Life without bike racing....

... isn't so bad.  I wondered how I would fill my time if I wasn't involved in competitive athletics, and now I am happy to report that I have found plenty of new ways to occupy my time.

Sometimes I think about guys I used to race with that seem to just 'disappear'.  At some point, people decide not to race their bikes, and they move on to something else, it really isn't a sad turn of events, just a natural developmental progression.

I guess the 'story' of this blog will be whether or not I race again (or at least 'when' I start back up).   I am making sure not to close off any racing avenues... for example, I am trying to keep my VO2 Max within striking distance (of course my power to weight ratio is f'd up because of my upper body strength training focus), and I haven't formally 'quit'.

So, if I opt to renew my USAC license and sign up for a race, I will pick things up on this blog where I left off.  Essentially, this blog is a way for me to document my experiences while supporting Midwest cycling, so I will be happy to continue if I am still involved.   But I won't prolong my misery by posting every passing notion I have.   I will either be "in" or "out", and right now I am "in between".  A 'leave of absence' seems to be happening right now... which correctly implies that I will get back to the sport once I fulfill my current aspirations. 

In the meantime, my obsessions include reading psychology text books and writing papers (en route to a grad degree), red wine, group wellness, and strength training.  I am a pretty good dad, but there is some room for improvement, so I may dig up some ways to get more into 'parenting'.

I guess I am still recovering from the way last season shook out for me.  Being on a team isn't easy for someone like me.  I put everything into it, which makes me vulnerable to burn-out and being disappointed. 

I can't wait to read my next headline... your guess is as good as mine what it will read...  in the meantime, competitive cycling is an awesome way to appreciate a healthy lifestyle, so please continue to involve yourself and thanks for your past support.

Chad Bishop

The weight of the situation...

The cycling world is in a bit of turmoil these days... there is even suggestion from "the only U.S. pro to win the Tour De France" Greg LeMond that everyone give up racing for a year by not buying a USA Cycling License. He is hoping this will help clean up the sport by "starting from scratch"... causing the UCI and USA Cycling to go out of business.  Greg has accused them of being corrupt.  Pretty extreme, however some of the folks in Iowa are actually contemplating whether or not this is a viable option.  I could use a year off, so this would suit me just fine.

I was on the ropes, regarding my energy to race prior to this drama, so my cycling world is also in a bit of turmoil.  The weight of the situation was revealed as I reluctantly stepped on the scale.  I looked down and saw that it read 174.  Hmm, not so bad... then it sunk in, I haven't weighed that much in about 4 years... a good 14 pounds over my race weight... Ok, I have been lifting weights regularly while limiting my cardio to about 3 times per week.  Maybe this extra weight is muscle, as my pants seem to fit about the same.

Anyway, recently the first talks of the 2013 season have begun for the American Equity Racing team.  That is what inspired me to weigh myself.  Of note, a couple of the guys that apparently quit midway through the season have officially declared that they won't be joining us next year.  I kind of wish they would have announced their change of heart during the actual season, however, as I kept letting myself feel 'let down' when they wouldn't show up to races and/or respond to our communications. This was my issue, not theirs, however, so no ill feelings... life happens, and cycling is only one small part of the big picture.

That will mean a solid foundation of AE/Velosport Elite racers, and maybe room for a couple of new recruits. Basically, this is great news, especially the fact that there will indeed be an American Equity Racing team... which was in jeopardy due to a significant loss to our team. Interested in being considered for a sponsorship?  Now would be the time to inquire with the team leadership. I am not sure exactly who is returning, but my guess would be:  Jeff Bradley, Lou Waugaman, Paul Deninger, Chad Bishop, Matt Zimmer, Lucas Guyton, Joshua Wandrey.

Currently,  I have set an odd goal (well it is odd to me) to bench press 300 pounds  (My current 1 rep max is 246lbs).  My dad suggested that I would be able to do this, because he did it at one point in his lifting days.  I want to find out before age becomes too limiting of a factor. Plus, I kind of like the idea of looking like an athlete for awhile.  I have started to get comments.  People are confusing me with a fitness professional...  this is great (and someday hopefully true), though I know it means trouble when I start battling gravity out on the open road. I will be a complete turd, if I try to race at 174 pounds, at least up hills.

What to do?  Probably resort to what I always do... delusion.   Perhaps I can bulk up to a solid 180 pound powerhouse, then strip the 'fat' next spring, and race at 165?  Hmm.  Well that is what I need to tell myself, otherwise I won't have motivation to lift weights and be forced to start training for the 2013 cycling season... It is weigh too early for that... Actually not, but I am still pouting about how anti-climactic my 2012 racing season went, so let me live in denial for a few more weeks...

The Lance Effect - Is this the end, or a new start?

I seriously got into cycling in 2005.   I was definitely one of the people who were inspired by the attention that Lance Armstrong brought to the sport.  My reasons for competing were personal, but I have to credit 'The Lance Effect' for helping solidify my ambitions by providing a reinforcing culture.  Being apart of something that was beyond my own selfish aspirations helped justify all the long miles and intense training.  I felt like I had joined a new culture... a brand new world of positive choices and group harmony.

How ironic is it that I am seriously contemplating a long-term break from competitive cycling, as the world seems to be turning against one of my heros.  Just as with my beginnings, I am not thinking about quitting solely because of Lance's demise, but I am definitely not inspired by this hostile climate of hatred.  The cycling lifestyle no longer seems quite as rosy.  What I thought was a world of empathy and understanding, of competitive fellowship and healthy lifestyle choices seems more like one of jealousy and judgement.

I suppose what stings, is the hatred that my fellow racing acquaintances are spewing.   I really want to feel like I belong to something... but not sure I can fit in, when my perspective is in such stark contrast with the people I ride with.

Maybe my loyalty to Lance is partially my dad's fault.    He wore a Livestrong bracelet. He found hope and support within the Livestrong foundation.  I can't seem to shake that image.

I liked the idea of the U.S. winning the Tour De France 7 times in a row.  I liked the fact that George Hincapie won a stage in 2005 (turns out he was doping... oops).  America prides itself on success... it is one of our values... Lance (and Floyd Landis for that matter) represented the U.S.  When they won, we cheered and felt proud.  Maybe that is why there is now hatred... a defense mechanism,  what other response can we have? 

Well, how about feeling SAD?  I suppose a man, however, would sooner raise his fist, then shed a tear.  And yet, thinking about the stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, deppression,  acceptance), I can suggest that we have been in denial for so long, that anger has finally progressed.   Perhaps, then, I am just further along on my journey, as I am saddened by the state of affairs... hopefully acceptance is just around the corner.

But you simply can't take back all that has been given. So, feeling sad isn't really necessary, for me personally...  rather, I feel inspired by the past and motivated by the potential of my future... with or without cycling.

Most likely I will start training again this winter... but for now, allow me a period of mourning... a pity-party, as I feel sort of alone within the sport right now.  The American Equity team seemed to disband in July, so that adds a bit to my isolation... it was nice to be able to share the lifestyle with a group of guys that 'got it'...  I got used to deriving energy from the team's enthusiasm and reinforcement... which made it disappointing as we slowly started engaging in our individual pursuits.  Perhaps once I get a chance to re-affiliate I will find some inspiration.

If and when I start training again, I will resume posting... until then, enjoy the cycling lifestyle, and please don't discredit all of the great people who have helped make it what it is.

