On My Two Wheels

Major Taylor Velodrome Opening Night 2007

2007-06-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

After a half-hearted attempt at a return to racing last year, I have been training in earnest for this season and this week has been the big test for which I have waited 8 months.

I went to the Tuesday Night Training session this week and spent about 100 laps behind the motor along with some sprints off the rail from the motor. After that session, I was "cautiously optomistic" as I like to say.

The evenings events:

5-lap Scratch Heats (2)
5-lap Scratch Final
5-lap Scratch Consolation
18-lap Points Race (points every 6)
30-lap Points Race (points every 6 2x last)

I didn't have my disk ready yet (tire still setting up with glue), so I was riding training wheels. So here I am, a 43-year old guy with an old steel frame and 32 hole box section rims mixing it up with the youngsters. Well, it went better than last year where I got my doors blown off, exiting the rear of the field in most all events.

In the first event, the Scratch Race heats, there were 8 of us in each heat, with the top 4 in each going to the final. I was in the second heat, with some pretty fast company. We started slow, up above the blue line and I positioned myself under the riders up at the rail and about 3 back from the front - perfect. The speed gradually rolled up and with 2 laps to go, one of the guys dove down and set things into motion and I was sitting 4th or 5th. We were moving pretty fast, not all out but not too far from it. Coming out of turn 4 on the bell lap, one of the guys up front goes and goes hard. Through 1 and 2 we are still accelerating and on down the back stretch. Going into 3 I made my move and went up over the rider in front of me, going all out, 110%. I get around him in 3, and then another guy coming out of 4 and down the home stretch am lined up with 3 others going for the line. I ended up snatching 3rd. This was a HUGE confidence builder for me, being the first race of this year for me and it was validation that: A) My training and persistence over the last 8 months worked! and B) This old guy can still go fast with the young dudes.

In the Scratch Race Final, an error in judgement and improper gearing cost me a top placing and I ended up with a 6th place. A guy had attacked hard coming out of turn 3 with 2 to go showing at the next cross of the line. I went hard after him and had about a 3 or 4 bike gap that I just simply could not close. I needed more gear (my wife observed that I was spinning noticeably faster than the rest). I just started to close a bit as he faded going into the bell lap and as we came across going into turn 1, a guy that was spit out on the previous lap was still in the sprinters lane, going backwards. At this point, all the guys behind me that I was pulling along trying to close the gap came over the top of me and I got pinched behind this idiot who should have been off the track and not in the lane. I got on the back of the train as we were going all out for the finish. I came through on the back, in 6th place. In retrospect, I should have not been the one to try to go first after this guy and let someone else. Even if he had gotten away, I am confident I could have pulled out a top 3 finish again. Lesson learned - more gear and more patience.

The 18-lap Points Race was fast from the get go. We did one lap above the blue and someone attacked. After a lap, he pulled up and somebody else went, and the next lap...the same thing. So with 2 to go to the first sprint, a guy goes and I slip into the chase around 4th or 5th. We charge for the line and I end up 5th - just out of the points. We come through turn 1 and I could just smell that this was going to happen and I was prepared for it - someone attacks right after the sprint and I went with the group that chased. This, as always, totally blew apart the field because there were some who weren't recovered enough from the sprint to able to go. I barely was able to and was struggling to hang on. The pace let up just a bit after a lap of this craziness and then somebody else attacked. I had no "go" left at this point. I attempted to get on but found that I was done. This was a painful reminder of years past for me. I have always struggled in the points races. They are so intense with the repeated attacks and not only does one need to be able to endure the physical portion, but the tactics and positioning are critical in order to get points.

After the 18-lap, I decided I was done for the night. I had been sick all week with a sinus infection and ear infection and still wasn't 100%, so I packed up and considered it a good start to the season. I need to do more high-intensity work for longer periods on the Tuesday night sessions and I "need to get my FAST on"...which is my disk and a bigger gear. I ran a 50x15 (90") and most of the other guys were running 91 to 93 inch gears. Next week, I'll try the 51x15 (91.8") and if that doesn't feel too big, I might try the 48x14 (92.5") the week after.

I am excitedly looking forward to next Friday night.

Pass the Power, Please...

2007-04-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

I have been working recently with my old friend and cycling guru extraordinare, George Rian. George is 74 years old and has been a cyclist since the mid 1950's when he attended college at I.U. and rode the famed "Little 500". He has been a student of the sport receiving education in ways and methods too numerous to go into here, but suffice to say, he is more than a wealth of information. He is an excellent coach and bike fitting expert and has been sizing and fitting people to bikes for over 25 years. He has been trained in many of the fitting systems past and present including some of the more well-known systems like the "Fit-Kit", Serotta size cycle system, the newer updated Serotta system, as well some of the latest trends in fit involving taking angular measurements of various body components while on the bike. What separates George from most others is that he doesn't use any single method, but rather an incorporation of all of them, combined with his experience of fittings hundreds of people over the years. He has seen all kinds and no two are the same.

