Sunday, December 11, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Man Up!
Executive Decision has been made.
No more screwing around. I'm going back to 42x18 gearing and that is that. If I can't run that around a particular course then I'll just have to man up and do it. In the end I'll be a better rider.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Back on the Road
No time for Off Road today means great time to get on my oft-neglected road bike:
I'm so tired from work lately but i dont seem too affected when I ride unless its a longer ride.
They actually opened the rest of the Bike Path today so it was fun to finally ride that section. the Portage Bike Path is really super fun as long as the iPod wearing idiots stay out of my way. The ones who cant afford to pay attention...
Monday, November 21, 2011
Going on and on and on about the Iceman...
So I'm left wondering 'what if.'
My track coach used to tell us not to be in the Been family. Coulda been, Shoulda been, Woulda been. I'm definitely there after Iceman 2011.
What if i hadn't gotten sick? what if i hadn't gotten caught out in the wind so many times during the race? What if I'd found somebody to take pulls with like I did last year?
Go to page 11...
Was a sub 2 hour Iceman even possible? On a 18.98 lb SingleSpeed I believe it is.
One things for sure, I couldn't possibly have trained or planned any better. I quadrupled my training mileage from the year prior. The whole two months prior to Iceman was spent training for Iceman, foregoing even my beloved Cyclocross racing. Even taking the Optygen HP gels for a month prior was a huge help, so again, I couldn't have done any more than I did. After all, getting the flu was not something I could have done anything about. The bike could not possibly have been lighter. I even borrowed some super light parts and dropped about 0.7 lb. Tires were just about perfect. The Stan's Raven is an amazing piece of engineering. The Rocket Ron is too, but was probably out of its element on the smooth fast track of Iceman this year.
My mistakes were running the 42x18 gear and not taking some Tums immediately before, and possibly during, the race. I was spun out for most of the race, and although I struggled mightily on the hills, I should be. It's SingleSpeeding. That's what we do. I should have run 42x16 and ran the hills if I had to.
In the end I dont know and will never know if a sub 2 hour Iceman was possible this year. This is my fourth Iceman, but my first on a SingleSpeed. Lessons learned will be applied next year. I just hope and pray I can manage the same training as I had in 2011. If so, and the weather holds out for Iceman 2012 I'll have a great shot. I should be starting in Wave 4 or 5 with even faster riders.
My track coach used to tell us not to be in the Been family. Coulda been, Shoulda been, Woulda been. I'm definitely there after Iceman 2011.
What if i hadn't gotten sick? what if i hadn't gotten caught out in the wind so many times during the race? What if I'd found somebody to take pulls with like I did last year?
Go to page 11...
Was a sub 2 hour Iceman even possible? On a 18.98 lb SingleSpeed I believe it is.
One things for sure, I couldn't possibly have trained or planned any better. I quadrupled my training mileage from the year prior. The whole two months prior to Iceman was spent training for Iceman, foregoing even my beloved Cyclocross racing. Even taking the Optygen HP gels for a month prior was a huge help, so again, I couldn't have done any more than I did. After all, getting the flu was not something I could have done anything about. The bike could not possibly have been lighter. I even borrowed some super light parts and dropped about 0.7 lb. Tires were just about perfect. The Stan's Raven is an amazing piece of engineering. The Rocket Ron is too, but was probably out of its element on the smooth fast track of Iceman this year.
My mistakes were running the 42x18 gear and not taking some Tums immediately before, and possibly during, the race. I was spun out for most of the race, and although I struggled mightily on the hills, I should be. It's SingleSpeeding. That's what we do. I should have run 42x16 and ran the hills if I had to.
In the end I dont know and will never know if a sub 2 hour Iceman was possible this year. This is my fourth Iceman, but my first on a SingleSpeed. Lessons learned will be applied next year. I just hope and pray I can manage the same training as I had in 2011. If so, and the weather holds out for Iceman 2012 I'll have a great shot. I should be starting in Wave 4 or 5 with even faster riders.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Iceman 2011 Episode II The Flu Strikes Back
3..2..1..GO!
At the start I began passing people but immediately made the executive decision not to go to 11,000 rpm and keep up with the geared guys. I tucked in behind a few and just generally tried to conserve as much power as I could for later. We hit the sandy soil for the real racing to begin. When you’re a singlespeeder, you have to do a few things like staying off the brakes, conserving momentum, etc. One thing I always while racing is my Derailleur Check. I look for evidence of a derailleur to determine if another racer is in my class or not.
I'm passing other racers relentlessly, and for the first hour everything is going perfect aside from a little crash in the same sand pit I crash in every year (Yes, I really have crashed here four consecutive years). Despite Slow SingleTrack Guy being there to lower my average speed (apparently you have to go even higher than Wave 8 to find riders who don’t freak out when the trail stops being straight) average speed was more than good enough for a sub 2 hour race. I’m even making good tactical decisions like saving energy wherever possible. I'm taking in the right amount of fluid, and EFS gel whenever its convenient, grabbing water at the aid station. Life is great! Racing is awesome! Yay for America! And then it all went wrong again.
