Its coming!

11^th Annual Tour De Burg – June 30^th – July 5^th -- Harrisonburg, VA

No Drama, no hooplah, just 6 classic stages to highlight the best rides in the area and provide the route that is the Tour de Burg. Fine dining at the homes of Harrisonburg friendlies will help ease your homesick blues and the pain in your legs. Please join us to start the second Decade of Slummin.

OK a little drama… A strong performance last year sent the Cupcakes home with 3 of the 5 jerseys – Churtle the Women’s Champion, Keefer the KOM, and the Mouth in green as the Sprint King. While Bishop’s umpth trip to the top of Podium gave the Burg the title and 3 of the top 5 spots. Cupcake Harlan Price was a serious threat only 5 minutes in arrears and is off to a hot start in 06. The disgracing loss of the green jersey has left the Burg scrambling to find a sprinter – with a number of Quinns in training, perhaps the jersey will stay in the south. A new Team Orange will be led by previous Tour Champion Jeremy Vimpty and various high strung veterans. Orange already has their eyes on the Sprint Jersey – expect some shady sprints! After Buschetti took home the title in 05, C-Ville managed only to defend the DFL. Now that the Wo has defected to the burg who will carry C-Ville in 06? Rumors have even slipped out of committee about podium girls (or boys) and strict drug testing standards. Enough speculation – who will be present on June 30^th at 5pm ready to ride?

The 2006 Tour will begin at 5:00 pm on Friday, June 30^th at Todd Lake near Stokesville, VA.

• There will be sag support & race supplies for each stage
• We will provide dinner/meal after each stage – locations TBA.
• We will be collecting donations (suggested $100 Tour or $20 Stage).
• Please attend and contribute as you see fit!

Rules-ish

General Classification

§ To be considered for the general classification – you must finish each stage in its entirety.

§ Individual with the best combined time (all stages) will wear the leaders jersey.

§ You must start the stage with the group (i.e. no riding on your own).

§ Sprint and KOM classifications do not count toward General Classification.

§ There may be times when a time cut is imposed in order to keep the group moving and to complete the stage in a somewhat timely manner. We expect to wait between 30 minutes to an hour during the regroupings. On certain timed sections (and depending on the scenario) if a rider does not finish a timed section in time (~1 hour) they may be rerouted or sagged.

Sprint – Fast Roadie

§ Points awarded to the top 5 finishers at selected sprint points

5 pts-1^st, 4 pts-2^nd, 3 pts-3^rd, 2pts-4^th, 1 pt-5^th

§ Individual with most points wears the Sprinter Jersey.

§ Safety First! Be careful on the pavement don’t cross the yellow line!

KOM – King of the Mountains

§ Points awarded to the top 5 finishers at selected KOM spots (in and out of timed sections).

5 pts-1^st, 4 pts-2^nd, 3 pts-3^rd, 2pts-4^th, 1 pt-5^th

§ Individual with most points wears the KOM Jersey.

DFL – Dead F… Last Place

§ Awarded to the last placed male in the General Classification.

§ Sandbagging encouraged- but be careful with possible time cuts!

11^th Annual Tour De Burg – June 30^th – July 5^th -- Harrisonburg, VA

Prologue July 4^th 5:00 pm Trimble Mtn Time Trial

The traditional opening Time Trial features 4 miles of twisty CCC style single-track. A 2 mile, 1000 ft climb followed by a 2 mile 1000 ft descent! Get fired up for the week, a good finish could go a long way.

§ 4 miles – 1,000 ft of climbing.

§ Starts/Park at Todd Lake Dump Area.

§ Dinner at Carpenter’s Home 8pm – 310 Ohio Avenue - Hburg

Stage 1 Saturday 10 am (riding) Mtn Shenandoah Mtn Trail

A whole lotta singletrack – good singletrack. Expect a long timed section(s) and Sprint in Deerfield. A 5 mile road ride leads to a tough 5 mile ~1500ft climb (KOM) then the classic traverse along ~20 miles of the SMT, finishing at Scotchtown Draft Road. A 25-mile road ride back to West Augusta awaits.

§ 50 miles – 5,000 ft of climbing.

§ Starts/Park at Braley’s Pond Picnic area.

• Dinner location TBA, 6:30pm

Stage 2 Sunday 10 am (riding) Road Mtn Valley plus Mtns

A rolly trip up mtn valley road will lead us to the steep climbs of Massanutten mtn. Hair raising gravel descents and mtn top finish will highlight 2 timed sections full of 1200 foot KOM climbs and lots of smooth summer gravels. 2 BIG sprint finishes for jersey pts and a 20 mile return trip on classic valley pave through Civl War stompin grounds.

