USA Cycling Rankings

Today I was a little bored and decided to look at some USA Cycling rankings online.  I logged into my account and looked up my rankings.  My last result was not included and I am not quite sure how they award points, but the numbers are accurate for everything before Olympic View Road Race.

The first thing I noticed is that the site breaks down rankings by many categories.  Second thing I noticed is that I love looking at data and the more the merrier.  The last thing I noticed is that I REALLY love some of the categories!!!

Now being a Cat 5 racer just means that I am a gigantic nobody in an ocean of slightly better nobodies.  So if I were to tell you that I was ranked 1 of 180 (which I am not), it just means that I am the best Cat 5 racer according to rankings.  I think we all know that data can be skewed and distorted by many variables.  Since I am not sure how points are awarded, I take all rankings with a grain of salt.

First ranking...Not too shabby...I am 16 of 182 for road racing.  I do not know what my ranking was last year, but I have a pretty good idea based on results.  Results this year: 18 Cat4/5 race (3 for the 5's), 20 Cat 5 race, and now 12 Cat 5 race (not included yet).  Results last year: Near last, near last, DNF (really did finish, but number was not visible), 18 Cat 5's, near last.  As you can see there is a big difference, so we can assume I was near bottom last year.

My overall ranking is also pretty cool, which does not include most recent result...824 of 4649.  This includes every Cat 5 racer in the US.  I am pretty good with this rank as I have to work full time,  give Bella her much needed time, and then fit in training.  I would definitely like to be ranked higher, but I also understand that I have only done 8 road races and I am finally just beginning to grasp the proper way to train and the nuances of a race.

I have also "tried" to participate in three TT's.  My first TT was probably the most nervous I have ever been.  Not because it also happened to be my first race, not because I do not own one piece of aero equipment, but it was snowing and there was about quarter of an inch on the ground.  Turns out I drove over 2.5 hours, just to have the TT cancelled.  Aside from that one, I have successfully ridden and completed two TT's, one last year and the same one again this year.

This is where I can truly say I am excited, surprised, and about to totally brag about my ranking.  PLEASE do not faint, PLEASE do not think I am lying, PLEASE just acknowledge the result for how AMAZING I really am...

I am ranked #1 for Cat 5 TT's!!!!  Remember that I do not own a single piece of aero equipment.  I race TT's on my road bike, with regular road wheels, no aero bars, no aero helment, and no skin suit (not sure I would fit or look good in one of those).  So what do you think????  Pretty awesome , right???

OK so I guess I should probably qualify...I am ranked #1 of 1 for my zip code.  However, I prefer to look on the bright side, and we all have to start somewhere.

Sunday ride

Today sucked...seriously.  I met up with Scott and David,  and pulled a great FRED move by not bringing my fenders.  It was about 50 degrees and misty.  We also raced the day before, so our legs were tired.  Add the moisture/road conditions to the tired legs and you don't get a great ride.

That is a lot of mud on you David

I could tell right away that none of us were looking forward to 40 miles.  Turns out we did not do 40 miles, and that might be the only plus.  I felt really BAD for David the whole time, as he ate all my road grit, mud, and water.

Scott's expression says it all

This might be my shortest post, but there is nothing to really say...Just glad the ride is over.

Olympic View Road Race

Today did not start with a bang, rather a splat, pop, slap...About 5 minutes after leaving home, for the race, I was able to watch a quarter size rock slowly slam into my windshield.  Being STUPIDsticious, I knew that was a bad omen.

Other than the rock, I did manage to make it to the race without incident.  Chris was just in front of me and Scott was already there.  David arrived shortly after and it was just like a merry party for 4.  What is better than 4 guys, in spandex, hanging out talking as if everything is normal?

Shortly there after, Scott and I began to warm up on the turbos, while Chris and David chose to warm up on the road.  I was surprised by two things during the warm up...First, how humid it was.  Second, how much warmer it felt compared to the actual temperature.  I was just in my base layer shirt, no hat and no legs/arm warmers, and I was sweating like I was in a sauna!

Old Nuclear facility in background...promise better picture next week

Turns out that everything was timed just right.  Scott and I finished our time on the turbos just as David and Chris pulled up from their warm up.  We then packed everything into the cars and proceeded to prepare for the start of the race.  I was just beginning to lose the ominous feeling I had as I drove down.

However the race officials had something else in mind...During the prerace instructions, there was the normal information.  Do NOT cross the center line!  Watch out for chickens falling out of the sky!  Blah Blah Blah...Then they said, "Oh!  The 200 m sign is actually at 400 m."  Ummmm let me think here...I teach math, so please help if I am incorrect.  200m = 400m...FALSE! 

After the instructions, we waited for the race to begin.  I had that AMAZING feeling...upset stomach, shaky hands and blurred vision.  Everything seemed normal, yet I still felt there was something ominous about to occur.

The whistle blew and the neutral roll out began.  We had about 500 yards before making a turn on to the main drag.  What could possibly happen in 500-600 yards?  Well, let me tell you...Just as we made the turn onto the main drag I hear a weird noise that all cyclists know...It is the sounds of a rear wheel kicking up a rock.  This is not abnormal, but what I "felt" was not normal.

