Best and Worst of 2004

I know that everyone else does something like this, so I am going to also. Here is my best and worst of the 2004 race season.

Best 24 Hour Event: 24 Hour World Championships

Worst 24 Hour Event: 24 Hours of Moab. The race is great, but my body sucked!

Best New Product I Used: It's a tie between Tifosi Sunglasses & Fox Racing Shox

Best Endurance Fuel: E-Caps and Hammer Nutrition

Worst Handlebar Grip: Gel/Cork Road Bar Tape on a mnt bike

Best Handlebar Grip: Oury Lock-Ons

Best Tire Size: Anything 2.0

Worst Climb: 1st climb of solo loop at World's

Best Race For the Money: 24 Hours of Rapelje in Montana

Best Free Race T-Shirt: 24 Hours of Moab...it's the color of the dirt!

Worst Entry Fees: World's is $350, Moab is $300...GOOD LORD!

Best Entry Fees: My epic 8 hour mountain bike training rides at Sugarbottom...FREE!

Best Cycling Short: Pearl Izumi Micro Sensor bibs

Best "Race to Be": The 2005 running of Trans-Iowa? And yes, the 24 Hours of 7 Oaks in Boone, Iowa....I had to be reminded about that one....THANKS Kyle!!

Worst road trip: The 22 hour drive to Whistler B.C.

Best Consumer of Espresso: Scott Cave...What's with those little tea cups?

Best Pit Crew turned Enduro Racer: Chuck Jacobs

Worst Endurance Course: 12 Hours of John Muir...are we freak'n hampsters here?

Best State to Live/Train In: Iowa?

Worst Course Conditions: World's. It never rained, but the course looked like it after dark

Best Pit Crew: The Family!

Best Un-Healthy Fuel Source: Salsa Queen Homemade Donuts.....DOOOONNNUUUTTS!

Best Techno-Geek Item: Cateye Cordless Computer

Ok, that is all. I could keep going but I need to go to the YMCA. Happy New Year...blah, blah, blah. It's just another night, and tomorrow is just another day.

Up with suffering while training. Down with sore muscles. Wish'n it was Spring. Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:24 AM :: ::

Butt cheeks hurt.

Yes, my butt cheeks are a bit tender. I spent 3 hours on the spin bike at the YMCA yesterday before work. I have to work nights this week, so I am unable to go to the group roller rides. Anywho, the spin bike worked me over. You crank down the resistance on that thing and it simulates the mountains that Iowa lacks. I did some speed work, power intervals, and general tempo spinning. I felt pretty good on the bike, but I must have went just a bit harder than I thought, cause with all the protein I consumed yesterday, I am still a bit sore.

Today, I did some of my MS weight lifting. I was able to lift all my normal weights even though my butt muscles where on the tight side. I took it nice and slow. When I got back to the apartment, I slammed down my protein smoothie and steam'd up some fish and veggies. If I recover well tonight, I am going to hit the spin bike up for another 3. I would go outside tomorrow since it's supposed to be like 50 degrees, but it's going to rain. Damn.

Product update...
The Craft lobster gloves and booties which I recently acquired are excellent. Very, very warm. The booties are waterproof also which is another bonus. Both seem to be built well with durability in mind. I highly recommend both.

It's almost the first of the year. That is good, cause my new gear should start showing up. Most companies don't send out stuff till the new year, so it works into next years marketing budget. Hurry! I want my goods.

Tonight is another night of F-U-N at Europa Cycle and Ski. We have be swamped with ski tunes. Every night I have been waxing and sharpening DH skis, so the locals can head out to CO for a little powder. Must be rough.

That's all for today.

Up with warm weather. Down with warm weather with rain. I just paid all my bills. Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 11:17 AM :: ::

L.A. A.P. RANT

It's time to rant!

Yesterday, Lance Armstrang was named AP Athlete of the Year. And I totally agree! We were listening to Fox Sports Radio at work last night and they couldn't seem to understand how he could win for a 3rd year in a row. In their words...."He just pedals a bike."

Hmmmm, let's see.....he rode his bike for 20 straight days at race pace averaging about 90 miles a day. What is there not to understand? These people on the radio station thought that Kobe Bryant, Tiger Wood, Kurt Schilling, or even a NASCAR driver should win. WHAT THE CRAP?!?!?!?! One of them did bring up that though of Michael Phelps winning (Olympic swimmer). I would agree with that. What he did was pretty cool.

Anyway, the radio people thought he won cause he beat cancer.....WRONG! The people that voted for the AP Athlete new what Lance went through, and how HARD it is to accomplish winning a 6th tour. Cheers to them for seeing that. It's too bad that the people that promote sports to the public eye....ESPN, FOX, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, ETC....don't see that.

I should have called into the radio station last night and sounded off. I can't believe someone called in pushing a vote for a baseball pitcher...WHAT???!!! The person said they deserve AP Athlete cause they travel all year and lead a busy and stressful life....WHAT THE POOP???!!! A baseball pitcher sits on the bench half the week and pitches maybe once a week. Plus, he doesn't have to watch what he eats, what time he goes to bed, etc. AHHHHHHHHH! Granted, each sport does have its tough times, but have you tried to ride your bike 90 miles a day for 20 straight days at race pace? We all know how hard it is to do 2 days back-to-back at race pace. 'Nuff said!

Up with protein smoothies. Down with big ass killer tidal waves. I'm go'n to the Y. Out.

Make sure you check out Marco's Iowa Bike Racing Year in Review. It's a good read.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:53 AM :: ::

Late, Late Edition With Guitar Ted

Subtitle: I'll take mine "poached".

Hey! It's late, but not too late! Guitar Ted on some trail etiquette issues! Listen up, yo!

Lately, in the news of the offroad, I've noticed an alarming rise in TRAIL CLOSURES and CUTBACKS ON ACCESS. Not good, people! This stuff has been a problem for years. Now, for some strange reason, it seems to be getting worse. Here's a "Guitar Ted" take on what I think.

You'd think by now we, as an overall user group, would have this figured out by now. Don't sh!t in your bed, and you, and the others that "sleep" with you won't stink. ( Okay, maybe that wasn't such a great metaphor. Work with me here a bit!) The trail access these days ROCKS compared to what it used to be. Yet, somehow, in a search for greater thrills, challenges, and yes, STUPIDITY, some of us have gone off the beaten path- literally! Bigger air, larger gaps, and higher speeds are possible, and desired by certain MTB'ers. The challenges of "Mother Nature" not being enough, some have resorted to building their own "stunts" to satisfy their cravings. Of course, no one knows what "rocks your world" best but you. So, they go off on their own passion fueled path, reeking havoc on pristine ecological areas without thought to the sometimes permanent damage that they do. Throw in the inherant risks to life and limb that the "extreme" fringes of MTB'ing embrace, and you can see the concerns of land managers across the country building into a gathering storm that most of us mountain bikers would rather not be caught in.