Over the last year George has observed on many occasions under certain circumstances that my hips rock noticeably and I appear to be over-extending in my pedal stroke when viewed from the side while riding. Since having had the power meter, I have been able to identify a discrepancy in power delivery to the pedals in balance.

We began a few weeks ago with a review of past measurements and current bike setup as well as a discussion of his observations. We decided on a "start from scratch" measurement from the waist down. We found two interesting things. The first thing was that I measured a full centimeter shorter than what we had on record for me from 1991 when George first measured me and also from other measurements that I recorded over the years. The impact of that is that when calculating various components of the bike fit, it alters a few things, most notably, frame size and saddle height. I had been riding at 81.8cm (leg length x .885) and the new calculation puts me at 80.6cm - a full 1.2cm difference and in bike fit terms, that's quite a bit.

We started with adjusting my saddle height and after some discussion about how we would approach adjusting such a large gap along with other adjustments that we suspected would need to be made, we decided to do it in three increments - 4mm at a time. We lowered it to 81.4 and I have been there for two weeks. I immediately noticed the difference as soon as I got on the bike. At first it took some getting used to, but I noticed a couple of things. On the positive side, it is slightly more comfortable and I feel like a get a better pull through the bottom of the stroke, especially in larger gears. On the negative side, my spin (when I "overspin") seems a bit choppy and I felt like I needed to 'push back' in the saddle often - both of which may subside once I am acclimated and in recent days it doesn't seem as noticeable.

The other thing observed was that my left leg is 1.2cm shorter than the right. This somewhat explains the fact that my right-left balance on the power meter has consistently shown averages for all types of rides (recovery, endurance, intervals) to be anywhere from 44% to 48% on the left and 52% to 56% on the right - clearly an imbalance of power input at the crank and it has never been the other way around where the right leg is lower.

In addressing this, we observed a couple of other related issues. First, my cleats were not in an optimal position. I had them set in a neutral position with the line signifying the center of the cleat centered on the ball of my foot. For different riding styles and applications (road, track, TT) this can differ slightly but typically only within a couple of mm either side of center. Historically, I have always used one set of shoes for everything - road racing, track and time-trial. After discussions about how we would approach the series of adjustments required for an optimal cleat position, we decided to set "my good shoes" for a road-race position which is 1 to 3mm behind center. I will acquire a second set of shoes for the track and deal with the setup on those at a later time.

We started with moving the cleats backward 2mm from center which effectively puts the foot deeper into the pedal. The result of this should be that can put more power to the pedals. At the same time we utilized some power shims to alter the angle of the interface to the pedal which adjusts the inherent alignment issues that most all cyclists have.

The plan is to ride with this for a couple of weeks before we begin to work on shimming the short leg. There is a fitting process that details how to deal with this anomaly and interestingly enough most people have it to some extent and mine is not significant. We will shim half the distance of the measured imbalance, but not all at once. In a couple of weeks, we'll do 2mm first (the smallest amount possible with the cleat shims) and after a couple of weeks review how it feels and discuss if I want to go another step and add another 2mm. It so, we'll see how it feels and see if we need to go further to the full 6mm. After that, we will re-observe the saddle height portion to determine if we should drop it another 4mm. We currently are still at the first adjustment of 4mm lower that the original that I started at.

The key part to all this is paying attention to how things feel and my providing feedback to George. He and I both understand that you can't simply take numbers and apply them to someone and say "that's it". We are doing this slowly and methodically to address some specific things. This fitting stuff is not a concrete science. There are a number of methods and calculations to create a baseline starting point for anyone, but from there it's all about the feedback loop and making methodical adjustments because everything on the bike is interrelated and changing one thing often affects something else.

Once I get this all sorted, I can have the piece of mind knowing that my fit is spot-on for my next purchase:

http://www.serotta.com/pages/ottrott.html

Painting titanium and carbon is just plain WRONG. This is the scheme I will be getting...

The Quest for Improvements

2007-04-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

Since the return of my passion for cycling over the last couple of years I have found that I have a different perspective on many things. Some of this I attribute to age and wisdom, but clearly some of it has come from simply being away for awhile and coming back. It isn't like I started over, but I think with many things, you reacquiant with certain topics and some you just look at differently either due to new factual information that is available or from different personal experiences.

I am finding that I am approaching many things much differently and much of this is due to my life changes over recent years. I have a "real job" since returning to cycling, and in fact, it was that "real job" that helped to push my away from the bike 7 years ago. I also am a father now and that takes precedence over anything else in my life. ANYTHING...period.