I made the turn and then felt as if I was shot in the gut.  Yes, I had a golf ball size boulder shoot from a  wheel straight into my abdomen.  It hurt, it stung,, I cried, I complained, I even threatened pulling out of the race.  Yes, I am the big dog in these parts...

OK, I did not threaten, complain, nor cry.  I am definitely not a a big dog in the area, and if I did say I was going to withdraw, there would be no ceremony, protest nor mourning!

After nearly 3 miles, the pain diminished and I was able to get to business.  The race started slow, averaging no more than 20 mph.  I would get to the front, pick up the pace, then pull off for the next riders turn.  Much to my dismay, others would not work at the same rate as I.  This was also the first race I positioned myself at the front and actually put in work at the front.  I am really feeling strong and more comfortable racing.

Finally as we made our first turn, the speed began to rise and the racing was on!  Chris was working up front as we approached the only "climb".  It really is not much of anything to write home about, but speed can make anything tough.  Just as Chris pulled of the front, everyone accelerated.  I heard Chris say something, which I later learned was "$%#$^$#, $#%@#*(**, @#$@!"  OK really it was not that, but he was a bit surprised with the sudden acceleration and lost contact.

There is a nasty 180 degree turn and then a vicious acceleration immediately after, followed by a 90 degree turn with another acceleration  If you are not careful, it is extremely easy to lose contact.  Luckily, Scott, David, and I all were paying attention and had good position.

The second lap had nothing too eventful.  There were a couple of memorable moments though.  First "notable" moment was Starbucks Guy.  Everyone knows the guy...He rides as if the road was paved for him, and he is the only person on the road.  There was no one that wanted to be near him.  Then there was helmet mirror guy, who did not use it other than to make sure his makeup did not run during the race.  From the reports I heard, because I tried to stay clear of him, he thought this was a cyclocross race and not a road race.  He spent a lot of time in the gravel on the side of the road.

At about 10 miles from the finish, I lost nearly 20-25 spots and was boxed in.  This was not the position I wanted, and I had trouble regulating my emotions.  I tried many lines...left side, right side, middle, imaginary...Nothing seemed to work.  I even considered trying "mirror guy's" line.  Finally the shoulder of the road opened up, and I was able to make a strong move to the front.

Once on the front, with about 5 miles to go, I was able to hold strong.  We did the last climb and I was in about 10th-15th place.  After the climb comes the nasty descent, and I lost some positions, was in about 25th again, as we closed in on the finish with a very fast run in.

I learned a major lesson after my last race...PATIENCE!  Instead of grabbing the first wheel I saw, I stayed behind the guy in front of me.  As people moved, I carefully chose who to follow.  Once inside of the REAL 200m, I made my move.

While starting my sprint, I moved from wheel to wheel and then gave the final push.  I knew I had done well, and even gave a "woohoo".  I knew David was close to me, but had not seen Scott since the start of the race.  I also knew Scott wanted a finish with the group.

Turns out that Scott did finish with the group (great job Scott), David finished just behind me, and I finished 12th.  12th is my best road race result yet!!!

Check out the guy in 12th!

Scott, David, and I went to The Hub, in Tacoma, for some refueling and had a great time talking about racing and life in general.  I commented that I would eat a whole pizza myself, and both gave me a skeptical look.  I would suggest you take a look at the before and after picture, but I ate too fast.  The server kept giving me strange looks.  I was so hungry I could not tell the difference between pizza, aluminum tray, and part of the wooden table.  If someone had not intervened, I might have eaten the cheese and pepper shakers too.

Yeah that's right...Buckley represent! 

This was my best road race yet, and I hope to keep improving.  I want to thank Scott for his support in training, David for his diesel engine in training and the race, and most importantly my Bella...She is amazing!

Race Prep

Twas the night before the race and...

OK, so that really did not sound very good and I will abandon the thought immediately.  However, it really is the night before the race.  Tomorrow is the Olympic View Road Race, and I am getting excited.  It is a mixture of excitement for the race and a possible good finish, and the nerves of the race and a possible complete and utter embarrassment!  What a great and lousy feeling...

The most beautiful and sexy bike ever...oh it makes me faster than all get out

One of my biggest fears, before a race, is that I will do something so dumb that I would just pretend it never happened, and never share with a single soul.  Some examples but not limited too...

1 - Forget my bike...How the heck can one race without a bike
2 - Forget my helmet.  Not permitted to race without one of these..safety reasons I guess.
3 - Forget my shoes.  I have never done this, but saw someone who did at the first race this season.
4 - Forget my numbers.

As a result of these fears, I will start organizing everything tonight.  Then I will pack everything in the car.  An hour after placing everything in the car, I will go and double check that I did indeed place everything in the car.  When I wake up in the middle of the night fearful that I did not place everything in the car, I will go check again.  In the morning when I wake...you guessed it, I will check again, and again, and then again.

I am not sure if these fears are normal, a mild form of paranoia, or some sort of obsessive compulsive disorder.  I choose to not find out, because ignorance is bliss!

My neurotic checklist...I almost added go potty and car so I would not forget those!