You say, "But I live here, in the Midwest, ( or where ever you live), and this stuff doesn't happen here". Well, podner, I got sum nyuuuze fer ya! We all wear the same name to the "outsiders" lookin' in. So, if'n one of us screws up, and gits one of our trails ANYWHERE shut down, it reflects on all of us. We all stink in their noses! Plus, it DOES HAPPEN HERE! Just ask me about the "Flat Shore" trail. Just ask me about why we can't ride ALL of Hickory Hills. Just start asking anybody that's been riding for a long time. They'll tell ya', too. Don't poach! Don't ride where you don't belong! Don't build a new trail, unless you ask permission, first! DON'T MAKE ME STINK!!!!!! because of YOUR RECKLESSNESS!!!!!! AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!! DIE!

What I Say: Ooooo! That topic makes me all happy 'n stuff- NOT! Rant mode OFF! Well, now that the masses have all taken in enough calories to fuel their own bodies for a year, in THREE DAYS, now it's time to HIT THE GYM! Have fun by counting how many drop out in three weeks. Take bets with your cycling buddies! Have fun with it! Guitar Ted over and OUT! New Year's Eve rides ROCK! Stay on the trails! Have some fun, already!

Jeff Kerkove said at 8:42 PM :: ::

Gifts that suck.

X-Mas is over, and I survived. I pretty much stayed clear of the sugary-goodness treats. I had a few, just enough to wish that I wasn't a bike racer. I think my Grandma successfully took all her X-Mas treats and if they could be dipped in chocolate or almond bark (sp?) she did. For the 2 days I was gone I did nothing but watch TV and lounge around....Ahhhhhh, recovery. Myself and the Relatives took in a solid 10 hours of the American Chopper All-Day Marathon on the Discovery Channel. I figure since you are watching a TV station that sponsors a Pro cycling team that counts as some minor training. Right?

Gift exchange was great. I got me some new lobster gloves and a balaclava from Craft. I also got some 9 speed chains....a cyclist can never have enough of these! Lets see.....I also received my renewal to VeloNews. Last but not least I got a gift that sucks! It sucks like nothing has ever sucked before. Suck, suck, suck. Yeah, it's a vacuum cleaner for the apartment. Other than those items I, along with everyone else, received some paper in the form of US funds. I would like to go nuts buying fun toys and stuff, but I will go towards bills. How things change. When I was a wee lad I would take all my X-Mas cash and buy GI Joe's and Star Wars stuff.

Well, that is about how exciting my X-Mas was. There is hardly any snow anywhere in the southern parts of Minnesota or the entire state of Iowa. So, it seemed like Thanksgiving, but only with gifts.

As far as training...
I have a few more weeks of MS weight lifting, and I am going to start hitting the bike pretty hard in terms of hours in the saddle. As for the specifics....that is a Mr. 24 secret. Shhhhhhh.

I am also going to start piecing together my race scedule for 2005 here over the next month or so. For the best listing of endurance racing in North America please visit Karl E's Endurance Race Listing Page. It's the best on the net! Way to go Karl!!!!!

Up with gifts that "Suck." Down with Wal-Mart the day after X-Mas. Meat and cheese trays are 80% off. Out.

I wonder what cool stuff everyone else unwrapped on X-Mas?

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:15 PM :: ::

Merry Christmas! From a Surly Mechanic!

Hey! Just a quick one tonight hoping you all have a very Merry Christmas! Got a fellow in the shop this morning wearing this get-up..... Sweatpants, leather coat, Retro style Postal jersey, unzipped to middle of chest, and low level Shimano cycling shoes. Remember: it was 9 below zero at this point! Yeeeeaaaaah! I thought you might like to know. Made my day! Hey, Bear! Here's a bone! ".......give all your toys, to the little rich boys". Best Christmas rock song EVER! Be Safe! Hug your loved ones, and tell 'em that you do! ....you know, LOVE THEM! Later! Guitar Ted!

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:31 PM :: ::

Merry X-Mas to all enduro freaks!

Well, this looks to be my last post till I get back on Sunday night. I am heading out tomorrow in the AM for home, then it's off to Grandma's crib over by Sioux Falls, SD. It's going to be 2 to 3 days of just chill'n. Kind of a mid-training season break.....Ahhhhhh, recovery is goooooood.

Today, I did an endurance cardio workout....3 hours at the YMCA on the Stairmaster of Death. The time on the machine was the toughest. It worked on the mental side of the training. The intensity was at about 15 out of 20. That kept my HR in and around 150-160. That is my 24 hour pace.

After X-mas, starting in Jan. the bike time will start to take the place of the Stairmaster. Hopefully if the temps raise a bit I can get outside versus having to roller ride till Feb. The highs today are around 6 degrees with a -30 windchill. Next week they are talking 50 degrees. I am hoping to do power workouts in the coming months on the Surly 1x1 on the snow covered trail running through George Wyth State Park. You get about 6-8 inches of snow, and it's like climbing a mountain in the Tour with a single speed!

Most of my new gear for the 2005 race season should start showing up after X-Mas too. Last year I got 90% of my stuff by Feb. I can't wait to build a new NRS. I am hoping that Hayes will hook us up with the new El Camino disc brake. I have heard nothing but good things.

Today I get the night shift at the shop again with A. Lo. The X-Mas shoppers are still foaming at the mouth for gifts. Most of out kids bike inventory is wiped out, the same with the good sizes of winter clothing.

Time to get my clothes out of the Washer.

Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Up with Santa. Down with evil elves. Hoping I get what I requested for X-Mas. Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 10:13 AM :: ::

I got "one" in December!

Damn! I think this is a first for me. The off-spring of Satan is growing off my ass. I am talking about every cyclist favorite saddle sore. Last nights roller ride was sweaty and high paced. I did leg speed work. Leg speed work combined with a room that was heated to a balmy 75 degrees equals prime saddle sore conditions. So, since it's so freak'n cold out....highs of 1 and lows of -8, I am off the bike till next Monday. I need to let this "thing" heal. I wonder if I should name this one? Ideas?

Ok, I bet you want to know that....didn't you?

Today I continued with my MS weight lifting phase. Felt really good...minus the painful commute because of the "sore". Tomorrow, I am going to do some long stairmaster work. This will be my last workout till I get back on Monday from the X-mas festivities. I will have 3 days off to recover and get ready for the next phases in the training block.