So it is with these two priorities that I have returned to cycling with an adjusted attitude, adjusted priorities, adjust goals and everything that goes with that. If nothing else, it has made me a better cyclist in many ways because it has forced me to become efficient with my time. It is a priority in my daily life and not a recreational activity that I pursue as a hobby. It is a part of me and who I am and it makes me a better person (that is a whole different story for a different blog).

The single most common concept that I think about regarding cycling is simply "how can I maximize my fitness and enjoyment with a minimal amount of time." I have evolved in this regard and my plan continues to evolve as I find efficencies and incorporate them into my daily routines.

What is interesting is that I think I am able to do as much and sometimes more than I was 10 years ago simply from better time utilization. In the warmer months, I get up before "the ass-crack of dawn" (as my friend Doug calls it) and I am on the bike just before twilight. I can get in 2 hours before going into work. This is time that is mine and does not infringe on anything else in my life. In the colder months, I become highly organized and shift the schedule such that I do workouts in the gym during my lunch hour and I commute to and from work each day. It doesn't provide the same volume as the warmer months, but it is enough to maintain the muscle memory, stay flexible and maintain some aerobic fitness that my longer 2.5 to 4 hour weekend rides provide.

Another efficiency that has helped tremendously is that I stopped coaching myself. I am being coached by Carmichael Training Systems in their "classic" program which is mostly web-based. I provide some self-administered test data in the form of time, HR, power and RPE over a fixed-distance course. I also answer a detailed questionnaire and they build a program with a schedule that I can follow on the web. Each month, there is a review process and every other month there is another "field test" that is done to update the training data as well as to track progress for adjustments to the training schedule. I can't say enough positive things about this and how much it has helped me. This, in addition to the purchase of a power meter have been the two most valuable and important purchases I have ever made with regard to maximizing training. I would wholeheartedly recommend both to anyone that wants to become a better rider.

And perhaps the single most important factor in all this is that I am the luckiest man on earth to have the unending support of my wife. She encourages me, she picks me up when I am feeling down and she supports all that I do. She sees the effects that cycling has on me and my personality. She has seen me at my worst when I was physically unfit, under high stress and just generally an unhappy person. She likes this "version" of me much better and in many ways this version is better than the former version than when I "used to be a cyclist".

I think the difference is that I can look back and see from where I have come, the obstacles I have encountered, the loss of my passion for the sport and my renewed passion and return. The difference is that I can truly appreciate what I have and where I am BECAUSE I can see the path of how I got here.

eBay Madness, Surprises and Keeping Secrets

2007-04-10T10:45:00.000-07:00

My wife and soulmate of 15 years has desired (or I dare say "coveted") a vintage steel Colnago bike ever since she saw one and learned of the history and heritage of the marque. She has had many bikes in her 20+ years of cycling, starting on a Huffy, and then on to her "first" bike, a new Cannondale 3.0, which she purchased from George Rian at BGI in 1989.

When we met, she had the Cannondale and while it fit her well, she was uncomfortable because it rode so harshly. Being aluminum and her being of slight stature, the combination wasn't the best. So, shortly after we moved in together in 1992, we acquired a beautiful Ciocc, made from Columbus SL in a bright white and chrome scheme. It had Shimano Sante (that gloriously hideous white grouppo positioned between 600 and Dura-Ace). She loved it and couldn't believe the difference between it and her Cannondale.

A couple of years later, the cycling team that we were a part of acquired a Serotta sponsorship. Taking advantage of this, we ordered her steel Serotta Atlanta (which the no longer manufacture due to the labor of a lugged steel frame), which was a lugged steel bike crafted from the "Colorado Concept" custom drawn tubing from Reynolds. It is a proprietary steel, but I suspect it was similar, if not the same to the 853 tubing of the time (1997). We got a good deal on some not-too used Dura-Ace 8sp components and I built it up. I also laced up a nice set of traditional wheels with Mavic Open Pro rims, Ultegra hubs and DT Champion spokes. All in all it made a nice package. The only problem was that it was just a bit too small. It was tolerable and some compromises had to be made, but ultimately it was not as comfortable as the Ciocc and did not have the same feel. The Serotta was skittish, wasn't stable and was very "twitchy" as my wife likes to say. I vowed to get her a new bike, but she insisted that it was okay and she wasn't racing anymore so we should focus on ME getting a new bike.

The problem is, I really like my wife to have what she wants. She doesn't ask for much. She doesn't complain. She is not high-maintenance. She works hard and takes things in stride and is good at making the best out of everything. I like to make her happy whenever I can. So, this year I decided when I got my bonus that I wanted to buy her something nice. She has hinted at wanting diamond earrings for a long time and I was strongly leaning that way, until one evening in mid-March while sitting in front of eBay, I found it.