I also set up the repair stand the other night to clean and lube my bike.  As everyone knows, it is the bike, and gear, that makes the racer fast and not the other way around...Duhhhhh!  Think about it, and it makes perfect logical sense.  All the professional cyclists have top end bikes with the best components...Surely that must be the reason they are faster and stronger than I.

Currently I have my team kit, gloves, arm and knee warmers, helmet, socks, shoes, shoe covers, race numbers, HR strap, and glasses all laid out on the floor.  Obviously the bike is in the garage, so are the turbo and the boards to keep everything from getting muddy during warm up.  I could keep listing things, but I am sure you get the point.

Pretty cool looking if I say so.

As you can tell, I do not want to forget a single item, and my neurosis ensures that does not happen.  I am feeling strong, prepared, and have the excited nervous feeling.  Tomorrow should be fun, and assuming all goes well I will have a boring short race report....OK, doubt short will happen as I am rather long winded, but you can always count on boring...lol

Day Off, Kinda

Yesterday was the last day of my 11 week cycle of Time Crunched Cyclist.  This was the first true training program I have ever done.  Previously I thought riding hard was training.  I quickly discovered, through racing, that riding hard and training were not the same.  In addition, I also learned that I need to train efficiently in order to maximize my available time.

I planned to stick with Carmichael's daily schedule, as that worked best for me.  Sometimes the outlined days were difficult.  My drive to and from work is about 45 minutes, and I often stay late on Tuesday's and/or Thursday's.  I normally start work at 6 am, leaving the house at 5:15, and on those two days I do not get home until about 6:30 pm.  The result...riding the turbo for 1.5 hrs, cooling down, showering, then eating, and finally crashing into bed.  Not that you need to ask, but I still provide the answer.  My wife was not fond of that schedule.

As the days have gotten longer, I have taken to riding to and from work.  By bike, my commute is about an hour.  I am able to tackle my training on the way to work, and enjoy a solid ride home.  If you do the math, I am able to get home, clean up, eat, and still have time to relax before crashing.  I also enjoy riding to and from work.

Sooooo...rambling is complete...

I woke up yesterday, and my legs felt tired.  Walking up and down the stairs caused some burning sensations and I could tell I did not have any pop in my legs.  Throughout the entire training, I have not shortened one workout, I have not skipped one workout, and I have worked as hard as I could to follow the workout to the letter.  Yesterday, the last day, I just did not have it in me.

I still rode to work, but I chose to skip the intervals.  As I warmed up I kept thinking I might be able to do this, but it just was not going to happen.  Instead, I decided to give myself ride at an intensity of 7-8 out of 10, not work hard on the Old Soldiers Home climb, and let my legs recover for the upcoming race.

I also had to try and decide what to wear.  It had rained all night, and continued as I was preparing to leave.  I decided to go with shorts, knee and arm warmers, hat, and rain cape.  As you know rain capes are WARM and do not breath well.

By the time I completed the Old Soldiers Home climb, it had not rained and I was baking!  Warning alert...PRO moment...I decided to take off the cape while riding.  I rode another half mile, and the skies decided to unleash on me.  It was 46 degrees and now raining with 5 miles to go.  I decided that I was too warm and did not put on the rain cape, made it to work, cleaned up , and started a very busy and hectic day.

On the way home I managed to miss the rain, but my legs still felt dead.  There were times where I only rode an intensity of 6, but I really enjoyed my ride.  By the time I got to the So. Prairie Elhi Hill climb, my legs were feeling much better.  I still took it easy and made it home...To my surprise, Bella was already there and waiting for me (I expected her around 8).

Today I woke up early (I am one of those people that is either ON or OFF) and could not fall back asleep.  I noticed that my legs are feeling much better and I am now getting excited for my race Saturday.  I was worried that I would be "penalized" for not doing the interval workout, but I now realize the day off is what was needed AND the right call.

Tuesday's training

Rarely would I say training is epic, but I think today qualifies!

The morning called for some steady effort intervals, 2 minutes all out, 2 minutes off, and do it 6 times.  The intervals were followed by my nemesis...The Old Soldiers Home climb.  This climb is not long, only .8 miles, but it is steep.  When I say steep, I mean steep.  The average gradient is 8.3% and it hurts the whole time.  The steepest portions are over 12%, and they occur many times, with the least steep portion at a minor 3.2%!

My legs were a little tired from the interval work on the way to the climb, and after the climb I still had 5 miles to work.  I have always had a goal to average 20 mph to work, and this climb always crushed my hopes.  There are also a couple of smaller bumps after the climb, and they do hurt, but they never crushed me like The Old Soldiers Home climb.

As I hit the climb this morning, I knew I was going strong.  I felt that my speed was "high", my cadence felt strong, and I could feel the burn in my lungs and legs.  I tried not to look at the computer, as I did not want to get excited or disappointed.  When I finally hit the top, I knew that I had a strong ride and only needed Strava to confirm that I was going to move up the leader board.

I continued my ride to work, and kept pushing hard.  With the climb behind me, I thought I had a real chance to average 20 mph.  I road near my lactate threshold, or what I believe is my threshold, for the remainder of the trip.  As I pulled into the parking lot, I hit stop and immediately checked the time and speed...20.7 mph and under an hour!!!  My day was made and I had thoughts of more success for my trip home.

