Labor Day Weekend

Welp another weekend is in the books and to be quite honest it was a good one! Not a whole lot of studying so it will most definitely be a long week ahead but that's alright I enjoyed myself. After class on Friday I drove up to Lansing, Michigan to take part in the weekend festivities of my dear cousin Drew's marriage. The wedding was great. Kind of hot but it didn't rain and everything turned out nicely so without a doubt an overall success! Everyone looked wonderful and I got to see a lot of cousins, family, and friends that I haven't seen in quite some time so that was awesome.

Stayed at my aunt Bunny's on Friday night and just hung out, went and got ice cream and caught up on general family gossip, etc. Wedding Saturday and then drove home early Sunday afternoon in hopes of getting some studying done. Well one thing after another with a nap sandwiched in between didn't allow for much but I did finish up my homework for the week so nothing but studying for this guy til next week's first round of exams. Should be interesting.

Most people think of labor day as one of the last holidays of the summer before the weather starts to cool and the leaves turn colors. I definitely did some laboring today: the kind where you're stuck behind a brushhog clearing out paths and what not at grandpa's house. Wasn't so bad cutting down trees and such especially since the weather was so beautiful and I got a little cash too which is always nice. Then home to celebrate my stepbrother Aaron's birthday. The big 14. Makes you feel old and sadly I'm starting to feel it as my shoulder is aching as of late and my metabolism just doesn't seem to be functioning as well either for some reason...

Have a good week everyone. Don't know about everyone else but looking forward to fall and more importantly thanksgiving break so i don't have class for a few days!

Week 2

Getting ready to start week 2 of PT school. Had a good weekend and was fairly productive so I'm feeling a whole lot better about this PT school thing. Coming to realize that there is going to be little time for fun though as most of my weekend was devoted to completing homework and studying the human body until I wanted to rip my eyes right out of my skull.

Looking forward to this weekend and heading up to Lansing, Michigan to go to my cousin Drew's wedding. Haven't seen all my cousins for a while so it will be nice to see everyone for sure. Also hoping there's an open bar because I have I feeling I'm going to be ready for a drink, or a dozen of them after week 2...

Worn Out

    As most of you probably know I started my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree quest at Andrews University this week. I knew going into the program the high expectations, excellence within the program, etc. etc. and boy did they really hammer it home this week to our class! Taking 18 credit hours at any institutional level is impressive in my mind but the degree of difficulty has definitely stepped it up a notch. The sheer volume of material that I learned, or should I say was suppose to learn this week is appalling. Honestly having class from 8-530 everyday is tiresome. Then on top of that you have anywhere from 5-10 chapters to read for various classes per week. Included in that is studying for pop quizes, trying to keep yourself sane by doing something you enjoy, but other than that absolutely nothing. The dean of the school said on the first day of class, "Kiss your social life goodbye." Sadly he was right. When I leave class at the end of the day I'm just mentally drained and need to unwind so i joined a gym in south bend and finally got back in the water. Ideally I'd rather be outside riding but let's face it 2 hour rides everyday are not going to bode with with my schedule so at the gym this week I've just been swimming and a little work on the concept 2 rowing machine. Next week I'll throw in some interval work on a bike just to give me an excuse to keep shaving my legs. Also piggybacking that is the fact that the hilly hundred is looming in the distance a little more than a month away. Have to train appropriately to hit my peak heading into that weekend.
     Well that's about all that anyone is going to read on this thing for the next 3 years: me bitching about school and possibly the 40 minute one-way commute up there. Feel free to send me any cool Cd's they'd be appreciated. Not only are my week trashed but now my weekends will be devoted to digesting all the material and sifting through it distinguishing what's worth studying for practical exams. Yay.

US Pro Criterium Championships

Ever since word got around that Eric would be racing for Bissell this summer there was controversy. Now 6 months later the kid is stirring the pot up in the higher ranks as well! It may sound stupid and you can think what you want but ever since Eric and I went to race in the Gateway Cup races last year in St. Louis I knew he had what it took to compete at the next level. Fresh off his 2010 US Pro Criterium Championship "Hollywood" Hollaway got his ass handed to him by Eric in heads up sprints two days in a row and I thought I was going to have a heart attack because the god damn announcer wouldn't give Eric the credit he deserved in those sprints. Now I don't think there will be any arguments after today's impressive showing as Eric brought home the coveted Stars and Stripes jersey.

Eric edging out Brad Huff at the line to take the win. Me cheering in the background like a mad man! I knew it before the announcers! Photo taken by Jonathan Devich


When I woke up this morning I had a weird feeling. I literally woke up 1 minute before my alarm went off, went upstairs to get some coffee and it was gone, checked the weather and looked like rain; nothing was going right. Said goodbye to my sister as she headed off to college and jumped in the car for the lonely 2.5 hour drive to Grand Rapids to watch the race. Once I got there I ran into Eric's parents at a coffee shop and while we were enjoying our less than spectacular java drinks I told his mom, "I've got a good feeling about today." She quickly responded, "I like good feelings!"

The race started and Kelley Benefit Strategies and Bissell seemed to be battling the whole time sending guys up the road with no real luck. About half way through the race the clouds started to roll in and I immediately felt the temperature drop about 10 degrees. The official cut the race by 20 laps or so and informed the riders there would only be 10 laps to go but needless to say once it hit 3 to go Mother Nature had other plans as wind gusts ripped over barriers and the stage. They postponed the race and when it finally restarted there was to be 30 laps to the finish. Now at this point everyone should be thinking, "I wonder if I should bet the farm on this Eric Young fella because from past experience he doesn't get beat much after a rainy restart?"

If you placed the wager you were right! Of course that's a very vague recap from a spectator point of view but that was a race that I will never forget as Eric charged toward the line dead even with Huff with the most intense look of desire I've ever seen. Mind you I've been riding with Eric a while so I've seen him at both his worst and his best. When he nudged in front of Huff right before the line I started jumping, screaming, crying, bleeding (I just got my wisdom teeth pulled and my sockets where the teeth used to be exploded and bled  everywhere!), hugging complete strangers, texting friends/teammates and I'm sure many other noteworthy things in celebration. It seemed as though someone just handed me a million dollars.

So here's to you Eric to a job well done today and this summer thus far. I wish you nothing but the best and I know deep down this is just the beginning. Glad to say you're part of the Cutters family and I know you ride with passion for all of us and many others. Keep it rollin Hazelbear

PS: I bet Ryan Kiel sleeps like a baby tonight

It's Been A While

For all three of you who have read this sad excuse for a blog I apologize for not writing in a very long time. In my defense though I find this blogging site somewhat ridiculous because you are not allowed to have a GMail email account associated with your blog. What happens when that's your primary email source? Anyone know any loopholes around this?

Ever since I stopped writing on this there really hasn't been much to write home about other than a giant party. Needless to say I had a great summer. Never went grocery shopping and ate out damn near every meal and partied like a rock star. Loved every minute of it but I'm definitely ready to get back to a little regularity and schedule. Starting class on Monday up at Andrews. Looking forward to making this progression into professional school.

Helped move Elliot down to Bloomington and it was bittersweet knowing that i can't go back to bloomington unfortunately. Grace is also leaving tomorrow for  Valpo so I will be the king of the castle rightfully so!

Had a great trip out to Colorado to visit mom and had a tremendous time. Went to the Royal Gorge Bridge, took the train down the Arkansas River, hiked Pike's Peak, conquered the Incline, 7 Falls, Cripple Creek, and rode a bit and most importantly had a giant bear digging through the trash.

