Our Portland chapter is an exciting place for all vegan athletes in the area to find community. Chapter meeting is the second Sunday of the month. We meet at Portobello 6:30 pm. Contact us for details, portland@organicathlete.org
Weekly team ride is on Sunday at 11am. We leave from Cellar Door Coffee at 11, so if you want coffee before the ride please come early. Cellar Door is located at the corner of 11th and Harrison, between Hawthorne and Division. During racing season(which is almost year round)contact us, as we may be out racing. portland@organicathlete.org
After being informed about a special blog today, it has inspired me to get back on to this website. This special blog, which Ben Palmer (http://www.organicathlete.org/user/benjaminpalmer) showed me today, is about a vegan runner training for the Chicago Marathon. He has one of the top 100 seed times and is aiming for sub-2:30, so he is not your average runner. He started the blog about ten days ago and has written a good amount everyday ranging from his training (of course) to his thoughts on god.
Hello Organic Athletes. I just wanted to say hello to all of you since I joined this group. I have known of Organic Athlete for a while, but not until recently got around to joining. I am a runner. I ran for my college until the discontinued the program, but have continued my pursuits. Now I am training and eating the foods we all love. I plan to blog about my weekly training and race reports, so expect to hear from me again.
The chapter is gearing up for the Elkhorn next month. We will have seven racers from the Portland chapter. We have secured host housing and will be having vegan pizza on Saturday night(June 20th) at Paizano's just like last year. Lets hope for cooler tempatures on the first day, 95 degrees last year was to much on the first day.
Any one wanting to join us at the race should contact me, as I am submitting the team registration this week.
Our monthly chapter meeting will be this Friday at the Fat Straw, 6:30 pm. We will be discussing the team clothing order, TDO planning and new day and meeting place. Next months meeting will be at the Portobello on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.
Want to have an OA presence at the Portland Shamrock run on March 15th? I'm hoping that I can do the 5k, if my foot heals in time, but at least I'll do the 3.5k walk. It would be really, really great to have a bunch of us there in our OA jerseys (maybe jackets if it's cold). I had a fun time last year. The 5k is pretty flat, too, as it's all downtown. $29/person, $25/person for 4-20 people. We should be able to pull that off!
Maybe brunch after at Blossoming Lotus? Or, potluck at someone's house? http://www.shamrockrunportland.com/index.html
Whatcha think?
I'm taking a 10-week series of community organizing workshops through City Repair, starting next week (February 5). I think they will be very useful in my ability to help advance the mission of OrganicAthlete, and to help organize the Portland Tour d'Organics. Particularly the first workshop, which is on How to Talk to People You Don't Know.
The classes are only $5-10 each (sliding scale) and I would highly encourage anyone else who is interested to attend. You can pick and choose, or go to them all. Here's the link: http://www.cityrepair.org/wiki.php/wow
We are having our Portland chapter board meeting this Friday. It will be at 6:15. I have gotten word from Robert Cheeke that he is no longer able to be a board member. So we have an opening on the board. It is an open meeting so if you would like to be on the board or just like to attend we will be meeting at the Fat Straw on Hawthorne.
Aaron Adams, a member of the Portland chapter has just opened a all vegan Italian cafe. If you get to the Portland area stop in and have some really great vegan Italian food. you can find more info at his web site. www.portobellopdx.com
You can also find him on MySpace ate Portobello Vegan Trattoria.
Aaron and his Brother Jeremy have been big supporters of the Portland chapter and we would like to return the support.
Submitted by JonathanNeu on September 8, 2008 - 13:41.
Went out to watch Ile Powell race in his first bout of off-road terror and Marc Romano in his first race in his OA kit. The race was the Kruger's Kermesse and it looked like a brutal run packed with bone jarring tooth chipping excitement! I was only there to catch their last lap so had no idea as to where they were in the field, as with any cross jam the field was shattered like a pint glass at a toga party.
Submitted by JimStuck on September 6, 2008 - 21:13.
Today was a good day. After months of planning and never knowing if we were getting anything accomplished, we seemed to have got through it. The Tour D' Organics Portland ride is history, for 2008. It is still to be determined on whether it was good or not so. As a chapter and a team it was a huge success. We came together and got the job done and made our chapter a closer knit group. This may not be visible to anyone but me, so I want to let everyone know; You All did a tremendous job and I thank you for helping me make this ride and chapter work.