My HR monitor went to "shitz". For some reason, only half the screen is visible. Good thing it's still under warranty. For those of you keeping track, it's a Polar S210....nothing but the finest in HR reading electronics. Right Carlos?

I finally received all the entry fee funds from Trans-Iowa registration. After Christmas I am going to purchase all the needed supplies to make this race/sufferfest a go. Over X-Mas Guitar Ted is going to go and do some re-con work up by Decorah. Rumor has it, that he is in search of the Holy Grail, or was it singletrack...either way both will be cool if he finds it.

Ok, I need to prep for work. We are still in the pre-X-Mas madness. Most consumers coming into the shop now are ravenous and in a hurry.

Up with Cream Saver yogurt. Down with cotton workout clothes. People that suffer at the YMCA are cool. Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 11:13 AM :: ::

Snow and Sponsorship.

Well it finally happened. We got our first measurable snowfall. It was a whopping 2 inches. You would of thought it was 5 feet with all the accidents and tire marks left in the road skidding up onto the curbs. I guess people just forgot how to drive in this stuff. As for me...I had a blast riding home after work on the Surly 1x1. Riding a bike with ultra fatty tires is pretty efficient in this stuff...almost quicker than driving. But the down fall to riding over driving is that it is C-O-L-D.

Got more sponsorship info via email from the team manager at Cateye. Looks as if Hayes Disc Brakes is going to be stopping us this season. That's cool! Last year we used Avid Disc brakes...they rocked and never had problems! The Hayes brakes will work great also. I used Hayes brakes 2 years ago and never had to touch them. That is a great peace of mind when you have to thrash on your rig for 24 hours straight.

Cole wheels has just re-up'd for 2005 with us. These wheels are little known in the USA, but just wait, cause you'll be hear'n a lot in the next year or so. Right now they only make road wheels, but the Cateye Enduro riders are the only ones riding and testing the prototype mnt bike wheels. This years wheels are supposed to be lighter than last year due to the use of more alloy in the wheel hardware. These wheels are different because of the hub design. Check out the website for the 411. Oh.....they are just as stiff and durable as the Mavic CrossMax SL wheels I used the 2 previous years, and half the price....allegedly.

Today, I have the day off from work since I worked all the hours this weekend. This morning I am planning on an endurance workout at the YMCA on the stairmaster. Maybe 3 hours at a lower intensity? I am not sure yet. Tonight I am going to some leg speed work at the group indoor roller ride.

Think mountain biking in Iowa is dead? Well...it looks like somebody thinks Sugarbottom Rec Area is one of the 50 best places to ride in the USA. CLICK HERE

Winter is here! Look at the calendar.

Up with Nachos. Hold the Mayo. Pee'n in the snow. Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:33 AM :: ::

Your Crazy!

I don't think I am crazy, but the guy that came up to me in the locker room at the YMCA thinks I am. He couldn't understand why anyone would want to ride their bike outside when its 17 degrees. I thought to myself.....that's why he sits behind a desk pushing a pen all year at work, and I get to travel the country during the summer riding and racing my bike......To each their own.

Guitar Ted had a great rant today. Me, I am a 175 kind of guy. My newly acquired Surly has 180's.

I felt super awesome at the YMCA today. Weights went smooth, and my 45 min stairmaster warmup felt like only 15 minutes. I am going to have to try to start fitting in more bike here in the next month. I might have to start taking the super long route to work to get in more miles. It sure would be nice to be in Arizona or somewhere else warm to go out and log some miles.

Right now, I am enjoying some steamed green beans and fish, topped with a dash of lemon herb.........make sure you go back and read that in a Martha Stewart voice, it will sound better.

OK, I am out. Nothing else to blog about.

Up with fish. Down with processes beef. Hoping my NRS Air shows soon. Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:35 PM :: ::

Feeling a Bit Cranky

Yo! Today's rant is about something that has stirred much debate in the past, right up until now. Cranks. The "levers" that make your cogs go 'round. Specifically, we're going to discuss the length of your cranks. If'n ya don't like it- then I say, "throw them to the lions!". I really enjoy debates about crank length. Studies have been done. Some even scientific. Most contradict another study. Leonard Zinn, of Velo News fame, did an extensive study on this subject. His findings were inconclusive. ( see more at www.velonews.com ) So, what do we know? What is the right crank length? Nobody can tell you! It amazes me that somehow we arrived at some of the "standards" in the bicycling community that we have. Check out most MTB bike cranks. You will find a very large percentage of them are 175mm. long. Now, check out a hybrid, comfort, or road bike crank. Most of these are 170mm. in length. Of course, you will find other lengths- 172.5mm on road bikes, or 180mm. on a very few mountain bikes. But the industry "standard" is 170mm. or 175mm. Why? Hmmm. I think it "just happened" that way, really. Common knowledge says that a MTB rider needs "more leverage", thus a slightly longer arm length. Easier for manufacturing purposes. Costs less money to produce two sizes, instead of many. Let me ask you this. If there were only two shoe sizes, would you just accept that, or demand a change, more suitable to your feet? Why should you accept that whatever came on your bike is right for you? I have experimented with various crank lengths. While I cannot recommend what's right for you, I do have a better idea of what is right for me. I would encourage any serious rider to try a couple of different crank lengths. Give it a couple of weeks to a month of serious effort. Try borrowing another bike, or purchasing cheaper cranks for your experiments. Do it in the off season, so as not to throw off your training for races. Maybe even trying different gearing combinations, while your at it. Your "motor" is different than anyone elses, so you should really try this if your a serious competitor. What I Say: Has anyone been to Menard's lately? Wood, nails, tools, and.....COFFEE! Yeah! and CHEAP too. While it's not up to par with my favorite, which is Seatle's Best, "Henry's Brew", it's not bad. It definitely has that "cheap truckstop, non-filtered heater" taste going for it though! Hey, I'm an addict, so whatever, dude! This weeks musical clue is a little tougher! Jeff and Carlos are excluded from the competition, as this weeks submission is from Europas shop music collection, and they have a heads up on this. Bear, are you ready? Later! Hug your family on Saturday! Have fun! It's not about the goofy man in the red suit! Guitar Ted!

Jeff Kerkove said at 8:19 AM :: ::

Cold. Chilly. Frozen. Ice Cold. Brrrrrr.

Yeah.......It's a bit chilly. It's a balmy 2 degrees outside with a -20 degree windchill. What happened to the 40 degree weather? I think it is supposed to come back tomorrow, but then get really cold by the end of the week. When it's this cold, no matter how much clothing you put on, you still freeze while riding. I am not going to commute to work via bike today, just because I don't want to get chilled and risk having a set back in training because I catch a cold.

