It was Friday morning when my dad sent me a text reminding me that the Janesville airshow was this weekend.  My dad has always been a bit of an aviation buff, he had his private pilots license for a while and then managed airports for a number of years.  As a result, us kids grew up with a steady diet of airshows so, I always enjoy going to see them.  I sent Chelsea a text message to see if she was interested and without hesitation, she was in - I loved the enthusiasm.  Ryan was out of town this weekend for his buddy’s bachelor party so she had some time to kill and we had all gone to the Chicago airshow a couple of years ago so I thought she might be interested.  

Chelsea Being A Good Sport About Having To Use A Port-O-Potty

We got there just in time for the F16 fighter jet - I love the noise, I love the power, I love the smell of the jet fuel burning, I love the jets.  Then we got a short teaser of Shockwave, the jet truck, and even though its not an airplane, it is definitely a show stealer.  A series of trick planes followed, all of which were fun to watch but my real interest was in watching the Blue Angels and the main event with Shockwave.  While we waited, Chelsea went and got us some corndogs and a plate of cheese fries - yum!  Before the long, they rolled out Shockwave - yes, now this is what we came for!  He rolled around blasting 50 foot flames out the back of the truck.  Maybe I should back up here, Shockwave is a modified semi truck with three jet engines on the back of it.  It has reached a top speed of 376 mph, does a quarter mile in 6.36 seconds (hitting 256 mph in that same quarter mile) and has the same thrust as the space shuttle upon take off - amazing power.  So the main event involves a race with an airplane.  Shockwave goes to the end of the runway and the airplane flies over, when the airplane is directly overtop the truck, the race is on - the first one to the middle of the runway, wins.  I have never seen him loose even though the airplane is going nearly 200 mph at the time he hits the gas.

Blue Angels In Formation

The day wrapped up with the Blue Angels which is the premier Navy exhibition flying team.  I have seen them many times before and they never disappoint.  There are times when four jets are flying as close as just  a couple of feet apart, the precision of their flying is amazing.  

Dad Manning The Grill While I Supervise

After the airshow ended, we drove over to my dad and Andrea’s house for some dinner.  Dad fired up the grill and we ate burgers and brats.  I love grilling and never get enough of it.  It was a fun day with Chelsea and it was great to see dad and Andrea!

People Gathering For Critical Mass

Its the last Friday of the month and that means … Critical Mass!   All across the world, on the last Friday of the month, bicycles gather in their local cities for a group ride.  The idea of the ride is to raise awareness of bicycles and spread good will toward vehicles and pedestrians.  I have never been to any other cities’ rides but even without a comparison, Chicago does a good ride.  There are no formal leaders and as best I can tell, no real predetermined route.  It is generally a pretty diverse group - downtown workers like myself, bike messengers, local bike commuters, die-hard ‘rid the world of cars’ bikers, families, casual riders, triathletes, BMX riders, … you get the idea.  We meet up on Daley Plaza and while the “official” start time is 5:30 PM, it rarely gets started before 6:15 PM.  

My Fixed Gear Bike (Also My Favorite Bike)

Tonight, I was torn about going because I had a lot to do, was a little tired from the week and I had forgotten what day it was so I hadn’t blocked off the time.  The weather was great and it had been several months since I had made it to a ride so, as you probably guessed, I decided to go.  I got there in plenty of time and while I was waiting for things to get rolling, I decided to practice my “skills” (as Neopolian Dynamite liked to say, ‘you’ve got to have skills’).  So I practiced my track stand, which is when you come to a complete stop and balance without taking your feet off the pedals - I am really not good at this but every once in a while, I’ll do a decent one.  And then, I worked up the nerve to try a skid which is something I have never been able to do.  A skid is when you lock up the back wheel and, as the name would suggest, skid your back tire.  This is easy enough to do when you have a back brake on your bike, like my yellow Schwin did when I was little.  Heck, I was a master of the skid as a kid - grandma’s driveway was always covered with long black marks but since I started riding a fixed gear a few years ago, I have never successfully been able to do it.  A fixed gear bike is a bike that typically has only a front brake or no brake at all and you can not coast on a fixed gear meaning that if the bike is in motion, you have to keep pedaling.  If you pedal backwards, the bike goes backwards.  If you pedal forwards, the bike goes forwards.  If you slow down your pedaling, the bike slows down in direct proportion to how much you slow your pedaling.  If you try to stop pedaling without first bringing the bike to a complete stop, the bike will throw you over the handle bars.  It takes some getting used to but there is nothing like riding a ‘fixie’ once you get the hang of it.  Anyway, so last night, I built up a little speed and then stood up, leaned way forward taking the weight off the back wheel as much as possible, stiffened my leg muscles and felt the beauty of my first skid - it was marvelous.  I know, this all probably sounds pretty ridiculous and in some sense, it probably is but for a guy who’s been wanting that moment for multiple years, it was pretty exciting.  I did a couple more and very quickly realized that they are exhausting to do, so I decided that was good enough for the night.

