Chad Bishop...Chasing Life

CrossFit... the sport of fitness

2012-01-29T14:53:00.004-06:00

Participating in team competition...
performing a set of "Double Unders"

I had a rewarding experience participating in the 1st Annual Iowa City/Cedar Falls Corridor CrossFit Competition. It was very interesting to watch over 200 participants competing to see who is the 'most fit'....

The first leg of the team competition was a 12 minute workout that included box jumps, shoulder presses, rowing, and jump roping... I was elected to do the jump roping, because I was the most capable of doing the 'double under' technique, which is a skill that takes a bit of practice to master.

Unfortunately for our team... the second workout ended up being a power lifting competition... how much weight can you lift over your head once... this is NOT a part of CrossFit that I enjoy... doing one rep olympic-style max efforts is potentially dangerous, and not really worth the risk considering that I am a competitive cyclist. Having said that, I still loaded up the bar and threw up as much weight as I could to give our team some points. The trick to CrossFit is that you are supposed to be prepared for everything... these events could include things like stationary cycling, squats for time, wall balls, rope climbing, sand bag carries, etc... that means that certain competitors do better in certain workouts... the key is balance... the challenge is very motivating... being fit at everything, not just one thing.

I like this CrossFit stuff, and can see myself really getting into each fall/winter. I also think that my short duration cycling power may see some benefits from the leg workouts. CrossFit usually involves very high reps, so not much risk of 'bulking up'.... obviously I don't want a bunch of upper body weight slowing me down this year....

So, perhaps I should get focused on cycling... but still feels a bit early.... on the other hand I literally feel like I am cheating on the sport of cycling... like some sort of self-indulgent 'pleasure'... the reality is that I love my "wife" and I can't wait to get back into her warm, accepting, embrace...

Pulling the Trigger... Bang, Bang, Bang!

2012-01-26T09:10:00.002-06:00

I have been sitting on the fence, with respect to a few decisions lately... I had the gun cocked and loaded, but hesitant to pull the trigger... alas, one of the best parts about the midwest winters... inspiration through boredom...

BANG: A.C.E. Personal Trainer Certification

I have begun the process of becoming a Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor through the American Council on Exercise. I am hoping to make better use of the knowledge and experience that I already have, while expanding my knowledge regarding physical and mental fitness. It is rewarding, for example to know the exact name of the muscle that is sore every time I do standing intervals on an indoor trainer ... Iliopsoas.

BANG: Competing in CrossFit

With much thought and deliberation, I ultimately decided to enter an upcoming CrossFit Competition. It is an odd feeling to be a beginner at something... I am a Category 5 Crossfitter (no they don't actually categorize competitors). I am experiencing all the usual anxieties that come with participating in something for the first time. I have only been doing CrossFit workouts for about 5 weeks, so not the best timing, with respect to my confidence, but I can't resist participating, as it will be fun to experience this culture, and socialize with a new group of athletes.

I was happy to find out that the box jump will be part of my team's competition... I can jump up on boxes with the best of them... very similar energy system as the pedal stroke, believe it or not.

BANG: Trek Madone SSL/DuraAce/Bontrager D3

2012 Trek Madone 6.9 SSL Frame, DuraAce/Bontrager Components, Bontrager D3 Aeolus 5 Wheels

One of the great aspects of being a part of a sponsored bike racing team like American Equity, is that you enjoy certain amenities, including a great partnership with TREK. I still had to look deep, however, to decide just how committed I was to this sport before I finalized the specs on my new road bike. Ultimately, I decided that eating excessive portions of pizza and tacos was something I truly value, and therefore could enjoy more if I shave a couple of pounds off of my bike by going top-of-the-line, with respect to the frame and components. I have adjusted my anticipated race weight from 159 to 161... which should still put the total weight of me and my bike well under 180.... Ok, in reality, I will try and have my cake and eat it too (literally?) If I can somehow hit my usual race weight, AND have this upgraded/lighter bike as part of my 2012 racing tool set... I could potentially experience some enhanced outcomes.

2012 American Equity Racing Web Site

2012-01-16T15:59:00.000-06:00

The website has been launched and is now online...http://www.AmericanEquityRacing.com

Muscatine Indoor TT - Harper's Cycling

2012-01-16T13:38:00.010-06:00

Mens' Cat 1,2,3 podium with Austin Turner, Chad Bishop, Travis Jass and
Race Director Greg Harper.

I enjoyed a great day of racing and socializing on Saturday as I competed in the Harper's Cycling Rollerhead Killer 2 Mile Indoor TT that took place in my hometown of Muscatine, Iowa. I was initially struck by the fact that Travis Jass had made the journey all the way from Fort Dodge Iowa. He currently has the state record for the fastest time in this discipline (4:52). I held this honor in 2009, and fellow teammate Lou Waugaman broke through the 5 minute barrier last year to set the mark, only to have Travis best him by a few seconds in a subsequent race.

Travis and Simon Carl attended this event in 2011, and set solid times at about the 5:10 mark... which I wasn't able to beat last year. I am happy to report that this year I bested Travis's time of 5:21 to win the 2012 event. I posted a time of 5:04.6, which was a lot better than I was shooting for. Maybe I could have squeezed out a few more watts to join the prestigious sub 5 minute club, but I am just happy to have posted a very rewarding effort.

Sure I wouldn't mind getting a time under 5 minutes... but then where does it end? I already have been receiving the same feedback regarding this result... great job, now how about getting a time under 5 minutes? This is flattering, but reminds me of my good buddy Lance Armstrong... After winning the tour 7 times, what did people ask after congratulating him... how about an 8th??? It never ends... racing doesn't have a finish line, rather it is a journey to enjoy. I try to appreciate noteworthy accomplishments as they happen, rather than constantly looking forward... Along those lines... I am in a good place right now, and happy to have exceeded my expectations. Congratulations to all those who braved this grueling 2 mile effort, each participant should feel proud to have spent the day testing their fitness while connecting with fellow bike enthusiasts.

Race Results for
Harper's Cycling & Fitness Rollerhead Killer 2
Muscatine, IA(Event Information)


Time Trial on 01/14/2012

Men - Under 16 - Juniors - 10-15

Place

Points

Name

City, State

Time

USAC #

Bib

Team

Ian Henriksen

Muscatine, IA

7:30.8

335064

Melon City Bike Club Inc.

Joshua Holley

Marion, IA

8:06.4

358416

Men - Cat 1/2/3

Place

Points

Name

City, State

Time

USAC #

Bib

Team

425.42

Chad Bishop (1 - Cat2)

Muscatine, IA

5:04.6

223776

American Equity Racng Team

449.63

Travis Jass (1 - Cat3)

Fort Dodge, IA

5:21.9

257430

Fort Dodge Trisport Club

473.84

Austin Turner (2 - Cat2)

Iowa City, IA

5:52.8

290106

Bikes To You / World of Bikes

498.05

Andrew Buntz (3 - Cat2)

Iowa City, IA

6:02.5

291573

522.26

Christopher Reed (2 - Cat3)

Center Point, IA

6:11.6

132199

546.47

John Adamson (3 - Cat3)

Cedar Falls, IA

6:23.4

87722

Twisted Spokes Racing Team

Men - Cat 4

Place

Points

Name

City, State

Time

USAC #

Bib

Team

498.30

Jon Sulzberger

Muscatine, IA

6:11.6

72351

Melon City Bike Club Inc.

544.15

Eric Henriksen

Muscatine, IA

6:44.6

91805

Melon City Bike Club Inc.

590.00

Robert Hayes

Muscatine, IA

7:49.5

51122

Melon City Bike Club Inc.

Men - Cat 5

Place

Points

Name

City, State

Time

USAC #

Bib

Team

Christopher Lintecum

Marion, IA

6:13.4

354594

HBA Racing Team

Stan Boyer

Dallascenter, IA

6:31.2

286542

Des Moines Cycle Club

Men - Masters - 40-99

Place

Points

Name

City, State

Time

USAC #

Bib

Team

488.98

Randy Catron (1 - Cat3)

Urbandale, IA

5:55.1

88590

DMOS Racing Team

505.82

Gregory Harper (1 - Cat2)

Muscatine, IA

6:11.0

15134

Melon City Bike Club

522.66

John Adamson (2 - Cat3)

Cedar Falls, IA

6;15.8

87722

Twisted Spokes Racing Team

539.50

David Hammer (1 - Cat4)

Urbandale, IA

6:16.2

178295

Des Moines Cycle Club

556.34

Richard Gilmore (2 - Cat4)

Washington, IA

6:21.0

65541

Twisted Spokes Racing Team

573.18

Russ Clarke (1 - Cat5)

Cedar Falls, IA

7:51.3

366645

590.02

Vernon Rotert (3 - Cat4)

Marion, IA

7:57.1

45873

Hawkeye Bicycle Assoc

Women - Cat 1/2/3/4

Place

Points

Name

City, State

Time

USAC #

Bib

Team

479.11

Connie Inks (1 - Cat3)

Waterloo, IA

5:57.5

194642

534.56

Kathleen Porter (2 - Cat3)

Cedar Falls, IA

8:15.4

236465

Twisted Spokes Racing Team

590.01

Rozalyn Boyer (1 - Cat4)

Dallas Center, IA

9:56.8

286543

Smart Honda Women's Team

Suffering on the rollers, as onlookers gaze at the computer data displaying my progress.

Rollin The Rapids - Results

2012-01-08T19:53:00.004-06:00

First training race of 2012 went well. I am pretty much where I need to be to get to where I am going. 5:14.1 is a solid effort that I was happy with. This is the fastest time so far this year. After factoring in the Valley West Wipeout in Des Moines, the 2nd fastest time goes to Travis Jass at 5:22.2. By the end of the winter season last year, Travis had broken the sub 5 minute barrier and had a three race average of just under 5:04... so I imagine that he builds fitness with each race. The State Championship series is based on your best three race average, so I will enjoy an early lead in that competition.

Results from the Rollin' The Rapids bike race - HBA Racing
2 Mile Indoor TT - January 7, 2012 - Cedar Rapids, IA

Senior 123
1 5:14.1 Chad Bishop MUSCATINE IA American Equity Racng Team
2 5:49.6 Rob McKillip CEDAR RAPIDS IA New Pioneer Food Co-op
3 6:10.8 Lee Venteicher WAUKON IA Bikes To You / World of Bikes
4 6:30.6 Christopher Reed CENTER POINT IA HBA Racing Team

Senior 4
1 6:18.0 Jon Sulzberger MUSCATINE IA Melon City Bike Club Inc.
2 6:56.2 Damon Salter HIAWATHA IA HBA Racing Team

Women
1 6:13.6 Connie Inks WATERLOO IA
2 7:24.6 Karen Stierler CORALVILLE IA Mercy-Specialized

Master 40+
1 5:55.0 Rob McKillip CEDAR RAPIDS IA New Pioneer Food Co-op
2 6:19.8 Gregory Harper MUSCATINE IA Melon City Bike Club Inc.
3 6:28.4 Richard Gilmore WASHINGTON IA Twisted Spokes Racing Team
4 7:49.3 Russ Clark Cedar Falls IA Twisted Spoke
5 7:50.4 Vernon Rotert MARION IA Hawkeye Bicycle Assoc

Senior 5
1 6:48.0 Christopher Lintecum MARION IA HBA Racing Team

Junior15-
1 8:00.1 Joshua Holley MARION IA Hawkeye Bicycle Assoc

Fat Tire Bike
1 7:25.06 Rob McKillip CEDAR RAPIDS IA
2 10:19.7 Gregory Harper MUSCATINE IA

Flying Mile
1 1:29.8 Lee Venteicher WAUKON IA
2 1:32.3 Rob McKillip CEDAR RAPIDS IA

COOKIE PUSHERS

2011-12-30T09:23:00.008-06:00

Cookies & Cocaine... same thing.

COOKIE PUSHERSI am quite certain I gained a couple pounds over the last couple of weeks. There was food laying around everywhere... most of it delicious, but complete crap, with respect to healthy calories. This got me thinking... why do the holidays have to be like this? Everyone seems to complain about gaining weight over the holidays, yet no one seems to be doing anything about it.

Well, I do know that I am not the one sweating away over a hot stove making holiday goodies... I certainly didn't go to any parties armed with loads of store bought desserts either... so what is the deal? Hence, my Cookie Conspiracy Theory... It seems to me that some people just love to cook, but then don't have to worry about over-eating it because they don't abuse the crap that they make... sort of like drug pushers... they get a rush out of seeing their friend's/family member's eyes light up as they dig into one of their confections, yet have no plans of actually eating any of the 'white death' (aka sugar/simple carbs) that they are enabling others to binge on.

To quote one of these cookie pushers, "I make it, but then don't eat it, rather get it out of my house as fast as possible". I am quite sure she didn't realize how frustrating this statement was to someone like me who has a low-level eating disorder. My mom is guilty of this. She made a large pan of brownies, which I ate about 1/3 of (oops). No one else seemed that interested in them, so she had most of the pan left as I was leaving... Understandably, she tried to send me home with the left-overs, not wanting to succumb to the temptations of having this dessert left at her home. Yet, why can't it just be thrown out? It is basically garbage at that point. It served its purpose, now set it free.

Are you one of these cookie pushers? Stop! You are part of the problem. Find another way to get your fix. The holidays don't have to be about gluttonous consumption of loads of crap. Alas, I am very hungry, and I will eat anything you put out in front of me... I am asking for your help... just because you don't have an eating disorder doesn't give you the right to harass others with your dope... you can stop this insanity... have some compassion... the holidays don't have to be so unhealthy.

THE THREE C'S

Tom Boonen was busted for Cocaine awhile back.
Maybe he can relate to my tribulations...
Maybe we should add Cocaine as the 4th 'C'.

So, the "Three C's" are part of my New Year's Resolution... Cookies, Candy, and Cake. I am going to resolve not to eat these three things. I tried limiting sugar once, and almost had to check myself into a psych ward for suicidal inclinations... not going to try that again... but maybe if I just focus on these three items, I will achieve a nice balance to my daily regimen of caloric intake. Is a brownie a part of the 'three c's'? Not sure, so to be on the safe side, I will resolve to eat any brownie offered to me. What a about a donut? Ok, that is cake... dang.

Final word to you cookie pushers... enough is enough... you are not innocent.... as enablers you are just as guilty of facilitating winter weight gain as those who can't stop eating the crap you make. Stop making it, find another way to feel good about yourself... if possible, maybe find a hobby that doesn't contribute to shortened life expectancy, tooth decay, disease, low self-esteem, emotional eating, etc. I am tired of crying myself to sleep over a plate of left-over cheese cake that no one else had the courage to eat a second serving of during the party. If you insist on making it, then you should at the very least commit to eating it a good-sized portion of it so that there isn't so much left for me...

2012 American Equity Racing pb/Velosport Iowa Team Roster

2011-12-16T18:47:00.032-06:00

I was recently elected to the Velosport Iowa board of officers as Vice President of Public Relations/Media. I will be officially announcing the roster, team race calendar, sponsors, our new Road Race on July 14th, and more early in 2012 via a brand new website, but in the meantime I can't resist releasing a sneak peak of our 2012 American Equity Racing pb/Velosport Iowa Team Roster...

"AE8... GIVE ME SOME CHOCOLATE CAKE"...

American Equity Racing Elite Cat 1,2 Squad

Jeff Bradley
Lou Waugaman
Paul Deninger
Chad Bishop
JJ Bailey
Lucas Guyton
Louis DeWild
Kevin Severs

So... an 8 Member Super Sweet Chocolate Cake Dream Team...
We are sure to have a delicious season.
The 'Icing on the cake' is that win or lose, we will enjoy the ride...

We are fortunate to be building on last year by retaining our core group of guys and adding three new members:

The three new editions(candles?) to the Cat 1,2 squad are

Lucas Guyton - Only in his second year of road cycling, Lucas is a newly minted Category 2 cyclist. He has a background racing BMX which may attribute to his success as a sprinter. His favorite discipline is criteriums, and his role model is none other than the infamous Mark Cavendish.

Louis De Wild - Louis has been racing for some time, mostly as a triathlete through his affiliation with the ZOOM Performance Athlete Training program. He will be yet another strong addition to our team, having proven in 2011 that he knows how to train his body to peak performance.

Kevin Severs - This is an exciting addition to our team. Kevin has only been racing for 1.5 years and he is already a Cat 1! Hmm, that sounds a lot like the way many of today's domestic pros started their journey. It will be great to watch him grow even further under the AE Racing umbrella.

Our "AE8" Super Sweet Chocolate Cake Cat 1,2 Racing Team (what?) will also enjoy occassional support from returning team members Vince DeJong (former Canadian National Track Champion) and TJ Tollakson . TJ has agreed to wave the AE/Velo flag again this year by racing a handful of events with us, as he continues to enjoy a successful full-time career as a pro-triathlete. It is an honor and a priviledge to spend time with such an accomplished and dedicated athlete.

We also added Josh Wandrey to our ranks as a Cat 3. This is the same guy that beat me out at the Morgan Cross race this year in Cedar Rapids. I was thrilled to have gotten so close to almost winning an Open Category cyclocross race... little did I know at the time, that the guy who dominated the event would soon be joining forces with AE/Velo. Matt Zimmer is also on board again this year racing strong as Cat 3, in addition to his many athletic endeavors.

The Velosport Iowa USAC Cycling Club is not just about the Cat 1/2 team and Cat 3's. There is a great group of riders who are affiliated with the team, racing occasionally in cycling events and/or triathlons. Actually, racing isn't even a requirement to be apart of the club, rather just a commitment to intergrating the cycling lifestyle into your health and wellness initiatives. Some of these members include Jeffrey Cozad, Michael Thomsen, Kevin Wohlford, Gary Johnson, Ken Hoffman, Jason Rettler, Nicole Fiala, Jeff Lorenzen, Deb Wood, & Wendy Waugaman.

This is an open club, the only requirement is that you purchase a Super Sweet team kit, and that you like to drink wine (or at least chocolate cake with milk). So, please don't hesitate to come aboard for 2012. If you are from the Muscatine area, I would also recommend the Melon City Bike Club.

We had a fulfilling season in 2011, but we left room for some DESSERT... that space on our racing plate has been filled in nicely with our newest additions. I am grateful to be apart of this team again in 2012 as a sponsored Cat 1,2 cyclist. Velosport Iowa is an open club, but inclusion on the AE Elite Cat 1,2 Racing Team is a selective process. I am thankful that my contributions were appreciated and that I can help make this a great experience for all those involved again next year...

AE8/2012... Dinner is over now it is time for DESSERT!
If you would like to receive FaceBook updates from the team, then please 'like' the American Equity - Velosport Iowa Facebook Page.

Losing body fat the easy way...

2011-12-08T10:51:00.010-06:00

It worked! I lost 5.2% of my body fat in only one week. The solution was to buy a new scale... I didn't even have to burn any calories going to the store to buy it, I just did some research and ordered one online... and presto! I am now within the athletic guidlines for body compositions. In fact, my new scales suggests that 12.8% is actually LOW (below NORMAL)... so I am "abnormal"...what a nice thing to say... I really like my new scale.

The trick was that this scale has an "athletic" setting. By this scale's definition, an 'athlete' is anyone who exercises at least 3 times per week for 2 hours at a time. Ok, that is about right.

Apparently, athletes have different hydration and bone density levels that can make the BF readings higher than the reality. This setting compensates for this, providing a reading that is closer to the actual situation. Of course, I understand that this isn't as accurate as a test done at a medical facilty, but at least I have a baseline measurement that isn't as insulting.

Ok, here is a guide to estimating body fat VISUALLY... in case you just want to use the mirror...

Lowest body fat and possible comparison to skeletal muscle.

You can start to see loss of definition as levels increase.

After 30%, there is truly no need to attempt visual estimations

Yeah,that 14% guy seems about right... he's a little too muscular to be any good at bike racing, but definately seems to represent a reasonable and attainable body composition. Does everyone look alike at the same body fat percentage? No, not at all. Body fat percentage isn’t an indicator of your amount of lean body mass. The amount of muscle your body has is going to make a significant difference in your overall look.

The guy on the left has 15 pounds more muscle than the guy on the right. However, the guy on the right could ride his bike up a hill with 75 watts less power and still reach the summit at the same time... Crap, I guess I do aspire to look like the guy on the right.

Hmm, I can't resist posting a visual guide for the ladies...

Well, if I had to rate these pictures on attractiveness the 11% and 15% gals would be at the bottom of the scale, simply not 'feminine'. It is noteworthy how major the gender differences are concerning healthy body fat guidelines and attractiveness... the 20% gal is easily the most "attractive", in my opinion... but even the 30% gal seems somewhat acceptable... but please, ladies, whatever you do, don't let your bodyfat fall below 11%...not a pretty situation...

Gals with 8% body fat are scary for a lot of reasons.

References: http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

FAT Chance!

2011-12-02T14:58:00.005-06:00

Today I would like to talk about fat. Excessive fat is the enemy of the aspiring competitive cyclist. In fact, for every extra pound of body weight a cyclist carries, they need to use an extra 5 watts to climb a hill. So, if you are 10 pounds over your race weight, you will be sacrificing 50 watts on a climb... that can add up. The picture on the right is not me... thankfully. I am specifically concerned with how big that guy's belly button is. It seems expansive. I have to wonder about the process of removing the umbilical cord... is there any room for a doctor to botch this up?   Maybe they dug in too deep. Does the belly button grow as your waistline does? If so, can belly button volume be used to measure health?

Ok, back to my post. So, I did weigh myself in on 'D-DAY' and decided that I am going to focus on body fat this season instead of my weight. My new scale seems much less flattering than my old one (more fattering?). It has me at 18% body fat. Hmm? My old scale never let me get that fat. This left me with no choice but to obsess about what this number meant... Please enjoy the following chart:

Classification:     Men (% fat)
Essential Fat       2-4%
Athletes           6-13%
Fitness               14-17%
Acceptable        18-25%
Obese               25% and up.

Ok, so I guess 18% is "acceptable" but far from "athletic". I don't know whether or not to believe this scale, as I seem to be pretty skinny. Most comments I get are sort of insulting and imply that I need to gain some weight... what to do?

Being 'acceptable' is not acceptable if I want to be competitive in Cat 1,2 races next year.

An article from USA Cycling Certified Coach Jeff Vicario, suggested that the off-season is the best time to lose weight:

"Timing is critical because high-level training while trying to lose weight is not conducive to high performance. Losing weight is just one more stress on your body while it's already dealing with the stress of quality training. It's best to try and drop weight early, while the training is general and not race-specific. If you wait until after the New Year, the hole you'll need to climb out of will undoubtedly be deeper, with the race date circled on the calendar just that much closer. This is when workouts are becoming more "race like" as well. Once you enter this phase of training, it's best to accept your weight and focus on quality training. Trying to manage both will increase the likelihood of injury and illness."

Ok, makes sense to me. I actually got excited reading this... I want to start working toward some sort of goal, but don't want to start race specific training too early.

GIVING 13 PERCENT
I will attack FAT! I will obsess about fat. For example did you know that fat has 9 calories per gram? I never would have cared about that until now. I am going to play this new scale's game... It is trying to convince me that my body composition is merely "Acceptable"... I find this hard to believe but I have no other choice, aside from buying another scale. Well, game on buddy... game on! Somehow, someway I will make that scale tell me that I am "Athletic" in terms of my body fat percentage.

"D-Day"... A Chris Horner 'Bromance' reaches full bloom...

2011-11-29T16:41:00.008-06:00

Chris Horner enjoyed one of the biggest victories of his career when he won the Amgen 2011 TOC.

I like what pro cyclist Chris Horner (2011 Tour of California winner) said regarding his training for 2012. He basically said he has been racing long enough that there is no more guess work; he knows exactly what he has to do to get to where he wants to go... He is 40 years old and has been racing all his life, so he has lots more experience then me, yet I can still relate to this sentiment.

Each year, I get more efficient at training. I learn what works for me and what doesn't... By trial and error I have honed in on a pretty solid personal training agenda. I am sure there is still room for improvement, but I feel pretty confident that I am going to be able to reach new heights in 2012 based on my constantly evolving approach to reaching my maximum physical potential.

Chris Horner and Levi Leipeheimer claiming team victory
over the final stage.

Even though Horner is considered somewhat 'old' compared to the typical professional cyclist, he makes up for any physical limitations through his wisdom. He claims that he is still getting stronger each year. He won the Tour of California quite convincingly. In fact, fellow pro-cyclist Christian Vandevelde mentioned that Horner was actually giggling up one of the steep mountain stages of the event... he felt that good... that much stronger than his competitors. This is an inspiring concept. One can potentially overcome biological disadvantages through strategic, evidence-based training.

