Winter Is Coming Time to Get Over Being Slow

I know, train, train train, race, race, race, lighten up, and then Relax.  Repeat.

That's the annual cycle for bike racers and the really sophisticated weekend warriors call it "Periodization" .  We've all read the books, attended the seminars and paid the coaches.  BFD.

Ending the year I'm looking at a mild success in the racing department.  I had a whole lot of fun with the 3 roadie events, a Super D Nationals podium, the Winter Park Short Track salvo, a saving grace MSC Fall Classic appearance in Breckenridge and the finale Cyclocross stab in amusement.

I was doing what I wanted, supporting the awesome COMOtion Sports team all year and planning for  major commitments in 2011 when "The Foot" came marching in.  Not to be the whiner, but the Type 1 Diabetes is under control (pump in 2011?) and overall fitness was good going into my first cyclocross season.  Coincidentally, after the Aspen Lodge race, what I though was just a sprained ankle, may be something more.   I don't think the body designers planned on  humanoids picking up bikes and then jumping up-hill over 14" solid barriers or climbing 1-in-12" steps with a 23 pound aluminum load.

I'm still awaiting the MRI results and treatment recommendations.  FLASH NEWS..........Yea!! Cigna insurance just denied my already completed MRI evaluation because it does not meet their independent reviewer's criteria for "necessary treatment". 

My freak'n foot hurts people!!! 

Whaaaaa!!

I'll get over it and lose the 12 pounds me and Humalog gained since July by sweating with all the other January 1, 2011 fatties in Mountainside Fitness spin classes.

Update and prognosis....

Doc Marzolla reads the MRI and concludes we have a classic case of Fibromatosis, plantar fasciitis.  A torn ligamint or possible cyst developing.  Mild arthritis on either side of the ankle.  TREATMENT: Ice massages 2x daily, orthodics, night splint friend, and Physical Therapy 2X per week for 6 weeks.  Steroids and PRT injections if  the 6 week plan fails or followup MRI confirms cyst.   Told you it would be a short Cyclocross career.

ENOUGH AIR TIME;;;;;;;;;;;COCKPIT CHANGES REQUIRED

Keep thinking about why I've been over the handlebars twice since starting this Cyclocross stuff.   Never did that too often doing downhill, cross country or short track. Gotta be the bike. Although Todd Carver set me up on the Yeti ARC X a couple of years ago with the scifi Retul system, something has changed over time weighting me forward on the bike. Wrists feel strained after riding and sighting down the middle of the front wheel from the handlebars tells me I need to get back.  Stem is already a stubby 80mm.

The Salsa Bell Lap handlebars were magnum sized and and forward.  Throwing some money at the ARC X by replacing the Salsas with a 44 cm Easton EC70 carbon bar with different geometry might help.  Should also go with white cable housings and bar tape to show off mud better.

OK, slow news day. 

Cyclocross 2010--Chapter Two

The second week of the cyclocross career unfolded under the canopy of bright yellow Aspens, Long's Peak and a perfectly set fall weekend at 9,000 feet elevation.  Chris and Jason of DBC Events http://dbcevents.com/home/ sought out the perfect venue with on-site cabins and lodge rooms for cheap, an outstanding restaurant and required beer garden. 

Megan Taylor warms up on the trainer before the Senior Women Open event



Catherine, Dave and Lisse Attack a Walk Up Section

Aspen Lodge Resort & Conference Center http://www.aspenlodge.net/ pulled out all the stops to accommodate a large group of two-wheeling front rangers and found many new friends seeking a quick and quite get away.  We stayed in the Columbine cabin that miraculously was located at the start/finish line and served as COMOtion Sports base camp complete with restrooms, showers, tech support, Isles deep fried french fries and some left over PBR.

Official results show 5 COMOtion racers although I know there were a few not showing up on the roster (uh me and Kris with a K cause we DNFed ).  Results below.

Place
6 Stephen Oliver COMotion Sports Denver 3 Single Speed 

5 Karin Barclay COMotion Sports Boulder 4 SW 4

5 Megan Taylor COMotion Sports Denver 2 SW Open 

17 Cary Dunn COMotion Sports Pine 3 SM 3

 9 Scott Gordon COMotion Sports Boulder 3 SM 3

Also not listed are Catherine Chalecki (3rd) and Lisse Daugaard Gordon who I know were there.



