Changes

It’s been a long time since I last posted on the blog and a lot has changed in the last 5 months. The biggest change is probably my departure from the bike shop to go in a whole new career direction as a program manager at an automotive supplier. It has been a huge change but at the end of the day a very good one. I’m still having a hard time adjusting to driving to work every day and I really hate traffic, but that’s just the cyclist in me seeing time in the car as time that could be spent training.

Also, the 2011 race season came to a close with some highs (3rd in my age group at Iceman) and lows (all of CX season). 2011 was my first full season as a competitive cyclist and I have to say that it was a great year and definitely the first of many.

Now I’m looking towards improving in 2012 and hopefully working my way up another category. Training preparations have been under way since before the New Year and I’m getting a tentative race schedule for 2012 together. I’ve also decided to make a move to race with the Wolverine Sports Club this year and I’m really excited about that. The Wolverines are pretty dominant at most of the local road races and I’m looking forward to being a part of that and learning from it as much as I can. They are also a good group of guys so that is a huge plus. Things are falling in to place and with how mellow this winter has been it feels like race season is right around the corner.

I’m going to try to make a better effort to update a little more regularly and as the race season starts I’m sure I’ll have more to write about. For now, thanks for reading.

Wilderness 101

2011 Mileage: 4,215
This post is long over due but I'm kind of glad I took some time to really let the experience of W101 sink in. It was by far the longest I've ever raced and with all that time in the saddle, most of it alone, I had a lot of time to go through some serious ups and downs.

The race started off pretty quick and almost immediately on to the first climb of the day. I knew that the climbing here would be something completely new to me, as in the longest climbs I had ever ridden, so my plan was just to stay within myself and spin up them. As the pavement turned to gravel and I continued to feel good just spinning my way up I was starting to gain a little confidence. Then shortly after that I felt my rear wheel start washing out and I knew I was losing air. I quickly hopped off and shot some air in with my CO2 inflator hoping that it would just seal itself back up with the sealant in the tire. No luck and within a couple miles it was doing the same thing again. Off the bike again and this time to throw a tube in. Too bad I wasted my CO2 on a failed attempt so this time it was using the hand pump to get the tire inflated. Good thing I decided to bring it as a back up. So about twenty minutes wasted and I wasn't even to aid 1 yet. Got to aid 1 and borrowed a floor pump to finish pumping up my rear tire and was back on my way. From this point on it was just riding past people and feeling good, trying to make up ground. I got to aid 2 before I knew it and my sister was there to greet me. While I restocked with a new tube, CO2 and took in some calories really quickly she refilled my bottles and I was back on the bike. Then it was back on the bike and I was still feeling great and I continued to pass people as I headed on to the long climb after aid 2. Feeling great turned to feeling good, and then feeling good turned in to "is this climb ever going to end." After I finally reached the top I couldn't wait for the trip back down. Then I headed down the single track descent and felt like the rocky terrain was going to knock my teeth out I was bouncing around so hard. It was basically more of this, long gravel climbs and long rocky descents, for the next 50 miles. Cramping hit me a little bit at around mile 65 but I just took in some more fluids and managed to push through it just fine. I started feeling good again and saw Kate again shortly after at aid #4. Right after my brief break there I immediately got punished by a long unmaintained road climb and simply dragged myself to the finish from there. But at least I finished. I had a time of 9:49 putting me 107th/234 in the Men's Open category. Definitely not a great result but I went in to this race with pretty much no expectations and just wanting to finish and I did just that. Only one crash, and two flat tires.

I need to give a huge thanks to my wonderful little sister for all of her help. She brought new life to me at the aid stations and it would have been a lot tougher of a day without her. She also nursed me back to life (well as much as possible) right after I crossed the finish line. I really miss having her as a next door neighbor.

Also congrats to my traveling companion Mike on his third place finish and a time that was 3 hours faster than mine. So he beat me by three hours and then drove the entire way back to Michigan right after the podium because I was too beat up to contribute. Talk about humbling for me.

If I would've been asked right after I finished if I'd ever do another hundred mile mountain bike race I would've said no way. After a week to think about it I've come to realize that I'll just never do W101 again, on a hardtail at least. I've already committed to do Cohutta 100 with Kate next year.