This weeks training will be messed up with X-Mas holiday coming up. The work schedule changed, and the hours are a bit odd to fill the gaps of everyone being gone for some reason or another. I should be able to get some good workouts in, then chill out for 3 days over the X-mas days. I'll just use it as a mid-base recovery period.

I finally ran out of protein powder on Friday. So, I ordered some more Optimum Nutrition Whey Protein from Jesup Gym. They are dirt cheap! Almost 1/2 the price of GNC. Better yet, the shipping is only like $8.00 regardless if you order 1 lb worth or 50 lbs worth.......SCORE!

Today, is another day at the shop. Yesterday was pretty busy with the slackers getting in their last minute X-Mas shopping. Today looks to be a bit of the same.

If anyone calls about those stupid charm bracelets, i.e. LiveStrong bands, I will make sure to send them here....CLICK HERE

So, with no commuting and deathly cold temps, today will be my recovery day for the week. Time to just hangout at work and eat some grub to fuel the body for the tough week to come.

My missing eyelashes from the earlier weeks frozen commute appear to filling in nicely. My nice co-workers were nice enough to make me an emergency eyelash repair kit using glue and short brissles cut from the shop broom.......thanks guys!

I wonder if it's a good time to finally turn the heater on in the apartment?

Remember to train hard and to rest even harder!

Up with Coffee. Down with Metrosexuals. Meat and Cheese trays for everybody. Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:19 AM :: ::

Even more random blogging.

Ok, I swear this is the last of the random blogs for awhile. There hasn't been very many exciting things to blog about lately. So, here is comes....get ready!

This is a reply to the comment posted on yesterdays post. Yes, I do blog a lot. I don't really have much else to do. Everyday is the same thing....training.....blogging.....and working. And yes, in that order. When you don't have a TV or anything else in your apartment besides bikes, there isn't a whole lot to do. :-)

Ever want to know the nutritional value of every food known to man? Check out this site. It has the nutritional label of every food online!

Before I die, I will do this race. Just you wait and see.

Last night on the rollers, I did some muscle recruitment workouts. I take my Kreitler rollers with the 15 lbs flywheel and then stick rolled up towel under the rear roller. This makes it super hard to turn the pedals over. The rpm's are low, and form in the focus. This workout helps to get every single muscle fiber in your legs to work together.

The greatest bike company in the entire world has updated their USA website. Head over to Giant Bicycles to scope out the goods.

This morning, I did my weight work out at the YMCA. It was nothing special. Still following my MS phase for another 3 weeks.

I wonder since Maxxis is the Cateye Enduro tire sponsor, if they'll hook us up with new rubber for our cars? Sheeeesh, yeah right!

Yummy!

I have been contact by some potential sponsor for Trans-Iowa. I didn't contact them...they contacted me. They want to be involved somehow. Stay tuned to see how it pans out.

Tonight is the night! The Europa Kristmas Kegger. Actually it's the Europa Cycle and Ski Christmas Party. Should be a good time.....I hope.

The weather has been pretty good for northern Iowa in late December. Too bad the forecasted highs in the coming weeks is like 5 degrees. Brrrrrrrrrrr!

That's it for today. The last random blog......for now. I get to be a shop nazi all weekend. Hopefully I get to entertain the X-mas shoppers. YIPPPPPEEEEEE!

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:30 PM :: ::

More random blogging.

I went all out for 45 minutes on the stairmaster this morning.....level 20! My average HR was 181. There was a pool of sufferage below the machine. The scary thing is that I felt awesome. After that I did another 45 minutes of very, very easy stairmaster....130 HR. Today, after the "Y", I was planning on heading out for a nice base miles ride. But, I have a bit of a stuffy head. I hope that I am not coming down with the sickness. I think I will just chill out till tonights group roller ride.

Everyonce and a while I like to mention some great products that I am using. I am NOT the type of person to hype a product just because they are a sponsor. I like to lay it down as I see it. Here are some HOT products that get high praise from myself.

Craft Sleeveless Crew: excellent for all physical activities....on or off the bike.
Craft Nemo Cover Booties: 'cause toasty toes kick ass!
Pearl Izumi Vital Plus Running Shoes: Tons of support, great durability, high style points!
North Face Windstopper Gloves: It's The North Face, of course it's good.
Surly 1x1: the ultimate all around-get around bike.
Nema Stone Shorts: Not Nema's best short, but this has the best fit and feel to me. Great for commuting!
DeFeet Woolie Boolie: The best winter sock, hands down! It's not super bulky, and it fits good!


I am eating steam'd rice and mixed veggies....RAW VEGGIES!!!! Right Guitar Ted?

I need to rub my legs down to get them ready for tonight. Ahhhhh! Lactic acid sucks!

Carlos and Eduardo are going to be a threat for Trans-Iowa. Keep train'n foo's.

Barbie dolls are evil.

I was browsing around over at Campmor, and saw these flame resistant PJ's off to the corner of my eye. Is there a problem with young children wondering into open flames? "Quick stomp out the son!"....."Help me Mommy, it Buuuuuuurns!"

Black is the best color.

Make sure you use E-Caps.

I wish I could eat tacos, pizza, and maybe some cookies...I did eat some Kisses last night at work. Chocolate rocks!

Spongebob Square Pants.......I don't know if I should kick it in the face and run in the opposite direction screaming "Oh, Bloody Hell", or to give it a big hug? What is he anyway? Cheese?

Friday night is the Europa Kristmas Kegger. Maybe I can talk Russ into doing a Keg stand? Maybe Brett? How about Ted?

Random blogging done.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 10:47 AM :: ::

Random Blogging is On.

Maxxis, the tire sponsor for the 2005 Cateye Enduro Mountain Bike Team sent me some road bike training rubber this past week. The Maxxis Re-Fuse is a hard ass tire. They set me two 700 x 25's. I should be able to log some long miles on these things with no problems. Check them out here.

My legs are a bit sluggish after yesterdays 2-a-day workout. So today, my weight lifting workout was cut in half to aid in recovery.

I am working on a ad for Europa to promote industrial trikes. For some reason I am having a hard time e-mailing the file to work. I need to get this figured out.

The Gary Fisher pro mnt bike team looks to be stacked with the signing of JHK for 2005.

It's getting warmer....40 degrees today.