Heading up to Grand Rapids tomorrow to watch Hazel compete in the US Pro Criterium Championship. Wishing him a safe race and hopefully he will be able to bring home a stars and bars jersey!

The Next Stage

This last week was big; in fact it was huge in terms of my future. Only weeks prior have I decided that my chances at attending graduate school this year were slim at best and I was losing faith. I decided that my best career choice during my year off would be to study for the board examination to become a personal trainer and work at a gym that I used to work out at in the summers of high school. So I ordered some study materials and started the process. Finishing up at work I headed home to study a bit before going riding later in the day with a few friends. I really wasn't feeling the whole studying process and a bit tired so I decided to take a little nap; go figure! I easily passed out within 5 minutes and low and behold was woken up by my obnoxious ring tone only 30 minutes into my nap. Now if you know my sleeping habits at all you know exactly how hard it is to wake me up so the fact that the phone ringing woke me up is a miracle in itself. I rolled over and grabbed my phone and didn't recognize the number. I throw my phone back on my nightstand and was just going to ignore the call being the screen er that I am. For some reason that I still don't know myself I reached for the phone again and answered. It was a sweet lady on the other side and I immediately thought it was one of the Red Cross people calling again asking, or better yet, begging for me to give blood even though I've repeatedly asked to be taken off the list. (Note: I support giving blood but while training for bike racing its a terrible idea that I found out the bad way) Then she introduced herself as Dixie Scott and the lights went off in my head because I recognized that name from my interview about a month ago for grad school. "Zachary, I've got some news that may be of interest. We'd like to offer you admission into the Doctoral Physical Therapy program here at Andrews University." I about hit the ceiling with excitement!
   
Now that I've got a plan in place for the final stage in my journey toward becoming a real adult I feel like my life is finally taking shape in the direction it was suppose to go. To say I wasn't worried before this phone call would be a drastic understatement. For now just trying to figure out some financials as I see lots of dollars accumulating in the red (debtcity) and enjoying the last month here in Bloomington before I leave this great town back to the grassroots before starting class on August 22nd.

Back at It

It's been a while since I've blogged or for that matter done much of anything. To put it simply, riding and exercise in general has taken a back seat the last few weeks to the finer things in life: eating fast food, hanging out with buddies, going to the bars, and hanging out with a lady. The point at which I really realized that I was horribly out of shape was when Pilling somehow talked me into competing in the Hummel Park circuit race a few weeks ago on my way home to see me baby sister graduate. Needless to say I lasted about 6 laps and that's putting it generously. I felt like death right from the start and wasn't too surprised to find that my Little 5 fitness was completely gone. Instead of getting back on the bike and doing something about it I kept the downward spiral going with the exception of a few quick runs with Caitlin and running in the Sunburst 5k back at home. That really sucked too! I finished right at 20:00 which I was pretty happy about since I've ran about 5 times in the last 3 years. Caitlin actually won the overall women's title for the 5k as her and my old man battled it out to the end with her edging out the personal victory over Big Al by mere seconds.

After riding a quick and easy ride to shake the legs back into form on Monday and see if I still remembered how to clip in and such I decided to test the waters in the Forest Time Trial. Ouch! I was actually pretty satisfied with my time (24:34) due to the severe lack of riding. Riding is making it's way back into the regular daily schedule and I also plan on jumping into a few races before the finale being the Scholars Inn Cycling Festival here in Bloomington.

Promise I'll keep this thing updated a bit more...until then keep fighting the good fight!

Summer Time

Heading into the Summer months the weather is finally starting to cooperate and the sun has actually been shining a bit which is nice so everyone isn't depressed. In other news it seems as though everyone is moving; Kristen is taking off to Arizona to teach America's youth, Clayton and Caroline are off to Colorado, and I'm still waiting to see what the hell I'm going to do next year. I'm getting to the point where it's looking like I'll be joining the work force for a short stint before re-applying to schools next year. It shouldn't be all bad getting a job but I'd like to get the ball rolling on finishing this PT stuff because that's ultimately what I want to be doing with my life. Should have applied earlier and now I'm kicking myself because of it. I guess I could always pull a Van Wilder and just be a professional student.

Went with some friends to dinner and to see The Hangover 2 last night. Pretty decent follow-up to the first movie! Even better was the 80 year old woman that sat next to me! Other than that I've been eating a lot of fast food and not riding my bike. Excited to head home for the next few weekends to celebrate my lovely sister, Grace's graduation. She'll be heading to Valparaiso University next year and I wish her nothing but the best! Proud of you Gracie!

Kentucky

Headed down to Kentucky with a slew of scholars inn riders to Frankfort, KY yesterday in the morning. To my surprise the team worked really well together controlling the pack and chasing down moves. Seeing as it was my first race of the year I was a little unsure as to how the legs were going to hold out but it ended up alright. I think SIB took 3,5,8,13,19...with a few more threw in there as well so pretty good showing especially for a first year team. Kevin went off the front with about four to go and when he did I was sitting about ninth wheel and he sort of just slides away. Before I knew it he had a pretty decent gap and I thought oh shit I better get to the front and try and slow this honky down so he can solo away. Did a halfway decent job of slowing it down with the help of patch giving a little guidance sitting second wheel. I told him I'd lead him out but wanted to keep the pack off Kevin took first priority...Kevin ended up third as that last half lap got stupid fast and I got swarmed by a slew of people able to hold on for 13th. Overall good day for scholars inn team though and even the announcer was giving us a lot of credit in not only the 3's race but all other categories as well. Give it another go today in Richmond.

One Week into Summer

I can hardly believe that it's been nearly a week since graduation already. This week the weather seems to be transitioning into the summer season as everyone waits for pools to open and to hit the lake on boats. My personal transition into the daily grind of work instead of going to class for a couple hours a day definitely took its toll on me this week as I was definitely burning the candle at both ends this week. Staying up late with friends and waking up early to complete various experiments that I'm a subject for marked for a long week.

Logged some decent riding this week finally as it was for the most part my first full week back on the bike with some regularity. It felt good to have the knees finally cooperate as they were starting to really bother me toward the end of Little 5 season. I was planning on racing this weekend up in Winona Lake but I feel like I'm not quite ready for the race scene and don't want to throw away any money just to get my ass handed to me. Looking forward to heading out to Iowa on Memorial Day weekend for 4 big races. This might mark my first races of the season so it will be fun as there are a bunch of spectators and lots of riders. I'd like to slip into the top ten for at least 2 of the races and want to really do well at Quad Cities which is the last of the 4 crits. The most famous though is the snake. A winding cobblestone crit that is easily the most terrible thing I've encountered in cycling.

A picture of the snake from last year. Perez said I don't leave much of a draft; I beg to differ...

Went to a few gatherings this week as well. Lylepalooza at Scholars Inn on Monday followed by a terrible movie that definitely was not my choice. Word of advice if you're thinking about going to see Something Borrowed you might as well stay at home and smash your fingers in the door instead. Tuesday I was feeling surly and so overwhelmed by how terrible that previous day's movie adventure went that I decided to go see the new Fast Five (Fast and the Furious) movie and was impressed. Of course its a little out there but nonetheless pretty sweet cars and fight scenes! Wednesday marked the infamous Wednesday Worlds but just as the legs were feeling good and opening up my back tire blew out so I limped it home and my night finished rather uneventful. Since then just hanging out and going to experiments and work. Today I went to lunch with my buddy Andy to Smoking Jack's Rib Shack and got the Catfish sandwich: so good!

