Behold, the location of my rotation (marked "B) for the month...Elis Fischel Cancer Center....a 5 minute ride from Rhett's run (green area)! Muhahahahaaaaaa!!!! Training madness will be happening on an almost daily basis between July 1 and 31!!!!!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Training in July-->race glory in september
Behold, the location of my rotation (marked "B) for the month...Elis Fischel Cancer Center....a 5 minute ride from Rhett's run (green area)! Muhahahahaaaaaa!!!! Training madness will be happening on an almost daily basis between July 1 and 31!!!!!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
A little training, fast race, cold beer, and shrivled weiners
The title just about sums up the experience of the "midwest single speed championships" in Binder Lake in Jeff City this past weekend. Unfortunately, I have no pictures only a brief story of the day. First off, I was psyched that it was not hot. I take a bunch of thyroid hormone every day (since I had Thyroid cancer, this acts as a 'natural' suppressant via a negative feedback loop), which makes me hot-as-shit most of the time, be it summer or winter. Needless to say, being hot-as-shit, then riding bicycles in 100+ temps is not a great combo if having fun, going fast, and not heat stroking are my intentions. So, I was psyched to wake to the upper 60 degree temps today and only to have to drive 40 minutes to the race.
As for the first aspect in the title above, I have managed to get some training in on my single speed since the Rhett's run ass whooping that I took. I rode mostly in the mornings, did a lot of climbing, and tried to get some mileage in on my cross bike on the Katy trail. I also did some short, intense running which I am now definitely convinced helps in hard riding.
The race today saw 30-35 folks registered and out there riding on their single speeds. There were definitely some strong riders including one kid on my current dream bike who I think won the race (as he probably should on that thing). After the start, I found myself riding right behind 3 guys who seemed pretty fast and I settled in and basically sat on their wheel as they were some Red Wheel guys and I figured knew the trails pretty well (I had never rode Binder Lake before). I wasn't sure where I sat in the race, but thought I might be 4th...actually turned out at that point to probably be 6th-ish. The laps were 7 miles and the race was set as a 3 lap race. The first lap was fast, smooth, and a ton of fun. I felt strong and wasn't quite sure what to do when the 2 guys leading our four-man train accelerated ahead. I ended up sitting back, figuring that it was a long race and I didn't really know if I would bonk like I did at Rhetts. After one lap was down I passed the Red Wheel guy who had graciously put up with me riding right on his wheel and then found myself where I was for the rest of the race, alone in the woods. The second lap was a bit of a joke as I ended up eating dirt 3x. Each time, I realized afterwards that my mind was totally drifting right before each crash. I think the first time I was wondering what we would have for dinner, when my right handle bar hit a tree and sent me flying. The second time, I was wondering if I was being very practical when I joined the Big Shark Team while I live in Columbia...I've never been able to make it to one of their meetings, I do like the shop quite a bit but all-in-all definitely use local Columbia shops more frequently...then bam, this time my shoulder hit a tree and I went flying, this time to the opposite side. The third fall on the second lap I was descending a very fast little section thinking about whether or not I liked chocolate GU or vanilla more and bam, I just fucking fell. What an idiot.
The third lap was pretty smooth, but my legs definitely started to cramp a bit...once I unclipped my right leg to take a step and holy shit did it cramp up, unfortunately, with my toes completely pointed so I ended up struggling to get my cleat back in. At the end of the race, a big burly-ass ninja-like man was coming in hot behind me...it was sufficient motivation to pick up the pace and come in just ahead. Only later did I realize it was the one and only C.F.R. of the Team Seagal crew. I think I ended up 5th and he was 6th...so overall, a pretty good race.
The Red Wheel guys were truly a bunch of heros putting the whole thing together. It was definitely the most fun I’ve had on a bike since cross season ended.
The post-race glory was beer and bbq…however, I ended up not feeling so hot after being off the bike for a few minutes so only managed 1 hotdog and 1 brew. (warning: what you are about to read is painful, stupid, and may not actually do jack-shit but most pro-athletes are required utilize these before they leave games or training) When I got home, I harbored back to running in college and took myself a bath full of cold-water and all the ice I could find in the house…instant fucking relief to the legs and back.
As for the first aspect in the title above, I have managed to get some training in on my single speed since the Rhett's run ass whooping that I took. I rode mostly in the mornings, did a lot of climbing, and tried to get some mileage in on my cross bike on the Katy trail. I also did some short, intense running which I am now definitely convinced helps in hard riding.
The race today saw 30-35 folks registered and out there riding on their single speeds. There were definitely some strong riders including one kid on my current dream bike who I think won the race (as he probably should on that thing). After the start, I found myself riding right behind 3 guys who seemed pretty fast and I settled in and basically sat on their wheel as they were some Red Wheel guys and I figured knew the trails pretty well (I had never rode Binder Lake before). I wasn't sure where I sat in the race, but thought I might be 4th...actually turned out at that point to probably be 6th-ish. The laps were 7 miles and the race was set as a 3 lap race. The first lap was fast, smooth, and a ton of fun. I felt strong and wasn't quite sure what to do when the 2 guys leading our four-man train accelerated ahead. I ended up sitting back, figuring that it was a long race and I didn't really know if I would bonk like I did at Rhetts. After one lap was down I passed the Red Wheel guy who had graciously put up with me riding right on his wheel and then found myself where I was for the rest of the race, alone in the woods. The second lap was a bit of a joke as I ended up eating dirt 3x. Each time, I realized afterwards that my mind was totally drifting right before each crash. I think the first time I was wondering what we would have for dinner, when my right handle bar hit a tree and sent me flying. The second time, I was wondering if I was being very practical when I joined the Big Shark Team while I live in Columbia...I've never been able to make it to one of their meetings, I do like the shop quite a bit but all-in-all definitely use local Columbia shops more frequently...then bam, this time my shoulder hit a tree and I went flying, this time to the opposite side. The third fall on the second lap I was descending a very fast little section thinking about whether or not I liked chocolate GU or vanilla more and bam, I just fucking fell. What an idiot.
