Ben,
I apologize for the delay. I was out for most of the week last week, and this week we've been inundated! Hope all is well. The 24 hour BP cuff indicates you are only out of ideal BP range 7% of the time, so I agree that your results indicate you do not have hypertension. No need to treat!
Is there anything else I can help you with?
Jaime Chandler, MS, PA-C
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Not hypertensive.
Good news sports fans. I'm not a hypertensive cyclist.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Race report: Catamount Cyclocross
After the much anticipated "Cougar and Cool Dudes" party on Friday night, I spent Saturday tired and feeling sick. Note to self: partying and training don't mix well, especially for people who were born as 70 year old men.
I drove up towards Burlington to meet Michael and Trevor for Sunday's race. They had raced under sunny skies on Saturday. I was pleased that Sunday forecasted and delivered heavy rain. The course was technical and long with lots of climbing. It was perfect for me. Despite starting at the back of a 90+ man field, I was quickly moving up the ranks. Anyone that followed me into the technical downhill sections was gone at the bottom. Things were going great! I tripped over the barriers once and ate dirt. Even though I thought, "ok...be smooth...turn it up a little" for the last lap, I crashed not once, but TWICE. The first time was a total front washout on a fast muddy straightaway. The guy behind me ran over my calf and my wheel, which I had so delicately trued after bending the rim. My calf hurt (and hurts) like a mofo, but I hopped back on and began fighting back up. Just as I had earned back my places lost, I got cute on a little downhill kicker. The front did another total washout on landing. This one was HARD. My shifters were bent all over the place. Still, I finished 30th out of the 90+ starters. Trevor had a great day and finished 15th. I had the pleasure of blowing by Matt Maynard who has been owning my ass in all of the collegiate MTB races. That felt good...
Michael had a good day too finishing on the same lap as the UCI elite winners, who are freaks of nature.
Video of the start:
I'm smiling in this pic because the rider on the side of the course just has his SRAM derailleur EXPLODE. I think that one of the jockey wheels literally flew over my shoulder.
I drove up towards Burlington to meet Michael and Trevor for Sunday's race. They had raced under sunny skies on Saturday. I was pleased that Sunday forecasted and delivered heavy rain. The course was technical and long with lots of climbing. It was perfect for me. Despite starting at the back of a 90+ man field, I was quickly moving up the ranks. Anyone that followed me into the technical downhill sections was gone at the bottom. Things were going great! I tripped over the barriers once and ate dirt. Even though I thought, "ok...be smooth...turn it up a little" for the last lap, I crashed not once, but TWICE. The first time was a total front washout on a fast muddy straightaway. The guy behind me ran over my calf and my wheel, which I had so delicately trued after bending the rim. My calf hurt (and hurts) like a mofo, but I hopped back on and began fighting back up. Just as I had earned back my places lost, I got cute on a little downhill kicker. The front did another total washout on landing. This one was HARD. My shifters were bent all over the place. Still, I finished 30th out of the 90+ starters. Trevor had a great day and finished 15th. I had the pleasure of blowing by Matt Maynard who has been owning my ass in all of the collegiate MTB races. That felt good...
Michael had a good day too finishing on the same lap as the UCI elite winners, who are freaks of nature.
Video of the start:
I'm smiling in this pic because the rider on the side of the course just has his SRAM derailleur EXPLODE. I think that one of the jockey wheels literally flew over my shoulder.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Congrats Stu, Sam, and Reed!
Last night I received the magical call from Stuart. I was tingling all over. I asked: "Stu...are you a Dad!?!?!" He sure is. And Samantha did miracle work yesterday. Went into labor at 6:30am and done by 1:15 pm. Mazel tov a million times over Siffrings. Stu, I love you man. Reed...welcome!
Reid Carsten Siffing
9-22-2009
7 lbs. 10.5 ounces
20.5" long
born at 1:16 p.m
And guess who I saw on the velonews coverage of interbike!?! Spencer is all over the place these days!
Velonews link
Reid Carsten Siffing
9-22-2009
7 lbs. 10.5 ounces
20.5" long
born at 1:16 p.m
And guess who I saw on the velonews coverage of interbike!?! Spencer is all over the place these days!
Velonews link
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Cuffed Up
Well...I've succumbed to the demands of my PCP and of my own body. This morning at 8:15 am EST, I donned a 24 hr blood pressure cuff monitor. No awkward public situations yet as I beep and hum. Sleeping should be a million laughs, though. No riding this afternoon due to the cuff, but it will be the perfect opportunity to post about a million bike parts on fleabay.
