Busy weekend

I travelled down to east of Cleveland on Friday to see my mom perform in the musical, 70 Girls 70 at the local little theater. This weekend was the last of the performances so I wanted to make sure and see it. She didn't know I was coming so my dad got the tickets and I met him at their place just before the show. When the musical was over the cast stays on stage to greet the audience and boy was she surprised when I walked up. While not having a major role, at age 80 she has to start somewhere. In fact most of the cast was over 60.

The next day I did a road ride out to the country where my wife and I grew up, the Burton/Middlefield area. Along the way I passed an interesting orthodox monastery.

This is a major Amish area so auto drivers are used to watching out for slow moving vehicles. I rode past many farms and Amish out in the fields or in their buggies. They always waved and said hello.


In Burton I spent some time at the Century Village, a site where many old houses and building have been moved to and turned into museums.


In the center of the town square is the log cabin where they make maple syrup, Geauga County is a big producer of syrup. There is always a debate over who makes better syrup, Vermont or Ohio.

Just on the other side of the square is the Geauga County fairgrounds, I used to go there every labor day and for a while was in the 4-H when I raised sheep. Saturday they had a Goldwing show going on as well as an antique tractor show. I love riding back in this area, it is easy to just keep riding out in the country.

Close to my parents on the way back I came across a person standing on the side of the road by a marsh looking across the other side at a big nest through a spotting scope. I stopped to see what it was and it was a bald eagle nest. He let me look through the scope and I was able to see a parent and the two young eagles. I had never seen one in the wild before. He had a digital camera that he could hook up and also a website where he publishes the photos. www.insanityzoo.com

Today Robin and Shari came over and we did part of my hill route before they had to leave. I went back out for a few hours on the Rush to get better aquainted with it. It felt a lot better today, the other day the seatpost kept slipping which was one of the reasons my legs were tired.

I received my new Scalpel frame, a size smaller than I have now to better negotiate the singletrack. While not a custom paint job it sure compliments the Cannondale Midwest Racing uniforms. Now I have to take the parts off the old frame and put them on this one.

First dirt for the Rush

The rain held off long enough after work that I was able to get the Rush out on the back roads for its maiden voyage. I didn't really get a chance to test the handling but checked out the suspension a few times on some of the drier potholes. Did I say holes? What holes? It was if they weren't there. The front wasn't as smooth as the rear but I need to adjust the air pressure.

I think the cockpit is just about right but can still be tweaked, I want to play around with a few stems and a setback seatpost to see what they will do. I can see it will be quicker in the singletrack but it felt slower than my Scalpel on the road. It's only about 1.5 pounds heavier so I thought maybe it was the more aggressive tread I had on the back combined with the new seating position.

I started to hear chirping noises from the front wheel while riding and checked it out when I got done. It seems the spare wheel I threw on with the semislick tread does not have the rotor spaced exactly the same as the new Crossmax. The front brake was dragging fairly hard which helps explain the sluggishness, the wheel wouldn't turn far when given a spin. The new wheel is dead on the center of the caliper and has no drag at all, the different wheel and new brake pads combined to cause the drag.

I think I'll be sticking to the roads for now given the weather forecast. Hopefully I can test it offroad soon.

Addison aftermath

I've looked over all three bikes I used at the Addison race and have to replace a number of items, although not as much as I had feared. I may discover more though as time goes on.

The list for now:

Scalpel headset bearings
Right side XO shifter ( the one on there is first generation and still works but heading south)
Derailleur hanger - I had a spare but ordered a few more
XO Derailleur B screw - it broke off when the hanger bent
Scalpel shock mounting bolt - unfortunately this is the Scalpel's weak point, it's broken before
XTR derailleur pulleys - the HT was running 1x8

I changed cables on the Scalpel but everything else on the bikes seems OK and within specs, just a little more worn.

Rush pics

I brought the Rush outside between raindrops to take a few pictures. As is it weighs about 27.5 pounds, close to what I estimated. I have a heavier seat, bar ends, and tubeless tires on it which if I went lighter I could probably save about 2 pounds. Not too bad for a 4.3" travel bike.


In daylight:

Using a flash to show the refllective bits:

Addison race report

Rain the past few days and more rain off and on during the race made it muddy and a race of attrition. It seemed the longer the race went on the worse it got, and when the sun came out for a while the mud turned to peanut butter that clogged everything up. Even the SS's were having some troubles today.