A teammate of mine, Kevin set me up on a little date with a girl on the track team: Caitlin Engel. I was a little uneasy about it at first but figured I'd give a shot to go out and have a little fun. Turns out she's pretty cool and very competitive as we immediately started making bets about various games and low and behold I was the ultimate winner as I had to do a little research with the help of a friend in finding a hidden gem of a picture taken earlier this year...

She's a steeplechase runner and had an unfortunate turn of events on this hurdle. Ha she's going to be pissed about this but I just can't resist. And to be honest I've got a way better one of her but I'll save that one for another rainy day. In all seriousness though she's a badass and I wish her the best of luck this weekend at the Big Ten championships out in Iowa.

Looks like another rainy weekend in store for Bloomington; go figure.

Goodbye Indiana University

Walking out of my last final was absolutely surreal this afternoon. I knew it was coming but at the same time after you turn in that last exam and walk down the hollowed halls and finally progress outside of the building it hits you. It was a beautiful day in Bloomington this afternoon so upon completion of my final undergraduate endeavor I strolled to work nice and slow and took in the sights, the weather, and the smells of springs. 4 years here in Bloomington have shaped my life in ways that I will never be able to tell and I'm glad I will be here for another month or so to grant Bloomington the proper goodbye. When I was walking to work today its funny of the things I thought of that suddenly come rushing into your mind. Things such as how many times I've walked down this sidewalk, or the number of visits to the union to print off notes for class. 4 years seems like such a long time but when I look back on it I can remember many days back when I was sitting in my room at Manchester College with the big decision of whether or not to transfer to IU. Talking with family friends and finally convinced by my good friend Blosser to go look for apartments I made the choice that when I think about it more was probably the best decision I've made or probably will make.

The actual commencement ceremony was pretty cool. I wasn't sure how I was going to like it being that there was going to be so many graduates but it was nice. I think the best speech of the day was giving by a fellow graduate, very professional and light-hearted at the same time.

Partying with the McFall's at Nick's English Hut was a blast on Friday night as well. I'm really going to miss that family a lot come college football season and not being able to go to their amazing tailgates. Truly an incredible family and I owe it all to my good friend Alex.

Indiana University it's been a great 4 years; undoubtedly the best thus far in my life and I highly doubt any will top them! So many memories are swirling around my head that it seems impossible that there was enough time in that 4 years to accomplish all of them.

The old man and I prior to the ceremony

It only took 5 years but I've finished. All of that for that little red folder!

Just want to throw out a big thank you to anyone that has supported me over the years to make this dream possible. My family, friends, teammates, coaches, coworkers, and many others. Couldn't have done it without all of you!

One Final Party

Last night Lyle F, owner of Scholars Inn and the two Bakehouses here in town invited the top two teams up to the restaurant for a night of reflection and celebration. What a great time! Lyle is an awesome guy and its hard to come by someone as passionate about cycling as him. Hosting the two teams for dinner was a true pleasure and it was nice to hang out with the Phi Delt guys over a few drinks and dinner. Lyle being the party animal and great host that he is probably dished out one too many drinks but I guess you'll have that. It's always nice to relax and celebrate with friends, teammates, coaches, whoever it may be and it's even better when there's an open bar and New York Strip Steak involved. Mine was delicious! Not eating steak on the regular like at home really makes you appreciate a nice dinner.

As we were packing up to leave and saying our farewells Fowler said that this could possibly be the last time the race team from 2011 was all together and to take a look around and reflect on the memories of the year. I know this seems to be a reoccurring theme in my posts but this god damn bike team has been my life for the last 3 years so it's weird to think of things like that...

Finals are quickly approaching and I can sense the bittersweet ending drawing closer and closer with every passing day. Although I'll be in Bloomington for at least part of the upcoming summer its hard to imagine leaving this town. As of now I don't know where exactly I'll be heading as graduate school classes have seemed to fill up rather quickly so I guess only time will tell. Until then good luck on finals to my fellow classmates and let's take Bloomington for everything its worth the next couple weeks!

One For the Ages

The 2011 Men's Little 500 race will go down as one of the most amazing displays of human performance put forth by 4 individuals and a slew of supporters that I may ever experience. This was a battle right from the start ranging from cheers from our fans to rowdy cries from haters! Zach Hetrick took some amazing photos that really capture the essence of the day better than any words I can put on here.

 During the prerace walkout by the teams we were greeted by some choice words from a select groups of haters (everyone in the stands it seemed like). Like true champions we shook it off and used it as fuel. I really like this above walkout photo taken by Z. Hetrick because it truly captures our team dynamic: a cluster of dudes who don't match, trust each other, and love riding our bikes.

Yours truly laying it down on a little burn out with Eric Anderson of Beta and Greg Bortz of Acacia in pursuit.

Legs were definitely feeling it toward the end of the day. Whenever the pedals weren't moving, my legs were locked up. A pain that I will never forget!

It's been a while since I updated this blog as I've been pretty busy celebrating alongside my teammates and coaches. Since that time I've had a little time to reflect on how this year has played out and everything that we all endured during this crazy adventure. Whether it be car accidents, roadtrips, winter training trips, IUCC racing, wrecking on the beach/wrecking on the track, quals, series events, the race, or the parties this team consisted of a group of guys that stuck together to accomplish the unthinkable. I'd take these crazy bastards to war with me and just like this entire year they would fight until they had absolutely nothing left.

As we head into the summer months I believe everyone will be dabbling in the race scene so it will be good to keep riding with these guys progress and around town before I set off on my next adventure wherever that road takes me. Wish I knew but sometimes that's the way life is.

Zach Osterman summed it up better than anyone and his thoughts are included here: IDS BLOG POST

After reading Zach's entry it makes it hard to believe that my cycling tenure with the Cutters is finished. It's been an amazing 3 years that included a lot of highs and just as many lows but throughout the entire time I fell in love with the sport of cycling, my teammates & coaches, the Cuttes family, and so many other things along the way. This team transformed me from a lost college student trying to find a niche to a badass, shit-talking veteren out on the track. It's funny to look back at the beginning and like an old teammate, Clayton Feldman, used to say, "Imagine if you could go back in time and go for a ride with yourself during the first month you were on the team?" I'd give anything to see that: a 215 lb ex-baseball player who was just trying to survive to the present 180 lb pulling at the front and breaking legs; amazing what a good supporting cast can do for someone eh? Next year behind the fence will be weird I won't lie to you but this race left an impression on me that I will take to the grave and I can only hope that I left the slightest impression it and more importantly, on my boys. Once a Cutter, Always a Cutter.

Last Little 500 set ever; about to put em in the hurt locker!

I bid farewell to the team called "The Cutters". It's been an amazing ride and one that I'll cherish forever with people I'll never forget! Thanks for all the memories to everyone involved!

The Wait

On the eve of the eve of the race I can't really say that I'm nervous surprisingly. Being my third race i feel somewhat of a veteran to the event but the greatest thing about this bike race is that you can never come close to predicting what will happen. I know once the stadium starts filling up with rowdy fans the adrenaline will start pumping but right now I'm nice and chill and living in the moment!

Tonight we had a basic team meeting to talk about the race, and the time leading up to it logistically. At the end Fowler opened it up to Eric and I to say anything that we had on our minds and for one time in my life I froze; unsure of what to say. Honestly he put it in such a way I was fighting to hold back tears because 1) I didn't want to look like a bitch in front of the guys but more importantly 2) this silly little race had shaped my life in so many ways possible that's its hard to believe that in less than 48 hours I'm done...something I've poured my heart and soul into for 3 entire years completely finished.