I take the same route home.  If there is no traffic going down the Old Soldiers Home climb, I can push it and hit some pretty awesome speeds.  It is a fun descent, and even has a couple of fairly sharp turns.  My teammate Scott was pretty high on the leader board, and I wanted to pass him.  I pushed hard, leaned into turns, and accelerated hard out of turns.  The result...Top of the leader board for the decent.

If you are keeping count...I am now 2nd on the ascent and tied for 1st on the descent.  Not too shabby for one days worth of work.  Insert corny infomercial line..."but wait there is more!!!"

There is a climb on my way home.  Like the Old Soldiers Home climb, this one is steep too.  There is a nice respite part way up where you can gain some speed and rest the legs, just before another steep section...FUN, FUN, FUN.  I did not plan to push hard, nor did I plan on a strong effort on the climb.  Turns out that I still had something left and had another awesome result!

So all said and done: 1. 2nd place Old Soldiers Home.  2. KOM for the Old Soldiers Home descent.  3. 2nd So. Prairie Elhi Hill.  Today was a good day at work and a GREAT day on the bike.  Between racing, training, and Strava, I have lots of motivation for continued improvement.

Weekend in Review

This weekend I was lucky enough to try a new place for friends and fun.  I will not say the name (WB), but the crowd was great, I got to see good friends, and meet new people who were opening up similar types of places.  I also was able to enjoy the amazing weather and log a total of 76 miles...never a bad thing.

Saturday was interval training, and I have definitely settled into a good route to minimize (nearly eliminate) any form of stopping.  Another plus of the route is the minimal traffic, and thus a lowering of my fear of looking like a opossum on the side of the road.  Side note...How many live opossums have you ever seen?

While it appears this opossum is alive, I truly believe this picture is the work of someone skilled at Photoshop!  Notice the entire lack of shadow!!!  Then there is the fact that it is not moving (could be a stuffed animal)!!!  Also, there are no roads, cars or anything else typical of a opossum's environment!!!

Ahhhhh...That is more like it.  This is a typical opossum habitat...resting quietly on the side of a road.  You can tell this is a real opossum because it is slightly deformed and in its natural habitat. Based on my experience, I would say that opossum is at least 3-5 days old...Wonderful to see nature in all its glory.

Ok, back on task...I did see a few opossums on my Saturday training ride, and there were a couple of cars that must have thought I appeared similar in size, shape and color to a opossum.  Luckily the cars' drivers realized their error, and quickly shouted profanities at me while trying to run oncoming vehicles off the road. 

The intervals went great and I felt pretty strong and fast.  I again was able to do the Hwy 410 climb, and set a new PR...averaging 14.0 mph and taking 8:02 to get to the top.  I have to say that I was really proud of myself and sharing the accomplishment to any stranger who would listen.  When I looked the next day a person from a local bike team (Old Town Bicycle) crushed all my hopes and dreams.  This person was able to do the climb at 15.2 mph and a time of 7:24.  I guess this piece of humble pie is good...I will stay motivated and continue to work hard.

Sunday I was able to meet up with Scott and David, yes, the infamous David, to do a nice ride out to Enumclaw, up to Elk Heights in Buckley, and then back to Orting.  We also did a quick recon on the Mud Mt. Dam climb for the Mutual of Enumclaw RR.  The day was absolutely amazing, with barely a cloud in the sky and the temperature rising to 75.

David stopped in Buckley, while Scott and I continued back to Orting.  We were cruising around 24-25 mph when we saw one of the more fearful things to a seasoned "professional" cyclist...The dreaded "FRED".

What is a FRED???  FRED is what all cyclists have been at one time or another.  We all start as FREDs, and slowly through trial and error, gentle guidance from more experienced cyclists, and general well intentioned teasing progress to PRO.  Yes, PRO is nearly as bad as FRED...However, it is better to refer to yourself as "riding PRO" and "looking PRO", than to be a FRED.

The FRED encounter occurred as Scott and I were nearing Orting.  We noticed two guys riding on the trail...faster than safe in my opinion, but not blazing fast.  For your reference, I will not bike the trail at speeds over 18 mph.  I noticed the FREDs looking over their shoulder as they neared a break that allows road access.  I could see it instantly, and kept thinking "Please do not do it...Please....Please...have mercy...PLEASE!!!"  Yeah wishful thinking...

They immediately made the quick left, quick right to get on the road in front of us.  As I said above, we were going near 25 mph and they pulled out right in front of us.  I quickly looked behind us and pulled out and around the FREDs.  Knowing my awesome attempts, from my past life as a FRED, I knew they were going to try and take Scott's wheel.  We picked up the pace, got some distance, and finished the ride never to again see the FREDs.

Another great ride, another beautiful day, another fun outing.  Feel free to share your experiences with FREDs, the mythical opossum, or being PRO.  I plan on at least one blog about FREDs and being PRO in the near future, and would like to include your comments.

Loving Strava

I discovered strava.com a while back, but rarely used it.  This year as I moved my training outside, I found how cool the site actually is.

