GO SPEED RACER GO

I recently attended Audi's 'Driving Experience' test drive program at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma.  First did some classroom time (learned what under/oversteer is, the Quattro system, car physics and how weight change affects handling.  And finally basic driving principles-look where you want to go, not where you don't want to, your hands follow your eyes; slow into turns/apex/accelerate out; patience; scan the road, no tunnel vision, etc.)

We then went out to the parking lot and learned how to position ourselves correctly in the driver's seat.   Your body should basically be in the 'ready' position like in sports, relaxed and ready to react, not straight and rigid or lazy.  We even learned the the correct way to hold and turn the steering wheel.  They teach the 9 and 3 o'clock hand positions.  Better control.  And the 'dead pedal' is there to brace your body against the seat during hard turns.  I never knew that.  I drive like that now-9 and 3 o'clock, dead pedal.  For safety and control reasons.  No more one hand, lean back, cruising position.  Now always ready. I feel more in control and in tune with the car.

Back to driving school...Now time for some emergency braking and handling drills in the parking lot with cones.  Lots of flying cones and screeching tires, fun.  A6, A3, A4, A8L and Q7.  Had the R8s at the track (sweet) but we didn't drive those.  That thing is fast.  Still my new dream car.

Then we got to drive this little red baby, 2008 Audi S5, not even on the market yet.  4.2 Quattro 354 HP 6-speed V-8, stick.   Push button start, rev the engine, yes!

Two laps around the course.  Don't know my top speed since I had to follow and keep up with the pace car.  The instructor guides you through the course over walkie-talkie, talking you through the turns.   When I did peek at the speedometer it was inching toward 100 mph.  Still only in 3rd gear, sheez.  Nice to abuse a car that's not my own, stomping the gas on straightaways, hearing the engine whine, shoved into your seat, tight turns at speed, tires squeeling.

I was a little lightheaded afterward.  Maybe because of the the adrenalin/stress/excitement.  Maybe I forgot to breathe during laps, haha.  

I had so much fun and learned a lot.  I'm a better 'civilian' driver now.  I'll definitely do it again.  Maybe next time in the R8.  Zoom...

BEAUTIFUL

What a great day to be alive!

I did an early morning 4-mile run today by the water (Benicia State Park), clear sunny day, cool crisp air.  Scenery was stunning.  I wanted a setting where I could think, be thankful, and enjoy the outdoors all the while listening to Alicia Keys' new album on my iPod, she's one of my absolute favorite artists. Her songs move me as always. Smile on my face the whole time.  

A perfect start to a perfect day.

RACING FOR A CURE

Click on picture to enlarge

IRONMAN!

click on:

www.active.com/donate/tntgsf/romanseguerre

COMING SOON...

ALOHA FROM HAWAII...

Our lives are defined by a few significant experiences - a few days or hours or moments out of a lifetime of years and decades.  These are the moments that make the day-to-day routine worthwhile.  They are what we live for and why we endure the mundane. The things we remember.

Keep Smiling...

-R

SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION


Be right back...

-R

EMERGENT

For my peeps, suggesting, no, requesting, no, insisting on an update, here it is, albeit partial. And for those getting tired of looking at SFO, some eye candy of the new iPhone I just got from Steve.

Some sugar for you as we start (started) this new year:

I sense it coming but cannot avoid it.
My boat strikes something.
At first sounds of silence, waves.
Nothing has happenned;
Or perhaps everything has happened
And I am sitting in my new life.

-Rumi

A Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2007!

I have a bunch of unfinished drafts, some that I'm hesitant to post in its current state. Maybe I'll just post the raw, stream of consciouness, unedited version and let it be. Blogging for public view and consumption often results in neurotic reluctance on my part. Ehh, it is what it is. I'm ready to get back in the saddle (Yipee Kayay blank-blank. Name that movie?)

Soooo...more thoughts and update soon.

No really.

I'm serious.

For reals.

:)

-R

(aerial view of SFO)

EARTH WIND & FIRE DAY TODAY...

I'm off to Hawaii with the team tomorrow AM. Good ol' SFO and Hawaiian Airlines. I love airports. Maybe because of the freedom and adventure it represents. Or because of the love you feel and see when loved ones are reunited there. Seeing that always brings a smile to my face.

I wrote a 'travel' love letter to my girl today. Just in case anything happens, so she'll always know. I know she does, I say it to her every night. I'll miss her so much when I'm away, but I know time will fly and I'll see her soon. I'll slip it into her Hello Kitty backpack. And I'll get a nice surprise for her later. I think she wants a videogame for her Nintendo DS. She knows how to milk it with Daddy.

Love and Aloha, lots more to come...

TRAINING LOG

Location: Healdsburg, Geyserville

Distance: 55 miles

Song: Life is a Highway (Soundtrack from Cars), by Rascall Flats. Gilly sings this and sounds like a country singer, I love it.

Thoughts: Quaint, charming little town with full of stores and restaurants and art galleries. This is probably my second favorite ride. Lots of rolling hills, and beautiful wine country scenery. After a four-mile climb up Pine Flat Road (which definitely ain't), it overlooks the valley filled with endless rows of vineyards. I didn't realize there were so many varied, independent wineries. Everyone's always wanting to stop to 'sample' the wares.

Hot one today, 95 degrees of dry heat, over 100 on the asphalt, like a giant blowdryer shadowing you all day. A few on the team had symptoms of dehyrdation and heat exhaustion. I drank about 5 water bottles of gatorade over the almost four hours that we were on the road and didn't even need to use the bathroom which means I was sweating it all out.

Even so, the last 10 miles of the ride had less to do with strength, but more about will and heart. Just brutal conditions. When you're hot and fatigued you need to dig down and ask yourself what your 'why' is, why are you training, why are you out there. You then begin to focus on that 'why' while the miles beginning to slowly disappear and you find a reservoir of strength that you didn't know you had.

For many, the face of a loved one comes to mind, or their memory. For others it's the commitment to the Cause, or a new vow to be healthy, or a promise to yourself to finish an unheard of challenge, or even laying on a beach in Hawaii, drinking out of a coconut after the Century Ride.

One of my 'whys' is on my handlebar, a pink Barbie bandaid that my daughter gave me after I crashed on a ride. I look and touch that touchstone many times on many different rides. I guess we all have 'whys' in our lives, someone or something that keeps us going, keeps us living strong, keeps us hopeful and joyful, that make our lives memorable, worth living, worth the struggle. With it, we tap deep emotional reserves that propel us forward.

What's your 'why' in life?

And the reward for me on this particular ride was an ice cold beer, waiting all those hours, hiding in an Igloo cooler, nestled comfortably on a bed of ice. It's the simple things in life, yes?

Godspeed,

-R

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ENJOY LIFE

Today is my 3 Year Remission Anniversary (boisterous spontaneous applause ensues!), the day I found out the doctors couldn't find any traces of cancer (leukemia) in my body.

Celebrate with me: Hug your keikis (children) extra tight. Stop and smell a beautiful flower. Lose yourself in your favorite music. Have a (Mojito, Pellegrino, Corona, Frangelico, insert favorite drink here) with friends. Laugh to the point of tears. Kiss the ones you love. Hike through nature. Feel the sun on your face. Put another shrimp on the barby. Have an extra scoop of ice cream. Wander through a museum. Read from your favorite book. Live from your heart. Breathe the fresh air. Walk along the beach. Ride a rollercoaster. Paint to your heart's content. Watch the sun set.

Do whatever makes your heart jump...

It's one thing to survive. It's another to live.

En-joy,

-R

CONNECTION (Mind/Body)

I felt lousy today, splitting nauseatic (my word) headache. Most of the time, I actually forget that I'm living with cancer and feel great, amazing. But no matter how well I'm feeling, I almost always get sick at some point when I'm expecting my test results back. Happily, my oncologist called and let me now that my results were normal, everything's fine (exhale.) Next round in October.

She also gave me the go ahead to train for multiple races this year, said my lungs are functioning normally and the side-effects of my treatment are neglible, so it shouldn’t affect my stamina and fatigue. "Absolutely go for it, yes train!" she said.

My cycle training is going great, but I had to cut back on my marathon training, my left hip is bothering me (again :). My chiro said my pelvic bone is rubbing up against a nerve cluster in my hip (yikes!) which makes my back and leg uncomfortable (painful) when I run. I’m feeling a lot better after a series of adjustments (my chiro is amazing), we’ll see how my training goes. It doesn’t bother me on the bike, only when I run, because of the compression and impact.

After I got the good test results back, that 'I'm not myself' feeling is gone just as quickly. I'm always monitoring how I'm feeling, my energy level, my emotional level, my stress level. They’re the indicators of my overall health. Of course I know my body quite well, when it’s out of sorts, but I’m still amazed how it knows and responds to what's going on inside. Sometimes it just 'aches.'

FIREWORKS

The burst of colors, fire, heat, sparkle. The luminous colors, loud core-shaking bangs.

Happy 4th!

-R


(pic: view from our hotel, fired from the mountainside shown in previous post.)

TRAINING LOG

Location: Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe

Distance: 38 miles, hard tempo ride

Song: Shalamar, Switch

Thoughts: Beautiful ride along the Truckee River, though it was like Frogger at times with all the people on the bike trail. Nice loop from Tahoe City up to Truckee. It was wide open with other cyclists out for a spin. I went out too fast instead of easing into the ride. Me and another cyclist were stopped at stoplight together, nodded and when the light turned green, we both non-chalantly started racing each other, matching speed. That was fun. But when I caught a stiff headwind coming back at the end of the ride I paid for it, inhaling Cliff Shot Blocks and Gu for some much needed energy, legs and lungs protesting.

I actually started thinking, "I'm on vacation, why am I doing this again?" Because I like it, because I can. A bad ride is just part of the deal, everyone has one of those days. What's the saying, "A bad day riding out in God's country is better than a good day stuck in an office." (Okay, I made that up.) But being out on the road in beautiful country was more than worth the effort (see pics). And the pool and spa was waiting for me after the ride.

-R

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YELLOW

Did you see George Hincapie sprint for those extra time bonuses knowing those extra precious seconds may put him in the yellow jersey, only the fourth American to wear yellow in the history of the Tour. He just missed wearing it a day earlier by just seven-tenths of a second. One cool cat.

SCANDAL!

On the verge of the Tour de France, several of the pre-race favorites have been suspended for suspected drug use. Wow. It's like a Lakers-Celtics Championship (back in the day) without Magic, Kareem and Bird.

This still will be one to watch, with Lance retired after 7 straight yellow jerseys, and now the suspensions, the race is wiiide open. I'll be rooting for Americans George Hincapie (Lance's buddy) and Floyd Landis for the overall. (sidenote: even with Lance retired, I still see so many people wearing their yellow LiveStrong wristbands. It's not a fad for them, or me.)

Imagine, three weeks of racing covering over 2261 miles throughout France and Europe, with only two rest days. I'll be glued to my set. I love the suffering, the drama, the courage, the savvy tactics and race strategies, the mosh-pit sprints, the delirious climbs, the obssesive fans. Yes!

I read these two sites for all the stage previews, recaps and general info on the race: www.olntv.com/tdf and www.coachcarl.com.

Gotta go ride...

MAN IN TIGHTS

Went to the opening night showing of Superman Returns last night. I went by myself since everyone else had other things like sleep in mind. I don't think I've done a midnight showing since one of the latest Star Wars. The best part of opening night is the energy from the crowd, usually full of fellow-geeks. I felt left out that I didn't have a Superman t-shirt, hat or pajamas to wear. Actually, I was wearing my uniform under my suit...oh never mind. But, you know the feeling, 500 hundred of your newest friends who go into near hysteria when the lights dim and the opening credits start rolling. Love that.

The movie: I really enjoyed it. Lots of the same beats from Donner's Superman (with Christopher Reeve). It was actually more of a love story than a summer action popcorn flick, but that's fine with me. (I think "Pirates" will fit that bill.) Singer and cast came through with a modern re-telling of the 1978 classic. Go see it, you'll love the end.

PRODIGY

Saw Jake Shimabukuro at Yoshi's Jazz house last night. I just love the vibe of this club, I would see practically anyone there as an excuse to take in the music and the energy. And pretty much everybody who's anybody has played there, all the heavies. If you're in the Bay Area and never've been, then go, and tell them Roman sent you. They'll say, 'who?' After I saw my first show there, I actually went home and researched the architect and designer so when I'm ready, they can design my home theatre or new restaurant, or both.

Did I mention that Jake is from Hawaii and plays the ukelele? Not the 'Tiny Bubbles' variety of course, more like Hendrix, Paganini, Chick Corea, Bach, Bela Fleck. During Jake's energetic and passionate two-hour solo set I found myself mesmerized, holding my breath, and on the edge of my seat by both the musician and the music. During the encore Beatles cover, "Here, There and Everywhere" I was actually on the verge of tears, I was so overwhelmed by the song's beauty. True art, no matter what the form, has the ability to do that.