§ At least 70-90 miles and 6,000 feet of climbing.

§ Starts at Shenandoah Bicycle Company.

§ Dinner location TBA, 6:30pm

Stage 3 Monday 10 am (riding) Mtn Union-Flagpole-Hearthstone-Narrowback

Jump on the MTB for a ride from town to Flagpole Knob. A leisurely jaunt west from the burg will culminate with a BIG sprint before the peloton climbs the feared Union Springs fireroad through Dundor Hollow all the way to Flagpole Knob (KOM). A cruise across Shenandoah Mtn to Reddish Knob (KOM) will lead to our 2,500 ft descent to Tilghman Road via Timber and Hearthstone Ridges. Maybe a surprise TT on Narrowback and a BIG sprint on the return trip to town.

§ 50 Miles – at least 3,000 ft of climbing.

§ Starts at Shenandoah Bicycle Company.

§ Dinner location TBA, 6:30pm

Stage 4 Tuesday 10 am (riding) Road Confederate Breastworks-Reddish Knob

A new parcour to Reddish Knob, features another mountain top finish and trip to the homeland for the West Virginians in the peloton. After a sprint in Stokesville, the Peloton will race through the National Forest, to Rt. 250 and west over a couple climbs into WV! Then upon the new route to Reddish, full of Pave and a 10 mile 2,500 climb. It could be a struggle back to the burg from Reddish but C’est La TdB – Get ready for a BIG sprint!

§ At least 80-90 miles – 6,000 ft of climbing.

§ Starts at Shenandoah Bicyle Company.

§ 4^th of July Cookout TBA

Stage 5 Wednesday 10 am (riding) Mtn Dowells-Hollows-Braleys

The perennial penultimate stage features 3 of the best downhills on the planet! Always a GC shakedown! An 8 mile parade from Braleys to North River Campground will lead to the first timed section – up Hankey Mtn fireroad – 5 miles big climb and down Dowells draft – 5 miles best single! Another 5 mile parade on rt 250 to Mtn House will lead us to the final timed section of the 2005 Tour de Burg. -4 Miles up Rt 250 to Confederate Breastworks, north across the SMT to Road Hollow down to Mtn House up 2 miles up Bridge Hollow and down Braleys to the Pond for the END.

§ 40 miles - 5,000+ feet of climbing.

§ Starts/Park at Braley’s Pond Picnic area.

§ The closing ceremonies and food to follow at Braley’s Picnic Area.

Random Thoughts

Korean bbq buffets are the greatest thing since velcro. All you can eat everything including, sushi, orange chicken, apple pie, rice, salad, oh and more orange chicken. THEN you start with the meats that you cook right at your table on the little grill things that are serviced by the lovely hostesses with their fabric shears to chop up the delicious morsels into more manageable pieces. Amazing I tell you. Work should have more outings like this. All would be right in the world. That is all for now.

Good Song: Stars - On Peak Hill

Quote of the Day.

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure...than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.

-Theodore Roosevelt

Good Song: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away

...just another day in the mountains.

Good Song: The Editors - All Sparks

Luray Sprint

I love the mountains, which was the main reason I signed up for the Luray Sprint Triathlon held today at Lake Arrowhead. Nestled next to the Shenandoah National Park rests this perfect venue for a triathlon, and is connected to some pretty amazing valley roads. I surprised myself today with another break through performance, finishing 3rd male overall. I felt good on the swim, suffered up some serious climbs on the bike, and managed to hold on to the run, and avoid my customary dry-heaving spells that I so often face during these sprint tri's. 3rd Male Overall...its kinda weird to say that. Never really been there before. Did I do so well because this was the first year the race was held, and some of the big guns stayed away, or is all my training to date finally paying off?? Maybe a little bit of both. I know I still have alot of work to do with Eagleman less than a month away, so this is no time to be satisfied with my finish. Gotta keep on keepin' on!!

I did come home with some nice winners shwag that included the following:

• 1 Bottle of California Merlot (cue the Sideways quote!)
• 1 Large hand-carved wine glass that reminds me everytime I drink from it that I finished 3rd and not 1st or 2nd
• 1 Wall Calendar
• 1 Bottle of homemade pasta sauce
• 1 Bag of pasta
• 1 Bag of beans and some dry sauce

So there we have it, a good day but tomorrow is Monday and that means back to the training! Rock on with your bad self. Til next time...

Good Song: Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead

A great speech.

November 2001, Border Clash Speech Jeff Johnson

Thank you. Good evening.