Horner credited much of his success at that event on his decision to adjust his infamous cheeseburger diet, and opt to focus on losing weight. He started the TOC about 10 pounds lighter than his normal race weight... no wonder he was giggling when he was on the climbs... it must have felt so much easier with his improved physical profile.

A succesful season begins in the basement/garage...
even for pro cyclists like Chris Horner.

With this in mind, I have purchased a new health-O-meter scale and decided that December 1st is D-DAY. I will reluctantly weigh myself, and then vow to monitor my body fat throughout the winter. Hopefully, I will be racing lean by the time I head down to Arizona for the Tucson Classic.

I have even signed up for a wacky indoor training challenge that starts December 1st and culminates with a 100 mile trainer/roller ride on New Year's Day...

Hmm, maybe that is a bit ridiculous, but perhaps I can get some people to join me. What a great way to start the year, in theory. We shall see.

"He's Got Legs... And know's how to use them"

2011-11-20T09:37:00.009-06:00

First off, did ZZ top really exist? The whole concept of two guys with really long beards playing Fluffy Z guitars while side stepping in an awkward synchronization seems like a weird nightmare looking back.

Secondly, I have found myself with a bit more free time than usual, since I have decided not to race anymore this year, which means my blog posts will start to get a bit off course. This might be a good time of the year for you to stop reading my entries for a month or two. My focus shifts from documenting my bike racing adventures to entertaining myself. On the other hand, I will put together some insightful entries from time to time, as there are some cool topics that I often discuss during the winter months (indoor TT's, team announcements, training theory, equipment adjustments, training camp, etc.).

Ok, along the lines of me having too much free time this morning, here is a picture that I put together upon reviewing Angy Snoop's photo collection from the Devil's Cross 2k event.

Right: Chad Bishop, Middle: Matias Perret, Right: That dude from ZZ top with some hot chic's legs.

There are a few noteworthy considerations. First of all, Matias (2011 Iowa State Road Race Champion) has huge legs. His success at bike racing is definitely influenced by his genetic pre-disposition to be able to recruit lots of fast-twitch muscle fibers. I would love to take a look at his current training calendar. I wonder if he does off the bike work to achieve some of this mass, as simply putting in the mileage would not yield this physiological composition.

Ok, my legs seem to be pretty 'massive' as well, especially compared to that girl with the ZZ top head. Usually guys with massive legs tend to be sprinter-types, while being less efficient at climbing and time trialing. Matias has achieved success within all aspects of the sport, so even more noteworthy.

I used to find it odd that competitive cyclists don't always have huge legs. I eventually came to understand that endurance athletes usually have more slow-twitch muscle fibers, which don't tend to become massive, rather just more efficient. Well, in an effort to keep things in perspective, I will now compare my legs to Janez Brajkovic's. He is an international Pro Cyclist for Team Radio Shack. This guy can time trial and climb mountains with the best riders in the world.

Right: Chad Bishop, Middle: Janez Brajkovic, Right: The girl from ZZ Top

Ok, my arms seem to be almost as large as his legs. And yet, this guy has one of the most effective power to weight ratios in the sport of cycling. I don't really have much of a point, except to point out that bigger leg muscles aren't necessarily stronger, depending on your definition of strength.

I wonder if that girl from zz-top would go out with a guy like Janez? She might prefer a bit more facial hair and maybe the more traditionally masculine physique. Wait a minute... what is that girl in the ZZ top mobile up to? Are these two meeting in the desert for a little nature exploration? And where is the driver? That guy is missing out, depending on what is about to transpire.

In addition to blowing your mind with ZZ top references, I also use this blog to document and archive my racing. To that end, below are a couple of belated pictures from Devil's Cross 2k. Thanks for reading, and please pardon my digressions.

Criterium Racing in the Rain = Cyclocross Racing

2011-11-15T11:38:00.002-06:00

Before I turn the page on the cross racing season, I still feel like I need to purge myself of the bad taste that my last race left in my mouth... I will look to cycling blog guru Steve Tilford for help. Here is an excerpt from one of his previous entries:

"I used to think that cyclo-x was like time trialing. Or MTB racing. You against the course. Since cross became popular again this past decade, I’ve reaccessed that opinion. It is closer to criterium racing in the rain. You against your fellow competitors, with the course being another element to deal with."

The cobbles were slick throughout most of the 2011 Snake Alley race.

Criterium racing in the rain??? Crap, no wonder I feel so out of control with respect to my cyclo-cross potential. Criteriums are my least favorite discipline, especially flat ones with 8 wet corners. I have actually vowed to DNS any criterium if it is raining. Just too expensive (too replace the trashed gear) and risky (too replace the trashed skin). Ok, if I had some great ability in the rain, I would go for it, but wet corners really slow me down.

As soon as it started sprinkling at the 2011 Snake Alley Crit (master's 30+), for example, my race was practically over. I still finished in the top half of the field, but I just couldn't overcome the challenge the slipperiness added to the course.

When it is raining you really can't 'open it up' with respect to your power and speed, at least I can't. This is definitely similar to the cross races I have done recently. It was more about smoothness, jerky accelerations only wasted energy. There weren't any long stretches to really leverage certain elements of cycling strength while ramping up the speed. I am not saying there should be, just saying there weren't.

Am I the only one who doesn't like crit racing? No way... Tour De France legend Berard Hinault, for example "wasn't a big fan of crits" according to Steve's recent entry. Ok, I am grasping at straws with that one, but give me a break... criteriums are the bread and butter of the US bike racing scene, so for me to accept that I simply don't enjoy racing in them does cause me concern.

So, where does this leave me with respect to cross racing? I will still race cross. It is a healthy pursuit that does provide me with a rewarding experience for a variety of reasons. I am glad that I can compare cross racing to criterium racing in the rain, however. This provides me with insight as to why I always get frustrated with my results when I enter cross races. Maybe if I stopped focusing on my fitness, and started enjoying the challenge of connecting with the courses and the culture of cyclo-cross I would have more favorable results. Hmm, I will re-read this entry next September, as that could be the ticket. I need to stop focusing on what cyclo-cross in NOT, and enjoy everything great that it IS. Wait a minute, maybe that could also help me at criterium events next year... bonus.

The Devil in the YELLOW dress...Devil's Cross 2k11

2011-11-11T11:43:00.016-06:00

You can get 1000' of YELLOW tape for about $6.

YELLOW TAPE
A great sign that the economy is rebounding can be seen at cyclo-cross races this year... the superfluous amounts of YELLOW TAPE. Back in the recession-era of 2009, race organizers had to limit the amount of YELLOW tape they used due to budgetary restrictions. This is no longer the case, as all of the races I have done this year have strategically taped off courses to make them as technical as possible... there is YELLOW tape everywhere. Gone are the days of long grinding straight-aways, lung/leg busting run-ups, and courses infused with roadway sections. If you like twisting and turning, then the course designers this year have not let you down.

Ok, I guess I am a bit frustrated because I was hoping this race located in Devil's Glen Park (Bettendorf, IA) would really work out well for me. The promo description read "The course is as tacky as the Dice Man's riddles. Add that to the Snake Alley steep climb, the 3 run ups, the Tiger pit, Quicksand, and 50 foot rappel, and we should have a bit of fun Sunday". 3 run-ups, a sand trap, tackiness... Yes!... I have been waiting for a course like this all season. There isn't much I can do about my enjoyment of applying the brakes during technical sections, but I can train my power, VO2, leg/core strength, etc. My training wasn't typical, I am sure, but strategic to potentially give me an edge given the right set of circumstances.

Cross-dressing YELLOW Devil.

Unfortunately, the pre-race marketing turned out to be exaggerated. I didn't really notice any run-ups nor sand. Rather, the devil dressed the course with loads of YELLOW tape. The climb (Phil's Hill) was steep, however, and allowed for a great place to dig deep and really 'feel' the effort. The course was very well designed and truly was fun, but again, I thought this was going to be a race best suited for cross-fit types... it ended up being a race best suited for cyclists... dang.

I lined up for the Master's 35+ still determined to win, however. The ref counted down in an odd fashion that included the use of the number '0'... this busted up my launch, and I started out in the back of the bunch as usual. Race winner Ron Bridal propelled to the front and never looked back, literally, as he got a huge early gap and we never saw him again. The rest of us battled it out for 2nd. I found my way to this position and began building a gap on Andy Breitsprecher (DICE) who was hot in pursuit. I can tell he really wanted to do well in his team's race. His efforts seemed futile, however, as I was edging away.

Smooth naviagation through YELLOW tape is a required skill set of the succesful Cyclo-Crosser.

The course gave an advantage to those who could navigate through YELLOW tape with the least amount of effort. You had to stay focused on your technique. I let my mind lapse a bit and washed out during one of the downhill turns. I slid right under the YELLOW tape. As I collected myself, Andy came by and shouted at me to get out of his way. I had crap in my cogs and my gears didn't seem to be shifting. Eventually, I regained my composure, and held on to the 3rd place.

I have new reasons to be cautious
near YELLOW tape.

A couple of laps later I got caught up in the YELLOW tape in that same section. My handle bars were tangled up... ridiculous. I guess I was getting tired. I crossed the line feeling a bit beat down, mentally, as the course got the best of me, just not in the way I had hoped. I held on for 3rd place which meant I added another envelope to my collection. I was happy about that, though have a strange new aversion to the color YELLOW. This concerns me because I am sort of a LIVESTRONG type guy, and appreciate the YELLOW Jersey as an icon of perserverance.

For whatever reason, I am getting pretty comfortable with the concept of racing two cross events in one day this year. I surmise that part of this is my evolving fitness, but seriously do think the courses have slowly become less physical, and more technical over the years. I think the courses used to have to include a certain percentage of 'off the bike' sections, for example. This doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Running with a bike uphill is grueling, but something that I can train for. This is a great time of the year for me to cross-train with weights, running, plyo-metrics, isometrics, calisthenics, etc. I enjoy taking a break from racking up the outdoor road mileage. This means I may sacrifice a bit of pure-cycling strength, but enjoy a more balanced state of overall physical capability.

So, I did line up for the Open race later that day, but really wasn't entertaining any notion of success. You can tell who thinks they have a shot at winning because they line up in front row. I lined up in the second row. Not many people opt to double up their cross races... Justifications I use to motivate a second entry include: 1) getting in a good workout, 2) improving technical skills, 3) I'd rather be in a bike race rather than watch it, and 4) a chance to conquer the inner demons (devils?) that suggested racing twice was asking for trouble.

The race went well with my proudest accomplishment being that I didn't get lapped by race winner Kevin McConnel. I used to get lapped back in the early days of my racing career, but thankfully this doesn't seem to be happening anymore.

I found myself racing with a guy named Brett from Peoria for the last couple of laps... sort of a race within a race as we traded places off and on. I anticipated that it would come down to the sprint up that steep hill (Phil's Hill) that was about 50 meters from the finish. Sure enough, I hit it hard up the hill and he followed. I got a gap, but he persisted and I only beat him by about a wheel's length (finishing 9th out of 15 starters). That was an intense effort and worth my $5 entry fee to see (and feel) it play out.

The DICE guys did a great job putting this event on.. it truly was a great Cyclo-cross race. If I had done better the report would have read differently. This was a tough field. I can specifically suggest that the top three guys are possibly the strongest cyclo-cross competitors this year in Iowa (Kevin McConnel, Matias Perret, and Nate Kullborn).

I am happy that I decided to do cross races this year. It really did motivate my training while providing an opportunity to develop my technical skill set. I am in a great frame of mind (aside from the YELLOW phobia issue) as I begin to anticipate my 2012 racing season.

Showers of Power

2011-11-02T15:00:00.010-05:00

4 SHOWERS A DAY...

Ok, there are a quite a few days throughout any given year that I grind out 3 showers, but hitting the shower for a fourth time in a single day was a new milestone. I owe this tremendous accomplishment to my boot camp fitness instructor, my fragile ego, and most importantly, to a 70 degree November afternoon.

The stage was set for ShowerFest 2011 as I mounted my trainer last Thursday for a spirited bout of high-intensity interval training with Coach Troy. This was the pre-workout to what turned out to be a major ass-kicker of a workout at the community Y later that evening as Scott (the boot camp instructor) lead us through a workout that I will not soon forget. The key difference to this workout compared to others he has led is that it was competitive. Instead of doing an exercise for a set amount of time then rotating, we did a set number of repetitions then rotated through at our own pace... crap, "at your own pace" is practically a death sentence for me, as I only know one pace, and knew that I was going to kill it.

Sure enough, I sprinted around the track at full speed, executed burpees like a pro, jumped on boxes like they were being punished, and did walking lunges at a pace nearly twice that of the rest of the class. I was excited by the fact that the exercises seemed to have potential to make me a stronger cyclist, which was an unexpected bonus and fueled my efforts. Maybe the fact that many of my classmates were extremely physically fit and attractive females had an influence on my performance... maybe.

I would have considered resting the next day, but the weather was good, and I went on a group bike ride instead. Then, I awoke Saturday to realize that my legs were completely trashed... I could barely lift them, and hobbled around all day. Sunday wasn't much better, as I was forced to take another rest day.

Ok, maybe Monday will give me the opportunity to regain my confidence. I have a couple more cyclo-cross races left, and being essentially injured from cross-training wasn't sitting well with my psyche. I have a timed workout that I planned on using to verify that my fitness was still solid. Crap... I couldn't complete the workout... my legs still felt lethargic. I vowed that Tuesday would be the day.

I woke up Tuesday and couldn't think about anything but completing the interval workout I had attempted on Monday. My focus was blurred slightly, as the weather was supposed to be excellent and a group training ride was in the works. Ok, I decided I will just have to add that to the agenda.

SHOWER #1: I took my first shower of the day as I headed to work.

I rocked out my noon workout, and high-fived myself... Yes, I am back at 100%... all is not lost.
SHOWER #2: I showered for the second time and headed back to work.

I got kind of bored spending so much time in the
shower... This guy seems to have the right idea.

I didn't last long at work, as the 70 degree temps created the overwhelming compulsion to hop on my bike and head to the group ride. I ended up with about 48 miles, and wasn't sure that I would be able to make it to that night's boot camp workout.

SHOWER #3: I had a protein meal replacement shake and sat in the shower, hoping the warm water would have a therapeutic effect on me, and motivate my last workout of the day.

I really had no choice but to attend the boot camp session. Once I sign up for something, anxiety prevents me from not attending. I was doing alright, especially with the upper body exercises, but my hamstrings started to cramp doing sit-ups. Odd, but my training time for the day was approaching 4.5 hours, so not really a surprise.

SHOWER #4: Ok, one more shower before bed.

I don't train like that often, at least not during my off-season, but things just worked out that way. I imagine Ironman triathletes have days like this all the time, as cross-training with multiple daily workouts is necessary. I will reflect upon this day next spring when I shift back to a pure cycling training regimen. I enjoyed a sense of accomplishment and the pleasant realization that I would only need ONE shower on Wednesday.

Bobber's Cross Race Weekend

2011-10-24T17:05:00.016-05:00

I participated in three races during the Bobber's Cross series that happened over a beautiful weekend amidst the picturesque backdrop of Lake McBride, near Iowa City. Ultimately, I took home three envelopes, so the weekend was a success with respect to my results.

MASTER'S 35+
On Saturday, I decided to enter the first race of the day day, the Master's event, which would give me the opportunity to potentially race twice, should I feel so inclined.

The first consideration is the course... It still amazes me how much influence the course has on the results, based on how it plays to individual strengths and weaknesses. Saturday's course was described as a mountain-biker's course. Essentially, you were always twisting and turning, never really getting a chance to "open it up". There were a few sections that weaved around trees in such a tight fashion, that it would have probably been faster to simply pick the bike up and run through. Hidden tree roots added to the challenge.

Finishing the barricades racing along Lee Venteicher early in the Master's 35+ event.
I seem to be giggling, as I find it hard to take jumping over hurdles too seriously.

The main obstacle was the dreaded sand pit... This was easily the longest sand trap I have ever tried to navigate by bike. I watched as people had various degrees of success as they attempted to cross the sand without dismounting.

Good shot of the Dreaded Sand Trap

The single speed riders took off first, then they launched the 15 Master's 35+ racers in my category, followed by the 45+, then 55+ groups. As we waited, someone mentioned that this course didn't seem to suit me... I was eager to find out if they were right, because it was very technical, without any hills or lengthy straight sections.

I tried to hit it hard from the start, but ended up in about 7th position, which seems to be my Method of Operation. I have got to say, this course ended up being genuinely "fun". You never could get bored because you were always contesting an obstacle. The sand trap and subsequent barriers, were the only areas that I felt winded, it just wasn't one of those redline heart rate type courses. The rest of the time was devoted to trying to race as smoothly as possible, and avoid making mistakes.

Early on, I actually got my right leg caught between my rear tire and frame, as I inadvertently kicked someone during a dismount obstacle. I lost several places, as the group was very tight for the first couple of laps, but gained an intricate scarring pattern on my shin... weird.

Eventually, I found the places on the course where I could advance, and did so accordingly. In fact, I was in first place with only two laps to go. There was only one guy still contesting my victory, but I had a nice gap. He was an Italian who resided in Colorado (hmm, that is a very bike friendly demographic)... One of his buddies shouted something at him in Italian... Not sure what he said, but it must have been inspirational, because he soon found the strength to pass me. I kept him in my sights but he had established about a 5 second gap. I knew leading a race with someone right on your back is anxiety provoking and hoped he would crack.

Yes! Right after the sand trap he lost control and dropped his bike. I entered the barricades at about the same time, with only about 150 meters left to race. He was quicker through them, unfortunately, and used that gap to beat me by about 1 second. Dang...

RESULTS: Place Points Name City, State Time License Bib Team
1 420.10 Lucas Llado Boulder, CO 161592 132 Unattached
2 436.16 Chad Bishop Muscatine, IA 223776 130 American Equity
3 452.22 Andy Breitsprecher Ely, IA 243670 126 DICE
4 468.28 Steve Meek Davenport, IA 53946 128 Team Hammer
5 484.34 Greg Aronson Bettendorf, IA 192337 116 DICE
6 500.40 Lee Venteicher Waukon, IA 74475 3 Bikes To You/World of Bikes
7 516.46 Geoff Perrill Iowa City, IA 223955 ICCC
8 532.52 Karl Thomas Iowa City, IA 316082 119 ICCC
9 548.58 Jason Forbes Iowa City, IA 334140 103 Cross Test Dummies
10 564.64 Thaddeus Paisar North Liberty, IA 90345 129 ICCC
11 580.70 Jon Yetley Coralville, IA 160912 100 Unattached
DNF John Burkle Iowacity, IA 301651 125 Atlas Cycling
DNF Gary McNabb Iowa City, IA 212464 122 Atlas Cycling
DNF Inigo Ibarra Johnston, IA 320274 133 Scheels
DNF Michael Edwards Iowa City, IA 200222 121 Atlas Cycling

I still hadn't decided to enter the Open race yet, and waited for inspiration... There was birthday cake on the table (Happy Birthday Mark), and I thought that was the sign I needed. I devoured a piece, yet found my desire to take a nap overwhelming. I drove home, promising myself to return Sunday.

The calm before the storm, as riders anticipate the start of their race.

MASTER'S 35+

Fifteen riders lined up with me to contest the Master's 35+ race on Sunday. The course had basically been reversed, however the main obstacles had been eliminated (namely the sand trap), so the course was going to have a faster feel to it than Saturday.

I recognized Ryan Jacobsen (Atlas Cycling) in the field, noting that he has been winning nearly every Master's event he enters. Having a fast start seems to be crucial to success in cyclocross. Understanding this, I attempted to pop up to the front, right from the gun, but the first corner was loose with gravel, so I ended up assuming my usual position in about the 7th place. I was in a position where I could count ahead to see where I needed to be to get an envelope, so I wasn't too panicky.

Ryan started fast and navigated the course with relative ease. He dropped his bike during a loose gravel section where the course crosses the road, gashing open his ankle, but quickly rebounded. Unfortunately, Louis DeWild dropped his bike there as well, giving Ryan the start of a gap that he never gave up.

Louis quickly recovered the places he lost, and gradually placed himself in a gap between the race leader and Steve Robinson... It took awhile but I clawed my way up to fourth place (yeah, the start of the envelope pay-outs), and felt content with the situation. Steve (Zealous Racing) had an insurmountable gap on me, and I had the same gap on Greg Aronson (DICE). I soft pedalled the last lap, as I had pre-registered for a second race that day, and was content to get 4th place against a very respectable field....

RESULTS: Place Points Name City, State Time License Bib Team

1 380.80 Ryan Jacobsen Iowa City, IA 197021 20 Atlas Cycling
2 395.74 Louis DeWild Des Moines, IA 264102 147 Rasmussens
3 410.68 Steven Robinson Des Moines, IA 213399 10 Zealous Racing
4 425.62 Chad Bishop Muscatine, IA 223776 151 American Equity
5 440.56 Greg Aronson Bettendorf, IA 192337 139 DICE
6 455.50 Anthony Thaller Marquette Heights, IL 298505 341 Little Ades
7 470.44 Steve Reynolds Pella, IA 244044 313 Zealous Racing
8 485.38 Rob Thompson Iowa City, IA 192645 135 Atlas Cycling
9 500.32 Nick Martin Iowa City, IA 213033 142 Atlas Cycling
10 515.26 Russell Buri Iowa City, IA 350374 152 Unattached
11 530.20 Jon Yetley Coralville, IA 160912 100 Unattached
12 545.14 Jason Forbes Iowa City, IA 334140 103 Cross Test Dummies
13 560.08 John Burkle Iowacity, IA 301651 125 Atlas Cycling
14 575.02 Steve Fry Des Moines, IA 225422 145 Unattached
15 589.96 Jack Piper Burlington, IA 130591 146 Atlas Cycling

CAT 3/4

Steve Robinson started giving me crap right off the bat for sand-bagging by entering the Cat 3/4 race. His taunts may have been justified, however, as I technically am a Cat 2 on the road, and could have requested an upgrade based on this. However, I only raced one Cross event last year, so really didn't feel like I had earned a Category 2 Cross license. I also reminded myself of all the other Cat 2 roadies I have seen enter the Cat 3/4 races this year. Additionally, the Open event that day seemed to be loaded with heavy hitting Cyclo Cross all stars from Iowa City, so wasn't feeling all that inspired to try and hang onto some of those wheels... at least not today... I think more people would enter the Open events if they paid back a little deeper than 5 spots...

View of the some of the twisting sections.

Regardless, I lined up with a rather large field of 30 experienced cyclo-cross racers all motivated to earn a favorable result. The race started fast and I was further back in the field than I was comfortable with. After the first lap, I was still lingering in about the 7th place with not many places on the course where I could advance my position. There was a lot of single-track type racing throughout the course. In fact, there were only 2 or 3 sections that I could pass people. I found a rhythm, and basically passed one person per lap, as I had to bide my time while I waited for the course to present an opportunity to pass.

Eventually I made it up to the second position, and could see the leader within striking distance. He was wearing a zoom performance kit (Alex Libin), and some of the hecklers questioned the situation "Are you going to let a triathlete beat you?" I love hecklers because they make the event more engaging. The things they say get stuck in your head sometimes. Unfortunately, I couldn't gain any ground on Alex, he seemed to be racing at exactly the same rate as I was... Jesse Leonard (DICE/Iowa State University)was right on my tail, creating a very intense racing experience... I had to keep very focused.

Alex did wipe out, however, at that same loose gravel spot that had been giving people problems all day. It wasn't enough, as I ended up finishing second, about 10 or 15 seconds back...

I vow not to enter another Cat 3/4 event, as I now feel confident that I am approximately a Cat 2 level Cyclo-cross rider. I will upgrade accordingly in 2012, as not to be tempted...

Hmm, I have finished 2nd or 4th in all but one of the 7 races I have entered so far this year. Though I have got a hole stack of envelopes spilling over with my winnings, this is still a bit disappointing... Why can't I finish 3rd? I really want to finish 3rd at least once before I call it a season.