The third lap was pretty smooth, but my legs definitely started to cramp a bit...once I unclipped my right leg to take a step and holy shit did it cramp up, unfortunately, with my toes completely pointed so I ended up struggling to get my cleat back in. At the end of the race, a big burly-ass ninja-like man was coming in hot behind me...it was sufficient motivation to pick up the pace and come in just ahead. Only later did I realize it was the one and only C.F.R. of the Team Seagal crew. I think I ended up 5th and he was 6th...so overall, a pretty good race.
The Red Wheel guys were truly a bunch of heros putting the whole thing together. It was definitely the most fun I’ve had on a bike since cross season ended.
The post-race glory was beer and bbq…however, I ended up not feeling so hot after being off the bike for a few minutes so only managed 1 hotdog and 1 brew. (warning: what you are about to read is painful, stupid, and may not actually do jack-shit but most pro-athletes are required utilize these before they leave games or training) When I got home, I harbored back to running in college and took myself a bath full of cold-water and all the ice I could find in the house…instant fucking relief to the legs and back.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Maggie got a bike!
Maggie got a sweet new women's MTB and we're both so excited to get out and ride!
We made it to Castlewood last weekend and having spent the last year only riding a few times she rode very well. There was one climb on grotpeter that when we were approaching I suggested that she shift down to her lowest gear. I climbed ahead of her then waited at the top. When she came up she said that she made it without dabbing once....then asked if she should have been in her little ring (meaning she climbed a pretty technical and steep hill in her middle ring!).
It definitely got me thinking about training for riding and how incredibly effective good cross training can be. Maggie has been seeing a trainer at the gym for the last 6 months 2-3x per week and he has her doing all kinds of crazy functional fitness stuff (squats, lunges, pull-ups, push-ups etc). Other than that, she had been on a bike maybe 5-6 times since she first got pregnant a year and a half ago!
Last summer when I had surgery and was laid up for most of July, I couldn't ride a bike for a while so I did some really intense trail running and hit the gym for some pretty hard-ass workouts. When cyclocross season came around I had been on my bike 2x in September (except for some very short commuting), not at all in August, and a few times in July. I ended up having a fantastic season and felt super fit.
This season, I'm doing a bunch more mountain biking including some racing throughout the summer and into september. I'm also trying to maintain some gym time 2-6 days per week depending on how much riding I can fit into my schedule.
Maggie is also planning on trying a few mountain bike races...and perhaps she'll try a few cyclocross races on her mtn bike.
We made it to Castlewood last weekend and having spent the last year only riding a few times she rode very well. There was one climb on grotpeter that when we were approaching I suggested that she shift down to her lowest gear. I climbed ahead of her then waited at the top. When she came up she said that she made it without dabbing once....then asked if she should have been in her little ring (meaning she climbed a pretty technical and steep hill in her middle ring!).
It definitely got me thinking about training for riding and how incredibly effective good cross training can be. Maggie has been seeing a trainer at the gym for the last 6 months 2-3x per week and he has her doing all kinds of crazy functional fitness stuff (squats, lunges, pull-ups, push-ups etc). Other than that, she had been on a bike maybe 5-6 times since she first got pregnant a year and a half ago!
Last summer when I had surgery and was laid up for most of July, I couldn't ride a bike for a while so I did some really intense trail running and hit the gym for some pretty hard-ass workouts. When cyclocross season came around I had been on my bike 2x in September (except for some very short commuting), not at all in August, and a few times in July. I ended up having a fantastic season and felt super fit.
This season, I'm doing a bunch more mountain biking including some racing throughout the summer and into september. I'm also trying to maintain some gym time 2-6 days per week depending on how much riding I can fit into my schedule.
Maggie is also planning on trying a few mountain bike races...and perhaps she'll try a few cyclocross races on her mtn bike.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Finally!
Got to do a mountain bike race yesterday...first race of the season and the first time I raced a mountain bike in like 10 years. It was fuckin amazin!
The last 6 months have been pretty hellish in terms of my priorities versus where I've been spending my time. School and my board exam (which was friday) completely consumed my life leaving little time for family and virtually no time for friends. Even last year during the cross race season, I'd wake up at 5am on sundays, study until right before the race, race then jump in the car and study until home. I never really got to relax and hang out after a race.
I had done a few road races this past fall, which were somewhere areound a 6 or 7 on the fun scale (out of 10). Yesterday, despite the fact that I wrecked, forgot gloves, was out of shape, and would have been happy with only 1 lap was definitely an 8 or 9 out of 10.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)