I am tired. Time to take a nap.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 10:42 AM :: ::

5 less eyelashes

If you live in the upper midwest I am sure you know how cold is was yesterday. On my way home from the YMCA I had to buck a 20 mph NW headwind the whole way. With the low temps and the wind speed it was close to 0 degrees. I had on my Tifosi sunglasses to block most of the wind, but as with any sunglasses, a bit a wind would get through around the edges. Anyway, this cold air getting through was making my eyes water and tear up. When I got back to the apartment, I took off my sunglasses....and removed about 6 eyelashes as well. My tears had froze to the Tifosi's and built up enough to come in contact with my eyelashes. Ouch! Atleast you can't tell.

Today, I did 2 hours of stairmaster work at the "Y". There was a lot of suffering today. Tonight I am planning on the group roller ride. I am going to work on leg speed.

That is really about it for now. Time to work on some Trans Iowa stuff and an advertisement for Europa Cycle and Ski.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:21 PM :: ::

Well, Since You Brought It Up.....

Hey all! A little early, I know, but hey! If'n ya don't like it.....wait 'till ta-marra ta read it! Okay?

"Bear", our own musical whizkid, asked what I thought of the trend in XC racing that sees more and more "roadie" influences. Well, I'm against it! The"real" problem isn't that people are using roadbikes in XC,(GASP!) or that XC courses are lame, (they are, by the way), it's money! YES! I said Money! Historical facts to follow. If'n yer not inta the History, yer doomed ta repeats it! Listen up!

Way back in the beginnings of The Sport, races were way different. Point to point XC, LONG sections of techy single track, and remote race venues were the norm. People that merely finished one of these epic races really had earned the term, "mountain bike racer". Of course that wasn't the end of it. NORBA racers were also required to compete in dual slalom, down hill, and TRIALS(!!!!!) on the SAME BIKE!!!! Sometimes a hillclimb would be subbed for the Dual Slalom, whatever! These races were truly a test of what I like to call "real mountain bikers".

About this time, MTB sales skyrocketed. Some marketing monkeys decided that MONEY could be made off this new craze. Some tweaks were needed of course, but most were down with the ideas. Heck, with the paychecks that were being doled out to the top racers, who was going to complain? So, they got rid of the remote race venues- too hard to get people in to pay good money to spectate. Needed a place where vendors could suck cash from the people, where new, wonderful, un-obtanium parts could be hyped. Where there were accomodations, roads, civilization........need I go on? Courses needed to be "spectator friendly", ready for TV, cookie cutter type venues. More MONEY, you see, could be made- to be enjoyed by all in the sport. LIES LIES LIES! Ever notice that when all this started to happen, the more "roadie" stuff slipped in? ( Check out this years Sea Otter Challenge, or the coverage of the Red Bull Challenge in Rio- see www.bikemag.com ) Well, it didn't work out all that well for the birthplace of MTB's, or it's citizens. XC racing is dominated by the Euro's- to their credit! They are much more adept and enthusiastic about these roadie/cyclocross "XC" courses . Well- can you tell I'm a little cynical/ jaded/ down on the whole evolution of this "sport" we love? But, the evidence of the damage done is all too plain to see. No one would DREAM of doing four different "disciplines" in the same weekend of racing. The sport got gutted of it's soul- it's reason to be- and XC participation has dwindled. Sales are down. The once dissed road biker is now the admired stud. (Can anyone give me a LANCE! out there?)

Well, this is the biggest reason I can think of for the recent rise in 24hr, 12hr, marathon, and extreme enduro events. The "challenge" of "beating" the mountain, the elements, and your own physical limitations is very appealing. The whole reason we love to ride offroad is embodied in these challenges. Hanging out with like minded people is FUN again! Leave the XC races for what they are, a minor league for road racers!

What I Say! Whoa! that was a long one! Sorry- but you asked! Stoked about the Trans Iowa race! Response was WAY MORE than I thought it would be. Thanks to all that showed interest, or that have signed up. I look forward to working on this event, and I am stoked to be a part of it! Don't forget to try and find the "musical" cue in this weeks rant. Jeff actually got last weeks Guns 'n Roses clue, but then he should, since his "dad" was the lead singer! (Appologies in advance to Mr. Kerkove!)

Guitar Ted! Nuclear Sex Doctor! Raw Veggies! OUT!!!!!

Jeff Kerkove said at 8:28 PM :: ::

I think I ran over Santa!

On my commute home from work tonight I think I ran over Santa on the Surly 1x1. Not the real Santa, but one of those small plastic lawn ornament ones. It's super windy today...30+ mph out of the NW. I was riding home in the dark on the sidewalk along Rainbow Drive. All of a sudden...crunch!....crunch! I looked back, and low and behold, Santa was flattened like a pancake. If I would have saw it, I wouldn't of hit it, but I was moving at a pretty good clip. So, oh well! I am sure it blew onto the sidewalk because of this hellish wind.

I ended up doing my bike workout before work on Saturday. I did a few high rpm hill repeats. So the only physical work I did today was commuting to work on the Surly 1x1.

The shop was sort'a busy today. People are checking out bikes for x-mas and for a new ride come Spring time. Did a ton of Q and A about anything and everything. For some reason, people just don't want to spend money yet.

Tomorrow, it's back to the "Y" to rage on the weights and do some very light cardio. Tuesday will be a big bike day.

If you are training for Trans-Iowa or any other long ass race, check out Ultra Cycling for all your training and nutritional needs!

That's all for today. Stay tuned for Guitar Ted's rant tomorrow.

Train hard! Rest even harder!

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:02 PM :: ::

I'll do anything! Just let me race!

Wow! You would not believe the e-mails I have received from racers trying to let them into the Trans-Iowa race. Some have offered me sunglasses. Free entries into their local endurance races. Some have offered to name their kid after me. Some have also offered to pay up to $100 to race. Good Lord!!!!! Maybe if this race goes smooth, and more people want to help run it next year, we will get a larger field. Who would of "thunk" so many nut-jobs wanted to race across Iowa?

I get to work allllllllll weekend. Since the boss has let me have Tues and Thurs off to train, I get to make up the hours on the weekend. Oh, Joy! Atleast we are in the busy X-Mas season, and there are tons-o-bikes to assemble again. It's good to be busy in December in a bike shop.

Today is my day off from training. I will commute by bike to work, and that will be it. Tomorrow, I am going to do some speed work outdoors on my new used Surly 1x1 before work. This is a great training tool. I suggest everyone have a single!

I have to keep today's post short. Time to head to work.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:10 AM :: ::

Filling up FAST and processed beef products.

Geeeeez! In me and Guitar Ted's first attempt to promote, attempt, and organize an endurance race it looks like we "did right". The field of 50 riders filled up in about a day and 1/2. I wonder how many people would have sign'd up if we would have not limited the number of racers? Now it's time to get down to the nitty-gritty and pound out the fine details. If you are a registered racer, stay tuned to the event website and your e-mail inbox for the latest.

