Jamming with Dain

Recently, I had a chance to jam with Dain (formerly of Shaking Tree). A friend invited Dain over for a house concert in which I sat in on two songs. We covered Dave Matthews' "Crash Into Me" and Indigo Girls' "Closer to Fine." Good times!

At least I can ride and run...

Again, the swim got the best of me. It's as if I panic in the water and I can't seem to reach steady breathing. My swim training has gone well, but open-water swimming is a whole different giant. The mass swim start and the 81 triathletes added to the chaos. At about 50 yards out, I found myself floundering and then flipping over to do the backstroke. It wasn't until the second half of the 1/2 mile swim that I settled down to do the frontstroke. The ride and run is where I made up all my time. I managed to spin the 12 miles at a 22.3 mph pace. Then got off the bike and ran 7:37 miles. Overall, I finished in 16th place and 4th in my age division. Not too bad given the number of participants. Just got some work/training in the swim category.

TNT Duathlon update...

The race went well. I successfully ran 6:23 miles for the first two miles, then averaged 20.3 miles/hr on the bike. I rounded out the event with 7:15 miles (should have been faster, but some leg cramping didn't help matters). I placed 8th overall, with a final time just under 62 minutes. Sarah finished 3rd in her division, and we both came home with medals.
http://www.teamnebraska.org/TNT%20DU%20Results%202009.pdf

Kanesville Krusher at Lewis & Clark

The relatively techical course is strewn with bluffs of difficult climbs. Had a chance to run the granny gear and largest cog on the last climb of the course. Nice little roller coaster section with a tree pyramid obsticle that has been built up. Overall, I placed 10th in the Cat 2 Open division. Not bad considering the circumstaces...
1. Poor first lap thanks to a front deraileur that didn't want to shift down to a lower chain ring at the very beginning of the race (gravel road climb). Therefore, I was already in last place because I had to stop momentarily, put the chain back on the 2nd chain ring, and start pedaling again. First lap 28:12, 2nd lap 53:47, 3rd lap 1:19:35. See?
2. Never rode the course with the exception of the 1/2 lap that I did before the event. That's my own fault, really.
3. Bad allergies. Yep, these were kicking my butt days before the race and into that morning.
Great race, though. Scenic vista of Omaha added to the experience.

http://www.nebraskacyclingnews.com/news/mountain-bike-news-on-nebraska-cycling-news/113-kirkpatrick-wins-kanesville-krusher

Sick...this video is incredible

Thanks to friend, Justin, for introducing me to this rider and the song "The Funeral." Danny has some insane bike skills. All done on a mountain bike. Check it out...

Pittsburgh...2 months in counting

It's been a while since I have posted anything, so I thought I would provide a quick life update. The preparation for the move is well underway. I have begun to box items throughout the house. Sarah and I have narrowed down our options of where we will be living in Pitt. It is definite that we will be "urbanites" and living near downtown. I'd like to live near Frick Park so that I have singletrack at my doorstep. However, I still would like to be minutes from downtown on bike.
Sarah's dissertation has kept her very busy. She is nearing the end of it, and she hopes to defend in June or early July. She's still very cute, even with the added stress.
I have been riding (a lot) and searching for a road bike. I've narrowed it down to a Cannondale Six of some kind. The Psycowpath series has kept me busy. The 3rd race will be in C.B. this weekend. My performance thus far has been average. I've placed in the middle of the pack in Cat 2. I did Cat 3 Open last year, so the competition has been more fierce. The Surly Cross-Check is still cranking out the commuter miles. Go Surly!
I finished the Iron Man Challenge through the gym. The goal was to complete a full Iron Man in two weeks. Of course, the biking came easy as did the swimming (surprisingly). I had to push myself on the runs, but I managed. In fact, the last run was a 4-miler in which I did 7-minute miles. Not too bad for a cyclist.
Aside from all this going on, I have tentatively made plans to visit the West before we head out to Pitt. A trip to Denver and maybe Moab might become reality at the end of June or early July. Still looking for volunteers to accompany me.
Still roaming like a nomad should,
-Jason

Blue October's new album

Many of you know that I am a huge Blue October fan. I've been to over 20 of their shows, many of which were at the old Music Box in Omaha. So, I've been following the band since roughly 2002. Tuesday, March 24th, Blue is releasing their 5th studio album. Their first single on the album, "Dirt Room," highlights why Blue is such an incredible band. Check out some of their more popular songs..."Hate Me, Into the Ocean, Calling You, 18th Floor Balcony, HRSA, Breakfast After 10, Inner Glow, and Italian Radio." Seriously, these guys put on a great concert and have a large following here in Nebraska. In fact, they added a second show at Socol in April. You should really get a ticket to see them.
The band engages the audience in the form of inspiration, amazement, and excitement. They congregate an audience with a passion for their music and the meaning behind their lyrics. They've taught me that not everything needs to be perfect nor will it be. It's about feeling "independently happy" and knowing that the "weight of the world" is not a sole burden. Favorite lyric = "To kill a young man's point of view is to kill his only friend." BLUE!