Pun Intended

I'm Back on Track

As I've said before, my spring racing season didn't really turn out the way I wanted. Sickness and family commitments meant that by mid June, I had raced Ken Woods and 2 Opuses (Opi?). The good news was I won Ken Woods. The bad news was I really didn't feel like I had the stuff going.

So I headed into the memorial day weekend and the first part of June committed to turning up the training a couple of notches. I after a couple of painful weeks, I was starting to feel like the high end was coming back. I could repeat high speed efforts without feeling like I was going to hurl. Now I just needed a chance to try it out. One someone else.

Welcome to the track season! Last Thursday, I finally made it to the track. Despite having only ridden once, I got comfortable pretty fast. And scored 2^nd over all in the Omnium for Cat 4. This week, I was really back in form. I managed to win the first two events, so I had the Omnium already, since no one else had enough points to catch me in the last event. I thought maybe I'd take it easy and see what developed in the last race and try to place, but not work to hard at it. That's when the dynamics of a race at the NSC Velodrome kicked in.

If you haven't come up to race, you should at least come to watch. There were probably 80 or 90 people in the stands last night. One of the things they've started to do is have the audience pick the winner of a race. They write the number on a slip of paper with their name, drop it in a bucket and at the end of the race they draw names. If you are drawn and you picked the winner, you get a gift certificate to one of the local restaurants.

So, I roll up to the rail, which is where you start the races. I’m sitting on the rail when someone comes over to me. “What’s your number?” Then another person. And another. Ok, fine, now I at least have to try to win. Fortunately for me and one of the people who put my name in the bucket, I did pull off the win. But that tells you what’s so cool about the track: what was the last time a spectator you didn’t even know was rooting for you to win? As a Cat 4? If you like to race crits, you’ll love the track. Come on up and enjoy it while we still have it.

Next stop, Northfield, Hopkins, St. Cloud and a whole bunch of times around the track.

Bike Loser Part 2

Ok, I'm a little better now.

I did a long ride on Sunday afternoon. I averaged almost 21 MPH for over 3 hours. That's pretty hot for me. I think I realized that I'm at about the same stage I was at in early May last year: I could pull like a horse (or Ox), but my high end isn't there yet. I couldn't have done 3 hours at that pace last year, so progress is good. I just need to focus on training my speed skills and my high end power. Which is just where I was last year at the beginning of May. Since I haven't raced much (Ken Woods and 2x Opus), I'm just not there yet.

I forgot how much effort I put into sprinting and repeatability last year. The workouts where I thought I was going to puke, my lungs and legs screaming. Time to get back at it.

The good news: I got child care for Thursday, so time to race the track! See ya there!

Bike Loser

I'm so frustrated I could scream. I just am not motivated to race this spring, except for the track, and I can't seem to make it there. I was going to do the Capital Crit this morning, but I chose not to so that my beautiful wife could do a the Walk for Scleroderma, a benefit walk for a horrible disease that she's committed to every year. Yes, I could have ridden the Open Men 4/5 at 12:30. But the truth is I don't want to.

I really haven't been able to build up like I did last year. Sickness, vacation, conflicts, etc. All excuses, I know. Then I missed two early season road races (Durand and Avon) due to illness. My Opus performances were below where I thought I would be, given that my training sessions are showing I'm stronger than last year at this time. And I'm still bummed on the lack of the 10,000 Lake stage race.

I'm sure I'll get it together. It's just REALLY challenging at the moment. I rode the track yesterday to get my "track legs" back. After a few laps, the banking was feeling comfortable again. Can't wait to get up there to race. This week is:

Alex's Graduation
Aaron's end of year school party
Deana's parents coming into town
Alex's Graduation party
Alex's orientation to St. Kate's, including parents.

Track racing is definitely in danger, but I'm working it.

Ok, I'm done whining. Off to get some miles in and pound out the intervals tomorrow morning.

I'm ready, damn it!

Dang!

Well, last night was supposed to be the first night of racing a the velodrome. After slogging through traffic (I missed the window of time to leave my house), I got up there at around 6:00, giving me an hour to warm up and get my track legs back, since I haven't ridden up there since last September, in spite of my best intentions. I turned in my number from last year and was relieved to discover I wasn't the only one doing so.

