12.1.2011 | 3:32 pm
A “What? You Still Haven’t Bought My Book?” Note from Fatty : I’ll be sending out the last of the pre-ordered copies of Comedian Mastermind: The Best of FatCyclist.com, 2005-2007 , this Monday, which means I now have a pretty good idea of how many books I have left over.
And I’ve got more than 100 left over. Which means unless I sell some of these, everyone I know is going to get a copy for Christmas. And for their birthdays. For the next eight years.
Which means that you can still order a book and — if you’re in the US — have a very good chance of it arriving before Christmas.
If you’re outside the US, well, I’m currently looking into a way for you to order a book without it being back-breakingly expensive, postage-wise. So don’t order a book right now, but know that I’m working on it. Specifically, at least for Europe, I’m talking with a guy about shipping a whole buncha copies to him, and having him shipping them out from there. I think that would save us each some money. Cool?
Meanwhile, if you’re in the US, just use the order form below. I should be able to get you your book in plenty of time for you to give as a gift, or just to read for yourself. And this time of year, it’s kinda nice to do something for yourself, right? Right.
The 2012 Plan, Part II
Let me begin this post by saying “thanks.” Your comments yesterday, listing a buncha really interesting rides, gave me a serious case of wanderlust. With all the cool events you people have got me adding to my bucket list, I’m going to need a bigger bucket.
With that said, here’s part 2 of my “To Do” event list for 2012
Timp Trail 50K (October 13)
This one’s another running event, and kinda scary, and kinda tentative. Basically, it’s like a seriously hard marathon plus another few miles, on seriously climby fire road and single track. In October.
The Hammer wants to do it, though, and I like doing stuff with The Hammer. I am beginning to get the sense, I’ve got to say, that she’s doing more and more off-road endurance runs with something bigger in mind. Something that begins with “L” and ends with “eadville 100.”
AF Canyon Half Marathon (June 25)
I love that this event benefits those who can’t afford their cancer treatment, and I love that it is in my favorite place in the world. And I love that it is all downhill and is very, very fast. And I love that it goes by where The Hammer and I got married.
I love everything about this race, really.
Tour de Pink: West Coast
Along with the LiveStrong Challenge in Davis, this is going to be the other big Team Fatty Fundraiser in 2012. I expect this will be in October (but I don’t have dates). Dustin Brady of Shimano and I are going to show the Young Survival Coalition what happens when a couple of guys who really hate cancer bring in the big guns (hint: you guys are the big guns).
More info on this soon.
Levi’s Gran Fondo
This one’s a can’t-miss. I just love doing this ride. And I love the after-ride carnival atmosphere even more. It’s just a great weekend. Even though Levi Leipheimer’s always walking around like he’s some kind of bigshot or something.
Other Stuff That’s On My Mind
Those are just the big events. There are other things I want to do, too:
- A 24 Hour Race, Solo: This is something I’ve thought about doing, but have never done. I think 2012 is the year I might do it. I believe that it will make for the most repetitive and whiney race report ever.
- Weekly Races: There’s a cool weekly MTB race series close to where I live. Every year I think to myself that I ought to get involved with it. As in, both race it and provide prizes and stuff. I think that this year, I’m going to make good on that threat.
- Start Getting Ready for Another Ironman: The Hammer and I once promised ourselves that we would never do another Ironman. I think that in 2013 (not 2012) we’ll break that promise. And I believe we’ll break that promise in New Zealand. Mostly because we both really want to visit New Zealand someday. And you know what would be cool? If you started training for that exact same race (i.e., the 2013 New Zealand Ironman) and did it with us.
- Other Local Races: Cyclists in Utah are lucky; once you get into Spring, it’s a rare weekend that doesn’t have a cool local event. I want to start being a part of those, too.
This Weekend
All of that’s in the future, though. This weekend — tomorrow, in fact — The Hammer and I are running the 2011 Death Valley Trail Marathon.
I believe next week I shall have something to say about how it goes.
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12.1.2011 | 7:57 am
A “Well, That’s a Nice Surprise” Note from Fatty: As a beloved, Lifetime Achievement-winning, cycling comedy blogging celebrity mega-super-duperstar and social media guru, you’d think that I would get tired of nice things being said about me. Well, you would be wrong, and I’d appreciate your not being so presumptuous, thanks.
The fact is, I’m a sucker for praise. And praise from an unexpected corner is unexpectedly nice.
So it was an especially nice surprise to get listed in Outside Magazine’s Top 10 Biking Blogs article yesterday. Check me out, I’m at number 5. Comfortably in the middle. Here’s what they had to say about me:
It’s worth checking out the whole article; I was happy to see my friends BSNYC, Boulder Report and Red Kite Prayer (at number 1, congrats Padraig!) in there, too, and found it was a great list for introducing me to some good blogs I hadn’t previously heard of. So: nice job and thanks to Aaron Gulley at Outside!