Last night was the first cyclcross clinic associated with the Portland Cross Crusade. Ile, Marc and I turned up with hundreds of other enthusiasts and gave it our best. There were mostly beginners, with a few more seasoned racers looking to improve their skills. The very large beginners group broke into two slightly smaller large groups and off we went with three instructors each to try and learn how to dismount and run a barrier.
Submitted by CaseyMcDonald on August 6, 2008 - 13:45.
Riding to me is like jazz. Freedom from the bounds of automobiles, freedom into the groove. Like a Sun Ra awakening for the day, breathing rhythmic melody, essential life. Crank revolving from deep within, taking me somewhere, transporting me there…
Submitted by CaseyMcDonald on August 1, 2008 - 09:39.
It seems like we spend so much of our lives working on something: Most of us spend a good portion of the day at work. We come home and work on the house, or work in the yard. When we have the time, we might work on our bikes, work on our relationships, or find any number of other ways to work. Even when on the bike, those of us that race, end up working on sprinting, or climbing, or whatever our weakness might be. I started putting in heavy base mi
The Portland chapter is picking the Run Like Hell half marathon as our first fitness challenge event. Seasoned runners and those new to running are encouraged to join us in training for the half marathon, 5k or 10k.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVENT:
Come celebrate the 6th running of the Run Like Hell Half Marathon 10K and 5K.
Celebrating some war won long ago that divided nations and eventually created an empire of high fructose corn syrup mind-numb, where it's hard to distinguish where the factory farms end and the ubiquitous car lots begin. Blasting an array of colors into the air to prove our manifest destiny was fulfilled, to relish in the hot-dog picnic at the lake, finally able to use that 4-wheel drive that came standard on the Jeep Cherokee Limited with the Eddie Bauer pinstriping and in-seat butt warmers.
Submitted by CaseyMcDonald on June 23, 2008 - 22:09.
So far from what I've gathered from my limited experience, bicycle racing is a very strange thing. What started out as just a really fun thing to do, riding your bike...at some point along the way becomes like the short-skirted mistress that causes you to plan fake 'business trips', only to wind up at the Motel 6 applying the chammois cream liberally and getting ready to ride it hard. Then when you do, it hurts. You just want it to be over, go back to when times were simpler, when you just rode your regular city bike and that was good enough.
Riding in my element among the lodge pole pines and volcanic rock gardens, zen-ish flow leaning into banked burms, g-force eminating a star's luminary sparkle from my smile as I hit the next one drawing even more speed floating like Ewok through the forest at the speed of a dream. Boulders melt below my Schwalbe's, a spark from my pedals as I draw a sip from my camel. Rush, ride, swerving jolly singletrack bliss with a pocket full of shot blocks and Go Vegan! on my ass as I pass the masses. Yonder yearning up, up, posessed, addiction calling, "Ride! Fast! Oregon! Forest! Catch the S&M rider! Climb! Feel it burn!” yes.
My old bike got a complete overhaul this winter. With a fresh powder coat, custom paint details, new wheels, and a new SRAM Force group on it, this classic 1981 "Cello Europa" italian racing machine is as good as a new bike to me.
Today Jon, Ile, and I set out for a Sunday ride. What we couldn't have known when we left was the divine intervention that was about to lift us from ordinary cycling experiences and into another realm of true cycling bliss. The promised land ride was not without it's suffering, however, as we certainly earned this cycling nirvana via a hellacious, never ending 6 mile climb to one of the most glorious vistas in all of P-town, Bald Peak. It was the grizzled motorcyclist, savoring the last puffs of his cigar, who kindly offered to take our photo and told us how on a clear day you can see Adams, Hood, Jefferson, and St. Helens. Even with the May cloud cover over the valley, the view was none the less spectacular.
Submitted by CaseyMcDonald on April 26, 2008 - 23:09.
Some races are more than just a bike race. To me the annual Mudslinger, in its 22nd year, is more like a homecoming, a tradition. I spent some of the best years of my life so far in the sleepy college town of Corvallis. It was there that I first experienced true singletrack deep within the pristine old growths of McDonald Forest. I remember riding my green Gary Fisher hardtail on that first ride, thinking "This is it!". The feeling was otherworldy, a sensation I feel every time I set out into the woods on fat tires today.
