Hump Day

Happy Anniversary to me! One year ago today, I published my first post on this site. Inspired by my new team and teammates, three of us rode back from the Men's Development Pull meeting in Oak Park through Chicago's West Side. It was a surreal moment to say the least and no race or ride since has duplicated the magic of that night.

So it was fitting that today was the first Fitness Check Time Trial of the season, and there were over 20 xXx-ers waiting to see where they stood amongst peers. I was second off the line, and as if I needed more incentive to drill it maximum overdrive, I was Peter's Minuteman. In the last FCTT, my time was almost 90 seconds behind Peter's. So with him waiting right behind me, off I went. My time was 26:34 with a stiff headwind going out. Not bad, considering I'm 48 hours removed from the most punishing 4 days ever on a bike. 71 seconds behind my last time, back in August. Peter nearly caught me too. 5 seconds behind me he finished. Which means he gained 55 seconds on my ass in under 10 miles. Wow.

Upon arriving back at Katy's, I realized I left my wallet down on the lakefront. Already late for work, and after tearing her place apart to find it, I reluctantly kit back up and hit the pedals again for the Museum campus. As I am tearing down Milwaukee Avenue on my second time trial of the day into that ridiculous headwind, crossing through the Chicago intersection I hear, "Morrissey!!! I have your wallet!!!" It was Loukis. He'd taken it with him after a passerby found it and thought to hand it over to the group still left there.

So on this Hump Day, and this anniversary...a shout goes out to teammates. This site, this little doorway into my brain, is about friends and passions. To Diddy, Dick Rearworth (Out! ha), Holland, Twelve, Newtron, The Guillotine, George, Leo, the Matts, Tamara, Dr. Kirby, JT, Ed, Dugas, FattyM, WATT!!! and of course Loukis! (I owe you a beer)...and certainly not least - the best for last, Luke and Randy. And to everyone else, thanks for all your encouragement and help and advice and all the shared good times.

Here's to racing hard and many and much, much more.