Gent & Pais Vasco

Caught the last kilometers of each this morning. Gent was ok with Boasson Hagen (Columbia-Highroad) winning rather uneventful two-up spint. Columbia took a page out of QuickStep and played it perfectly (other than Cavendish not making the initial split after a flat tire). This race has never been one of my favorites and I suppose it is because of its placement between the two biggies.


As expected the Basque Country wnet the way of Contador with Astana doing their thing and taking the overall lead. Horner freaking lit it up on the bottom of the final climb. Never cared for Horner as a domestic rider, but have grown found watching him with over the past couple years.


Looking forward to Sunday and seeing what misfortune hits Hincapie this year. I almost have come to look forward to his debacles more than who wins...

VS

This was the scene at our casa last night as one of Ian b-ball teammates and family came over to watch UNC open up a can on MSU. Both boys were decked out in Carolina blue (Payton sported Hansbrough and Ian wore Ellington). It was a fun evening for us (and not our cat as they boys tortured, I mean played with it during every commercial). Jake refused to take part in the festivities since 'our' Duke was not represented. The last thing he wanted was his little brother rubbing it in (again)!

Jake's leg is still giving him fits, but he thinks it is getting better on a daily basis. He is hoping to run solid on Thursday (Aurora track meet).

Deb's dad is making a caribean jerk dish tonight so I am looking forward to filling my belly; he always whips up some good stuff.

Fitness: Played 1 hr of easy basketball yesterday and called it a rest day. I hit the gym today at lunch for a strength workout and a 1:50hr session on the trainer (with 2 x 20 min efforts mixed in) while watching 'The Day the Earth Stood Still - not bad, but not great.

Here's the dilema for the morning: Gent on cycling.tv or Pais Vasco on NBC Universal Sports. The Gent is probably a group finish with Cavendish as odds on favorite at the classic, but Pais has 1 cat 3, 2 cat 2, and 2 cat 1 climbs with a mountain top finish and I am curious to watch Contador take on a stacked field. The 'little prince' for Lampre looked pretty strong on stage 1... I'll probably end up doing a split screen. Why is my life plagued with so many tough choices?!?!?!?

Feels Like Spring (Saturday) and Now Its Gone

First and foremost - just finished watching Flanders and Devolder (and QuickStep in general) is a STUD! He has been one of my favorite spring riders for three or four years now. He just goes and goes and goes. What was great about today is he was totally committed to riding for Boonen (who couldn't shake his shadow Pozzato), then for Chavanel once he jumped across, and finally at the Muir he took things into his own hands as he was clearly the strongest up front and solo'ed. I love this week with Gent on Wednesday and Hell of the North next weekend. Picture to the right is his win at Flanders last year - the Belgium national colors are awesome and the US should take note and dump the crap they have worn for the past couple years.

What an great Saturday we had here at the ranch (ok, not really a ranch, but you know what I mean). Deb headed out early to SPR to help family with Maggard's estate sale. I decided to make the most of the morning and tackled several household chores to make Deb's day a little easier when she got home. She does so much keeping us afloat and gets little recognition for how easy she makes our lives. I intended to get a good long ride in, but with it being so nice I moved from the indoors and headed out to get some yard work done. It was really the first nice weekend day without us going somewhere so it was time for catch up. Ian and I got in the first mow of the year and then hit the shrub/flower beds to get them in order. We are supposed to get some freezes this week so I am holding off on putting in the flowers until it looks like spring is fully here. You might wonder where Jake was during all of this and in typical teenage fashion he was asleep until 11am or so. He gets up so early during the week with 5:30am team runs that I don't have an issue with him catching up on the weekends. Deb got home just after noon and she jumped in helping finish up outside. Ian got in several games of basketball with Deb and I, along with throwing the pigskin around with me in the back yard. I was getting so much done and having a good time with the boys that riding was a back thought and not really a priority. As the day progressed I did get out for a good spin with Dale. Got home and watched some Final Four action (UNC is going to be tough to beat).

SUNDAY: What the heck just happened to the nice spring feel around here!?!?!?! I want my open windows back!

Deb (and Ian) finished the living room painting and it turned out awesome. Just a little tone change makes it tie in so well with the kitchen wallpaper and a warmer feel throughout. Just another thing Deb does to make it better for everyone (sigh in a good way - add it to the list of how my life would be lost without her).

Fitness: 2 hr mtb ride with Dale on Frisco. Expected to ride long, but enjoyed the day doing other things of greater priority so no big deal. 3 1/2 hrs on Friday gives me options for the weekend. Pretty chilly and crazy windy out this morning and after church it was raining so another afternoon on the trainer. Worked some bigger gear stuff for 1 1/2hrs while watching Love Guru (not very good).

The Kid's got Heart

Worked with the jumpers at track practice and watched Jake suck up some discomfort and flow through 6 x 600m and 6 x 400m. He is starting to find his legs after his ski trip. He's got a couple days rest off his feet to address the tendinitis and then re-evaluate on Monday. Great job boy, I could tell it was bothering you.

