2 broken bones later. NOT MINE!

The part that really matters, I was 5th place out of 9 in men's sport for the Super D race. There were no age classifications, just gender and skill level. This was my second race in the Sport class, a big step up from beginner in the level people train and how serious they are about racing.

I had been doing all jiu jitsu training and no mountain bike training at all. So I was happy to be mid pack in this race. And especially happy for the help I received in bike set up and riding from some of the pro's and experts I have seen now at a few races. Cool to be hanging out with the real racers rather than lounging aimlessly with the beginners.

The race was at Elfin Forest, a place I had never been before. There was no real forest. But it was 45 minutes from the house rather than 90 minutes or 3 hours like most of my races. The course was not suited to my strong points but I liked it the more I rode it. Rocky, loose and many many downhill switchbacks. I actually ended up racing on platform pedals for the first time ever! I might make the switch permanent. Too bad I just bought XTR cliple$$ pedal$.

If the dam we were parked under broke it would have been pretty exciting! And it was crazy to see $40,000 worth of bikes in the back of the rental truck. Someone broke a leg in the XC race and someone broke an arm and ribs in the Super D race. I fell once at slow speed in the race. I wish I had brought my pads after I saw the rocks.

Wanna race? I say you should start with Robert at Racers and Chasers!!

hot;nkkn;svlnr;ydtjpy!

The most expensive t-shirt I own -OR- I'm the Marco Melandri of BJJ -OR- The 2010 World JJ Championships

***The most expensive t-shirt I own***
Entry fee-$100
Gasoline-$40
Training-$130
Toll road-$10

Total-$280 for 4 minutes of fighting and this t-shirt.


****I'm the Marco Melandri of Brazilian jiu jitsu competition****
Some guys just don't have the luck. Marco Melandri is that guy in MotoGP. He showed promise on the Honda and then after moving to Ducati and Kawasaki he has basically stunk. But he is still fast enough to be in MotoGP and has won races at the world level but is not considered one of the top guys.

That is me in Brazilian jiu jitsu competition. I have stood on the podium in some big tournaments but after going from blue belt to purple I have kind of floundered if you just look at it on paper. Three tournaments with three losses. Two from submission. Horrible. Yet everyone I have lost to has gone on to take second in our division. From smaller local tournaments to the freaking WORLD championships of jiu jitsu.

I may occasionally be derided by folks for my competition performance, like Marco, but I am still competing at a top level with the best guys.

I may be the slowest cheetah, but I'm still a cheetah!!!



*****The 2010 World Jiu Jitsu Championships*****
If you are one of my FB friends you know I struggled with my health and weight coming into this tournament. If you are a long time blog reader you know last year I dislocated two ribs before the worlds and couldn't compete. Cursed I tell you, cursed I am.

Well even with a last minute issue with my weight and finally weighing in EXACTLY to the freaking ounce, 141.0, I was able to compete this year in the Mundials.

To be the world champion there is not age category, you just "are". My first fight was against a really good kid, 20 years old, from Sao Paulo Brasil. I of course googled him when the brackets were up and researched all I could about him. Heck, he did the same thing and actually friended me on FB! hahahah.

I fought hard but made one mistake early on in how I positioned myself and then one mistake being a little too slow at the end and he caught me with an Americana arm lock from the top, half guard. He went on to take second place in the world in the male, purple belt, light feather class.

I can now say I know what fighting someone world class is like. I feel good about my effort on the day, I know where to improve and I can't wait for next year!!!! CSU Long Beach, next year my hand will be the one being raised!

Win or loose, I love Brazilian jiu jitsu. my opponent

!

I know it was only in training, but I finally tapped another purple belt. Finally.

Cross training, Rowdystyle. Biking and pull ups at the same time.
African Ice. Sooo yummy. Look them up next time you are in SLC. And tip!!
Prompted to remember the fireworks while I'm using gasoline? YES!

Italy visits 1 and 2

To celebrate going back to Italy for the 3rd time, here are some pics from my first two visits. Enjoy the inspiration for your own travels!!!

poll for naught, but not a naughty pole

Well, vacation is now planned. At least as far as the actual destination is concerned.
Drum roll please............... Rome, Italy.

Yes yes I know, it was not on the poll. But after much discussion with everyone involved that type of destination and the things to do there fit everyone's ideas of vacation better than my four original ideas.

This will be my third time to Italy and I still enjoy the place. Despite speaking zero Italian.

The new twist this time will be staying in a rented apartment rather than a hotel. Definitely feeling more local that way.

A week in Rome in the summer. It hardly seems like a consolation prize, now does it?


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Right now I am in Utah doing family stuff. And also somewhat in denial about where life has taken me, hahahaha. I just feel "old" but yet not at all, at the same time.

Utah is full of crappy drivers. Easily the worst drivers in the Western US.

It rained a rain here that was primarily composed of dirt. It rained dirt.

Gasoline is no cheaper here than in San Diego. Disappointing.

People's penchant for alternative name spellings is out of control here. Silly. And wrong.

It also seems extremely insular and provincial. For a state with a large percentage of people who have lived in other states and countries doing missionary work it is surprising the things you hear people say or see them do here.

Hopefully this does not make me persona non grata in Utah. I still enjoy recreating here and am obliged to visit family who lives here. It works for them so they choose to live here and I of course love them and will always visit.

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Coming up the first week of June I have the WORLD championships of brazilian jiu jitsu in Long Beach on Friday and then the first race of my mountain bike season on Saturday.

Am I ready? More so than last year but not where I could be. Laziness has been its own reward, so I am sure I will be shocked at how little natural talent carries me and work harder.

I'll be back in SD on Monday and will hopefully be at the beach with all the Zonies who invade SD each weekend.