RESULTS: Place Points Name City, State Time License Bib Team

1 393.52 Alex Libin (1 - Cat3) Clive, IA 228194 331 Zoom Performance
2 401.08 Chad Bishop (2 - Cat3) Muscatine, IA 223776 346 American Equity
3 408.64 Jesse Leonard (3 - Cat3) Bettendorf, IA 261951 323 Iowa State University
4 416.20 Jory Conor (4 - Cat3) Burlington, IA 308766 347 Unattached
5 423.76 Marius Czarnomski (5 - Cat3) Cedar Rapids, IA 272490 314 ICCC
6 431.32 Keith Snoop (6 - Cat3) Marion, IA 83127 309 HBA Racing
7 438.88 Eric Waldron (7 - Cat3) Iowa City, IA 180909 315 Unattached
8 446.44 Thomas Behne (8 - Cat3) Iowa City, IA 319828 317 Q7 Cycling
9 454.00 Kyle Williams (9 - Cat3) Iowa City, IA 239639 343 ICCC
10 461.56 Seth Long (1 - Cat4) Ames, IA 361324 246 Iowa State University
11 469.12 Matt Kleinmeyer (10 - Cat3) Iowa City, IA 187416 350 Unattached
12 476.68 Zachary Kreifels (2 - Cat4) Ames, IA 295230 353 Unattached
13 484.24 Jared Morford (3 - Cat4) Ames, IA 327682 332 Skunk River Cycles
14 491.80 John Peters (11 - Cat3) Cedar Rapids, IA 125358 340 HBA Racing
15 499.36 Andrew Peterson (12 - Cat3) Iowa City, IA 207441 303 Unattached
16 506.92 Anthony Thaller (4 - Cat4) Marquette Heights, IL 298505 341 Little Ades
17 514.48 Jon Sulzberger (13 - Cat3) Muscatine, IA 72351 349 Harpers Cycling
18 522.04 Jeff Dullard (14 - Cat3) North Liberty, IA 235468 305 ICCC
19 529.60 Brian Kingsbury (5 - Cat4) Davenport, IA 311642 304 Unattached
20 537.16 Mike Frasier (6 - Cat4) Iowa City, IA 189761 345 New Pi/Goosetown
21 544.72 Nick Sobocinski (7 - Cat4) Iowacity, IA 302511 352 New Pi/Goosetown
22 Mike Howard 342 Buschwhackers
23 559.84 Shawn Baker (8 - Cat4) Norwalk, IA 109908 351 Team Emu
24 567.40 Paul Jensen (15 - Cat3) Altoona, IA 67364 328 Zealous Racing
25 574.96 David Parrott Coralville, IA 282124 255 ICCC
26 582.52 Russell Buri Iowa City, IA 350374 354 Unattached
27 590.08 Mark Guthart (9 - Cat4) Iowa City, IA 110666 333 ICCC
DNF Nathan Hicks Des Moines, IA 281712 324 Zealous Racing
DNF Dustin Salter Hiawatha, IA 296487 348 HBA Racing
DNF Damon Salter Hiawatha, IA 293859 344 HBA Racing

Perkins Park Cyclocross Report

2011-10-19T10:34:00.008-05:00

I participated in a couple of cyclo-cross races on Sunday in Burlington, Iowa. I felt much more prepared this week, having gotten back into the groove after gaining some success the week before in Cedar Rapids.  I had put in a couple of good workouts and felt capable of having a good showing, especially in the Master's race.

The course rolled up and down in many sections, but never to any major degree, so it was described as a fast course. I initially thought the course would suit me, until I noticed that the 4 barricades were placed in 4 separate areas, meaning four dismounts. Usually there is a series of three barricades in a row, meaning only one two dismounts. I always seem to lose a little ground to my competitors during dismounts, so the less I have to get off of the bike to hurdle barricades the better. One of the barricades was placed at a skewed angle at the base of a root-infested incline... the signage indicated that this was Grandpa Tom's Hill... I would grow to dislike Grandpa Tom by the end of the day.

MASTER'S RACE - I slotted into the first row of the field of 22 Master's/Single Speed racers. I put the hammer down from the gun, and found myself setting the pace with Lee Venteicher in tow. I eventually got a gap on the field, however Lee was able to get on my wheel later in the race, where he stayed until the end. As I got a feel for the course, I realized that there wasn't really any definitive places to try and drop Lee.   There was only one section that was straight long enough to crank up the watts, but it was relatively short, and my efforts to create some distance during this section were futile.

There was a lengthy switch back section that the course designers used to accomplish the necessary lap distance. You could easily gauge where your competitors were at because it seemed to take around 2 minutes to get through it, as you could see the others going by in the opposite directions each switch back.    You never could really get up to full speed before each of the 180 degree turns, so this section became almost an area to rest and minimize wasted energy.

Lee realized he had the advantage over the barricades and would sometimes end up ahead of me after we re-mounted our bikes, but then his effort flattened out and I would quickly end up setting the pace again. Towards the end of the race I realized it was going to come down to me and him. He mentioned that he was just trying to hang on, which inspired me to throttle it up in hopes that this wouldn't come down to a sprint to the line. I felt good about my chances to get some breathing room during the final out and back section that finished up about 150 meters or so from the finish line.    I wished he would ease up on the pace so I could save some energy for my next race, then I realized that I was the one setting the pace... I guess I just hoped he would quit following me, but he hung in and raced to perfection.

As we approached Grandpa Tom's Hill for the last time, I knew the moment had arrived... "Get over this hill and into the out and back section and dash to a victory". The frantic intensity and exhaustion of the moment resulted in my chain falling off as I attempted to remount my bike at the top of the hill. Not only did my chain-stopper not keep my chain from falling off, it ended up being in my way as I tried to get my chain back on.... The pit mechanic came to help, but Lee was long gone... He was disappointed because he was hoping for a dramatic showdown, as was I.

At the end of the out and back section, he stopped and waited for me to catch up and offered to sprint it out to the line. I thought he was kidding, because he deserved the victory, in my opinion. Ok, we sprinted accordingly, and he was able to beat me to the line, as I finished 2nd overall.

MEN'S OPEN - My fitness is pretty good right now, but I was still a little concerned about how much energy I had used during the Master's race, as I started preparing for the Men's Open event. My insecurities were elevated as I noticed some of the top cyclo-crossers in the state were entered (Kevin McConnell, Nathan Kullbom, and Matias Perret, for example). I nearly talked myself out of entering as I began to nod off while waiting for the race to start, but reminded myself that I came down here for a good workout, and that you never know how things might shake out.

There only ended being 9 guys that entered. Brian Moritz and Jeremiah Gantzer were lined up as well as Brett Bohanan of Peoria who had just won the cat 3 race. Well, I did some quick math along with a reality-check and decided that 4th or 5th place would still be in my sights if things went well.

These guys hit it hard from the start... harder than I had during the Master's event. Matias flew over his handlebars as we approached the first incline, and I dodged around him. Some separation started to occur, but everyone was still within striking distance after the first lap. A group of 4 started to get some distance, as me and Brett seemed to be riding at a similar pace, and Matias was still trying to catch back on. Eventually, Brian Moritz fell off a bit, as the leading three guys were never to be seen again.

I rode with Matias and Brett for a while, but Matias was able to claw his way back up to Brian as the two raced for the 4th and 5th paying spots. I settled into the 7th spot. Considering there were only 9 guys entered, 7th might have been a bit discouraging, however this was a small but talented field, so no worries.

My legs however, were all jacked up the next day, from all that barrier hurdling... I figured I must have hurdled those barricades about 80 times over the course of the entire day. And, towards the end of the Men's open race, I was getting mentally and physically fatigued, so my technique was ridiculous... In fact, I totally jammed my shin against Grandpa Tom's barricade, as my will to overcome that obstacle was fading once the race got out of my reach. Darn you Grandpa Tom.

Everyone seemed to enjoy their experience. Thanks to the race coordinators for putting on a top-notch event.

RESULTS:Masters/Single Speed

Masters 35+
1. Lee Venteicher - Bikes To You/World of Bikes
2. Chad Bishop - American Equity Racing/Velosport Iowa
3. Gary McNabb - Atlas
4. Colm Flannery -Peoria Bicycle Club
5. Greg Aronson-DICE
Masters 45+
1. Mark Beatty-Twisted Spokes
2. Dominic Moraniec - Atlas
3. Mike Howard -Bushwackers
4. John Stonebarger -Mass Bay Road Club
5. Steve Fleagle - Iowa City Cycling Club
6. John Peters -Unattached
7. Jon Sulzberger - Melon City Cycling Club
8. Jerry Porter - Peoria Bicycle Club
Masters 55+
1. Landon Beachy -Twisted Spokes
2. John Adamson - Twisted Spokes
3. Richard Gilmore - Twisted Spokes
4. Michael Giudici -DICE
5. Kathleen Porter -Twisted Spokes
6. Gerry Voelliger -DICE
7. Norman Wellings - Unattached
Single Speed
1. Norbert Koenigsfeld - Atlas
2. Jory Conor -Unattached

RESULTS: Men's Open
1. Kevin McConnell - Iowa City Cycling Club
2. Jeremiah Gantzer - Unattached
3. Nathan Kullbom - Atlas
4. Matias Perret - Iowa City Cycling Club
5. Bryan Moritz - Unattached
6. Brett Bohanan - Peoria Bicycle Club
7. Chad Bishop - American Equity Racing/Velosport
8. Tomas Behne - Unattached
9. Derek Cassaday - Bikes to You/World of Bikes

Morgan Cross Race Report & Photos/Video

2011-10-11T10:58:00.012-05:00

Master's Race...Photo by Angie Snoop.

I headed up to Cedar Rapids in hopes of ending my year long stand-off with the sport of cyclo-cross. I had such a bad time at the one and only race I did in 2010, that I really wasn't sure I would actually line up for any cross in 2011.

I noticed that it was only $5 to enter a second race, so decided to do the Master's Race, and then see what I felt like, hoping to enter either the Cat 3/4 or Men's Open later that day. I am so far removed from cyclocross that I literally had to look at my USAC licence to see what CX category I am... it said I was a Cat 3.. so I had my pick of three races that day.

I did a warm-up lap of the course, and felt neither encouraged or discouraged. Lee Venteicher helped remind me that it isn't important to take cyclo-cross too seriously, as I used this perspective to mentally take the pressure off of myself to perform... Just get out there and have fun competing and exercising. I was discouraged, however, to see about 40 people line up to compete for the 4 paying spots... they all seemed a bit too 'serious' looking for my preference.

I lined up at the back of the pack and was surprised how fast this race started... I got whacked in the helmet by tree branches trying to hang on... getting held up at the first set of barricades. I noticed the leaders were already way in front of me... Unfortunately, I also noticed that I was dead last... I didn't really panic, rather just rode at a comfortable but aggressive pace. I passed people every couple of minutes... This really is a fun way to race, as there was always a target up the road. Each time I passed someone I felt energized.

Fellow local blogger Kier James captured some good video of two of the obstacles...

Lee ended up wiping out right in front of me about midway through the 45 minute event. His face came within about 6 inches of my wheel. My reactions were quick and deliberate, as I recieved accolades from spectators who appreciated my ability not to run over his head.

Left: Lee V. navigating the sand trap just ahead of me. Right: The sand gave riders trouble all day. Landon Beachy is seen
here trying to dodge the stalled rider ahead of him.

I had no idea what place I was in, but felt secure that I was at least somewhere in the middle. I was completely shocked to find out that I had actually clawed my way up to fourth place and into a paying result. I never saw the leaders (aside from at the start line) which included Ryan Jacobsen(1st), Jim Cochran(2nd) and Todd Gillihan(3rd). If I had been a little more motivated at the beginning of the race my result may have been higher... Regardless, my confidence soared and I felt motivated to really step it up for the next race.

MEN'S OPEN (Cat 1,2,3)
I decided to race the 'main event'... the 60 minute Men's Open. The course seemed to suit me and the temperature was getting hotter, which also is my preference. Somebody mentioned this is a 'roadie course'... not sure if that was meant to be offensive, but I consider myself a 'roadie' and was even further encouraged that I could get into one of the 5 paying spots against this field of 20 Cat 1,2,3 cyclo-crossers.

I lined up at the front of the field this time, and noticed a certain timidness amongst the field... yes, I could sense weakness and doubt amongst some of the participants. Yet, I didn't really hit it hard from the gun... it seems like guys blow up when they try and get the hole shot... plus, I really don't like having to watch my back the whole race... On the other hand, dodging around human obstacles creates problems.... it is tricky enough steering through mud pits without having to navigate around racers who wipe out. I kept track of what place I was in, and found myself in 7th place about half way through the first lap, with plenty of breathing room behind me.

Here is the start of the Men's Open...

I really was feeling good. There were several straight 'power sections' that I could use to make up serious ground on my competitors. I also felt encouraged by how strong I was able to run up the staircase obstacle. Maybe all of those box-jumps and walking lunges paid off.

I kept the race within my grasp and was able to pick off riders one by one throughout the remainder of the event. I was in third place with about 2 laps to go as I set my sights on the second placed rider. I gained on him during the 'power sections' and tried to hold my ground during the twisting sections. I got up on his wheel and decided to execute some psychological warfare by setting behind him for a bit. I collected some energy, and then passed him in one sweeping motion. I wanted to get out of his sights quickly, so I didn't have to think about him.

Unfortunately, I did lose track of the first placed rider about midway through the event, and had no idea how far up the course he was. A spectator encouraged me by mentioning that I was gaining on him and that he wasn't far ahead. I did see him eventually, but he had a huge gap and the race was coming to a close. I focused on staying upright, securing a respectable 2nd place finish.

The HBA guys did a great job of putting on this race, which was very well attended. I am glad that I decided to compete and look forward to a couple more opportunities to pin on a race number before I close out the 2011 bike racing season.

Results of the Morgan Cross CX race
Oct 9, 2011
Cedar Rapids, IA

Master 35/45/55 single speed
1 Ryan Jacobsen IOWA CITY IA Atlas Cycling Team
2 James Cochran IOWA CITY IA Atlas Cycling Team
3 Todd Gillihan CORALVILLE IA Team Skin
4 Chad Bishop MUSCATINE IA American Equity Racng Team
5 Christopher Eastburn CEDAR RAPIDS IA Iowa City Cycling Club
6 Kyle Sedore Des Moines IA Bike Iowa
7 Andy Breitsprecher ELY IA DICE
8 Andrew Peterson IOWA CITY IA
9 Lee Venteicher WAUKON IA Bikes To You / World of Bikes
10 Gary McNabb IOWA CITY IA Atlas Cycling
11 Michael Edwards IOWA CITY IA Atlas Cycling Team
12 Stephen Goetzelman IOWA CITY IA
13 Norbert Koenigsfeld CEDAR RAPIDS IA Atlas Cycling
14 Steve Fleagle CORALVILLE IA Mercy-Specialized
15 John Stonebarger IOWA CITY IA MBRC/Bicycle Link
16 Timothy Kennel IOWA CITY IA New Pioneer Food Co-op
17 Henning Gerke IOWA CITY IA Mercy-Specialized
18 Robert Thompson IOWA CITY IA Atlas Cycling
19 Landon Beachy KALONA IA Twisted Spokes Racing Team
20 Karl Rosenberg CEDAR RAPIDS IA Hawkeye Bicycle Assoc
21 Brent Linn SIOUX CITY IA
22 Greg Aronson BETTENDORF IA DICE
23 Mark Beatty WASHINGTON IA Twisted Spokes Racing Team
24 Geoff Eastburn CEDAR RAPIDS IA Mercy-Specialized
25 Robert Greigg SIOUX CITY IA Powerada – Independent Fabication
26 JOhn Peters Cedar Rapids IA HBA
27 Phil Curran Davenport IA
28 John Adamson CEDAR FALLS IA Twisted Spokes Racing Team
29 Jason Forbes IOWA CITY IA Cross Test Dummies
30 Richard Gilmore WASHINGTON IA Twisted Spokes Racing Team
31 Kathleen Porter CEDAR FALLS IA Twisted Spokes Racing Team
32 Michael Heffern Cedar Rapids IA
33 Jason Scholbrock IOWA CITY IA
34 Curtis Sawin Amana IA Cross Test Dummies
DNF Mark Considene IOWA CITY IA Goosetown Racing Club
DNF Jeff Barnes IOWA CITY IA Iowa City Cycling Club
DNF Brian Soppe CEDAR RAPIDS IA Hawkeye Cicycling Assoc

I bunny-hopped the log during my second race... tricky because it was
situated at the base of an incline.

Mens Open
1 Joshua Wandrey ANKENY IA
2 Chad Bishop MUSCATINE IA American Equity Racng Team
3 vaughn pierce GRETNA NE Team Kaos-Alegent Health
4 Lee Venteicher WAUKON IA Bikes To You / World of Bikes
5 Michael Miles OMAHA NE Midwest Cycling Community NE
6 Aaron Robnett NORTH LIBERTY IA
7 Kevin Murray LINCOLN NE Flatwater Cycling
8 Landon Beachy KALONA IA Twisted Spokes Racing Team
9 Robin Williams IOWA CITY IA Mercy-Specialized
10 Scott Wilson IOWA CITY IA WOB Racing Co
11 Matt Nagel WEST BRANCH IA Q7
12 John Adamson CEDAR FALLS IA Twisted Spokes Racing Team
13 Jeremy Cook OMAHA NE Midwest Cycling Community NE
14 Kyle Williams Iowa City IA Iowa City Cycling Club
DNF Adam Ventling URBANDALE IA
DNF evin Tempel IOWA CITY IA Bikes to You/World of Bikes
DNF Austin Turner IOWA CITY IA Bikes to You/World of Bikes
DNF Thomas Behne IOWA CITY IA
DNF Derek Cassaday AMES IA Bikes to You/World of Bikes
DNF Geoff Perrill IOWA CITY IA Iowa City Cycling Club
--- Total 20 ---

Cross - Warrior Style

2011-10-02T16:10:00.002-05:00

There is lot of cyclo-cross racing going on in Iowa these days... just not anything close enough to the east side to motivate me to compete. Too bad, because I really like the warm cyclo-cross races as opposed to the chilly ones... Speaking of cyclo-cross events... man there are alot of them... back to back races all throughout September, October and November... I surmise that this is because they are so much easier to put on than road races and crits... again sort of the opposite of my preference, but completely understandable.

So, rather than mope around while my fellow bike racing enthusiasts are jumping over hurdlers and rolling through sand traps, I have stumbled upon a workout out regimen called WARRIOR CROSSFIT that will allow me to engage in equally odd physical challenges, in an effort to maximize my fall fitness:

I went down to their brand new workout center to ask if they would be willing to let us use their facilities as the 'Muscatine's Biggest Loser' fitness ranch...

As we were talking they invited me to try the workouts for a week... I didn't have my workout clothes with me, so I drove home and dashed back to the 6:30pm workout... I did a workout called 'Jodi' which entailed a timed circuit that included the rowing machine, medicine ball thrusts, box jump-ups, and alligator push-ups/rope climbs... I was joined by the owner as his wife led us through the routine. I dug into the workout with total disregard... I just wanted to post a fast time and stay somewhat close to the owner's result.

The effort was very intense and seemed to have potential to help my cycling in a variety of unconventional ways. Unfortunately, I really did nail it, and was getting sore even as I walked to my car. Yep, my quads were cashed for the next 3 days... Oddly, I could ride my bike with little discomfort. The exercises seemed to be engaging a muscle group that isn't prominent during a pedal stroke...

Now I'm hooked... I even recorded the 'Cross Fit Games' on ESPN so I can start to immerse my self into the culture... ever the competitor, I am thinking there will be some local Cross-Fit competitions this winter/spring that I can enter. My cardio-vascular engine is much much stronger than my legs/arms/chest, etc, so I am going to enjoy trying to get some more balance.

I am looking for ways to adapt some of these training principles/movements to bike training... it will be a stretch, but either way, I will have fun trying...

2011 Gritty Brevet (104 Mile)

2011-09-26T10:52:00.006-05:00

The start from 30th Century Bike Shop in Iowa City.

I am happy to report that I successfuly showed up for and then finished the 2011 Gritty Brevet in Iowa City. I had been using this event as a motivator to get my cyclocross bike out and put some gravel mileage on it... My only other event-specific training preparations were to devour an entire Chicago style pizza the night before, capping it off with a trip to Culver's for a double scoop Sunday... Additionally, I had my cue sheets printed off, laminated, and affixed to my bike, and made sure to bring extra tubes.

About 40 people began this journey, 33 of which had signed up to do the 104 mile route. A question that seemed to linger on a few of the participant's minds was whether or not this was a 'race'... I really felt that this event was going to be all about simply having the mental and physical fortitude to last to the end, so wasn't feeling compelled to be competitive. Finishing well would be a bonus, but no matter how fast you do 104 miles, it is going to have a fitness enhancing effect. On the other hand, I hoped to arrive with the first group of finishers, which meant I was committed to riding at whatever tempo the group was setting.

Rolling up Prentis Ave. to make our first right... grab your cue sheets.

The group rolled along at a relaxed tempo for quite some time. I had my cue sheets out, but really didn't expect to have to use them unless I got isolated from the group somehow. Paul D. and Lou W. had accepted my suggestion to enter this event, and I was glad to have teammates in the event, mostly for mental support and perhaps navigational reinforcements.

Unfortunately, Lou got a flat right about the time that the group was starting to gain momentum. He told me and Paul to just go ahead, but I was reluctant to leave him behind, knowing we could work together to get back up to the group. I pedalled softly for quite some time, and noticed that two guys from Atlas (Nick Martin and Jim Cochran) were rolling out ahead of the group. I wasn't going to chase this down with Lou still behind us. Some of the guys from Mercy Specialized took some pulls, but ultimately this was way early in the event for two guys to hold the group off. More importantly, who wants to fumble with cue sheets at high tempo for over 70 miles?

Well, eventually it was clear that Lou wasn't coming back to the group so we rolled along as the group dwindled down to about 20. About 40 miles into the event, someone realized that we were off course... I think the 'dead end' sign was an indicator... This was a dark moment for everyone... we were all guilty of assuming that someone knew the route and was navigating... most of us were blindly following along... Someone eventually came up with a plan to get us back on the route, unfortunately this would be at a cost of about 16 extra miles. So, catching Jim and Nick was no longer an option... the race was officially over.

I had to continue to blindly follow until we got on a familiar road near the Riverside casino... Yes! Riverside was on the route... I got my cue sheets out and put the hammer down... I was free to finally ride my own event. I was a bit frustrated with myself for not taking some initiative early on to self-navigate, and I was disappointed that there was no longer any way for me to finish with the leaders. On the other hand, this challenge was far from over... would I have the mental and physical perseverance to finish this thing? After all, I was looking at a minimum of 120 dusty, bumpy, and hilly miles.

My cathartic tempo setting thinned the group out quite substantially, and there were only about 8 of us still rolling along about half way through the route. I had my cue sheets out struggling to read them at times, as the vibrations made this challenging.. Whenever I was leading the group, I looked over my shoulder at each turn to make sure that the guys were following. Slowly but surely, there ended up being just 4 people still in my group. It was reassuring to see fellow participants who had stayed on course, as we travelled along. Their decision to follow the cue sheets and ride at their own tempo had saved them the extra 16 miles.

Another turning point with a sign angled the wrong way meant yet another 2 mile wrong turn. We had met Kevin Connely at this turn. He noticed we were off course and turned around. I followed him because I was determined to stay on course and finish this event. Plus, I really didn't know where I was, so staying on route meant that I could use the cue sheets to navigate my way to the finish. It was getting sort of embarrassing because I was passing some of the same people for the third time...

Me and Kevin road together for many miles. We stopped at a convenience store at mile 75 and I refueled with Gatorade and Red Bull. Red Bull really does give my wings, so at some point Kevin got really quiet and then told me he was going to sit up... Ok, it was just me... at about mile 94 (or Mile 110 adjusted for the extra mileage) and my cue sheets with 10 miles of gravel goodness ahead. Each time I successfully navigated a turn I fist pumped the air... "Yes, I am most likely going to make it back to Iowa City without any more 'bonus milage'."

I rolled in at 3:12pm, with 7 hours of saddle time and 120 miles.

The finishing party next door to the bike shop... My brain is in a fog and my eyes are blood-shot,
as I am quite exhausted and incoherent.

I think I got the most mileage in, but that is hardly something I am proud of. I learned that I would have finished faster by riding slower. I really did enjoy the experience and can't believe I got in 120 miles this time of the year. This was a great work-out that might help me battle it out at a couple of cross races later on. It is also re-assuring to think that if I do this again next year, that the course will be much shorter, because I vow to stay on it...

Ultimately about half of the 100 mile participants finished the event. Each person had their own journey... the preceding was mine... Below are the results that demonstrate that everyone had a unique experience.