2012 State Gravel Championships

I enjoyed a rewarding experience as I defended my title at the 2012 State Gravel Championships.  I have no particular skill set or appreciation for gravel racing, but I really can't resist entering in races that are close to home and will feature smaller (personal) battles.  I thoroughly enjoy races that test my personal capabilities and use them to motivate and/or guide my workouts, while extending my enjoyment of maintaining my fitness.

This race was 4 laps around a 7 mile circuit.  The Cat 1,2 and Cat 3 divisions were supposed to be 5 laps, however, me and teammate Paul Deninger were the only two entries.  So, congrats, another Gold Medal for me, as Paul was claiming that he had been eating too much cheese lately and was just going to try and hang on to my wheel.  I can never tell if he is serious or not, but in this case he wasn't kidding.  The real task, then was to help teammate Jason Rettler win the Cat 4 division, while also trying to be the first one to cross the line, as every category was racing together.

Early in the race with Paul Deninger using his 'cheese weight' to help propel the group down the hill.



I was feeling great, and pedalled to the front at the get go.  What seemed like soft pedalling ended up launching me off the front.  I didn't want to ride across bumpy/sketchy gravel alone the entire event so I tried to slow down... not happening.  I couldn't seem to ride at a pace that would keep everyone together.  I got frustrated quickly and decided just to pedal at an engaging tempo and see what happened.  

After the first lap, I turned around to see that there were really just about 6 people still with me.   Paul and Jason were amongst the group, so it was looking good.  An unfortunate soul from Mercy Specialized made the selection.  His name was Ben, and he was a Cat 4, so Jason still had some competition.

Paul, Jason, Ben, and myself, after the field dwindled down about half way through the event.

Paul suggested to slow down and ride tempo so we could 'practice team tactics'.  I tried to slow down, but I was having trouble finding the motivation, so I eventually just kept pedalling at the cadence I felt I could maintain the entire race.  There were quite a few rollers and a strong wind which added a bit to the intensity.  A section of the course had 'fresh gravel' which meant we were getting tossed around as we traversed it.

Paul eventually fell off the pace and it was down to me, Jason, and Ben.  Jason understood his goal was to stay on my wheel, as I felt quite sure that Ben was going to fall off the pace, which would present Jason as the Cat 4 Gold medal winner.  That plan worked perfectly, as Ben fell off the back with about 10 miles still left in the race.

I was sort of getting anxious with Jason on my wheel, and suggested that I was going to up the tempo toward the last half of the lap, so I didn't have to think about him being behind me anymore. 

After the race, he mentioned that his heart rate went up to 195 bpm at times.  Paul thought his heart rate monitor might be malfunctioning as well, as it was up in the 180's. He also re-iterated the amount of cheese he has been eating lately.    I guess I was feeling good.



"Thumbs Up"... as I concluded the 2012 Iowa State Gravel Champs and enjoyed another great day in the saddle.

Well, that was a nice way to cap off the 2012 racing season.  I am not planning on racing cyclo-cross as I want to focus on my psychology degree this fall/winter.   I am also working on trying to achieve 'full-body' physical fitness, so don't be surprised if I start to look a bit 'bulky'... it will hopefully be from body-building, not from cheese eating.  Thanks for reading... I hope that my efforts to document the Midwest Bike Racing scene are inspirational and/or informational.

AE State Team Trial Squad - Update

IOWA STATE TEAM TRIAL - Looks like we are NOT going to field a squad and attempt to take home the gold medal. We have three riders, but can't talk anybody into being the 4th... I am sure other teams are having trouble fielding squads as well...   the thought of rotating through with TJ Tollakson (pro-triathlete) and Paul Deninger (multiple time State TT champ) did inspire a couple of super-intense workouts this week, so it wasn't all that bad for me to think this was going to happen, and then have it not pan out... Dang, I really do want to enter a team time trial someday... maybe next year...

2012 Iowa State Championships Road Race



The 2012 Cat 1,2 Road Race during the early stages.

The 2012 Iowa State Cat 1,2 Road Race was held in Riverside, Iowa this year.  The race involved racing  97 miles using 32 mile loops.  The event had a great feel this year, as Riverside was very accommodating and happy to have us.  I had a great feel as well, having gotten in some good training  mileage over the last few weeks.  Having the State Time Trial the week before this event does put me in pretty good form, as I have plenty of motivation to stay in shape.



Staging just before the start.  The race combined the Cat 1,2 with the Cat 3's, for a field of just over 40.



Paul Deninger ended up being the only other member from my team to enter the event, but we still created a 'plan of attack' as we were both feeling capable of achieving a successful result.   With only two guys, you don't have a lot of cards to play, but it seemed like we could get into a break if we traded turns covering attacks.  The other teams represented included Bikes2You, Iowa City, Zealous, Thrive, and Rasmussen's... not to mention quite a few out of state riders.

Me and Paul led the neutral start through Riverside... aka, the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk.

 Everyone kept their cool for a few miles, but then the attacks began.  Eventually Brian Eppen (ICCC) and Andrew Ulvestad (Rhythm Racing-Chicago) formed a two-man break.  This move dangled out in front all throughout the first lap as riders took turns trying to bridge up. The field wasn't working together to bring this back, so it wasn't until almost half way through the second lap until it was caught.

Mike Sencenbaugh(Thrive Racing) was a guy I had marked prior to the event, as he has been winning all sorts of events this year.  He was very aggressive trying to make it up the road. 

The first time through the 'feed zone' ended up being the 'attack zone' as I was red-lined all throughout the town
of Riverside trying to get back up after the field split.  The race never got that intense again.

I was still feeling great, and anticipating Iowa City's counter-attack.  Sure enough, Jeff Barnes countered and I stuck onto his wheel.  We both dug deep to establish a nice gap.  A rider from Bikes2You initially tried to join us, so the break was looking good.  Unfortunately, he only rotated through once and then disappeared.  This wasn't our intention, but we were going 'all-in' at this point, so it was a struggle to hang on. 

It ended up being another two-man break with about 47 miles to go in the race.  I really liked the idea of being in a break with Jeff, because he had just won the State Time Trial, and we have similar riding styles.  However, we really did need another guy or two from the other teams, as there was still a lot of motivation back in the field.

We kept on fighting, as the ref was giving us time splits.  It went back and forth from well over a minute to as little at 25 seconds.  Yet they didn't pull us in as the miles elapsed. I started to entertain notions of being the 2012 Iowa State Road Race champ.  However, it really didn't seem likely that the field wouldn't pull us in.  Our only hope was that someone would bridge up, or they would eventually lose interest in the chase.

So, after being in the break for over 40 miles, they finally caught us.  I was expecting to get spit out the back as the field paraded by my peripheral vision.  But, much to my surprise, I was still feeling pretty good.  I didn't have anymore snap in my legs, but if the field was reserved, I felt that I could take a stab at a good finish.  There was only about 7 miles left to race, so I tucked in near the back of the much reduced field of about 18 remaining riders.  Apparently, the efforts to reel us in had exhausted some of the other competitors.  I heard reports that Mike Sencenbaugh and Andrew Buntz (Bikes2You) were especially determined, as evidenced by their decision to cut the race short.  Andrew's efforts set the stage, however, for a great result for his team.

There was one point when I almost got dropped, but the field was definitely timid at this point.  It was obvious that we were going to sprint it out, and I believe some guys were experiencing a bit of cramping and/or hunger knock.