One Of The More Unique Bikes

Soon, riders started taking to the streets and circling the Daley Plaza - they always make several loops around the block and with each lap, more and more people join the crowd.  Then, someone turns and the ride begins.  Last night, we did a loop through downtown and then headed toward the South Loop.  From there we ventured over through the Pilsen neighborhood, then north through Bucktown, then we turned back toward the city and passed through Old Town on our way to River North before making a trip down Michigan Avenue’s ‘Magnificent Mile’.  At this point, I was just a couple of blocks from my apartment and since it had been nearly 3 hours of riding thus far I decided to head home; my already tender bum thanked me.

North Ave Bridge With Skyline In The Background

  There are many things I love about Critical Mass - the people, the spirit of the ride, the idea of raising bicycles’ visibility, the physical act of riding, but the perhaps what I like most is the fact that we often ride through areas of town that I wouldn’t see otherwise.  And, the beauty of CM is that as you pass through neighborhoods like Pilsen, everyone comes out to watch and essentially cheer you on, we shout “happy Friday” and they smile and shout back “happy Friday”.  Little kids (and even some adults) will come to the side of the road and hold out their hands to ‘high five’ riders.  Its an amazing thing to watch and be a part of.

Yep, Critical Mass is definitely worth experiencing.  You don’t have to be a good rider, have a fancy bike, or be very fast; it doesn’t cost anything and there isn’t a better way to see the city so put it on your calendar - the last Friday of the month at 5:30 PM in cities around the world.  For more information about Chicago’s ride, visit the unofficial website.

Yesterday was the first day of the 2009 Morningstar Conference.  Morningstar is where my friend Yasmine works but that probably isn’t why you have heard of it.  They are actually the premier fund analysis company with a patent on their “style box” classification system.  They are a champion for the small investor with a great deal of fund and ETF research available free to the public at their website.  I get a lot of publications and each is pushing one conference or another and generally, I look quickly through for something that appeals to me, either a speaker or a topic and I usually find one or two over the course of a two day event.  This one was different, I started looking through the schedule of topics and speakers and virtually everyone of them appealed to me.  For the first time ever, I suggested to my boss that I go to a conference (usually he is pushing me) and boy am I glad I did.  The first day was fantastic.  Many of the managers that we use as separate account managers (SMAs) also manage a fund with the same mandate and they were going to be at this conference.  Today, we will have the opportunity to hear Bill Gross speak.  Bill started PIMCO, which is widely accepted as one of the best bond shops in the world; he spends time with guys like Alan Greenspan (aka “The Maestro”).  I know it sounds a little nerdy to be so excited about a work conference, and it probably is, but it feels good to be excited about the business that I am in.  I find that I often loose all perspective when the day-to-day grind starts to wear on me and now I am experiencing a renewed appreciation for how I spend the majority of my waking hours.  And, another great thing is that it is right here in Chicago … wait, maybe it would be even better if it were in Hawaii?

With almost nothing planned, I headed into the weekend excited for the downtime.  Saturday morning I drove north to meet up with Jim, Adrian and Torey for a run on the North Branch River Trail.  We met at Bunker Hill and headed out.  Within minutes of leaving, we saw 3 or 4 deer bounding from the trail and a couple of miles later, we saw another deer eyeballing the new buds on a small tree.  The trail was a nice paved trail with a sidebar of gravel that winded through heavily wooded areas intermixed with park like areas.  There were a fair number of bikers using the trail but it was much calmer than the lakefront path.  On the run, Jim mentioned an idea he had for running from Chicago to Milwaukee along a bike route he had read about.  Adrian immediately latched onto this idea and so, the planning began.  By the end of the run, it was just a question of when it would take place rather than if it would take place.  Rena and I actually rode this route a couple of years ago and it felt like a long day of riding but somehow, the idea still appealed to me?   We finished up a fun 16 miler on a gorgeous morning and went our separate ways.  I headed into Edgebrook, which was on my way back to the interstate, and stopped off for a coffee and muffin.  It was a cozy vibrant community with an awesome looking grocery store called Happy Foods.  To the right is a picture of their signage, I may just have to move there.