Submitted by CaseyMcDonald on April 14, 2008 - 12:57.
I think a good handful of people got shelled off the pack on the first lap, it was that kind of race. We got some glorious sun out of no where, 80 degrees and racing through truly beautiful rolling hills in what I've always thought was a sort of magical valley. Not wizards and gnomes magical, but I've always felt a sense that the valley posesses some sort of blessed essense. On this visit, however, I didn't have too much chance to enjoy the scenery, as I was busy speeding up, breaking, speeding up, breaking, etc... The peloton was huge, seemed like everyone made it a point to make it to this race. We had three laps, with really only one semi-sustained climb on each, which was also the finish. In the thin lanes with such a large group, I was having to work in the pack to move through it if I wanted to move up at all. With the constant surging and breaking it made it even tougher. But Jon and I were able to work ourselves into pretty good positions up towards the front for a good portion of the race.
Sunday, April 13th, Greenhill Technology Park
Eugene, Oregon
4 corner, wide open, 1 Kilometer, fast safe course
Cat 4/5 - 25 laps (10:00am)
Women Cat 4 Beg - 20 laps (10:45am)
Masters 35+ All Cats - 30 laps (11:30am)
Kiddie Kilo (12:30pm)
Women Cat 1/2/3 - 30 laps (12:45pm)
Cat 3 - 40 laps (2:00pm)
Pro 1/2 - 45 laps (3:30pm)
Tandem - 20 laps (5:00pm
Submitted by CaseyMcDonald on April 6, 2008 - 20:50.
Spent 2+ hours wondering why in the hell I choose to do this on what could otherwise be a nice lazy Sunday. Pushing it that hard for that long makes you wonder these things. Whereas in a road race you usually have the option of ducking into the group to draft and save some evergy, that is not an option in Oregon MTB races. You climb a miserable yet exhilarating 1000 ft in 4" mud, and finally get a downhill section but it's making your arms sore from trying to hold on through all the jarring. Then you turn a corner and find you have another 500 ft climb, but you haven't had a chance to re-gain the energy to do it. Somehow your legs keep turning, each little peak ahead a focus, a reward to make it that far. Something sadistic about deciding to keep going rather then just stop there and realize this is all so crazy.
I got my second wind 2/3 of the way into it, and started passing some poor suckers who I know were considering quitting, too. I start wondering if the human body is really designed to do this. Strange songs I remembered from middle school start popping into my head, a sort of Vanilla Ice hallucination, very odd. I guess something needs to occupy your mind when you are suffering like this, could have been anything, as long as it eased the pain.
When you put yourself through such a test as a race like this, there's something about finally crossing the line, a sort of pride that is all your own. For the next day or so I'll still be wheezing when I take a deep breath, and it will still hurt walking up the stairs. Still, I just can't think of many feelings much better than this.
On a side note, there seems to be somewhat of a sentiment by a lot of road-only racers that mountain bike racing is somehow second rate, not real racing. To that I say, I dare you to come try it...you'll find out it is very much real.
REGISTRATION:
From 5:30 to five minutes prior to your start time.
Located near the start/finish area in the middle of the main grand stands.
OBRA membership required: single-day membership for $5 or annual membership for $20.
REGISTRATION:
From 5:30 to five minutes prior to your start time.
Located near the start/finish area in the middle of the main grand stands.
OBRA membership required: single-day membership for $5 or annual membership for $20.
REGISTRATION:
From 5:30 to five minutes prior to your start time.
Located near the start/finish area in the middle of the main grand stands.
OBRA membership required: single-day membership for $5 or annual membership for $20.
REGISTRATION:
From 5:30 to five minutes prior to your start time.
Located near the start/finish area in the middle of the main grand stands.
OBRA membership required: single-day membership for $5 or annual membership for $20.
REGISTRATION:
From 5:30 to five minutes prior to your start time.
Located near the start/finish area in the middle of the main grand stands.
OBRA membership required: single-day membership for $5 or annual membership for $20.
REGISTRATION:
From 5:30 to five minutes prior to your start time.
Located near the start/finish area in the middle of the main grand stands.
OBRA membership required: single-day membership for $5 or annual membership for $20.
