HGH has been shown to have many positive effects. Click the link for many of those benefits. Need more proof? LOOK AT ROCKY! He looks great for a 61 year old.

I guess logic and reason are too much to ask for. Again, I'm not advocating steroid or HGH use, merely pointing out the imbalance that I see in the way the media treats these issues.

Read MD article here:

Steroid-Linked Murders Sensationalistic

Good News: Brace Not Required

2007-07-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

I had a knee injury when very young. I was playing baseball and while running after a fly ball, slid on the grass to make the catch and hit a sprinkler head that did not retract. I shattered my knee and had to have minor surgery to repair it. Ever since then, I get a slight pain when running.

To be honest, I'm not sure if the injury is related because I'll also feel that slight pain on my other knee every now and then. It may be more of a form issue than anything related to my injury. Perhaps ChiRunning will fix that... :)

Regardless, here is some good news from the LA Times for anyone who has suffered a knee injury, Flexible knee support works as well as a hard brace.

From the article:

"When we talk about the average patient, this study provides pretty strong evidence that a brace isn't required," says Trevor Birmingham, lead author of the study and chairman in musculoskeletal rehabilitation at the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic in Ontario, Canada.

So save your bucks and grab a flexible knee brace from Big-5 or Sport Chalet.

More On Barry Bonds

2007-07-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

Barry Bonds, who was selected for his 14th appearance in the All-Star game yesterday, receives more negative press than any other athlete I can remember reading about. Every single article slams Barry. Here is a heading from the LA Times today, Bill Plaschke: Thrills abound despite You Know Who

I'm not going to mention his name. My jaw has swollen three sizes this week from mentioning his name.

He is, of course, that controversial hometown home run hitter whose All-Star experience has been a metaphor for this wayward baseball summer.

While focusing on his foolishness, we are missing others' greatness.

I think Plaschke is one of those self-righteous writers who gets his kicks spewing stupidity in the LA Times. I still read his columns because they do entertain me. It's like watching Jackass; you know it's going to be stupid and painful, but it's still funny.

Plashke has been very vocal about Barry, putting him down every single opportunity he gets. What does Plaschke know? He acts as if every single other player in baseball is honorable or above reproach.

Here is what he wrote in another article about Barry, Bonds is home, so he runs with it:

He thinks he's getting away with it.

You could hear it in his cackle. You could see it in his smirk.

Barry Bonds showed up at the news conference before his crowning All-Star moment Monday like he had just dog-paddled his way from Alcatraz.

He thinks nobody can catch him now.
....
The truth is, Barry Bonds thinks he's getting away with it.

The truth is, I fear he might be right.

What is the point of that nonsensical rant? What is Barry getting away with here, murder? It's a stupid game! Records for games are not sacred. A-Rod is probably going to break Barry's record and someone will break it after that. As I said before, today's athletes have legal supplements and training regiments that make them faster, stronger and therefore, future record breakers. Barry might have doped, but you can't take away how talented he is. Records mean nothing.

Sports are a business and entertainment. Do people care if movie stars use steroids or surgery to look better? Looking good is their equivalent of being strong in sports. No one cares so stop the hypocritical ranting and just watch. I'll enjoy seeing Barry break Hank's record and won't ask questions about how he did it. I'll just watch what he did.

Plaschke has the following quote from Barry's interview before the All-Star game:

"Do you know me?" he scolded one of the dozens of reporters who surrounded him Monday. "What have I done? Do you know anything I've done? Have you seen me do anything wrong? I ask you a question. Have you seen me do anything wrong? So how can you judge me?"

Plaschke is trying to make the point that Barry is rubbing in that he is getting away with MURDER (at least the equivalent of in his mind). I think Barry is making a point; too bad self-righteous saints like Plaschke missed it.

Tour de France

2007-07-10T09:36:00.001-07:00

I've been watching the Tour but to be honest, I'm not that excited about it. None of the big names that I've followed are competing anymore. Lance Armstrong, Floyd Landis, Jan Ullrich, Iban Basso, Joseba Beloki, Roberto Heras, Mario Cipollini, and even Alessandro Petacchiare are all out!

I'm waiting for stage 8 to see if things get exciting. I'm pulling for Levi Leipheimer, although I do like Vino and won't mind if he gets the yellow jersey.

The mountains can't come soon enough for me on this tour.

Wind, Wind, Wind!

2007-07-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

I love riding my bike, but I've noticed that it's been very windy every time I've gone out. I didn't recall it being so windy before and then the Los Angeles Times confirmed my suspicion.

From the article, Southland at the tinder mercy of a record-breaking dry spell:

Of equal concern to firefighters is the wind. Typically, Southern California records 30 days of Santa Ana winds a year. But over the last 12 months, the region saw more than 100 days of Santa Anas. On Friday, the National Weather Service again issued a red flag fire warning for forest and mountain areas.

No wonder! We've had over 100 days of Santa Anas! Wikipedia:

The Santa Ana winds (or Santana winds) are warm, dry winds that characteristically appear in Southern California weather during autumn and early winter.

I was glad to see this because I didn't want to think that I was becoming weak or struggling more than usual. I admittedly haven't been out as much as I would like, but damn, that wind sure makes it tough!

Does The Tour de France Matter Anymore?

2007-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

USA Today has an article today entitled: Tour de France's downhill slide caused by scandals. They point out that the last 5 TDF champions have either been accused of, admitted to, or been charged with doping. With Floyd Landis last year, Lance Armstrong having won 7 titles from 99 - 05, Marco Pantani in 98, Jan Ullrich in 97, and Riis in 96, that's an 11 year span of champions falling under the doping umbrella in some way or another.

The article poses the questions: What if the Tour de France was held and nobody cared?

Again cycling is being picked on by those who claim to support clean sporting. The same question can be asked of the Baseball World Series or the Super Bowl. Why is it that cycling is constantly being targeted?

The article does shed a little light on this:

Yet Landis asserts, "There is no culture of doping in cycling. Yes, there are riders who dope, but if you look at the pool of 5,000 or so pro riders in the world, the percentage is small. There are stock traders who cheat, but you don't hear people say there's a culture of cheating on Wall Street."

Johan Bruyneel, the team director and part-owner of the Discovery Channel pro team, agrees the problem has been overstated but lays the blame for the public reaction on the sport's official leadership.