I said, "hey honey, look at this". She glanced over and got all quiet. It was a 17-year-old, NOS (never seen the road) Colnago Superissimo frame, pink and white, with chrome lugs, fork and stays, Columbus SL tubing in a size 49. All she said was "wow, I'd really like to have that". And with that, it was sealed.

The auction didn't end for another 4 days. I didn't tell her what I was planning, and I just kept watching the auction...and so did she. She kept updating me on the current bid. I tried not to seem to interested, but it was clear that she wanted this frame.

So, it gets to be the last day of the auction (a Saturday) and I go take a look at the end time to my dismay, it's 12 midnight PDT, which is 3am our time. I could have put up a bid and walked away, but I wanted to win this. So, after dinner I do something I rarely do...I had a quad shot latte, knowing full well I'd be up into the wee hours.

It got to be bedtime, and my wife said she was "heading up" as she likes to say. She was quite tired from her workout of the day, so I knew it wouldn't be long until she was out. I told her that I'd be along in a minute, knowing full well it would be a while before I hit the bed. I sat in front of the computer for another 4 hours, doing various things - updating my blogs, working on training programs for the guys I am coaching, updating my training journal, reading, shopping the online bike stores...anything to keep me awake until 3am.

In the final hour, the bids started to go up. It had sat for almost the whole week at $340. I knew it would go up, but didn't know by how much. It was now up to $510 and there was still 20 minutes to go. In the last 10 minutes there was another bid that took it up to $575. I sat there, patiently awaiting the final minute.

I contemplated my bid. Bidding to win is a tricky thing because you never quite know who is watching and how many are going to bomb bids all at once in the last minute. I have lost a LOT of stuff on eBay by such antics. Most of the time, I am sane about it. I put up my bid - the max I want to pay for it - and walk away. Not tonight. I was here at the table ready to go "all in".

In the last couple of minutes it went up again, to $620. I took a look at the bidding activity and there was one bidder who kept re-bidding over the top of anyone who bid. This was not an automatic bid either, because the times and amounts were not consistent. I could tell this would be a final seconds shoot out.

I decided that $701.99 was a good bid and should get it based on the history of the last few minutes activity. I waited until 45 seconds left, typed in my bid, counted to 10 and clicked "confirm". It came back with 18 seconds left and said I was outbid. I was going to lose this auction.

I quickly typed in $850 and hit confirm. It came back with 8 seconds and I was now the high bidder, at $751. It was too late to bid higher and all I could do was sit back and wait. The next 8 seconds took forever.

I won. No higher bid was placed and my opponent threw in his cards. I was giddy that I won this beautiful piece of Italian art for my wife. I was so excited that now I wanted to figure out how to build it up. There were a number of options - move the DA 8sp from the Serotta to the Colnago, find a nice clean "period piece" Campagnolo Record Ergo 8sp - current high-end stuff for that time, pickup some nice clean used DA stuff, or buy new stuff entirely. I started shopping ebay now for components.

I finally got tired and crawled into bed about 4 am. The next thing I knew, my daughter was in the room and it was daylight...a mere 3.5 hours later. A nap...only a nap. My wife asked me, "what time did you come to bed?", to which I responded that I had insomnia. She said something about having that latte so late...

We went downstairs to have breakfast and I sat there with this HUGE secret eating away at me. I wanted to surprise her with it for her birthday, which wasn't until May 26th..quite a ways off. I wasn't sure I could hold on for that long because I am really lousy at keeping secrets and I was so excited about this that I couldn't contain myself. It peaked when she informed me that the frame went for $751. I was almost sure she knew at this point that I had won it because she knows my eBay username, and in fact she has used it to sell stuff before.

Several minutes went by and I finally decided that I couldn't do it. I looked at her and said, "Okay, so you know I am horrible at keeping secrets", and she turned and looked at me very puzzled and startled because she didn't know what was going to come out of my mouth next. I confessed that the reason I was up so late was that I was trying to win something on eBay.

She blanked for a moment and then this big smile spread across her face and I told her that I decided 4 days ago that I was going to win this for her. She was as giddy as a schoolgirl.

Over the next few days we explored all the options as to what to build it with. In the end, she said that she would really like to have Dura-Ace 10sp on this one. It's the best and it lasts and she like the older stuff she had on her Serotta.

I bought it all online, saved a chunk of change by taking advantage of a perfectly timed PerformanceBike.com 20% off sale and dropped another $1500 on the full kit plus bars, seat, wheels, pedals, tape, tires, and cages.