The finish was a very long straight-away just on the city limits of Riverside.  We could see it about a mile out.  They opened the road for us at the 1k mark, which was great.  I dodged around trying not to get pinned in. When the dust settled I came across the line as the 10th cat 1,2.  I was satisfied, as my initial goal was to get into the top 10.  I haven't got a lot of envelopes this year, so it was just nice to have gotten one, regardless of the amount of cash inside.  Paul finished just ahead of me in the 8th spot.


Lee Venteicher (far left) of Bikes2You/WorldOfBikes went on to win the State Title.


After the race, there was a great party/results ceremony with pizza and beer.  The mayor of Riverside even got involved in the festivitites, as they seemed excited to have us back again next year. 

Results - Cat 1,2 - Iowa State Road Race Championships - August 11th, 2012

1 Lee Venteicher Waukon, IA - Bikes To You / World of Bikes

2 Steven Robinson (1 - Cat2) - Des Moines, IA  Zealous Racing

3 David Carpenter (2 - Cat2) - Norwalk, IA Rasmussen Bike Shop
4 Jay Thomas (3 - Cat2) - Lincoln, NE Midwest Cycling Community NE
5 Andrew Ulvestad (4 - Cat2) Chicago, IL Rhythm Racing

6 Matias Perret (5 - Cat2) Iowa City, IA -Iowa City Cycling Club

7 Garrett McAllister (6 - Cat2)  Bend, OR - Canyon Bicycles-Draper
8 Paul Deninger Iowa City, IA Velosport Iowa /American Equity
9 Jerome Rewerts (7 - Cat2) -Nevada, IA- Zealous Racing

10 Chad Bishop (8 - Cat2) Muscatine, IA - American Equity Racing Team

11 Austin Turner (9 - Cat2) Iowa City, IA - Bikes To You / World of Bikes

12 Jeff Barnes Iowa City, IA - Iowa City Cycling Club

13 Adam Price (10 - Cat2) Iowa City, IA -Iowa City Cycling Club
14 William Greenwood (11 - Cat2) Davenport, IA -Bikes To You / World of Bikes
15 Joe Hetrick (12 - Cat2) Iowa City, IA -Mercy-Specialized

16 David Lippold (13 - Cat2) West Des Moines, IA -Thrive Cycling Team

17 Finn Kolsrud (14 - Cat2) Iowa City, IA - Thrive Cycling Team
DNP David Paquette (Cat2) Decorah, IA -KS Energy Services / Team Wisconsin

DNF Derek Cassaday (Cat2) Des Moines, IA 220786 25 Bikes To You / World of Bikes

DNF Michael Sencenbaugh Carroll, IA -Thrive Cycling Team

DNF Ryan Nenninger Iowa City, IA - Iowa City Cycling Club

DNF Andrew Buntz Iowa City, IA -Bikes To You / World of Bikes

DNF Brian Eppen Iowa City, IA - Iowa City Cycling Club

DNF Ryan French (Cat2) Des Moines, IA - Zealous Racing

State Championships - Time Trial Gold

State Time Trial

I was happy to get another Gold Medal to add to my 2012 Iowa State Championship collection, as I won the Category 2 division.  Unfortunately, I didn't pull of any sort of special result, as I had an outside chance of winning the event overall and getting the coveted championship jersey. The cat 1's edged me out again, with Jeff Barnes winning overall with teammate Paul Deninger not far behind. RESULTS

The conditions weren't favorable for what I think I need to pull of a PR. I prefer a headwind out and tailwind back.  Instead it was kind of like screaming down a roller coaster on the way out, only to turn around and have to grind up the climb on the way back.  This course is basically flat, so the wind was providing the 'climbing/decending'.  I was also hoping for it to be on the warm side, as that seems to slow the others down a bit... rather it was an absolutely perfect day, oh well.

A bit of a different situation at the start of a 40k TT, then at the finish.

I have been watching the Olympics, and appreciated how participating in this time trial put me in a similar circumstance as the Olympians.  I could relate to the pressures of hoping to perform, and the desire to have all of your training pay-off with some sort of accomplishment.  I can say that I set myself up to win regardless of the result, as I am really in this bike racing thing for the ultimate pay-off... a healthy, active, wellness-based lifestyle.  I am planning on trying again next year...  though I will admit that training for time trials is almost more fun then entering them.

State Road Race

I have been maintaining my form in hopes of being competitive at this years 97 mile State Road Race in Riverside Iowa.  The new course is challenging, and the distance will create for a grueling endeavor.  I smell blood, though, and am going in for the kill.  July was an ass-kicker, and I am not sure how many Cat 1,2 cyclists made it through without burning out.  Check back to see how it panned out.

State Team Time Trial
Speaking of burn-out, it is not looking good for my ambitions to enter the 2012 State Team Time Trial, as I don't think I will be able to convince anyone else besides Paul Deninger to enter.  Putting together a composite team wouldn't make sense, as you only get awarded the designation of State Champions if all four members are from the same squad.  The concept of a team trial seems intriguing... this would be an event where we would literally be relying on each other as a team.  I started to think about how we would organize the intervals and rotations, etc... probably need to stop thinking about it, and just call it a road season after the RR... dang.

August Racing... the drought is over.

Some of my favorite races of the year are approaching, as I successfully suffered through the RAGBRAI induced racing drought in Iowa... can't blame race directors for not wanting to have races that conflict, but I get the feeling that a lot of 'racer types' tend to burn-out about this time of the year, and not having local racing options might be a contributing factor.  Of course,the blazing hot temps may have been discouraging as well. 

So onward, as I look forward to the Iowa State Time Trial, Road Race, and Team Time Trial. 

Unfortunately, the East Village Critierium is the day before the State Time Trial, so probably will opt out of that one... too bad, because the East Village Crit is a great event, and would be much more fun than riding my bike in a straight line for 40k.  I really wish they were on seperage weekends, or that the TT was on Saturday.  Oh well, I can watch the Olympics, and spend some quality time with my son on Saturday.



Matias Perret has already won the Criterium jersey, but there are three more left to be awarded.



I am sort of interested to see if I can get my hands on one of the new State Championship jerseys.  Only one awarded in each discipline (crit/road/tt/cross) to the top Iowa Cat 1,2.  Teammate Paul Deninger and legendary powerhouse Jeff Barnes probably would have to be considered the 'favorites' for the time trial.  I came in third to them in 2011, after winning the event in 2010.  Your guess is as good as mine, as to what kind of ride I will have, I just hope American Equity can bring home the jersey and that I can get another gold medal in the Category 2 division.

After that is the 97 mile State Road Race.  I previewed the new route and was surprised by the challenging profile of the first half of the 32 mile loop.  It seemed like a never ending rolling climb.  Just as you crest one hill, another one looms off into the distance.  Should be 'epic'.   I feel pretty strong, having made some adjustments based on the situation at the Quad Cities Road Race.  Not sure who is going to show up from my team other than Paul, but I am prepared to leave it all out on the course. I will shoot for a top ten result (in the money).  If we have 3 or more guys, then my goal will be team-based, and aimed at getting one of us on the podium.  Again, the State RR jersey would be a nice acquisition for the American Equity Team.  I will have to wait to see who shows up before I decide on my ambitions...  Of course, just simply finishing a 97 mile race against Cat 1,2's is not something I should take for granted.  I will have to race smart if I hope to still be with the group until the end.

I have been wanting to race a Team Time Trial ever since I got into racing against the clock 5 years ago.  It has never panned out, as I can never seem to find 3 other guys to race with.   Last year was my best shot, as I was on a team that had plenty of guys with TT bikes, however the race was cancelled.

