Mountains of Misery: I wish I had a 27 on my back ...

I really wish I had used a 12-27 tooth cassette on my back wheel on Sunday instead of the 11-23 I used. Bill Goodrum and I rode down to Blacksburg on Saturday When Bill had told me a few weeks ago that he was doing the ride, I asked if I could come along. I’ve always wanted to do Mountains of Misery but have conflicts in the past like Triple-T. I had already decided not to do Triple-T this year so my weekend...

Foreclosure Looming: Managing the Stress...

“What is to give light must endure burning.” - Viktor Frankl On Tuesday, I received a notice from my mortgage company’s attorney saying that the mortgage company is moving forward with foreclosure on my townhouse in Reston. There is still a chance that my mortgage company will modify my loan as I requested back in February, but the decision is still pending. According to the attorney I spoke with,...

Practicing a triathlon mass swim start...

Practicing a mass swim start in the pool is a great drill to practice if you have any race day anxiety about mass swim starts. How to do it? Simple: find a few friends, clear a few lanes and go! Check out the ladies of the April 2009 She Does Tri Camp at the Warrenton Aquatics and Recreation Facility in Warrenton, VA: By practicing close up swimming in the safe environment of the pool, you will become more comfortable...

Tour de Skyline: 220 Miles and 20k Feet of Climbin...

Last weekend was a good weekend for riding. Organized by Reston Area Triathletes, the annual Tour de Skyline Ride is HILLY, not mountainous ride—around 20,000 feet of climbing in the two days—and 109 miles each way (105 on Skyline Drive, 4 from Drive to motel on U.S. Hwy. 250) In spite of not having ridden more than 3 hours at a time this year, my legs felt good, although admittedly tired afterward. It was fun...

Buying a $750K Townhouse: It Seemed Like a Good Id...

When I purchased my lakefront townhouse in the planned community of Reston, Virginia in March 2005 for $750,000, it seemed like a really good idea at the time. I’m now one of “those people” you read and hear about every day in the news: my house is worth much less than what I paid for it (~$225K less), my loan amount is more than the value of my house and my current income does not support my mortgage...