Race results for me are brief.

Lap 1-go over handlebars while looking at upcoming technical section.

Lap 2- rear pinch flat in same area I performed the tumbling act for lap 1.

Lap 3- PSYCH!!! There was no lap 3.  Back to the pit area for beer. I'm done.



SNAKEBITE!!!

CYCLOCROSS CAREER LAUNCHED-MAY BE SHORT LIVED.....

Finally made good Saturday on my promise of 2 years ago to race Cyclocross. 

Just decided to shut up, get on the bike and have fun ...and that I did.  I got that wormy feeling in the gut you get when you don't feel good about something you are about to do but do it anyway.  You know, like when you shoplift.

I arrived early at the Interlocken race venue to finish setting up the COMOtion trailer pit area I had dropped the night before.  Brother Isles had started the process of dragging out canopies, chairs, bike stands, pumps and ice chests so by 9:00am we were set.

Having been to the site before, I pretty much knew the grounds but took a walk around the course to visualize what was going to be the  biggest challenges.

Mountain biking skills would come in handy on the tight switchbacks and short steep climbs but sprinting in the big gears on pavement and running the muddy inclines carrying the bike felt very strange.

Part of the resistance to this type of racing was the right "drop foot".  Not confident that I'd be able to leap the barriers and then there is the required dis-mounts and re-mounts without falling flat on my face and permanently destroying my ego.

The practice sessions with teammate Doug D. helped boost my confidence and convinced me to just do what comes natural.  I'll be working on being smooth, working on techniques and waiting for speed to come.

Sand pits were no problem, just the carbon wheel busting curbs exposed at the far ends. First smack into the end of sand pit #1 had me visualizing  fore end rim cracks and pinch flats but neither materialized.

Had a good feeling on the bell lap as I passed 3 grey beards in the switchbacks and no one was coming as I glanced over my shoulder on the final banner sprint. Left nothing on the table and heard the PBR calling.

Novice showed big time when I checked out the results posting.  There I was FIRST ON THE RESULTS POSTING!!

Surprised I told several teamies I'd thought I'd won!  Shoplifting again I guess. 

Turns out the registration sheet also serves as the finishing order posting only your placing was recorded in the little column "PLC" on the left.  Only won the race to register first.  Duh!

More accurate placing was 13th out of 20 racers but I'll take it!  Had a ball, didn't crash or take out any passing ladies so I guess it was a success.  Like I need another bad habit.  Thanks to Boni Sandoval for the photos and all the COMOtion team members.who cheered me on.

 

Cyclocross Season ...Non-Opener

Finally motivated at the end of the 2010 Cross Country season, I was psyched to start a new adventure and enter my first Cyclocross (CX) race in Longmont Saturday.  American Cycling Association racing license # 4897 arrived in the mail Thursday.   I had quipped on Facebook that although my good leg had a sprained ankle and my right shoulder separation still needs steroids, I was thinking about doing it anyway.

I didn't.  I chickened out deciding the race course might not be the best place to jump my first CX hurdle. Out of the house around 10:00am headed to Longmont, we wound up in Boulder eating lunch at Turley's and cruising the Boulder Creek Trail walking the weiners and enjoying another beautiful day outside in Colorado.  Farmer's market was on. Fully ready Yeti ARC CX gets a free ride in the truck bed.

Weekend was not lost though.  A trip to Home Depot and I now have my own private barrier practice field hidden behind the privacy fence of the back yard.  First aid kit close by and cell phone staged to dial 911.

Even though I've done 5' DH drops and climbed 30" waterbars.... these things freak me out!!!!! A work in progress. 

Promise, Interlocken race on October 9th ( http://www.boulderracing.com/cross.asp) start will include the Sarge in the SM55+ Cat 3 class.   Just not sure about the finish.

Mountain States Cup Captured Again

There are still a few inaccuracies in the math and placing for the 2010 seasons but, as I have learned over the years, probably not going to get changed or greatly affect the overall outcome and placing.... so live with it.  Yes, Rick, I totally acknowledge you won the Breckenridge Circuit Race and I was second. 