Stay tuned for the results...
President Jim Kim was inaugurated at Dartmouth today. Though the pompous feel and gross overuse of complimentary adjectives is always sickening at these ceremonies of higher education, it is worth watching. Paul Farmer spoke, and Jim Kim is quite the dude...
The video should be up at this link later:
Kim's inauguration
Stay tuned for the results...
President Jim Kim was inaugurated at Dartmouth today. Though the pompous feel and gross overuse of complimentary adjectives is always sickening at these ceremonies of higher education, it is worth watching. Paul Farmer spoke, and Jim Kim is quite the dude...
The video should be up at this link later:
Kim's inauguration
Monday, September 21, 2009
More racing...more updates
After a CRAZY week that concluded with the awesome first annual C. Everett Koop Tobacco Treatment Conference, the focus again turned to racing.
As usual, my bike demonstrated that it is cursed with more obscure and strange mechanicals just before the race. Awesome. Again, Paul and I nearly missed the start of the race due to preriding. From the moment of the start, it was clear that I didn't have the juice. Not only that, but the course was not suited to me or my bike. It was primarily a flat, chattery course meant for a roadie on a duallie. It was a good thing that I had gears this week. Once I lost the lead group, it was tough to keep the motivation going. On the flats, I had trouble keeping the pace up. Any time that I did make up was on the brief, very steep climb. The chattery roots destroyed my hands with my rigid fork. By the end of the race I could barely pry my hands off of the bars. I managed to gather my strength to pass several guys on the last lap. Still, Paul broke his freehub on the last lap and still finished ahead of me. 10th for Paul, 12th for me. I find it funny that I would beat these guys on a *more* technical course on my roadie. Heck...I did it on a singlespeed last weekend.
Paul took off before the short track that afternoon, which went much better. I still got lapped by the leaders on their $12,000 duallies, but I felt fast and rode well. Though it was a small field, I still had a top ten finish at something like 8th.
Honestly, this weekend has me considering a new bike. I don't know if my hands can take a beating like that again, and my current frame can't handle a suspension fork.
Last quick note: I was featured as a brief blurb in the latest issue of Dartmouth Medicine Magazine. See attached.
As usual, my bike demonstrated that it is cursed with more obscure and strange mechanicals just before the race. Awesome. Again, Paul and I nearly missed the start of the race due to preriding. From the moment of the start, it was clear that I didn't have the juice. Not only that, but the course was not suited to me or my bike. It was primarily a flat, chattery course meant for a roadie on a duallie. It was a good thing that I had gears this week. Once I lost the lead group, it was tough to keep the motivation going. On the flats, I had trouble keeping the pace up. Any time that I did make up was on the brief, very steep climb. The chattery roots destroyed my hands with my rigid fork. By the end of the race I could barely pry my hands off of the bars. I managed to gather my strength to pass several guys on the last lap. Still, Paul broke his freehub on the last lap and still finished ahead of me. 10th for Paul, 12th for me. I find it funny that I would beat these guys on a *more* technical course on my roadie. Heck...I did it on a singlespeed last weekend.
Paul took off before the short track that afternoon, which went much better. I still got lapped by the leaders on their $12,000 duallies, but I felt fast and rode well. Though it was a small field, I still had a top ten finish at something like 8th.
Honestly, this weekend has me considering a new bike. I don't know if my hands can take a beating like that again, and my current frame can't handle a suspension fork.
Last quick note: I was featured as a brief blurb in the latest issue of Dartmouth Medicine Magazine. See attached.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Hilarious guest excerpt
As I've mentioned before, Dad always sends me these great weekend updates to make me feel in touch with life at home. This weekend's version had me laughing out loud. I thought you all might enjoy this little excerpt:
Sunday was : Recycling Day !!!!!!!!!! Piled the wife, the recyclables and the dog into the truck and off we went early. Stopped at Einsteins for a bagel and coffee and then on to the recycle site. Then, pit stop at the rental to disgorge some junk and get other junk. While there, I decided to trim the neighbor's bush which scratches my truck every time I go down the side driveway. So: Karyn and wild dog Sophie are in the back parking lot. I am about halfway up the driveway chopping away. All of a sudden (and this happened in less than a second) Sophie spots a German Shepard walking down the sidewalk on Alpine and barks and takes off like a rocket sled. I spin around and hear the bark and see this missile shooting up the driveway towards the 300 lb. seething German Shepard. I spin around (like I said) and simultaneously drop the clippers and spontaneously do a Derrick Jeeter short stop lauch of my body in a horizontal jump and I am flying sideways across the driveway to block the oncoming 100 mph Sophiemissile. I arrive at Sophie's trajectory on time and she bounces off me as I scream: NO! She deflects and goes back towards the lot. Meanwhile, I am still flying horizontal and BAM!! my head encounters the side of the brick 4 plex.
