Ghost Rider

I didn't know Marilyn Fulper.  She had no idea that when she awoke early Sunday morning that it would be her last bike ride.  It would be her last day on earth.

I don't know the person who hit Marilyn Fulper with her car, either.  A hit Marilyn would not survive.  

A bike painted white sits at the corner of Hwy 10 and River Mountain Road in Little Rock, the place the tragic accident occurred, as a memorial.  It is indeed a tragedy.  One accident tragically alters many lives forever.

It's a tragedy that occurs all too often across the country and world.  Some one's not paying attention and an irreversible mistake happens.  Something like this doesn't get more irreversible.  It's an awful way to learn a lesson!  And, really, what lesson is learned?  Are you going to never drive distracted again?  Probably not.  Something, at some point, is going to distract you.  You can certainly minimize what you let distract you.  By all means, don't text or use the Internet with your phone and don't use alcohol while driving.  I'm not certain, but I believe neither were involved in this particular accident.

Cars and bikes are going to always share the road.  For those of you in the cars, please, please pay careful attention.  It's difficult to overcome being struck by your car.  If there's another lane, please use it and give the Cyclist plenty of room.  It's OK to slow down a little too.  Cyclists, wear your helmet, obey traffic laws and wear things that make you clearly visible.  

We have to learn to share the roads to keep senseless tragedies, forever life-changing tragedies, like this one from happening. 

TdF

D

June is coming to a close.  By all accounts that means July is looming.  

That can mean one thing.  Le Tour de France!  Love me some TdF.  Also, love me some Versus because they show it all day long.  Over and Over so you can catch it at one time or another.

I'll have my eye of several teams and riders.  For sure RadioShack will be front and center as well as Astana.  Astana is not the same team it was a year ago.  Of course they still have Alberto Contador, a.k.a. the defending champ!  But gone is Lance.  Gone is Levi.  Gone also are a few other riders that helped support that team.  Will they be as strong?  Did they accumulate enough talented riders to help Contador repeat. 

Is Lance strong enough to compete?  Is he too old?  Will Levi be satisfied with a support role or will he want his day in the sun?  He was strong last year until a bike wreck broke a bone in his wrist forcing him out.

Will one of the Schleck brothers stand atop the podium this year.  Will a dark horse steal the show?

The sprinters will sprint and the climbers will climb but who will stand alone in the general classification when it's all said and done.  Twenty one racing days covering 2,236 miles.  

The biggest bike race in the world is about to commence.  Let'em roll!

Tri Lingo

Joanna Zeiger is one of my favorite triathletes.  She's competitive at every distance, she's had a long, consistent career being competitive at every distance, she's a very intelligent person holding a PhD and, having met her, she's very personable.

She's apparently also a linguist and creative.

I came across this list of words she created and thought I'd pass them along for all you tri-junkies.  I'm sure you can relate.  Enjoy.

Aquarash - The strange burn that appears on the neck after a wetsuit swim.

Bodyslam - The full body muscle soreness the day after a race.

Bottleshock - When you reach behind to grab a bottle from your back cage and it is gone.  You realize it probably popped out 3 miles back.  You hope an official didn't see it and assess you a 2:00 penalty (my addition!!)

Cycleroma - The smell of a room after an indoor bike workout.  The smell is exponential to the number of people in the room.

Fungoo - The residue on your bike frame from gels and drinks (not to mention sweat, snot and nasty road grime!!! - again my addition)

Gasplorch - What to say to the race official (in lieu of the regular expletives) who pulled you over for littering when your bottle escaped after hitting that bump in the road.

ill Suiter - An individual who wears their wetsuit backwards or inside out.

Invisibuoy - The disappearance of the huge orange or yellow buoys on the swim if it is rough or if the sun is in your eyes.

Overage - Adding a few runs to your run or bike ride beyond what you had planned on your schedule.

Overstride - What happens when you are fading in a race and then drink a cup of cola.

Runnerstummy - GI distress that occurs during long runs, speed sessions or races that forces you to stop.

Spreader - An individual who takes up too much space in transition and encroaches on your area.

Tridew - The clammy, awful state that your gear is in when you have to pack it wet after a race.

Yo-Yoer - A person who passes and drops back and repasses and drops back and passes again during training or a race.

Can you make up more?