1-Jim Cochran 100 mile 6hrs 10min
2-Nick Martin 100 mile 6hrs 10min
3-Audrey Wiedemeier 100 mile 7hrs 9min
4-Chad Bishop 100 mile 7hrs 12min
5-Kevin Donnelly 100 mile 7hrs 14min
6-Chris Delsandro 100 mile 10hrs 17min
7-Scott McDonough 100 mile 7hrs 21min
8-Lisa DeShano 100 miles 7hrs 28min
9-Dennis Grelk 100 mile 7hrs 28min
10-Andrea Cohen 100 mile 7hrs 39min
11-John Martinek 100 mile 7hrs 39min
12-Henning Gerke 100 mile 7hrs 39min
13-Bennett Bork 100 mile 7hrs 43min
14-Eric Waldron 100 mile 7hrs 43min
15-Jody Gorsch 100 mile 9hrs 43min
16-Kim Carpenter 100 mile 10hrs 17min
17-Mark Pooley 100 mile 10hrs 17min
Kim & Sue West 100 mile DNF
Scott Hansen 100 mile DNF
Mark Sorenson 100 mile off route (again…), still got 100!
Tonya Johnson 100 mile DNF
Eric Arey 100 mile DNF
Ryan Nenninger 100 mile DNF
Wayne Fett 100 mile DNF
Tom Sulentic 100 mile DNF
Michael Edwards 100 mile DNF
Gary McNabb 100 mile DNF
Joe Hetrick 100 mile DNF
Garett Lee 100 mile off route – still got 100
Chris and Monika Martin 100 mile DNF
Rick Hopson 100 mile DNF
Paul Deninger 100 mile DNF
Lou Waugman 100 mile DNF

Lead finisher Jim Cochran reminding everyone the
importance of following your Cue sheets.

Everyone who lined up to ride 104 miles over this challenging terrain should feel successful regardless of whether things turned out according to plan or not. Steve G. posted a recap and some photos on the Gritty Brevet Webite.

Fall Season Riding

2011-09-22T11:36:00.004-05:00

Me, Paul, and Lou riding the trail system in Iowa City before the Tuesday Night Training Ride at College Park.

As I write this, the beta-alanine in my pre-workout energy drink is burning my ears and making my skin flush... if you know what this feels like, my apologies, because you are a freak too... hopefully you don't, and you just read this blog to feel better about the fact that you don't feel compelled to get wired and then punish yourself for a crime you didn't commit.

Regardless of the situation, the itching of my skin is an indication that I must be anticipating some sort of racing yet this fall... I think so... The 100 mile Gritty Brevet is this weekend in Iowa City. Put on by 30th Centurty Bicycle Shop. It isn't a 'race' but will be a maximal effort for me to end up finishing the event without getting lost, having a ride-ending equipment issue, and/or succombing to a fitness bonk. Of course, anytime a bunch of dudes with USAC licenses pin on numbers, there will be some sort of testosterone-induced tempo accelerations.

I am running out of reasons not to do a couple of cyclo-cross races, so probably line up for a few... though it won't be in the Open class, rather the "Give Me a Break... I am just trying to stay in shape Class". It was suggested that if I un-hooked my brakes I would probably do a lot better in cyclo-cross races... I might try that, so please don't follow my wheel, as it will surely be heading straight into the woods on some of the tighter corners.

CROSS DRESSING

2011-09-13T11:49:00.000-05:00

Yep, time to outfit my cyclocross bike.
Ok, first read the post below... then enjoy the fact that I have already relapsed from my plan to remain uncompetitive. All it took was an announcement on BikeIowa Yahoo Groups about an upcoming cross race to trigger my addiction.

Ask me three weeks ago, and I would have told you I wasn't going to do any cross racing this year... but then I had a few minutes of boredom... I couldn't bare that lonely, uncomfortable feeling... the solution... occupy my brain with another challenge... racing a bike without a road underneath... crap, I promised myself I wouldn't spend any more money on racing this season... I lied. I am always amazed at how many different ways I can find to spend money on bike racing.

My big revalation, is that my 28 mm wide cross tires were making a bad situation even worse... mainly with respect to comfort and handling. I even heard that there is a UCI rule against racing cross with tires that narrow. Anyway, I bought some Bontrager XO 38mm wide tires...I can't believe how big they are...almost look like mountain bike tires... I am expecting to have a much better experience as I traverse the bumpy terrains of Iowa's natural resources... maybe not, but the diversion will buy me a couple more months of bike fitness.

The Non-Competitive Season... time to get 'cereal'...

2011-09-12T14:54:00.004-05:00

TRAINING APATHY
I was reading an article discussing this concept and it warned that apathy could set in if one tries to be competitive all the time, training at high-intensity. Apathy... means "without feeling"... so training apathy would translate to "training without feeling"...

This phenomenon seems to happen every time I find myself without a race on my calendar that I am really motivated to succeed in. I struggle to really get into my workouts if I am not training towards specific events. Yet, being non-competitive is feeling kind of relaxing for me, at the moment... I am inspired by how other areas of my life have now come into focus and are receiving some overdue attention.

I am still going to enter some more races this year, but only because I decided that I don't mind racing just 'for the fun of it'... it is fun to stay in shape, challenge oneself, connect with healthy people, and advance fitness. Most likely some trail runs and at least one cyclo-cross race just so I can wear my really cool American Equity/Velosport racing jacket.

I train with pathy at least 9 months out of the year... so allowing 2 or 3 months of adjusted priorities isn't that out of line. I am still training my butt off, just going to try not to be as competitive about it... I am excited to see how this approach might provide new personal insight and growth.

Rundtour Duathlon... Rocking the Rhubarb

2011-08-29T10:46:00.026-05:00

Yes, you read that right... a duathlon... I have been running about once a week for a few weeks trying to give myself a fighting chance of being competitive in a few duathlons to round out my road cycling season. My State TT time might have suffered just a bit from this loss of focus, but I didn't want my season to end August 21st, so I sacrificed a few bike workouts for runs. Ultimately, however I honored my commitment to the American Equity racing team by doing the bare minimum as far as running goes.

A duathlon is a different experience for a pure cyclist... It is sort of like a time trial, except the organizers make you run a 3 mile warm-up to your bike first, then don't count your finish time until after you have ran another 3 miles for the cool down. Those runs really do mess up my average speed... :)

This duathlon occurred in the Amana Colonies and was fundraiser for the Fidelitas lodge. It seemed to be well organized with a cool inflated finish line arc and well laid out transition area. I eyeballed a few serious looking TT bikes, but also a lot of competitors who seemed to be new to the sport.

My strategy for this event was to try and hang on during the first 2.6 mile run, then create as big of a gap as possible on the bike... hoping to fend off the chasing runners during the second 2.6 mile run.

Photo of the Lily Lake, located within
the Amana Colonies.

Things went according to plan during the run as I got to the transition area in about 10th place with an average clip of 5:59 per mile.

The guys who were corner marshaling were all senior citizen type men from the lodge. They didn't quite grasp their responsibilities. About 3/4 miles into the race, some of the runners took a slight detour near Lily Lake... I elected to go straight up the road to the corner marshall/sheriff car(as did many others), just to be on the safe side. We rejoined the runners who cut the course about 5 seconds behind, not a big deal but still a decision that I hoped wouldn't later come back to haunt me. This wasn't really their fault, it just wasn't clear where to turn.

I was discouraged to see the leaders beginning their bike leg while I was still finishing the run, but I had sort of expected this. I got on the bike and enjoyed the familiarity of competing on my TT set-up. I didn't enjoy the burning sensation in my legs... it is a bit more pronounced coming off of a run. I eventually settled in and then began passing people... quickly... The disparity in my running compared to my cycling became obvious at this point... my cycling speed was so much more pronounced then my running ability.

Speaking of not being clear, about 3 miles into the bike leg when I had passed all but one guy (who wasn't in my sights, unfortunately), I came to an intersection and made the wrong decision about which way the course went... I yelled an expletive, as did the guy behind me... Crap, I had to pass the same people all over again and lose some time and momentum. I wondered why the corner marshall was sitting in his car, and not directing the cyclists and traffic.

The race information indicated that the top 2 male and female finishers received cash-payouts,so I didn't get too worked up, as I felt I had a great chance of at least a 2nd place finish. I finally passed the leader just past the turn-around. I knew if I extended my lead far enough I would have a great chance of winning this event. This wasn't going to be an easy task, however, because he was wearing a Luther running tank... Yes, this guy was a pure runner with a collegiate running background... So, this was going to be a battle of the CYCLIST vs. the RUNNER... exciting, I wonder who will win? I also wondered if Andy Schleck was ever going to win the Tour De France (foreshadowing?).

I got off the bike and heard someone yell "No one in sight!"... This was very true, I would look back every once in awhile and seemed to have a great lead... Running is sort of a dreadful experience for me, and I felt like a fish out of water... I really only have one speed... Depending on my preparation, I can get this tempo up to a respectable pace, however this wasn't currently the situation. I hopped around the Lily pond, hoping that no one would get within striking distance.

With less than a mile to go I saw someone way down the path... Dang. I didn't really pick up the pace, rather reminded myself that the race paid back two places and that this could be a guy from one of the teams. He passed me with about half of a mile to go... He didn't look like the guy I passed on the bike, so I figured this was a team competitor. Yes! I have won a duathlon... I almost always come in second, but not this time.

I crossed the line well ahead of the next competitor... It is always rewarding to finish one of these things... Completely out of breath, yet a feeling of accomplishment having endured a maximal effort. Everyone who competed has a different story, but I am sure they all enjoy the same thrill after they cross the line.
I later realized that the guy who finished ahead of me was actually an individual competitor.

Ok, another second place in a duathlon... I have only entered about 5 duathlons over the last several years with 4 second place finishes and one first... Not bad, but sort of an Andy Schleck Syndrome. I gained about 5 minutes on the winner during the bike leg, but he gained about 5 and half minutes on me over the 5.2 miles of running... A very evenly balanced duathlon... with the runner winning this time... I did have to regret making the wrong turn during the bike leg however... I think this race would have came down to the last 100 yards...

I really don't like rhubarb (almost as much as I dislike sour grapes)... I don't like the name, the way it looks, nor the way it tastes... So, when I later found out that they were awarding a rhubarb pie and no cash to the second place finisher I was a bit disappointed. I looked to Karma to see where I had failed the universe... I need to start doing some good apparently, because Karma was trying to tell me and Earl to become better humans.

Overall a great race and good times... I might try to battle the multi-sporters later in the month, or not... this time of the year I take things one week at a time. I did end up eating half of that pie when I got home... it wasn't actually all that bad.

Mad Max Dropped His Nuts

2011-08-25T19:43:00.006-05:00

I was able to get a gold medal in the Cat 2 Iowa State Time Trial Championships on Sunday... The good news is that I have entered 4 USAC Iowa State Championship events this year and recieved 3 Gold medals... the bad news is that my TT time was slower than in years past so I am re-evaluating some of my current training agendas. Teammate Paul Deninger came through, however and edged out Jeff Barnes of Iowa City to earn American Equity the State TT Championship... RESULTS... I should be able to post a photo or two and maybe some quick thoughts once they become available...

But in the meantime, I wanted to share a story about dropping one's nuts...

On a group ride the other day we came across a squirrel making its way across the highway. The warm sun was casting a slight shadow across our path, yet we could still see him scampering toward the side of the road... He was carrying two nuts... most likely food for his eagerly awaiting family. When he saw us coming he had to make a split decision... to drop his nuts and save his life, or continue carrying them across the road....This was quite the risk due to the increased time it would take to dodge our wheels... yet he had a family to feed, and probably hoped to store these nuts before winter set in.

I thought about what I would do in a similiar situation... One the one-hand a man's nuts are an important part of his livelihood... my family would be depending on me to come home with my nuts intact... yet, sometimes you have to swallow your pride for the sake of the 'big picture'... was it better to come home nutless or not come home at all?

Well the squirrel decided to drop his nuts and make a run for the side of the road... Unfortunately, this caused us to have to dodge around the nuts... nearly causing some collisions... I wonder if the squirrel thought about the consequences of his actions... Perhaps he has advanced intelligence and was actually waiting at the side of the road... purposefully sabotaging our ride...

This reminded me of the movie Mad Max (Mel Gibson)... His family was killed by a bunch of renegades, and he sought to avenge the tragedy by killing those responsible... I decided to name this squirrel 'Max'... most likely one of his relatives was run over by a vehicle of some sort and he was taking it out on us...

I road back the same way we went out and inspected the area for Max's nut droppings... nope, he had gathered his belongings... good call Max...sometimes you can have your nuts(cake) and eat them too...

Racing for Gas Money - East Village Crit

2011-08-15T11:09:00.005-05:00

So about half the way over to Des Moines to race the 2011 East Village Crit on Saturday, I realize that I forgot my wallet... too far to turn around... I decided they wouldn't need to see my USAC license, and since I was pre-registered I didn't technically need to panic much... then I looked at my gas gauge... crap, I wouldn't have enough gas to make it home... I really didn't want to think about having to borrow money from someone at the race... Wait... then I began to think about the history of the race... It is a strong-man's course that usually results in plenty of DNF's... Considering the fact that it very generously pays back 15 spots, all I needed to do was finish the race and I would get gas money for the ride home... what a great added bit of incentive to race well...I felt great and planned on doing much more than merely finishing, so no worries.

NO WHERE TO HIDE
This race has been described as a race that has No where to hide... the two block up hill section is just steep enough to sort out the pack through attrition and negate the benefits of drafting... Unfortunately, there was a bit more wind than usual, coming right down the uphill portion of the course... staying hidden in the pack, and/or attacking within your limits was way more important than I initially realized. Practically every lap, someone would attack at the base of the hill... If I sat in, the attacks were easy to hang on to, but the times I was near or at the front, they shot around me, and I had to really struggle to get hithched back on.

So, a break of about 6 riders eventually formed and stayed out front for quite some time. I had decided I could enjoy the benefits of riding solo, and let the other teams bring it back, as they weren't all represented. Steve Tilford (link to his report) was up the road, however, so the break seemed to have potential to stay clear. Then I made the fatal mistake... I over estimated my strength and launched to the front on the down hill, hoping to help bring back the break a bit. This usually wouldn't have been the end of my race, but, as my bad luck would have it, one of the more prominent attacks up the hill occurred while I was still recovering from my pull... that's all she wrote... I got popped off the back... I struggled for a few laps to catch back on, but eventually ended up in no-man's land...

SHAME PARADE
I noticed guys were pulling out of the race, and remembered that I needed gas money, so I continued to roll around the course... this is just sort of embarassing because I was riding around by myself, with no one cheering... can't blame them... what are they supposed to say? They know I am never going to catch back on... sort of an awkward silence each time I passed by a crowd...

I began to think about how long I drove to get to this race, and about my upcoming race schedule. I decided to overcome my embarrassment and elected to get some training in while I waited for the race to conclude. I hit a nice tempo up the hill, and alternated standing with seated efforts...

I was eventually caught by the two-man break. It consisted of Jeff Barnes (Iowa City), and a guy from RideClean named Clay Murfet... Apparently he is from Tazmania, and trains/lives in Tucson. He does Mount Lemmon three times in a row for training... hmmm, this was a good course to capitalize on his strengths. In fact, he would pull on the uphill portions of each lap, then Jeff would pull on the downhill sections.

I sat on their wheel, hoping to get the race over with faster... I figured they might ride me off their wheel... It was a few laps later that I began to get sick to my stomach... not physically, but psychologically... Their pace was so easy to follow... there truly was somewhere to hide... I couldn't believe how big of a factor the wind was this year... Following those two guys didn't require near the effort that I had been using launching around with with field earlier in the race... they were so smooth.

So, it became clear that if I would have raced more sensibly, I wouldn't have had to endure the one-man shame parade. I know I would have been in contention for a great finish, as this course actually suits me well.

I rolled over the last lap having a front row seat to the finish... Clay let Jeff make the first move at the bottom of the hill then came around him at the top to take the win. I gave them their space and then casually pulled off to the side... I counted the finishers to verify whether or not I would be getting gas money for the ride home...

Yes! 13th place... Gas money, plus a little extra for some M&M's and chocolate milk...

This is a great race that is very well put together by the organizers, I am sure I will be back next year.

My next post will probably also include my plans for the rest of the season... Yes, the road season ends in the middle of August for most Iowa riders, but I have found plenty of creative ways to race my TT bike over the next couple of months... I know there is some glory out there for me somewhere this season and I am determined to claim some of it...

Accepting Denial - State Road Race Recap pt 2.

2011-08-12T10:50:00.008-05:00

Ok, I feel a bit conflicted making it seem like American Equity didn't get 'routed' at the 2011 state road race. There were plenty of things to be proud of, but when teammate Paul Deninger described the result as "getting routed", I realized it was in my best interest to chalk the whole effort in the loss column. That way I can derive some motivation from the set-back. To quote a Cypress Hill song... "I ain't going out like that"

This also gives me a chance to give credit where credit is due...
IOWA CITY CYCLING really did have a great race. They had a guy in the break, were able to play a major role in chasing down the break after their guy was dropped, and then had the strength to counter and even win the race. Not done yet, they damn near won the field sprint as well... all with just four guys, each one contributing to the outcome. A perfectly executed race for them... congrats!

WORLD OF BIKES/BIKES TO YOU showed up in force with 7 guys... it took them awhile to get their season rolling, but once they did, they vaulted to near the top of the elite team competition for the Iowa Cup. They put a man in a break that lasted to the very end, allowing his team to sit in for 96 miles of the race. They were so deep with talent/strength... giving them lots of cards to play. Their final hand resulted in 4 guys in the top ten and a bronze medal.

ZEALOUS RACING did what needed to be done to get a silver medal. They assumed command of the peloton when their guy was the first to get dropped from the break... Their team seems to be set-up around a a team captain, and he called the shots accordingly and then came through at the end with a silver medal.

AMERICAN EQUITY did what we could with what we had... ok, that is more denial... I did sort of choke. With about 6 miles to go the winning break of three formed and I had no response. I was isolated without help, but by my own fault... I relive that moment over and over... If I would have had more patience, maybe I could have latched on to the back of the final move, securing a top 4 finish... It is very hard to achieve the level of fitness necessary to successfuly compete against Cat 1,2's, especially over 108 miles... I am a strong rider, but just not quite strong enough... at least I wasn't at that exact moment.

EAST VILLAGE CRITERIUM
Ok, if "I ain't going out like that" than how am I going out? Maybe the East Village Criterium in Des Moines will provide me with some redemption... maybe not... I have until October 2nd to go out on top of my game. My form isn't faultering as I have lots of energy and motivation. I stagnated in the middle of the summer, knowing that I had plenty to look forward to if I could accomplish a late season peak...

I love being on American Equity and feel that we are a very strong/talented compilation of Iowa riders. We have had tons of success... however, the State Road Race was NOT one of the events we will be raising our glasses to at our end of the year dinner. Just saying...

Iowa State Road Race - 2011

2011-08-06T20:57:00.012-05:00

This race ended up being a great time... the weather was moderately hot, but nothing too severe... Twenty two Cat 1,2 racers lined up to take on 108 miles of the expansive Iowa country side near West Branch... Basically the Iowa Big Four and then three solo riders... Bikes2You had 7 guys, Mercy-Specialized had 4, Zealous had 5, and American Equity ended up with 3 (me, Paul Deninger, and Carson Christen). We were out numbered a bit, but I still had two more guys to work with then I did last year, so I was stoked about our chances to get one or two of us in the top ten paying places...

So, we decided to put Paul in the 'Suicide Break'... A Suicide Break is a group of riders that launch off the front early in a long race... either they are going to end up winning, or die trying... the odds are usually stacked against them, so it is sort of like 'suicide' for those involved... the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good of the team tactic... Basically, each of the four teams were represented (Paul-American Equity, Adam Price-Mercy-Specialized, Kurt Hantleman-Zealous Racing, and Will Greenwood-Bikes2You/World of Bikes)...

It was looking really good for us, because, in my opinion, Paul was the most likely to pull off the win if this break stuck... They were out there for many, many miles... as there were only three guys not on a team left in the break so no real chasing... From time to time, one of the solo riders would set tempo, or even attack... There were a few attempts to bridge up as well, so I had to stay attentive and got caught out a couple of times... This kept the break on a fairly short leash, but they got out to about 8 minutes at one point. The field was mostly 'sitting up' waiting to see if the break would work together and hold on for the win, or if it would get caught. Unfortunately for the breakaway, the Zealous Racing rider (Kurt Hantleman) got dropped at some point, and that changed everything, as now there was a motivation for the field to chase... Still, Zealous were now obligated to do the work to bring back the break, as they were the only one's not represented... so Paul was still delivering a great effort for me and Carson.

Zealous dutifully rotated their guys through, as Paul, Will and Adam Price stayed up the road... Their move still looked promising, as we were within the last lap. I was glad to have Paul on my team, as me and Carson were still in a favorable position... when Adam popped, however, that put his teammate Jeff Barnes on a mission to reel the remaining two break-away riders in... Paul and Will were still up the road a couple of minutes, but I think Will wasn't completely able to cooperate. Zealous was sort of gassed, and Iowa City was letting Jeff give it a go at the front... I was stuck to Jeff's wheel, as I decided to mark him.... he was very animated throughout the race, trying to bridge up solo a couple of times. I was mostly comfortable, and hoping that some of the field was popping off the back, though I never looked to check, as Jeff was setting a pretty spirited tempo.

Alas, the field caught Paul and Will with only about 9 miles left to race... Huge props to Paul for nearly pulling this off, and relieving me and Carson from the need to do any work for most of the race...

Ok, now it was up to me and Carson... things were still looking promising. With about 6 miles to go, I tried a soft attack up one of the steepest hills getting a small gap... I made it about half way when I saw Jared Osterloh, Mattias P, and Brian West (basically the 'heads of state' for the other three teams) countering near the crest.... crap, I was at the limit, and began cramping a bit... I made it over the hill and heard Carson screaming in agony... crampage...

When things settled, those three guys had a gap, and I was left to chase... dang. There were still two solo riders with us, but they were not working at this point... the field had whittled down to 7... I chased for a bit, as they were just a bit up the road... As I began to think things through, I relented to save something for the end... I figured those three were rotating through, and I would have to dig too deep to bring them back, if that was even possible. After over 100 miles, I really wasn't too sure what demands my body was able to accommodate... sort of uncharted territory, as I only race/ride over 100 miles during this annual event...

Well, this wasn't an ideal situation for me, as I don't fancy myself much of a sprinter, but you never know, maybe the guys remaining were hurting... I was glad to still be in the field, and that 4th place was still available for the 7 guys in this group... Bikes 2 You still had 3 guys, Mercy had one... the two solo riders (Kevin S.-Colorbiotics and a Proctor Cycling guy from Illinois) had hung on as well.

Luckily, there were two attacks towards the end, which meant maybe it wouldn't come down to a sprint... Nope, it came down to a sprint to the line, which came up way too soon for my wind-up... I ended up 9th... Carson recovered well and rolled across in 11th I believe... and Paul still ended up 13th despite going 'all-in' for well over 90 miles.

Paul should feel great about his effort, so thanks to him, and I thank my Mom for doing hand-ups. I had a blast working with Carson and Paul, and I know the other guys on the American Equity team were wishing us the best. Yeah, it could have gone better... but, trust me, things could have gone a lot worse, so I will just enjoy the accomplishment of making the top 10 and the rewarding feeling of racing along some of Iowa's finest athletes.

Men Pro, 1,2 - Iowa State Road Championship - August 6th, 2011

1. #14 – Matias Perret, ICCC (Gold)

2. #12 – Jared Osterloh, Zealous Racing (Silver)

3. #2 – Brian West, World of Bikes – Bikes To You (Bronze)

4. #3 – Kevin Severs, Colorbiotics

5. #15 – Mariusz Czarnomski, ICCC

6. #4 – Greg Springhouse, Peoria Bicycle Team

7. #18 – Kevin Tempel, World of Bikes – Bikes To You

8. #9 – Austin Turner, World of Bikes – Bikes To You

9. #20 – Chad Bishop, American Equity

10. #17 – Chris Moore, World of Bikes – Bikes To You

11. #5 – Carson Christen, American Equity

12. #13 – Jeff Barnes, ICCC

13. #19 – Paul Deninger, American Equity

14. #8 – David Lippold, Zealous Racing

15. #7 – Steven Robinson, Zealous Racing

DNF. #1 – Kurt Hantelmann, Zealous Racing

DNF. #22 – Finn Kolsrud, Unattached

DNF. #6 – Andrew Buntz, World of Bikes – Bikes To You

DNF. #10 – Ryan French, Zealous Racing

DNF. #11 – William Greenwood, World of Bikes – Bikes To You

DNF. #16 – Adam Price, ICCC

DNF. #21 – Lee Venteicher, World of Bikes – Bikes To You

August Action

2011-08-02T12:32:00.001-05:00

Three races that I really enjoy are coming up, so I am definately still deep within the summer cycling zone. I have done a few time trials over the last few weeks. My times were off from past efforts, but steadily improving... regardless, I am enjoying riding my TT bike as a way to keep my workouts diverse. I haven't ridden with a group much at all lately... not on purpose, just the way things worked out.