Since it was the first night, there were waivers to sign, number to pass out and pin on, etc. etc. And I haven't had the chance to build up my new/used Bianchi Pista Concept frame, so I had to get the rental bike going. Long story short, I was ready to ride about 6:30, so now I was down to 30 minutes prior to the start. Our race was scheduled first, so at least I'd be able to stay out there until the last minute.

Only one problem. I completely forgot how to ride on banking. I got out there and I felt like I was all over the place. I was feeling pretty foolish, not to mention nervous. After about a lap and a half, however, Mother Nature put an end to my reacquaintance with the velodrome. As the rain started, they rang the bell, we came in and the rain just kept on going.

On one hand, I'm bummed I didn't get to race. On the other, I have the weekend to get my steed assembled and a couple days to sneak in some comfort building laps.

May do the Charity TT on Sunday. Anyone know if the velodrome is a not for profit? Maybe we can vote them in as next years donation.

A little help from my friends at Opus

Opus number 2 (on my personal calendar in which they are numbered by the ones I actually ride) was last night. My last Opus was pretty painful and depressing. I wasn't even close on any of the sprints, I pulled for 80% of the rest of the race and I just felt beat up.

If anyone doubted that my team is interested in developing newer riders, or thought that the A team wasn't interested in the rest of the club, you've got the wrong idea. Last night, the Sick Blogger rode as a coach with me in the Cat 4 race. Now, I thought I was going to take plenty of grief for having someone ride along. I got none. Andy, however, got royally abused by at least 10 different people in the pack at the start. I bet Andy knew he was going to get slammed. I didn't even think about it. But he helped me out anyway.

So a huge THANKS goes to him. My results weren't great last night (I was in the hunt for a couple of the sprints but didn't score any points), but thanks to the feedback, it was the best Opus I've ever ridden. I've got one more chance to get some results before the series is gone for another year and I've got some idea of what I need to do to try to make that happen.

Guess we'll find out next Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of Tim Franz

Opus Tonight

The weekly industrial park crit is upon us:

I'm NOT going to race stupid...

I'm NOT going to race stupid...

I'm NOT going to race stupid...

Ken Woods

Sometimes things go your way.

In January when I planned my races for the year, I had it all worked out. I was going to try to peak for Tour of 10,000 Lakes, rest for June and be ready for the Masters Track championships at the end of July. Of course, peaking is kind of a subjective term when you're only into your second year of racing, but still, I had a nice plan, a nice structure that I could live with. I was excited for the year. I made a few other goals to achieve during the season, but they were all just part of the structure.

Then they canceled 10,000 Lakes.

Ok, fine, I can just race some other races. But there aren't really any after Avon until June. And it's just not the same. But I stuck to my schedule and started building anyway.

Then I got sick. Ok. Fine. 6 days off the bike, 12 days of sub threshold work to get back, just take it easy, I can do this..... I got to go to Western Maryland and ride 5+ mile hills the week after I got better. This was cool! This was good! My climbing was feeling really good. My threshold work was feeling great.

Then I got sick again. Ok. Fine. Take a few days off, it's just a cough, no real stuff nose, I don't feel too bad. But that easy 1 hour ride I did after 3 days off the bike left me coughing up a lung for twice as long as I rode. 4 more days off the bike, and 12 days of sub-threshold riding. My schedule is now irreconcilably screwed. I've still got the Masters Track Championships to look forward to. If I can find a bike on the budget I need to stick to. I can't even ride Opus, and that was going to be my chance to really build my sprinting back up.

Well, I guess I'm feeling better. Maybe I'll take a ride with the guys on Tuesday before Ken Woods, just to have someone to ride my sub-threshold miles with. Junior (Tim Franz) and Don “The Eagle” Hunley agreed to put up with my pace. About half way through the ride, I lost all self control. I felt GOOD. I felt STRONG. I felt FAST. And so I hammered. Often. And by the end of the ride, I didn't want to admit what Don kept saying to me. “You gotta go for the win at Ken Woods!”.