Here is the beauty:

See more at: http://picasaweb.google.com/Greg1992/DottieSItalianStallion

She rode it for the first time on this past Sunday. It was 25 degrees and she came in after an hour...all smiles. She said that it fit her perfectly, like it was made just for her. In many ways, it was.

Biggest Week Yet...

2007-04-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

So this past week was the hardest week yet on the CTS program. Not only did the volume go up after the previous week's Field Test, but the intensity went up quite a jump as well.

This marks the transition into the "Specialization Period" of the program. I was surprised that the previous period, "Preparation Period" was as short as it was. So far, each period has been 8 weeks in duration, exactly the time between Field Tests.
Here is a screenshot of last week with the prescribed workouts and the actuals...

CTS Field Test Data

2007-03-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

Ah, the CTS Field Test...seven minutes of pain...three miles of suffering...a 3 mile test of power and stamina.

Here is a peek into what my most recent CTS field test looked like from my power meter...

The legend is on the left and the right and it is color-coded. HR is the top line. Speed is below that, then cadence, with the power graph at the bottom.

Test 1 of 2

Test 2 of 2

Carmichael Field Test #3

2007-03-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the next installment of the dreaded "CTS Field Test". Carmichael has athletes do them on a schedule of every 8 weeks. The test, combined with an extensive, but not exhaustive, questionaire determines the workouts and schedule over the next 4 weeks.

These are essentially TWO back-to-back 3 mile time trials, with an RPE of 10, meaning that you go as hard as you possibly can for 3 miles with the goal to be finishing it in the fastest possible time.

We have a course setup on Lafayette Road with the start line just north of SR-267 and the finish line being just before the first overpass on I-65. It is exactly 3 miles and marked with yellow lines and finishing countdowns every 1/10 mile for the last 1/2 mile.

I am more than pleased with yesterday's results as I saw improvements across the board in time, HR, consistency within the effort and most importantly, power (watts).

Here is the raw data taken from my training log on the CTS website:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Field Test Results for Mar 25 2007

Conditions
Course : Cycling (Road)
Terrain : Flat
Wind : Breezy (5-15 mph)
Humidity : 0.71
Temperature: Warm (60-80 F)
Weight : 219.0lbs

Interval 1

Elapsed Time : 00:06:33
Distance : 3.0Miles
Average Speed : 27.7mph
Max Speed : 30.0mph
Average BPM : 184
Average Power : 439
Maximum BPM : 188
Maximum Power : 711
Average Cadence : 90
Perceived Exertion: 9 - very difficult

Interval 2

Elapsed Time : 00:06:35
Distance : 3.0Miles
Average Speed : 27.6mph
Max Speed : 29.9mph
Average BPM : 183
Average Power : 411
Maximum BPM : 187
Maximum Power : 703
Average Cadence : 85
Perceived Exertion: 9 - very difficult

Comments:I felt like this was a great ride. I was turning gears at speeds I haven't done in a long time. The wind was a "non-factor" in that I thought I'd get a bit of a push from a tail wind, but the wind shifted while I was on my way to the course warming up. As it turned out the wind was off my hip at about 8 o'clock for the duration - not quite a tailwind and not quite a crosswind. I used the 53x14 in the first half of the first test and switched to the 13 in the latter half. For the second test, I actually used the 12 in the last half and while it took a minute or so, I got "on top of it" and was able to turn it over at 85-87 rpm.

I see some significant gains across the board in time, speed, HR and power. I feel recovered and am going to ramp it up a bit more for the next cycle by asking for more intensity during the review. I am stoked.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, I just need to get my Zipp 808's and some decent clip-on bars...first Time-Trial race is in 2 weeks.

All for now....

What a bunch of asses...

2007-03-04T15:43:00.000-08:00

What a screwy ride...
Brandon and I met up at my house for a three hour ride. I think it started out wrong when I left without him because he wasn't there at 2 ( I didn't really leave him, but I wanted him to think I had ). As I pulled out of my subdivision, he is turning the corner, so I flip him the bird as if to say, "see ya". He didn't look too worried.

I took a lap around the hood and came back to meet him and so we rolled out. We decided to do this loop I am going to start calling "The Devil's Triangle". I had this goofy idea to start naming the ride loops...I dunno, I get bored easy and try to entertain myself. Anyway, we were heading to Trader's Point via Zionsville to get some shelter from the 15+ mph wind out of the west. Once down around Eagle Creek Park, we'd do a few rounds of the more prominent "peaks" over that way, head north to Whitestown and then east back home (almost a perfect triangle). It's a nice little 3 hour loop that is perfect for days when the wind is from the west or the southwest.