I was already quite a ways north so I decided to continue on another few miles and go check out the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center. Rena and I, had gone to the dedication a while back but weren’t able to go into the museum that day.  I had vowed to make it back one day and Saturday was that day.  I was glad I made the trip.  The museum is open but is a work in progress.  Several of the displays weren’t yet open but there was plenty to see.  As you enter the exhibit, it becomes quickly evident that much of the experience is through watching 5 to 10 minute video interviews with different people.  Many of the same individuals appear multiple times throughout the exhibit.  It starts in the mid 1930s and works its way through the 1940s with the interviews focusing on the events of what was happening during each time period.  I have done limited reading about the topic and had what information was shared during history classes in school but wasn’t really prepared for the experience.  I was amazed by a few things.  I couldn’t believe the deception that was used to lull entire populations to their death.  I couldn’t believe the amount of cooperation, both active and passive, that it would taken to achieve such a prolonged operation of mass killings.  I couldn’t believe the numbers affected and the resilience of those who survived.  And perhaps more shocking to me was how scary it feels to see many of the elements that led to the holocaust present in the world today.  There is a very delicate balance of checks that must work to keep things from running amok.  Fear and greed have the ability to lead people to unimaginable actions.  It was a very much an eye opener to the fact that the holocaust really isn’t just a historical event worthy of knowing about for its own sake but truly a tool for monitoring events of today.  The Nazi regime didn’t come to power overnight and the forces that drove their rise were not unique to that time period.  It reminds me to be vigilant to not stand by when something seems wrong - even on a smaller scale, it should not be tolerated.  This is a place worth visiting, go there.

Bike The Drive 2009 - Me And Trish

Sunday morning was Bike The Drive and it was another gorgeous morning.  I met Trish at 6:30 AM and we opted to head south first which, we found out later to be a wise choice.  We pedaled side-by-side chatting it up having a ball through the first 7.5 miles.  When we got to the southern turnaround at the Museum of Science and Industry, we passed on the cookies thinking that we would stop at the next aid station and get our fill.  When turned the corner and headed back north, it immediately became apparent that we had been benefiting from a nice little tailwind on our southerly trip.  We both looked at each other and acknowledged that the pace was going to be a bit slower.  Our conversation slowed also as we focused more on the task at hand.

Bike The Drive 2009 - Trish

  By the halfway point, my coffee was looking for an escape route out of me and Trish was ready for a stretch.  After a casual stop, we continued north revitalized by the scenery and the new section of Lakeshore Drive which was like butter.  By the time we hit the northern most turn around, the aid station was out of all food except some green bananas - not what I had my heart set on.  I resigned myself to wait until the finish where there would undoubtedly be some good stuff waiting.  The final 7.5 miles was fast, easy and beautiful as we came back toward the city with the skyline in front of us and the beautiful lake views to the left of us.  We rode into Grant Park and I immediately scoped out the food situation.  I got in line for the pancake breakfast while Trish opted for some snacks that she had brought with her.  After about 15 minutes in line, there were only 6 people in front of me and I could smell the sausage.  Just then, a woman came out to the line and said that they had just run out and were waiting for a backup truck to bring them more but it was stuck in traffic and wouldn’t be there for another 20 minutes or so.  It seemed clear to me at this point, that it wasn’t meant to be, so I found Trish and we said our goodbyes and I rode home where I promptly fixed myself waffles : )  It was a fun ride on a beautiful morning, thanks for the company Trish!

Monday morning came in overcast and cool which was perfect for our running plans.  Torey picked me up for a trip down to Palos Hills.  Adrian was planning on going with us but his achilles was flared up so he opted out.  We met up with Gary, Jim, Ryan (with a ‘R’), Tony, Sarah and Ian - some friendly morning chatter, a little bug spray, and a stop in the port-o-potty and we were off.  We ran from the mountain bike staging area and connected onto the brown trail from there.  It quickly turned into single-track which was exactly what we all were looking for.  It was a fun morning and a great way to start the holiday.

In honor of all those who have died during military service, happy Memorial Day!