2011 Iowa State Road Race Champs

This year's 108 mile edition of the Iowa RR champs should be another epic event. The organizers have wisely given the Cat 3's their own 81 mile version of the race, so that leaves just the Cat 1,2's to tackle 4 laps around West Branch. This will make the field a bit smaller, but more intense. Everyone will have similar levels of fitness and experience...

Iowa's four largest Elite teams will be battling it out this year, which are listed below along with their current Iowa Cup point total:
1) World of Bikes/Bikes2You - 74
2) American Equity - 73
2) ICCC/Mercy-Specialized - 73
3) Zealous Racing - 62

Not only do participants in this race enjoy an opportunity to advance their Iowa Cup ranking, there are three State Championship medals available for Iowa residents, and even some money for the first 10 finishers.

As for American Equity, we will have a strong representation.... enough to give us an opportunity to make some things happen and/or prevent some things from happening.

I can't wait to see how this race plays out. Those who enter will be ripping their guts out for a little taste of glory... If you are a fan of Iowa road racing, it doesn't get much better than this, so check back for a report on how the 2011 championship unfolded.

Hot Riding

2011-07-27T16:45:00.000-05:00

Ok, it is hot out these days... Ok, I really don't have much to write about, hence I will resort to a weather related entry. We had a mild summer last year... this year is more my style. The heat seems to be effecting the number of people at training rides... this sort of motivates me... maybe this can be my advantage. I really have trouble dragging myself out for a training ride if it is cold, but never seem to back down from a heat advisory type ride. You don't have to push yourself very hard for it to get very hard.

Maybe I can be good in the heat this year... not sure, but if I am than I still will need a little luck, as the weather will have to cooperate. I hope the weather for the State Road Race is hot and miserable, for example. I will then hope I can suffer just that little bit longer than some of the other competitors... maybe not, but races of attrition always seem to leave me feeling satisfied... regardless of my result.

The thermometer on my bike read 108 degrees as I pedalled across portions of my lunch break ride today... I held back a lot... my left brain was a bit over-protective for my tastes, but I guess I should thank it, as I really was asking for trouble.

I lost count, but I have been asked if I was riding RAGBRAI about 20 times already this month... those who don't ride bikes don't understand that the recreational cycling culture is different from that of the competitive cyclist. I used to get a bit thrown off with comments like "I can't believe you aren't riding RAGBRAI"... but I realize this is an innocent comment. I tell a RAGBRAI lie and say I will probably catch the last day or two heading into Davenport...

In fact, the contrary is quite true. I had a hoped to do a team training ride in West Branch on Saturday, over the State Road Race loop, but then realized it would be overtaken by RAGBRAI that day. Dang. Maybe I can try it on Sunday... My mom is on RAGBRAI, and I am impressed that she is able to make it across the state year after year, and have a great attititude about it.

2011 Monson and Sons Pro/1/2 Road Race(BikesBluesBBQ)

2011-07-12T15:23:00.019-05:00

2011 American Equity Team at the Surf Ballroom before the start of the Road Race - Chad Bishop, Paul Deninger,
Carson Christen, JJ Bailey, Lou Waugaman, Jeff Bradley, & Matt Zimmer

Rolling out to start the Men's Pro/1/2 event. The day was a bit dreary, as we headed off on our 81 mile journey,
but riders were excited to realize the experience.

Rounding one of the corners. There wasn't much wind, so not too much concern each time we changed directions.
There was a small crash during the first turn, due to the wet roads early on, but otherwise smooth sailing.

The 'Early Morning Breakaway'... This move doesn't usually work, but seems to be a given in most road races. Sometime after this one was caught, Domestic Pro Tom Zirbel rolled out on a solo breakaway that the group let dangle until the end of the race. His perspective is captured on his blog... very interesting. I agree with him that the field was a bit timid, which made the race mostly uneventful ("Waiting and reacting rather than racing"). I think the group mentality for some of us, was to respect the strength of the Pros, therefore "waiting" for them to make the moves.

I truly do love road racing and the people you meet. I personally know everyone in this picture and can say that they are
great people. This picture includes a nice cluster of Iowa riders from American Equity, Mercy-Specialized, Atlas, and
Bikes2You/World of Bikes.

The finishing stretch started out just how I like it, with lots of strung out attacks and single file groups forming.
I got a good feeling about where I was going to end up, as I seemed to have a lot left in the tank. Unfortunately, the group ended up hitting the brakes and this wall of riders formed. I quickly found myself on the wrong side of the pack.
I pedalled through, however, looking for any holes in the field that I could use to advance my result, which ended up being 25th out 56.

UCI Domestic Pro Gregg Brandt of Kenda/5-Hour Energy won the sprint, with Iowa Pro Nick Frey (Jamis Sutter Home) coming in third. Jeff Bradley (American Equity) represented our team well with a 5th place finish.

This is always a pleasant race weekend and worth the extra effort necessary to attend. Currently, I am enjoying training much more than racing, but I imagine that will change depending on the nature of the challenge. 2011 Monson & Sons Race Weekend Results (Pro/1/2).

The American Equity Team had some nice results at the road race, with everyone except me placing in the money (Great job guys!). I never really got to get off the bench, so-to-speak, which left me feeling a little empty as I headed for the car immediately after the event, and raced back to hang out with my son. After some insightful reflection, which included analyzing the results, I feel content with the experience and already preparing for the next event.

PRO/1/2 CRITERIUM
This event has grown over the years and is even starting to attract some domestic Pros. While this is inspiring to some, my initial thoughts were something to the effect of "What did I get myself in to this time?" as I heard about some of the guys who I'd be racing against. That's all she wrote for my race... once I psyche myself out, it's all over. Luckily, I can hide from my SELF if the race circumstances are just right. Flat 8 corner crits against regional pros are not one of those race circumstances. Dang.

Great event, and well attended/organized. Teammate Paul Deninger was the star of the day for American Equity, with a very impressive 12th place finish (and a Bronze Medal!). I also enjoyed watching 2 fellow Iowa riders from Bikes2You/WOB take on the Pros (Nick Frey,Zirbel, Brandt, Lemieux, etc.) as they made the breakaway and held on to the end taking the Gold and Silver Iowa State Crit Medals. Last year's winner Brandon Krawczyk made the podium as well.

Chasing the Dragon

2011-07-11T11:16:00.003-05:00

It is part of human behavior to actively seek pleasurable sensations. In fact, those with addictive personalities can become obsessed with the act of trying to match the euphoria of their greatest "high". This situation can present itself in bike racing as well. I do line up for races hoping to achieve a result that evokes a rewarding feeling that equals or transcends those that I have experienced in the past. The problem is that you reach a ceiling at some point, and it becomes harder and harder to get "high".

So, once you win a race at a certain level, you have to accomplish something even greater the next time to get that same feeling. I am envious of the days when I had some much more to accomplish, therefore getting "high" was so much easier. Simply finishing with the group, or getting a nice result in my age group was very satisfying. As success builds, competitive cyclists upgrade to aspire to a greater achievment. Chasing the Dragon becomes futile at some point.

Well, I have sort of gotten to the point where I need to re-program my pleasure principles, to allow me an opportunity to derive more pleasure from the races I enter. To this end, I have also decided to cultivate new sources of pleasure (i.e. my career, family, relationships, etc.).

Anyway, examining this concept is an attempt to process my experiences at the 2011 Bikes, Blues, & BBQ weekend in Clear Lake, Iowa. I will post a report of the Pro 1,2 races which ended up being very well attended this year, after I get access to the photos and results. In the meantime, off to enjoy some of life's simple pleasures.

The Alpha Dog

2011-07-06T22:41:00.002-05:00

The last two training rides I have done have been odd. Guys were bickering, going their own routes, dropping off, arguing about routes/tactics, etc.. At first I thought it was the heat, then I realized that the 'alpha dog' was missing from each ride. The group training rides I have participated in always have some sort of unspoken leader. When that leader is not in attendance, the group isn't as cohesive. Communication and group decision making becomes more important.

Groups rely on leaders for a variety of reasons. Teams that have a designated leader or two seem to function better, in my opinion. It clarifies each rider's roles and helps solidify team tactics and goals.

This situation isn't all bad, it helps me appreciate the finer aspects of riding alone. You don't have to second guess when you are going to turn, you don't have to worry about hurting someone's feelings, you don't have to worry about defending your own ego, etc. You just ride... It helps to be introverted, as I am, when riding alone. I can have great conversations with myself. I theorize that extroverted personality types probably tend to ride more in groups and/or use headphones when riding alone.

I'm heading up to the BBQ Bike & Blues this weekend in Clear Lake, Iowa. This will be a great weekend regardless of the results. American Equity, however, should be rolling in near full force, so I am quite certain we will accomplish some sort of favorable team outcome.

Kicking My Own Ass

2011-06-29T09:49:00.007-05:00

I faced up to my fears Tuesday night by entering a 10 mile Time Trial near Lone Tree... Monika's Time Trial Series #3.... I was pretty certain I wasn't riding quite as strong as I was last year, especially with respect to time trialling, so it took much deliberation to ultimately decide to grin and bear it.

I don't use power meters, heart rate monitors, etc. but I do record any time trials that I race or train, which gave me an indication that I wasn't quite up to speed this year... So, what do I do? I decided to check my ego at the door and possibly subject myself to a less than stellar result by entering the race. I figured I needed to verify my suspicions, and more importantly, get things back on track. Time trialing isn't about prize money, big crowds, etc... it is really about setting fitness goals and then maximizing my physical potential. Preparing for and then racing in timed events really helps bring me to a peak condition, while providing me with more workout options to break up the monotony.

This course has quite a few 90 degree turns, so it isn't really suited to busting out impressive average speeds, however it doesn't have any major inclines and is relatively short. I hit the first 1 mile hard... blew up a bit, but was still on pace for my goal as I approached the turn around point. In this race against myself, I still had ME in my sights. I wanted to finish just under 22 minutes, like I did last year on this course. I looked down at my average speed after I straightened up from the turn around to see that my goal time had slipped away... crap.

I sort of 'got dropped' at this point, as I was hoping to finish stronger than I started... Chad Bishop2010 was pulling away from Chad Bishop2011...Once I saw the gap form between my goal and the reality, I got discouraged and briefly let up on my effort. Why was Chad Bishop2010 stronger than me? His 2010 time of 21:54 didn't seem within my reach today.
Luckily, I mentally recovered, reminding myself that I was putting 'fitness in the bank' for the rest of the season. I ramped it up the last mile and felt rewarded by the realization that I hadn't pushed myself that hard all year during solo efforts. My time wasn't what I hoped for, but enough to win the event... 22:31.

So, now I have some data I can use to make some decisions about my racing/training. I am seriously contemplating doing some duathlons once the road race season starts to draw to a close, as I really don't have much road racing left on my calendar. Regardless of how things pan out, I am determined to avenge my loss to Chad Bishop2010. That cocky bastard needs to be taken down a peg... who the hell does he think he is? I can't wait to nip him at the line.

Rose Festival Road Race... the Partridge Family Prevails

2011-06-20T14:43:00.010-05:00

I lined up for a 60 mile cat 1,2 road race on Saturday. There were 5 guys from Zealous, 4 guys from Bikes2You/, 3 guys from American Equity, 2 guys from Mercy, and a Partridge in a Pear Tree (Kevin Severs - Colorbiotics).

I was ready to roll along with teammates Paul and Carson. This is my kind of race, for many reasons, so I didn't have any of those nagging mental issues that I experience in some other race situations. I shot up to the front from the start and participated in the early race tempo setting. Fairly early into the race I found myself in a nice break of six guys. All of the teams were represented, with B2U having two guys and Kevin (aka, 'the partridge').

The partridge is a cunning bird known for it's ground attacks
and the hit single "I Think I Love You".

Partridges are members from the pheasant family known for their ground-nesting/seed-eating capabilities. Kevin represented this trait well, as he firmly nested himself in every break, gobbling up seeds of strength as he fluttered his wings across the gaps. He is a newly minted cat 2, so his presense is a fairly new phenomenon in the Iowa racing flock.

I thought this break had promise, but we hadn't even finished the first of three 20 mile laps, so that would have made for a long day for the rest of the field. Because of this, several guys bridged up creating the final 'selection' of ten riders (Zealous/3, AE/2, B2U/2, Mercy/2, & Kevin).

It became apparent that no one was going to be able to break free from this group. Every break needed to have one representative from each of the four teams to work, but, more importantly, the others not in the move needed to selflessly defend the move, which wasn't initially happening, causing everyone to chase down every move. Lee suggested that one guy from each team volunteer to drop back, so that we would have a 6 man break (the race paid back 6 spots). It sounded funny, but ironically, this was basically what needed to happen, so I pondered the situation for several miles.

At the start of the last lap, I bridged up to Brian West (B2U) who had attacked the field over the start/finish area. This is exactly where he and Dewey made their winning move last year. I poured everything I had into this move, hoping that the field would let us go. Zealous and Mercy, however worked together to bring us back. Ideally, one guy from each team would have bridged up (and Kevin), but not to be on this particular day.

Well, that took a lot out of me, so I knew I was going to have to take it easy for a few miles and just follow moves. A rather 'soft' move formed that did, indeed include all of the teams (and Kevin). Just as Mike Sencenbaugh(Zealous) started to bridge the gap, Jarod Osterloh(Zealous) called him off... that was that, the decision had finally been made... I wasn't going to chase the move down because Paul was in it, Jeff Barnes relented to play defense for his teammate Mario, and Brian West didn't chase because Lee Venteicher was up the road as well. We had to basically 'take one for the team', as it would have been extremely easy to bridge up to the group, but not without taking everyone else along for the ride.

We slowed down to a crawl until the group was far enough up the road that we didn't have to think about them. Before they got out of sight however, I had time to ponder what things might be like for that family of riders that was slowly flying off into the sunset, fueled by the strength of the mighty Partridge...

The Partridge family enjoyed success on ABC during the
early 70's and during the 2011 Rose Festival Road Race.

Random thoughts began to surface... I was glad that I had mowed the lawn Friday because that would give me more time Sunday for Dad's Day.... I wondered what we were going to talk about in my 'Sexuality in Counseling' class this week... I sort of wished I didn't have such a long drive home...why was Danny Bonaduce so angry? etc. etc.

Jarod and Brian didn't pull through, I guess they decided they were going to attest the sprint amongst the five of us (there was still money for 6th place). I remembered that the 7th place would get an Iowa Cup point, so I stopped pulling through eventually as well. Jarod began his sprint at about 300 meters out. I was surprised to have my legs completely cramp up as I attempted to follow the move. I came across the line a bit behind Brian in the 8th place... but more importantly, how did Paul do?

Paul got third, so we were basically happy with our day. I really enjoyed this race and the team tactics. I did wonder, however, what my day would have been like had I been flying solo, like Kevin, who ended up winning the race... All in all, it was a good race for American Equity. Paul did a great job beating Lee and Dave to the line, and giving Mario and Kevin a good run for their money.

STATE TTT - Just as I was about to dust off my TT bike for the year, to prepare for the state Team Time Trial on July 3rd, I learn that it has been cancelled. Time Trialing is just not in the cards for me this year, but I am enjoying my road training/racing so all is well.

Tour Of Galena 2011

2011-06-13T10:34:00.003-05:00

I enjoyed some great regional bike racing over the weekend as I participated in the Tour of Galena Omnium Stage Race. I keyed on this race the moment I learned about it, looking forward to a chance to race an omnium over a challenging course.

We had 5 guys from American Equity; Paul, Lou, JJ, Carson, & myself. The time trial was a short 4.4 mile prologue of sorts... definately not my speciality, but seemed like a great way to organize the event. Everyone lays out their best effort, and then the top 10 guys get points to begin to shape the general classification (which paid back 15 spots). The big question for this event was what equipment to use. The organizers seemed to be suggesting that there was a dangerous descent and many climbs that would nullify the advantages of aero gear... This confused me, and I ended up using my road bike with some slight TT modifications... I was hoping I could even out my time during the climbing, which I am better at with my Madone.

In retrospect, a full TT set-up would have yielded the best time. Regardless, I was happy to come in 10th out of a field of 30 Cat 1,2's... Right at the points cut-off... Even better we got 4 guys in the top 10! Things were looking really good for our team.

The road race was an 85 mile affair that included 4 undulating laps. Really, this was the event I was most interested in, and feeling pretty good, since I stacked up respectably in the TT that morning. Galena is a very scenic town, and I enjoyed a little downtime with an old friend named Dean Wellman who was bartending at one of the many eclectic establishments. Then it was off to the parking lot to sleep in my car...

Thirty one guys rolled out later that afternoon. I was anxious to get the first lap completed, because I had no idea what to expect as the course kept twisting, turning, rising, descending, etc. It was a great course; never a dull moment. Ok, there was a little downtime early in the race... downtime creates nervous bladders. A couple guys kept trying to urinate while on the bike, but never could get a full evacuation. Frustrated, they convinced the field to pull off to the side of the road. What a hilarious situation, with about 15 guys peeing on the side of the road in the middle of a 85 mile road race. After that brief declaration of pee-ce, we were free to restart the battle.

There were two potentially dangerous spots (railroad tracks, hot corner, etc.), but we were warned ahead of time and only one guy ended up crashing. Due to the hills along this course you really didn't need to do much tactically; the course was keeping everyone fairly pre-occupied. At one point, a break got up the road that didn't include any American Equity guys, so we opted to rotate through to bring it back. This wasn't a great situation, because we were using energy that would be needed later in the race, but necessary all the same. Half way through the race, we were riding strong. Unfortunately Lou was having knee troubles, so it was down to four of us.

After this effort, one of the more intense climbs began, and the field really got shook up. The climbing was slowly starting to fatigue riders. I can't really say exactly how everything transpired, but ultimately two groups of two riders were able to escape over one of the climbs and a peloton of 9 guys remained. Fortunately, I was able to claw my way up into this field, despite getting unhitched at one point. I was the only one from the team in the group, so the situation was less than ideal, but I was glad to be representing at the front end of the race. The points went back 20 places, so Paul, JJ, and Carson were still riding strong hoping to pick off some guys that may get dropped from the field. (Every point can make a huge difference in a stage race).

For a variety of reasons, I sort of got worked over by the group... not to their fault, they were racing tactfully. I felt as strong as the guys I was with, but never really sure what each climb would bring in terms of fatigue. I finished with the group in 12th place overall... I was also in 12th for the omnium at this point as well, Paul and JJ were in 10th and 15th respectively.

Sunday was the criterium. This was sort of the 'necessary evil' part of the stages for me. It was a flat crit which isn't my preference, but I can say that it really only had one corner, as it was sort of a 'hot dog' crit. Paul mentioned it was shaped like a turd, and I hoped I didn't race the same way this course looked.

Not much to say about the way this race went down. If we were racing for time, I would have finished with the same time as the group, but since we were racing for position, I ended up outside of the points that spanned 15 places, so not technically a successful result. Paul ended up being the team's most consistent rider gettting points all three days. He ended up 10th in the omnium, while I ended up 13th... Not too bad, still in the money.

So, I had a rewarding weekend, and will plan on racing in Galena next year.

Gunfight in Galena

2011-06-08T13:25:00.004-05:00

Accepting the 2011 State Gravel Championship medals from Landon Beachy.

Well, me and four other American Equity teammates (Paul, Lou, Carson & JJ) are heading to Galena for the inaugural Tour of Galena. It starts with a short Time Trial prologue followed by a hilly 89 mile road race on Saturday... The event concludes on Sunday with a Criterium in downtown Galena. This is an omnium event, so prizes will be awarded for the best results overall, as well as within the individual disciplines.

The time trial is not suited specifically toward aero gear, so my TT bike will continue to gather dust. My fitness seems to be a bit off right now... I got dropped on a group ride the other day, and haven't been able to put in a solid field test all year... I know I am healthy and fit, however, so I am not really 'worried' just keeping my expectations in check until further notice. I am sure that I will have a rewarding experience regardless, as this event is geared towards team tactics. Specifically, it looks like the 'gunfight' will include ABD Cycling, Bianchi/Grand Performance, Synergy and XXX racing... all of which will have a team representation.

Gravel State Champ Race Review

2011-06-06T11:26:00.003-05:00

The combined fields rolling down the gravel early in the race.

John Sulzberger flatted midway.

I decided to tackle some Iowa gravel Saturday at the 2011 Gravel Championships near Kalona Iowa. I really don't ride on gravel, but needed a break from solo training rides; this event seemed like it would be a great workout, not to mention an opportunity to earn a state USA cycling medal.

No payouts in this event, but always good support, organization, and a chance to do some inter-squad training, depending on who showed up. The Twisted Spokes guys always do a good job with their events. So, I put my old road bike and cyclocross in my vehicle and headed to the Iowa backroads.

There didn't end up being a lot of competition within each category of racing, so earning a medal really came down to showing up and then finishing for most competitors... easier said than done. There were a lot of flats during the races, due to the erratic terrain, and it was hot and hilly.

I opted to ride my road bike, which made sense for most of the course. However, there was a section that had fresh gravel that would have been nice to have a different set-up. My bike was rattling quite a bit, and dodging potholes was necessary. Gravel racing really is a unique experience.

The field slowly getting smaller. Eventually, it
became a group of four guys.

I eventually went to the front and started driving the pace, off and on, to hopefully whittle things down a bit. Riding on the gravel was nerve-wracking enough without having other people around.

We ended up with a group of four guys that included Kevin Temple (BikeWorld/Bikes2You) and teammate Paul Deninger. It was fun to have a chance to use some tactical racing against Kevin, and I knew Paul was thinking the strategy through. Just as things were about to start getting ugly, Kevin flatted. Yeah, this would have been a welcomed twist of fate, however I was looking forward to the training effect and opportunity to earn a victory on my own merits.

We slowed down for him, but eventually realized he had actually flatted both tires, so he was out. The fourth rider ended up not being able to race at our pace, so me and Paul had the Gold and Silver Medals wrapped up, with two laps of the race to go. We talked about what we would have done and also some past races, keeping the pace brisk, to offer a good workout.

Paul suggested I could take the Gold, since he got it last time we raced in the Gravel Champs... and, thus, I am the 2011 Cat 1,2 Iowa State Gravel Champ... Yee Ha!

Nice shot of the competitors rolling across the gravel roads of Richmond, Iowa.

Referee Brett Griggs enjoying a nice Iowa afternoon.

When Life Gives You Lemons...

2011-06-01T09:56:00.016-05:00

Teetering up Snake Alley at the 2011 Master's 30+ Criterium.

MAKE CAT 1 LEMONADE?

Ok, I guess I am still sour about my experience at the Melon City Criterium Pro, 1,2 race, and having trouble making lemonade out of the situation. Going from a 18 lap Cat 3 event last year to a 40 lap Cat 1,2 event this year was quite simply too big of a jump for me. Basically, Cat 2 racers in the midwest rarely get a chance to race against competitors at their skill/experience level, rather have to line up against well accomplished Cat 1's. They added a Women's Cat 2/3 category this year... ok, what about adding a Cat 2 event. It would match the size of the Men's Cat 3 field.

I raced against Cat 2's in Arizona, and I felt very comfortable. Sort out all the Cat 2's from the results at the Melon City Crit, and I bet I would have placed fairly well. About 60% of the field are Cat 1's, however. Only 64 racers ended up on the results... it is almost as if the race never happened for about half the field. Of the 119 that started, about 46 finished... come on, that should raise an eyebrow or two. The Cat 1,2 event at Snake Alley is also troubling to me... Only about 30 people usually end up finishing.

Why is this still bothering me? Because I feel that I am in good shape for a Cat 2, but if I have to compare myself to the Cat 1's that traveled to Muscatine Sunday, then I am left feeling a bit lacking.

Someone asked me why American Equity didn't place the Memorial Day Weekend events as one of their biggest racing goals of the year. I can't speak for the others, but for me, it just seems like the races are really Cat 1 events, that merely allow Cat 2's to tag along for the ride. Guys don't travel from all over the country that don't feel they are in contention, so I would suggest that these Cat 1's are some of the "best of the best". Hardly a situation that I would want to go into with high expectations. I think the sport has grown enough that there are enough Cat 2's to support seperate races like they do in the Southwest...

ALL I AM SAYING... IS GIVE CAT TWO'S A CHANCE.

I had a great weekend, and proud that I lined up on Sunday. It was cool to be at the start line with 119 accomplished racers, including some really noteworthy call-ups. At this point, I am going to have to quite simply race/train at the Cat 1 level if I want to avoid becoming dissappointed with my results. I am not sure this is a realistic or practical ambition given my other obligations/responsibilities but, I suppose the lemonade is that I will hope to push myself harder, knowing that racing against Cat 1's is the current reality.

Melon City Criterium... When Life Gives You Melons...

2011-05-29T20:44:00.003-05:00

...SQUEEZE THEM.

hmm... these melons seem a bit suggestive,
but still worth squeezing.

Ok, I will admit to being nervous about lining up for the 2011 Pro 1,2 Melon City Criterium. 110 guys, including loads of well accomplished Cat 1's and such. Why do I do this to myself?

Easy answer, I can't stand backing down from a challenge... and this one was a challenge. Problem for me this year, is that I am searching for a goal... without one my training is lacking. I didn't include Memorial Day Weekend as a goal because I wasn't very confident in my abilities, rather just hoping to line up against some of the best Cat 1's in the region. So what race am I going to target? I really don't have an answer to that one. I will do some soul searching and find something specific to work towards.

This race was indeed fast. I was nervous as hell going down the hill towards the speed bump the first time, but by the third time I launched over it, I had things under control.

Now time to deal with the uphill. It was fast but I was managing. About 10 laps in, I did find myself towards the back of the pack, but was able to keep attached by accelerating on the down hill and taking back a few places at strategic places.

Guys were starting to get popped, and I started to feel good about my chances of being there at the finish, which was my main goal... to finish with the group. Honestly, I can't even say what happened next, my legs just gave out after about 20 laps, and the field slipped away. I have seen this happen to many of my Iowa racing peers in past editions of the race, so now I know what happened.

I have missed tons of workouts this month, so can't say I am too surprised. But I do have to give credit to the field as well... my inability to finish had a lot to do with the strength of the teams who were competing, not just my half-assed training regimine.

I thought I would be demoralized if I got dropped from this race... but actually, now that I have raced it at this level and know what needs to happen, I think I will enter it again next year. I might even make it a goal event, to help insure I don't get dropped. So, instead of sucking on sour grapes, I am enjoying some fresh squeezed melon juice. mmm, tasty...

I think I can get things back on track before the season ends... I will enjoy the journey regardless.

Burlington Racing

2011-05-29T09:18:00.004-05:00

Racing the 2011 Snake Alley Criterium Master's 30+

BURLINGTON ROAD RACE

I entered the 102 mile Pro 1,2 road race on Friday along with 5 other teammates from American Equity. I had no idea what to expect, but was really relaxed about the whole thing because I didn't set any goal for myself other than to finish with the group. The race was basically flat, and historically ends up being all about the sprint at the end. I was just excited to be lining up in this event, and happy to be about to enjoy a new experience.

We decided to work towards getting Jeff Bradley to the line as fresh as possible. The race rolled out casual and I quickly began to enjoy the situation. Two words... ROLLING ENCLOSURE. Wow, this was an awesome race amenity. We had the whole road to ourselves, much like the Pro Tour races I watch on TV. The races I have done with the center line rule in place are so much more tense, whereas with this situation you could ride basically wherever you wanted at any time.

Ok, since I could go anywhere I wanted... I did. I didn't have anything to lose, so actually went on the attack several times. It was fun to be ahead of the field and get a time gap from the motoref. You never know, maybe this would be the break that the field 'lets go'. I got in a break that seemed promising at one point... about 8 guys. Must not have been the right 8 guys, as the field eventually caught up. I was oddly exhilarated by the fact that a good portion of this race was occuring on roads I do with the Tuesday night group from Muscatine... sort of a home court advantage. Of course, things feel a lot differently in a field of 80+ Cat 1,2's.

I decided to chill out for a bit. It was raining most of the event. Then Jeff Bradley's hand went in the air... oh crap is he flatting? Nope...it was time to go to work. TJ Tollakson let me know the situation, and I rushed to the front to rotate through with the ISCorp guys and the rest of our team. This was such welcomed news... I finally had something to do.

We got a good tempo going as the gap started to come down. After awhile, other teams got in the rotation and/or began attacking. This ultimately caused the two-team chase to dissolve. Unfotunately, there were a few points when the field was all panned out, waiting for someone else to do the work. If we would have stayed the course, we would have caught the 4 man break, which ended up being only 30 seconds ahead of us by the finish.

Jeff was in good position to attest the field sprint, and he delivered a great effort. The team felt good about the day, and earned some respect from the field. My efforts to get in a break and then rotate through at the front did leave my legs a bit wasted, so I merely rolled through at the end, trying to stay out of the way and trouble.

Why enter a race you aren't really expecting to get favorable personal result at? Why not? I could have went to the movies, a party, out to dinner, read a book, etc... You don't win anything by spending your time that way either... It is all about chosing positive ways to spend your time, and I can say that I spent my Friday afternoon in a very rewarding fashion.

SNAKE ALLEY SLIPPIN

The rain drops held off as I did a couple of warm-up laps of the course. I noted that my legs were a little more sore than I would have hoped and that I was being more sketchy on the downhill corners than desirable... Oh well, it will be fine.

The rain started as I lined up for the Masters 30+ event with about 23 other guys.. really? I didn't think much of it because I felt good about my abilities on this course based on my success last year. I darted off with an agressive start... well, unfortunately Brian Eppen had lined up, and he was totally sprinting out of the gates to get the 'hole shot' up the snake. This shook me up a bit.

As we started up the snake I stood up to unleash the power within:). My back wheel slipped from the wet conditions. Ok, I sat down and then tried again a few pedal strokes later. Oh no... am I going to have to sit the whole time to keep the weight/traction on my back tire?

By the time I got up the snake I looked down the road to see Brian Eppen almost around the first corner. Very demoralizing... the race was split apart and we have only been racing about 2 minutes. It got worse for me (and others like me). Steve Tilford describes the descent as 'fast and technical', so I don't mind suggesting that you can lose time on the downhill part of the course if you aren't willing to take some chances and/or have great technical confidence. Well, the wet conditions made things even more 'technical'.

I kept trying to stand each time up the snake, but would slip out each time. I knew that if ever lost my balance, I would have to run up the snake so I just tried to keep it together. Man was I going slow. Usually I am gasping for air by the time I reach the top of the course... not is year, the slippery cobbles were robbing all my effort.

With about 4 laps in I lost my interest in the event. Without the ability to use the uphill climb as a way to gain time on the field, I was severely handicapped. Really? 8 more laps of this. I had family cheering me on, so I persevered, but I was becoming embarrassed, maybe that was the wrong feeling, but I was still feeling it.

Somehow I ended up in 10th place... as bad as I felt I was performing, I guess others were having a similar experience.. I couldn't find any motivation to pedal hard, a very odd feeling. I nearly got lapped by Eppen, yet was able to lap a couple of other guys. Everybody simply had a different approach to how handling a wet 'snake alley' course.

I finished feeling like this would be a sort of rest day. I guess it was good to have been able to save my legs for Sunday, but I didn't do this intentionally.

Memorial Day Weekend Preview

2011-05-24T21:41:00.000-05:00

The 2011 banner I created for the Muscatine Criterium Website. I was thrilled to have won the Cat 3 race in 2010.

This should be an interesting weekend of racing. I was still at Cat 3 at this time last year, so I will be facing a whole new racing situation. Considering the strength and talent of the Cat 1,2 field that participates in the Memorial Day Weekend races, I have sort of cherry picked the races that I will participate in.

On Friday I will do the 102 mile Pro 1,2 Burlington road race. The course almost makes it up to my hometown of Muscatine, turning around in Grandview. This means my mom can give me a hand-up and get to see the race for about 30 seconds. I am mostly doing this event for the experience, as it seems suited toward the sprinter types. I suppose their might be a couple of splits in the field since 102 miles is a substantial distance. Teammate Jeff Bradley is feeling good about this race, so I might get a chance to be of assistance.

For the Snake Alley Criterium on Saturday, I opted to pass on the Cat 1,2 event, and try my luck against the Master's 30+ field. I did well in the Cat 3 event last year, but just not feeling the love for the Cat 1,2 race. I believe Carson and TJ Tollakson are racing the Cat 1,2 event, so American Equity will have great representation.

On Sunday, I will enter the the Pro 1,2 race at the Melon City Criterium. 40 laps around Muscatine's Weed park does seem a little daunting, not to mention the fact that I am thinking the Pro 1,2 field will be completely ripping it down the hill and back up the loop. Regardless, I want to see what it is like to race with this elite field in my hometown.

Not sure about the Rock Island Criterium. I haven't registered and will play it by ear. As far is courses go, this one quite simply doesn't suit me. I have always done poorly, but will admit that the atmosphere at the district is awesome, and the event is very top-notch and well organized.

LAST CHANCE WORKOUT
Like many Iowans, I was hoping to get in a killer workout today, as final preparations for the 3-4 day race weekend. I was up in Davenport so decided to try one of the infamous hill workouts that Jeff Bradley organizes from the Trek Store. I got in a 25 mile pre-ride, and anxiously watched the skies begin to cloud cover as I finished up. Sure enough, the rain rolled in right about the time the Wilkes Hill Repeats would have started. No one seemed to be showing up, so I headed back to Muscatine at 6pm.

Very disappointing... However, as I headed back to town, the skies began to clear. Alas, this murky weather is the perfect time to ride the Melon City Criterium course, as it deters park goers from interfering with my reps.

So, I put on my rain jacket and started doing laps of the course. The ducks kept getting in my way, so I hardly ever could hold my momentum after the speed bump. If the ducks weren't hissing at me, there was usually a car inching its way over the speed bump, prohibiting me from training at speed. In other words, it really isn't that practical to do hill repeats on this course.

I did start to get in a rhythm, and did 40 laps of the lower loop (the part with the hill and descent). I varied my speed bump launches, to get a feel for where some good lines were... they all pretty much suck... just something we have to endure as part of the course.

Well wishes to all the competitors and fans who will be enjoying Midwest bike racing at its finest this weekend.

Iowa Big 4 Cycling Conference... State Fair Crit

2011-05-20T11:05:00.007-05:00

This week, I can finally say that I put together a nice training/racing block. Despite my best efforts, it is next to impossible to be in peak form all season long. After hitting it so hard for the first part of the season, I lost a bit of motivation, due to a touch of mental/physical burnout. I feel that I am finally starting the journey back up the ladder... just in time for the second half of the season.

Iowa State Fair Criterium
Though I was disappointed with how things went for me at the 2011Zealous Road Race, I performed accordingly the next day at the Iowa State Fair Criterium.I finished 4th overall (results), losing out only to some of the strongest cyclist in Iowa this year..Mike Sencenbaugh (Zealous), Mattias Perret(Mercy-Specialized), and Brian West(World of Bikes/Bikes2You). These guys are emerging as the team leaders for their respective organizations.

The State Fair Crit started fast and stayed fast. The hill on this course was steep, and probably about .25 miles. So we were probably climbing for about 5 or 6 miles all together, just not all at once... still about the closest thing to a mountain stage we can get here in Iowa. Therefore, this race was suited a bit more for the climber types.

Mike S.(Zealous) was seeking revenge for getting caught out the day before and set a blistering tempo around the course early on. This guy races/trains in Arizona all winter then comes up to Iowa in the Summer. I have raced with him for two years now, and watched him get better each race. He has some impressive results this year, and more to come... I put a great big mark on his back everytime I see that he is in a race with me. He is a cat 1 now, and rightly so.

His first move didn't stick, as the 'Iowa Big 4' teams (Mercy, Zealous, World of Bikes, and of course American Equity) countered attacks and/or closed gaps as needed. Teammates Lou and Paul were riding really strong in this race. Unfortunately, I can't really say that I ever felt 'strong', so I never attacked the group, though I did seem to have a faster approach to descent. I just hung on for the ride, and what a roller coaster it turned out to be.

There was always something going on during this race, so it went extremely fast. Before I knew it, we were approaching the end of the event. Mike Sencenbaugh made his final move, after quite a few other attacks had been countered and brought back throughout the race. This move seemed to have staying power. I felt that if I tried to catch him, I might blow up, and then get passed by the aggressive field, so decided to play it safe. Mattias and Brian got up the road a bit, trying to chase him down. Since Mike was so far up the road, the rest of the field, including Zealous, were still hoping to catch Mattias and Brian, so there was plenty of help trying to bring them back.

The final lap I was behind Jerome Rewerts and Jared Osterloh (Zealous). Jerome put in one last dig up the hill to sort of launch Jared. Jared didn't seem to have much left so I made my move about half way up the hill. I focused on hitting it as hard as I could on the descent as well. I came around the final corner, and up and over the smaller hill with Mattias and Brian in my sights, but too far to catch. I had a sizeable gap on the rider behind me, so I rolled accross the line in 4th.

The American Equity team got 3 guys in the top ten, and is enjoying their current lead of the Iowa Cup Team Competition (yeah, I know, alphabetical advantage, but this has been a team consideration from the beginning... we had a sponsorship offer from Zenith Equity, but turned it down for just this reason).

2011 Iowa Cup - Elite Team Competition
American Equity 46pts.
Iowa City Cycling Club 46pts.
Zealous Racing 44pts.
World of Bike/Bikes2You 22pts.
Colorbiotics 1pts.
Atlas Cycling 1pts.

Max Muscle Recovery
I really do feel good this season. I have quite simply stepped up to the next level, as I endeavor to be competive against Cat 1,2 fields. My diet is an area that needs some improvment. First of all, I live alone, so my refrigerator has that bachelor look to it (mostly fluids). The freezer section is where I select my meal for the evening. I get most excited about frozen burrito night, which occurs 2 or 3 times per week. Secondly, I really crave sweets. I can put down some pretty large quantities of Twizzlers and Cupcakes.

So, in an effort to try and counter this situation, I supplement my diet with good choices that will compensate within the areas my meals are lacking. I have found a winning combination with Max Muscle's ARM for recovery, and EnduroMax for training. The key to improving fitness for me, is to be able to recover as quickly as possible, and these two products seem to be doing the trick.

Time Trialing is a Pain in the Rear
I have been having trouble getting motivated to TT this year... My initial tests have been miserable, and I am not going to enter a race until I get some positive reinforcement from my training. Basically, my gluteous muscles are a huge limiting factor, as they become sore and feel weak. I actually think my new position may need some tweaking, as I just dont seem to have as much power on my TT bike as I did last year. So, my TT bike is getting pretty dusty, and I might not get out the dust remover til later in the year... we shall see. But for now, I will keep focused on my Road Race goals.

Zealous Road Race - Operation Gutter Ball

2011-05-16T10:35:00.004-05:00

I enjoyed a great weekend of racing that began with the 80 mile Zealous Road Race road race on Saturday, near Des Moines, IA. My weekend actually started by enjoying great accomodations provided by Lou and Wendy Waugaman. They treated me way better than I treat myself, so thanks for their support of bike racing, and for giving me a break from my reluctant frozen burrito bachelor lifestyle.

The weather Saturday was miserable... worst case scenario for me. Team Zealous made the best however, going so far as to actually fill in some of the pot holes by purchasing cold-patch... they put on a great weekend of racing.

American Equity brought a solid squad which included Jeff Bradley, Lou Waugaman, Paul Deninger, JJ Bailey, and myself. Noting the massive winds, we constructed a covert operation I nicknamed Operation Gutterball. We agreed to let the race shake out for the first lap and then create a restrictive echelon just before the start/finish area (at the church) during the second lap.

The race started in a crosswind section, so it wasn't particularly easy to stay connected. Then things slowed down when we turned right into the headwind. The next turn was the gutterball section, but no worries, because we were going to wait til the second lap to officially execute our tactic, so I didn't feel any sense of urgency. I felt uncomfortable... the wind was blowing my bike at angle, my mind and body were simply cold. More figuratively, then literally, as I had a lot of gear on.

Alas, I looked up the road and saw my teammates executing Operation Gutterball a lap earlier then anticipated. Jeff was signaling for me to get up there but with the massive cross wind, and the echelon already started I was locked out of the move. They briefly contemplated waiting, but then made the decision to leave me behind. Sort of like being on a battle field, but instead of "No Man Left Behind", they had to do the opposite, for the sake of winning the battle.

Much like a wounded soldier, I helplessly gazed up the road watching the operation work to perfection. I couldn't give chase because this would only serve to potentially help bring up the other 8 guys who eventually formed the 2nd group. With 75 more miles left to race... this was going to be a long, long day.

Actually, there isn't much else to report... as Lou mentioned in his report, the race was over for everyone except for the 8 guys who made the break. I was already in trouble for not being at the front when the break formed, so didn't want to compound things by doing something selfish. I will say it is a new experience to be in a chase group, but not helping the cause. We had three strong guys up the road however, so things were working out well for the team.

I decided to participate in the chase group sprint to finish 10th overall. The race turned out to be a real highlight for the American Equity squad, as Lou won with Jeff and Paul finishing 3rd and 6th respectively (full results). I attempted to be happy for the team, but that sentiment wasn't initially welcomed as Lou informed me that I was going to get chewed out for not being up front. I think everyone ultimately realized, however, that I didn't need any additional punishment above and beyond what I was already giving myself.

It is exciting to be on a team that will hold me accountable for my mistakes. I have raced so many events by myself, it is nice to take a break from that isolating experience, and have an opportunity to take a team approach to success.

Stay tuned for the State Fair Crit Report. Results from weekend.

Squaw Creek Crit Report

2011-05-08T10:10:00.009-05:00

One of the early laps, as the Cat 1,2 field crosses the start/finish area.

A fantastic day of racing was enjoyed by cyclists who participated in the 2011 Squaw Creek Criterium, near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I woke up early that day, not being able to sleep thinking about how I seem to be using a higher cadence this year... so at around 5am, I woke and went internet shopping for a 12-25tooth cassette (yeah, road cyclists are a strange breed).

MASTER'S 30+

My early awakening also allowed me the opportunity to particpate in the Master's 30+ race that started at 9am. I wasn't completely sure it was a good idea to enter this race, wanting to be my best for the Cat 1,2 race later that day, but had a good feeling that I could get one of the three payouts.

I felt extremely confident about my chances in this race... my legs felt good and the field seemed vulerable to my game plan. I was going to take it easy the first couple of laps of this 8 lap event that included a noteworthy hill up to the start/finish. Unfortunately, Lee Venteicher's blue/white striped socks clashed so severely with his orange shoe covers and yellow jersey that my adrenaline started to boil over. I couldn't stand the thought of enduring this visual assault, so changed up my agenda as he launched off the front from the start.

The first lap up the hill I found myself rocketing up the hill... I looked behind and was surprised to see a huge gap. I felt great so kept rolling it up and over the crest. I was soon joined by Chris Eastburn. He was racing the 50+ event, so this was a nice situation, potentially. So, with basically the entire race left to go, it was up to me and Chris to see if we can fend off the field for the rest of the race.

I rode hard, and Chris wasn't really helping much, except on the downhill, but he was much more confident in our gap. I just wanted to make sure to get 'out of sight, out of mind'. Not so much to psychologically deter the chasing field, but so that I didn't have to glance across the course to see Lee's orange shoe covers clashing with his blue and white striped knee highs.

Towards the end of the race I let up, and started thinking about the main event. I won the race and was happy that I decided to make the trip up early.

I am rolling up the hill, staying attentive as one of my
teammates was up the road.

CAT 1,2 RACE

JJ Bailey and Lou Waugaman joined me for the 18 Lap Cat 1,2 event. Team Zealous out of Des Moines brought a large team, with 6 guys in the Cat 1,2 race and a few more in the cat 3. Our team vowed to make sure we were represented in any breaks, and I promised myself that I would tear myself inside out to chase down anything that didn't include our American Equity squad.

Brandon Krawczyk made the trip from Minnesota. He is a great racer who has a track racing background, and can totally rip it up at races such as the BBQ Blue Crit in Clear Lake. It became apparent that he was here to win, as he followed every move. Lou launched off first as a sort of tester attack. I countered this move once it was brought back, then I believe Lou went again, forming yet another nice group. Brandon and Team Zealous were in each of these moves, but it was a bit early for the field to let anything stick. Then JJ went up the road and got in a break with Jared Osterloh (Zealous) and Brandon K. Ok, this might be the winning break. Lou and I were able to relax a bit (sort of), and let that move develop. Lane Anderson (Zealous) bridged up during the next lap on the hill. His effort was explosive and no one else tried to catch his wheel.

Unfortunately, as we went up the hill on a subsequent lap, the field saw JJ get popped from the break. I didn't even blink, rather launched up the road, not interested in chasing Jared and Brandon down. This ended up being a critical point in the race. When things settled, Jerome Rewerts (Zealous) had marked my wheel and a 5 man break emerged.

The 5 man break (left to right).. Lane Anderson, Brandon Krawcyzk, Jared Osterloh, Chad Bishop, Jerome Rewerts.

As you can see, Zealous Racing had three guys in the move so this presented some tactical decision making opportunities. Brandon committed early on to not working, and assertively suggested that I do the same, mentioning that they would 'work me over'. Perhaps, but I really didn't want the rest of the field to join us, so I eventually worked into the rotation. I didn't have to get too frantic about it, because I knew Lou and JJ were in the field, and felt specifically confident that Lou would be able to win this race if they slowed down enough to let the field catch up. Brandon ended up rotating through a bit, but seemed to be saving his legs. I had a pretty good feeling that he was going to win this thing. For a lot of reasons, he was in a good situation. He earned it, however, by following every single move early in the race to be in this position.

Lou attempting to bridge up the the break.

I scaled back my efforts as the laps ticked away and the field seemed to be long forgotten. Our pace slowed each lap. Very strategically, Lou Waugaman had launched a solo attack with about 6 laps to go, hoping to bridge up. A great move, because it didn't bring any other guys up, and would have given us even better opportunities in the finishing sprint.

During the last lap, I was expecting Zealous to use their numerical advantage to set up the win for one of their teammates. Nothing seemed to be transpiring as I heard someone shout something at Jerome who seemed to be incorrectly executing their last lap intended tactic.

Brandon winning the sprint, with me and Jared right behind.

Jerome kept the pace brisk coming into the last corner leading up to the finish area hill. Perhaps I should have been a little more patient, but I attacked the group as soon as I straightened up from the corner. I had no idea how this move would pan out. Brandon and Jared got on my wheel and were able to pass me prior to the finish line. Congratulations to Brandon for doing what needed to be done to win, not to mention Team Zealous for getting three guys in the break.

I looked over my shoulder earlier in the move to verify that Lane and Jerome weren't able to contest my position. I eased up a bit and ended up on the podium, with my third place finish.

Finishing the 2011 Squaw Creek Cat 1,2 Criterium.

Lou finished close behind our group. If we would have had another lap or two, he would have made it up to the break... that would have been a complete shock to the Zealous guys, and made for an even better result for American Equity.

JJ Bailey beat out the rest of the Cat 1,2 field to finish 7th overall.

Another picture of the break away working its way past the start finish area.

This was a great race put on by HBA Racing. I think everyone will admit, that they enjoyed competing here.

Results - Senior Pro/1/2
1 Brandon Krawczyk WAUKESHA WI GrandStay Hotels
2 Jared Osterloh DES MOINES IA Zealous Racing
3 Chad Bishop MUSCATINE IA American Equity Racng Team
4 Lane Anderson ALTOONA IA Team Emu
5 Jerome Rewerts NEVADA IA Zealous Racing
6 Louis Waugaman WAUKEE IA Velosport Iowa /American Equity
7 J Bailey DES MOINES IA American Equity Racng Team
8 Brendan Kealey IOWA CITY IA Mercy-Specialized
9 Christopher Eastburn CEDAR RAPIDS IA Mercy-Specialized
10 Lee Venteicher WAUKON IA Bikes To You / World of Bikes
11 Ryan French DES MOINES IA Zealous Racing
12 Finn Kolsrvd Iowa City IA
13 David Lippold WEST DES MOINES IA Zealous Racing
14 Steven Robinson DES MOINES IA Zealous Racing

I am now looking forward to the Zealous Race Weekend in Des Moines.

Iowa City Race Weekend

2011-05-03T15:26:00.003-05:00

ROAD RACE - The VAN of DOOM

Over 50 Cat 1,2's lined up for this 52 mile event. The winds were around 20mph at times, which meant the wheels were turning for elite racers planning their tactics. American Equity had a solid team showing (Lou, Paul, Jeff, Carson, and myself).

The race started off innocently enough, but right after we turned into a cross wind section all hell broke loose... I nearly lost it at that point... and everyone was all strung out... not sure when, but soon after, this happened again... someone was drilling it and not letting up... hmm, who could it be?