If you are unfamiliar with Strava, it allows you to upload your data from a GPS enabled devise.  Then it compares your route with other uploaded routes and, within routes, "segments".  The segments are what make Strava cool.  After uploading your ride, you are able to compare your efforts with other riders who completed the same segment.  For me, this has opened a new world of possibilities. 

Strava also lets you "friend" other riders.  This allows you to see the routes they ride, their times, efforts, and awards for completing segments.  You can click a button to give "kudos" or make a comment about their ride.  Currently, I am having a good banter with another rider who recently beat my time on a climb and knocked me down to 4th place.

All the information you get is free!!!  If you desire more detailed information, you can subscribe.  This will allow you to compare yourself to others, you can specify age group or weight.  Strava will also give you HR analysis, a suffer score, and power analysis with VAM.  The upgrade is $59/yr.

If you are uber competitive, or just curious about how you compare to other riders Strava is the website for you.

Balance

Balance in life is important, and sometimes I take my cues from the weather.  Lately we have had a great Spring in the Pacific Northwest.  The temperatures have been warmer than normal, and the weather has been drier than normal.  However, nature likes balance and today balance has been achieved...luckily for me I rode my bike to work, or should I say unlucky for me!

Fog in Edgewood, komonews.com

This morning was crisp and beautiful with some valley fog...the temperature was 39 degrees F and there was no wind.  I love being above the fog bank, knowing I am about to plunge into another world.  I picture myself as Strider plunging into battle against the Wraith in Lord of the Rings.  Of course there are no wraith, I am definitely no Strider, and my only battle is the clock and the hills when I ride.

Strider being totally BA

Wraith thinking Strider is totally BA

By the time I arrived at work I felt energized for the day, but the signs were ever present.  The wind was slowly increasing from the southwest, clouds were forming, and the temperature was not rising very fast.  I know these signs well, and they all pointed to one thing...RAIN.  Nature was here to balance all the good with some not so good.  My ride home was just over an hour, it was 52 degrees, and it rained nonstop...I still had a good ride and enjoyed the added work.

While riding home I thought about the balance in my life, and how to achieve more.  I use riding to balance the stress of teaching.  I use riding to balance food and beverage with health.  I use riding to give Bella needed down time and balance my endless energy.

Sometimes my balance gets out of balance.  There are times when riding goes beyond a healthy passion and becomes an obsession...lucky for me, I have not quite crossed that line.  Just like nature balances the weather, and clues me in to balance issues, Bella balances me and does so in no uncertain terms!

Balance is important in my life.  I strive to maintain balance and today the weather reminded me to tread carefully.  I never want to toe up to the line, and then deal with the wrath of Bella.

Ride hard, ride fast, keep balance.

Flats, Flats, and how to pump a tire

Sunday was another unexpected day in Washington State.  Knowing that we were going to have great weather, I put together a ride with my teammate Scott, David (wheelsport) and Chris (David's friend).  We met up around 12pm and the temperature was 58 degrees.  This is the first time all year that I have been able to ride without shoe covers, leg/knee warmers, and a hat under my helmet.  Our plan was to ride from Buckley out to Greenwater and back.  If you have not ridden to Greenwater you are missing some great views of the forest, Carbon River, and Mt. Rainier...It truly is a splendid ride with beautiful views.

Carbon River

Both Scott and I had a put in some good training miles the previous day (training on the open road) and our legs felt a little flat.  There is not a whole lot of climbing on this ride, but there are a few spots that do work you.  We all agreed to climb at our own pace, and then soft pedal until everyone caught up.  This seemed like a good plan, and was executed without to perfection.  I was able to hang onto Chris' wheel for the longer of the two climbs, while Scott and David were a bit behind.

About two thirds of the way up, the longer of the two climbs, I noticed that Chris (riding a standard) was still in his BIG ring.  I was pretty impressed, pulled along side of him, and let him know.  He responded "I probably should not have done that for so long." and I replied "let me give you a pull."  I guess he was serious, as he dropped the pace some, but still was not far behind.  We soft pedalled, while I ate some food, and Scott and David hooked back on.

The next section was uneventful, while everyone put in some good efforts. 

I had just finished a pull and was sitting on the back in recovery mode.  Normally I will stay between 6 inches and a foot behind the next persons wheel, but I always drop back a little if I am going to take on food or water.  I was in the process of putting my bottle away, when I hear this awful sound.  Looking at David, it appeared that his bike was having a catastrophic failure and was about to explode.  Turns out David had flatted on a nice size rock...Oh wait, make that two flats.  I have never had the privilege to see a rider get two flats at the same time, and was impressed that he did not crash when it occurred at 22 mph.

The infamous "boulder"

It seems everyone took copious notes from the week before and we all had tubes for David.  Based on my observations, I can tell that David and Chris experience quite a few flats.  How you ask???  They removed the wheels, removed the tires, removed the tubes, replace the tubes, all replaced the tires in exactly 23.715 seconds...Really, I timed them.  I think NASCAR would have been proud with how quickly the two of them worked!

David (left), Chris (right), Scott (middle)...Scott what are you seeing over there?

