5 minute barrier broken

I devote time each winter to participating in  2 mile indoor time trials called 'roller races.    Until now, no one has been able to get a time lower than 5minutes.  However, last Sunday in Ames, Iowa this barrier was overcome twice by  Shawn Loomis and Jerome Rewerts who posted times of 4:58 and 4:59 respectively, awesome...

This definately will fuel my future workouts, as envisioning these guys pulling away from the pack on the open road this spring is great motivation to train harder.  I will enter one last roller race this Sunday.   I got a 5:12.0 at the last roller race I entered in January, but perhaps I have improved my fitness a bit since then, and an even better time is within my grasp.  Not sure I can get a sub-5 minute time, sounds too painful, but it will be worth a shot.

Holding on to the record for now...

Sort of noteworthy... the race director for this Sunday's Ames Roller Race is actually providing a cash incentive to beat my current overall men's Roller Race Record of 5:01.4 for the 2 mile TT:

"A bonus of $20 to beat the

http://bikeworldiowa.com/articles/fastest-roller-races-by-category-pg525.htm
fastest recorded time for a category and an additional bonus of $30 more to beat
the overall men's, women's, or tandem record. "

Two guys Shawn Loomis and Travis Jass have posted times really close, and they will probably both be there Sunday... not great for me that this extra incentive might help push them past their limits...
The other barrier yet to be broken is to for someone to get a time under 5 minutes in this event.  I have come the closest, but Shawn Loomis posted a 5:01.9 this year, so it is definately within his reach this year.

Personally, I feel like I am in good form to post a great time at the last roller race Sunday the 28th.  I will be very interesed to see how the results pan out at this Ames race.  Could make for an interesting showdown in Kalona, with many other strong competitors posting their final efforts before the switch to outdoor training. Pictured below is the Cat 3 State Champs Roller Podium from 2009 (top 3 race average).

Winter... Hibernating vs. Celebrating

I awake each morning, walk to my car via the shelter of my attached garage, put on some sunglasses, drive 4 minutes to work, then briskly walk across the parking lot to get to my job where I am indoors the entire time.  I reverse the process to get home, then proceed to engage in an indoor training session of some sort.  I look out the window from time to time, but usually don't like what I see (grey, cold, barren, dark, etc.)

As I reflected on this and enjoyed some of the 2010 Winter Olympics, I realized that I have been essentially 'hibernating' this winter.  Sure I have been training and keeping in excellent shape, but I really have been hiding from this season, rather than 'celebrating' it. 

To celebrate, I would need to participate in some outdoor activities... perhaps cross country or downhill skiing,  sledding, jogging/hiking, mountain biking on snow packed trails, and (gasp) maybe even cycling on days when the roads were dry.

Nope, I really have opted to dial in a solid indoor training regime, and sleep through this season, eagerly anticipating nature's wake up call... spring cycling (which begins in early March accoring to my alarm clock).

I really don't think this approach would work for most people... I truly enjoy a good workout, and always challenge myself with my indoor routines.  On the other hand, I can't help but to think that maybe I should get out the snow pants next year, and embrace winter as a friend, not a foe.

Chad Bishop - 2010 Racing Schedule

I had a chance to plan out my tentative 2010 racing schedule.  I am sure that I won't be able to do all of them... I may even do a couple that aren't listed here, and maybe a 5k running event every once in awhile so I can keep in touch with my 'inner Duathlete'.   Laying this schedule out has started to bring things into focus with respect to training...  I will start keeping track of my weight a bit  and slowly ween myslelf off of the upper-body routines as the weather permits more outdoor milage.

2010 RACING SCHEDULE - CHAD BISHOP - HARPER'S CYCLING RACING TEAM

Feb. 28th Frostbuster 15 Roller Race   Kalona
Mar.6th Iowa Spring Classic #1-GRAV   Grinnel
Mar. 13th Iowa Spring Classic #2-GRAV   Iowa City
Mar.21st Scott Co. Park #1 RR   ParkView
Mar. 28th Kent Park RR   Tiffin
April 10th Hillsboro-Roubaix RR   Hillsboro, IL
April 11th Scott Co. Park #2 RR   ParkView
April 18th Eagle Point - CRIT   Dubuque
April 23rd Iowa City - TT   Iowa City
April 24th Iowa City - RR   Iowa City
April 25th Iowa City - CRIT   Iowa City
May 9th Iowa City – TT #1   Iowa City
May 16th QCBC 20k - TT   Barstow, IL
May 23rd Spring Into Spring - DUATHLON   Mt. Joy
May 29th Snake Alley - CRIT   Burlington
May 30th Melon City – CRIT   Muscatine
May 31st Quad Cities - CRIT   Rock Island, IL
June 5th - Ill. State Championship TT - Coleta, IL
June 6th Iowa City – TT #2   Iowa City
June 18th Rose Festival – CRIT   State Center
June 20th Rose Festival - RR   State Center
June 21-24 Tour of Dairyland – (6Races)   Wisconsin
June 25 Marion - CRIT   Marion
June 26 State Champs - CRIT   Cedar Rapids
June 27 Squaw Creek - RR   Marion
July 10 BBQ Blues - CRIT   Clear Lake
July 11 BBQ Blues - RR   Clear Lake
July 17th ABR Champs – RR (Mississippi Bluffs)   Rapid City, IL
July 18th ABR Champs – TT   Cordova, IL
July 25th Iowa City – TT #3  Iowa City
Aug 7th Iowa State Champs – RR   West Branch
Aug 8th Grinnel - CRIT   Grinnel
Aug. 15th Iowa State Champs - TT   Nichols - OR- Du State Duathlon -  Loud Thunder, IL
Aug. 21st Big Creek - RR   Des Moines
Aug. 22nd East Village – CRIT   Des Moines
Sept. 18th DICE - CROSS   Quad Cities
Sept. 19th Harvest Hammer Duathlon   Morisson, IL - OR- Iowa City CROSS   Iowa City
Oct. 10th DICE - CROSS   Quad Cities
Oct. 16th Iowa City - CROSS   Iowa City
Oct. 17th DICE - CROSS   Quad Cities
Nov. 7th DICE - CROSS   Quad Cities
Nov. 26-28 Jingle Cross Rock   Iowa City (Very Tentative... I usually am completely burnt out by this time)