The VAN of DOOM: Steve Tilford (race report), apparently after some deliberation, decided to make the journey up to Iowa City... he brought a van full of heavy hitters. In fact all four of the guys in the van ended up in the top 5 of this race : 1. Jensen, Brian, - 2. Stolte, William , - 3. Bergman, Adam 4.Coil, Nicholas, - 5. Tilford, Stephen. Only Adam Bergman wasn't in the Van, but maybe he can car pool with them next year and they can do a top 5 sweep. Better yet, maybe I can drive down to Kansas and hitch a ride back up with them in hopes of soaking up some of their greatness. Needless to say, this report would have read much differently had they not made the trip.

So as far as how the race went, two other guys Matias Perret(Iowa City) and Zach Reed (Dogfish) ended up in a 7 man break with the 'guys from the van' that ended up holding on til the end.

I remember looking up just after the first lap and counting 5 clusters of echelons across the road. Everyone was forming groups of riders trying to stay as close the leaders as possible. Eventually, there was a pretty nice chase group of around 20 guys. All of the American Equity guys were in this group... sweet! Oh, everyone except for me... crap... This is not where I wanted to be... the group I was in was somewhat demoralized...'working on our tans' as one rider pointed out... my efforts to chase were only frustrating those in the rotation so I eventually resigned the effort. I would have loved to have been in the chase group, I had plenty of 'chase' in me, but no way of unleashing it. Sounds like I could have worked with teammates to try and 'save the day'. Dang.

TIME TRIAL - The Scarlet Letter

No, I didn't have an 'A' sewn into my jersey, rather the letter 'L' was tattooed across my expression... yes, unfortunately, I sort of felt like a loser at this point. They say that having the Yellow Jersey in the Tour De France gives riders that extra motivation to push their body beyond it's limits to hold onto their lead... well my bright red 'L' was having the opposite effect. I very reluctantly lined up to do a 13 mile timed lap.

There really wasn't much of a point in entering the time trial, as I was way too far down in the results to have a chance at the omnium that paid back 5 places. However, I had already registered and I was really curious just how I would stack up against this field. This was a 'No Aero Gear' TT... making it as even of a playing field as you get... just pedal your bike as fast as you can for one lap around the course... I couldn't resist finding out the 'truth', whatever that may be...

Well, I ended up 11 out of 30... not too bad, considering the strength of this field. Brian Jensen showed us why he was able to gutter the field so effectively during the road race... he won the TT with a time of 29:14 using his yellow jersey to crush the course... very impressive. It might make sense to have the TT prior to the Road Race next year, so it is more of a prologue... not sure.

Here are results from the weekend.

CRITERIUM
I really was still down in the dumps Saturday night, but by Sunday morning I had talked myself back up, and was preparing to go to the criterium... Unfortunately, I backed my self into a corner trying to adjust my rear derailleur and ended up ruining it. No shifting at all. I frantically called a team mate for help, but it was too late. So, I didn't end up racing at the crit, and took my bike to the shop the next day.

Soccer Showdown - Iowa City Race Weekend

2011-04-27T15:50:00.016-05:00

These kids might not look tough; but playing soccer with them
could severely upset your cycling career.

One of the benefits of partaking in the 'lifestyle of a roadie' is that you will be in great shape, generally speaking; not just on the bike. This can be a problem, however, if you push your body too hard while participating in sports that aren't cycling specific.

So, over Easter, I involved myself in a friendly game of soccer with my relatives. We had a couple of 7 year olds, some middle schoolers, a teen-ager... I guess one of the players was only about 5. In other words... it was game time! Similar to my approach to cycling, I went full throttle, trying to be everywhere all at once... starting, stopping, turning, twisting, kicking, etc.

I ended up getting my butt kicked after throwing down
against today's youth.

Towards the end of this viscious contest of wills, my toes began to ache, so I took my shoes off to reveal blood on each sock from the blisters. Really? I kept going sans shoes, as we were down by a point with only a few minutes left before one of my opponent's bed time. I was covered in sweat by the end of the game. My team didn't end up winning, but I reminded everyone that 'Crazy Uncle Chad doesn't mess around'.

Monday arrives and my legs are in pain... I couldn't even lift them without feeling a stinging soreness. It baffles me that there are so many muscles in the leg that apparently are unused during the pedal stroke. Needless to say Monday was a rest day.

Tuesday morning... still sore... crap! This caused a mild form of depression. I was thinking about doing Monika's Time Trial in Lone Tree later that day... no way. I really wasn't even sure about doing the Tuesday Night Ride... I reluctantly suited up and went on my way. The first incline re-inforced the fact that my legs were not in good form. The parts that ached were not even relevant to the pedal stroke, but were still robbing efficiency from my effort while making me feel miseable.

I wasn't thrilled to be feeling that sore at Tuesday's training ride...
a group of five ended up doing a tailwind ride from Lone Tree.

Wednesday... still sore. Ridiculous. Ok, maybe backyard soccer is off the table for the rest of the season.

IOWA CITY WEEKEND
Not sure what to expect this week, but happy to have a chance to race again. Last year's Iowa City Race weekend went very poorly for me, despite being in great form. I flipped over my handlebars and hit my head on the wall at the base of the hill... I was a Cat 3 then, so this will be a whole new experience.

The American Equity Elite Racing team will be there in full force, not to mention lots of other Iowa racer including guys from Zealous Racing and Mercy Specialized. The Pro 1,2 race draws some tough out-of-state competition. Rumor has it that Steve Tilford, Brian Jensen, and Bill Stolte will be driving up from Kansas, as well as strong riders from Kentucky Flyers Cycling/Texas Roadhouse & Bianchi/Grand Performance(Minnesota). Should be a great weekend of racing.

2011 Iowa Cup Announced!

2011-04-22T09:22:00.008-05:00

Thankfully, this is NOT the 'Iowa Cup'.

Alas, my training has found direction as the 2011 Iowa Cup race competition has been announced... great! Thanks to Zealous Racing for putting their efforts to organize this series. From their site:

"In its 6 years of existence, the Iowa Cup competition has really become a part of the fabric of Iowa Cycling. It’s the best points system we have to truly recognize the best road racers in the state in each category."

Hmm, I wonder who the best road racers in Iowa are this year? Which team is going to rise above the rest in the elite team competition? (Last Year's Results)

Here is the schedule:

Iowa City Road Race – 4/30/2011
Old Capitol Criterium – 5/1/2011
Squaw Creek Park Circuit Race – 5/7/2011
Zealous Spring Road Race – 5/14/2011
Iowa State Fair Criterium – 5/15/2011
Snake Alley Criterium – 5/28/2011
Melon City Criterium – 5/29/2011
Rose Festival Criterium - 6/17/2011
Rose Festival Road Race - 6/18/2011
Bicycle, Blues, and BBQ Criterium (State) – 7/9/2011
Bicycle, Blues, and BBQ Road Race – 7/10/2011
Iowa State Road Race Championships - 8/6/2011
East Village Criterium - 8/13/2011

Yeah, I hit it pretty hard to start the 2011 racing season... you may have been thinking "this guy is going to burn out before Memorial Day"... Well, I started to feel that all of the racing/training I did over the winter and early spring may have actually been 'too much', as I was struggling a bit to find motivation.

But, as I thought about it, all that really seems to be going on is a combination of poor weather and lack of racing opportunities. Last year I had the Scott County Park Road Race (DICE CYCLING) and Eagle Point Criterium (Dubuque Cycling) to round out my April preparations. To make the 'slump' even more significant, the Iowa City Race Weekend was moved back a week creating an even bigger gap with respect to my calendar. I am 'itching' to help put together a brand new racing opportunity for Iowa competitors, so maybe I will remember that April could be a good month to target a 2012 bike racing event.

So, no real mystery... racing is the 'fuel' that drives my training. Without it, I still train, just feel 'odd' while doing it. The 2011 Iowa Cup will provide me with the direction I was seeking... thanks! I needed that.

The Expectation of balancing nitrogen and creme eggs

2011-04-16T08:14:00.003-05:00

Expectations can be the cause of many mental health problems including stress, anxiety, and depression. Basically, if you set expectations for a person, event, or situation that don't ultimately pan out, this can create a mildly traumatic emotional response.   Adjusting your expectations can be a great way to improve the quality of your life. Think about it... if you place really high expectations on yourself (i.e. to win a race), and then don't realize your goal, you will be upset. However, if your expectation was to simply have a great time, get in some good fitness, and race to your potential; you will have a great chance of meeting your expectation, and subsequently realizing a rewarding outcome.

This concept is used a lot in couples therapy.   Partners who adjust their expectations of the other, often realize a new found release from much of the tension they had been experiencing. Expect less and recieve more...

Ok, this has been the worst week of training I've had all year.   An unexpected household emergency (no hot water!) threw my schedule into a tail spin.   I am going to use a technique many competitive cyclists use... I am going to call this a rest week. This is the only way to alleviate my concern that my season is heading in the wrong direction. A rest week implies that I am purposefully allowing my body to recover; maximizing the training effect of several hard weeks of racing/training.

I will have to say, the Tour of Hermann Road Race left me completely wasted, and I needed some rest... maybe all is well. I attempted one of my indoor Time Trial tests yesterday, however and couldn't complete the effort... Ok, I need a little more than this rest week excuse... Ah hah! Nitrogen Balance. I am theorizing that my inadvertant lapse in training this week has taken my body out of it's harmonic chemical balance; due to the fact that I didn't consume as much protein and other key nutrients.

I have been using MaxMuscle's ARM (Anabolic Recovery Matrix) after most of my workouts. But when I don't work out, I tend not to stick to my nutrition/supplementation plan... MaxMuscle ARM helps support protien synthesis and nitrogen retention. Ok, so hopefully that helps explain my flat workout yesterday. I need to make sure that I don't let up on my nutrition plan on days when I don't workout.

Speaking of nutrition, does anyone else have a problem controlling their urge to eat those Cadbury Creme Eggs? I actually feel like some sort of crack addict whenever I drive by Walgreen's (my drug dealer's house). Easter is always a rough time for me with respect to my addiction.

Fortunately, eating just one of those things knocks me on my butt. I choked down a second one once, it wasn't pretty, and I felt like a slug. Sometimes I buy two, just to see if I can force my way through, but always end up stopping after one. Crap, writing this is triggering my cravings... nope... must resist.

Tour of Hermann - Notes to My Future Self

2011-04-11T09:29:00.013-05:00

Saturday's Criterium included a very steep incline through a picturesque wine vineyard overlooking Hermann.

Often times I re-read past reports prior to the subsequent year's event... well, to that end I am going to write my future-self a note...

"Dude, whatever your do, make sure you bring a 25 tooth cog to the 2012 race...come on man, don't kid yourself, you might be able to turn that 23t around for awhile, but you will need that extra gear... no, I don't care how much stronger you think you are, bring a 25t cassette... seriously."

Hopefully you can gather from that message to my future self that this race had a lot of hills. It was everything I hoped it to be and more... a truly great race weekend.

STAGE ONE - TIME TRIAL

After spending a delightful night in the very historic town of Hermann at the Vinchester Inn... I headed over to the Time Trial course Saturday morning. It was a 14 mile long out and back course.. that is all that I knew. As my fellow teammates came in, however, I began to get a feel for the situation. Apparently, it was very hilly. Lou came in looking strong but had some technical issues, so wasn't happy with his result. JJ Bailey also seemed not to be that happy with his performance. Paul, however, seemed to have had a good ride, despite getting caught behind a car during his effort with a time of 32:15.

Well, the time to beat was about 31:22 (around 26.3 mph average). I had yet to ride my TT bike outside this year, and was rolling on a brand new Gray Wheel set and Bontrager Race X-Lite handlebar configuration that I had yet to familiarize myself with, but otherwise felt fairly confident. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure that I could get shifted back up from my small ring, so I 'big-ringed' the whole event to be safe... note to future-self..."Please, please, please, don't be an idiot in 2012... make sure to shift to the small ring for some of those steeper inclines...seriously, that was poor judgement"

When it was all said and done I finished 13th overall, as my clock indicated I had a time of 32:49. So, me and Paul had some points toward the omnium stage race, with plenty of opporunity for the rest of the team to get on the board, and/or help us advance higher during one of the next two stages.

STAGE TWO - CRITERIUM

I was really optimistic when I saw the layout of the criterium course, later that same day... A steep incline and no real technical areas to slow me down. Yeah, the descent was super-fast (my max was about 47mph without pedalling) but it was straight with plenty of time before the turn. In fact, I was so gung-ho about this race that I actually attacked the group right before the descent to win a points prime early in the race.

American Equity Team Mates Lou Waugaman and Paul Deninger putting the hammer down up 'Stone Hill'

I am pretty strong on inclines, however, some of the guys down here are quite simply stronger. I was briefly in a three man lead group with Nick Coil of Mercy Cycling who won this Crit in 2011. He accelerated up the hill, and looked back to see my reaction... I could tell he was the stronger man at that moment.

I also need to mention that it was hot... So, the nature of the course and hot conditions caused the field to shatter into many smaller groups. I simply rode at my limit, trying to minimize my losses once I lost contact with the leading riders. I finished 13th overall and snagged 4 more points (5 including my field prime) as the race awarded points for the first 16 places at each event. Everyone in our team finished the event, which was a great accomplishment, as 13 of the 36 Cat 1,2 starters weren't quite able to complete all 19 laps.

STAGE THREE -

Note to future self..."Ok, what were you thinking last year? Three water bottles? Really. It was 92 degrees over a very hilly 90 mile course that took over 4.5 hours to complete. PACK AS MUCH FLUID AS POSSIBLE THIS YEAR."

This was another challenging course that had more hills than any race I have ever entered. I truly enjoy this kind of race, as it was a strong man's course... unfortunately, I wasn't the strongest rider that day... but I still enjoyed the ability to be competitive at this level.

I couldn't believe how hilly the course was (oh, I already said that). There was a hill at the start of the second lap that was so steep, it seemed more like a wall than a road. I guess they don't get much snow in Hermann, because cars would slide right down this thing and into the Missouri River if it ever iced up.

Early within the first lap, I enjoyed watching teammate Paul Deninger launch up the road and get into a break. Later Lou was able to sneak up the road as well, into a more select chase group. Hmm, things are looking good for American Equity at this point. I went towards the front and was enjoying the concept of 'blocking'. I have never had a reason to do this before, so I was intrigued by what it felt like to purposefully try and slow the race down so your teammates can get a bigger gap.

Later,David Carpenter launched an attack, and I got on his wheel for a free ride up the road. Unfortunately, we passed Paul on the way, and after we got up to Lou's group, he mentioned that they weren't working together... so this break wasn't going to stick. JJ Bailey was still in the mix and we rotated through a few times to try and close the gap a little bit, so that our team could still have a shot of one of the four paying spots.

After the start of the second lap, there was that very steep hill, followed by another one just a bit down the road. (A one-two punch of sorts). I managed to hang on, as did teammate Carson Christen. It seemed though, that we were the only two left on our team after that point, which changed the dynamics of things. Now the idea was to let the course take it's toll on the field, and allow race attrition to dictate the finishing order.

Approaching the third lap, I began to cramp severely. I was out of water and praying that our teammates would give us a hand-up at the last feed zone... Yes! JJ and Paul hooked us up. I drank that bottle instantaneously and then began focusing on making it up that steep wall-like incline. Believe it or not, I was slightly concerned that I might have to get off my bike and walk. Nope, I hung on, and began to realize that my 23 tooth gear was no longer my friend... I could just barely turn it over.

Crap, there was another hill just down the road, and almost as steep. I couldn't turn that gear over, my legs were too weak after 62 miles over this hillacious course. Fortunately, there was carnage all over the place, with many guys behind me or DNF'd, and a handful of guys that I would later pass as they popped. Slowly but surely, the field disappeared from my view.
I basically road most of the last lap solo. Everything ached and I was severely dehydrated. Luckily, there was some neutral water on the course, and I was able to keep a pretty good tempo to finish the race in the 16th position (just within the points cut-off). The two pre-race favorites (Nick Coil and Andrew Coe) were actually amongst the guys I met on the road, and subsequently road away from .They ended up being the last of the finishers in the 21st/22nd positions, while 17 guys posted DNF's, mainly due to attrition... a testament to how grueling this race was. Carson had a great day and finished 13th.

I finished 11th out of about 32 guys in the Cat 1,2 omnium and managed to get points all three days... so a relatively successful weekend. Only 14 guys were 'still standing' by the time it was all said and done, with respect to the stage race results. Everyone on the team seemed to take something positive away from the experience, and I enjoyed racing with them. I was also happy to race with fellow Iowa guys from Mercy-Specialized. They brought a strong team, which included Matias Perret who finished 7th in the omnium (awesome). Look for that guy to be dominant all season.

Tour of Hermann Results

2011 Hillsboro Roubaix...Droppin' It Like It Was Hot

2011-04-05T11:14:00.009-05:00

All things considered, I had a rewarding experience at the 2011 edition of the Hillsboro Roubaix Spring Classic. I'm a fairly new Cat 2 racer, so I was still a little apprehensive lining up for only my second Pro 1,2 race at this level. 115 competitors towed the line to endure 87 windy miles across a course that included lots of twists and turns.

The Pro 1,2 field winding down a descent as riders struggle to hang on.

The wind was the main factor to consider in this race. With such a large field of strong riders, it was a challenge to stay with the group during the many cross-wind sections, where drafting wasn't as effective. I loaded up my water bottles with EnduroMax. This is a product by Max Muscle that I have been using to maintain my strength throughout longer training/racing efforts and it seems to be really working.

The Pro 1,2 peleton was still fairly intact about midway through the race

There were quite a few crashes and mechanical issues throughout this race. Position was so important to those that wanted to survive to see the end of the event, so everyone was very focused on staying tightly bunched together and as close to the front as possible. Of course, if 115 skilled Pro 1,2 racers are all trying to be at the sweet spot of the peleton (about 1/3 of the way back), then something's gotta give... we all can't be there. I imagine this was the case in all the races, as the ambulance was busy throughout the day taking people to the hospital.

I was struggling to find the motivation to fight for position, which made my race exceptionally challenging. Yes, I did get dropped... actually quite a few times. A lot of times it had to do with getting caught behind a crash, but a few times the accelerations became too overwhelming, especially as fatigue became a factor later in the race. I am racing in the big leagues now, as became apparent with the unrelenting strength of this field.

I am happy to report however, that I managed to reconnect with the main field several times and was still in the coveted 'selection' of about 30 riders with only about half a lap left to race.

The Pro 1,2 field had whittled down to a 30 rider chase pack at about the 70th mile of the race. Teammates Jeff Bradley, Paul Deninger, Vince De Jong and myself are still amongst the survivors at this point.

Here I am riding with what's left of the main field with only about 17 miles left to race.

I don't remember exactly what the situation was, but at some point after this photo, the field left me behind... and I wouldn't be able to catch them. Teammates Paul Deninger and Vince De Jong popped off soon after. We started a rotation of sorts, and even picked up fellow Iowan Brian West just a few miles later.

The main field as it races up the final hill through town, with only about a 1 mile to go.
Teammate Jeff Bradely is sitting in about the 7th position.

Remarkably, I was still riding strong towards the end of the race,
so ended up leaving our 'Iowan Chase Group' behind, rolling up the final hill solo.

Paul Deninger seems like he had a 'rewarding' day as well, as he and Brian West
head up the final hill through town just a bit behind me.

I am actually somewhat satisfied with the 2011 Hillsboro Roubaix Results. I finished 38th out of 115 very talented and experienced regional Pro 1,2 level riders. Sure, it wasn't pretty... actually it was downright ugly. I know what needed to be done to get a better placing, and I wasn't mentally capable of doing it. I bought a book called "Sports Psychology for Cyclists" in an effort to remedy this situation. I can say, however that I gained a huge amount of experience and fitness, as this was an intense workout.

American Equity teammate Jeff Bradley had the best finish of the day at 18th. Unfortunately, Lou Waugaman had a mechanical issue early in the race and had to drop out. This is too bad, because I know he was set to easily make the final selection, if not the winning break. Teammate JJ Bailey got caught behind a crash, so he had to ride most of the race solo. Paul finished behind me, with Vince De Jong (who was riding strong in the field until right up until the end) finished in about the 44th position, a couple minutes back from where I ended up. All in all, it was great to ride with the team, and experience midwest racing at it's finest. I am positive and encouraged about the outlook of my 2011 racing season.

Arizona 2011 Spring Training Vacation...

2011-03-30T14:58:00.010-05:00

Due to the generous hosting offers provided by TJ Tollakson and Lou Waugaman, I couldn't resist participating in a spring training vacation that occured in Tucson, Arizona, now dubbed the "Winter Training Capital of the US". I can completely understand why... the weather was great and there were lots of challenging ride and terrain options, not to mention an impressive assortment of regional pro/Cat 1 cyclists to train and race against. My favorite endurance coach (Coach Troy) also lives here, though I didn't see him out and about...

I hopped out of my rental car and right onto my bike when I arrived Thursday evening. I tore off towards 'Gates Pass' as Paul Deninger gave me directions and thought I could make it by dark. Nope... in my haste I totally got lost and couldn't find my way back to TJ's in the dark... Well, I thought about going into town to rent a room until daylight, but ultimately found my way back by asking directions. Good thing, because the Tucson Bike Classic was the very next day.

Me and Paul chilling out after the Stage 2 Road Race

TJ and Paul getting ready to ride down the road to the Stage 3 Circuit Race

-MT. LEMMON-
After the weekend of racing, Paul was suggesting that he needed to leave soon to keep his marriage in tact. Well, climbing Mt. Lemmon is usually a part of any Tucson training experience, so Paul, Carson, and I elected to take our tired legs up the peak on Monday, a couple of days earlier than planned. Ok, this was ill-advised. Three Iowa guys rolling up a 24 mile long mountain pass with 50mph gusts and a winter storm advisory at the top of the hill. Of course, I really didn't have all these details as I headed out the door. Paul suggested I bring a base layer, as I was only wearing a jersey and shorts (hmm, I guess it might get a bit colder at 8000 feet).

There were a series of 'bad ideas' that were made on this journey. The first one was the decision to go up the mountain today in the first place. The second one was to ride our bikes to the base. We went right through town, which was stop and go, with high traffic. This took us about 90 minutes. Finally we arrived at the base of the mountain.

Part of the mountain range that surrounds the Tucson area. The town of Mt. Lemmon is up there somewhere.

I started off at a comfortable pace, enjoying the fact that I had no idea what I was in for. Carson was using a power meter to keep his wattage in line, and Paul felt that I was going a bit too fast, so we all three quickly ended up riding up the mountain at our own pace by ourselves.

It was a rather enjoyable ride at first, with lots of breathtaking vistas. Unfortunately, at about 5,000 feet the winds started to pick up and I began to experience waves of doubt. At 6,000 feet I had to bust out my arm warmers as it was getting very cold. I thought that this was all part of the experience, so I kept climbing. There was a place at the top called the 'Cookie Cabin' and I had promised myself I would make it to the top to get one of their giant cookies. (I did it all for the Cookie).

A plate-sized cookie from the Cabin.

Ok, the wind and cold were practically knocking me off of my bike as I got to the 8000 feet markers and noticed piles of snow along the sides of the road. "Where was Mt. Lemmon? Did I go to far? Why I am decending if I am at the top? It is freaking cold!"... I deliberated what to do for a few minutes, when I saw another fearless rider approaching... It was Carson and he looked determined to conquer this mountain. Well, I was all in now, so I followed Carson until alas we made it to the small town of Mt. Lemmon. The temperature was 38degrees... Ok, that explains why I was feeling so bewildered. I wasn't wearing nearly enough gear for these conditions.

We warmed up by the fire inside the Cookie Cabin as I contemplated my options. I gingerly chewed on a giant chocalote chip cookie and Dr. Pepper while I thought things through... crap, aside from calling my mom for a ride (embarassing) we really didn't have any options. The only way home was back down the mountain. Are you kidding me? Ok, there was no choice. So we walked out into the cold brisk air, as they began to close up early due to the winter storm advisory.

The Cookie Cabin (except pictured on a nice sunny day... it wasn't nearly as inviting when I saw it)

Going downhill only compounded the wind chill situation. Oddly enough, there were points when I had to actually pedal just to get my speed up to 16 mph due to the 50mph wind gusts that were making even riding downhill a struggle. When the wind let up, I could get the bike rolling along at up to 40mph, but I didn't trust my hypothermic mind to keep my balance and depth perception in check so I took it easy. My whole body was shivering and my teeth were chattering.

Fortunately, the temperature was rebounding quickly, as every minute brought me closer to the base of the mountain, where people were enjoying a spring-like day. Well, Paul turned around before the summit, for obvious reasons, so he didn't quite get the cookie. I didn't see anyone else on the way down... Duh, all the locals knew better than to ride their bikes up Mt. Lemmon today. Going through town on the way home was indeed a 'death march' for me. I bonked hard and finished the 90 mile day practically walking my bike home.