So, this could be the year, but only time will tell if the AE squad is able to put together a team.  I will be ready to go.  I have never ridden my TT bike over 30 miles, so this will be a new experience for me, if it pans out... one that I will definitely look forward to.  If American Equity fields a squad I will be very surprised if we don't win... (a little smack talk, deal with it).

Quad Cities Road Race Review

Our team's first attempt at putting on a road race was a success, as the event went off smoothly and received plenty of compliments.  The turnout could have been better, but it was still exciting to actually see this project come to life with around 85 cyclists participating.  There is nothing like putting on a race to help really appreciate the process.

The Cat 1,2,3 event ended up with 15 participants. We were slated to do 81 miles over the 9 mile circuit.  The American Equity Squad included myself, Luke Guyton, and Matt Zimmer.  Matt and Luke are from the Quad cities so I have ridden with them quite a bit.  I had a good feel for what our game plan should be and was optimistic about our chances for success.

Right from the gun, Iowa Cup champ, Matias Perret (Mercy-Specialized) jumped the group and was soon joined by a guy from Luxemberg named Derrick. The rumor was that Derrick was the guy to mark, so this move had some potential. 

The AE plan was essentially to try and keep Luke out of the wind, and hopefully Matt as well, depending on the break-away potentials.  Matt is riding exceptionally well, and has been racing and training himself to a new level.

I took on the role of policing the breakaways, and doing the 'work' for the team to keep things in check.   I was getting help from some of the other teams, but wasn't too excited about how crappy I felt, as the break seemed to be holding a steady gap, and distancing itself whenever I went to the back of the field. It was hot, but I mainly felt bogged down from a bloating feeling.  I am experimenting with some new nutritional strategies that definitely need adjusted.

After letting the two-man break away dangle off the front for over a lap, I started to get concerned.   So, after about 15 miles I attacked the field, hoping to join those two and call it a race.  Of course, it was too early for the rest of the guys to have things decided, so my attack inspired a spirited chase that quickly snatched up Matias and Derrick.

Once things were all back together, the pace slowed down a bit.  For the most part, I was able to represent our three man team accordingly, keeping our general game plan intact.  Later in the race, Nate Kullborn ended up dangling off the front for quite some time.  I rotated through with some of the other participants, as he was reeled in very slowly.  I am sure he was hoping that someone would join him, but the heat was starting to wear on the field, not to mention the course's rolling section that was beginning to dampen the spirits of anyone aspiring to bridge up.

The race ref talked us into reducing the race to 7 laps.  Well, this sort of changed the tactics a bit, and the intensity ramped up now that we were well over the half way mark.  At some point, the European guy jumped the field and no one was able to respond.  He always seemed to be in sight, but just out of reach.  I did what I could to help reel him in and asked Matt to try and stay out of the chase.  I really felt that Matt and Luke would have a strong finish if they could save as much energy as possible. 

Unfortunately, we couldn't seem to gain any ground on Derrick. More unfortunately for me, I was having a terrible time with cramping...  It had been going on for quite some time, and getting a bit ridiculous.  My right hand was locking up and both calves were completely spasming whenever the wattage picked up.  I was able to represent the team in the chase until the latter part of the final lap, so the situation was still favorable, even though I had to drop out with about 3 miles to go.  I suppose you could say that "my work was done", but I was still frustrated that my body was letting me down.  A few tweaks and I will be good to go for the next event, however, so no worries.

The field never quite caught Derrick, but Matt and Luke sprinted to 2nd and 3rd.  That means we got two guys on the podium and won the Scott County Shoot-Out Team Competition.  Definately a successful day for American Equity Racing.  Even more of a success for our club, as the event was well-received by all that participated.  The neutral water hand-ups, follow vehicles,  and free Rudy's Tacos were just a few of the noteworthy perks for those that entered.  It feels good to have helped provide this racing opportunity to USAC members.  Paul Deninger took one for the team by volunteering to direct the event, with the help of many members of our team and their friends/family.

Thanks to all that helped to make this event a success.

Quad Cities Road Race Results

Cat 1,2,3

1 Derrick Taber LG Bertrange Luxembourg
2 Matthew Zimmer Velosport Iowa/American Equity DeWitt, Ia
3 Lucas Guyton Velosport Iowa/American Equity Davenport, IA
4 Steven Robinson IA Zealous Racing Des Moines, IA
5 Jesse Leonard DICE Bettendorf, IA
6 Nate Kullbom Atlas Iowa City, Ia
7 Joe Petersen Scheels Grey Dog Norwalk, IA
8 Matias Perret Iowa City Cycling Club Iowa City, IA
9 Bendan Kealey Iowa City Cycling Club Illinois City, IL
10 Eric Seratoni St. Paul Bicycle Racing Club Muscatine, IA
11 Ryan French Zealous Racing Des Moines, IA
12 Jeremiah Gantzer Dice Bettendorf, IA
13 Chad Bishop Velosport Iowa/American Equity Muscatine, IA
14 Scott Robinson IA Zealous Racing Des Moines, IA
15 Gavin Huseboe Central Iowa Cycling Club Marshalltown, IA

TEAM Classification (Shoot-Out)
1st: American Equity Racing Team
2nd: LG Bertrange

Black Diamond Time Trial

I had a rewarding experience at the  third and final edition of the Black Diamond Time Trial, near Iowa City on Sunday.  My results haven't been particularlly noteworthy in events that require the cooperation of the other competitors, so I decided to get back to some familiar ground, by racing against one of the most cooperative people I know... my self.

I was able to have a very solid ride that met my expectations.  I looked up my past performances on this course as well as those of some of the guys I usually race with or against.  I didn't get my course record of 42:59 on the 20 mile route, but did win the event with a 43:29, which is much improved from my results in 2011.  That is also the high mark for the series with team mate Paul Deninger's 43:33 back in May serving as the 2nd fastest time this year.  He is in great shape and a very accomplished Time Trialists, so I use his times to evaluate my own performances.

Hopefully I can use this result to motivate me throughout subsequent workouts and races.  I feel that I am headed in the right direction to finish off the season with a nice result or two. 

I absolutely love group training rides, however I don't always get a chance to participate. Some of the rides in Muscatine don't end up simulating race scenarios due to the small size of our group, so I have to do traveling if I want to gaurantee a high-quality training experience. I would be very interested in participating in weekly criterium training races, but they don't exist in my world, so I try and take advantage of what opportunities I have.  My interest in time trialing is almost inadvertant... it is just the way things work out.

This sort of sums up my racing situation and motivations.

In the meantime, don't forget about the Quad Cities Road Race... this is a first-year event and we need all the support we can get.

2012 Quad Cities Road Race

I am still rolling along... even starting to get into a training grove.  I have my sights set on a couple of races yet this season, including the Iowa State Road Race, Time Trials, and our American Equity Road Race.

Our team was saddened by the loss of our title sponsor and friend Wendy Waugaman.  I am glad to have known her.   One of the ways that we will keep her spirit alive, not to mention all those who value the cycling lifestyle is through American Equity's first Road Race event. 

Things are shaping up for a phenomenal experience for those who participate.  PRE-REGISTER if you would like to save some hastle on race day.  I know this will make the race director a little less nervous and save you a couple of bucks.

Saturday, July 14th, 2012

The course features an inspiring 9 mile loop that travels through the scenic Iowa country side just Northeast of Bettendorf, Ia.  You can look forward to competitive fields and a well-organized event.

The Scott County"Shoot-Out" Competition will give you a chance to showcase your Cat 1,2,3 team's dominance.  Bring your teammates and try to take home the Team Classification prize in addition to the standard pay-out.