Not my bike but an example of mud buildup after one lap. Photo from Tom Lining http://luv2mtb.smugmug.com/gallery/1457010

Count me as one of those with troubles. The first two laps went great but the drivetrain started having problems as it gunked up so I switched bikes and our team member Joel was kept busy cleaning everyone's bikes. Thanks Joel. I kept switching bikes until on my 5th lap the mud got so thick it bent my derailleur hanger. I decided to finish the lap walking so my 40 minute lap turned into 1.5 hours.

Back at the pits I took out my SS but the gearing was too high and I struggled on the hills and even the flats where the mud was. After a few laps I pulled in to change the gearing. Going back out I noticed that I was starting to feel weak, I hadn't been following my nutrition plan with everything else going on. I decided to pack it in after 7.5 hours. At the time I was tied for 2nd with 2 others but I didn't care. Everyone was working for 2nd or below with the amazing and nationally ranked Mark Hendershot also running in our class. I will probably end up finishin 5th or 6th. I'll just look at it as a long hill ride, since it seemed like every pedal stroke was a struggle.

Getting the SS ready to go. Photo from Paint Creek Racing http://www.paintcreekracing.com/addison.htm

I have to commend all those that were able to keep racing, especially Danielle who was still going strong when I left and Jay Jones who was winning the single speed class. My team mate Pete ended up winning his class in the 6 hour.

The trail the next day, one side for the feet, the other for the bike.

On a positive note I finished building the Rush on Thursday night but have only ridden it up and down the street for about 5 minutes. Given the weather forecast it looks like I won't be riding it for a while. I still need to get the seating position dialed in. Sure glad I didn't take it to Addison. I'll post some pictures of it someday. For now here are some pictures of the parts and of the frame. The frame has reflective trim that shows up when the lights hit it.

RUSHing to get it done

The Rush frame arrived last night, courtesy of my team member Joel who picked it up at Dexter Bike and dropped it by my house about 9:00. After taking some pictures (to be posted later) I worked on it for about an hour and a half and got most of it done but need to mount the brakes, shifters, and cables. I installed Joel's new Lefty fork that I am borrowing while waiting for my Lefty with the Fox Terralogic internals to arrive. It is backordered due to it's popularity.

Of course it started raining last night after being sunny for a week and it is forecasted to continue raining for the next several days, including through the 12 hour race this Saturday where I had hoped to debut the Rush. I plan on having several other bikes ready for the race that include a 1x8 and even a SS if the mud is really bad. The Rush may be sitting on the sidelines for this one. Hopefully it will stop raining long enough for me to even get it outside to check the fit.

Speaking of fit I had ordered a size smaller that the Scalpel I'm currently riding, Cannondale seems to use long top tubes and short seat tubes, just the opposite of how I fit. My hardtail is a size smaller and is a lot quicker in the tight stuff so I thought I would try it in a full suspension as well. If it doesn't work out I guess I'll go back up a size and sell this frame. Stay tuned for a ride report and pictures.

Biking weekend

We had a beautiful weekend both weather wise and from a biking viewpoint. Saturday was a bike demo days at Island Lake where we helped out our sponsor, Cannondale. We helped set up their display area and talked to potential customers and prepared bike for them to test ride. There was a lot of interest in the bikes, particularly the new Rush. Other bike manufacturers had their bikes at the demo as well.

Today was the second race in the MMBA CPS series at Ft. Custer, alway one of the favorite trails to race on. I set up the Hammer nutrition tent and was able to sell some product as well as offer advice. The race seemed to be well attended and the course was very fast. I managed to score my second win in the series, partly due to good fortune as well as training. On the first lap I was on the leader's wheel when his back tire blew completely off the rim. Later another rider caught up to me when we got jammed up due to slower traffic in the tight stuff. I followed him for part of the second lap but passed him on one of the bigger hills and tried to put a few riders between us. Later he crashed on a big log pile but I didn't know it and kept trying to pass as many as possible. I think I ended up winning by about a minute.