Fitness: Just got back from a easy 2hr spin with Jim Jones. Felt good to get outside and much time on the rollers/trainer.

Close, but no cigars at The Courts

Ian played two games last night and lost each in the final moments. Like always he played solid on both ends. He was one tired kid at the end of the second game having set out less than 1 minute in both games combined. There were some tears afterwards as he hates to lose. He's back up again next Thursday with a double-header, which will be tough as they at least had a game between last night. I am always impressed with his on-the-court knowledge of various aspects of the game; he often is directing the defense and finding open teammates either on the break or in the lower post areas. I imagine he gets most of it from watching so much b-ball on TV and that we talk a lot about it when we play.



Jake came up a little lame (possibly some tendinitis in the Achilles) from practice a couple nights ago after an 8mile run (and 3 mile at early practice). He ran 4 at early practice and an easy three yesterday afternoon. The crew is doing speed work (tons of 600s and 400s today) and he doesn't know if he will be able to make it through. It is pretty frustrating for him as he was looking to get back into the groove after being gone skiing and the school play. We talked this morning about going as much as possible without damaging it further and I am sure coach will not push him past that point. A couple days rest (Sat & Sunday) will be good for it. The below picture is from Jake's '08 xc season.
Fitness: Yesterday turned into a typical busy day and I wasn't able to get in a light spin; no big deal as I was going to count it as a rest/recovery day anyway. Not sure what this afternoon has in store so I got 1 1/2 hrs on the trainer (30* outside this morning) with some nice extended steady efforts. If the afternoon doesn't fill up I plan a get outside (supposed to hit 60*) for 2 hrs after work. I am looking forward to some good road riding (3 1/2 - 4hrs) tomorrow as I haven't been able to ride long these past Saturdays with races on Sundays. Will try to get 3hrs riding on Sunday; may take the mtb on the Frisco or hit the famous dirt back roads of Polk County cross bike style.

Got home from work yesterday afternoon, Deb and Jake had activities at church, so played a ton of basketball with Ian outside. He beat me 3 games to 2 and took the April 1st World Championship title. Deb got home and we caught up on American Idol. Pretty routine evening at Casa Del Jones (that's for you Chad).

Ian has two games tonight at The Courts in Springfield. His team of 2nd graders has come so far and they have a great time before, during, and after the games. His asthma has been getting to him a little more lately so we are really having to monitor his exertions during games. I feel for both of my boys as they battle asthma. I hoped Jake would grow out of it, but not the case so far.

Met Deb and Jake for lunch and they just got back from taking Jake to the doctor regarding his asthma and a mole that didn't quite look right. It was decided for Jake to have some fitness tests done with monitors to see at what point he is being restricted. They gave him some once-a-day med to hopefully open him up more and possibly less dependant on his inhaler. Jake didn't seem over interested in the asthma issue as he was the shots they gave him in his HEAD. Turns out they took a small biopsy of his mole (on the side of his scalp) and the shots were a preventative for infection. The more I heard the more I lost focus on the asthma stuff also.

Fitness: Jumped on the trainer (during AI) and got in a solid 1 1/2hrs. Threw in the czar's recommended 10min x 3 at 85% and between it and the noon strength workout I was toast by bedtime. Today is a easy 1hr cruise on the mtb at lunch

Headed to Reed Springs last night for Bolivar's first track meet of the '09 season. All in all a pretty good showing for the jumpers I work with, but plenty to build on. Jake had a rough night and needless to say is looking to improve in all events. Next meet is in a week and a half and by then Jake will be flying like regular (unless there is a week long ski trip I am not aware of somewhere in there) I have no doubt.

I'm finding it hard not being 'that dad' when it comes to Jake and his running. Both I and his coaches see so much potential and yet often times it appears he falls short of expectations. 'Expectations' does not mean All-State or All-World athlete, it relates more to the times he posts during workouts when there is little pressure and he flows so freely. I have never been one to pamper (that's his mom's job), but I feel like a dirtball when I tell him the truth about his performances. Deb reminds me of his young age and I hear often that 'it will come around' but I have a hard time applying that to Jake. Yesterday evening I was talking with our high jumper (an 18yr old senior) about the terrible conditions and it being our first meet and Deb smirked at me and lightly asked why I don't give our 16yr old sophomore the same break... she does such a great job of trying to keep me grounded - thanks, Deb. Long and short of it, I am 'that dad' pushing his kids too hard and I have got to figure out how to slow it down. I always tell myself that I outwardly provide support to Jake and vent my frustrations behind 'closed doors', but I know he picks up on all of it and I am only telling myself lies. I wouldn't trade that kid for anything as he is much more of my world then anyone realizes; he is constantly on my mind and I want so much for him to succeed. I just realized the line before summed it all up: "I want"; that has got to change.

Fitness: Got home after 10pm from the meet so pushed the strength workout off, but got it in at noon today. Was planning 2 hr ride today after work, but other obligations are pressing so I hopefully will get in a solid 1 1/2hr tonight (on the trainer - my best friend).