- Link to Website -

Rose Festival Road Race

Well, it wasn't 'pretty' but we actually had a pretty good race... Paul Deninger and Josh Wandrey flew the American Equity flag in the 60 mile cat 1,2 event on Sunday with me.  Our 'plans' fell apart a bit after Josh got caught up at the tail end of a mishap as we were barrelling down a straight-away single file, but I wish him a speedy recovery, and hope he can enjoy the experience as part of the racing experience, by getting back at it, as soon as it makes sense.  He ended up getting 12 stitches on his knuckles and plenty of road rash.  We were cruising along pretty quickly.   I nearly avoided the situation, launching into the ditch, but unfortunately had to witness the impact. 

After that situation, we began to execute 'plan b', me and Paul were in control at times, attacking/counter-attacking and strategically picking places to try and lose the 'favorites' (Mattias Perret, Mike Scencenbough, Will Rekemeyer, etc).   During the last of three laps, me and Paul traded a volley of counter-attacks and I found myself dangling off the front.  The attacks had been dragging up groups of three of four, until everyone finally lost interest/energy.  Well, I gave it a shot, and extended my gap to about 30 seconds over the course of about 6 miles.  Unfortunately, I didn't fully commit, becuase I felt that if I got caught, I would be discharged from the group, having exhausted myself in the effort.  With only Paul in the field to defend my move, it seemed likely that the pack of about 12 remaining riders would eventually reel me in.  In retrospect, however, I got discharched anyway, so I should have dug a bit deeper.  Riding solo tempo is an aspect of bike racing that I am completely comfortable with.  Of course, I was hoping that two or three guys would join the effort so that it could be more favorable, but it was a good experience to be off the front, providing me with a satisfying feelling.


 In the end, the results weren't there, as we just missed out on winning one of the 6 paying spots...  but dang it all, we definately raced it.  Josh would have rounded out our tactics perfectly, so it was great to have him on board, this time, and for future outings.

Hilly Hot Hell - Tour of Galena

I survived the grueling 4-stage Tour of Galena Omnium.  Each stage introduced me to a new form of torture, but I truly had a rewarding experience.  I finished 13th in the Pro/1/2 omnium.   Twenty-two out of the original 28 guys ended up starting all 4 events to contest for the money. The crit and road race had 35 starters, so lots of competition within each stage.  The guys that showed up for this event knew what was coming, and seemed to be prepared.  Having said that, there were plenty of "DNF's" as the heat, hills, and intensity were very challenging.

OMNIUM RESULTS

I will post some reports with photos once I get a chance...

Sherril RR

I participated in the HHS Debate team road race in Sherrill Iowa on Sunday.  The course was the same as the previous Iowa State Road Race course that I did many years ago as a Cat 4.  I remembered it being a challenging course, so I couldn't resist participating.

I was hoping for a small but talented field for the Cat 1,2,3 event, and I wasn't disappointed.  There were only 12 of us racing, but the purse was a generous $400.  I actually enjoy racing against the 'same Iowa guys'.  I hear people grumble about this occasionally, but I like the smaller, more personal battles that occur when you know some of your enemies strengths and weaknesses.  (of course, I use the term enemy lightly, as I consider myself friends with all the guys I race with).

We were racing 70 miles (7 laps) through the bluffs of Dubuque.  The race had a very relaxed start, just the way I like it.  Unfortunately, it didn't pick up much, as the guys in the field were all trying to 'race smart'.  Matias Perret was in the field.  This guy is totally dominating the Iowa Cup and having a great year.  It wouldn't have made sense not to mark him.  However, marking him meant that we were going to race at whatever pace he chose.  And, as a marked rider, he probably didn't feel to confident that he would be able to do too much along the lines of dropping guys and then still having the strength to win in the end.  It was similar to having the yellow jersey in the peloton.  If you were contending for the general classification, then you would be keeping your eye on the jersey the whole race.  To put it another way, it was VERY likely that Matias was going to be present in whatever group was battling at the finish line, so as long as he was present, I knew I was in the right place.

There were several hills that presented opportunities for guys to take a few digs at the field.  William Rekemeyer seemed specifically comfortable pedalling his slight climber's build up the punchy climbs.  I  asked William where he saw himself in 5 years, and he replied "hopefully racing in Europe".   Well, as a junior achieving the kind of success he has, this could very well be a possibility.  Regardless, it is great to race with a guy that has such ambitious goals. 

The field of  12 only got whittled down to 8 riders.  We really did keep things throttled down most of the race.  Not much in the way of attacks.  Paul Deninger was racing with me, so it seemed likely that we could get one of the 4 paying spots.  Maybe we got a bit greedy, as we were possibly entertaining the notion of both of us getting in the money.  In retrospect, we should have tried to 'divide and conquer' as Matias did indeed win the event.  Perhaps if we would have attacked him, then countered repeatedly.  Perhaps not, though, as his teammate, Jeff Barnes most likely would have neutralized our efforts.

Second place went to Brian West and William got third just barely beating Paul to the line.  So, we only got $40 out of the $400 purse.  This would be disappointing, however Brian and Mattias were podium finishers at the 2011 Iowa State Road Race... so you really can't be too disappointed/surprised if you can't quite beat them to the line.  The Hempstead High School Debate Team that put on this event did a great job, and even had custom t-shirts made for the event.   Hopefully they actually did raise some funds for their team, and will put this on again next year, as it was a rewarding experience, and helped sharpen my legs for future races.

Off to the Tour of Galena... I entered the 4-event Pro/1/2 omnium.  Should be quite the experience. 

Melon Snake Critters

Well, nothing too noteworthy happened at the 2012 Snake Alley Criterium or Melon City Criterium Master's events that I entered.  I bit anti-climactic as I figured I could finally get an award envelope at one of these events.  Nope.

At Snake Alley, a guy in a blood-orange jersey with goofy socks jumped from the gun and screwed up my game plan.  We were strung out from the get-go.  I didn't attack, or get attacked, just dealt with the course and ended up in 9th place.  I can't tell if this is good, because the Memorial Day Weekend fields are full of regional riders I don't know.  Probably it is good, but needed 7th to get an envelope. Dang.

At Melon City I was astonished by how fast the race went by.  I think it only takes about 35 minutes.  It is almost literally 'over before you know it'.   I can't actually complain, because I could have entered the Pro/1/2 event if I was hell bent on racing for a bit longer.  That event is a bit over my head, however... over 140 guys entered that thing, with half of them dropping out.  A Cat 2 rider didn't even make the top 30...  I am pretty certain a Cat 2 race division has got to be in the works one of these years... especially at Snake Alley.... if that happens, I will race my Category, if it doesn't I will race master's and be glad to double up once I turn 40, as I think I needed a do-over in Muscatine.

So,  Zealous Racing had several guys and they took turns off of the front.  At some point, a small split occurred that had some promise and really put me on the edge for a few minutes, but it didn't work out to shed many riders.  I was mostly where I wanted to be during this race.  By the time I had a chance to think about making a move, the race was winding down.  It was going to come down to a field sprint.  I got swarmed going down the hill for the last lap.  As I unleashed a pretty nice sprint up the hill, all hell was breaking lose.  It felt like I was storming the beach during a world war, as guys were blowing up/crashing left and right (again, literally left and right of me).   I was ziz-zagging all over the place.  I successfully navigated my way through the carnage to the 12th spot.  Dang, no envelope on Sunday either. 