"There are always doping scandals in sport. It is just that cycling always gets more attention," says Bruyneel, a Tour stage winner in the 1995 race and architect of Armstrong's seven wins. "There are too many unsubstantiated leaks coming out, officials leaking information for whatever interests. That's crazy, and I don't understand why it is tolerated. The problem starts at the top. The current leadership of cycling has no new ideas."

Bruyneel believes the answer is not more testing but more leadership.

MLB and the NFL build their respective sports, not destroy them. Although they have implemented drug testing, they don't blab about it to the media or constantly 'leak' information about athletes under suspicion of doping. Cycling's leadership routinely does this!

A cyclists usually finds out he is under suspicion or supposedly tested positive by reading about it in the newspaper, as Floyd Landis did. What's more enraging is that the athletes in many cases are later found to be innocent, but the damage to their reputation and the sport is done.

Again, I'm not defending cheaters, but let's put sporting in it's proper perspective. Sports are games played by adults. There is big money at stake, so of course people inflate their importance. That's why I think there is such a hypocritical attitude in the sporting world. Everyone wants to convey the idea that all is fair and athletes should be role models. I don't buy it.

What's so fair about Lance Armstrong having the physical gifts that made him the worlds best cyclist? What's so fair about Shaq being 7'1" tall and wearing a size 23 shoe? True, these are physical attributes that these men were born with, but they're also not normal.

Why should Lance and Shaq be role models? Why should their moral code be higher than the average person? That's the problem with perception because these are normal individuals with physical gifts that are not normal. Nothing about sports is normal, so the pressure to win is in some cases against athletes like Lance and Shaq is unbearable high. Doping is the result.

Yes, athletes are to blame when they dope, but so are the big money sponsors and adoring fans who make an athlete like Alex Rodriguez a multi-millionaire (10-year, $252 million) for being able to hit a ball. With those stakes being created, some athletes succumb to the pressure to win and feel that they cannot do so without cheating.

As I wrote before, athletes should not be idolized or treated like heroes. Heroes are parents who sacrifice for their kids, teachers who try to improve people, and leaders who try to better society.

I know this is going to come off wrong, but I think that in the end, cheaters are the victims. They are potentially sacrificing their health and careers by cheating. They have a lot to win in the form of fame and money, but they also have a lot to loose. Look at the current case in Capitol Hill, dealing with retirees telling lawmakers why the NFL needs to overhaul its system for aiding retirees. Many of these men are destitute and in horrible physical and mental condition due to the beatings their bodies took playing a game for big money. I am not implying in any way that these men are cheaters. All I am doing is raising the question, was it worth it?

Let's stop pretending we're so above reproach. Fans who boo an athlete for failing or spit on an athlete the way Lance was spit on in France also have some blame to shoulder. We create an atmosphere were failure or even average is not acceptable and even shameful.

Cycling needs to stop destroying cycling.

Should athletes be tested? Yes. However, these cases should be handled in a more responsible manner.

Pre-exhaust - Isolation & Compound

2007-07-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

Looking at the sample workout that I posted a few days ago, it may seem strange that Mentzer would have one perform an isolation movement first. The reason for this is that performing an isolation movement first, like pec deck or Nautilus pullover, hits only the muscle being trained. The next movement follows immediately and this exercise will employ other muscles to further fatigue the muscle being worked.

Working out in this manner is called a superset employing a pre-exhaust technique. The isolation movement is immediately followed by the exercise that employs more muscles. Let's take chest as an example. The pec deck works only the chest. Moving on to the incline press will allow one to truly waste the chest because the shoulders and triceps will help lift the weight, with the chest failing before those other secondary muscles do. This second exercise is called a compound movement.

So, if you want to structure a similar routine while not employing the exact same exercises that Mentzer recommends, perform an isolation movement first, followed immediately by a compound movement. This will ensure that the targeted muscle is fully worked out.

Bypassing Word File Protection

2007-07-02T14:17:00.001-07:00

I had a document at work today that I needed to modify, but the creator of the file protected it. I did not want to hassle with sending the file back and forth, so I searched for a way to unprotect Word files and found this:

If you are using office XP or 2003, you can change the view to HTML-Code using Microsoft Script-Editor by pressing the [Alt]+[Shift]+[F11] key combination.

Search for "Password" and you will find somethimg like this:
ReadOnly
19E8E61E

To remove the protection:
-Just remowe those two lines, and after saving the document , the protection is gone.

To remove the password:
-replace the Password, here "19E8E61E", with "00000000", save the Document and close "Script-Editor".

Alternative you can save your document as .html and use a html-Editor.

Note that this does not work for File Open password protected Office files.

Great tip because it worked! Here's the original post:

How to Crack, Unprotect or Remove Document Protection in Word

Sample Mike Mentzer Workout

2007-07-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

Mike Mentzer's books have the ideal workout and the theory behind each routine, order of exercises, and importance of rest. Here is probably the most well known routine from Mike Mentzer:

Workout 1

Pec Deck 6 to 10 reps
With no rest do Incline Press 2 to 4 reps
Close Grip (Palm Up) Lat Pulldowns 6 to 10 reps
Deadlift 5 to 8 reps.

Rest 3 to 7 days.

Workout 2

Leg Extension 8 to 15 reps
With no rest do Leg Press 8 to 15 reps
Calf Raise 12 to 20 reps

Rest 3 to 7 days.

Workout 3

Dumbell Laterals 6 to 10 reps
Rear Laterals 6 to 10 reps.
Barbell Curls 6 to 10 reps.
Tricep Pressdowns 6 to 10 reps.
With no reps do Dips 3 to 5 reps.

Rest 3 to 7 days.

Workout 4

Leg Extentions 8 to 15 reps
With no rest do Squat 8 to 15 reps.
Calf Raise 12 to 20 reps.

Rest 3 to 7 days.

Repeat the cycle. Mike really stressed the importance of rest. If you're not motivated, take a day off.

Mike's tips for each routine:

Slow controlled reps.
Stress the negative.
Only one set to failure per exercise.
Use perfect form.
Keep a journal to track progress.

Don't Stretch Before Your Workout

2007-07-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

People have long stretched before working out, but new studies show that this may not be a good practice. Stretching before exercise can decrease muscle strength and power and impair performance. This may in turn lead to exactly what people want to avoid by stretching, injury.

Next time you want to warm up, do a light version of whatever exercise you will be participating in. If your lifting, warm-up with light reps. If running or cycling, jog slowly or spin a light gear.

I read this in the current issue of Muscular Development, July, 2007.

Google Maps - Drag for Directions

2007-06-30T20:27:00.001-07:00

This is a neat new feature to Google Maps:

Would You Do This To Your iPhone?

