Bike reg to make our lives easier

Got this press release in my inbox this morning:

BikeReg.com and RaceDay Event Software Collaborate to Streamline Event Registration and Results Process

BikeReg.com is collaborating with RaceDay Event Software, a well-regarded and proven program leader in the event-day registration and results software industry.

BikeReg.com has been working closely with event directors and participants for over a decade to offer cycling-specific online registration. An event-day registration and results tool has been at the top of many promoters wish-lists and we are excited to offer this great product. From start to finish, we can now provide an easy and fast registration and results process for the event director, event staff and volunteers, and officials.

RaceDay Event Software was developed and used in over 700 events over the past 10 years. This simple yet powerful software package allows you to manage your event from the close of online registration through onsite registration. The software creates start and results sheets, manages results, allows for the emailing of results to your participants, and assists with loading results back to a posting site. RaceDay Event Software has a built-in USA Cycling participant database to allow registration entry of athletes using just their license number. It also supports USA Cycling Results and Rankings upload as well as direct uploads to road-results.com and crossresults.com.

BikeReg.com will provide properly formatted participant registration data that event directors can easily import into RaceDay. Once this is completed, no internet connection or special programs are required. Event directors are then up and running for streamlined day-of registration and results. RaceDay staff will also offer stellar customer support by phone and email 24/7 365.

RaceDay Event Software will be available exclusively to events using BikeReg.com as their online registration provider.

Copies of RaceDay Event Software, including a demo version, are now available at www.RaceDayEventSoftware.com.

About BikeReg.com
BikeReg.com, a division of Pioneer Registration Services, LLC is based in Northampton, Massachusetts and has been providing online registration services since 1999. BikeReg.com takes great pride in the level of customer service they provide and their stable, streamlined registration platform that makes registering for races easy for the participant and provides the event director a complete suite of tools to manage their events. To learn more, visit www.BikeReg.com. You can also find us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter (@BikeReg).

Contact BikeReg.com at (888) 956-9560 or email Sales@BikeReg.com

About RaceDay Event Software
RaceDay Event Software, owned by PeloPro Sports, LLC is based in Salt Lake City, Utah and has been providing and testing RaceDay Event Software over the past 10 years. You can also find us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter (@RaceDayEventSoftware.com).

Contact RaceDay Event Software at (801) 699-5126 or email support@RaceDayEventSoftware.com

Riding (briefly) with one leg

In January, 2009, I went to visit my brother in Colorado. Together, we went up to ski with Tom, who was working at Vail for that season. Although the trip was a lot of fun, the skiing wasn't that great, at least not by Colorado standards -- the snow was crusty and old -- and it didn't snow at all during our visit.

Even if my memories of skiing itself aren't that great, there was one incredible sight that I doubt I'll ever forget: A guy absolutely shredding a steep, mogul run that dropped in a near-straight line down the side of a deep canyon. Adaptive skiing is always impressive, whether you see athletes in "sitskis," or blind skiers descending the mountain with a guide, it's always inspiring. But this guy, who I only saw briefly from the chair lift, wasn't using any kind of adaptive equipment, he was just using one regular ski, and two regular poles; the vacant leg of his ski pants rolled up to his hip.

We first saw him evaluating his line from the top of the gulch, then, he launched down, driving his board between the moguls with a fluidity that I will never achieve, no matter how many hours I spend working at it. In fact, I basically gave up on skiing right then.

But, that's not the point. I was thinking about that guy today, because of something Tom said after watching his run: "His leg must be so fucking strong!" Yup. Thinking skiing with two legs is hard, just think about the challenge of doing the same thing with half the muscle.

Today, on what was otherwise an awesome day of riding with the South Mountain Cycles extended family (extended, because I was there!) to White Clay Creek State Park in Newark, Delaware, the non-drive crank fell off my test bike, leaving me to pedal the last couple miles with just my right leg. While interesting, the experience is not one that I'm eager to repeat.

In addition to the obvious problem (that's a lot of work for one leg!), I also found that going down any kind of grade was challenging without being able to level off the pedals. Fortunately, everyone was kind to me in my moment of need, and didn't leave me out in the woods to die, despite the fact that my pace dropped from "reasonable" to "glacial." Now, hours later, my right leg is much more sore than usual, and sore in all kinds of new and exciting ways. And, that was only after a few miles.

I'm going to have to double up on the single-leg drills for my left leg this week, just to balance things out. The whole experience, though, made me realize how lucky I am to have an intact, mostly-functional body, so that my one-legged jaunt was a curiosity, rather than a permanent condition.