Disappointing that the race came down to positioning, but things could have easily worked out for me, had I been just a little further up going over the speed bump.  I guess I wasn't anticipating so much chaos up the hill.  "Better luck next year".

2012 Burlington Road Race

I entered the Pro 1,2 Burlington Road Race on Friday.  I enjoyed this race last year and was looking forward to racing on some of my local training routes, as the course makes is way from Burlington towards my hometown of Muscatine, Iowa.  I also like the 'pro' feel of the event.  The referees provide  a rolling enclosure, for example, not to mention the fact that many of the guys that participate in the Memorial Day Weekend of bike racing are licenced as Pros.  As an added touch, their was a ref standing through a sun-roof holding a red sign to lead us through the first neutral part of the course.   I have seen this on TV and appreciated being in a race that offered this level of organization.   There was so much energy, as well over 100 participants rolled out of downtown Burlington.  After about a mile of nervous anticipation, the ref flipped his sign around, revealing the green 'go' side, and we were off.

Boom, the pace skyrocketed from 20 to well over 30.  Just like in the pro events I watch on TV, someone was hitting it from the gun.  As a team we had Jeff Bradley, JJ Bailey, Paul Deninger, Lou Waugaman, Matt Zimmer, Luke Guyton, and myself.  We had determined not to cover anything until about 10 or 15 miles out, as well as deciding who would be our 'protected' riders.

It was tense at first, as I watched a huge pile-up form in front of me to the right.  Cool, I had plenty of time to respond as I grabbed my brakes... Wait, I am still moving pretty fast and this pile-up is swelling right in front of my path... I ended up having to disengage my pedal, but no harm done... oops, I had jarred my right pedal cleat... crap, that was going to bug me, as I feared it was going to fall off.  Turns out the crash did have a few casualties.  Brian Eppen (ICCC) was reported to have went out with a suspected broken collar bone.

Well, after that I was a little tentative, but got back in the action.  This race has a bit of a luck factor to it, you pick your break-away attempts and hope that the field lets it roll.  I rolled off the front early in the race... why not?   The group got a bit of a space cushion but this didn't turn out to be the 'lucky break'. 

Paul Deninger did find the 'lucky break', however, as a group of around 18 guys eventually rolled off the front.  So, we had a guy in the break, which took the pressure of of us to chase.  There were a couple of times when I was on the verge of getting guttered.  This was a stacked field, as I mentioned, so it wasn't too surprising that I would be stressed out from time to time trying to keep with the group.

I was happy to use my home court advantage as we neared the turn-off to Grandview.  I knew there was a corner and subsequent cross wind section, followed by a steep climb.  I launched up to the front, hitting the corner in the lead.  I had a gap with a few guys and we began to rotate.  I wasn't really trying to make a move, but it was looking like that could be the situation.

The field was in hot pursuit, however, strung out in a single file line, as the wind was allowing an opportunity to gutter the weak and/or the weary.  So, my plan was sort of working... I was in the front which gave me the cushion I needed, as guys began to pass me on the right, giving me brief respites from the wind.   By the time we got to the climb, however, the field was shattered from the effort.  Last year we cruised up this climb, but this year it served to further split up the group.  When the smoke cleared I was in a small chase group.  Not the best situation. 

We saw the lead group coming back from the turn-around in Grandview.  They had about 6 minutes on us.  Paul was still representing for the team.  Eventually, I clawed my way back up to the field.  It was reduced, but still a large group of over 60 guys.

I started to think about just making it home.  I got one of those 'feelings', however that the group was getting a bit soft as I casually made my way to the front and then just kept on rolling.  If I would have attacked, there would have been a response, but slipping off the front went without much notice.

Several guys eventually started rotating with me.  I couldn't tell if we were just pulling the field or creating a break.  Turns out we were creating a break!  Sweet, I was in a chase group between the field and the break-away.  This race paid back 25 spots, so we still had plenty of motivation to make this break stick.  If nothing else, it was much more interesting then sitting in the pack.

Some of the noteworthy guys in the group were from Mellow Johnny's, United Healthcare, ISCORP,  and Iowa's top ranked cyclist, Mathias Perret (Mercy-Specialized).  This kind of riding suits me.  Unfortunately, it suits me a little bit too well, as I was doing a disproportional amount of the work. I wanted the break to work, and was feeling good, so I kept rotating through, though it was frustrating to be giving some of the other guys who weren't pulling as much 'free rides'.  I don't think they had a choice, however, as we were in a 95 mile race, and we were all getting tired, hungry, and starting to cramp a bit.

Regardless, this was a great place to be.  I was representing the team in the second group on the road.  Towards the last few miles of the race we let off the pace.   It was obvious we weren't going to catch the leaders, nor be caught by the field.  Oops, there was a third chase group that had been focused on catching us.  Had I known this, I would have given it all I had, because once they caught us, our group swelled to about 15 guys.  Crap, I had secured money spot within my original group of 8 riders, but now was going to have to battle it out on the finishing straight.

Luckily, Matt Zimmer was one of the guys who caught us, so our team effort was improved.  I messed up the finish, however,  jumping when Jerome Rewerts (Zealous) accelerated just before the last uphill past the Case plant.  He was zig zagging all over the place.  This finish requires extreme patience and timing... I timed it wrong.  The guys eventually swarmed around us.  My response was tempered by the accumulated fatigue of the event.  I rolled in toward the back of this field, but still a satisfying result.  This was definately a fun day in the saddle, and I appreciate the fact that I can be a factor in a race that featured so many talented guys from all over the U.S.

Burlington Road Race - Pro, 1,2 Results - 2012

Breeder's Hill Criterium



The field was strung out during the descending portions of the course... trying to brace for Breeder's Hill.

I traveled up to the Iowa State Fair Grounds in Des Moines, Iowa Sunday to compete in the 2012 Breeder's Hill Criterium.  I have entered this race the last couple of years (formerly called the Iowa State Fair Crit) and always had success.  I won the Cat 3 event in 2010, and managed to get 4th in the Cat 1,2,3 event in 2012.  I wasn't as optimistic this year, but I really wanted to enter this race as a way to stay in contact with the sport, while helping me to get back on track.

I like this race because it is essentially a series of hill repeats.  You have to carve out a nice line during the corners, but the race basically comes down to hanging on up Breeder's Hill, then recovering quickly. Those with optimum power-to-weight ratios and cardio-respiratory fitness will have a definite advantage.

The race started and finished on top of the hill this year.  I liked the idea of the way this would shape the finish, but had to first determine what this meant for the start. I lined up with 35 other guys, deciding to really hit it hard down the hill right from the gun.  There is a sort of awkward 120 degree corner on this course that has caused some riders troubles in the past.  It would be nice to get to it ahead of any potential carnage.


Sweeping around the 120 degree turn at the bottom of the hill.

Hilarious... I was in the front row but way on the side... this angle put me about 3/4 of the way back within seconds of the start.   It is frustrating to practically be out of contention before you even have completed a lap.  Luckily, there are some races on my calendar that don't emphasize the importance of a good start.  I have achieved many good finishes, but good starts aren't my speciality.

Anyway, we all made it through the corner unscathed, so now it was time to see what kind of damage the hill was going to do.  OUCH!  The front guys were really setting an intense tempo.  The first lap was discouraging, but there wasn't time to reflect... there wasn't any strategizing... this race was just about survival.