Last go around out on the cinders. What impact will I leave on the race this year? That's the looming question. Each person on this team must leave nothing behind and attack every single lap like it's their last one they may ever ride. I know they will without a doubt but to say that I won't have the little extra motivation this Saturday I'd be lying. This race is mine and no one is going to stand in my way of making memories out there one last time. Only hours away now as time is tinkering away one pedalstroke at a time.

Go Cutters!

                       Pitboard 2011. Coming out of the #2 position: The Cutters!

IU Happenings

Little 500 week is upon us and one can definitely tell when attending class as they were about half full today and its only Monday. To my liking I've got 3 exams this week...what the hell? In my mind it should be damn near illegal to give exams this week but then again I don't really want them next week either due to the obscene amounts of liquid courage I plan on consuming.

LiL Wayne kicks off the festivities with a concert tomorrow night!

Who wouldn't love this face? As we were having our weekly team breakfast at the Bakehouse this morning we notice 5 large buses outside taking up an entire block of parking spaces. Then a very large black man came in and ordered a fluffy coffee drink and egg sandwich and ask the manager Tracy if she knew who LiL Wayne was. I wouldn't be surprised if she said no and I almost hope she did! Even better though was how impressed this guy was with the new construction at the bhizzle. He absolutely loved the new counter top that was made here in Bloomington by a local gal. I must admit I've sat up there at the old bar man of hours studying and the new one does look a million times better!

In other big news that gay Phi Delt music queer made another video describing the essence of Little 500 here at Indiana University. Ha. 1) the video is the worst thing I've seen in a while  2) it doesn't even hint at the real reason everyone is celebrating this week (the bike race)  and 3) he called out our team by spilling "shit" all over a cutters shirt. Those are fighting words where I come from. Here's a link to how IU spends this week supposedly; I'll let you decide about its integrity.

"iLL 5"

Here's how you shit on people Bryce Fox. Let your legs do the talking.

Team Pursuit

Waking up yesterday morning to the dull roar of thunder and rain trickling down the rooftop I thought there was no way we were doing team pursuit. The rain and clouds didn't seem to leave until and 1 in the afternoon and boy did it become a fabulous day! The track was nice and compact and the sun was shining.

Our team pursuit run was pretty good in my mind. Were there flaws? Of course, but looking back on it there were positives and negatives, much like everything else in life and it should be interesting to see how everyone responds next week to this little downfall. We ended up third but on a little cool down ride after everyone was in consensus that we saved a little too much. Kind of sucks but we know we could have went a few seconds faster have we used everyone properly and possibly could have won team pursuit but we will never know. Delts ending up nudging us out of the finals by about 0.2 seconds so it definitely leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. One that is going to sting a little bit this week heading into the race.

Little 500 week is officially upon us: the bars are packed, no one attends class, concerts all week, drunk naked girls puking off balconies. What more could you ask for? College is crazy! Go Cutters

   Kevin will a great save at the start of team pursuit. We may have got third place but damn we look good!                                                    Photo compliments of Zack Hetrick

Drama

I always get a good laugh out of the ridiculous things people post on blogs but BVN really topped itself this time. Not only did anonymous posting get taken care of but no I have a coach (who's roughly 60+ yrs old) telling me that I've got self-confidence issues and wait it gets better: that his mother could beat up my mother. What this has to do with cycling? I ask myself the same thing: Tom why are you such a goofy old man?

First off if anyone has any insight to the kind of person I am they'd be quick to tell you that I'm not suffering from any sort of self-confidence issues whatsoever. If anything I have an elevated self-esteem; maybe not Charlie Sheen level but definitely more than your average Joe. I can do anything and nothing is going to stop me from getting what I want its just that simple. Can I be cocky, yes but I strongly believe I can live up to my expectations!

Secondly I'd put some mad money on my mom beating some serious ass let alone that of Tom's mother, assuming she is still alive. RIP if not and God rest your soul for having to put up with Tom's shit. A little background of my mom. She grew up in Michigan and was the youngest of 7 children; that alone says she's a warrior having older brothers to deal with because I know the shit we put my sister through when she was younger. World class sprinter that used to beat up on all the sista's from Detroit! Go Tigers! And finally and most importantly she's like a grizzly bear. You fuck with her kids and she will rip your head off.

So Tom I'll be at the track the rest of the week if you've got anything else to say and upon completion of the race next Saturday when you suddenly don't have anyone to hang out with because the Sigma Chi guys don't want anything to do with you don't not bother coming to our Cutters party because you've been officially taken off the guest list. If you come you will be prompted to leave by none other than myself! If I'm feeling giddy I might give you a beer and a cookie for your lonely walk home.

Aside from being a complete asshole in the paragraphs above I want to leave you with one last note about me. I like to think of myself as a pretty nice and caring guy; that is, until you give me a reason to hate you. So Tom, hope you have fun chasing your dream because here in a few short days I fully plan on unleashing the biggest ass-kicking ever seen in the history of this silly little bike race.

Almost There!

Eric and I were invited to complete a little segment with the Hoosier sports network about how the team looks this year and other facts about the race, etc. After parking behind Mother Bear's in illegal parking spots like the criminals we are we were walking to the studio just shooting the shit when Eric chimes in, "Man, it's almost over; like a couple weeks and we're done can you believe that?"

Man, it is almost over. So much time and dedication has poured into this race that you sometimes forget to stop and take a look around and appreciate the smaller things like graduating...ha. I've been somewhat in limbo the last few weeks too because I've been waiting to hear back from graduate programs and what the hell I'll be doing with my life for the next few years in regards to living arrangements, school, work , etc. So many possibilities.

Spring is definitely coming as well even though there have been plenty of days where people could easily mistake it for winter still. The trees are beginning to bloom and the flooding rains in the forecast over the next few weeks should account for a beautiful spring. Hopefully it was be about 70 and sunny on April 16th! Getting excited to see everyone making their way back to Bloomington; only a few days away!

C-U-T-T-E-R-S!

                                            Our fearless leader celebrating during Miss-N-Out!

Miss N Out

This past weekend was the infamous Miss'n'Out event for all Little 5 riders. In my mind its the most entertaining event besides the actual race due to the shuffling of riders and the wrecks. The weather was also less than ideal being rather windy which threw another obstacle in the mix for riders to contend with. As a whole I think the Cutters all rode extremely well! We advanced 5 guys past the first round with the other 2 rookies riding in heats loaded with talent and both just missing the cut-off. The fun started when Hazel and I were paired up in the semifinals and got to work together and both represented the Cutters in the finals. We were the only teammates in the final 6 riders so that was pretty cool having both seniors in there together. The other competitors had our number though and immediately boxed us in and I found myself with no where to go; that's racing though. Hazel ending up winning, surprise, surprise and I brought up the tail end of the finals but for the day we increased our lead for the white jersey so that's good.

Less than two weeks now! Starting to get anxious

Crazy Week

Last Thursday I left the state on a visit to Creighton University for a grad school interview. The trip was great! Not only did I get a great idea of what Creighton has to offer I had a little time to hang out with some of my cousins that I don't get to see too often. With that being said I owe a huge thank you to my cousin Greg. He drove me around, took me out to eat, the whole nine yards; it was great.

I had a great day at Creighton. The thing that really impressed me with their school is the knowledge and expertise of their faculty. To say I wasn't nervous going into it would be a vast understatement but the faculty and staff there made you feel like you belonged. I went into the interview process thinking it was going to be nothing but me trying to sell my abilities to the school but in all honesty I think it was more of Creighton selling itself to those who attended. Seems like a great place to learn and situated in downtown Omaha, Nebraska provides students with ample things to do, though I'll probably be studying most of the time similar to undergrad...ha!