After only showing up for the last 2 venues, I somehow managed to end up 4th in the series.  My only goal was to help push the COMotion/Yeti team.

Mountain States Cup - Rankings for Cross Country CAT 2 Men 50+ - 2010:

1  MARK HOGAN
2  LES SCHAFER 
3  CLINTON CAMPBELL 
4  DAVID STROUSE 
5  RICK ABBOTT
6  MICHAEL SCHAUB
7 TIM FORBERT 
8 FIELD BLEVINS
9 STEVE LOYD
10 BILL MYERS
11 JIM ARNOLD
12 BART INGALLS 
13 DENNIS DOBSON
14 WILLIAM CAPRON
15 STEPHEN AUTRY
And blah, blah blah down to Dan Pate at #40,
You get the idea.

Lots of thought needs to go into what I will do for the 2011 season. 
Could be I actually have to train for it.

Kenosha Pass Ride 2010-See the Aspens Glow!!

Marco's Video Version


Required riding in the fall each year, riding buddies, Gary, Dev, Bob, Marco, Kimberly, Linda, Dana and I enjoyed the fall colors of Kenosha Pass on Hwy 285 this weekend. 

A competitive group, we all agreed to actually look up from the leader's rear wheel and soak up the changing season's beauty compliments of the Quaking Aspen that dominates the mountainsides only one or two weeks out of the year.  Thanks for the experience and fun.

Winter Park MSC Weekend Fun and Easy

We tripped over Berthoud Pass over the Labor Day Weekend to once again enjoy Winter Park's fantastic cycling opportunities and help the COMOtion Sports team eek closer to the 8th Mountain States Cup title.

 I've been bad this year participating in the series.   After forking out fees and travel expenses for 16 races last year I'm burned out.  Sometimes you just need a break. 

But as the end of the season approaches and the team is challenged by a new XC team, it's time to honor the tattoo and help 'em out. 

Old fart division usually requires only a show up and completion to pick up some points and the short track is despised by many so cranking out 30 minutes of grunt climb and whheeeee singletrack was easy to capture last place in the 40+ (although the scoring shows me at 5th) and first place in the 50+ category.  Boom. 200 maximum points for the team effort.

We hung out with Denver friends Harold and Linda for lunch and then watched the Pond Skimming competition over the WP base pond.  Yes, I was tempted to try but even I have sane moments.  We took the short longway home through Rocky Mountain National Park and had lunch above tree line in the truck.  It was 37 degrees with a northerly wind of 35 mph.  Winter is not far off.

Our final leg of the backroad return sent us down the Peak-to-Peak Highway through Ward and Lefthand Canyon.  Halfway down, we realized the puffy cloud formations we had been viewing were not all harmless clouds but rising smoke.  Not until we were home safe in Broomfield did we learn that we had skirted one of the state's most destructive wildfires now known as the 4 Mile Canyon Fire.

As of the Thursday, over 160 homes or structures have been destroyed and over 5,000 acres charred.  The cost of living the mountain life I guess.  Teresa's boss, Doc Orent is one of the homeowners in the area.  Still no word on the fate of his property.

Wish the best for the victims and friends of southwest Boulder.  Now we are off to Breckenridge this weekend to put a lid on this Live-Train-Ride Team and apply the number 8 decal on the trailer.  Circuit Race and Hill Climb Time Trail for me.  Cross Country race the following day would kill me for sure.

9th Official Tribe Meeting and Celebration of Yeti's 25 Years in Business

Highlight of the Tribe Meet was having Steve Hoogendoorn, Vice-President of Yeti place the 9th Tribe Meet pint glass in my custom display case.  I've yet to find a another Yeti freak who can claim attending all 9 and preserving all 9 pint glasses.  Amazingly, pint glass #2 rode the Snowmass downhill course in 2003 in the ASR's bottle cage and survived. Tribemeet glasses represent gatherings in Snowmass , Salida, Crested Butte, Steamboat Springs, Fruita, Winter Park and Durango.

Durango was the natural choice for the 25th Anniversary gathering. Part of Yeti's history,  http://yeticycles.com/#/company/a_brief_history .