I began to edge up on a few guys during the second time up the hill, hoping that the race would eventually slow down.  The third time up the hill was starting to get a bit out of hand.  The momentum of the group wasn't slowing down.  There wasn't anyone attacking, just a very quick pace that caused a stinging sensation in my legs that is hard to describe.  Unfortunately,  I didn't see anyone breeding on the hill, as it's namesake suggested.  This would have been a nice diversion from the pain.  There was a couple embraced under a shade tree, but I didn't see them making out, so quite certain they weren't breeding, at least not in the traditional sense of the word. 

Everything was happening so fast, but I could tell that I was losing ground.  A split of some sort occurred as the hill repeats began to take their toll.  I ended up in a group with Nate Kullbornm (Atlas) and a couple of other guys from out-of-state.  We kept a nice pace around the course, and were encouraged that we were passing riders occasionally.  At some point, we were being told that the lead group wasn't that far up the road.  



Great shot of the field coming over the start/finish area atop the hill.  The pain associated with crossing that line will forever be etched into my memories, due to the emotional connection of the effort.

Well, I wasn't planning on pulling out regardless of what place I was in.  I had driven about two and a half hours to get here and really needed to train at race pace.  Having said that, it seemed like we really did have a shot at getting back into one of the top ten paying spots.  I was beginning to catch glimpses of riders who were up the road but had now pulled out of the race along the side of the course.  I wondered how many people could possibly still be up the road?

Great, I got to find out first hand as Jeff Barnes came around us with about 2 laps to go.  Nate jumped on his wheel and I dangled just a bit behind, not quite able to match that tempo.  Apparently, Jeff  had attacked the group and was trying to hang on for the victory.  He got caught, however, and the group passed me during their sprint.  I counted back and realized I wasn't in the top ten... dang. Breeder's Hill Results.

Here is the group that remained intact towards the end of the race.  Matias Perret (ICCC) went on to win.



Once again, I am a bit confused by the race situation this year.  Am I slower than last year or is the field faster?  I really do think the field is faster.   Ok, my fitness may be off just a bit, but my theory is that the mild winter has given guys more of a head start on me than in year's past.  This combined with the larger, more stacked fields is attributing to my mediocre results.  I am starting to get used to it, however, and enjoying the fact that I am now able to achieve "success" in ways that don't focus on comparing myself to others.  The only time I plan on comparing myself to others from here on out, is when I do better than them. giggle. 

Keep reading this blog, however, as I am sure there will be some races that work out for me.  My fitness is advancing... my motivation is steady... and I look forward to the hot/humid conditions that suit my particular form of fitness.  I think that a lot of guys are peaking right now and will hopefully be a bit burn-out in June and July.  At this point, I am definitely the under dog in the Cat 1,2 racing scene. The less you expect from me, the more motivated I will be to prove you wrong.  The stage is set for a great story with a happy ending.

Iowa City RR - The Pissing Contest

Ok, this title is misleading... the 2012 Cat 1,2 Iowa City Road Race was completely devoid of any pissing  contests.  As defined by wikepdia: A pissing contest, or pissing match, is a game in which participants compete to see who can urinate the highest, the farthest, or the most accurately.  Although the practice is often associated with adolescent boys, women have been known to play the game, and there are literary depictions of adults competing in it. 

One reason for this void was that many of the upper-tier pro/cat 1 teams weren't here this year.  The total starters for the race was 37, down from last year's roster of around 53.  Missing were team's like Texas Roadhouse, Geargrinder, Trek/Tradewinds, etc.  This left a mostly Iowan field with five Iowa teams notably represented; Mercy-Specialized, Bikes2You/WOB, Thrive, Zealous, and, of course, American Equity.

This suited me just fine... sure some guys attempted to see who could pee the farthest, as we entered brief cross-winds sections or climbed up a hill, but ultimately, it became apparent that we were all basically equally capable of projecting urine.  So, this changed the dynamic to feature the concept of trying to waste as little energy as possible (keeping it in your pants?).  Launching off the front wasn't going to do much but lower your potential for success when the inevitable field sprint transpired. Of course, depending on your team's situation, this didn't mean that it wasn't occasionally justified.

The day was actually rather warm, and the wind was at an angle that made it a non-factor.  American Equity lined up with Lucas Guyton, Jeff Bradley, Lou Waugaman, Paul Deninger, and Myself.  Lucas, Jeff, and Lou are very competent in their ability to finish well in a field sprint, so, even though we didn't officially have a 'plan', we are beginning to gel as a team, to know what situations would justify certain tactics.  The 'plan' became apparent after a couple of laps.

The first lap was pretty quick.  I was feeling good until we got to the main climbing section that heads back toward the start/finish.   I couldn't believe how fast we were pushing it up that section.  I came into the corner hot, and was reminded that I am definitely not any stronger than these guys... Fortunately, I am not necessarily any weaker either.  I am sure everyone had switched their ambitions of winning the pissing contest to their ambitions of not losing their shit (sorry, I am stuck on this metaphor, and it may get worse). 

The Pro/1/2 Iowa City Road Race Start...

It seemed like everyone felt that surge, and things calmed down a bit after that.  A couple guys got off the front on occasion, including Brandon Krawczyk... he is from Wisconsin, and comes down to Iowa to get some early season form... He was a marked rider because of his past success.  Paul mentioned we should let them dangle out their, hoping to take away a little of his snap.  I was happy to be able to sort of police things at the front end of the field most of the race.  Especially, later in the race when Jeff Barnes of Iowa City ended up executing a lengthy solo breakaway.  I wanted to make sure American Equity was represented in attempts to bridge.  I also helped keep the breakaways from getting too far out.  I had to be very careful to try and stay in the draft, and not waste much energy, though, as I could tell I was tapering on the edge of getting dropped at times.   The Mercy-Specialized guys demonstrated a lot of control throughout the race and seemed to be racing with measured strength and cunning.  Speaking of measured strength, I was glad not to see my teammates up near me at times when I was using energy... this made me think we were going to have plenty of fire power left for the sprint.

As a metaphor, a pissing contest is used figuratively to characterise ego-driven battling in a pejorative or facetious manner that is often considered vulgar.  This becomes specifically interesting with what happened during our last lap.   We were so content with not trying to one-up each other in our race, we exposed ourselves to one of the most tragic assaults that the male ego can endure... being beaten by women.  Women are in many, many ways the superior species, but I would like to think that men are somewhat more capable in competitions that favor higher testosterone concentrations.  Well, what an awkward moment when the entire women's field passed us.   Really? the men's elite Cat 1,2 field was getting passed by the women's field.  Yep.  We didn't have any idea what to do.  We decided to neutralize the field and let them roll by.  I guess it was sort of a nice break, but weird to just have to sit their and let them roll by, knowing that we were going to have to pass them again once things started to pick up. 

Brian Eppen attempted a breakaway late
in the race that nearly split up the group.

So, just when I thought their wouldn't be a pissing contest, the women pulled their chamois down and entered the game.   Maybe this was payback for all those times we left the toilet seat up.  I wonder if girls are jealous that we can aim our urine.  I think this would be especially hard for women during the winter months when men are able to spell out our names in the snow.

A couple miles later we passed them again.  I was tempted to try and get some phone numbers, but then realized these girls probably weren't that impressed with us at that moment. (They caught us with our pants UP... embarrasing).  A couple guys had girlfriends/wives in the field, and you could hear them greeting their mates... maybe they were setting the stage so they could earn their manhood back later in the evening.

Ok, time to get down to business.   Paul Deninger had done a good job of conserving his energy, and our three 'sprinter types' were still in good form to go for some glory as the race came to a close.  Bryan Moritz of Bikes2You, had been patiently waiting for his moment to pounce, and did so as the race came to a close.  Paul (with some help from Jeff Barnes, and a couple others) eventually closed this down and used the momentum to from a lead-out for Lou, Lucas, and Jeff.   Unfortunately, Brandon Krawczyk saw this and climbed aboard the train. 