The Big Events I’d Plan to Attend in 2012 If The World Weren’t Going to End
It’s a shame that 2012 is when the world is going to end, because I’ve already loaded it up with a bunch of fun and interesting biking events I really want to do.
And the thing is, I haven’t even really been looking for good events, yet. A bunch have just fallen into my lap. Once I start spending time looking around, I expect this calendar is going to be loaded up even more.
I figure it’s worth putting this list up now, though, so just in case you’re looking for events to fill your calendar up. Then we could hang out and stuff. That would be awesome.
Note: This list includes running events, in addition to cycling events. This was unavoidable, seeing as how The Hammer is also The Runner.
I apologize in advance.
Moab Canyonlands Half Marathon (March 17)
The first event of the year is a run. This will be, I believe, The Hammer’s eleventh annual running of this race. As a guy who knows a little something about not liking to break a streak, I definitely want her to do this run. I will join her at the start line, and she will wait for me at the finish line.
Boston Marathon (April 16)
The Hammer qualified for the Boston Marathon at Ogden last year. I’ll be coming along in a LiveStrong Charity slot. And the cool thing is, I’ve been given permission for four other Team Fatty members to sign up and run the Boston with us, too! Stay tuned for details on how you can be part of Team Fatty for this event.
Ogden Marathon (May 19)
I have a special place in my heart for this marathon for two reasons. First, because it’s where The Hammer qualified for the Boston Marathon, and that was important to her (which makes it important to me). Second, it’s the first time I’ve ever been proud of how I ran a race. Hey, I finished under four hours. For me, that’s a big deal.
100 Miles of Nowhere
Note that I don’t have a date for the 2012 100 Miles of Nowhere yet, but also note that I definitely want to do it. Further, note that I plan to do it sometime during the year when people can do it outside, since that’s increasingly the more popular way to do this event.
And finally, note that I think it might be fun to have anyone who wants to come on over to my neck of the woods do this event with me. Note that it will be the hardest 100 Miles of Nowhere I’ve ever done: I’m thinking this year I might make it be the 100 Miles of Nowhere: Alpine Loop Summit Edition.
If you’ve got an opinion on when this event ought to be, now’s the time to make it known.
Rockwell Relay: Moab to St. George: June 8-9
The 2011 Rockwell Relay may well have been the most fun I have ever had during a race (I believe it also holds the record for longest race report: five parts!). The Hammer concurs; she made it clear this is a must-do event this year.
520 miles, as a non-stop relay, through some of the most incredibly beautiful land you will ever see (or during the night legs, will not see).
Kenny, Heather, The Hammer, and I will all be there to defend our title as the fastest Co-Ed team. Anyone wanna take us on?
Davis LiveStrong Challenge (July ??)
In 2011, Team Fatty completely owned the LiveStrong Challenge Davis. Also, it was my favorite LiveStrong Challenge ever. So — at least for now — I’d like to make Davis the annual Team Fatty LiveStrong Challenge event.
I don’t have a date yet (it’s supposed to be announced today), but I’ll definitely be creating a team, and raising money for this event. I hope you’ll want to join Team Fatty. We’ll be accomplishing a lot of good, and we’ll be having a lot of fun.
And I would not be at all surprised if there were pie involved.
Tour de Donut: July 14
Will Team Fatty once again be the title sponsor of the Utah Tour de Donut?
Quite possibly.
One thing’s for sure, though. I’ll be there. Another thing is probable: Paul Guyot and his son Bucky will be there.
And one final thing is for sure: everyone will feel ill afterward.
Leadville 100
This will be my 16th Leadville 100. It will be The Hammer’s 8th. And if all goes well, it will be the IT Guy’s first.
The Hammer and I have a plan for this edition of this race, and it is to ride alongside The IT Guy, pacing him and making sure he does everything right. Keeping his spirits up. Giving him the benefit of our combined twenty-one finishes in this race.
The IT Guy, it should be noted, hates this plan. He wants nothing to do with it and wants to ride by himself.
To which I reply, “You’re welcome to, if you think you can drop us.”
Breck Epic (August 12-17)
The real reason The Hammer and I aren’t planning to race The Leadville 100 at an all-out pace this year, though, is that the very next day we’re going to be doing our first six-day mountain biking stage race: The Breck Epic.
That’s right. We’re going to do The Leadville 100, and then do six more days of mountain bike racing, starting the next day.
Because we want to, that’s why.
We plan to race in the Open Mixed Duo category, which means a gal and a guy, racing together, always staying within eyesight of each other, for six days.
Honestly, this is the event I am most excited about for the year.
Part II Coming Soon
I’ll let you in on a little secret. Right now I’m in Boston, for work. It’s been an intense week, without a lot of time for writing or anything else (including exercise). And I’ve got to get to a meeting (which cannot start without me, since I’m l leading it) right now.
So the rest of the year’s gonna have to wait. I’ll post it tomorrow.
Meanwhile, let me know what events you’re doing…and if there are events you think I’m missing that I absolutely positively ought to be doing too.
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