So we are leaving and we get around 3 or 4 miles out and Brandon blows a spoke in his rear wheel. So he decides to bag it and head back to his car and I decide to venture on, alone. It was a bright sunny day and even though the wind was stiff and it was cold, I was dressed perfectly and the sun was nice on my face and I was happy to be out for a change. I thought for a second about cutting it to 2 or 2.5 hours, but I figured I was up for the challenge and besides, I am going to be without bike for the next 4 days. I felt really good today and I pushed it on the hills. My climbing legs aren't here yet, but I definitely feel better than I remember feeling in years past at this point in the season.

So, about the asses...

I am out off of Lafayette Road on Kissel cruising along and off to my right I hear this "commotion" and these funny sounding voices. Through the trees I can see them, running...right at me and screaming...it's stampede of assses...like a dozen of them. I think they were trying to tell me something and I would have loved to have known what it was. And then I thought to myself...huh, a stampede of asses yelling at me...it's a lot like work every day. Next time we go out that way I'll point them out. They are out all the time but they never say too much.

The Perils of Riding in Unpredictable Weather

2007-03-02T19:44:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine, Glenn, and I went out at around 1:30 pm to do an easy 2 hours. The forecast was 43-ish with windchills around 35 and wind out of the SSW at 9. We got down just outside of Zionsville and out of nowhere a dark cloud formed over us, the temperature dropped noticeably and it began to rain. I got wet almost immediately - through my clothing...gloves, tights and even my "water resistant" jacket. Then came the freezing rain - it felt like thousands of tiny razor-sharp icicles piercing my face. I kept telling myself, "this will let up...it isn't that bad...it won't kill me" (thinking Frederick Nietzsche)...but it didn't last long.

After about a few miles of this, we turned north hoping for improvement, but got little, We had to stop at this little church so that Glenn could figure out why his pedal was sticking to his cleat and he had no float. He clipped out and one of his cleat plates and screws popped out. He wanted to fix it. In my most direct and blunt fashion I said (and as most of you that know me understand what this means), "screw it, just ride it home...we aren't sprinting or climbing and I don't want to freeze my ass off while you fix your cleat". So, we rode on, but we decided to change our ride plan. Instead of heading north all the up to 156th, we decided to head back through Zionsville and go the most direct route to my house, and I would take Glenn home in the car.

A few miles later, Glenn decided that he was going to be in trouble soon. He has a circulation problem in his hands and he was starting to lose feeling in his fingertips. He decided to call his wife to meet him in Zionsville and pick him up. It was absolutely freezing at this point as we were both fairly wet and the wind was harsh and the temps had dropped. NONE of this was in the forecast or on the radar when I left.

Just on the outskirts of Zionsville, I couldn't feel either of my forefingers or thumbs and me toes were starting to go numb. I did something that I have never done in my 20 years of cycling...I pulled out my phone, called my wife and said "come and get me". She asked me if I was joking and my response was a plain, dry, "no, I am not".

We got to the Citgo station in Zionsville where we headed in and to our surprise were two other cyclists that also got "caught out". They were "billboards" (my term for guys in team clothing with sponsors all over it) and looked quite young (and one quite stupid as he had on knickers and NO shoe covers - we found out that he did NOT have any gloves either!!!). It turns out that one of these guys was a local "up and coming" racer, a fellow named "Guy East". If you are curious, just go to USACycling.org and check out his stats. The guy is fresh out of high school and is racing at the Pro/1 level. He is destined for great things. Anyway, as it turns out he had called his dad to come and pick them up as well. So, we spent the next half-hour waiting, drinking bad coffee and chatting it up about track racing, pro racing, and whatever else related to cycling.

I said as they left that I though for sure that we (Glenn and I) were the only idiots out today. Guy said, "misery loves company". Once in the car on the way home, it occurred to me that he may meant something other than what I thought he did.

Neither Rain nor Sleet nor Snow nor Dead of Night

2007-01-21T05:29:00.000-08:00

So I have been really testing my limits and resolve lately by making it a goal to stick to my training program and ride "no matter what". Over the last several weeks, I have ridden several times in pouring rain, sub-freezing temperatures, insanely low wind-chills, darkness, and wind speeds over 25mph.

There IS a method to this madness...

I have been committed (or I should be) to sticking to my goal and my training program and in an effort to not allow myself to "slack off", I have done some interesting, rather involved mental gymnastics and preparations to help me stick to the goal. I sat down back in the fall and made a sort of list of all conceivable "obstacles" that would attempt to deter me from the plan. Here is what I came up with and my solution to the issue:

Issue: It's too cold --- Solution: Invest in some proper clothing.
I had been saving money all summer for my cycling endeavors. I do repairs on the side out of my home, and I sell stuff on eBay constantly. I basically bought an entire winter cycling wardrobe from head to toe. I bought good stuff (Descente, Pearl, Smartwool, etc) and I bought something for every type of day.
Issue: It's raining --- Solution: Get a beater bike with fenders and get some rain gear.
I took an old Lemond frame I got on eBay for $50, put a bunch of old parts on it I had in my stash, threw on some fenders, and built up a set of bomb-proof wheels with 28c tires. I bought a rain jacket, rain pants, GoreTex helmet cover and waterproof gloves.
It's dark outside --- Solution: Lights - lots and lots of lights.
I had a light system from years ago that still worked, but I enhanced by add some "look at me" lights - ones that flash so I can been seen. Combined with my 9 amp-hour batteries and over 50 watts of lights, I can glow like Three Mile Island.
Issue: There is snow on the ground --- Solution: Under 4 inches, ride the ATB. Over 4 inches, break out the x-country skiis.
Issue: What to do if all the above gets past my mental roadblocks --- Solution: Stationary trainer and rollers set up in basement with a dedicated bike, ready to go at any time.

What all this affords me is absolutely no excuse to not get my time on the bike in a week.

The ONLY obstacle that I have run into is travel. I went to the Czech Republic in med-December and getting my ride time was a challenge. The hotel had a crappy, poorly setup and maintained stationary bike. Somehow, I managed to log about 4 hours on it that week, which was grueling.

What I am finding out is that there isn't any condition that is just absolutely miserable, once you are acclimated, properly dressed and mentally prepared for it. I think if I were to just go jump on my bike on a 20 degree day having not "worked up to it", it would be much more difficult. Having the proper clothing and knowing how to dress is really half the battle.

In the last three weekends, I have done 5 rides of 3 or more hours, all of which were in the rain except one, and all of which were below 40 degrees with a pretty stiff wind. Some other rides recently included a commute to work with a temperature of 16, winds of 10 and a windchill factor of 8.

The real goal of all this..TO NOT HAVE TO RIDE THE GOD FORESAKEN TRAINER.

My hope is that all this consistency in my training, combined with the stamina (both physical and mental) will prove to be valuable assets once the racing season starts.

Time will tell...

They don't make 'em like that anymore...

2006-11-03T11:15:00.000-08:00

I have been on the fixed-gear for a week now and will be until the end of March. It feels like a long lost friend and it fits me like a glove. It is an old, heavy, expensive-in-it's-day, handmade Italian steel frame of the historic marque, "Guerciotti". This frame has a certain sentimental value, as it was what I consider to be my first "real" racing bike.

Some history...

I was in one of my first Criterium races back in 1990 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was a technical course with lots of corners and traffic islands. Somewhere mid-race, I had my first-ever (and certainly not the last) crash while racing. We were screaming down the front stretch, announcer blaring through the P.A. - a prime lap - and the pace was ramping up as me and about 100 other Category 4 riders were going like mad. We all wanted that 2 dollar water bottle! Anyway, I move up the outside approaching the corner and just prior to the apex, a guy comes out from the pack, pushing me off my line and directly into the path of a traffic island. Having nowhere to go and going too fast to stop, I hit it head on, causing the bike to stop instantaneously and catapult me over the bars. Land, sky, land, sky, BAM...I landed flat on my back on the opposite side of the island after doing a nice fly over a small tree on the island. No points were awarded for either difficulty or style.

The bike (a middle-of-the-road Centurion steel frame with Shimano 105 7-speed) was toast. The front wheel was touching the chainring and the head angle was 90 degrees.

I took a trip on a backboard, in an ambulance to the ER where they took a look at me, took an x-ray and sent me on my way. Once home, I needed to find a new racing bike, and fast, as I had a race the following weekend.

I went to a local shop that was huge and had lots of inventory. I ended up buying this gorgeous, midnight blue Guerciotti made with Columbus SLX tubing. It had beautiful lugs, chrome chainstays and a chrome fork. It was stunning due to the fantastic paint job. At the time, Ten Speed Drive was the importer of the line as well as many others, and they brought all the frames in from Italy and they finished them stateside. They used Imron paint and tons of clearcoat so the frame always had a shine like it was still wet. It weighted a ton - a whopping 6.5 pounds for frame and fork. You couldn't find a frame even close to that today because of the focus on lightweight carbon stuff.

I raced that frame throughout the remainder of 1990, and on through 1991, 1992, 1993 and early 1994. I had several great moments on that frame:

My first finish of a criterium
My first top-10 finish
My first top-3 finish
My first 8000 mile year
My first district championship road race
And countless other minor achievements

Then, on one horrible day in May of 1994, it happened to me...something that eventually happens at least once to any cyclist with a car-top rack and a garage. I unwittingly drove my car into the garage while the bike was on top. I heard the impact and my stomach sank into my toes and my eyes welled up with tears. I couldn't believe what had just happened.

