When a fan lets you down.

...heartbroken, bewildered, downtrodden, frustrated... what the hell was going on?   I stepped onto my indoor bike rollers for one of my high aerobic tempo workouts, and couldn't get past the first 5 minutes.  Confused, I wondered if I had finally reached an overtrained state.  Maybe I had been riding high on a fitness peak that was now over... maybe I was catching a cold...  not sure, but this was troubling... I started to reconsider my race calendar and even wondered if maybe I should back off on my cycling a bit by re-prioritizing my life, as this sort of let down wasn't enjoyable...

I decided to try another workout with shorter intervals... crap, I couldn't hang with my previous speed benchmarks for this one either...  I went up stairs, leaving the pain cave behind... and did a 'last chance' workout on my poser upright stationary bike.  What a let down.

Alas, the next day, I decided to try again... I couldn't let it end like that... As I started the warm-up I just happened to notice that the fan door on my Krietler Roller Killer Headwind system was opened slightly more than where I usually have it (which means more 'wind' resistance)... Ha!  My fan door was open during the last workout... it wasn't me that sucked, it was my fan!  My confidence rebounded, but then I became a little embarrassed that I let myself mope around for 24 hours, having misdiagnosed the situation completely. 

- Roller Racing -
Well, nothing really noteworthy is happening within the indoor time trial scene as of yet.  I did go up to Cedar Rapids and entered another race that is part of the roller race series.  I need to compete in at least three races in order to qualify for the roller race championship series.  Not many people are really showing up to race against as far as Cat 1,2,3's go, but I still enjoy having some winter races to look forward to and find it rewarding to battle against Greg Harper's killer headwind/fly-wheel roller set-up.

Thanks to the diligent record keeping/results uploading of the Iowa Bike Racing Association and event organizers, I can enjoy being currently ranked number 1 in the nation as a Category 2 Individual Time Trialist.  I am the only one with results in 2011 but I can still have fun atop the USA Cycling leaderboard while it lasts.  In fact, all the Iowa racers who have competed in a roller race are 'leading the nation' right now. I hung on for 22nd out of 425 Category 2 racers in 2010... maybe I can get a few more points and crack the top 10 for 2011.  They award state/national championships with more points, so those interested in their national ranking would want to make sure to participate in those events.

Me and Vern Rotert (race organizer) during the awards podium of the Cedar Rapids roller Time Trial, that took place at  Hall's Bike Museum.

Velosport Iowa Racing is having a roller race Sunday, February 6th at the Trek store in Davenport that will be noteworthy.  There should be several guys from the American Equity Race Team in attendance, as well as plenty of club members.  Lou Waugaman is poised to do something 'special' on the rollers.   Should be a good time socializing, racing/training prior to the Super Bowl later that day.