It's a real pleasure for me to be with you tonight.

It seems to me that I've spent my entire life surrounded by winners.
First, on my own high school and college teams, then later working
here at NIKE, and finally in coaching. It is a privilege to be back in
the company of winners once again.

I come to you tonight with a question. It's a rhetorical question, so
don't raise your hands.

Here's the question: Why do you run?

Why do you run so many miles? Why do you train in the heat…in the
rain…in the wind…in the dark… in the cold? Why do you endure so much
inconvenience, so much discomfort, so much loneliness?

Why do you run?

You've probably been asked that question before. It's not an easy
question to answer, is it? If someone has to ask, they'll probably
never understand.

A man once came to Mozart and said: Teach me to write a symphony.

Mozart answered: I can't teach you.

The man said: Why not? You were writing symphonies when you were 4 years old.

To which Mozart replied: Yes, but I didn't have to ask how.

To write timeless symphonies requires a genius that running does not
demand…lucky for us…but the problem of explanation is much the same:

If you have to ask, you just don't get it. And you probably won't get it.

But you get it, don't you? You would never ask someone: Why do you
run? (Except maybe rhetorically.)

Nevertheless, even you who "get it" have a hard time articulating your passion.

I think that is because running is a passion of the spirit. And
explaining the spirit is never easy.

Running is the expressway to self-confidence, self awareness,
self-discipline and self-reliance.

From running, you learn the harsh realities of your physical and
mental limitations….

From running, you gain strategies for extending those limitations,
that you might run farther, run faster, and run tougher.

You learn that personal
responsibility…commitment…sacrifice…determination… and persistence are
the only means of improvement.

Running, you come to understand, is a profound, far-reaching and never
ending contest of the runner with himself…or herself.

And you learn that runners only get promoted through self-conquest.

Running asks a question of you, and everyday it's the same question:

Are you going to be a wimp, or are you going to be strong today?

And when you answer that question in the way that you people in this
room have answered it, your become a better…stronger…more confident
animal…with a capacity for achievement greater than before, and a
formula for success that is forever engraved on your brain.

(It is no accident, I think, that this place was founded by runners.)

The single, most outstanding characteristic of the runner is
independence. Through your own will, you present yourselves to the
fire; and the fire changes you, permanently and forever.

Body and spirit
I surrendered whole
To harsh instructors—
And received a soul.

Rudyard Kipling wrote those lines nearly a century ago. It's
unrecorded what Kipling's PR was for 5K, but I suspect that he had
one.

Why do you run? Each of you may articulate it differently, but perhaps
we can agree that running touches us spiritually…it forms us…and it
strengthens us. It makes us who we are…and at some level, it is who we
are.

But you can be a runner without being a racer.

So here's another question for you: Why do you compete? Why do you
race 3.1 miles. That's gotta hurt. Why do you do it?

For most of you…I imagine that you race for the challenge…the
danger…the rush of putting yourself in a place where you must do your
absolute best…

…Because the race requires it. To give your best is to honor your
fellow competitors…your teammates…your coach…your school…your
family…your community…and all the good people who have worked so hard
to put on the race.

To give your best in a race is a matter of honor…and duty…and you know
that going in. You know, also, that the course will challenge you…that
your competitors will challenge you…and that your will challenge
yourself. You know, too, that there will come a critical moment in the
race where you must make the decision to lay it on the line…to take
your shot…or to fall back and regroup.

And you hope you'll be up to the challenge, but you're never entirely
sure…and it's that uncertainty that calls to you…because it is there,
at that moment, that moment of decision, that you offer yourself up to
be measured: by the clock…by your legs and lungs…by your guts, and by
your heart.

And if you want to win the race, in that moment of decision, you're
going to have to go a little crazy.

You race, then, because races are a big deal. (In fact, speaking from
the vantage point of both experience and hindsight, I dare say that at
this time in your lives, the race may be the most important thing that
you do. A girl on one of my high school teams came up to me on the day
of her graduation and said, "I learned more in cross country than I
learned in high school." "I'm glad, " I said, "so did I.")

Races are a big deal. Races are the culmination of all the forces that
have brought you here:
desire…commitment…focus…sacrifice…suffering…self-discipline…hard
work…responsibility. You race because you are invested in effort, and
you are invested in success.

Moreover, you are invested together.

Look around you. Go ahead. Do it. Look around.

Who are those people you see? Do you think they are your opponents?
People who oppose your quest for excellence?

Well they aren't. They are not your opponents. They are your fellow
competitors. In fact, they are your co-conspirators, for to compete is
to enter into a conspiracy.