Sounds like everything went well with the change right...WRONG.  We then were lucky enough to watch a detailed show on how not to use CO2 to fill your tubes.  If only I had been filming this.  David expertly put his cartridge into the pump, and started to screw the cap on so he could fill his tire.  After about two turns, we hear a discharge and see white smoke surrounding David.  Oops!  Take two.  David expertly put his cartridge into the pump, and started to screw the cap on so he could fill his tire.  After about two turns, we hear a discharge and see white smoke surrounding David.  You are probably thinking "Rod you typed the same sentence again..."  No, it just happened again!  I did not volunteer any of my cartridges for fear of them being prematurely discharged!  David, there is medication for this (click here...because I care), but Scott did have a hand pump.

Finally we were all back on our bikes and off to Greenwater.  Once in Greenwater we chatted, filled our bottles, ate some food and then watch David pump his tire again...At least that is what he called it.  What do you think it looks like David is doing?

Really David?!?!?!  There must be a better way.

The ride back was fast and beautiful, and in the typical Washington afternoon way...lots of headwind.  We all put in some good effort and flew back.

What I learned on the ride...
1 - Under no circumstance comment on the size of a guys ring...He will stop pulling for you.
2 - Anytime you experience a head wind, immediately end your turn at the front
3 - Avoid small boulders...your tires and tubes will be better off.
4 - This is a must...Know how to use your CO2 pump.
5 - Try not to look as if you use a hand pump in a sexual manner.

Training on the open road

Yesterday I decided to try my training on the open road.  I have been doing the time crunched cyclist training plan, and I am now finishing my 9th week.  Most of the time I just do not have enough light to safely train outside, but there is also another reason I choose not to do the training on the open road...Safety.

Some of the workouts, namely the PFPI's, cause me to feel as if I am about to fall over after the exertion.  There are actually times that I feel like my legs are ready to go super nova

Obviously not me!

my lungs are going to liquify

Not my lungs, it would be hard to ride with these.  From buzzel.com

and my brain is going to heat up so much that it steams out of my ears!

Not me, again, but how I feel.  From iStockphoto

You combine all these sensations and I am terrified that something only quantifiable by the LHC, Large Hadron Collider, is inevitably going to happen.

Today I decided to put these fears aside.  I cleaned my second love (Sorry Bella, but my bike is beautiful and I do love her), shaved my legs for the psychological perception of added speed, and donned my team kit before heading out the door.  For extra good measure, I did a couple extra clicks on the buckles of my shoes and was off like a herd of dirty tortoises (we all know those guys are fast)...almost!

It was 35 degrees, so I hopped onto my turbo for a quick warm up.  Once warm, I finally got on my Wilear and hit the open road.  I road for about 15 minutes in the EM range and then went at it hard.

Yesterday I was to do 12 minutes of Over/Unders, followed by 8 minutes rest, then 12 minutes O/U's, another 8 minutes rest, and one last set of 12 minutes O/U's.  Even though the plan did not call for it, I decided to go and push it hard on Old Eli Hill.  My goal was to establish a new PR, which I thought would be tough after already completing two sets of O/U's.

I flew up the hill...Each time I felt myself slowing, I would get out of the saddle and push a little harder.  By the time I reached the top I looked like a sloppy mess. There was sweat all over my face, drool on my chin, and snot streaming from my nose.  If you have ever ridden at your limit for a long time, you know that means you have just completed something good...New PR!!!  I did another 8 minutes rest, after nearly vommitting on myself, and then did my last set of O/U's.

This might have been my best workout yet. I was neverous about being on the road, for the workout, but it was so much better than training inside.  It was easier to hit my target HR ranges, time went faster, and again much more enjoyable being outside versus inside.  Even better was that the weather was great and it was in the mid 40's when I got home.

Update:  According to Strava, I set two new KOM's on this ride.  I have to say that I am really impressed with myself, not that it takes a lot for me to impress myself.

Riding style

Today I was sitting and enjoying doing nothing, while watching some talking heads on TV...This is actually a pretty rare occurrence for me, as I rarely sit and do nothing.  Not that I do not have time to do nothing, just that I have a hard time doing nothing.  I am a person who is always moving and never still, refer to my previous post (Work...aghhh).  While sitting here, I saw an article on Thomas Voeckler and thought "if I could ride like anyone, it would be Voeckler!"

You might say what about Lance Armstrong...NOPE, what about Alberto Contador or Andy Schleck...NOPE and NOPE, Cadel Evans...Nahhhh.  Well, why Voeckler?

Voekler has an aggressive, all in type of style I love to watch.  Voeckler is unafraid to attack, and when doing so he puts forth every once of energy into his attack.  Voeckler seems to always find a way into the break and challenges everyone in the peleton...They know that he can win if they do not shut him down (Barbantse Pijl).

I also think Voeckler's expressions are great.  When he is going all out, his mouth is wide open and his tongue is hanging out like a tired old dog.  It is even somewhat funny to see it move back and forth, though I am constantly worried that he will hit a pothole and unfortunately bite off his tongue.  I cannot imagine the result would be positive for his race season.  You can see Voeckler grimace as he tries to dig deeper to find that last ounce of energy, which he unbelievably has most of the time.  Voeckler never makes a race look easy.  You can actually feel his pain as he fights the bike, rain, wind, and road; all while trying to stay away from the ominous presence of the ever closing peloton.