I was hoping that maybe the damage wasn't bad. I took the bike down and clearly it had been handicapped. It's mass of nearly 7 pounds kept if from breaking like a twig, but it was no longer the bike it had been. Two of the three brazed-on cable guides along the top of the top tube were stripped off along with all the layers of Imron and clearcoat down to the bare metal. There were "stretch marks" in the down tube and top tube just behind the head tube. The head tube was no longer that "criterium quick 75 degrees", but now a mere 73. The fork, with its aggressively sharp trail now looked like a touring fork and was just ever-so-slightly cocked to one side at the base of the crown. It was clear then that my trusted steed would not see any more roads again.

It was replaced with the first of two Serotta's but it was magically straightened out just enough to be trusted as a "trainer" bike. John Boyland and I "cold worked" it (a fancy term that means, "bend the crap out of it with torturous looking tools). We couldn't do much about the angles, nor the bulges where the tubes had been stretched, but we did straighten the fork. I also touched up the missing paint and replaced the now gone brazed on cable guides with some good old-fashioned Campagnolo cable clamps. At first, I kept it as a bike for the mag trainer and used it a bit in the winter months. Then, I decided to use for something else...something I had never owned before...a fixed-gear road bike. It was PERFECT for this task. It was still as comfortable as ever, it was stiff, and it fit like a glove. It was no longer the beauty queen it once was, so it didn't matter how grungy it got.

To date, I have more miles on this bike than any other bike in my stable. I don't know if the others will ever catch up, unless the old girl just falls apart completely and hopefully, it won't be while I am doing 180 rpm down some long hill.

Found my compass...

2006-11-02T06:31:00.000-08:00

Over the past two weeks, I have returned to a consistent routine and have been doing quite well. I have continued to commute to work every day. The only times I don't commute is if it's pouring rain when I am ready to leave, if the temperature is below 25 degrees, or if there is ice on the ground. The latter two haven't occurred just yet, but the first one has. I have no problem with rolling the dice when it looks like it may rain because often, I come up a winner because it doesn't.

There is something must mentally defeating about rolling out in the pouring rain. When I hit one of those days, I drive the car and use the opportunity to run errands at lunch and after work. I also use that day to restock my clothing and food supplies since I don't carry those on my back in my daily commute. I like to travel as light as possible, so I carry a fairly empty Timbuk2 commuter bag with only my planner, some rain gear and my personal stuff (iPod, wallet, keys, magazines, etc.

If I get caught out in the rain, it's not a big deal because I wear or have in my messenger bag, the proper clothing to deal with stuff. Also, my nasty-weather bike has full fenders which do wonders at keeping water off your legs, feet, ass and back. The only part that gets wet when it rains is the tops of my legs and if I get a pair of rain pants, then it's solved.

Commuting is fun...really. It's invigorating to roll out the door on my bike in the early morning hours and look at all the people stuck in their cars, sitting stacked up at intersections, the stress and road-rage building. When I get to work, I feel awake and alive, ready for the day.

I must admit that I sort of feel just a bit "superior" because I do this...not in a arrogant sort of way, but more along the lines of "I know something that you don't". That something is that it's really not that hard. Sure, it takes time to get ready and get the logistics worked out, and it's an evolving sort of thing. Sure, there isn't a shower at work, but I don't have one either and I do just fine, and NO, I DO NOT STINK. It's efficient. It's a challenge. It's a way to get in another hour of exercise per day on top of my normal routine. It's entertaining being the object of stares and wonderment that others reflect upon me. I know what they are thinking. A small handful are saying, "Good for him. I wish I could do that", but the majority are saying, "What a nutbag", or "He must have lost his license because why else would somebody ride a bike", and then the most likely one, "Hey, get off the road you dumb%#*!, _I_ need to get to work so I can do something really important while _you_ are out having fun riding your little bicycle". Which reminds me that I need to write a blog that deals with the behaviors of idiots behind the wheel. There is way too much subject matter to even think about touching the subject today.

If you have a bike, TRY IT! If you want tips and advice on how to be efficent and work out some of the "obstacles", contact me, please! One less car on the road isn't a bad thing.

Off the Path

2006-10-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

I have fallen hard this week, metaphorically speaking, as I have been off the bike for 8 days. This is the longest I have been off since knee surgery in January where I equalled that total.

I almost feel the fitness being sucked out of my body as the fat cells begin multiplying. I was away on business last week where I was unable to ride and I also came down with a nasty bug. I gained 4 pounds in 5 days and the fact that it's fall doesn't help because my appetite hasn't slowed commensurate with my activity levels.

I hope to get back on the routine tomorrow with my daily commute to and from work. That and today is the first day of the off-season weight training routine. I'll have to go embarass myself on the pull-up bar. It's always fun watching people watch me as I try to pull off just one of those.