By now, everyone knows the weather was completely horrible for Ken Woods. I contemplated not going, but I wanted to race way more than I wanted to stay dry and warm. It's a sickness. There was also a good 15 MPH wind in your face on the climb and just as you left the roll out. I thought in the back of my head that someone might decide to go early. But the Nature Valley/Penn Cycle Masters 4/5 group was pretty well represented. We had 5 riders, and the Eagle and Junior started out up front to cover any early breaks. On rider for Gopher Wheelmen headed out with Don on his tail, but it didn't last long. I managed to control myself for the first lap and just kept out of the wind.

As we came around the corner to the first climb, I had decided I wasn't going to set the pace (thanks, Dano!). I waited until a rider from Peace Coffee came by and grabbed his wheel. For a big guy, he was moving pretty fast up the hill. By the time we crossed the start finish line, we had 7 people away. And we hammered. And we hammered and we hammered some more. We hammered into the cross wind (have you ever seen a group of 7 Cat 4/5 riders try to set up a rotation in a cross wind? I'm sure it was quite comical). By the middle of that stretch we had shelled out 3 riders. I thought I was going to be next. There were 2 guys from Birchwood and the same Peace Coffee rider that had set the pace on the climb and they were hammering away. I was having trouble pulling through. I realized later that they probably couldn't have dropped me. I was struggling to take my pull, but I wasn't going to fall off the back. I figured I was either going to finish with these guys and go for the win or get spit out the back of the peleton. No middle ground.

We took a little break on the tailwind section. Grabbed a drink and a gel (thanks Doug) and I started thinking about how I might go about winning this thing. I figured there was a good chance the Birchwood guys would set up a leadout, by the rider from Peace was pulling like a train. I figured he'd up the pace at the end and I should be able to sprint around him.

Meanwhile, The Eagle and Junior were blocking like crazy. The peleton came pretty close on the back stretch, but once we turned into the cross wind, break time for the break was over. I let one of the other riders lead of the short climb and one of the Birchwood guys started pushing us to keep the pace up. I kept looking back and couldn't see the peleton at that point, so I took my pulls, but made them short and tried to back it down a bit. I figured if we did get caught, I still had it in me stay with the pack on the climb and finish well in the sprint.

We turned the corner up the big climb. Still wasn't going to push it, but no one else would come around me. I was riding a 42x21 at like 60 RPMs and none of them came around me. I think they all thought I was working hard since I was in the front and taking the wind. I started shifting up as we crested the climb, waiting for the attack. It never came. They came up around me and Peace Coffee Guy started pushing into the wind way too early. I set up behind him, but he eased off. It was still too early. I don't know what anyone else was waiting for, but at about 250 meters, I buried it. I never even looked over my shoulder. I just rode as hard as I possibly could until I was across the line (thanks, Sickboy!).

I thought for sure someone was going to come around me. But it didn't happen. First place for the Green Team Masters! It was awesome. My first road win on the one year anniversary beginning bike racing. I had totally awesome team support, both from the guys in my group and the A team guys who have not only taught me a ton about strategy (thanks Sickboy and Dano), but have shown me what REAL power looks like (thank Doug, Dano, Mean Dawg, Matty, Sickboy).

So, I re-did my training schedule. Turns out that now it falls even better than it did before. And one of those “other goals” from the beginning of the year is already under my belt. Win one Road Race.

Thanks for the awesome support from an awesome team. Should be a great year for the Masters.

New Orleans

There is no way the general public can be aware of the challenges that are ahead for the rebuilding of New Orleans. Keeping in mind that a large part of the neighborhoods that were destroyed were inhabited by people living in poverty, who has the incentive to rebuild?

Most of the residents were probably renting. Those who were probably highly leveraged, with minimal equity in their houses. We know that county records were destroyed: how will people even prove they had ownership? Insurance policies, if they pay out at all, will go to paying off mortgage holders, not residents. Again, who has the incentive to rebuild housing for a group of people who are unlikely to qualify for new mortgages? Aren't insurance companies likely to avoid highly leveraged loans, which many people would need to buy a house in the first place? And what about income? Most people in this area probably are without jobs currently and will have been without jobs for months by the time they might be re-employed (jobs will be scarce as businesses try to recover from their un-insured losses). No recent job history. Given the lack of income most are probably experiencing where ever they are right now, either no credit or bad credit.