In other news; White Clay is a sweet place to ride, especially if, like me, you lake technical mountain bike skillz, but enjoy long rides off road.

Cookies and 'cross

With a much-needed quiet weekend at home, I formally declare the following:

-Training for the 2o12 road season is now underway, as evidence by the 15 hours I rode this week.
-I'm done racing 'cross until next year. It was a fun, two-month season, but I was pedaling really slowly at the Kiln today, and can't see myself getting any faster in the immediate future. Besides, there aren't any more local (or, localish) races.
-If there was an inexpensive service that delivered cookies in Emmaus, I would definitely avail myself, with great relish. Someday, someday.

I think the third point is pretty clear, but I'll lay it out anyway: I have, and have always had, an insatiable sweet tooth. In fact, the greatest hindrance in my career as a mediocre amateur bike racer has been my inability to control my diet. The ONLY way that I can get some relief from my drive to eat sweets is by not having any in my house.

At home, my extreme laziness is able to overpower by desire, and, most of the time, I'm too content with my feet up on the couch to move, let alone leave my house to satisfy my most base temptation. HOWEVER, I really want a (box of) cookie.

So it goes.

As for the other two points, the formal start of winter training started loosely on Dec. 1, which made this my first week of regular training. Sadly, due to short daylight hours, it also meant that I spent four hours on my rollers this week. That, I do not love. But, I was riding pretty well last April, and I hope to be riding pretty well next April, so I need to on the proverbial ball now.

'Cross, on the other hand, has been a fun adventure. I was able to hit most of the Thursday night 'cross races here in Emmaus (thanks Ray!), and after wrapping up Spa:CX, I got myself to a handful of regular races on a few weekends, and even -- in what must have been a fluke -- stood on a 'cross podium.

Today's race, Limestone 'Cross at the Kiln, was something of another matter. I rode a lot on Saturday, and probably a little harder than I should have on the Derby this morning. Regardless, I was less than motivated for the race, but I couldn't miss the opportunity to race so close to home (it took me about six minutes to ride over to the venue), so, I went out and started. At first, I was in the race, but then I had a pretty bad bobble and lost a few spots. Then, I realized that I was pedaling surprisingly slowly, and couldn't seem to get going faster. So, I settled in to a rhythm of pedaling, running, pedaling, running, and coasting a little.

The saving grace, of course, was the really fun course, and my friend heckling from the base of little climb that I wasn't skilled enough to ride. Good times.

Racing 'cross this fall has been a surprising amount of fun, and I'm already looking forward to racing more CX next year. First, though, I'm hoping to learn how to turn faster.

New traffic pattern in Prospect Park

I did something today that I don't think I've ever done before. While riding in Prospect Park earlier, I stopped for a red light, unclipped and waited for the light to change before continuing my ride. What's more, I was one of several cyclists who stopped at that particular light.

What's the big deal? Prospect Park is in the midst of it's latest round of pedestrian vs. cyclists squabbling, and the police appear to be more concerned than usual with enforcing traffic regulations. In fact, the reason I stopped for the red light was mostly the cruiser sitting in the intersection, lights on and apparently ready to apprehend anyone who rolled through the light.

Of course, I only had to stop for one light in two and a half hours of riding, which is pretty solid for an urban ride. Despite the recent upheaval, things were mostly as they always are in the park: Some people were riding slowly on expensive bikes; other were riding fast on inexpensive bikes; triathletes were there and trying to ride. There were kids riding, and parents riding, and people walking and running. Of course, it was a warm, sunny day in the park, and everyone had the same idea, to get out and enjoy the weather.

There was one interesting new feature; at the bottom of the hill, the site of the aforementioned accident. Cyclists can easily reach speeds of 30mph, and occasionally faster on the descent, so the parks department is using orange traffic barrels to narrow the roadway to one lane from three. At first, I thought it was just a means to slow traffic (which it does), but later it occurred to me (remember, I was riding in circles for two-and-half hours, so I had a lot of time to think about these things) that the narrowed travel lane means pedestrians have a much shorter distance to get across the street, reducing their exposure to cross traffic.

I'd heard some grumblings about the barrels earlier in the week, but I have to say that I support their use. It's a simple way to force everyone to pay more attention, and there's no reason to be ripping through that turn at full speed in the middle of the day, when the road is open to all users. Besides, on most of my laps, I barely had to slow down anyway. And, it's much better than a permanent alteration to the roadway.

I have to say, though, these discussions have been going on for years, and, I'm pretty sure that this latest round will pass before too long.