2007-06-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

The folks over at Anand Tech have dissected the new Apple iPhone. Check out their cool article and pics:

http://www.anandtech.com/printarticle.aspx?i=3026

ChiRunning = New Problem

2007-06-29T22:58:00.000-07:00

I just bought the ChiRunning book and, although I haven't read the whole thing, decided to try out the basic running form this last Thursday. I've read a few of the newsletters that you can get on the ChiRunning site and they stressed the following:

"The key to it all is that your foot never hits the ground in front of your body, which puts maximum strain on your knees."

I know I don't do it correctly yet, but I gave it a shot and ended up with... blisters. However, I did not suffer from shin splints and I had no knee pain. There may be something to this!

I concentrated on keeping my body aligned, slightly bent forward, and a high cadence. I tried not to over-stride and would make sure that me feet did indeed fall under my body, not in front of it. I also made sure that I didn't land on my heels. I read that this can lead to knee pain, but I think this is were I got my blisters. I am not used to landing on my whole foot and I was not wearing good socks.

I ran a total of 2 miles, but I felt great. I even sped up a little after the first mile because I could feel blisters forming. I figured, if I'm going to get them, might as well go hard since I won't last long out here.

Overall, I was happy with my workout and will try again tomorrow.

Immigration Bill Dead

2007-06-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

I guess this is the topic of the day. The Senate killed the immigration bill by a vote of 46 to 53, 14 short of the required 60.

Some notable quotes from the Los Angeles Times, Immigration bill dead in Senate:

"Even if you disagree with this bill, don't end this debate," said Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), who urged his colleagues to reject "these voices of exclusion" opposing the measure and not "say we are surrendering to these negative voices across America."

Calling up images of Nazi Germany, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) chastised opponents for clinging to the idea that America could simply track down and deport more than 12 million illegal immigrants. "America deserves better," he said.

Racism In The Media

2007-06-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

A comment on my post got me thinking about racism in the media. The comment referred to racism being spewed on shows such as Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, and others.

I can't say it better than FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting), so check this link for concrete proof:

O'Reilly's Racist Slurs--in Context

Here's just 1 excerpt of what O'Reilly has said, and there are many examples:

We'd save lives because Mexican wetbacks, whatever you want to call them, the coyotes--they're not going to do what they're doing now, all right, so people aren't going to die in the desert.

Yeah, I'm sure O'Reilly is really interested in saving lives!

Got Me Thinking... Racism?

2007-06-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

This article from the Los Angeles Times got me thinking about something that may be considered a bit controversial. In the article, For Lakers, it's deal or no deal time, there was a specific sentence that got me thinking:

If you didn't notice, this deal involved three GMs who were former Celtics, Minnesota's McHale, Boston's Ainge and Indiana's Larry Bird.

The sentence above may not say much. However, how many former Laker greats from that same era are GMs? The Los Angeles Lakers won more championships (5) in the 80s than the Boston Celtics (3). LA even beat Boston in 2 out of 3 championship meetings. Surely then, those Hall of Famer from the Lakers are just as qualified as those former Celtics to run NBA teams.

Here is the part I question, why aren't they? The GMs mentioned above are Celtics and ... white. What was the makeup of the Laker team that one those championships? Mainly black: Erving 'Magic' Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, James Worthy, Byron Scott, AC Green, Michael Cooper, Mychal Thompson. Those were the notables. Who is the Laker GM? Hm.. how about Mitch Kupchak, who is white and did play in the Laker championship team of 1985.

Where are my Lakers? I would love to see them become General Managers. I don't know the circumstances of each former player and I don't know what offers they have received / turned down. I may be reaching here and I realize that. However, I am Mexican so I do notice inequality everywhere and see the way minorities are treated.

The current immigration smoke screen being used to cover the country's real problems (Iraq, Afghanistan, N. Korea, Iran, China, Russia, Venezuela, oil prices, health care fiasco, New Orleans, White House scandals - pick one! ...) is an example of targeting minorities and immigrants to mobilize the mindless herds. Problem is, racism is alive and doing quite well, so these strategies work.

Maybe it's this atmosphere that makes me look at simple stories like the one that I'm referring to here in the Los Angeles Times with a critical eye.

Am I complicating this? What, am I the crazy one?

Steroids Being Probed In Benoit Murders / Suicide

2007-06-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

Chris Benoit bound and strangled his wife and then placed a death dealing choke-hold on his 7-year-old son before hanging himself in his garage. This tragic and senseless story took a strange twist today. Investigators are looking to see if steroids played a part in this ghastly crime.

The Los Angeles Times has the following story today, A fatal weekend fueled by steroids?:

Sports officials are bracing for the results after law enforcement officials in Georgia said Tuesday that they will investigate whether steroids played a role in a grisly murders-suicide involving pro wrestling star Chris Benoit over the weekend.

Are officials straining for answers in this case by blaming steroids? As Bryan Alvarez, a friend of Benoit stated, blaming steroids seems rather simplistic. Even if steroids are found, how can anyone determine that they were to blame? Other athletes have abused steroids and even died from complications of their abuse (Ken Caminiti comes to mind). However, they never killed anyone. I've heard of roid rage, but this story seems desperate to me.

There is no explanation for what Benoiot did. Could steroids have affected Benoit's state of mind? Perhaps. However, this is a horrible crime and blaming steroids or anything else for that matter is pointless. Trying to understand what drove a man to kill his wife, son, and then commit suicide is like explaining color to a blind person: it can't be done.

I am not defending steroids. I have never used them nor do I think athletes should. This is just my humble opinion.

HIT Videos

2007-06-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

Mike Mentzer participated in a video shoot that advocated his approach to HIT (High Intensity Training) literally hours before his untimely death. That video is available here:

http://www.trulyhuge.com/Mike_Mentzer_HIT_Video.htm

Sadly, Mentzer died the same night that the final shooting for this video took place. The video is cool (albeit with some funky music) because it shows his approach to HIT. I find it amusing that he kept adding too much weight, with Markus (the main subject) several times asking Mike to lower it. Mike believed that you should make progress every workout and, as this video shows, he truly believed it! He puts Markus through a grueling leg workout that leaves him telling Mike, "I hate you, Mike!" Good stuff.