Got back into town about 2 am Saturday morning and turned around and woke up at 6am to start getting ready for Quals. It was one of the more difficult tasks of my life trying to wake up that day! We had a clean run considering the conditions and ended the day in 2nd place. Starting on the first row right in the middle, not too bad really!

Cool picture taken by Ryan Dorgan during qualifications

Then ITT's or individual time trials were tonight. Although final results are not posted yet I believe as a team we put 4 guys in the top 20/25 so that is definitely a positive going into the weekend where miss-n-out will take place. I was matched up with a decent heat and had the pleasure of following my future teammate on the road this summer, RJ Stuart. I started off the ITT hot, a little too hot really as I could see RJ's distance decreasing with every pedal stroke I took. Knowing how good of a rider RJ is I got a little anxious and went far too hard on my 2nd lap still closing the gap. Then my pacing got the best of me! I knew I was not going to be able to maintain this speed so I slowed down a bit and when I did I never found the strength to get back on top of the gear. From experience I knew about half-way into the third lap I was in trouble and there was no coming out of this one. Live and learn I suppose; can't find those limits unless you test them so although I'm a little upset about mine I learned something that will ultimately help us for race day. Eric won in dramatic fashion and Beaver got 4th so putting 2 guys in the top 5 is great for our quest for the white jersey.

Days are seeming to get faster and faster meaning only one thing: it's Little 5 season!

Here We Go

Well my week here at IU has officially come to an end; now off to Nebraska tomorrow afternoon and eventually my DPT interview at Creighton University. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous mostly because I've never been a part of an interview process of this nature. Been doing a little research this week on topics that may be covered during the conversations and I feel like I'm ready but again worried that they may throw an odd-ball in there. Just like anything else though I'm just going to wing-it somewhat and be myself. If they don't like what I have to offer their establishment than I'll take my talents elsewhere. But really I want to be in Omaha at Creighton so hopefully it goes well, keep your fingers crossed!

Quick turn around as I jump right back on a plane after the interview to head home for qualifications. We were suppose to have a practice run through tonight but the weather wasn't too cooperative so we decided to shit-can our run to stay away from any possible injury that may come of it. I think it was a good decision because the track was not in the best of shape today. It would have been nice to get in one last exchange before leaving town for the next 2 days but it's just another day at the office and I've done a thousand exchanges over the years so looking forward to Saturday. Probably going to be a little tired but if quals doesn't get your blood flowing I don't know what does. I'm definitely getting the itch for race day. I've been preparing for that day for the past 3 years!

Here goes nothing; good thing it was sunny today and had a chance to work on my tan a little. Hopefully I get a lady to interview me and she thinks I'm a cute Indiana boy!

Fueling the Fire

The IDS printed a story today about how The Cutters are responding to the alleged cheating scandal of current rider Eric Young. To put it plainly here's how I'm responding: "Quit being pussies!" IDS news article

Of course this fueled much discussion all of which seems to be directed toward the Cutters hate mail bin; God knows there's plenty of that. With this being said though there's only one thing to do with so much hate-mail and that's to burn it. I think I speak for my teammates as well as myself when I say that all this press and confrontation is doing nothing but fueling the fire. If only these teams would spend have the amount of time training as they do bitching and moaning on the Internet maybe someone other than the Cutters would have won this decade and none of this would be in discussion. I know this is a totally different year and we've won absolutely nothing this year but we've been putting the final pieces of the puzzle together over Spring Break, recovery weeks, and the next 3 weeks prior to race day and are close to being ready to give this year's race everything we've got. Win, lose, or draw the only determining factor of who's the better team that day is who's hoisting the trophy at the end and hopefully I can do this one more time.

This coming Saturday we will be competing in qualifications at 8:20 am. Early start to the day but we're happy with the time that was delegated to us and I think we are ready to leave it out there on the track and give the critics even more to complain about. Bill Armstrong Stadium. 8:20 AM. Be there to witness the start of something great!

These kids are happy to compete... the subtle joys of qualifications I suppose

Come and Gone...

Spring Break has officially come and gone. It went so fast compared to year's past. Staying out at the cabin one last time was a bittersweet and relaxing place to crash while making memories that will last forever. Never a dull moment with this team called The Cutters.

Meeting at the usual team breakfast on Monday morning settling up final ride situations and then left for the cabin. The weather wasn't the nicest for the first two days but after that it turned out to be great, funny enough resembling that close to Florida. Worked on our tans a bit.

A few women's teams blessed our cabin on a couple nights for dinner and campfires: Teter, Theta, Pi Phi, and DG all made the trek out to the cabin and it seemed unanimous that our directions sucked. They all made it though didn't they?

Riding went well this week. In comparison to year's past I felt like we did a lot more speed work and I must say I was impressed with everyone's efforts throughout the week. I think we've nailed down the final four for quals and with a clean run I think we can surprise some people with the firepower we've got this year.

Cleaning up this morning after breakfast was a weird feeling. Upon arriving at the cabin early in the week Jim and I were upstairs and Jim commented, "Last spring break Zack, have to make the most of it!" When locking up the cabin one last time and driving out the steep gravel drive all I can do is smile and remember all those memories that I made out there in the woods surrounding Lake Monroe. From skinny-dipping with the DG's my rookie year to those terrible pacelines on 446 to the raging campfires. Sitting around those fires long into the night talking about all sorts of things are what I'll miss the most when my tenure with this team is finished. I feel like I've made a impression on the team though over the past few years and my biggest is yet to come here in the coming weeks.

As a sit here reflecting I hear the dryer buzz and remember that I am cleaning on the towels from the cabin so I'll get one last visit this afternoon when I take the linens back out and probably sit on the back porch and watch the sun go down one last time.

Big thanks to the Elliott family for allowing our team to use your house again; it's been an incredible 3 years out there.

Spring Break

Well Spring Break is upon us that attend Indiana University and while most venture to warmer climates or back home I will be here in Bloomington riding my bike. And I'm pretty pumped up about it as weird as that may seem to others. Moving into our lake resort tomorrow morning after team breakfast and I'm pulling seniority this year and get a bed! NO more air mattresses and couches for this guy.

Friday night a few of us rolled out of town in search in Louisville, KY to dabble in a little racing. Stayed at a teammates house and it was nice to have a sweet dinner and place to crash for the night to save a little mulah. The course was situated in a little state park on a 1.8 mile circuit. Nice rolling hills circling around a lake/glorified pond but it was super windy! Everyone I went to race with did pretty well but I had a less than spectacular weekend to say the least. I don't really know why but my legs just were not there at all. I know its been a busy last couple of weeks training for Little 5 but my god my legs literally just blew apart. It was pretty frustrating to see guys that I know aren't near the quality of rider as myself simply ride me off their wheels and I had nothing to counter with. Mentally and physically I was drained. Hoping this week goes a bit better and a get a little chance to recover before quals, etc. start coming around in the next couple weeks or I'm going to be a joke out there on the track...

Spring Break 2011; College is crazy!

Bucket List

Received an email today from my cycling coach and the subject was concerning a lifelong dream of his of attending the Tour of Flanders over across the pond in Belgium. For those of you who don't know this race is revered as one of the true "Spring Classics" filled with cobblestones and other cycling obstacles that most races do not have. The problem for him is that he has to miss both Individual Time Trials and Miss'n'Out competitions for Little 5. I know he is very torn but when opportunities like this arise one must take them! How cool would it be to be able to ride the course and view the race the following day all as a part of work? This email somewhat brought to my attention a few things that I would put on my "Bucket List" that I'd like to do as I venture into new stages of my life. I won't go into crazy detail but a few that I would like to accomplish are as follows...