At the start I began passing people but immediately made the executive decision not to go to 11,000 rpm and keep up with the geared guys. I tucked in behind a few and just generally tried to conserve as much power as I could for later. We hit the sandy soil for the real racing to begin. When you’re a singlespeeder, you have to do a few things like staying off the brakes, conserving momentum, etc. One thing I always while racing is my Derailleur Check. I look for evidence of a derailleur to determine if another racer is in my class or not.
I'm passing other racers relentlessly, and for the first hour everything is going perfect aside from a little crash in the same sand pit I crash in every year (Yes, I really have crashed here four consecutive years). Despite Slow SingleTrack Guy being there to lower my average speed (apparently you have to go even higher than Wave 8 to find riders who don’t freak out when the trail stops being straight) average speed was more than good enough for a sub 2 hour race. I’m even making good tactical decisions like saving energy wherever possible. I'm taking in the right amount of fluid, and EFS gel whenever its convenient, grabbing water at the aid station. Life is great! Racing is awesome! Yay for America! And then it all went wrong again.
Crossing Williamsburg Rd, up the steep hill, really cranking it out and Pat is there cheering me on by name. Can't beat that. I let out a war cry and listen to the deafening roar of my fans.
I draft and then pass another rider on a nice wide gravel road. I’m feeling great! When I try to spit all my stomach comes out at once. The eggs, Luna bar, EFS gel, water, everything comes out at once. I didn't break stride, but now had the problem of racing 10 more miles with NOTHING in my stomach and a queasy feeling preventing me from eating anything else. Never did it occur to me that a person four days removed from the worst flu I can ever remember having probably shouldn't be eating acidic foods before a major, stomach shaking, race. Idiot. My whole plan I'd been saving myself for was a major push with about 4 mi to go and now that's shot completely out the window.
I continue on at what is still a good pace, but not what I'd wanted. I wish I had a camera to document all the amazing passes I had to make to stick it to the geared guys. I was really really on my game, especially on the descents or techy singletrack. I’m always amazed at how lazy some geared riders can be. I passed dozens of geared guys on downhills or uphills simply by conserving momentum wherever possible, and surging ahead of them. It really is true that SingleSpeed riding makes you a better rider. I am worlds better than I was when it took me 27 gears to ride down a trail.
On an uphill I noticed a guy on a white Gary Fisher SingleSpeed. My usual Derailleur Check is negative so I’m racing this guy. I catch him and notice how hard he’s working on the uphills. Really, he’s using about 30% more energy than I am to go about 2% faster. I’ll let him go and then reel him in when the time’s right.
After puking up the contents of all the EFS gel I’d eaten I had no power from about 9 miles out from the finish. let alone 4. Uphills are a beautiful struggle with one gear (you have to love the work, and I love the work), but whereas prior hills had me attacking from the apex all the way down, now I’m woozy at the top and barely definitely slowing once I begin descending. for the first time in twenty miles I'm unable to attack and am merely holding on by a thread.
So my massive fire-bombing attack got delayed until my energy came back spontaneously with about 2km to go...and when I went for it, I really went for it...and slowed down immediately by Slow Singletrack Guy’s extreme lack of technical skills. The trail finally opened up and I finally passed Red Bike Guy and White Gary Fisher Guy for good. That last pass was particularly brilliant, I drafted him all the way to his back wheel, pulled around at the last second, called my pass then dove down into the corner and stood up to firebomb the final straight with a great war-cry for no real reason at all. I crossed the finish line at about 1,147 rpm at 18mph with a furious final kick. Go big or go home right?
Post-Race was typical misery. I never thought to bring a few bucks with me for food so I had to take the shuttle bus back to Kalkaska and buy some food. So I missed the chance to watch my teammates come in. Then, later, whilst riding my bike back to the Farm down the road from the ski area, I totally missed Rasho Rd and ended up with about a 5 mile cool down loop. Great. Just what I need. So I missed the pros finish, but did get to see the podium ceremony.
I’m always a little depressed this time of year. I’ve spent all year training, and racing whenever I could since March. The last three months prior to this one were focused exclusively on this one race. There are no more races to train for, or obsess over. The year is done.
On the upside, my 2012 begins tomorrow...
I draft and then pass another rider on a nice wide gravel road. I’m feeling great! When I try to spit all my stomach comes out at once. The eggs, Luna bar, EFS gel, water, everything comes out at once. I didn't break stride, but now had the problem of racing 10 more miles with NOTHING in my stomach and a queasy feeling preventing me from eating anything else. Never did it occur to me that a person four days removed from the worst flu I can ever remember having probably shouldn't be eating acidic foods before a major, stomach shaking, race. Idiot. My whole plan I'd been saving myself for was a major push with about 4 mi to go and now that's shot completely out the window.