Another cool video is one of Dorian Yates working out. Dorian Yates was trained and influenced by Mike Mentzer. Dorian adopted HIT and went on to become a 6 time Mr. Olympia. His video can be found here:

http://www.bodybuildingpro.com/dorianyates-bloodandguts.html
http://homegym.stores.yahoo.net/doryatblooda.html

Here's a cool website that comments on Yates' workout:

http://www.trulyhuge.com/dorian_yates_workout.html

Mentzer would comment that although Dorian did employ HIT, he did so in an unsafe manner. Dorian literally exploded through the positive motion and thereby employed momentum to get the EXTREMELY heavy weights up (check out Dorian doing leg presses!). Dorian also didn't rest as much as Mike recommended. As a result, Dorian did suffer several serious injuries throughout his career. Regardless, if watching Dorian workout doesn't inspire you, nothing will!

LA Lakers Sold Out Kobe?

2007-06-24T14:05:00.001-07:00

Quote of the day, from the LA Times:

Kobe said today the Lakers not only sold him out but are behind global warming and blacked out everyone's TVs at the end of "The Sopranos" finale.

Any more proof needed that Kobe Bryant is a joke? Please Lakers, trade him already... that is, unless they can get Kevin Garnett.

The end of the article does say that KG turned down a trade to Boston, raising the possibility of him playing in Los Angeles. If that is the case, then trade everyone else and bring KG in. Not a likely scenario, but it would be nice and maybe shut Kobe up.

Read the article here:

Lakers have no intention of trading Bryant

HR Workout Zones

2007-06-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

If you're interested in doing cardio, working out with a heart rate monitor is a great idea. I know that a power meter is preferable for cycling, but I don't have one and, due to their high cost, won't be getting one anytime soon.

Here are the recommended heart rate training zones. They are all based on your maximum heart rate:

Zone 1
60-65% - Development of economy and efficiency with very high volume, low stress work. Very long sessions improve the combustion and storage of fats. Combine with Zone 2 for practical unstructured low stress rides.

Zone 2
65-75% - Development of economy and efficiency with high volume, moderate stress work. An important intensity for establishing a firm base for all riders. Combine with Zone 1 for practical unstructured low stress rides.

Zone 3
75-82% - Development of aerobic capacity and endurance with moderate volume work at a controlled intensity. Should be done alone or in a small group to stay in zone. Possible (but boring) on a turbo trainer for up to one hour in bad weather. 'Modules' can be incorporated into Zone 1 or 2 rides to increase intensity whilst maintaining volume.

Zone 4
82-89% - Typical 'mean' intensity of most road races. Useful for tapering and as preparation, to simulate race pace, rather than as training. Sessions should be ended when the effort starts to tell.

Zone 5
89-94% - Raising of anaerobic threshold, improvement of lactate clearance and adaptation to race speed. Should be done alone and:

as a specific road or 'turbo' session
for controlled periods within a shortened Zone 1 or 2 session
in a 10 or 25 mile time trial

Zone 6

94-100% - High intensity interval training to increase maximum power and improve lactate production or clearance. Probably best done on hills or a 'turbo' trainer. Should be done only when completely recovered from previous work.

Heart rates are not the best guide for this type of training. Intensity should be such that the effort can just be held to the end of the interval. Ride on feel and use heart rate for feedback.

Tour de France Viewership Down

2007-06-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

It was bound to happen once Lance Armstrong retired, but the doping scandal isn't helping: American audiences for the Tour de France are bailing. Cycling is imploding and on the verge of loosing all credibility thanks to the recent doping scandals, and that is a problem for TV audiences and networks who carry these races.

When Lance Armstrong retired in 2005, Versus had 1.7 million viewers tunning in. Floyd Landis took the mantle and continued the American winning streak at the Tour, but almost 1 million viewers dropped out. This year, there is no American favorite, although Levi Leipheimer is a dark horse and I hope he can win it. This does not bode well for Versus or for American television coverage of the tour.

Versus only has 1 more year left in their contract to televise the Tour and it would be a great shame if the U.S. lost coverage to it after that. Versus, formerly OLN, used to televise all the grand tours: Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España. Now, only the Tour is shown in it's entirety, with the Giro and Vuelta receiving limited Sunday coverage.

The New York Times has an article today entitled, Doping Scandal Puts Dark Cloud Over Coverage of Tour de France. From the NY Times:

Harvey (president of Versus) is hoping that the Versus audience will ignore it.

“There’s been so much focus on doping,” he said. “Now we can focus on the competition and the drama. That’s what real cycling people want.”

I hope cycling can pull through. It is the sport I most enjoy watching and would even consider paying to see all the great tours and 1 day classics on TV. I hope it doesn't come down to that, so watch the Tour!

Did Floyd Do It?

2007-06-21T06:19:00.000-07:00

Did Floyd Landis use synthetic testosterone to win the Tour de France? I would like to believe that he did not. There is no way to be sure, but Floyd has released a book detailing his version of events.

Get it from Amazon:

Positively False
The Real Story of How I Won the Tour de France
by Floyd Landis

Cry Baby Bryant

2007-06-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

I live in Los Angeles (OK, Long Beach, but I was born and raised in LA and LB borders LA). I am a Laker fan and I am tired of Kobe Bryant.

Kobe is an extremely gifted and talented basketball player. He lead the league in scoring for the 2nd time this year, but his childish whining and trade demands have become annoying. The LA Times has an article showing how this behavior is a betrayal to LA fans:

He's just not that into you

Maybe that's pushing it a bit far. Sports these days is a business and loyalty has nothing to do with it. Fans need to accept that and not become to attached to individual players or even teams! I was a huge Raider fan until they left Los Angeles. Now, I root against them and that has been rewarding these last few seasons.

Same goes for all teams. I love the Dodgers, Lakers, Kings, and even the Clippers because they play in Los Angeles. If they were to leave, I would stop being a fan and root against them immediately, just like I root against the Raiders and Rams. This is where being a USC and UCLA fan pays dividends; they'll never leave LA.

I hope the Lakers do trade Kobe Bryant. I hate the way these pampered athletes treat fans and the organizations that pay them millions to play games. That's all sports are, games! Trade Kobe and get someone who wants to be a Laker.

Tour de France Favorites

2007-06-19T08:19:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to the Tour de France, which starts on July 7, 2007. It's hard to keep track of who's racing and who's suspended these days. Doping has hit cycling hard these last few years, so the NY Times wrote a piece a few weeks ago on who the favorites are:

Vive le Tour? Bien Sur!