1.) Travel to Alaska and indulge in anything and everything outdoors during the summer months. Fly fishing, hiking, canoe down rivers, and whatever else is unique to the area.

2.) Go to the Olympics. Preferably the summer games but the winter games would be pretty sweet as well. These are the absolute best athletes in the world and to watch them compete against one another would be a great spectacle to see.

3.) Raise kids. Kids that enjoy life and people respect and like to surround themselves with their presence.

4.) Write a book. It may suck but I think thus far I've lived a pretty cool life and hope to keep the current trend going so by the time I'm 50 I should have some decent material.

5.) Complete an Ironman. The ultimate test of endurance and mental toughness. Not trying to break any records but I'd like to push myself decently hard and post a good time. Hopefully I can complete this dream this upcoming summer before heading off to graduate school (hopefully I get in!)

Looking forward to heading out to the cabin for Spring Break. It's nice to get away especially to such a nice, relaxing place in the woods. So quiet and peaceful and an awesome way to recover after trashing the legs all day while riding. Nothing to do but ride, read some books, and enjoy some bonding with the Cutters. I'll take that spring break trip over any drinking binge on a random beach. 1

Whew Glad that's over with

What a week thus far! 3 midterms in the beginning of the week will really take it out of a person. Finished the last one this morning and boy was a weight lifted from my shoulders! Now just have to catch up on a little sleep and I'll be ready to rumble again.

Today was an interesting day at the track; fun but a little weird. Great that two of our coaches, Jim and Fowler, were able to come but not too many people showed up. Everyone blew their load on Mondays as usual. SO we twisted things around a bit and did a couple harder efforts thrown in with some exchanges. Overall I think we had a great day on the track. The best part was having a wide open track to really open it up without the fear of jackasses wrecking into you. It also helps when you've got a big bulls eye on a particular rider that finally decided to show his face and its funny how some things work regarding muscle fatigue. There comes a time in cycling when you think to yourself during a hard effort that your legs may just give out at any moment because of the sheer burning of flesh but upon reaching this moment you gaze up cross-eyed and drooling and see the man who picked a fight with your team in a sense. Suddenly as your legs are locking up and the lactate threshold has far been exceeded you feel great and continue to blow by this person with relative ease; and boy does it bring a smile to your face! When you stoke the fire you're going to get burned and this is why we, The Cutters, are now out for blood. The gloves are off and this is a full blown fight set to air globally on television (HDNet) on April 16, 2011. Bring ya popcorn folks!

I also had the pleasure of meeting with a passionate journalist from the Indiana Daily Student newspaper and had a good conversation about how our team was dealing with the controversy. Really? I responded that we try not to get caught up in the bullshit and concentrate on our task at hand which is training effectively up until the race. We've been dealt our cards and we're playing with what we have. Hopefully with a bit of luck we can put the right combination together. Let the girls whine and complain while we're out riding and preparing the best accommodate our needs come April. There is no controversy so to speak though; my good friend and teammate Eric "Hazelbear" Young will be in attendance for the race and I think its fair to share that "the Hazelbear doesn't like when the family is messed with". Yes, I said family and we go by the Cutters. We're a great group of people that enjoy what we do. Practicing with him for the last 3 years I'll be the first to admit a challenge is exactly what this man strives for and wouldn't everyone like to know what he's challenging himself to? I know! For the right price I might let you in on the secret but I doubt it so probably not worth asking because I like to let wounds in competitors fester, become infected, and then kick them while they're down. Harsh? Possibly but this isn't Little League anymore. Welcome to the Big Leagues (not the PRO's though).

Racing in Louisville this weekend too but let's be honest at this point in the year there's only one thing on my mind and that's Little 5. It is nice to get out of Bloomington every once in a while though and road trip with friends.

Productive Weekend

I decided against traveling to Columbus, Ohio to the collegiate racing scene this weekend because of the sheer amount of work that needed to be completed here. The weather didn't seem to be very cooperative either and bike racing is expensive so I stayed home. I'm glad I did because talking with those who did travel to race seem to all report the same consensus of, "it was wet, cold, and miserable!" It sounds as though IU fared a bit better this weekend in the road race in terms of points toward nationals so that's a good thing.

Finished up 2 study guides for the upcoming midterms this week and feeling pretty confident about my two psychology exams on Monday/Tuesday. Haven't even attempted to study for Exercise Physiology yet but that's not til Wednesday so it looks like no $2 Tuesday at Roys for me.

Driving up to Indianapolis tomorrow morning to ride with Fowler in the morning so it will be nice to get a ride in with him and shoot the shit a little bit; ya know about manly things. Then heading out to Men's Warehouse to purchase some new casual dress ware. Not really looking forward to blowing my tax return on growing up things but I guess that's all part of it. It will be nice to finally have a nice, good-looking suit to wear to special occasions. Have to be looking fly when I head to Omaha here in a couple weeks for the interview at Creighton because first impressions are everything! Everything is coming together so quickly: graduate school, Little 5, senior year, growing up, graduation...surreal!

Spring is in the Air

The last few days have been everything that I could have asked for and more!

Most importantly I received word today from Creighton University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program that I have been invited to take part in an interview process being held on March 25^th. I’m so excited to head to Omaha, Nebraska to meet the faculty there in my pursuit of higher education. The one problem though is that this interview is an all-day ordeal and won’t be completed until 5pm and low and behold qualifications are the next day. My mom offered to purchase a plane ticket for me which I thank you for in advance mom, love you! Driving probably would have sucked considering it’s a 10 hour drive…

I know this sounds like one of those sappy speeches but without the love and support I have received from family it would be hard to believe where my life would have taken me. More of those blog entries will consume this site closer to graduation I’m sure so I’ll spare you until then.

Going back to the portion of my life that consumes the majority of my time though which, you guessed it: Little 5! This week was an interesting one to say the least. I won’t go into major details for the sanity of everyone but to make a long story short a rider on another team decided that my teammate, Eric Young, is too good to race because it’s ruining the integrity of the race…

Midterms

With only 2 weeks of school left before Spring break not only is operation beach body in full effect at the respected gyms around the community but also midterms. I've got a Motor Learning midterm tomorrow and then a lab report, social psychology, and exercise physiology midterms next week. Working on getting a good chunk of things done this week before heading to Ohio State this weekend to race again.

Another interesting adventure I'll be taking tonight will be to visit a meeting who's aim is to ban a teammate of mine from racing in this year's Little 500. Amazing how worthless people are when faced with a bit of a challenge. Not only is he marking himself as a pussy but also telling his teammates that he doesn't trust them to do the right things in order to win. True leader there I'd say...

Got a shipment of performance gear from Dogfish today and the things offered through dogfishusa.com and the cutters section are pretty sweet! Glad to be getting our shirt's through such an awesome provider again this year. Please check out the site and order if you need anything; I suggest the performance hoodies! Very comfortable!

The Kentucky Derby

This weekend I traveled down to Columbia, Kentucky with the boys to compete in a couple collegiate bike races. As a team representing Indiana University we didn’t do too bad picking up a couple points in all events. It’s hard to compare to derby horses of Marian and Lindsay Wilson but I would say that we didn’t do too bad.