I felt pretty traumatized Tuesday morning, as we headed out for an early morning group ride that ends up at Gates Pass. Once I got warmed up, however, I really enjoyed this ride, and especially enjoyed being able to hold my own up the peak as part of the leading group of finishers. Later that day we met up with TJ to do a mellow ride... I would suggest that this was on the "road to nowhere" (watch this video and find out where the 'road to nowhere' actually leads... it is quite the climactic revelation).

See, I told you that video had a thrilling climax... Anyway, Wednesday it was time to succumb to the accumulating exhaustion and have a rest day. I hiked up behind Lou's house and recorded a panorama.

Thursday was one of my favorite rides as we elected NOT to do Mt. Lemmon as originally planned, and rather tried out the Madera Canyon Loop. My legs felt great after the rest day, and I enjoyed some spirited tempo riding, climbing, and general meandering around as we put in another 100 mile day.

I decided to go up Gates Pass for a solo ride on Friday. You just don't get climbs like this in Iowa, so I wanted to take advantage of one of my last chances to ride in Arizona.

Saturday morning was the famous 'Saturday Shootout'. There were well over 150 people that participated in this ride (I guess it peaks at over 200 at times). There is a 'B' ride that started a bit earlier that added another 75 or so. It was fun to ride in such a large group. And this is a training ride filled with mostly Cat 1,2,3's and a few regional pros, so the pace is quick and at times aggressive. Teammate TJ Tollakson, went to the front with his TT bike and set a brisk tempo. He is a pro-triathlete, so he takes advantage of this opportunity to have a motivated LT workout. Lou rocked up one of the King of the Mountain sprints in the top position as usual. He became quite respected down there, as he was always leading the pack at the designated sprint points.

Carson, TJ, Lou, Me, and Paul right after Tucson Stage Race.

Well, I had a good vacation and glad that I chose to experience some new things. I am a stronger rider, not to mention a wiser man.

Next up is Hillsboro Roubaix. Lou's Blog has a nice preview.

Tucson Bicycle Classic Report

2011-03-27T12:30:00.010-05:00

I hopped off a plane, and into the frying pan, as I participated in the 25th Annual Tucson Bicycle Classic. I couldn't resist entering this race, as it seemed really well put together, and a great chance to compete in my first stage race. Having said that, I was a little apprehensive about how little outdoor training milage I had accumulated and how this might effect my ability to compete against Arizona Cat 2 racers.

-STAGE 1: TIME TRIAL- The TT was a short prologue, at 3.2 miles along a loop that starts with a descent and then ends with a some steep inclines. It was hot but also extremely dry. In fact, there was very little sweating going on in Arizona, the perspiration evaporated almost instantly. The race had a real-deal start house and a guy who counted us down by putting his fingers in front of your face... the same as a pro-tour TT, so I was impressed.

I really enjoyed not dripping with sweat, however the downside became apparent after a couple of minutes into the race. ...my throat was so dry... I was afraid to swallow, fearing I would choke on my own tongue.

I wasn't able to have my full TT set-up with me, however I felt I could grind out a respectable time. I was racing against 44 Cat 2's, and there was no where to hide... either I was going to sink or swim... Fortunately, I ended up with a respectable time that put me in 16th overall and just 8 seconds outside of the top 10. I felt good about this result, especially considering some of 'home-court' advantages.

-STAGE 2: 80 MILE ROAD RACE- On Saturday we did 4 laps in the middle of the desert... no sweat, literally (I still can't get over that). It seemed like this wasn't a day to get any time back, as the breaks traditionally get caught. There were time bonuses for the top 3 finishers, however, so the General Classification was bound to adjust. The yellow jersey rider did a great job of staying attentive. About 1 mile in, I regret to report that I almost got dropped. The group hit the gas hard right after a set of horrific railroad tracks. Ok, this might be a long one...

I got a feel for things, and stayed with the group without incident the rest of the race. A break did get away, but was brought back towards the end of the race. I really was feeling good towards the end of the race, as others seemed to be finally showing signs of fatigue. I felt out things on the front, but ultimately opted to roll through the race finishing with the same time as the peloton. I actually moved up two spaces on the GC, so things were looking good for Sunday.

-STAGE 3: 45 MILE CIRCUIT RACE- We were set to do 8 laps, as I rolled off, again not really sure what to expect. Today was the day to make things happen, with respect to bettering general classification times. It was predicted that there would be a break today, so I hoped to get into it. To that end, I jumped to the front early in the race as the attacks were being made.

Ultimately, I didn't quite have the high-end speed to hang on to the gaps, but I did give it a pretty signficant effort. I had to re-group for a few laps and see if I could try something at the end. Ultimately, about 9 guys made up some time by finishing ahead of the main group. I rolled in with the field... sort of felt anti-climatic, so I took off for some extra mileage up towards Gates Pass.

I ended up 19th out of 44 in the Cat 2 division. The main point of entering this race was to gain some race-level fitness and experience to kick-start our training camp. I can easily say this mission was accomplished. What a great race.

Bishop Wind Tunnel Testing Center

2011-03-16T17:46:00.006-05:00

Teammate Paul Deninger loaned me one of his Power Meters which means that I now have some truly significant data to analyze and train with. In an effort to maximize the numerical information that I will be processing this spring, I decided to start construction on the Bishop Wind Tunnel Testing Center (BWTTC).

Considering that there are only a couple of wind tunnels in the country, I expect to be getting a lot of requests from fellow bike racers regarding the rates I will charge for use of the tunnel.

The BWTTC in it's developmental stages.

I am using the A2 wind tunnel in North Carolina as a template for my Testing Center.

I will try and do some updating regarding my Arizona Spring Training Camp experiences. The American Equity team is starting things off with a training race to help gain some of the fitness/experience you can only get from participating in a competitive situation. If you are curious about how things are going, check out the race website's results page: Tucson Bicycle Classic.

Iowa Spring Classic Race Review

2011-03-12T18:44:00.005-06:00

I braved some windy/cold weather conditions in and effort to kick off the 2011 road racing season at the Iowa Spring Classic, representing the 2011 American Equity Elite Racing Team. The wind had a nasty bite to it, and really was noteworthy for all in attendance (in fact, they shortened the distance to 5 laps from 7, due to the weather). I was encouraged to see a fairly large turnout in each of the races as I lined up for the Cat 1,2,3 event.

We ripped down the road with a tailwind to start things off in this event that included teammates from Bikes2You, Zealous Racing, Atlas, Mercy-Specialized, and a few solo riders, including myself. Shortly after the start Lee Venteicher (Bikes2You) and Scott Robinson (Zealous) established a gap, facilitated by blocking from their teammates. I patiently decided to wait this out, assuming this wasn't the winning move, though Lee and Scott did stay up the road for a very long time.

About half way into the race Andrew Fagersten (Bikes2You) unleashed an attack that seemed to start in the crosswind section and follow through to the tailwind. I was near the back at this point, but recognized the seriousness of the situation and powered my way up through the ensuing gaps. Soon it was just Andrew and Jerome Rewerts (Zealous) up the road and I was able to make contact. I looked back to see a pretty significant gap. The three of us organized to chase down the leaders.

Slowly but surely, we caught Lee and Scott, as they hung on to our rotation (hmm, bad news for me... outnumbered). Fortunately, Lee and Scott were eventually dropped from the break, and the three of us continued to rotate through. It was hard to decide how much effort to dose out, as I was not sure as to the situation behind us.

Lee V. tenaciously clawed his way back to within eye sight, which ended up being a very important development for Bikes2You. Andrew dropped back, which sort of forced me and Jerome to do the work for the last portion of the race. I tested his resolve by slowing down to a near standstill and he stuck to his strategy, knowing that Lee and him would have numbers if Jerome and I sat up.

The race paid back three spots, so things were looking good for me regardless. I was the first to jump on the sprint to the finish. I couldn't hear anyone behind me, so for a few fleeting seconds I thought I had the victory. Unfortunately, Andrew excuted the game plan to perfection by taking advantage of his slightly fresher legs to come around me at the line. He was gracious in acknowleding that me and Jerome were cordial regarding his tactic. Well played by Bikes2You, and congratulations to Andrew for excellent racing.

RESULTS

I feel good about this result, as the field was filled with some great riders, and my fitness seemed to be right on target. It was fun to get back into things and see alot of familiar faces. Things are only going to get more interesting from here, as the American Equity Team is poised for a rewarding 2011 campaign.

Time Trial Fitting Chronology

2011-03-11T11:14:00.006-06:00

My cousin is an engineer at the Trek facility in Waterloo, Wisconsin. This is a great coincidence and provides for some interesting seasonal conversations, and occassionally an opportunity to be a product tester. This year, he asked me to test out some Race X-Lite TT Handlebars that he is helping to develop. To that end, I spent some time installing the bars and fine tuning my TT fit.

I have been racing long enough that I can occassionaly post retro-pics. I was looking through older photos, to see how my TT position may have evolved:

The Dice 20kTT, May 2007, probably my first Time Trial... Yikes, there is plenty of room for improvement

I got a TT bike in 2008... Now I am starting to get serious.

My 2011 position is much more agressive and aerodynamic. I am wearing the American Equity/Velosport 2011 Kit.

GRAY AERODOME HELMET
The picture above also includes my new Gray Aerodome Helmet... I am really excited about how much more comfortable it feels compared to my previous helmet. Even the chinstrap has a soft pad to insure comfort. I want to be able to focus on my performance, not attend to nagging equipment issues, so this is appreciated.

BURLINGTON ROAD RACE
One of the races I am looking forward to is the 2011 Burlington Road Race, as part of the Memorial day weekend races. Rumor has it that the Wapello Iowa has decided that they don't want cyclist in their town anymore, so the race directors are completely by-passing this location. I believe this will make for a better race situation for everyone, actually. Especially the Cat 3/4's and Cat 5's, who would have been in the Wapello-Burlington version of this event. The end of this race was always hectic, with carnage every year at the sprint. The race was always completely uneventful until the last mile, when the center-line rule was no longer in effect, and all hell broke loose...

2006 WapBurl RR: I am in the far left (yellow helmet), looking on as two DICE guys hit the deck...ouch.

Cold Weather Riding Scale

2011-03-05T13:47:00.008-06:00

Maybe a little known fact about my cycling situation is that I have an aversion to riding in the cold weather... yes, this does make training and racing in Iowa a bit of a challenge in the early parts of the season. I thought I would share my unique approach to deciding whether or not to train inside or outside.

Well, despite adhering to my cold weather riding guidelines, I got nailed big time on Friday... The temperate was a real feel of 51, and I saw some kids running around without coats on, so I figured I would go for it (according to my scale, this was code 'Yellow'). All started out well, but about 2 hours in it started to rain... a cold, dreary downpour that included loud claps of thunder, an irritating head wind and a marked depression of my spirit. Stubbornly I continued further from my house, determined to at least get in a 60 miler... You know how this story goes... another 'character builder'... you put your head down and try to keep your mind off of the uncomfortable feeling of numb fingers, soggy toes, limited visibility, stiffening joints, profuse snot emissions, slippery roads, dangerous traffic maneuvering, etc.

I got home and thanked a higher power that the nightmare was over... Once I finally warmed up, about an hour later, a large grin overwhelmed my demeanor... I got some early season outdoor miles in... it always ends up being worth it.

Chasing CHILI...

2011-03-01T15:05:00.004-06:00

Hmmm... doesn't everyone just love a nice hot, spicy bowl of chili after an intense, all-out, bone-chlling, heart-throbbing, knee-buckling, sweat-pouring, anxiety-provoking, adrenline-pumping, physically-demanding 4 mile run? Apparently alot of people do, as this was theme of the Chili Chase 4 Mile that I entered on Sunday in Davenport, Iowa... run 4 icy miles in the freezing temperatures and then chow down some chili, washing it down with cans of busch light.

I do have some strengths, but the ability to eat a bowl of chili after an intense physical effort is not one of them. I watched in awe as over 350 people squeezed into the Duck Creek Park Lodge after the race and enjoyed the after party festivities which featured chili. Why don't I have the inner strength to be able to eat a full meal right after a race? Is this something I can train myself to be able to do? The meal was part of the entry fee and yet I was unable to enjoy it.

I couldn't resist entering at least one running race before I pushed my treadmill into the corner until fall, and this race was the one I had chosen. I really wasn't feeling that confident as I lined up with around 350 starters, so I sort of hid about 1/3 of the way back from the front. This decision haunted me the entire race, as I was blocked in for almost the first half mile of the race. As I began to get some leg room, the course become very icy. In fact, at one point we were running single file, as there was only a 1 foot patch of dry road. I decided to run at this pre-determined pace rather than risk slipping on the snow/ice combo.

Eventually I was 'free to fly' and was happy to realize I had worked my way up to 12th place. I had hoped to get into the top 10, and so I marked the next two runners up the road. I made it to the 10th spot as we had less than a third of a mile to go, when somebody passed me... luckily I was able to pass another runner before the finish to maintain my position. (Chili Chase Results)

I will admit that I felt a little guilty about running instead of cycling that day, but I really do need to cross train during the winter months to keep from getting burnt out, and running seems to help my overall fitness. Having said that, I now plan to shift my focus exclusively to cycling, as I have a training race coming up March 12th in Iowa City (The Iowa Spring Classic #2) and then a stage race in Arizona (really? that should be interesting)...

Road To Nowhere...

2011-02-26T17:42:00.013-06:00

"The Gray Zone", "Zone 3", "The Road To Nowhere"... (press play before proceeding)

"The Road To Nowhere... I imagine parts of my Arizona
cyclng vacation might look like this.

If those phrases are familiar than you must be a roadie of some sort... These terms refer to training that is neither really intense, nor really easy... sort of in between... lower than your lactate threshold, but higher than your fat burning heart rate zone...

These workouts are really mind-numbing, especially indoors, but necessary... So, during a recent workout, as I was merrily meandering on this mundane mission, I heard the instructor on my DVD say something to the effect of "I know you may be tempted to go nuts right now... but I want to you to try and hold back"...

Even though I had heard him say this before, I began laughing this time. I really was tempted to unleash some sort of violent interval... I wanted the workout to be over sooner.. but alas, when you are traveling on the "road to nowhere", pedalling faster doesn't get you there any sooner... I kept laughing... then realized I was having some sort of physiological reaction to this training zone... mild hysteria... my body was using fat as energy, and it sort of 'tickled' compared to the 'going nuts/carb burning' workout that I had done the day before.

"Maybe you wonder where you are... but I don't care... it's alright"

I can see where jogging on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike could seem pointless, however I am always able to find a 'destination' to focus my ambition. All of those who choose to add exercise and physical fitness to their lifestyle are sharing this journey.

"We are on a ride to nowhere... come on inside... here is where time is on our side... take you there... ha! ha! ha!".

So, get on your bike, lace up your shoes, put on that swim cap... it doesn't matter how you get there, as long as you are enjoying the ride. I will see you at the end of the road...

"Would you like to come along, and help us sing this song?"

Maximizing My Nutrition

2011-02-22T19:01:00.008-06:00

Ok, in my quest to truly 'take things up a notch' this year, I have established a relationship with Scott Herkes. He is a Certified Sports Nutrition Specialist and owner of Max Muscle Sports Nutrtion. I have always been immensely interested in the science behind sports performance and nutrition. Max Muscle has a very impressive product line, and values keeping up with the latest science. Dr. Phillip W. Harvey is their leading expert in nutritional biochemistry and seems to really understand formulations that will lead to positive competitive/nutritional outcomes. I can't wait to chat more with Scott and Dr. Harvey about the science behind the products they represent and ways that I can adjust my diet to optimize my results.

RUNNING OUT OF TIME -

Thankfully winter is coming to a close, so I am going to start weening myself off of running starting next week. I chose to cross train with the equipment I invested in from Vision Fitness (a treadmill and upright bike) this year instead of free weights. I can attribute this decision to much improved pre-season fitness. For example, I am practically at my 'race weight' already so I don't really have to do anything special in March to adjust my body composition.

But before I officially switch to my next training cycle, I think I will test my fitness at a 4 mile run called the "Chili Chase"... It takes place in Bettendorf, Iowa on Sunday February 27th and seems to draw around 300-400 competitors. I hope to finish within the top 10 of this race. I don't typically run outside, however, so it is very possible that I could end up falling on my ass (the course looks a bit slippery).

Luckily, they don't serve the Chili until after the race, as jogging behind gassy athletes would be less than ideal.

Rolling with GRAY Wheels for 2011!!!

2011-02-18T18:52:00.010-06:00

I was excited to have been selected to join the Synergy Sport team for 2011 as one of their sponsored athletes. Synergy products are designed with cutting edge technology both for function and performance. They strive to create the best products at an incredible value using only the finest materials available. Their Gray wheels and bikes are some of the stiffest and highest performing on the market today. Their strength to weight ratio is leading the industry.

I will be adding a Gray Tubular Disc to my list of 'speed weapons' for this season. The owner of Synergy, Stefan Laursen (a former top ten ITU ranked triathlete) briefly showcases this wheel:

I am also excited to get my hands on a Gray Aerodome Helmet. There is actually a built in lever that will allow me to completely open or close the ventilation system. With my old TT helmet, I would have to literally use tape if I wanted to reduce the amount of air circulation. Check it out:

Thanks to Synergy Sports/Gray for acknowledging my passion for the sport by selecting me to join their team.

Bickel's Roller Race

2011-02-13T10:41:00.005-06:00

Dominic Moraniec & Mike McCain rollin' @ Bickel's

I rounded out my indoor winter training campaign with a final roller race at Bickel's Cycling & Fitness in Burlington on Saturday. This store has everything you can think of related to sports and fitness. They also provided a great set-up that included a buffet with energy drinks/fruits, a virtual training demo, and a full-length mirror so that we could stare at ourselves while we competed...

"80% of success is showing up"... I really do believe this... as there are always plenty of 'reasons' not to participate in any given event (too far to drive, not in shape, hard course, too competitive, no pay-out, bad weather, etc.). I believe that people should give themselves credit for overcoming excuses and participating in events (racing, social, work-related, etc) that they might have had some reservations about attending.

I ended up with a 5:06.8 for my final Roller Race. That was a solid effort and my best time of the year... perfect way to transition to Spring Training, as my focus will now shift to getting prepared for more sustained efforts.

USA CYCLING RANKING
Ok, I will admit that I am currently a bit obsessed with the USA Cycling national ranking system. I am starting to appreciate the value in acquiring credentials and believe that a respectable national rank can facilitate some of my future race related goals. I have noticed that the Individual Time Trial discipline seems especially available to me. I have a nice head start thanks to the indoor racing I have already done. Unfortunately, indoor TT's only count for up to 5 points, where as a state TT counts for up to 60, stage race prologues are 10 points, and a national track TT can give you 135 points... there doesn't seem to be a National Cat 2 Time Trial Championship.
A FLYING TT
Yeah, the ranking system isn't an exact science and I am really not sure how it works.  For example what the heck is a flying TT? Apparently I have entered in several of them... no one told me it was a 'flying' TT... afterwards somebody said something to the effect of "Geez Bishop you were really 'flying' out there"... but I sure that isn't what the name is referring to. Regardless, both count for points, as well as Track events.

The guy who ended up 3rd in the nation for 2010 (Cat 2) only entered one qualifying race (national track TT in California) and recieved 135 points... That was actually 2nd out of 29 Cat 1,2,3,4,5's, and even the 29th guy got 16 points... Keeping that in mind, the 19 points I have earned so far in 2011 really are noteworthy.   Also, keeping that in mind, maybe I should find a track and race on it... the Iowa State Track Championships are in Wisconsin... maybe... ok probably not.

Now time to start facing the chilly Iowa roads...   I will be dreaming about heading down to the 'Winter Training Capital'... Tucson Arizona next month... but until then, let's get out and enjoy living the lifestyle.

Velosport American Equity Roller Race

2011-02-07T11:15:00.010-06:00

I enjoyed a great time socializing and competing at the Velosport American Equity Roller Race on Sunday. Lou Waugaman completely punished the rollers by setting an unbelievable time of 4:55.0. That is the fastest time ever recorded during an Iowa Roller Championship Series Event. Shawn Loomis held the former benchmark of 4:58.0 that he set in 2010 (FYI...I held the 2009 record at 5:01.4). Lou was wobbling toward the end of his 500 watt sustained power effort, and nearly rode off of the rollers with about 10 seconds to go... an incredible sign of how far he was able to push himself into the red zone.

Lou Waugaman toward the end of his 2 mile indoor time trial.

Lou's time seemed beyond my current capability, so I constructed a personal goal time that was more realistic and would reflect my steadily improving fitness. At about 1 mile in I was still rolling a sub 5 minute time but I had to dial it back a bit, ending up with a solid time of 5:08.6. I asked for some painkillers as waves of intense pain pierced through my legs immediately after the effort... somebody had some ibuprofen... I knew the sting would subside in a minute or two so I called off the request for a medic. I actually enjoy being temporaily incapacitated... sort of a sign that I mentally pushed myself further than what I could physically handle...

Velosport American Equity Roller Race - February 6th, 2011 - Davenport, IA - Results

Senior 1-2-3

Lou Waugaman 4:55.0 Velosport Amer Equity

Chad Bishop 5:08.6 Velosport Amer Equity

Jeff Bradley 5:30.4 Velosport Amer Equity

Jeff Bradley breaking in his new Velosport Team bike
with teammate Paul Deninger setting pace along his side.

Vince Dejong 5:50.0 Velosport Amer Equity

Women Open

Deb Wood 7.29.3 Velosport Amer Equity

Nicole Fiala 7:44.9 Velosport Amer Equity

Kathleen Porter 7:59.3 Twisted Spokes

Junior 15-

Ian Henricksen 7:58.1 Harper's Cycling and Fitness

Senior 4

Mike Thomson 5:46.6 Velosport Amer Equity

John Sulzberger 5:57.5 Harper's Cycling and Fitness

Senior 5

Todd Ehler 5:34.1 Velosport Amer Equity
Jason Rettler 5:52.7 Velosport Amer Equity

Ken Hoffman 6:07.7 Velosport Amer Equity

Masters 40+

Paul Deninger 5:25.6 Velosport Amer Equity

John Sulzberger 5:52.7 Harper's Cycling and Fitness

John Adamson 6:19.5 Twisted Spokes

Lou's pre-race preparations with teammates from Velosport/American Equity.

So, now three competitors have posted times under the 5 minute barrier (Lou Waugaman - 4:55.0, Jerome Rewerts - 4:59.0, & Shawn Loomis - 4:58.0). I think I can someday add my name to the list...

Pretty Fly For A Bike Guy

2011-02-02T17:27:00.003-06:00

"I've been working on the Railroad..." (cross training John Henry style)

That was the mantra that rang through my head as I began to undertake the task of manually shoveling my rather long driveway after yesterday's snowmagedon. I feel that shoveling snow by hand is a great opportunity to strengthen the core (not to mention saves me from buying and then storing a snowblower).

As I began to heave the monstrous piles of snow over my shoulder, I noticed that the neighbor was literally using a bulldozer to clear his driveway... my competitive instincts flared as I remembered the story of John Henry... that guy who rebelled against the industrial revolution. He challenged a machine operated crew to a battle to see if he could lay railroad track faster using only a sledgehammer. If I remember correctly he did win but died right afterwards...

Actually I suffered a similiar fate... I finished before the neighbor could come by and offer me a sympathy plow (what?)... but then realized my lower back was 'dead'. I hobbled around for the next few hours fearing that I would have to forego my afternoon workout.

Nah... a heat pad, some ibuprofen, and stubborn determination helped motivate me to challenge my treadmill to a battle of wills. I have been gradually increasing my mph on the treadmill for a 3 mile timed effort (about 5k)... Still high from beating my neighbor during our snow battle, I set the mph to 10 and gave it a shot... I felt better than ever, and though the last part was grueling I did indeed finish in 18minutes, which was my goal for the winter... that is definately 'pretty fly for a bike guy'. I hope that I can run at least one 5k race to see if I can match this outside. (NOTE: Adding running to your cycling training regimine is risky... please consult a fellow roadie before attempting).

Sunday is the Velosport Iowa Roller Time Trial... I can't wait to hang with the gang at Jeff Bradley's Davenport Trek Store and some of the guys/gals from Velosport/American Equity. I am looking forward to using the energy in the room to lay down a pretty solid time as well. Come on out and join in the fun.

When a fan lets you down.

2011-01-27T20:52:00.007-06:00

...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.