The article makes a good point of addressing the doping scandal:

Exhibit A: Operation Puerto, a Spanish investigation that began in May 2006 and that uncovered, among other violations, a freezer brimming with 223 bags of blood from over 100 top riders, plus coded notes tracking their “treatments.” Say what you will about the seriousness of Balco: until the day when a sizable chunk of Major League Baseball stars are storing doped blood at the clinic for stretch-run transfusions, American sports still have some catching up to do. All of which leaves us in a dilemma: do we pass grim judgment (a pox on les cheaters!), or sit back on July 7 with a cold sauvignon blanc and toast the world’s most grueling, beautiful, unbelievable race? We’ve made our choice. Ã votre santé!

I agree! On with the Tour.

Chi Running

2007-06-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

I tried to run to the gym on Sunday but my shins are still not healthy. I was in pain after 1 block so I decided to walk the rest of the way. My wife went out for a 5 mile run and I felt bad that I could not join her.

I did some research and ran across a technique called Chi Running. The creator of Chi Running, Danny Dreyer, claims to have discovered an injury free method of running. He uses the principals of T'ai chi, mainly balance and efficiency, and instructs runners to lean forward so as to let gravity propel them. All the runner has to do is pick their legs up.

Sounds a bit unrealistic to me. Uh, gravity doesn't move you forward. If it did, there would be all kinds of objects moving around and creating havoc! Leaning forward DOES NOT propel you ahead; you're moving so as to not fall. Gravity pulls you down, not forward!

However, aligning the body properly and learning how to stride makes sense. I think that is how the program should be described. "Letting gravity propel you forward" sounds just like a sales pitch to me... but I'll still check it out.

I heard about this running technique from NPR. Here is what Danny Dreyer had to say:

"T'ai chi is all about aligning your body and keeping it aligned for efficiency," says Danny Dreyer... During daylong seminars, Dreyer teaches runners how to relax their bodies so they don't have to use as much muscle power.

Danny's site has newsletters for free. There are also books, videos, and other gear available for sale. Seminar and training dates are shown in the calendar section.

I probably won't be doing any running for at least a month, but I do plan on reading and learning about Chi Running. Sounds interesting and if it helps alleviate my shin splint pain, then I will have benefited. Check it out:

http://www.chirunning.com/

Basso Receives 2-Year Ban

2007-06-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

I do not intend this to be a doping blog, but what can I say? It's been in the news so much that it is hard to avoid. With the Floyd Landis trial, Jason Giambi admitting to using 'stuff,' Royce Gracie and Johnnie Morton, and the recent cycling scandal, I've heard the word 'doping' more in the last few months than in the previous 20-years of my life!

I am a cycling fan, first and foremost. I am a casual sport fan, but cycling is the sport that I admire the most. Unfortunately, it is also the sport that has had more doping problems than even baseball... and that's saying a lot!

Ivan Basso is an Italian champion who won the 2006 Giro d'Italia. He was the favorite for the Tour de France that year but was not allowed to ride as being suspected as part of the Operación Puerto doping case.

I saw Basso ride his with the Discovery Channel Cycling Team in the Tour of California earlier this year. The last stage was in my hometown of Long Beach, CA. It looks like that is the last time I'll be seeing Basso ride, at least for a while.

Ivan Basso today received a 2-year ban from professional cycling after admitting to 'attempted doping.' He won't be eligible to ride until 2009 when he will be 31-years old. That's still young, but Basso will miss the prime window of his cycling life due to his mistake. At lease he was gracious in accepting his punishment. This is what he said afterwards:

"Since I confessed my errors I have started to feel better with myself and towards my family. It is true that I deceived for one year because I was afraid of being uncovered, but it is human to make mistakes. Now I will pay the consequences of my errors, but I want to underline that I have said all that I know, and for an athlete at my level that is not easy. I have lost everything - the races, the contracts - but it is justified because I misled and now I will accept the penalty for my errors."

Gracie On The Juice?

2007-06-15T08:12:00.000-07:00

File this one under shocker: Gracie tests positive for steroid after Coliseum show. Royce is the 3rd fighter, including NFL and USC receiver Johnnie Morton, to test positive for some substance from the "Dynamite! USA" show at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

I loved Royce Gracie growing up. He fought in open weight divisions and despite being outweighed won! I'll never forget his matches against Kimo, Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn. Royce was this little skinny guy with a gi fighting these monsters, taking them down, and submitting them. I fell in love with MMA after I saw Royce in the first 4 UFCs.

Royce fought Kazushi Sakuraba, another fighter that I like, 7 years ago and lost badly. Sak broke Royce's leg with brutal kicks. They fought again but both men are well past their prime so the show was a little slow. That's understandable and I would never boo a fighter the way the Coliseum fans did. I have too much respect for anyone that gets in the ring, octagon, mat, whatever! Gracie, who is now 40 years old, won via decision.

But again, no one is above reproach. It may still be that Royce didn't juice and will be found innocent. The LA Times article reporting the positive result does state that there can be false positives. I hope this is the case, but I won't hold my breath or pass judgment if it is not so.

Athletes, after all, are fallible humans just like everyone else. We tend to forget that because they can perform what seem like incredible feats.

I Hate Hunting

2007-06-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

I read this story in the LA Times today and got upset:

Whale caught in May was hunted in 1890

This beautiful majestic animal survives a hunting attack in 1890, only to die at the hands of men who again hunted it down. The article states:

Embedded deep under its blubber was a 3 1/2 -inch arrow-shaped projectile that has given researchers insight into the whale's age, estimated at 115 to 130 years old.

I eat meat but hunting for sport just seems wrong. The thrill is in the hunt, in taking an animals life. It may be hypocritical to eat meant and hate hunting, but I just don't think humans should enjoy killing.

Of course I'm wrong about this because killing obviously brings people immense pleasure. It's just a 'joy' I'll never understand.

Doping Not Necessary: Edwin Moses

2007-06-12T09:02:00.000-07:00

Olympic gold medalist Edwin Moses was one of the greatest track and field stars. I was a bit too young to appreciate Moses growing up, but I did see him run a few races in the Olympics. Consider these these stats (from Wikipedia):

Moses won 107 consecutive finals (122 consecutive races). He set the world record in his event four times.

Edwin Moses wrote a special piece on doping for the LA Times today, Doping isn't the only way to the top for athletes. Moses says he never doped and I believe him. This was the key to his success:

I did not need or want to use performance-enhancing drugs. Instead, I trained smart and hard to get to and stay at the top.