Lou timed his launch to near perfection, blazing around Paul with a powerful burst of adrenaline.  Brandon and Matias Perret (Mercy/Specialized) pounced just a split second afterwards.  From the back it was hard to tell who won, it was close... Ultimately, Lou got on the podium with a third place finish, while Brandon claimed another victory in Iowa.  A nice result for American Equity.

This was a great race.  I liked everything about it, except for the fact that I wasn't able to be a factor at the end.  I have to think that I am on the upswing, however.  And, really, the guys I race against are the at the top end of the game, so it is all good.

Lou Waugaman as he sprints to an impressive third place finish.

T-TIME

I re-read that previous post...  maybe a bit dramatized...  but keep in mind that blogs are basically journals that document thoughts and feelings at a particular point in time.   I feel much better today.

"T-Time"

1) Team - Somehow I want to get more involved with the team aspects of the sport.  I tend to isolate myself, even though I am wearing the same jersey as some other guys, I still don't quite 'get it'...  This will come over the course of the season as I get to know the other guys a bit more.   However, I will need to make a conscious effort to not be so self-centered

2) Training - I really got off track with these last few races.  I work best with a solid training routine.  The races were supposed to be a part of my training mesocycle, however things didn't go according to plan... If I follow the plan I have created using my knowledge and experience I will be able to reach peak fitness in six to eight weeks...

3) Thinking - My head is messed up. If you hopped inside my brain during a race you would probably experience an involuntary bowel movement, as it would be frightening at first.  I am used to it, but it still severly limiting my potential.  Thankfully,  there are some cognitive-behavioral tools that I can utilize to get this back under control.

4) Tactics - I have to promise myself to start really executing tactical racing strategies.   I often ignore the tactics of a race because my head is so pre-occupied worrying about other things.  If I can calm my brain down, I can let my intelligence surface.   I am good at chess, I can be good at bike racing. 

5) Technique - I really don't feel connected to my new bike, nor my new wheels.  I will have to start riding it more.

6) Too Legit To Quit - I need to keep my s*^t together and not take things so seriously... it is just  bike racing... I do it for fun and to stay healthy...  also, I think MC Hammer is due for a come back.

Squaw Creek Park Criterium - The Downward Spiral

Well, the nightmare continues, with respect to my racing season.  I wonder if I will ever wake up, or if this dream has just become my new reality.  I won't be able to persist in this downward spiral forever.  Without positive reinforcement, it simply wouldn't make sense to continue.  I loathe the thought of each upcoming race, wondering what new weakness it will expose.  Yet, I work through the psychological blocks, and try to get some positive energy flowing prior to the start.  The race occurs and I experience a disappointing situation.  I feel bad and use coping skills to get through the agony.  I try to look forward to future events, but it seems hopeless.  You don't have to be a psychiatrist to diagnose this as "Depressive Disorder".  Thankfully, it is very low grade, and actually quite a natural response to traumatizing experiences that generate negative cognitive feedback loops.  I keep re-living the failure in my head, and look forward to each passing day so that I can repress the experiences. 

DIARY OF A MADMAN
This blog may take a very dark turn if I don't experience some sort of positive stimuli from my bike racing in the near future...  I vow to keep blogging, as you may find it interesting to watch me either sink or swim.    Will I perservere, or is this just the early stages of a major life transition.  One that isn't as focused on bike racing.  My ego can't take the constant pounding... it simply isn't a pleasant feeling.  The depression carries over into other aspects of my life.  I start my Mondays after a race weekend with a huge sigh.  I rush to create new experiences so that I can distance myself from my disturbing thoughts.  I search for something that I am good at, and then do it.

THE RACE
I wasn't looking forward to this race... I simply am not in a good place right now. Too bad because I won the master's race last year and then came in third in the Cat 1/2 event.   Turned out to be one of my best results of the season.  Not the case this year.  Cold and dreary... the weather wasn't that great either.

Apparently we had 11 guys from American Equity Racing at the start line for the Cat 1,2,3 race.  This was the best part of the day... being a part of the team...  it was enjoyable warming up as a group and chatting with guys who were 'on your side'...  we communicate a lot via the Internet, so it is nice to see each other in person.

The team agenda that captain Jeff Bradley discussed prior to the race involved racing 'straight up' without regard to categories, even though the race did score the cat 1,2's separate from the cat 3's.  Keeping this in mind, we did have a pretty successful race.  Louis DeWild got in a break of three and ended up in 2nd place, and Josh Wandrey finished 5th overall.

My plan was to get to the front of this race from the start, as I have been getting pinched off the back in recent races.  I lined up in the front row and went down the hill with only a few guys sneaking up in front of me.  This worked great for a few laps, as I felt like I was actually in the race.  Unfortunately, I couldn't maintain the effort needed to stay 'in the action' and shot to the back of the pack on one of the downhills.  The field got a gap and I watched them roll away.  It took a couple of laps before they were out of sight.

Ok, what to do now?  This is where  I may have a different approach then some others.  I process the situation and then ask myself if I am planning on quitting bike racing all together or if I am going to make some adjustments and pick up a revitalized training effort...  If I am going to keep trying, then when should I start?  Why not now?  I have a closed course, a challenging hill, and nothing planned for the next hour, as I had originally marked the time for competing in a bike race.  Well, competing in the bike race didn't work out, but there isn't any point in procrastinating, so I began training for the rest of the season with the remaining 10 laps.  Instead of having a carrot up ahead to chase, I was motivated to see if I could avoid getting lapped during this 1.5 mile circuit.  Quite the challenge considering I didn't have anyone to work with.  Gary McNabb was on my wheel for quite a few laps... then a guy from Thrive took his place for awhile.  I wasn't actually expecting to rejoin the group, so I didn't mind them not rotating. 

I almost made it without getting caught, but right before the bell lap the group of three breakaway riders caught me.  It was Bryan Moritz, Louis DeWild, and Brandon Kealy (they finished in that order).  I wasn't sure if I was allowed to join their group so I just followed behind them until the nightmare ended.  Because they passed me right before the line, I technically didn't get in all 18 laps... Crap, the only thing worse then adding another DNF to my results is a "one lap behind".  The price I pay for training during a race.   I have to say, however,  the crowd was very supportive, and I appreciated their words of encouragement.

To tell you the truth, I have been DNF'ing my workouts as well.  I got dropped during a pretty easyTuesday night ride... couldn't find the energy to travel to Moline for the Wednesday night ride I had planned (a DNS?), and struggled to get through one of my standard workouts.  I started it on Tuesday, then again on Thursday, and finally got through it on Friday.  The trick was I had to do it much slower, as I kept blowing up when I tried to do it as fast as I had done it the month before.

YOU ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR LAST RACE
So true.  I did great at the Squaw Creek Criterium last year, but that doesn't really matter.  The past is just that... PAST.  A word of caution to anyone who is on top of their game right now... you only have one direction to go.  As sweet as success can be... it makes it just that much harder to swallow the bitter taste of failure that will be served on your plate from time to time. 

So, am I at the bottom of the spiral, or is there a bit more to go?  I am thinking I can level things out and then start climbing back up over the next couple of months.  Wait a minute, that almost seemed like a positive thought. Sweet... if I can string together a few more of those I might be able to put together a good training block this week.  later.