I feel my spine compress at least 6 inches and my upper and lower teeth slam into each other. I see tweety birds overhead. My neck feels like Dick the Bruiser has pounded a fencepost into the ground with me. I stand up and wonder how much shorter I am now. I am reeling and Karyn is saying things like " Whoa ! That was impressive!! " I swear, the whole thing took about 1 second. Karyn wanted to take me to the emergency room but I just wanted to go to McGucks. I took a few Ibuprofin when I got there and just gathered myself up and went on with the day...rather pissed at Sophie.
Sunday was : Recycling Day !!!!!!!!!! Piled the wife, the recyclables and the dog into the truck and off we went early. Stopped at Einsteins for a bagel and coffee and then on to the recycle site. Then, pit stop at the rental to disgorge some junk and get other junk. While there, I decided to trim the neighbor's bush which scratches my truck every time I go down the side driveway. So: Karyn and wild dog Sophie are in the back parking lot. I am about halfway up the driveway chopping away. All of a sudden (and this happened in less than a second) Sophie spots a German Shepard walking down the sidewalk on Alpine and barks and takes off like a rocket sled. I spin around and hear the bark and see this missile shooting up the driveway towards the 300 lb. seething German Shepard. I spin around (like I said) and simultaneously drop the clippers and spontaneously do a Derrick Jeeter short stop lauch of my body in a horizontal jump and I am flying sideways across the driveway to block the oncoming 100 mph Sophiemissile. I arrive at Sophie's trajectory on time and she bounces off me as I scream: NO! She deflects and goes back towards the lot. Meanwhile, I am still flying horizontal and BAM!! my head encounters the side of the brick 4 plex.
I feel my spine compress at least 6 inches and my upper and lower teeth slam into each other. I see tweety birds overhead. My neck feels like Dick the Bruiser has pounded a fencepost into the ground with me. I stand up and wonder how much shorter I am now. I am reeling and Karyn is saying things like " Whoa ! That was impressive!! " I swear, the whole thing took about 1 second. Karyn wanted to take me to the emergency room but I just wanted to go to McGucks. I took a few Ibuprofin when I got there and just gathered myself up and went on with the day...rather pissed at Sophie.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Weekend Race update
Again, sorry for the lack of blog updates. I've been super busy with work, training, and preparing to race. As usual, the night before tech debacles were epic. I've broken another steerer on the mountain bike. I was able to race, but I'm going to have to do some creative work to get things going for next weekend.
No results from Saturday yet, but Paul certainly took a top five in Men's A, while I was probably top ten. Given that I was on the singlespeed, I would be stoked to have that result confirmed. Trevor rocked it in Men's C on his 1997 Homegrown. Patrick aborted the Men's B race when he decided that the suffering was just too great. Course was typical New England. Super muddy, but very fun.
Cross today went surprisingly well, given how destroyed I was from yesterday. Only two back from Trevor in Cat 3/4, with Patrick a few back from me. Considering that I was the only one who suffered for two hours yesterday, I'm pleased with that. Something like 17th out of about 50 or 60. Great course. Very fun, nice and technical.
Wow...bike racing can make a weekend disappear in short order. Enjoy this short video from Saturday. You'll note that Paul is very, very fast. That's me in the first clip, Paul second, me again, then post race.
No results from Saturday yet, but Paul certainly took a top five in Men's A, while I was probably top ten. Given that I was on the singlespeed, I would be stoked to have that result confirmed. Trevor rocked it in Men's C on his 1997 Homegrown. Patrick aborted the Men's B race when he decided that the suffering was just too great. Course was typical New England. Super muddy, but very fun.
Cross today went surprisingly well, given how destroyed I was from yesterday. Only two back from Trevor in Cat 3/4, with Patrick a few back from me. Considering that I was the only one who suffered for two hours yesterday, I'm pleased with that. Something like 17th out of about 50 or 60. Great course. Very fun, nice and technical.
Wow...bike racing can make a weekend disappear in short order. Enjoy this short video from Saturday. You'll note that Paul is very, very fast. That's me in the first clip, Paul second, me again, then post race.
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