This weekend I've got two races on the schedule. Ore to Shore, a 48 mile point to point mountain bike race in Marquette, Saturday and Cherry Roubaix, the state championship road race in Traverse City, Sunday. It should be a great weekend, especially since Linz is making the trip with me.

A DNF, a DNS and Feeling Strong

2011 Mileage: 3,929

Last weekend was supposed to be a two race weekend for me with Maillot Jaune Road Race in Fenton on Saturday and Le Champion Pave Crit in Flint on Sunday.

Saturday I felt good, and got feeling better as the race went on. It was a course that suited me with some climbing, but all big ring climbs and some fast rougher sections. A break went early on the first lap and I spent a lot of time on the front for a little over a lap reeling them back in. We brought them back half way through the second lap and then little attacks would go here and there but nothing that could stay away. For how much I had my head in the wind my legs felt really good and I never felt red lined the entire race, and like I said, actually felt better on the third (last) lap than I did on the first. Too bad none of this mattered as I tore the sidewall on my rear tubular with less than two miles to go. I hopped off and quickly tried to shoot some sealant/air into it but the gash was too big and sealant just spewed out the side of the tire and it never held any air. First time all year that I didn't throw my spare wheelset in the wheel truck, and they were even sitting in my car. Oh well, live and learn. My bike got tossed in the back of the wheel truck and I hopped in for a ride to the finish line. Not how I wanted to cross the line, especially feeling that good but its bike racing and things happen.

Saturday night we had a couples shower for our friends Ryan and Kelli and it was a good time but things definitely went on much later than I expected and 5am came way too early after not getting to bed until after 2am. I got out of bed and my throat felt scratchy and I could tell that I didn't get enough sleep. It was a repeat of how I felt the week before Lumberjack 100, but that day I got out of bed and went and rode hard. I decided a 30 minute crit wasn't worth getting sick and went right back to bed. I think that's a first ever DNS (did not start) for me since I pre-registered and didn't go but I still think it was the right decision.

Yesterday was another Waterford Wednesday and I decided to race the A (1/2/3) race. I actually wasn't going to race at all with Wilderness 101 this Saturday but my buddy Scott is back in town from Europe were he spends most of the season racing and training and he convinced me to come out and sit in since he was going to be there. So much for sitting in. I got in on early break about 20 minutes in to the two hour race and we stayed away for 10 minutes or so before getting pulled back. Then another break went with a chase group and I attacked the field to try and bridge. I sat solo in no-man's land for 5 or 10 minutes, getting within 10 seconds of the chase group but never quite catching on. I sat up and waited for the field to catch up and I realized as I saw them coming that they had really ramped up their speed and the group had blown apart and it was about half the size it was when I attacked. I jumped back in and we pulled the chase group back. There were still 3 guys up the road but they were long gone. I waited until two to go and I saw two guys go, Clint Verran and a Team Giant guy, and I decided to try to jump to them. It took me an entire lap and I caught them with a small gap on the field and as I bridged up Clint attacked and got a little gap that the two of us couldn't close. I cramped the second half of that last lap but managed to hold off the field even though I could hear them breathing down my neck as I crossed the line in 6th. My best ever result in the A race there by far and I felt stronger than I ever have in that race before. Again like at Fenton I seemed to feel better as the race went on. Not exactly sure what it is but I seem to be riding pretty well right now on the road.

I'm sure that won't translate this weekend though as I drag myself through Wilderness 101 over in PA. 12,000 feet of climbing over 101 miles. This could be interesting.

Block O Crit

Saturday I made the solo trek down to Columbus to take part in my first ever crit racing. I headed down because there were two races that I could do since they were offering both a 3/4 and a 4/5 crit and I was planning on doing both of them. It was about a 4 hour drive but it went smoothly and I got down there right on time. Thanks to some coaching from my teammate Rob I had a good idea of what I was up against and how I needed to warm up and fuel for the race, as well as what to expect in the races.

