Gravel State Champ Race Review

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...

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...

...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

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



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

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

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

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

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

 

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!

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

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

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

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.