Over more than 10 years, I logged a minimum of 15,000 miles on the track, beaches and cross-country trails; followed a strict diet tailored to high performance and recovery (a regimen I follow to this day), and focused my complete attention on the task at hand, living and breathing the entire training process every single day.

I wish more athletes were like Moses, but the sad truth is that they are not. Doping is rampant, as Moses clearly states in the beginning of his article. It is a sad state.

I wrote that I don't care and I stand by that. I think it is sad that some young kid feels the pressure to succeed and succumbs to doping, but in the end, there are bigger issues to deal with. I won't judge that individual; I'll leave that to champions who did it right like Moses.

I also wrote that athletes should not be heroes. Well, Moses is an exception. Read about this great champion:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Moses

http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016350.html

ISM Adamo Road Saddle Review

2007-06-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

I strongly recommend the ISM Adamo Road Saddle. I've let friends and family who ride know about this saddle and urged them to get it. Here is a review I posted on another site:

Summary:
Saddle is well built, attractive, and provides peace of mind, as no numbness or discomfort were noticed. There is a bit of a comfort adjustment to be made, as all weight is on sit bones. Soreness did result for the first few rides, but that decreased with use. With practice this saddle is safe, comfortable, and definitely a step in the right direction for saddle manufacturers. ISM Adamo saddles are an investment in health. Very highly recommended.

Strengths:
Solid build, attractive, comfortable and provides relief from saddle induced numbness. That alone makes this saddle worth the price ($119 and up).

Weaknesses:
You must get used to this saddle. I was very sore after my first few rides, but in the right places. With use, rides will become more comfortable. Price can be a little steep.

I've ridden with the Adamo Saddle for a while since I wrote that review. I like the saddle even more now. There is absolutely no discomfort and control is not an issue.

I first approached 2 different salespersons about getting a noseless saddle and both told me the same story:

They're not safe because you don't have control; you slide off the saddle; spend more for a saddle that works before you buy that.

I then asked them if they had tried the Adamo. Both said no. I then asked if they had tried a noseless saddle. Again, both said no. So... how did they come to their conclusion? I didn't ask as I already knew.

Point is this: the ISM Adamo is radically different. Some may not like the look of the saddle, others won't accept that it does not have a nose.

My advice as someone who has ridden it: Try it!

Who cares what the saddle looks like? It may not be for you, but if it does help reduce numbness and discomfort, then you have invested in health and will ride longer. I have never felt like I was about to loose control or slide of the saddle. There is no soreness or pain and, the best part, there is no discomfort or numbness.

I found my saddle. I hope it works for you.

Is Cycling Unhealthy?

2007-06-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

There was a scary article in the Los Angles Times a while back (April 9, 2007) entitled The cyclist's tight spot (link may not work, as articles are eventually archived). The article detailed problems cyclists may have with conventional saddles. The damage caused by these saddles can lead to erectile dysfunction in men and can even require surgery to repair.

I've always had trouble with with saddles. I've bought big gel cushioned saddles, saddles with holes meant to relive pressure in soft tissue and saddles with springs. Nothing worked very well for me. I know now everyone has the same problem with saddles, but I was tired of spending money on what I thought would allow me to ride without numbness or discomfort.

That LA Times article opened my eyes to noseless saddles, so I began doing some research and looking for one with a proven record. Well, search is over:

ISM Adamo Road Saddle

I'll write a review on this saddle a bit later. For now, check these reviews out:

http://tinyurl.com/oy87m

http://tinyurl.com/264oug

Dorian Yates Tribute To Mike & Ray Mentzer

2007-06-09T00:03:00.000-07:00

I know I wrote that athletes are not heroes, but I have to admit that I was deeply moved by the writing of Mike Mentzer. Mike didn't just write about bodybuilding, he wrote about character and life. He sought to improve individuals and, because he felt that a complete human was healthy in mind and body, saw bodybuilding as his avenue to improving people.

I was not the only one moved by the wisdom of Mike. Please read the tribute that 6 time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates wrote about Mike and his younger brother Ray. Dorian had the privilege of being trained by Mike in 1992 as he prepared for his 2nd Mr. Olympia contest, one that would catapult him towards the winner's circle for 6 consecutive years.

You can read the tribute as it is posted on Mike's site at:

http://www.mikementzer.com/sportremembers.html

TRIBUTE TO MIKE AND RAY
BY DORIAN YATES

When I became interested in bodybuilding in the early eighties, I devoured everything that I could find in print about the sport. During this time, I became aware of Mike and Ray Mentzer and was obviously impressed with the huge dense musculature that Mike and Ray displayed. More impressive than the physiques though was the radical and logical training approach that Mike was recommending through his regular articles in Muscle and Fitness.

Mike was a great inspiration to me during my early training days. I was lucky enough to meet Mike and Ray during one of my early visits to California, and during this time, we developed a friendship and mutual respect. I had spoken with Mike shortly before his death, so I was deeply shocked to hear of his passing.... and then the tragic news of Ray's death.

I will personally remember Mike and Ray as pioneers in the sport, strong proud men who stood up for what they believed in and didn't worry about going against the grain..... I WILL MISS THEM!

Dorian Yates

Mr. Olympia winner six consecutive years, 1992-1997

On Mike Mentzer

2007-06-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

As I stated a few entries ago, I employed Mike Mentzer's Heavy Duty Training as my system for lifting weights a while ago. I got up to almost 300 lbs as my max on the bench. I'm training for the LB 1/2 marathon and would like to ride a century next year. As such, I am not concentrating on weights; I am concentrating on cardio and dropping a few lbs first. However, I still think Mike's system is very good.

Mike Mentzer won the 1978 Mr. Universe with the first and only perfect score of 300. He received another perfect score at the 1979 Mr. Olympia, winning the heavyweight division. He retired after the 1980 Olympia after placing 5th to Arnold Schwarzenegger, despite looking better than the previous year. Many contend that the Olympia was rigged to favor the popular Schwarzenegger (who entered the day before after retiring in 1976). CBS, amidst the controversy, chose not to air the show thus lending credibility to the 'rigging' of the show. I have not seen the competition, but I do plan to pickup the DVD at Mike Mentzer's website: http://mikementzer.com/

An insider (and Arnold fan) clearly states that Mentzer was in a class by himself and should have easily won. Check out this great site for his account:

http://www.ergogenics.org/mentzer2.html

Mike was ostracized by the bodybuilding community for stating that all bodybuilding magazines and supplement makers where defrauding bodybuilders. He stated that the only reason magazines recommended volume training (working out up 6 times a week, 2 hrs per day) was to make bodybuilders need supplements just to recover. Mike's training and research found that 1 set to failure and maximum recovery time where all that was needed. Mike went against the grain and since most major competitions where held or sponsored by magazine publishers (Weider in particular), he saw no purpose in continuing to compete professionally.

Mentzer went on to train others and write. His books are mainly aimed at the competitive and aspiring bodybuilders. That was never my goal. I was just looking to attain a higher level of fitness and to look better. However, this does not diminish the quality and informative strength of his advice and system. Do yourself a favor and pick up the following 2 books:

The Wisdom Of Mike Mentzer High Intensity Training The Mike Mentzer Way Mike Mentzer was a true pioneer in the science of bodybuilding. Yes, you read that right, science of bodybuilding. Mentzer believed that bodybuilding was a science and an offshoot of medical science. Mentzer was a Pre-Med student and studied physiology extensively, so his advice is, in my opinion, sound and grounded in fact.

Mike was an Objectivist and both books are peppered with Objectivist (Objectivism) Philosophy. I myself do not subscribe to any school of philosophy, but it made for interesting reading. I mainly concentrated on the recuperative section as this is perhaps the most eye opening component of Mentzer's system.

I read both books and successfully used Mike's approach to lifting. I still get into the gym, lift for 20 - 30 minutes TOPS, and don't show up for another week. I run and cycle throughout the week. In the process, I can lift heavier weights every time I step into the gym and don't feel burned out or bored.Mike Mentzer was a great thinker; read his books and you'll know what I mean. As I stated earlier, he was also a philosopher and an excellent writer. His logical approach to training is what drew me back to the iron game and I can attest to the success of his methods.

Mike and his brother Ray died in 2001, 2 days apart, from natural causes. Mike was only 49 and his brother, also a former Mr. Universe, was 47. There was a history of heart disease in the Mentzer family and it claimed both brothers and their father at about the same age. Truly tragic.

Do yourself a favor and check out his website and get his books:

http://mikementzer.com/

Read a little more on Mentzer on his website and in Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Mentzer

Guillen: Steroid Probe Targets Latinos

2007-06-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

I love Ozzie Guillen. He was a great player and now a great coach. Too bad he coaches Chicago! He'd be a great fit in LA.

ESPN today is running an article where Guillen makes the following statement:

The only thing that made me upset was they tried to mention too many Latino players. I think they try to put the Latinos to be the bad cloud in this thing.

Guillen makes a great point in saying that the big BALCO steroid case was based in California and not in Latin America.

It also appears that Ozzie shares my view about steroids and kids:

Guillen said he's "100 percent" against steroid use but added it's "not my business" if others take them.

"I really don't worry about it," he said. "I have three kids and those are the only three people I care about. Everybody else, you do what you want to do."

Right on Ozzie! Read the rest of the article here:

White Sox manager says probe unfairly targets Latinos

My Thoughts On Doping

2007-06-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

So here's my rant on doping:

I don't care.

I like seeing men performing incredible feats. I love seeing a cyclist ride up a mountain at the same speed that I go down hills with the wind at my back. I love seeing moon-shot homeruns and pitchers who throw 100 MPH+. I enjoy watching a 300 pound linebacker chase down a runningback, pick him up in the air and slam him on the ground. I like seeing bodybuilders with arms the size of watermelons.

I like it all.

I think people are hypocritical if they say they want a 'clean' sport, regardless of what that sport may be. Attendance to MLB was at an all time high when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were chasing Roger Maris. People hate Barry Bonds but they still fill up the stadiums to watch him hit a ball. I hope Barry Bonds does break Hank Aaron's record! I may be one of the few rooting Barry on and that says a lot because I'm a DODGER fan!

The Tour de France fans hated Lance Armstrong and accused him of doping without ANY proof, yet they cheered Richard Virenque, an ADMITTED DOPER! Did people care about doping itself? I don't think so. It was just an easy potshot against Armstrong and they used it. If a Frenchman won the Tour, would they be doing to him what what they're doing to Floyd Landis? I think they would have quintuple checked every single sample and used whichever one came up clean.

Did MLB owners really not know what was going on? Same goes for the NFL, NBA, and every sport organization. The answer is an emphatic NO! As long as people fill the seats and lineup at the stands, they don't care. Sports is a business. Sports is entertainment.

I love watching Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Do I worry about the health of the fighters? No, not really. These are grown men who have weighed the risk against the benefits of winning. If they're OK with it, so am I.

I feel the same about every other sport. If athletes 'risks' using steroids, EPO, HGH, or some other substance, then that means to me that they have weighed the risk of any health risks against improved performance and made a choice. Why should I care?

Of course I would prefer it if all sports were clean. But they're not!

For the 'purists' who want to protect records: Athletes today have legal supplements and improved training regiments that make records of the past worthless. Who cares about protecting legacies? Was Babe Ruth really clean? Who knows! Minorities weren't even allowed to play baseball against him so in my opinion, his career homerun record is worthless anyway. I'm glad Hank Aaron broke it and I hope Barry breaks that this year.

People use kids as an excuse to ban doping. Please spare that argument! If your kid is idolizing an athlete, then the problem is with you the parent. Here's a look at sport 'idols':

Kobe Bryant rape accusation
Michael Jordan gambling
Magic Johnson promiscuity and subsequent HIV+ test
Pete Rose betting on baseball
<Insert MLB Player Name> steroid scandal
Ivan Basso, Jan Ullrich, Bjarne Riis, Erik Zabel, Roberto Heras, Marco Pantani, Tanya Harding, Ben Johnson, Ken Caminiti, Jose Canseco, Lyle Alzado, Jason Giambi, Justin Gatlin, Arnold Swarchenegger...

You get the point.

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of great athletes who are honest and seem like great people. However, they should not be idolized or treated like heroes. Heroes are parents who sacrifice for their kids, teachers who try to improve people, and leaders who try to better society.

Athletes? They are physically gifted and play games. They're making a living and that's all.

Nike + iPod

2007-06-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a Creative MP3 player fan, but I did buy an iPod Nano for my wife last year. She was at the time training for the Long Beach Marathon, so I decided to get her the Nike+ attachment for her Nano. The Nike+ is a small chip that you insert into your Nike+ compatible shoes (or buy the Marware Sportsuit- my wife is a Saucony fan). The chip communicates with the iPod and tracks your progress, even providing voice feedback.

My wife liked it so much that I decided to shell out for a Nano just to use the Nike+. I love it! Not only is it accurate, but it also let's you program workouts. You can run for time, distance, or just set it at basic and see how far or fast you can go. You even get Lance Armstrong and Paula Radcliffe congratulating you when you run faster or farther than previous runs.

There are plenty of GPS units available now, but I like the voice feedback and ability to mix that in with my tunes. As a bonus, you can upload all your workouts to a Nike+ account that you create and see a visual representation of your runs.

Read some reviews here:
engadget

Get it here:
Nike+

Here's what my last shin splint laden run looked like:

Bally's Run

2007-06-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

I live about 7/10 of a mile form Bally's, so I decided to run there with my wife and workout. It doesn't make sense to get in my car, drive there and spend time looking for parking!

The run was OK. It was slow and there was a bit of discomfort in my shins. Yesterday was really nice so we went to the beach, were my wife ran about 4 miles and I walked 2.75. I started to jog lightly but my shins immediately made me stop. I'm not going to push it this time.

My workout earlier today was good. Here's what I did:

Incline Bench
200lbs x 6 reps, followed immediately by
160lbs x 4 reps

Dec Peck
105 lbs x 6 reps

Cable Bicep Curls
110 lbs x 7 reps
100 lbs x 6 reps

Concentration Curls
50 lbs x 6 reps, followed immediately by
40 lbs x 4 reps

Shoulder Press
180 lbs x 7 reps
160 lbs x 6 reps

Shin Splint Update

2007-06-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

Man, I'm suffering! It's been about a week since I aggravated my shin splints but I am not getting any better. I bought some shin splint wrap thingies and they kind of help. I hope to be up and running again soon, but this shin splint stuff is serious! I just hope I didn't do too much damage.

Giro d'Italia, Tour de France... do I care?

2007-05-30T09:40:00.000-07:00

I've been an avid cycling fan since 2000, when I first saw the Tour de France and Vuelta España on OLN (now Versus). I love the teamwork, time trials, and overall strategy and beauty of the suffering these men display. It's great!

I love the sport itself and did not follow it simply to see Lance Armstrong win (that was just an added bonus). I watch every event I can, even the ones that Lance and U.S. Postal/Discovery don't participate in. I actually thought Lance retiring would open up the Tour and make it more exciting.

However, this year has been tough. With the Floyd debacle, Ullrich retiring, Basso admitting to 'attempted' doping whatever that means, and now Riis admitting that he doped for the 1996 Tour... well, it's a little disheartening. Don't get me wrong, I will watch the Tour, but I don't have a clear favorite and am tired of the hypocrisy in sports.

I'll expand on that thought later.

Gmaps

2007-05-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

Besides my cyclocomputer, I use Gmaps to track my rides. It's a cool site that lets you record your whole trip and displays mileage markers as you input your route. Here is my usual route:

Seal Beach to Liberty Park, Cerritos.

Saving your rides is such a cool feature. Enjoy!

Friday Ride

2007-05-26T10:51:00.000-07:00

I live less than a mile away from Bally's Total Fitness so I decided to jog lightly to the gym on Thursday night. All that did is aggravate my shin splints a bit. I did a decent lifting session but had to walk home. Running is out for at least a week this time.

I used to follow Mike Mentzer's Heavy Duty regiment, but I've been concentrating more on running and cycling lately. I got up to 280lbs on bench, so I can say that it works. I've learned not to be too concerned with taking time off. I took a whole month off and when I went back to the gym, I was still pressing about the same, so not much lost there. I know worry less about taking time off and more about making sure that when I go in there, I give it my all.

Since I want to run a marathon and ride a century, I now concentrate solely on upper body when I lift and let the running and cycling take care of the legs. Not sure how beneficial this will be, but I'll experiment and for a while and see what happens.

I went out for a 25 mile ride on Friday. I ride from Seal Beach to Liberty Park in Cerritos and back. I then did a couple of loops around Seal Beach and the Long Beach Marina. Decent ride to loosen the legs. I tried to work on the upstroke, so as to work my hamstrings and the muscle that causes shin splints. I need more work on this, as I can still feel my shins splints when I walk up and down the stairs.

Shin Splints

2007-05-24T07:15:00.000-07:00

I'm suffering from shin splints. I had it for the first time over a month ago and tried to run through it. Bad idea!

I went out for a run in the Long Beach Shoreline Pedestrian Bikepath and ended up limping back to my car. I was then sidelined for 3 weeks. Walking up and down the stairs to my condo was extremely painful.

I finally felt good last weekend and was, much to my surprise, able to do a 4 mile run. I felt great and ran pain free, or so I thought. I was very sore the next day, not only from my run, but also from a ride I did on Saturday for the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure. However, I didn't have shin splints.

Well, I went out for a run last night and instantly began to feel discomfort. My mood immediately changed and I knew I would not enjoy my run. I followed my wife up some hills and gritted my teeth through the whole thing. The farther I ran, the more my shins started to hurt. I guided my wife (by pointing, since I run behind her) through a short loop and finally told her to head for home. We ended up running 2 miles through a hilly course, but I was badly disappointed that I did not run pain free.

I don't feel too bad this morning, so that's a little encouraging. I won't push it this time and will take a few days off before I run again. I'll go out for a ride today or tomorrow and will wait for Sunday to do another run.

Shin splints are cause by an inflammation in the lower leg's connective tissue. See Shin Splints in Wikipedia for a full explanation.

1/2 Long Beach '07, Full Los Angeles '08!

2007-05-23T09:52:00.001-07:00

I love riding my bike. I don't do it as much as I should, but I plan on riding and running regularly. I need to drop some lbs and get in shape by October. Why? Because I opened my big mouth, that's why!

I promised my wife that I would run the Long Beach 1/2 Marathon in October, followed by the full Los Angeles Marathon in March of 2008. I hate running and I am not good at it! My wife, conversely, is a natural runner who can just keep chugging along. I envy that!

However, she's been kind enough to run with me (well, in front of me so as to dictate the pace). Under her tutelage, I'm up to 4 miles at a time and feel that I should be ready for the LB 1/2. I am a bit worried about the full LA, but if I keep a decent schedule of running, cycling, weight lifting, and avoid injury, I should be OK.

I would like to ride a century this year, but I don't know how realistic that is. I've never ran a marathon or ridden a century, so training for both at the same time seems a little out of my league at this time. I think I'll concentrate on running first, but cycling is my passion!

Cycling Thru Life

2007-05-23T09:16:00.001-07:00

This is my journey.