Durango has been the home of many past and present cycling icons including Ned Overend, Shonny Vanlandingham, Juli Furtado, Lisa Muhich, John Tomac, Missy Giove, Jimmy Deaton, Greg Herbold, Todd Wells, Travis Brown and Versus announcer Bob Roll.
The RV parking sucked for such an event but then I've never been 100% happy with many gatherings not under my control.  Would have been nice to spread out the awning and set up with  friend's

tents nearby.  Over it.  The food service and quality were tops this year and I did not see anyone going hungry.  Keg beer cascaded beautifully all weekend.

Saturday's ride caught us lolly-gaging after my announcement that these thing always run behind time.  Not this year.  The bikes and buses were loaded on time and Fred and I were lucky to flag down the last outbound bus and stand in the back for the hour plus mountain road ride to the top of Junction Creek.   The ride group included the lion's share of the Yeti staff, international racers and Yeti brand distributors from Australia, Spain and the UK.  The bulk though, were average "Joes".... Yeti followers from around the world including first time attendees, serious weekend warriors, bike shop owners and at least one honeymooning couple.

The mass start leading us to the 25 mile ride centered around the Colorado Trail was a treat to see.  Everyone is confident in their own riding world but now suddenly paired up with riders of many backgrounds... Silently, many questioned if they could keep up with the group or had the wrong outfit on.   A little bit like the starting line on any race day.  Only a few scab brands present among the sea of Yeti turquoise, white and yellow.

Amazingly, the large  group spread out quickly with some not making it 200 feet without pulling out the Kodaks to begin digitally groping the high country scenery.  We sped off  with the first quarter of the group and never saw most after that.  We actually had some "lone time" enjoying the singletrack swoops, ugly baby-head dodging chutes and enduring the quad burning misery climbs you really don't want company for. 

We descended into Durango in small groups and immediately sought out food and water.  Our group held Dr. Chris a local, who guided us into the best taco joint in town where we filled our bellies and then trudged across town for the Horse Gulch trail leading back to camp.  The 4 mile climb in 98 degree weather was as taxing as any climb all day. Tom Fox  of Optic Nerve fame was in the group and pulled away on the dusty climb not panting in the least. Pearl Izumi's Ben Molina, Fred and I brough up the rear with beer serious thoughts.  Nice to climb out of the canyon and see the monstrous white tops of the Yeti party time canopy and awaiting kegs. 

Spending time with other Yeti freaks is always a ball.  Hosting our Great Britain friends and rubbing elbows with the company's brass made the trip well worth it.  While we were on the road with Fred and Molly, Chris and Megan, COMOtion teammates, newly weds and the whole Yeti scene, I am reminded that none of this would be possible without the 100% support I get from my junior high girlfriend and bride of 37 years.... Teresa.  Thanks again honey, I love you.

Huge kudos to all the Yeti staff, especially Sarah Rawley for putting it all together. Think I'll buy her a long sleeve jersey and leg warmers.

For a full official video account of what you missed, plug in to this link

http://www.yeticycles.com/#/features/tribe_gathering/1/
then start planning for next year! Now, I wonder where the 2011 Tribemeet will be? I still have 3 spots left in the pint glass display.

Wholly Mama----What a Cool Week Preparing for The 25th Anniversary of Yeti Cycles and the 9th Annual Tribal Meeting In Durango..>>

Following the July whirlwind, we geared up for the second week of August getting ready for the 25th Anniversary celebration of Yeti and attending the 9th Annual Tribe Meeting in Durango, Colorado. Durango is the historic home of the bike company.

Expanding the experience was the fact that we had invited our British friends Fred and Molly ( F&M )  to be our guest for the event. We wanted to share some of the things Americans and especially Coloradoans take for granted including endless MTB trails, kinship with the Yeti tribe and the bluest skies in the world.

Fred  and Molly helped COMOtion teammate Chris Taylor and me negotiate the 2009 UK Yeti Tribal Meet in Wales last year so it was only proper that we return the favor (or is it favour?). Fred shows up with the Yetiman tattooed to his right calf........ Tribe membership solidified.

Our 10 day adventure began with picking up F&M at DIA on Saturday the 7th.

After re-cooping from the flight, we unpacked "junk bikes" brought over for reasons we may explain later.