Went to the YMCA this morning for more stairmaster fun. I hit off another 2 hours at an average HR of 163 bpm and then rode home. Tonight I am going to do some speed work again on the rollers. Got to love the 2-a-days!

I just got back from Wal-Mart. I went and picked up the "racer needs". Bananas, yogurt, OJ, apples, and pretzels. It's been awhile since I have been to Sprawl-Mart. But it seems that they have installed a Processed Beef product freezer right in the middle of the food area. In this freezer you will find an assortment of processed meat products.....burritos, beef wraps, chili, and a host of others. It kind of funny. This freezer is very close to the fresh fruits and veggies, and more people are circling the processed product freezer like vultures instead of being where they are suposed to be.....in the raw foods section. No wonder so many people are fat arses!

Time to prep for the roller ride.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 1:17 PM :: ::

That burns!

Wow! I did my first two-a-day yesterday. I did 2.5 hours of starimaster in the AM, then 2 hours of rollers in the PM. The rollers were a bit tougher than I remember. Yeah, it burn'd! I am riding on small drum Krietler rollers with the 15 lbs. fly wheel on back. Last night work out was leg speed work...the specifics are my secret!. One thing about rollers, is you can't really coast, so you have to stay on top of it. Today, I did some weight work, and felt really good even though last nights workout was tough. Tomorrow, it's another two-a-day.

The Trans-Iowa race is getting filled up. There are some people that are planning on traveling....OR, CO, MI, Manitoba! That is good to see. I will prove to them that you don't need tons of elevation to suffer. If you want to see who is registered go the the event website and scroll down to the bottom of the page. It also proves that you don't need big money, and a high class event to get people interested. Just treat them right, give them a good challenge, reward them well, and thank them for coming.

That's all for today. The blogs on this site might be small for a while until I get the Trans-Iowa Race set.

Thanks for stopping by!

Out.

I wonder what the Salsa Queen is up to these days?

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:01 PM :: ::

24 Hours of Adrenaline 2005

2005 24 Hours of Adrenaline Schedule

April 30 / May 1 Hurkey Creek #1, Idylwild, CA

May 14 / 15 Laguna Seca, Montery

June 11 / 12 TBD, Ontario

June 25 / 26 Holiday Farms, Dalton, Mass

July 16 / 17 TBD, Canmore, Alberta, Canada

August 20 / 21 TBD, Ontario, Canada

Sept. 3 / 4 Whistler, BC, Canada (also Solo Worlds)

Sept. 24 / 25 Hurkey Creek #2, Idylwild, CA

Oct. 15 / 16 Georgia International Horse Park, Conyers, GA.

Oct. 29 / 30 McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Fountain Hills, AZ.

See ya in Whistler!!!!!

Jeff Kerkove said at 4:03 PM :: ::

So many choices.

Lets see, where do I start?

If you haven't seen yet, the Trans-Iowa Mountain Bike Race is a go. Mark your race calander for the weekend of April 23-24, 2005. Tifosi Optics is super pumped to help out. They have offered many options for sponsorship of the event. Tifosi and I just need to make up our mind. E-Caps/Hammer Nutrition also stepped up big by offering each competitor samples, a fueling handbook, and a goodie bag. Plus they are donating prizes for the overall classification. I have contacted many other "supporters" of the sport, but I have not got'n anything back yet from them.

I was contacted today by Giant regarding what frame I will need for the 2005 endurance race season. Trance? NRS Air? XTC Composite? Damn! What do I do? I am going to have to think about this for a bit.

As far as training goes....
This morning I did 2.5 hours of moderate intensity on the stairmaster. Nothing too hard, just enought to make me sweat and burn some fat. Tonight I am going to hit the group indoor training ride at the House of Pain. This will be about 2 hours of rollers mania. Time to start working on specifics such as leg speed and force to the pedals.

That's it for now. Time to work on the Trans-Iowa race details

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 1:17 PM :: ::

Let's Clear This Up!

Yo! Ted here with your Monday goodness. We, ( that is, Jeff and I), have been consumed lately with the details of the Trans Iowa race. Along the way, I'm sure we will both learn a lot. One thing I've learned is that there is a ton of confusion over what constitutes a mountain bike, and "29ers" in particular. So, let's get into this, shall we? What is a Mountainbike?: Can you believe we're even going to discuss this? That's what I thought! However; you wouldn't beleive how many people are confused on this! While it's true, many, if not all, bikes can be ridden off paved surfaces. Not all bikes excell at the task. Only one "type" of bike is designed specifically to handle the rigors of "all terrain" riding. (It may be interesting to note that the term "all terrain" has been replaced by "all mountain".) The single most distinctive feature of this type of bike is it's ability to fit WIDE, KNOBBY, VOLUMNIOUS TIRES! In my mind, this means a MINIMUM width of TWO INCHES. Some may say that other features are, or should be included as a defining feature. Let's check that out. Suspension equipped- Nope, hybrid and comfort bikes have suspension, too. Tough, durable frames- Nope! BMX type bikes have, arguably, tougher frames than many MTB's. BMX is "close" to MTB, but there are much better 20" choices for MTB's 26 inch tires- Nope! There are 20", 24", 26", and, yes, 29" MTB's. Multiple gears- Nope! Single speed MTB's were arguably the first MTB, and still flourish today. So, what really makes a MTB a MTB? TIRE WIDTH, VOLUME, and KNOBS, along with a FRAME that accepts the WIDE TIRE. What isn't a MTB? Cyclocross, Road, Touring, Hybrid, Comfort, BMX, and any other bikes that can't mount up a two inch, knobby, big volume tire. ( Although, I will give a nod to BMX stlye dirt jumping, trail bikes, which "could" be ridden as a MTB- ie. there are 2" wide knobbies for these bikes) This is why the early pioneers of this sport focused on "fat tires" as the description for their bikes. "ballooners", "fat tire flyers", etc.... Now, 29ers, that is just a WIDE, VOLUMNIOUS, KNOBBY tire on a 700c, (or "road" bike) rim. The overall diameter of a 2" wide knobby, mounted on a 700c rim = approx. 29". Okay? Now, your not going to get that set-up in a road bike, cyclocross, touring bike, or hybrid frame. So, those are not 29ers. The tire won't fit the frame= no mountainbike, GOT IT? Sheesh! The response we got to "only MTB's allowed" for the TRANS IOWA race would have made you think we had declared a civil war! Well, I don't need no civil war! It's really easy, but we ended up striking that in favor of letting ANY bike compete! So, that's pretty much it. Bar choices, shocks or no shocks, single speed or gears, it's all up to you- the competitors to decide. The race will determine who is correct in their choices. I have my predictions- but I'm not tellin! YET! What I Say: Your a MORON if you use.............Ha! You'll have to wait for that 'till next time! Congrats on the guess to the musical clue goes out to THE SAME GUY AS LAST TIME! Does any body else get these? Let's try harder this week, people! Okay, I'm over an outta here! Gotta plan, finalize, verify, and what-not with "Mr. 24" tonight at work. In the meantime, check this out. There are yellow, blue, pink, black, and NOW---BROWN BRACELETS!!!! Go to www.stolenunderground.com , and click on the cute black Lab's nose!!!! Ta ta for now!