I continue on at what is still a good pace, but not what I'd wanted. I wish I had a camera to document all the amazing passes I had to make to stick it to the geared guys. I was really really on my game, especially on the descents or techy singletrack. I’m always amazed at how lazy some geared riders can be. I passed dozens of geared guys on downhills or uphills simply by conserving momentum wherever possible, and surging ahead of them. It really is true that SingleSpeed riding makes you a better rider. I am worlds better than I was when it took me 27 gears to ride down a trail.
On an uphill I noticed a guy on a white Gary Fisher SingleSpeed. My usual Derailleur Check is negative so I’m racing this guy. I catch him and notice how hard he’s working on the uphills. Really, he’s using about 30% more energy than I am to go about 2% faster. I’ll let him go and then reel him in when the time’s right.
After puking up the contents of all the EFS gel I’d eaten I had no power from about 9 miles out from the finish. let alone 4. Uphills are a beautiful struggle with one gear (you have to love the work, and I love the work), but whereas prior hills had me attacking from the apex all the way down, now I’m woozy at the top and barely definitely slowing once I begin descending. for the first time in twenty miles I'm unable to attack and am merely holding on by a thread.
So my massive fire-bombing attack got delayed until my energy came back spontaneously with about 2km to go...and when I went for it, I really went for it...and slowed down immediately by Slow Singletrack Guy’s extreme lack of technical skills. The trail finally opened up and I finally passed Red Bike Guy and White Gary Fisher Guy for good. That last pass was particularly brilliant, I drafted him all the way to his back wheel, pulled around at the last second, called my pass then dove down into the corner and stood up to firebomb the final straight with a great war-cry for no real reason at all. I crossed the finish line at about 1,147 rpm at 18mph with a furious final kick. Go big or go home right?
Post-Race was typical misery. I never thought to bring a few bucks with me for food so I had to take the shuttle bus back to Kalkaska and buy some food. So I missed the chance to watch my teammates come in. Then, later, whilst riding my bike back to the Farm down the road from the ski area, I totally missed Rasho Rd and ended up with about a 5 mile cool down loop. Great. Just what I need. So I missed the pros finish, but did get to see the podium ceremony.
I’m always a little depressed this time of year. I’ve spent all year training, and racing whenever I could since March. The last three months prior to this one were focused exclusively on this one race. There are no more races to train for, or obsess over. The year is done.
On the upside, my 2012 begins tomorrow...
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Iceman 2011 Part 1
So i got there late, went to sleep late, woke up late, left late, got my number plate plate with minutes to spare, ended up in the wrong category and screwed up my nutrition to the point I actually puked on the bike (but didn’t stop). Was Iceman fun this year? Oh hell yes.
Took off after work and after three hours of white knuckle driving I finally make it to the lakeside condo my friends from the Custer Cyclrey team had rented, sat there chit chatting for a while, the usual banter about bikes and weather and making fun of Dan Tomkins by any means necessary, or available. I went to sleep on the hide-a-bed. And by sleep I mean tossing and turning and opening the door to the outside because it was about 1000 degrees in there. Finally I decided to just get it over with and buy some Tylenol pm. So I propped the door open, and the front door of the building, leaving us all exposed to all kinds of mischief, and took off to Walgreen's, whereupon, 5 mins, later I remembered the Motrin in my glove box and immediately turned around. I was relieved to find our bikes still there leaning up against the wall instead of in in the hands of some miscreant. Four Motrin later and I'm finally sleeping.
I awoke to this at 7 am:
Seriously, I love Michigan
Walked over to partake of the continental breakfast. Was only able to choke down 3 hard boiled eggs in my post-flu having state, then took off for the start in Kalkaska whereupon I realized how little time I really had. I’m speeding down M-72. I'm changing clothes while driving. An extremely hasty gas station stop netted two Luna bars which were consumed in extremely short order en route.
My race bike will be my trade mark Giant XtC 69er with Niner Rigid Carbon fork, Avid Elixir CR brakes, Schwalbe Rocket Ron front and Stan's Raven rear tires. A kind friend loaned me a Ritchey Comp carbon handlebar, Thomson Stem with 10 degrees negative rise, and Stan’s NoTubes ZTR355 wheels and 42x18 (not a typo) gearing which should give me just enough top end to stay ahead of the pack even on the 2 mile road section to open the race. This morning marks my first ride with this particular setup on this bike. What could possibly go wrong? Nothing. With the bike anyway.
