For the last month, ever since my debacle at the mid New Hampshire road race, I have been training hard and properly, with the goal of having a good showing at the Jamestown, RI road race on October 8th. So far the training has been going far better than I could have ever hoped. Last Saturday I once again did the Tim Horton’s ride, a 40 mile loop that the Brown Cycling team usually does on Saturday mornings. On this particular day there were about 8 riders there that are either current or former racers, so it was a great opportunity to get a sense of the state of my fitness. There are 6 sprint areas throughout the 40 mile loop where people race to a designated line–usually a sign post indicating a new town. I’ve never really sprinted before, so the first couple of sprints were hard for me.

A recent NY Times article discussed the Bush administration’s plan to to issue a new rule that will expand the practice of mountaintop coal mining. The rule change will make it easier for mining companies to engage in the practice, which “is the most common strip mining in central Appalachia, and the most destructive. Ridge tops are flattened with bulldozers and dynamite, clearing all vegetation and, at times, forcing residents to move.” The real goal of the rule change, according to the NY Times article, is to “to make it easier for mining companies to dig more coal to meet growing energy demands and reduce dependence on foreign oil.”

Yesterday I finally realized my dream of doing a bicycle race. I say it was a dream because ever since I first saw the Tour de France at the age of 12 I longed to try my hand at racing, but for various reasons I was never able to (my mom wouldn’t have let me, and then once I got old enough to decide for myself, I was nervous about the prospect of entering a race). Sometime last week I got an e-mail from Casey Marks, a rider on the Brown Cycing team, asking if anyone wanted a ride to the Central New Hampshire Road Race. I was both excited and scared. It turned out that the race was going to take place on a 10.6 mile course that includes 1 major climb and several rolling hills. Now that seemed perfect for me, as I have always enjoyed the challenge of climbing. So I e-mailed Casey back and committed myself to my first race.