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:15 AM :: ::

My Monday update.

Well, technically its still Sunday, but I am going to write up my Monday blog before Guitar Ted steals all the glory with his weekly rants. This week I get to start scheduled bike workouts. I am looking to do 3 cycling workouts per week indoors at the House of Pain in Cedar Falls. What's the House of Pain you ask? Well, one of the local hammerheads owns/works at a printing company. When the place closes down on Tuesday and Thursday nights, the local racers come in and do group indoor cycling workouts. It gets pretty nutz! There is usually about 10 of us or so. This will go on till it's warm enough to get back outside in the Spring. By the end of these workouts you are pretty beat.....hence the name "House of Pain." There have been riders that go so hard that they fly off their rollers. We have even had a few guys blow-chunks......if you're going to spew, spew into this!

Myself and Guitar Ted get to work the night shift at Europa on Monday night, so we are going to try to get the final touches put on the Trans-Iowa race. I cannot believe the amount of interest that has been generated outside of the Midwest. They must think this race is going to be a walk in the park. Ha! Little do they know how harsh the Springs can be. The weekend that this race is set for has seen all types of weather conditions......30 degrees and sleeting.....70 degrees and dry as a bone. Not to mention we could have a 30 mph head wind the entire way. What will be in store for us this year?

Today was pretty slow at the shop. Sold a few light sets and did some Q and A with customers about bikes. Nothing out of the ordinary for a bike shop in December.

Well it's time to surf the net a bit more then hit the sack. Tomorrow is a long cardio workout at the YMCA.....more stairmaster. Tuesday will be weights in the AM and bike work in the PM. Wahoo! Got to love the offseason.

Train Hard! Rest Harder!

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:23 PM :: ::

Almost swamp ass conditions.

Holy Cow is it warm today. It's December 4th and 50 degrees. That doesn't happen very much. I started out the day with a little AM coffee. Ok, not a little, but almost an entire pot. I was pretty much wired. I singlespeeded to the YMCA and did 2 hours of stairmaster. The first 45 minutes was the "Interval" setting set on level 17 out of 20. After that session, I did 45 minutes of 1 minute all out followed by 2 minutes of recovery. I was pretty much beat after that. The last half hour was very easy stairmaster.....about 110 bpm on the heartrate. After the YMCA I rode home, threw on the Giant kit and went out to ride the single track on the single speed......it was wet...bummer. So I just did a bit of urban assault for 2 hours working on being smooth, and good leg speed.

Make sure you check out the new issue of Bicycling. It's a good read. I will leave it at that :-)

I get to work the shop tomorrow with Carlos. It's starting to pick up a bit with all the people coming out of their holes to do some X-Mas shopping. It's kind of funny. The people that are coming into the shop to buy gifts are NOT cyclists. They are in the shop to buy gifts for their friends that cycle. You get all kinds weird question....."Do you guys have one of those bag things. Do you have a green one?".........."Do you guys carry those $5.00 bike computers that Wal-Mart carries?" It's like what the hell do you tell these people? I have to bite my tongue not to break out laughing. It sure is an interesting time of the year. We are still getting people coming into the shop looking for those stupid yellow charm bracelets.....Arrrrggggghhh!

It's time to work on the details for the Trans-Iowa race. If you go to the race site you can view the results from the poll. Hard to believe there are people that are going to travel from all corners of the country to race across Iowa......Maybe me and Guitar Ted are on to something here? We are thinking of getting some stickers printed up to go along with registration. Anyone have any clever sayings? "Trans-Iowa: (insert clever saying here)" Post your suggestions.

Done.

Jeff Kerkove said at 1:09 PM :: ::

Wahoo! It's Friday!

Hey, hey, hey!

Hope all is well with everyone. Things are great here in "The CF." The weather is warm, and it's supposed to get warmer. They are talking 50 degrees on Saturday and Sunday. I have Saturday off from work, so I am going to do some cardio at the YMCA followed by some leg speed work on the bike outside on the local single track. Oh don't forget, tomorrow is the opening of deer hunting season in Iowa. It would not be wise to dress in all brown with a white hydration pack and frolic thru the local woods....of course unless you want to get shot.

Today at the YMCA I did my weight workout. My legs felt a bit heavy from yesterdays stairmaster death march, but during this phase of training they are supposed to. I can't wait for the season to start!

So are you thinking of Trans-Iowa? As soon as I get a couple questions answered from the folks in Decorah this things a GO! Stay tuned. It's go'na be good!

That's it for now. Nothing super exciting to talk about so I am now done.

Rage On!

I wonder if Dirtam is still alive?

Jeff Kerkove said at 11:00 AM :: ::

Stay healthy this year.

I had a death march today on the Stairmaster. 2.5 hours of fun. It got to the point where my feet started to go numb.....is that bad? Anyway, I came across this on Mountain Bike Action's website. This is a must-read, not just for cyclist, but for anyone pushing their bodies hard in the germ infested world of ours. Enjoy!

PUMP UP YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

There is no such thing as an off-season for MBA. We test and race year 'round and ride in the cold, rain and snow. We know how to avoid the sniffles and are confident that our methodology will keep you healthy up, through and past the dropping of the apple at Times Square.

STEP ONE: BUILD AN IMMUNE BASE
No food source on the market can match the phytonutrients, vitamins, antioxidents and minerals available in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Eat at least nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Some of the better choices are winter squash, melons, kiwi fruit, papaya, mangoes, carrots, apricots, strawberries, broccoli, citrus fruits, potatoes, and dark green and green leafy vegetables. Tomatoes, pink grapefruit, guava and watermelon are rich in lycopene -- a red carotenoid pigment -- and have additional immune boosting properties.

One whole fruit or vegetable is one serving. A half to full cup of diced, chopped, pureed or extracted juice equals one serving. The more natural (whole) of a form the fruit or vegetable is consumed in, the greater the health benefit.