Voeckler uses everything he has been given to make sure he can achieve his goals...brains, power, and instinct.  When combined with a little luck he finds a way to win when others cannot.

Side note...I began writing this post the other day, then became distracted (happens a lot), and then watched the Barbantse Pijl last night.  I really wish I had posted this before the race, Wednesday, then I could claim to be clairvoyant and make money off my amazingly accurate predictions.

Work...aghhh

Both yesterday and today I was at my job looking outside and imagining what it would be like if I did not have to work.  The birds were chirping, the breeze was gently blowing, and the sun was shinning.  It was absolutely glorious, and I was dreadfully stuck inside.   

Everyday I am lucky enough to actually have a job, and it is a job I do enjoy so I really cannot complain.  I teach high school to mostly eager learners.  Each day brings a completely new, and sometimes testing experience.  I see over 180 students each day, and in 11years of teaching I will have had at least 1,980 different students walk into my classroom. 

I share this because I do not want anyone to think I hate my job...Like most cyclists, I would rather be outside riding my bike and enjoying the great weather we are currently experiencing, than inside working.  Many people in the Pacific Northwest experience SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).  I on the other hand do not, instead I experience NERD.  NERD you ask?  Yes, NERD! 

NERD stands for Not Enough Riding Disorder.  NERD is frequently experienced by cyclists in the Pacific Northwest, but any cyclist may be affected by its dreadful symptoms.  I typically notice the appearance of the first symptom shortly after the beginning of October....my amazing cycling tan lines start to fade.  Shortly there after my mileage begins to decrease, which is quickly followed by my stomach changing shape and taking the appearance of a slightly furry bouncy ball.  There is also the horrible symptom of "nervous" energy.  I become restless and cannot sit still.  This year I think I have managed a collective 7.25 minutes of stillness, and I have nearly gone mad as a hatter.

Bella often wakes at 3 or 4 am to the sound of me pacing in the house, tinkering in the garage, watching infomercials while trying read, or trying to coax her out of bed for a walk in the snow (her favorite by far).  Bella knows NERD is temporary and quickly subsides once the weather turns and I can consistently ride my bike outside.  Bella yearns for the remission of NERD, and peaceful nights of sleep.

However, once NERD is in remission she quickly begins to experience her own disorder...WoW.  WoW is not how it sounds, rather WoW stands for Wife or Widow.  Which is the question she asks herself many times during the summer.  Though in recent years we have found an easy treatment for WoW, and I am sure it can be adapted to your significant other. 

1 - At home I must allot at least 2 days cycling free, and spend them doing the worst imaginable thing known to all of MANkind, shopping.  Consequence...punctured tires and a Stans sealant all over the garage.
2 - Casual mornings with no rush for her to complete my daily mental checklist of his and her chores.  Consequence...removing all energy gels (Please do not mention my secret stash)
3 - Don't walk with a lethargic pace and complain how my legs are tired from a killer ride.  Consequence...Removal of rear wheel for 2 days.
4 - This might be the most important!  When we go on vacations, I must complete my rides by 10 am.  Consequence...Penalty of death.

For me the good news...summer is quickly approaching and I will have lots of time to ride, reflect, and enjoy the best weather in the nation while NERD goes into remission.  The bad news...summer is quickly approaching and Bella will begin to experience WoW.

Weekend rides in the sun...really!

This weekend was a great one in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.  I was able to get in two group rides and not have to wear winter/rain gear, which is pretty awesome.  In case you did not know spring is still really winter and summer does not begin until July.  That means when the sun is out and the temperature is above 55 we are in heaven out here.  Turns out there are scattered reports that Sunday hit 70!!!  I do not think we hit 70 until mid August last year.

Saturday on Inter Urban Trail near Kent, Wa.

Saturday I was able to ride with some guys from wheelsportcycling.com.  They are a good group of guys and have routes that I do not normally ride.  Shortly before starting the ride we received a good omen, if you believe in those, a bald eagle flew over.  I have to say they are very pretty birds and I am always amazed when I see how big they really are.  

Saturday Chris (left) Chet (right)

The temperature was a little chilly, but was perfect by the end of the ride.  We rode from Kent up to Seattle, across I-90 and then back to Kent.  Not too much in the way of hills, but a couple of very small bumps along the way.  The pace was great and everything went smoothly except for the two flats one of the guys experienced.  From what I hear, there is not an uncut spot on his tires and he would do himself well if he chose another brand.

Saturday me in Seattle

Sunday I was able to get with David (Wheelsport) and fellow Bonney Lake Cycling teammates, Scott and Brent.  We started in Orting and did a great ride out past Fairfax bridge and back.  Along the way we had a few breakaways on climbs (sorry Scott et. al.), on the descents (thanks David and Brent), and the final non-official sprint into town (sorry guys).  The ride was great, but again plagued by tire issues.

Sunday, Scott contemplating tossing his wheels and tires off the bridge???

This time it was a teammate, so I will definitely point out some issues...