Perfect day for a ride

Today was a scheduled recovery ride and it couldn't have happened on a nicer day. The warm temperatures and blue skies were made to order for a relaxing ride on the back roads and rail trail. I noticed the other day that the trillium are out again on a trail near me, the hillsides are covered with thousands of them. I'll have to take my camera with me to Addison Oaks too and get some pictures of all the flowers at the entrance to the trail.

Bling

Most of my parts for the Rush have been here and the frame looks like it will be arriving next week. Unfortunately the fork is backordered but I may be able to borrow a team member's fork for a while. I did get our new uniforms yesterday and our new shoes from Diadora, now owned by our sponsor Cannondale. http://www.cannondale.com/footwear/06/index.html

At least I'll look cool as people pass me.

Update on Sunday afternoon

I went for a four hour ride with a pair of these shoes this morning and had zero problems, no hot spots or anything like that. They felt comfortable the whole ride. I did have one shoe strapped a little too tight but that was easily taken care of.

I'm not sure if it was the shoes or not but while riding on a rail trail this morning a squirrel darted across the trail directly into the path of my front wheel. At the last second the squirrel jumped onto my leg and then back off, returning to where it started. Maybe the shoes blinded him and he got confused? It sure shocked the heck out of me.

It's 2:30 in the morning

Well it's that early in Germany as I start this update. But I'm home now so it's only 8:30 in the evening. That means I've been up for hmm, my brain's not working, wait, 20 hours except for a one hour nap on the plane. And what did I do late this afternoon when I got home? Went for an hour and a half ride on a SS.

The workshop I had helped prepare went well and I may have to go back a few more times this year as we work on developing a new position within ITM, a full time business consultant. My current assignment will probably change to work in this capacity on a permanent basis. For now I will continue to do what I have been doing as well as helping to develop the training portion of the new roles.

I got spoiled flying on the corporate shuttle, a big plane but only 12 rows and 48 seats total. The seats almost totally reclined, when sitting up right I could stick my legs straight out and not touch the seat in front of me. Full service for the entire flight of 8.5 hours including the bar. Plus we have our own terminal at each end so it was quick in and out.

Since we left Mnday afternoon that meant we arrived early Tuesday morning German time (12:30 am Detroit) and a few hours sleep was necessary before we started the day. Fortunately I had a few hours sleep on the plane as well. In the afternoon we visited one of the large Mercedes factories where they employ 40,000. Later we stopped at the new Mercedes museum across from the soccer stadium that will be hosting world cup games this summer.

After we headed to the Springfest, a temporary carnival that included beer tents. The rides looked like they were permanent but they are all put up just for this event. We spent several hours in the beer tent where they had a live band and ended up sampling some of the favorite beverages. The entire place would be singing and dancing to the music and we obliged on several of the songs as well, standing on the benches with everyone else.

The next two days were pretty busy with actual work but when it was finally over Thursday night those of us from the US went to the downtown area but were only able to shop for about 15 minutes before the shops were required to close at 8:00. All of the stores are along a pedestrian only avenue and up until closing time it was crowded. Very nice and different from what we have here.
I'm not sure what this shop sold but I can guess their clientele.
After shopping we went to a Mexican restaurant to celebrate a successful conference. We were also able to continue celebrating at another bar and tried one more after that but they were getting ready to close.

I hope to be able to get back and spend more time so that I can get a better sample of the German culture other than the limited view I had. Maybe time it in September for the UCI Road World Championships.

I did use the Compex unit on the flight home, I had a seat near the back so I didn't have to walk too far down the aisle after changing into my shorts. I also had warned my seating companion what I was doing and kept a blanket over my legs. Going through the baggage check-in in Pontiac they took a hard look at the unit and asked me a lot of questions about it but in Germany they didn't say a word. Instead they asked me to open my suitcase to see my can of shaving cream.

Now it's time to catch up on sleep and try to get ready for the race next weekend at Fort Custer.

A weekend of firsts

This weekend was the first time for a lot of things. The first Redwing and Pistons playoff games, the first grass cutting of the year, and my first win of the season.

I won my age class at the Yankee Springs Time Trial, a race I've never won before. I also had my best time ever and I think I could have been faster but I didn't pre-register which means I got held up by a lot of people that I had to pass. Next year if I'm racing it again I'll try to get my registration in early.

Most of the team was there today too and and they have gotten a lot faster over the winter. