Unbelievable

I know that cyclists and motorists have a tumultuous relationship over sharing the road. However, this story takes it to a whole new level. I cannot fathom how someone can get so enraged during a heated discussion that he could kill another man. What Michael Bryant did is reprehensible and inexcusable! It also reminds cyclists that you will always lose a fight with a car and sometimes it is better to ride away than try to express your opinion. It really is a sad story.

The horrific Michael Bryant case, in which the former Ontario attorney-general has been charged in the death of a bicycle courier in Toronto, has been tidily summed up just about everywhere as our own Bonfire of the Vanities . It's an apt comparison, because beneath the facts lies a bubbling cauldron of social resentments, mistrust of authority and other prejudices that may well tell us more about ourselves than about anything else.
Here are those facts: Mr. Bryant, 43, Ontario's former attorney-general and a political golden boy, has been charged with criminal negligence causing death, and dangerous driving following the death of Darcy Allan Sheppard, 33, a bicycle courier with whom he had an altercation Monday evening along a tony stretch of Toronto's Bloor Street. Mr. Sheppard was seen clinging to Mr. Bryant's car and eventually died after he fell off.
The full story can be read at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/michael-bryant-the-story-none-of-us-can-stop-talking-about/article1274909/

SB and Folsom

Sorry it's been a while since my last post. I had a couple good low key races at Santa Barbara and Folsom. Both races were nearly mirror images of each other: I got a solid lead on the swim, extended it on the bike and got to enjoy the run(didn't think I would ever say that!) Although I did get lost on the run course at both races...I really need to stop day dreaming when I race! I know I wanted to get in a solid workout at the races, but I especially cut it close at SB. All counting SB and Folsom were the 6th and 7th time I have gotten lost on the run course. I figure one day that Berkeley education of mine will kick in and I will get some common sense. For example, when you start running next to a woman in the race riding a mountain bike and you realize you are on the bike course instead of the run course, it’s time to turn around!

As a side note, Sb was my first tri every back in 1999. I don’t know what I was thinking attempting a long course triathlon at 14. All I remember was that it was the most miserable run on my life... yes even worse than wildflower this year. I probably trained about 1/10th of the total volume I do today and my body was cramping up everywhere. More than one person was kind enough to ask me how I was doing and/or offer me some salt tablets/gels on the run. I probably walked 6 of the 10 miles that day. I can tell you that the run this time around was a whole lot more fun(minus the 5 or so minutes I was inadvertently off course). Thanks to my buddy Chris for the pic from SB.

Also, August was officially my biggest training block of the year, hopefully setting me up nicely for my last three races of the year. I am happy that I got through it injury free and am currently enjoying my taper for Pacific Grove. I do love tapers!