Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

So far so good with the holidays... we had a safe trip back and forth to Canada to spend Christmas up there. The weather has been crazy in Buffalo but thank god we missed it all. It was a nice 4 days off and I got some very good training in while I was there. Gonna have a low key New Years.. dinner and hanging out with the fam... need to make some good progress this weekend on my kitchen remodel. Will post some pics as it moves along... prolly easier on my facebook page so check that out. www.facebook.com/marcoaledia . My team has a new FB page as well so make sure you become a fan of it. www.facebook.com/rgfcycling.

Nothing to fun to write about but I thought I would atleast post something for everyone (mostly Casey, since she yells at me when I don't update this:-)) to read.

I want to wish everyone a Happy Holidays and A Happy New Year. 2011 is gonna be a great year! Lots of new things on the horizon and I'm looking forward to every single one of them!

God bless and see you in the new year!

A weekend of some firsts, good quotes and a little bit of bike racing...

This past Sunday I participated in my first cross race. I say participated because I don't really call what I did racing. I tried one of these a long time ago for shits and giggles but I did it on a mountain bike with football cleats so that didn't really count. I have had this beautiful bike from Masi and all this gear for cross but never seem to pick going out and racing in the mud over watching football. Well this past weekend was just meant to be as the race was close, and the Patriots played Monday night:-)

So Tara and I headed out to Smith Farms to see if I could not embarrass myself. A few last minute wrinkles... I was setting up my shoes the night before (don't ask) and noticed the cleats I had didn't fit my shoes... so had to make a few desperation calls and luckily Joe Hall came through for me with some pedals and cleats. So I had fun installing those about 10 minutes before the race...

Didn't get to ride the entire course before we started but I got most of the technical part in... tried to figure out how to do that dismount thing but that was a bit awkward. I was hoping to just bunny hop everything but it seemed the barriers were a bit close together and a little to close to coming out of a turn to do so... plus my legs wouldn't get me going fast enough to attempt it.

It was cold, probably 27 degrees or so, and super windy... but the sun was out... so not too brutal. This is how these races are supposed to be right? Add in a few snow flurries and I was loving it. Of course at the start line I looked around and most had on only 1 layer.. me, I had on full winter gear.. 3 layers with thermals... haha... maybe a little over dressed....

Well the start was fun and i shot to the front... but i remembered shortly that I hadn't gone hard since pro crit nats in August and my legs and lungs were doing a good job of reminding me of that... stayed at the front and hit the 1st barrier/dismount section about 3rd and once I got on my bike and going again I was about dead last... guess I should have practiced that one. The rest of the day was spent riding by myself and having fun. Certainly got better from a technique standpoint as the race went on... Was nice to have a ton of people screaming for me even though I was sucking (even the guy who yelled, "Marco its not a road race"... guess he doesn't know me real well... I don't do those either).... 1st person I saw before the races said "there's something you don't see everyday" and I imagine he was talking about me riding in the cold?? who knows:-)

All in all it was a blast and I am glad to see that this sport is on the up and up... probably won't be hitting anymore this year, but I also might not sell my bike just yet. Thanks to my wonderful wife who didn't make fun of me too bad but did have the quote of the day...I got done and said.. "I didn't get last did I?" and she says to me..."well ya certainly didn't get first" haha love ya! Thanks to Adam as well for coming out and watching in the cold and for everyone that yelled for me during the race... good times...

My training is in full tilt now with eyes on 2011. The team is full and we have a great roster which should be announced soon.

Till next time!

M@

Some good pics taken by Blair Fraley...

oh, and yes I did BLING my cross bike.....