What company would ever invest in this situation? The possibility for return is small and the risks are huge! The answer can only be the government. This is what government is for. Either through well monitored and well conceived incentives to companies to invest or through direct investment.

More importantly, it is the job of the government to be proactive when it is not in the private commercial interest to do so. What do I mean by that? That there is no incentive for private businesses to invest money in re-enforcing levees. There is no incentive for private companies to buy unused weapons grade fissionable materials from foreign countries. These type of activities, preventing disasters, not recovering from them, is government's economic responsibility to its citizens.

Cat. 4

Monday I received the official approval of my upgrade from Category 5 to Category 4 for both Road Racing and Track Racing. I know it shouldn't be a big deal. Both are just about experience, not results. Completing the Track class gave me the Cat 4 on the Track and 10 mass start races is all it took to become Cat 4 on the Road. No requirement of how well I finished or anything else. Still, it's an accomplishment.

I started the season thinking that I would probably be racing category 4/5 races for as long as I was into bicycle racing, and probably switch to 50+ when I turned 50! Now I've finished 2nd and 4th in two different Criteriums. Joe Hamlin, who I barely edged out to win the 2nd place, is now a Cat. 3, and he finished in the top 3 in his group at Sunday's SPBRC Dakota Crit challenge. Makes me realize I'll most likely be racing Cat 3 on the road next year gives me the crazy idea I might even upgrade to Cat 2 at some point. What am I thinking? I started this sport at 39; I should just sit back and enjoy.

But I've also learned something incredibly valuable. Accomplishing a goal that you really care about makes things that seemed impossible before (racing Cat. 2?) seem possible. Now I want to share that with others. I just don't know how yet.

2nd place at the Northfield Crit 

MN State Road Race 2005 

Track Racing

Man, do I love track racing! I started the track class at the local Velodrome the beginning of June. It was supposed to be four weeks, but after the first class, we had 3 consecutive rain outs. Not cool. After the first class, I was dying to go fast. I could feel it. And I couldn't get the stupid grin off of my face.

Last night was a development race for Cat 5 track racers like myself. I got there thinking I'd do the group start races only. The track director looks at me and says, "your doing everything, right?". So what the heck. "Everything" consisted of a 200 meter flying start time trial, 1k Time Trial (the "kilo"), a Scratch Race, Miss 'n' Out, Team Pursuit (which we did as a team time trial), and a 20 lap points race. The track is 250 meters, so the 20 lap race is only 5k, about 3 miles for the metrically challenged.

I was so toasted by the time I was done, it was amazing. Basically every race involves at least one maximum effort. It was basically a 2 1/2 hour long sprint interval work out.

I had a new experience during the kilo. The kilo is the track cycling equivalent of the 400 meters in Track and Field: just short enough you have to sprint it but just long enough you really can't. I ran the 400 meters (it was the 440 yards back then) in Jr. High School and I remeber how much I hated it. I have no idea why I liked the kilo given that comparison. Other riders have talked about getting tunnel vision or seeing stars during hard efforts. Last night was my first experience with tunnel vision. For one, you're concentrating so hard on the black line (the lowest line on the track) to keep your distance to a minimum that you start to not see much else. But when I finished, I sat up and realized my field of vision was widening! Amazing. Maybe I'm not sprinting hard enough on the road.

The Team Time Trial was awesome. I love the working together, the rhythm, it was great! I'm looking forward to riding it as a pursuit sometime.

I got 3rd in the scratch race, 4th or so in the miss 'n' out. I learned strategy real fast on that. I had been out front for a couple laps and dropped back to get a draft to recover, then got boxed in and couldn't sprint to keep from being eliminated! Even getting dropped, it was cool.

I was tanked by the points race and picked up 4th on the first sprint. After that, I was just haning on to be sure I wasn't lapped. I will definately be there in spades for the first Thursday night I can. Even better, I think it's something my wife and kids can watch and not get too bored.

More later. Thanks for reading.