I got this in a forward today. It’s the best forward that I’ve gotten in a while. :)

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down. Finally, the guys’ side of the story.

We always hear “the rules” from the female side. Now here are the rules from the male side. These are our rules! Please note… these are all numbered “1″ ON PURPOSE!

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You’re a big girl. If it’s up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don’t hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports. It’s like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work!
Strong hints do not work!
Obvious hints do not work!
Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That’s what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 days.

1. If you won’t dress like the Victoria’s Secret girls, don’t expect us to act like soap opera guys.

1. If you think you’re fat, you probably are. Don’t ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did not need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say nothing,” we will act like nothing’s wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don’t want an answer to, expect an answer you don’t want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine….. Really.

1. Don’t ask us what we’re thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as sports, the weather, or hunting.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round is a shape.

1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; but did you know men really don’t mind that? It’s like camping.

I was 159 even on the scale today when I got up. That’s a pleasant improvement from 173.5 back in the beginning of April. I feel so much better about myself. All my clothes fit again. I look in the mirror and I’m generally happy with the way I look. My running has drastically improved since I don’t have to carry all that extra weight around anymore. Life is pretty good… Well, except for the fact that we still haven’t had a single day of good weather around here. I can’t remember the last time the sun was out for more than an hour.

I treatment my minor milestone to a nice Chipotle burrito for lunch today. Man, I really love those things. Although now I’m locked into working out for at least two hours tonight. It was totally worth it though.

I’m getting really, really, really sick of this state. It’s been raining and cold and we’re already more than half way through May. As if it’s not bad enough that we have winter from oh… October to April, with May now almost gone I only have 4 months left of possible good weather until we get to look forward to snow again. I was supposed to ride long today since I didn’t do it this past weekend. It was supposed to be dry and a little warmer today, but so much for that. About 30 minutes into my ride, my shoes were soaked all the way through and I was fighting 52 degree weather with 10 MPH winds. And there is more rain forecasted tomorrow, and the day after that… and the day after that.

I’ve had it with this state. I need to move…

Here are some pictures of my new position on my bike:

The seat has been lowered and moved back just a tad. The front end has dropped significantly as you can see from the extra spacers on the top of my steerer tube (those all used to be below my stem). Hopefully, all of this will result in a more aerodynamic and more powerful position.

Although I probably should have spent less time messing around with pictures and more time cleaning up all the mess that’s behind me, eh? ;)

Or I suppose ignorance is bliss would have worked too. With my training getting a bit more involved, I find myself more and more obsessed with everything triathlon. Those who know me know that I’m pretty much an all or nothing type person and right now I’m pedal to the metal in triathlon mode.

Usually, my attention focuses on the bike. I can already swim reasonably well and while I probably should work on my run a bit more this year, there’s not all that much to obsess about with running. I mean, how much can you talk about a pair of shoes? Bikes on the other hand are a whole new game. Some people like to pimp their cars out… I prefer pimping out my other ride. Although for the most part, it’s pretty much pimped, so I’ve been spending a lot more of my time learning more about its maintenance and about bike fit.

The more I read, the more I think that I’ve been riding in a less than optimal position for some time now. I bought my bike at a reputable bike shop and from a person that does come highly recommended by locals here. I’ve always taken his word as fact and just assumed that I shouldn’t question him as he was the authority on all things bike. But reading more and more about bike fit and components and what not, I’m starting to wonder if I should have been asking more questions all along? For example, when I got setup on my bike, he pretty much just moved stuff around and eyeballed me and said, “That looks good.” And it was ok. I did end up training on that position all last year and it got me through my first season of triathlons, including my first Ironman. But was it really optimal? Upon reading more about bike fit, it appears that I’ve been riding a saddle height considerably greater than what’s advocated as “neutral” for my height. Not that where I was at before was out of range. There is some personal preference involved in everything. But my saddle height now was picked using precise body measurements and making adjustments accordingly on my specific bike. The fitter didn’t once break out a tape measure or protractor or anything to evaluate my position initially. Maybe he does so many fits that he can eyeball things accordingly? Still, it would have given me peace of mind if he would have used a ruler to validate his eyes and seeing that he eyeballed me and started me out on the high side, I can’t help but wonder. Similarly, I’m riding on 175mm cranks which seems longer than normal given my size. For my height and riding style, I get the feeling that I should really be on 170mm cranks. I’m not sweating the crank thing too much seeing that 5mm really isn’t all that much and that some folks who own both sizes say they honestly can’t tell the difference between the two pairs (and partially because I’m going to go crazy if I keep thinking about it because swapping to 170mm cranks means buying a new crankset which isn’t going to be cheap). But it would have been nice if I had known this information before buying my bike components. And there are cassette sizes, steerer tube spacers… the list goes on. I bought a lot of expensive gear not really knowing a lot about what I was buying. I’m still 95% happy with what I have, but had I known back then what I know now, maybe I would have changed a few things.

Anyway, it just reinforces my opinion that anything worth knowing can be found on the Internet. And that anything worth doing right is worth learning how to do it and doing it yourself. And you never know. Maybe what I’ve changed in my setup is counter productive, and his expert opinion was right all along? Guess we’ll find out in a few months.

Yesterday:
Workout = 56 minute run
Calories Eaten = 2409

Today:
Workout = 1 hour swim + 3 hour ride
Calories Eaten = 2283

For whatever reason, I was starving yesterday but despite working out 4 times more today, I wasn’t as hungry. What’s up with that?