Sunday we hooked up with Fred Nolting at Wheatridge Cyclery  http://www.ridewrc.com/ to take delivery of 2 brand new Yeti ASR "5s".  The 5's would be used for the week long adventure and then returned home to the Queen's Island for pure envy by "junk bike " riders back home.

Monday we toured Yeti in Golden met the crew and  then spent 30 miles and a few hours riding getting climatized at 5,300 feet.  Riding the Big Dry Creek Trail from east Broomfield around Standley Lake and back, we paced 16 mph proving the lungs still work. Riding strong half way up the elevation ladder.

Tuesday was packing and travel to Monarch Spur RV camp http://monarchspurrvcampground.com/or for the first night away from the Big "D" staging for our high altitude ride at 11,112 feet beginning on Monarch Pass. 

We will ride the Monarch Crest Trail Wednesday morning providing views of the Arkansas Valley Collegiate Peaks and spectacular singletrack rides on one of the state's most coveted mountain descents.

Joined by a few COMOtion friends and supporters, we zoomed the CTR but had to bail at Marshall Pass in order to make it back to the camp on time.  We were pushing onward to Durango and wanted to complete the dreaded Wolf Creek Pass descent hauling the 4,800 pound Jayco and a truckload of bike stuff by dark. 

MCT ride group included Brian, Ryan, Melanie, Sarge, Doug and Fred.

THURSDAY was a no ride day although we were up early to deliver Sugar and Cinnamon to the Happy Hounds and Fat Cats http://healthyhoundsandfatcats.com/ doggie daycare. The rest of the day will be spent enjoying the required Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad trip to Silverton and over-eating.

The following days in Durango rank their own blog posting.  Check back soon........

Month of July Full of Ups and Downs

Whirlwind July with every weekend consumed by an event going up and down or up only and down only.  holiday opener shot me 30,000 ft up courtesy of United Airlines to the Windy City for Teresa's Illinois cousins reunion.  OK, I only rode Doug's vintage English Racer ,10 speed up the block for him and back to check the brakes and shifting but that counts as a cycling weekend right?

Saturday the 10th had me lining up in Bergan Park for the Team Evergreen sponsored Triple by-Pass Ride. Ultimate up-down-up-down-up-down ride across Colorado.  Did it in 2008 but it ranks up there with the must do events in Colorado.  The capped 3,500 rider march sold out in 45 minutes on line.  Luckily, I had everything ready to go and was able to limbo under the line.  Ride went well until the final descent into Vail when cold rain-nearly hail greeted us and the thought of a rain slicked bike path descent shared with comatose roadies had me reaching for the ultimate multi-tool the cell phone.  Enough.  I'm freezing and Teresa is below in the warm Vail Roost Inn weiner sitting.  TAXI !!  Hot shower was awesome.  Only missed the Avon round-a-bouts and the dried out BBQ sandwich.  F&%*   It--I'm 50!

Following weekend lead us to the Fraiser River Valley to the USA Cycling National Champioships in Granby.  Friday night while in the Snow Mountain YMCA campground, it was impressed upon us once again the bleak future of the Lodgepole pines with the devistated masses of brown, weeping conifers choaked by the pine beetle.  Private camp sites were denuded of  cover and we felt like we were in the desert camping instead of  the Colorado forest lands.

Work buddy Mark Powers assured us by phone that a couple of the big rigs near him had left and we would be able to return to plan A and camp next to the Super D course at Sol Vista and make an 7:00am practice run more doable.

The idea was there is some climbing and I can beat the fat downhillers.  Oops, the senior riders were leftover cross country addicts from California and Virginia who thought---what the heck, I'm in Colorado till Tuesday and might have fun with this Super D thing.

The course was nasty as ever on the opening half mile with rocky bottoms and ash like dust covering the best lines. Lower half is made up of 8" deep grooves you're suppose to plant your front wheel in and just hold on

.  The ultimate down course in Colorado.  Crashed on the practice run and twice during the 13 min descent but still managed to make the podium with a 5th place finish only beating a couple of locals and a  DNF or two.  You know, take what you can get and be glad you finished without broken bike parts or a ruptured spleen.  Always my goal.

The ultimate up-up-up ride in Colorado is Mt. Evans.

Six days later I'm in the parking lot behind Beaujo's Pizza in Idaho Springs preparing for the Bob Cook Memorial Hillclimb up Mt. Evans.

