The most beautiful people in the world

 Long video, but a gooden

http://ndss.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=275:ndss-times-square-video-2011&catid=74:video&Itemid=120

This is the picture I submitted:

  

 Should have had a close up....Later

Fun with the kids

 The best way to spend the day after a race is to go ride bikes with the kids. We headed out to Arrowhead Sunday afternoon (day after Fried Green 50). We tried to make the work party, but we got there too late. So off to having fun we went. I parked the truck at the very top of the park because Arrowhead is not the easiest place for kids to ride. The trails and the paved roads at the top are the flattest, and you can always go down hill with lots of fun. We started riding the trail next to the power-line, back and forth, then crossed over the service road and down the trail that goes to the bridges, and then we played in the creek. Before we left for home I took Thomas and Casey back up to the top and they bombed down the hill that comes out next to the playground. They both had huge smiles on they're faces, and so did I.

 Gavin was having so much fun he would not stand still to take a photo with his sister and brother. He actually got mad at me and took off into the woods. He was not ready to go home.

 Times like this is what makes fatherhood so fun....later

                                               

                                            This video is for Thomas it's his favorite

                                          

                                         

Fried Green 50, 2011

 What an awesome event! Great job! goes out to Monte, and all of the volunteers. The weather was perfect all day, about 47 at the start and I think about 65 at the finish. 
 Monte lead all 49 of us out for a neutral start, and it pretty much stayed that way for the first four miles. A few small attacks, and accelerations, but a group of about 15  made a break and came to the "foot traffic only" section first. The race was neutral again through this whole section (.68 mi.), we all just walked and had a conversation about bikes and stuff. We got to the end, back on the bikes, and it was full on at this point. Jeff took of with the first pull, not to hard, but a strong pace. I think I was third wheel, looked back, and saw what looked like only eight guys. I expected we would start a pace line, but Jeff is a beast....long pulls. He probably pulled the first five miles. Finally Charles got up front, I looked back again, and it was just Jeff, Charles, and me. And I felt like I was about to fall off also. A few more good rollers and POP! their I go. So I put my head down (suffer, suffer, suffer), and to my surprise Jeff and Charles sat up, and waited on me....Holy Cow!  I pulled up along side and Jeff asked me "feeling o.k." No, kind of nauseous I told him, really weak, so off Jeff and Charles went.
 Got to the wildlife loop, and slowed down big time. Two guys past me there. When I got to Juliette rd. I rode in three little circles, contemplating a DNF. The truck is just down the road!  The truck is just down the road! THE TRUCK IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD. Then I straightened up and thought all I have to do is pedal my bike. Off to Caney creek road I went. Felt a little better ( flat roads), then here came the Mo brothers, big and little. These two hills are not what I wanted to see at this point. Head down and grind them out. 
 When I reached hwy 11 I started to feel good again. I felt like I had some power. Paved road will do that to you sometimes. I remember thinking, "man I love my road bike". Cruised down hwy 11 and a left turn back into the Piedmont, only 16 miles left. Started to ride with some power again, and when I reached Baron Russel I was moving pretty good. Its funny that when I know I'm almost done I get that sudden freshness in my legs....What is this, looks like Charles up ahead. Even fresher I felt. So just for the sake of doing it, I whizzed right past him. Your killing me, I yelled. Ya but you caught me, he said. So we rolled in together to finish 4th and 5th. 
 Jeff "Stoney" Clayton gets the win. I don't know Jeff all that well, but actions speak louder than words they say. When I finished (25 minutes later) he was on the bridge congratulating all of the finishers. 
 Great race, great volunteers, Great job Monte! Hopefully this event will do nothing but grow. Can't wait till next year, its on my calendar. Oh ya, what constitutes a race? More than one person going in the same direction at the same time....Later

Can I get an Amen!

  Lets all burn our couches and go outside and do something.

Camp Thunder

 22 miles, 3:51:19, 3730 ft of ascent. No hiding at Camp Thunder, my first time running there. Iv'e ridden there many times but never ran. I believe you can get good training here for any event, be it cycling or running. John and I started in the normal direction, river road first, then up the switchbacks. Going up the switchbacks was easier running up at the beginning than ridding. I guess I get warmed up faster running. I ran in my Columbia Ravenous, their first true trail test....my new favorite shoe. I love these running on base(pavement and mild trail), but on true trail these really are awesome. Camp Thunder has a lot of rock, everything from small rock to baby head. All of it loose. Cushy, cushy, cushy, but I could still feel the trail, but not uncomfortable. Well John in me ran together for lap one, ate a couple of Newtons then back out.   We went backwards on the second loop, going up the moguls first. They've been logging at the top so the view was a good one.

About 1175ft

 After the glamour shot it was back to running. When we started down water tower hill John pulled away. At the bottom I recovered and caught back up. John bombs down hill like he is on his bike. We then got to the yellow trail, which starts to go up, and I lost contact with him for good. Only five more climbs to go....oh joy.  I actually felt stronger than anticipated, but the pain still hurts the same. Finally reaching the top of the switchbacks was a good feeling, then the river road and back to the truck. I looked at my watch and knew if I could keep a steady pace I could break four hours, that effort hurt. I had a good run, I think If I could have done another lap in less than 2:30. It would be my fastest 50k ever. But we will save that for another day. I can't wait to get back, but after Pinhoti....Later

David Millar meets Freddy Mercury

 I need a velvet painting of this cat.

