Long time, no post!

I feel like I should have a lot to say today, since it's been so long between this post and my last one. Where to begin....

Okay, so school is back in session. This is my fourth year of college (senior year!) and I'm pretty excited about the classes I'm taking. I've been having some issues with the UW-Madison system however, and am trying to resolve a credit transfer problem regarding an Intro Biology class. This University feels that despite my having taken coursework in physiology, ecology, genetics, animal diversity, biochemistry, molecular biology, and three semesters of biochemistry lab work (phew!), that I still need to take an intro level course which covers all of this material again.

It all stems from the 10 credit Intro Bio requirement that Madison has for College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) students. They give credit for AP, but it only covers their first semester (5 credits) of material. Now, AP broadly covers the same material as both semesters of the 10 credit Intro Bio requirement. Not as in depth, I will admit, but when you consider the previous coursework I have from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (where I was exempt from intro biology), it becomes pretty obvious that I have had this stuff presented to me in the college format before. So, I'm in the process of going point by point through my previous syllabi (?) and highlighting each of the topics covered in previous courses which overlap with those to be taught in the second 5 credit intro biology class here at Madison.

Okay, so beyond that - it's shaping up to be a great year. I'm taking a fascinating Indians of North America course, and have a professor who appears to be pretty engaging. I've also met some good people in the discussion portion of the course.

One of the more intriguing classes I'm taking is the Introduction to Japanese Culture and ahem civilization. Why the pause before civilization? Well, our professor had us discussing the interesting connotations that each word (culture, and civilization) brings to the table, and made a valid point about just how loaded of a word "civilization" is. I won't go into the details here, but suffice to say that I won't throw the word around quite as casually in daily conversation any longer.

On to bikes.

So, I finished up the year with a pretty stellar (for me) performance at the Wisconsin State Championship Time Trial in Brighton, WI. The event was put on in the midst of a pretty spectacular thunderstorm, but despite the weather, some great athletes turned out to strut their stuff (and by stuff, I mean their P4's and TTX's).

The course was FAST despite being dangerously wet, and swept by gusty winds for the majority of my ride. It's just a bit shy of 40K, with some rollers and very gradual ascents. Overall, a pretty flat course. This was my first 40K TT, and I wasn't expecting too much, but I didn't want to let the skin suit (thanks to the family), TT bike (thanks to the boss), and fast wheels (thanks to my coworker Terry) go to waste. So I lined up and gave it the gas. I took it out pretty fast from the gun, but remembering some mistakes I made in a shorter TT earlier in the year, I settled into a pace that was uncomfortable, but maintainable. Coming around the first lap, I managed to pass 4 guys, and felt good. My pace was pretty consistent, and I was questioning if I took it a bit too easy around the first time. So, I thought "what the heck?" and gave it a bit more juice. On the back stretch I got caught up with some other guy who kept trying to pass me on the short uphills, only to get dusted on the flats. Once I saw the final turn in the distance though, it was 110% to the line. The afterburners kicked on, and I tried to gradually build into my VO2 max pace over about a minute, and hold on to the line. Once the finish was in sight, I dug into any/all reserves - I wouldn't call it a sprint, but I managed to cross the line doing a good 33mph+. I know I was nearing my Max HR, because I started to get tunnel vision after I crossed the line. Glad it's over. Time: 55:22

I'm going under 54 next year.

After that I managed to score a few tips from Ryan Baumann, and put in some longer miles before school started up. Then, on a ride with the aforementioned local pro - I got hit by a car. Long story, but now I'm looking into a new ride. I'm pretty much settled on a 2010 Madone through the Trek Store. They're a great shop, probably one of the best sponsors I've ever had, and are staffed by some of the most knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful people in the bike community. Give 'em some business. I'll post something more when I get the bike and have a chance to ride it more!

Peace - I'm off to listen to some Cat Stevens and finish some reading for next week.