OK it took me 3:28:25 to finish the climb from Idaho Springs to the summit of Mt. Evans.  That included 4 stops to check the old glucose level meter and GU up and a Kodak moment with an ornery marmot.

Beginning elevation is around 7,000 ft with a 13 mile climb up Hwy 103 to Echo Lake or mid-point where the next 14 miles climbs to the 14,100 feet above sea level mountain top.  Very little oxygen resides here.  Although the ride was not a piece of cake, race training paid off and I truly enjoyed slipping by recreational riders and 20-somethings with hangovers.

Descent is not as fun as you would think.  Never ending expansion cracks and chug-holes rock the carbon fork and preventing a pinch flat at 40 mph is always in the front of your mind. Final descent into Idaho Springs is a bit smoother but traffic escalates and you just want to get back to the Beaujo's Pizza parking lot.  Been there, done that....Off the bucket list. 

August started yesterday and planning for the 9 days of Monarch Pass, Durango Yeti Tribe meet and Kenosha Pass rides is well under way.

DREAM OF METRIC CENTURY REALIZED

Of all the things on the Bucket List, completing a metric century was right up there with kissing  Reba McEntire and winning the Mega Lottery.

This year the annual Elephant Rock Ride would present the opportunity.  Yea, I've completed many 100 mile training rides, the single day Triple Bypass 120+ mile grunt from Evergreen to Beaver Creek, the 405 mile Ride The Rockies challenge, and the 140 mile Fruita to Moab adventure but I have never set my sights on completing a 100 kilometer (Metric Century).

Sag Wagons

Sag wagons will rove each of the courses with water and road assistance to help riders experiencing mechanical trouble or those who become too fatigued to finish. Please be prepared to handle your own flats and minor repairs. the Colorado State Patrol, The Douglas County Sheriff's Department, the El Paso County Sheriffs Department, and the Castle Rock Police Department will be on hand to make sure your ride is safe and enjoyable.

Returning from Florida with a sinus and chest infection and as the sole provider for the wiener duo of Cinnamon and Sugar for the weekend, the thought of 7 hours and the usual 100 mile E-Rock ride was a little overwhelming.  Why not attempt the metric challenge in under 4 hours and beat the heat and wind typical of late afternoon rides along the I-25 region between Castle Rock and the Palmer Divide.

One hundred is also:

The number of years in a century
The number of pounds in an American short hundredweight
The number of tiles in a standard Scrabble set[citation needed]
In Greece, India and Israel, 100 is the police telephone number.
In Belgium, 100 is the ambulance and firefighter telephone number.
In United Kingdom, 100 is the operator telephone number
Hundred Days, aka the Waterloo Campaign
"The First Hundred Days" is an arbitrary benchmark of a President of the United States' performance at the beginning of his or her term.
100 is the HTTP status code indicating that the client should continue with its request
With a 7:30 start, the Yeti Road Project and I rolled out of the start gate with a large wad of Kleenex tucked in the right jersey pocket.  Not to get cocky or anything but the the entire first 2 hours was spent bumping slower brain-dead riders off the yellow lane divider line in order to keep the self imposed 15mph average rolling.

Grabbing a package of Pop-Tarts from a volunteer cruising by the first rest station, I continued choking down the cold breakfast with gulps of  Powerbar Endurance drink in water bottle number 2.

Wind does not wait for the afternoon and my solo personality does not allow me to bunch in with the amateur rodies clumped together trying to impersonate a TDF peleton.  I gear down grab the drops and spin middle ring what seams like for an eternity.  Before I know it, the Palmer Lake rest is there and I take a break, pee, fill water bottles, PBJs are great and on to Roller Coaster Road.

Back at the RV at 11:15am, wieners are still sleeping in 61 degree (16.1 celsius) comfort with the 12V fan.  I beat the 4 hour goal with an average of 30.2 k/hr and a max speed  of 88 k/hr flying down to kilometer 70.  Didn't feel like anything other than a 62 mile ride on a Sunday.  Metric centuries are over-rated.

The E-Rock Ride was a zerohero event meaning no negative impact on the environment. check it out at

http://www.zeroheroevents.com/

Definitely had a good time again and will be back.