Control your intake of livestock meats and dairy products. Avoid fatty acid rich processed foods and devour more of your fat from cold water fish, nuts, seeds, avocados and healthy oils like Canola, olive and flaxseed. Don't forget to stay hydrated with good, ol' water.

The food you consistently eat will ultimately keep you sick free or bed ridden over the winter.

STEP TWO: KILL EXTRA GERMS
In moderation most of the bacteria, parasites, fungi, yeast and viruses in our world are not only necessary for life, they strengthen the same immune system you're trying to pump up. But that doesn't mean you should make it easy for germs to attack and overtake the body. Wash your hands before and after eating, visiting the restroom, cleaning your Race Jacket's or blowing your nose. Lather up with soap, use warm water and rub those fingers until the hands are sudsy. Dry your hands thoroughly -- preferably with a paper towel. Germs are killed by friction, not soap or even heat (unless it's over 212 degrees Fahrenheit). Warm water is just more comfortable and opens pores, cracks and crevices in the skin to make contact with more germs. The only thing soap does is reduce surface tension so you can apply more germ-killing friction.

Now for some unpleasant things. Close the lid before flushing so the mushroom cloud of toilet spray stays where it belongs. Also frequently brush your teeth. (The latter is a great way to curb hunger pangs. And there is no such thing as losing too much weight over the winter.)

STEP THREE: PUBLIC ETIQUETTE
If you are in a public facility, wash your hands, dry them with a paper towel, and then turn the faucet off with the paper towel. The less contact you have with door knobs, rails, sign-up pens and money, the fewer germs you will come in contact with.

STEP FOUR: AVOID THE SICK WARD
While your pumped up immune system has no trouble dealing with the germs in and around a normal life, it will be overwhelmed in a room full of whooping, coughing and sneezing people. Avoid people with a runny nose, a chronic cough and sneeze. That doesn't mean you should become a hothouse flower. Staying indoors for 24 hours on end actually suppresses the immune system.

STEP FIVE: THE RIGHT HAND RULE
Use your right hand for salutations, to handle public facilities and to pick up all other objects. Only touch near and around your face with your left hand. Better yet, avoid touching your face altogether until you have thoroughly washed your hands.

STEP SIX: TAKE IT EASY
A race-intensity effort will depress the immune system. That means it's going to have a harder time to produce the antibodies necessary to fight off the constant barrage of new germs. For six hours following a race or breakthrough workout it is best to avoid sick people and public facilities as much as possible.

STEP SEVEN: HERB UPDATE
Garlic, shiitake mushrooms, ginseng, astragalus and echinacea have been old-school immune boosters since ancient times. Garlic and shiitake mushrooms are said to have anti-bacterial and immune-boosting properties. Health-gurus say ginseng improves the body's ability to adapt to stress and echinacea and astragalus are herbs that keep the immune system healthy. Do they work? Well, let's just say that for every study you can find supporting one of these herbs, you can find just as many studies showing that they failed miserably in double-blind tests.

Regardless, MBA consistently includes garlic in our diet and cycles echinacea throughout the year. The immune boosting qualities in garlic come from allicin, an ingredient that is in such a diluted quantity in pills and powders, it's best to stick to the real thing. It takes at least five cloves a day to reap any immune strengthening benefit. Try pickled garlic cloves and you won't reek as pungently. Garlic in high dosages has been shown to thin the blood, so beware if you are on medication. Follow a two weeks on and two weeks off regimen with the echinacea supplement.

STEP EIGHT: CHECK THE TRACE MINERALS
Iron, zinc and copper are all essential for a healthy immune system. If you eat a variety of foods including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, lean meats, poultry and seafood, it's unfathomable that you aren't receiving more than a sufficient supply. Still get an annual blood test to check for deficiencies, especially with iron. Do the test during the off-season.

Zinc is toxic to the cold virus. Some studies show that zinc lozenges haven't lived up to their promise as a cold treatment. We still take the lozenges or a zink pill supplement every day. Take it with food because it upsets the stomach. We've had great results with the zinc nasal spray. It sprays the mineral directly into the upper respiratory tract and immediately into your system. Follow the recommend usage upon the immediate unset of any cold- or fly-like syptoms. The zinc nose spray knocks out cold symptoms in less than two days.

STEP NINE: WHAT ABOUT THOSE VITAMINS?
Recent research shows that vitamin supplementation can interfere with the syntheses of vitamins derived from organic food sources. This is no good! Natural vitamins are much more complete and potent than the synthetic counterfeits.

Here's our regimen: Receive the bulk of your vitamins throughout the day by including up to nine servings of fruits and vegetables with meals. Your body will be processing vitamins from the most natural source throughout the day and when metabolism is most active. When things have slowed down at night and before you go to bed is the time to take your vitamin supplements--in moderation. All you need is one multi-vitamin. Then if there happens to be an overabundance of a certain organic supplement, it will be the synthetic vitamin or mineral that is excreted.

STEP TEN: ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
Your body cannot manufacture the linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic fatty acids that support the immune system. Lineoleic acid is an omega-6 fat that you might not be getting enough of if you're eating those nine-plus servings of fruits and vegetables. (The average American gets more than enough of omega-6 fat in their diet. Unfortunately it comes from hydrogenated food sources like margarine and commercially baked goods.) It's best to get omega-6 fats from moderate amounts of safflower, sunflower and corn oils.

Alpha-linoleic, or omega-3 fatty acid, is a big-hit immune booster. Flaxseed and Canola oil, walnuts and cold-water fish are great sources of this good fat. Include them in your daily diet.

THE FINAL WORD
A diet consisting mostly of a good variety of whole foods will do the most to supercharge the immune system. Eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Increase your intake of the omega-3 fats, supplement with a multi-vitamin and drink lots of water. Most importantly, wash those hands frequently, avoid touching your face and steer clear of sneezers and coughers.

Out.

From MBACTION.COM Written by Eddie Arnet

Jeff Kerkove said at 1:21 PM :: ::

1/2 way to the weekend.

Holy Cow! It's mid-week already. Time flies went your busy training and try to organize a suffer fest. I am about 99% sure Trans-Iowa will run the weekend of April 23-24, 2005. If that weekend won't work, the event won't happen. Myself and Guitar Ted are get'n things nailed down. For all the latest updates, make sure you scoot on over to the official race website. Click on the promo link on the right side of this blog for the 411. We are trying to get the fee dial'd in also. The fee will cover supplies for you the racer....number plate, cue sheet, and some other provisions. I am not going to make a cent on this. My plan with this event is to get in some hard racing, fillthe void of early season endurance races, and maybe start something that will turn into an annual event. Well I need to get ready for work.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:00 PM :: ::