The 55 minute Cat 3/4 race came first and Rob was right on with what he told me to expect. I was warmed up and ready and I stayed near the front the almost the entire race, sitting within the top 10 (usually 5) spots and taking the occasional turn at the front. I thought I was lined up pretty well sitting third wheel with 3 laps to go and then all of a sudden with 2 to go "the swarm" as Rob described it came and everyone wanted to be where I was. Another problem was that a lot of these guys where all on the same team as it seemed like a bunch of guys in K.O.M. style polka dot jerseys seemed to make up 1/4 of the field and they got to the front together, clogged things up and made it virtually impossible to move up at that point. I didn't even contest the sprint at the end and rolled in for a disappointing 21st right in the middle of the field. We averaged about 27 mph and I had an average heart rate of 183 for the hour.

Then it was off to hydrate, try and bring my heart rate down, find a nice mother hanging around to pin my other race number on me, and then warm up again for race number 2.

I felt a lot more in control and comfortable in race number 2. I spent the entire race near the front again and if I slid back I didn't have any trouble moving up in this field compared to the previous race. The race went by without much incident for me, even though I found out later there were a couple wrecks but being toward the front I didn't even know they happened. Again the swarm showed up, but this time it was just before the last lap and I didn't fall quite as far back. With half a lap to go I went to jump back up near the front but couldn't find a wheel to get on so I went to the front and just went for it. I buried myself for the next half lap and managed to pull away from most of the field, but I didn't have any kick when it came down to the very end so a few guys got me right at the line and I came across in 4th. We averaged about 26 mph for this 40 minute race.

Not the results I wanted but all in all a great experience for my first ever true crit racing. I got to spend a beautiful Saturday outside racing my bike and I stayed crash free so there really isn't anything I can complain about.

Next weekend I have The Maillot Jaune Road Race in Fenton and Le Champion Pave Crit in Flint, along with hopefully a long mileage week in preparation for Wilderness 101 less than two weeks away. Although at this point I don't think anything can prepare me for 10.000 ft of climbing over the course of 101 miles.

A Wedding Weekend

2011 Mileage: 3,637

A little over two weeks ago I did my first race on the road in a while and my first race after my DNF at Lumberjack and being sick for a couple of weeks. It was a fast race with a lot of guys riding in top form and the showing of a local cycling man of the hour, Alexey Vermeulen, who had just won the U-23 National Road Race. It seemed as though a lot of guys where watching his every move and weren't going to let him go anywhere.I sat in the field for the most part, trying to bridge to an attack here and there but never going on the offensive. At an average pace of over 28 mph it was way too fast for me to ever be on the attack. My average heart rate for the 2 hours was in the low 180's (really high) but at the same time I never really felt red lined and when I was in the field I had no problem recovering. I finished somewhere in the middle of the field not contesting the sprint since I was too far back to have a real go at it, probably around 20th.

Then it was over a week out of the saddle for Kate's Wedding and two days ago I did another Waterford Wednesday. Heart Rate was a little lower (high 170's) and the speed was a little slower (about 27.5 mph) but I could tell I lost some form in my time off (and put on some weight with all the wedding festivities). I was trying to mark some wheels early and put in way too hard of an effort in the first twenty minutes trying to bridge to an attack that I couldn't quite reach. I was red lined and then went back in to the field to try and recover. Recovery wasn't really happening as the pace was ramping way up and I was forced to continue chasing, but this time just to hold on to the pack. I hung in and recovered and by the time I was feeling like I had legs again there was a break with about a 30 second gap on the field. I went with a group that was trying to bridge and once again we got close but couldn't quite close it and I put myself in the red once again. After that I kept finding myself at the very back of the field just struggling to hold on. With about 30 minutes left my teammate Rob sat up and told me he was done. That put that thought in my head and after struggling to hold on to the back for another 15 minutes I did the same. There was no way I was going to do anything but finish and with two crits on Saturday I decided to save the legs from any further destruction.

I think the look on my face here says a lot, and this was only about 30 minutes in to the action.At least I've got a great reason for being a bit out of shape right now, my little sister got married! It was basically four days of parties over the Fourth of July weekend with rehearsal dinner Friday, golf outing and barbecue Saturday, wedding Sunday, and Barbecue at our house Sunday. It was great to see all the family and friends who came in to town (and the ones who are from here and I don't see very often). I'm so happy for Kate and Andrew and it was a beautiful wedding on a perfect summer day. I also got to walk the aisle with my two favorite ladies, my Mom because my Dad was obviously walking Kate and Linz since we were matched up in the wedding party.I was also honored that Kate and Andrew asked me to do a reading at the ceremony. I read an excerpt from Captain Correlli’s Mandolin and I had a few people ask me about it so I thought I'd just post it here.

Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your root was so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being in love, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.

Now that the party is over and I showed myself just how much fitness I lost on Wednesday it's time to get back to work here and put in some hard days in the saddle and shed the 9 pounds I somehow put on in 4 days. I'm about half way there on the weight but that still doesn't put me anywhere close to the final goal of 180 lbs. Next on the schedule is Block O Crit down in Columbus, OH tomorrow. It is going to be a two race day with at 3/4 crit and then a 4/5 crit an hour later. Never raced this way before so we'll see how it goes.

It's Been A While...

2011 Mileage: 3,403

The past month has been a bit of a blur. I've had a lot going on with my CFA exam, catching up at the shop and trying to get in my last block of training before Lumberjack 100. All of this led to a serious lack of sleep and me getting sicker than I've been in a long time. Attempting a 100 mile mountain bike race while sick is not a good idea. I don't really feel like going in to too many race details but lets just say that lap 1 (out of 3) I managed to stay feeling alright and was right on track and then it was downhill from there. On lap 2 it was about 80 degrees out and I could tell that my fever was back but I still couldn't stop shivering. I rolled through with a lap time about 20 minutes off my pace and called it quits from there. It was a disappointing day. I brought Dad and Grandpa up with me for Father's Day Weekend and to help support for the race. I had an amazing time with them and was grateful for them being there and the amazing support they gave me, but at the same time it makes the DNF that much worse.

Car packed and the bike ready to go for LJ101, it worked great, too bad I couldn't do the same.
We did have a beautiful view from the condo we rented in Cadillac for Lumberjack.
I still am not sure whether I should be embarrassed about my Lumberjack performance or just let it go. Either way as soon as I got home on Sunday I signed up for Wilderness 101 in PA on July 30th in hopes of redeeming myself. The LJ100 experience is still weighing a little heavy on me and I definitely need to get another race under my belt so I can push that one out of mind. I'll be heading over to another Waterford Wednesday Night Crit tomorrow so hopefully that can happen pretty quickly here.

I've been running in to a lot of obstacles on the morning commute lately. The tree was easier than the geese since it doesn't attack you if you get too close.
Linz got me one of these for my birthday earlier this month along with an ipod nano. A funny combination: when I crash because I'm listening to the ipod and can't hear what's going on around me the ambulance will be able to figure out who I am. Obviously I'm just kidding I only wear one earbud so I can still hear just fine and I love them both, thank you sweetheart.

Another Waterford Wednesday

Rode to third in an interesting 4/5 crit tonight. The pace was pretty high right off the bat with a lot of attacks going. About 30 minutes in to the 90 minute race I saw an Essex Bass rider who looked strong go pretty hard and I jumped up to his wheel with one in tow. I assumed there would be more but somehow it was just the three of us with a reasonable gap. We went for it and rotated until we had a gap of over half a lap on what was left of a blown apart field. With 30 minutes to go I cramped on the short climb and the two guys I was with gapped me and I was never able to get back on. I was able to push through the cramps and get some water in me to keep on riding. Solo with the wind that was out there today was pretty tough. One of the guys I was in the break with ended up pulling out of the race so I was sitting solo in second with what seemed like a really good gap on the next 4/5 group. As I was getting passed by the 1/2/3 group it turns out that a Team Giant rider in my group was at the front of them and so I rolled for third on the day, even though I thought I was going across the line in second. Definitely a little shady how he passed me with another field but oh well there's nothing I can do about it. The officials told me that since he was at the front of them it was alright. I guess I should have stayed with the break I was in and it wouldn't have mattered. I think I still got enough points to get my upgrade (at least I hope) and walked away with enough money to cover our trip to the grocery store.

Now its back to the pile of books until Saturday. I've been living on coffee and lucky if I get two hours of sleep a night, so I wonder if that had anything to do with me cramping today.