1 - Never go on a ride without a tube, you are begging for a flat!

2 - Never ask the guy that rides tubless if he has a tube.  (Unbelievably, I actually did)

3 - If the tubeless guy does have a tube, it probably is crap and will flat on you (Sorry Scott)

4 - Never push your luck when riding on a flat

Being the nice guy I am, I volunteered to give Scott my tube.  In no time flat (pun intended) Scott had his tire ready to roll (I am good with these).  About 7 miles later I hear Scott shouting "FLAT" as the rest of us were going about 25mph.  I relayed the message forward, we all turned around and proceeded to watch. 

If you have never seen it, it is quite the scene watching one guy change a flat and the rest of his buddies watching with nothing to do.  We quickly discovered that my tube, now Scott's, was old and the patch that had been there since "Dinosaurs Roamed the Earth" was no good.  Luckily David had a tube and we were back on our way.

We ended our ride with no other flats and a smooth run into Orting.  I was kind enough to let Scott sit in the wind for 4-5 miles and then jumped out of line for a sprint with 0.2 miles to go.  I knew he appreciated the sprint, why else would he have done all that work just for yours truly.  Best part was that neither Brent nor David could pass me or even catch my wheel...granted there was no official sprint sign or agreement to sprint.  

I always enjoy a good Sunday ride, and it is even better when I get to ride with good teammates and friends.  I want to thank Scott, Brent and David for joining me on the ride.

Hey Assos Guy...

Have you ever noticed the Assos bib shorts guy???  Well I have, or I would not be writing a post directed at him.

Dude is super ripped, I am not talking about the guy works out a couple times a week or a couple times a day...I am thinking he works out nonstop and is juiced.  Seriously...I do not have hair follicles where this guy has muscles.  I also think he might be related to a terminator.  Look at his robotic pose.  No facial expression (he means business), every muscle showing (very Arnold), glasses to hide his cyborg implant eyes, and stiff as a board with hands in form for an instant Judo chop.

Speaking of muscles, when was the last time you saw a cyclist that ripped?  I look in the mirror each day, and the only lines of definition I see are the ever more apparent crows feet by my eyes.  What cyclist really needs 48" biceps and a 60" chest?

I know I am not the only person who has noticed this.  My teammate kept telling me how cool our new arm and leg warmers look with the new kit.  I asked to see a pic, and what do I get????  You got that right, the Assos guy pose.  Luckily for me Scott kept his shirt on, but he did state that tried to do the Assos guy justice. 

What do you think about the Assos guy, have you noticed the same thing?  Hey Assos guy...a little less juice, a little less terminator, and try actually riding a bike.

Ohhhh Fabulous Fabian, what has happened?

Two years ago Fabulous Fabian had an amazing Spring Classics season...so much so, rumors circulated that he had a motor in his bicycle.  Fabian was by far the strongest and fastest rider winning E3 Harelbeke, the Tour of Flanders, and Pais-Roubaix.

In 2011 Fabulous was still strong but did not get the same results of the previous year, winning E3 Harelbeke, 3rd in the Tour of Flanders and 2nd in Paris-Roubaix.

This year things have gone from good, Strade Bianche (1st) and Milan Sanremo (2nd and criticism) to really BAAAAAAAD, Tour of Flanders (crashed out).  Check out the before and after picture of Cancellara's collarbone.  I know what you are thinking...that had to REALLY hurt.  However, he hopes to be racing again in May.  I could not imagine being back so soon.

Oregon Trip (3/19/2012)

I originally posted this on my bike teams blog, http://teambonney.blogspot.com/, and decided to add it to my blog.

I was out of town this weekend (3/19/2012) celebrating my wife's birthday, St. Patty's day and Double Mountain Brewery's 5th anniversary. I also brought my bike and promised it would not interfere with the trip...as any cyclist knows that can be difficult.  So....to live up to my promise, I was out the door before sunrise each morning and on the bike so I could be back by 9:30 am.

Day 1, Troutdale - McMenamins Edgefield, I had a decent size head ache from the night before.  Let's just say that our friends and the Edgefield know how to do it right.  It was 38 degrees, raining and yet still an amazing morning.  I decided to ride on Hwy 30, the scenic highway, and put in a good hour and a half.  Little did I know that in that short time, 24.5 miles, I would have 2100+ feet of climbing.  The views were great and I was able to do a pretty killer work out.  As promised, I was back on time and able to join everyone for breakfast...Yes, of course I showered first!

Day 2, Hood River, Celebrated most of the previous day at Double Mt.  Had a great dinner with my beautiful wife and closed the evening with a free concert...The Meat Puppets!!!  Once again I was out the door early and immediately reconfirmed what I already knew...there really are no flat spots in Hood River.  Right out the door I had an 8% climb, which means absolutely no warm up.  I then had a .5 mile relatively flat run until I encountered a miniature version of Alpe d'Huez.  Next onto Hwy 30 east with some spectacular views of the Columbia River Gorge.  I decided I should turn around when I hit Rowena and was lucky enough to have very little of the areas famous winds.  I did 2 hours, 32 miles and nearly 2400 ft of climbing, with temperature near freezing at the start and no rain.