As for my boys I think we learned a lot this weekend. We found out that racing doesn’t always turn out the way we expected no matter how good we are feeling on the bike because of mechanical issues or other competitors being idiots. Kevin picked up some respectable results placing 2^nd in the road race and the win in the crit for the D’s category. Thomas was the unlucky one of the weekend falling victim to a flat within the last mile of the road race and being taken out by a fellow IU racer 500 meters from the line. He was disappointed but he knows that he couldn’t have done anything different and sometimes that’s the way things play out. Dougie fresh ripped out a 19^th place finish in the road race and got pulled while leading the 2^nd group behind the break so for his first weekend racing some very solid results! Samwise pulled out a 7^th in both the road race and crit in the C’s category and was near the front the entire time so he was racing smart and looked smooth on his bike which always is good. I raced A’s for the first time and let me tell ya those boys are there for a reason. Equipped with a handful of pro’s Marian set the tone early and the finishing climb was brutal blowing up the field. I think only 23 guys finished out of 45? The last few places were gutting it out too…I dropped out after the 2^nd lap once I lost sight of the main pack and I’ve been kicking myself ever since. I should have just gutted it out and I probably would have finished around 21^st…should have, would have, could have but I didn’t so I’ve got nothing to bitch about I gave up. This next weekend at Ohio State this won’t be the case.  The crit was pretty much a disaster from the get go for IU. The second lap saw a Purdouche rider gap everyone as he apparently forgot what brakes were used for and went flying off the course. Once that gap opened up it was goodnight for all behind it due to the Marian train drilling it up front. Within 5 minutes the field dwindled from approximately 40 to about 30. Clayton raced well and hung on for 16/17^th or somewhere in there. 

Scott Cantanzaro had a nice 12^th place finish in the road race while Ren-Jay picked up 18^th and the overall points winner for the weekend probably went to Kristen Metherd. Both time trial teams represented well too!

So heading into this next weekend I need to focus on better positioning, especially in the crit! Hopefully my buddy Nate can make it to the races with his girlfriend Emily and grab some dinner after the road race. It’s been a while since we’ve got to hang out so having an in-town Buckeye (Go Blue!) should be good in terms of finding a decent restaurant! Back to cinders for now for the main focus of this whole biking adventure. Hopefully a good solid week at the track and then packing the car again! 4 more days and a midterm until some more fun with IUCC!

Open track

    I was a little disappointed at the outcome of the track this afternoon. It's the first day that everyone was allowed on and many teams were not there. I would have bet money that today was going to be one of the biggest days where half the teams come out tapered and ready to show off. Guess I was wrong. It's nice to see a lot of familiar faces out there throwing their bikes around and I've been pleased by the progress of our team over the past couple weeks heading into track season. Exchanges don't look half bad, everyone is working themselves into the pack well, and most of all we're back on the track. It's funny at how hard sets are on the track in comparison to a road race where you can pretty much sit in and hide. While you can still set up camp behind someone on the track it truly is harder to constantly be spinning. Guess its a good thing we've been doing plenty of rollers.
    Another thing that I wanted to express was how shitty of a turnout we had from Rider's Council members during Rookie Week. On average there was usually 3-4 guys per practice which is downright ridiculous. I know I missed a day because of a funeral but sure as shit you know these guys will find a way around class to attend regular track practice. If you were chosen to represent Little 500 then live up to your expectations. I thought we had a pretty good group of guys but supposedly I was wrong and this definitely rubs me the wrong way. Don't expect to get a wheel from me anytime because you won't get it and if you try and take it I will slam my bike into yours and you will eat cinders. I don't give a flying fuck who you are or what team you ride for because that's disrespectful to Pam, IUSF, the rookies, those who actually went and put work into the schedule, etc. and those not chosen to represent this group for not pulling your own weight.
    Maybe a little harsh in the above paragraph but I don't go for bullshit like that and I'm all about respect and somewhat karma. When you can't show up to something that is suppose to be mandatory you need to call or at least try to inform others. So when you are completing sets out there and wearing your Rider's Council jacket proudly don't come expecting a free ride from me because it won't be there. (There are a few individuals that actually had the decency to inform others of absence and that showed up with regularity)

Cutters started it

A little chilly today in Bloomington made the last and final day of Rookie Week a good one. Glad the men were early in comparison to women today because I bet it was miserable during late practice! Had a meeting for summer racing at the Bakehouse tonight and I'm excited for this summer. Going to try and race quite a bit and see what happens; SIB team should be pretty solid this year so I'm looking forward to it. Until then I'm focusing on training for April first off because let's face it Little 500 is where its at. Speaking of which I talked with our shirt provider and he has helped our team out immensely by making a link off of his home page to purchase Cutters wear of on types. Check it out at dogfishusa.com and follow the prompts to Cutters. The owner, John Merli, is a great guy and does a lot for a bunch of guys he doesn't really know. He is offering free shipping on orders within the US right now as well and our team gets a percentage of every sale to offset costs of race equipment.
     Other than that not a whole lot going on; heading to Kentucky this weekend for some racing so it should be an interesting weekend as I heard tonight that we are renting 3 cabins on a lake somewhere instead of hotels. That always makes for some fun! Being the entertainer I am...looking forward to it.
     Also on my way home from the bakehouse tonight I come up to the stoplight at 10th and Walnut. In front of me I see a Papa John's delivery guy lined up next to a Domino's delivery guy: recipe for success without a doubt! They did not let me down. Roasting the tires out of the stoplight the Papa John's dude (or chick) absolutely owned Domino's, no contest whatsoever! The Domino's driver was trying to; his cavalier didn't have shit on the Camry! American muscle my ass.

Who's Hank

      Just another weekend with not a whole lot going on. I thought about hitting the Bluebird on Friday with some guys from work to see the band, Here Come The Mummies but for $21 I decided otherwise. Really $21? They're good but come on, it wasn't even fifteen cent beer night. Saturday the Bluebird had another good show going on but I was feeling pretty tired so I stayed in and got all my homework done and relaxed. It was kind of nice because my brother went to visit some friends out of town so it was just the pup and I. I also went over to Clayton and Caroline's and got some good work done on my bikes in preparation for this upcoming weekend races down in Kentucky.
      Back to the title of this post. I've had a lot of people inquire about how in the hell I acquired the nickname Hank? The answer: I honestly don't know the exact origin but I'm pretty sure when I first started with The Cutters our coach, Jim Kirkham was asking some general background information and we stumbled upon the topic of baseball. Playing baseball at Manchester College before trasferring to IU and he suddenly chimeed in, "Oh like Hammering Hank huh?" Of course the nickname master himself, Clayton Feldman, jumped all over this opportunity and the name Hank just stuck really really well! It is somewhat ridiculous how well it stuck because there are definitely times when I don't really answer to Zack. My mailbox at work even reads Hank, go figure. There was definitely a point when I would go to girlfriend's parents house and question whether they even knew what my real name was...haha. I don't mind and its funny. I've actually signed a check before Hank that was suppose to be sent to Duke Energy for our electric bill so obviously that one got shredded. Hopefully one day when I'm older I will con some lady to have children with me and (fingers crossed) have at least one boy and name him Hank. I feel like I owe it to the world. Besides the name Hank means business; maybe a little hickish but it jumps out at you as someone who knows what they want and when they want it. When you look up the true meaning behind the name Hank one finds Hank: the ruler of an estate or 'ruler of the household'. Boom bitch! Would you want to mess with a good ole boy named Hank? I wouldn't. So that's the origin of Hank: The Man, The Myth, and most importantly The Legend.