My ride today went alright. I rode 54 miles in just under three hours. It’s by far the longest that I’ve rode this season (I think the longest ride before this one was less than 2 hours). My neck muscles definitely aren’t used to keeping my head looking forward in my aero position. My lower back is also a little tired as I’m trying to lower the front end of my bike to get more aero. And then, there are other issues of a more personal nature due to the fact that I haven’t ridden in a while and I’m not used to sitting on a bike seat for so long. No need to go into details, though. :P

I’m already at just under 14 hours this week and I still have tomorrow to go. Not bad for a first base week!

It seems the trend is now moving back to more and more bikes being built with 700c wheels. I find it saddening since my bike supports 650c wheels and I currently have three difference pairs of them, so not only would I have to buy a new bike if I wanted to switch wheel sizes, I’d also have to swap all all my pairs of wheels for new ones. On the Slowtwitch forums, a representative from Zipp recently said that they’re unable to produce molds in 650c size for their newer wheels since there isn’t enough demand to make up for the costs of the mold. So unless something changes, we could be stuck with older technology moving forward (not that I see things changing that much, but still… I hate feeling like I’m boxed in).

Hopefully, more bike manufacturers will listen to experts like Dan Empfield (founder of QR and person responsible for the Slowtwitch site mentioned above) and realize that there are sound technical reasons why 650c wheels are just flat out better for folks 5′10″ish or under. The following is just a snippet from a thread on ST’s forum. Bike makers, are you listening?!

here are the reasons, well, some of the reasons, or arguments, behind my comments.

1. what you write above might be true, if you’re willing to stipulate that “lots o’” does not = “most of.” historically, “most of” the top times and course records and over the top bike rides in timed, long course events were recorded by women on either 26″ wheels or 24″ wheels (by historically i’m talking about IM races, zofingen and nice—when they were big races—etc, during the last 15 years). further, the same used to be the case with a lot of men as well. most of kona’s fastest women’s bike rides were recorded on bikes that did NOT have 700c wheels.

2. for timed races, it’s difficult to make a smaller bike fit properly if it’s got 700c wheels. you have three probiems: chainstay, head tube, and most of all, shoe overlap. it’s much easier to get a bike to fit properly for a person under, say, 5′8″, if it’s built with 650c front and rear.

3. there are ZERO studies that show that 700c is faster. 700c was a fine standard 100 years ago, when road surfaces were quite rough and a 650c wheel, or 24″ wheel, would’ve meant a rougher ride. not so today.

4. at QR we started building front wheels with closer flange spacing back in the early ’90s. one of the reasons our bikes were fast, and so many fast rides and course records were set on them, is that the wheels were just faster. when you put a 650c and 700c wheel in the wind tunnel and spin them both at 30mph, they generate the same drag (smaller profile of the 650c is counteracted by faster RPMs). but, when you put wheels of the same STRENGTH in the tunnel, with, say, flanges on the 650c wheels spaced 20mm narrower, then you’ve got a different ballgame. this “thinner is better” argument is what is behind the walser bike, and the trek TTT experiment that eki will ride this year, if what i hear is correct. it’s also, of course, the original obree idea.

5. there is no 650c wheel or tire shortage or lack of availability. the only problem might be in a group ride, if you’re the only 650c rider and you run out of spares. in every life a little rain must fall.

6. the argument that 700c is “the wheel” is equivalent to the argument that 57cm is “the size.” there is no perfect size bike, and likewise there is no perfectly-sized wheel. if 700c is best for somebody 5′6″, then a 28″ wheel is best for somebody 5′11″, and a 29″ wheel is better for someone 6′3″. if, otoh, 700c is best for somebody 5′11″, then a 26″ wheel is best for somebody who rides a 47cm bike. “one size fits all” is an incredibly stupid argument to make, and it’s amazing how many apparently smart people still make it.

7. after having fit, and made bikes for, quite a few thousand people, it’s been demonstrated to me, to my satisfaction, through how people respond to their bikes, that making bikes that are PROPORTIONALLY sized for each rider make these riders much happier and yield incrementally better results. so, when i write what i write, it’s off the back of this experience. if you don’t want to extend any credence to my experience, fine. buy a 700c bike. somehow i’ll find a way to survive it.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

It was a rough day today. I went for a run today at work during lunch with a co-worker who runs significantly faster than I do. So while his heart rate was somewhere between 120-130, mine was between 150-160. Not too bad, but there were a few hills out there on the course where I swear my heart was about to beat through my chest. I ended up coming home and skipping my schedule ride on the trainer. I opted for a nap instead. :)

I woke up just starving and tried my best to curb my hunger with what I had here (which as a bachelor, really isn’t much). Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore so I picked up a bowl of noodle soup. Probably not the best thing for me, but I didn’t care anymore. I was just too hungry and it was too early to just go to sleep (I often try that technique to curb late night eating :P). I didn’t eat anything too unhealthy today, but I surely wasn’t close to having a big calorie deficit that I’ve been accustomed to having these past weeks. It’s weird, but I feel so guilty now when I don’t eat well 100% of the time. Don’t worry… I don’t have and am not going to develop an eating disorder. But I do have symptoms of disordered eating. :)

Time to sleep before I clear out my pantry…

Yeah, I know I’ve been a slacker and haven’t posted anything in quite some time. I’ve come here and started numerous posts, but never feel like I have anything good to say and always end up just closing the window. Not like this is anything good, but at least I figured I’d let you all know I’m still alive. :P

Still watching what I’m eating and training more now. I’ve lost about 10 pounds in the last month, which I’m pretty proud of if I don’t say so myself. It’s nice to see that all my suffering isn’t for nothing. I still haven’t drawn up a full blown training schedule yet for this year, but I think I started my first base period this week. I should probably write something up to make sure, eh?

All for now…