The conspiracy is revealed in the word itself: compete, which comes
from two Latin roots, com (CUM) and petere (PET-ER-AH), which mean "to
strive together".

Al Oerter, the 4-time Olympic gold medallist in the discus, once said:
"I've never competed against anyone in my life. I've always competed
with people. To compete against people is a negative thing. To compete
with people is a celebration, a celebration of human capability."

And so it is. The worthy competitor is essential to the race, not as
an enemy, but as a co-conspirator. The race, you see, is a secret form
of cooperation. The race is simply each of you seeking your absolute
best with the help of each other.

Steve Prefontaine said: "To give anything less than your best is to
sacrifice the gift." What gift do you think he was talking about? The
gift of your talent, surely. But perhaps also the gift of
opportunity…and the gift of youth…perhaps even the gift of life
itself.

In any case, you give your best to the race as a matter of honor. You
can do no less, because your competitors are giving their best to you.

Now…not all races justify all out, total effort. For some races, you
have lesser goals—to score points for your team, to qualify for a more
important race later on—or just to have fun.

I offer that qualifier to my remarks tonight because I know that all
of you are coming off a long, hard season. For some of you, tomorrow's
Border Clash is not another test but, rather, a fun, end-of-season
reward. For others, it may be a tune-up for the Footlocker Regionals
still to come. For all of you, your goals for tomorrow's race are a
matter between you and your coaches.

We understand that. It isn't my intention tonight to try to get you
"fired up" for a race where an all out effort may be inconsistent with
your goals. The Border Clash is held solely to honor you, the best
cross country runners of two states, and in the hope that you will all
gain something joyful and positive from the experience of meeting and
competing with…competing with…each other.

But the next time you step to the starting line of an important race,
the conspiracy of striving together for excellence will be about to
unfold. That white line on the ground before you…and that other white
line five kilometers away… will define a sacred place, rife with
potential, an arena in which excellence and ultimates are the only
acceptable…indeed, the only honorable standards—and an arena into
which only a few, special people ever venture.

There—between those white lines, in a race that matters—you will give
your best to each other. And there—between those white lines, on that
sacred plain, you will learn who you are…of what stuff you are
made…and what you can endure…which is essential knowledge…essential
knowledge…for it will inform your whole, entire life.

Billy Joel wrote: "I won't hold back anything;
And I'll walk away a fool, or a king."

For my money, if you've done your best, fool or king, there's equal
honor in both. Doing your best is much more important than being the
best….

A friend came to visit me last week-end, and he looked over my
intended remarks for tonight.

"What are your goals for this speech?" he asked me.

I told him: "I want to tell these kids that they have chosen a sport
that ennobles them.

"So many runners are thought of as loners or geeks. I want these kids
to recognize themselves as people who are learning to take
responsibility for their lives…people who are learning to control
their own destinies.

"I want them to know that the lessons they learn as cross country
runners will stay with them their whole lives…that as a result of
being cross country runners they will gain the habits of winners:
setting goals…working hard…doing their best…being patient, persistent
and focused.

"I want them to realize that the formula for success in cross
country—which is hard, consistent, intelligent work, over time, equals
improvement…equals success—is the same formula for success in life.

"I want them to see that making a commitment, laying it on the line,
and taking a chance…pays off more often than not.

"I want them to understand that competition is not an anti-social act,
but a social one…and that to give their best is part of the social
contract.

"I want them to know that whatever else they do in life will always be
secondary to having been an athlete. That from being an athlete
first—and especially a long distance runner—they are already
fundamental victors.

"They don't know it yet—and they certainly don't understand it—but the
sport they have chosen will never leave them. It will lead them down
avenues of achievement and success that they cannot yet imagine."

Those are my goals for this speech.

"Then say that," my friend said.

Good idea, I thought. So I just did.

Thank you for listening to me tonight. I have the greatest admiration
and respect for cross country runners, and it's been a genuine honor
for me to be with you.

May you all have a safe race tomorrow…and may you all reach your goals.

Thank you.

Good Song: Metric - The Police and the Private

Random Thoughts

What a lonnnng day its been. Worked from 7:30am to 11:30pm...and I am exhausted to say the least. Hopefully not too many more of these, as the deadline I'm working towards is fast approaching and the majority of the tasks are complete. But, still, I mean, DAMN, Eagleman training is suffering as a result. I want to get out tomorrow morning and do a little run just to get the blood flowing again, but we'll see how I'm feeling sleep-wise. Atleast tonight was a perfect night for a walk home...so there's that.

Keep on rockin'.

Good Song: Iron & Wine - Sunset Soon Forgotten