On Saturday morning, I went for a long run with Jim, Torey and Adrian.  We talked about several things during the course of the run but one of the highlights, was Adrian sharing his secret speed workout.  As he described it, I was in disbelief.  He mentioned that he had a video showing part of a recent workout and sent it to me.  Below is a short video (19 seconds) with Adrian demonstrating his secret speed weapon.  Be advised, this workout is not for everyone and should be slowly built up to.

A while back, I posted an entry about my friend Melissa.  She left for Everest back in early March.  I have checked in on her progress over the past couple of months and despite a few physical and weather setbacks, she summitted Everest for the second time the other day.  Below is a short video of the dispatch from the summit.  Way to go Melissa!

This is a real show that was on CNBC the other day, you don’t have to watch the whole video to get the idea but the ending is pretty hilarious.  Enjoy.

I left the office around 5:30 and headed home to change.  Then I ran back downtown to our company tent.  Two guys from work really did the whole thing by themselves because the company took the position of not wanting to draw attention to themselves - old story.  Anyway, they did a great job and all on their own nickel.  A few of us chipped in so they didn’t have to bear the whole burden but I know they still took a hit.  When I got to the tent, I didn’t recognize more than two people - really?  I thought I knew everyone?!  Well, it turns out I don’t.  But, I know more than I used to after tonight.  Susan and her sister, Julie, were running and I hitched myself to them.   We all started together and with the crowds as thick as they were (imagine 18,000 runners spread over just 3.5 miles) it was a job to stay together.  Just before mile 2, there was a bridge that we went over.  I started to feel really dizzy (this had never happened to me before) and then Susan said that she needed to walk.  Then it dawned on us that the bridge was moving from all the people bouncing up and down on it and that was what was making us feel so disoriented - what a relief!   We walked a little but finished strong.  After the race, we got our shirts and then headed to the company tent for some refreshments.  I met several people, one of which sits on my floor, and enjoyed the warm evening.  What a contrast to last year when the temperature was at least 30 degrees cooler and I didn’t stick around more than a few minutes because I was freezing.  One highlight to the night was finally getting to meet Ryan, Erica’s boyfriend, who, among other things, is a bike racer.  He is actually racing in the Quad Cities this weekend at a race that I used to go watch every year with my dad.  It was a fun night.

My first year in Chicago, I was out for a bike ride one evening and just heading home through downtown when I ran into a mass of people running.  Outside of the marathon and the Shamrock Shuffle, it was the largest gathering of runners I’d seen.  I thought it was strange considering it was a Thursday night.  I stopped and watched the race - I love watching almost as much as I love running races - and found out that it was an annual event that takes place in cities all across the country to raise money for local not-for-profits.  Since then, I have either watched or participated every year.  This year’s race is today and I wasn’t planning to participate for a variety of reasons but last night, one of my friends from work mentioned that he was signed up but wasn’t going to be able to participate and asked if I wanted his number - I couldn’t refuse.  So, tonight I will be lacing up as a member of our company’s team.  I know of only one other co-worker who is doing it but I’m sure there will be some fun surprises, there usually are.  You can check out the website for more information on the race or to get details on when and where to watch the race.

This past week marked the end of my serious training for Kettle Moraine and it was a nice finale.  I wasn’t sure how my body was going to react to a full week of training after last week’s effort at Ice Age Trial 50 Mile but I was pleasantly surprised.  I was able to log the entire week’s miles without pain and found myself still looking forward to my runs everyday - amazing, at least to me.  I am still in awe of how much the body adapts to the stresses one imposes on it.  To think that I can go out and run 30 miles without missing a beat, go about my normal business for the rest of the day and then turn around and do 20 more miles the next morning without my body complaining, is unbelievable to me.  Just a couple months ago, this was unthinkable.

As a side note, I tried Perpetuem by Hammer Nutrition this weekend during both my long runs based on Adrian’s recommendation and it went really well - I think I have found my drink for the race.  It provides a good amount of calories, in an all natural form, and the flavor is subtle which bodes well for a full day of drinking the stuff.  

Week Ending May 17 (Total: 100 Miles):

• Monday - Easy 6 Miles
• Tuesday - Easy 8 Miles (AM), Easy 8 Miles (PM)
• Wednesday - Fartlek 10 Miles (AM), Easy 7 Miles (PM)
• Thursday - Tempo 7 Miles
• Friday - Easy 4 Miles
• Saturday - Long Run 30 Miles
• Sunday - Long Run 20 Miles