                                                                    Big Magnum

Crazy week

        Sorry it's been a while since the last post but it's been a pretty crazy week. First off I want to express my deepest sympathies to the Kent Family as they lost a beloved grandma/mother this week. Last night I drove down to Bedford to show a little support for the family and what an incredible job they did setting up the funeral home. Old pictures, beautiful flower arrangements throughout the room, and most notably a strong family. I don't know how someone can lose someone so close and hold it together the way they did. I found myself tearing up like I always do at funeral sanctions and of course they were quick to point it out and lighten the mood. I honestly think I have a phobia toward things of this nature because I honestly can't attend something like this and not show emotion. Even if I don't really know the person but more so attend to show support for family that I am closer with...Again my deepest sympathies are extended to the family.
        Classes are going pretty well too which is always a plus. For once I finally have a semester where I don't really mind going to class all the time because its about stuff that I enjoy rather than a general requirement class with no relevance to me whatsoever. Graduate school applications are circulating within each respected school that I applied to so hopefully I will be able to visit for an interview sometime within the next few weeks. Keep your fingers crossed!
        The track finally opened up this week as well and I'll be the first to admit that the men's rookies didn't do half as bad as I was expecting. Of course the first 2 days are somewhat slow getting to know the basics but the last two days have been run more similar to a regular track practice. Rookie miss'n'out was conducted as well and I'm pleased to say that only 2 crashes happened and the guys are alright. One crash held a particular place in my heart though and I found myself drawn to this kid. I have no idea what team he rides for but he's a great kid with an even better attitude. His name will be left out but he is one of the few kids that actually takes the time during free practice to come and ask for help or advice. I admire that! I've seen a lot of guys this week take my advice I've given them because they are clearly doing something wrong (hints why your white t-shirt is covered in cinders) and just put it behind them like I've never said anything to them. Is it frustrating; a little but what can you do if they like crashing than so be it. Back to my buddy. He takes a dig up to me the other day while I'm cruising around the track at a half-way decent speed to ask if I'd stop and help him for a second. We signal out of the pack and he asks if I would mind helping him work on his skid/getting off the bike because he's worried about his team making the race and wants to get his exchange as close to flawless as possible. Again, he wasn't afraid to swallow his pride and ask questions. Within 5 minutes we had him smoking around the track bringing in some hot skids that were ten-fold better than before and he was grateful for just a few words of wisdom and encouragement. Then came miss'n'out and sure enough the wind took its toll on no other than my new friend. Overlapped a wheel (I think?) and went down relatively hard and smashed his head into another back wheel of an opposing rider. I immediately thought, "Oh man, that's my buddy..." He ended up being alright other than the famous cinder tattoo that will probably stay with him the rest of his life. I went up to him while he was sitting at the EMS table to see how he was doing in between heats and exchanged some general information about class standing, age, where he's from, etc and how to brush those cinders out of his arm. Glad he's alright and I'll be looking for him come Qualifications Day and be rooting for him and the team to make the race this year.
    

                                                      Just another day at "The Oasis"

Weekends Go Extremely Too Fast

  Sitting on the couch watching the Grammy's and thinking about how fast this weekend went. Went to Delta Gamma's Crush Dance last night and had a blast! Well at least in the beginning and for the dance but decided against the after party...I'll leave out the major details but the night seemed to blur together at the end due to alcohol consumption; go figure. The dance was a lot of fun and dinner at Bear's was also great! Bear's Place, notoriously known for their famous drink, The Hairy Bear, are seriously under-rated in terms of food selection! I've been there a handful of times and have enjoyed it every time! I ordered the Turkey Po Boy sandwich and it was very good.
    Valentine's Day tomorrow! Hitting up another Bloomington restaurant sometime this week that I haven't tried: Sweet Grass. Heard good things so we'll see. Track is going to be open this week too! Holla

To get to this level...

You must train with the intent of returning to the top and do anything possible to get there. Quiet the critics and train like you're the underdog everyday

A Day of Fairwells

    For some god awful reason I'm been waking up the last 3-4 days at around 5 am for no apparent reason. I proceed to lay there, rolling around restlessly trying to fall back asleep with no luck and I'm just wide awake. It's ridiculous. After about 30 minutes of laying there and realizing that I have 4 hours until I need to get dressed and head out the door for a big group ride honoring the famous Geraint I get up and make a pot of coffee. Surfing the web was nothing spectacular and I decided to be productive again and finished a paper for social psych that isn't due until the 22nd of Feb. Yeah I'd say I'm on top of things too!
    The ride was great today; weather resembled that of a tropical paradise compared to lately and we rolled out with about 70 people I'd guess. Pretty cool! Upon returning home from the ride I listened to my voice mails and heard some sad news that my cousin had passed away. Rest in peace Seth. It's pretty wild how valuable life is but takes news like this for someone to really understand it. Somewhat lost touch over the years as we grew older but my team's cycling training trip took us to North Carolina this past winter break and got to hear how you were doing from your mom and just 2 days ago caught up on facebook and shot the shit a little. You're in a better place now man, take care up there buddy!

TGIF

    Friday, finally! This week seemed to drag on longer than usual. I don't know if it was due to Rookie Week anticipation and never actually being able to get out on the track or what but I'm sure glad the weekend is here! Had class this morning and worked all day with the always fun President's Challenge crew but other than that nothing eventful. Excited to hit the streets this weekend with the warmer weather and I'm starting to get the itch to race here in a couple weeks at Lindsay Wilson College! It's that time of year where the legs are going to transition from big, slow efforts into quick, explosive ones! Can't wait! Pretty productive night today thus far as I've finished one lab report and got a giant start on another one. Long ride tomorrow for GP's going away party/ride/fun.

Another typical Thursday night

     I don't know if you've gazed upon the 10 day forecast for the Bloomington area as of late but if so you better be as enthusiastic as I am about the uplifting of this treacherous cold we've had! We were planning on conducting Rookie week today and actually get out on the track to practice some exchange drills but the girls had early practice and from the sound of it quickly found that the cinders mimicked quicksand fairly well. Who knew? The plan now supposedly is to wait for this warm front to roll through and melt all of this nasty white stuff and hopefully bring the steamroller out to flatten the cinders. Time table is set for Monday but we'll see.
     Since practice was cancelled I had the pleasure to go to the best lab I've ever taken here at Indiana University: Adapted Physical Education (APE). This lab is structured for students to learn about different developmental disabilities and physical impairments that affect individuals but in regard to this class children. Each student is paired up one on one with a child to work with throughout the semester creating lesson plans to promote healthy living, physical activity, and more importantly developing a relationship with a young person affected by some degree of disability. I could literally write a novel on my experiences that I've had since being involved within this class; in fact I've enjoyed it so much as a student that I've been a volunteer and lab assistant for the past 2 years! Those kids bring me so much joy with their smiles and playful attitudes and have pushed me toward one day working in a pediatric physical therapy setting. It's such a life changing experience; I know it sounds cliche but it truly is and words do not give it justice. I've learned so much about others with varying degrees of disorders, families directly affected by certain disorders/stereotypes associated with them, and about myself as a human being. I am fortunate to have a relatively healthy life with a very supportive and loving family comparatively speaking and from these experiences I thank God everyday for this and pray for those affected. So next time when you think you've got it bad take a second and think about those less fortunate than yourself because the odds are it could be worse even though these families would suggest otherwise because they're all fearless warriors of life.
      To cap off the night I headed to Ole Faithful KOK for some quesadillas and a beer! Oh yeah and not to mention the t-shirt that accompanies the cover charge on Thursdays. I've accumulated my fair share of shirts this year and plan on making a sweet quilt out of it upon graduation! What could be better to reminisce about your college days than a reminder hanging in your living room saluting the free bar shirts you received every week? Between this quilt and shitty bike jerseys that I'll hold on to I'm going to have some bad ass stories to tell my kids one day about how sweet IU really was! Follow me to KOK; it's t-shirt time!