Running again...again

 I've been running more lately, trying to get my running legs back so I can pace John at the Pinhoti 100. My plans are to pick him up at about 70 miles and help get him through pinnacle, and power line climbs. The race is won or lost in this section. I plan on pacing him for this 16 mile section, then pick him up again for the last 5 mile section, which is all asphalt, YUK! He wants me to run the whole last 32 miles with him....it would be my fastest 50k, OUCH! we will see how I feel.
 Sunday we ran 17.5 miles at Dauset, 3 hours. Not bad, good steady pace. I ran in the mountain masochists, they felt fine for that distance. I could probably run a 50k in them. I just like more forefoot cushion. My feet were a little tender after this run, in these shoes. But more time on my feet would probably help too. So my next long run will be this Sunday at Camp Thunder, two loops, 22 miles. I'm going to run in my Columbia Ravenous, can you say cush. I hope they feel as good on rocky trail as they do on milder trails. But I am going to have the Montrails in the truck in case I need to swap....Later

WTF!

 This is depressing!

This is not depressing!

                                     

Gravel Grinder

 John and me met up in the morning and went to Juliette. Woo Hoo! started out on the river road on an attempt to ride the fried green 50. I say attempt because we had never ridden it without Monty. We had a map, but before, riding with Monty we never really paid any attention to the route. Although It didn't matter because we knew we were in the Piedmont, so we thought. After several turns that we were not supposed to take, we ended up on some county road in Jasper county. 

If you see this camp six sign, your not in the Piedmont. Maybe the Oconee nat.forest.

 Anyway, after consulting the handy dandy google map on Johns cell phone, we discovered we were only a few miles off course. Found the correct roads and finally got to Round oak. It was getting late so we decided to just go straight down Juliette rd. What is it about a paved road and a mountain bike that makes for a good hammer fest. Well we got back to the parking lot and we looked at each other....what was that about? Another good day on the bike, and its always fun to test your training partners....Later

12 Hours of Dauset...FINALLY

My pit

 Finally, all my training and suffering paid off....Where do I start. John got to Dauset early so he could get in a 17.5 mile run and set up my canopy. Which brings up another thought, John is the best crew you can have. I could not have done so well without his help, and I was told that all the top finishers had excellent crews. I had the best!! 
 Woke up early (couldn't sleep), ate a quality breakfast, then met Larry at the Waffle House, and ate a chicken bisquit. I know what your thinking, how much coffee? Maybe 40 oz. I estimate I had a 1500 calorie breakfast. 
 Got to the trail earlier than I had planned, but this was perfect. I had enough time to get my pit set up for John while he was running, sign in, help with the kids race(12 minutes of Dauset), and just relax and get prepared. Talked to a few friends I only see at races, then line up for the le'mans start. 
 The start, ran to my bike, I was one of the last people to get to the bikes, and I hear John....ITS A GOOD THING THE RACE IS NOT WON OR LOST AT THE START. I was making sure I was not going to go out to hard. like last year. I hit the trail about mid pack, that includes all racers, 6 hour and 12 hour teams. First lap was a great pace. The course that Dave set up was a good loop, I had never done that combination before. Second lap I was passing a lot of people. Wait a minute, I need to slow down, is what I thought. When I came around for lap 3 John yell'd what happened? that lap was 4 minutes slower! I answered, I think I'm going to hard. NO! pick it up John says.....thanks for that by the way. I was in 6th place at this point (12 solo). And then started to reel them back. I caught 5th place on upper sandy creek, then 4th and 3rd on huff-n-puff. This boosted my confidence, Now i'm in 3rd coming in for my fourth lap, I didn't know I was in third until John told me only two guys were in front. I feel really strong, and very happy with my pace at this point. I ask John, where are they. Second is 9 minutes ahead and first is 20 minutes ahead..."Holy cow". I made myself think, ride your race Greg, race the clock not the racers. I caught second place on my 6th lap, the last hill on brown lee. He was hanging his head when I came up, and I picked up my pace as I went around, hoping he wouldn't grab my wheel. I don't think he noticed me at all. One more to go. By the end of my sixth lap my back was hurting bad. John fed me ibuprofen the remainder of the race, this kept the pain bearable. I think by the 8th lap I told John, where is that guy? Dude, he is 25 minutes ahead of you. Don't worry about him, just keep 3rd off of you. Now I think, good advise!
 Well, at this point that's the race. The field is set, just maintain. When I finished lap 12 John said "you did it, 13 laps is yours" I had 9 minutes till cut-off. That was my goal. On my 13th and last lap, the first place guy passed me to put me a lap down. Hats off to Michael Christopher, he passed me like It was his first lap. 
 Second place, 130 miles, 12 hours 18 minutes, I'll take it!! Perfect race for me, perfect weather, trail conditions, equipment, and the crew. Thanks to everyone who came out and cheered me on. It means a lot to me....Later