I picked up my race packet in a HUGE HURRY. Zip tie it to my handlebar and I don't even have time to get back to my car so I leave the packet there on on someones air conditioner (If the owner of said A/C unit is reading this, sorry). Took off for a couple of brief warm up miles, chatted with friends I saw near the start only to be polite. Not because I don't like them but, really, I’m in a hurry people. A quick check of the back of my number plate reveals that yes, someone screwed up (probably me) so I'll be riding my singlespeed in the Open Men 28-29 class against all geared bikes.
Last years time of 2:17 puts me in wave 8, but this years goal time is 1:59, so I’ll have to beat everyone in my wave, and the four waves in front of them. In other words, pass other riders relentlessly. The game plan I’ve been obsessing over for months and months is to take the lead immediately at the start, and fire-bomb the entire field for the remaining 27 miles. This couldn’t have worked out any worse than it did.
Listening to the announcer at the start reveals that Iceman has become a part of USA Cycling. Which means probably something to a professional, jet-set, World Cup level Professional, and absolutely nothing to a lowly, crumb-snatching amateur such as myself, except that now the race is marked in kilometers instead of miles for the first time. Super. Now I have the problem of riding my ever-loving lungs and legs out, whilst engaging in math story problems at high (i hope) speed. See example below:
Arithmetic Section:
1) Bill is riding in a mountain bike race. If Bill is averaging 15.1 mph, and has 16km to go before he collapses and feels like he’s been run over by a horse, how many miles will he cover until they wheel him away on a stretcher with a black cloth over his body?
Took off after work and after three hours of white knuckle driving I finally make it to the lakeside condo my friends from the Custer Cyclrey team had rented, sat there chit chatting for a while, the usual banter about bikes and weather and making fun of Dan Tomkins by any means necessary, or available. I went to sleep on the hide-a-bed. And by sleep I mean tossing and turning and opening the door to the outside because it was about 1000 degrees in there. Finally I decided to just get it over with and buy some Tylenol pm. So I propped the door open, and the front door of the building, leaving us all exposed to all kinds of mischief, and took off to Walgreen's, whereupon, 5 mins, later I remembered the Motrin in my glove box and immediately turned around. I was relieved to find our bikes still there leaning up against the wall instead of in in the hands of some miscreant. Four Motrin later and I'm finally sleeping.
I awoke to this at 7 am:
Seriously, I love Michigan
Walked over to partake of the continental breakfast. Was only able to choke down 3 hard boiled eggs in my post-flu having state, then took off for the start in Kalkaska whereupon I realized how little time I really had. I’m speeding down M-72. I'm changing clothes while driving. An extremely hasty gas station stop netted two Luna bars which were consumed in extremely short order en route.
My race bike will be my trade mark Giant XtC 69er with Niner Rigid Carbon fork, Avid Elixir CR brakes, Schwalbe Rocket Ron front and Stan's Raven rear tires. A kind friend loaned me a Ritchey Comp carbon handlebar, Thomson Stem with 10 degrees negative rise, and Stan’s NoTubes ZTR355 wheels and 42x18 (not a typo) gearing which should give me just enough top end to stay ahead of the pack even on the 2 mile road section to open the race. This morning marks my first ride with this particular setup on this bike. What could possibly go wrong? Nothing. With the bike anyway.
I picked up my race packet in a HUGE HURRY. Zip tie it to my handlebar and I don't even have time to get back to my car so I leave the packet there on on someones air conditioner (If the owner of said A/C unit is reading this, sorry). Took off for a couple of brief warm up miles, chatted with friends I saw near the start only to be polite. Not because I don't like them but, really, I’m in a hurry people. A quick check of the back of my number plate reveals that yes, someone screwed up (probably me) so I'll be riding my singlespeed in the Open Men 28-29 class against all geared bikes.
Last years time of 2:17 puts me in wave 8, but this years goal time is 1:59, so I’ll have to beat everyone in my wave, and the four waves in front of them. In other words, pass other riders relentlessly. The game plan I’ve been obsessing over for months and months is to take the lead immediately at the start, and fire-bomb the entire field for the remaining 27 miles. This couldn’t have worked out any worse than it did.
Listening to the announcer at the start reveals that Iceman has become a part of USA Cycling. Which means probably something to a professional, jet-set, World Cup level Professional, and absolutely nothing to a lowly, crumb-snatching amateur such as myself, except that now the race is marked in kilometers instead of miles for the first time. Super. Now I have the problem of riding my ever-loving lungs and legs out, whilst engaging in math story problems at high (i hope) speed. See example below:
Arithmetic Section:
1) Bill is riding in a mountain bike race. If Bill is averaging 15.1 mph, and has 16km to go before he collapses and feels like he’s been run over by a horse, how many miles will he cover until they wheel him away on a stretcher with a black cloth over his body?
Part2 will be posted whenever i get around to finishing it.
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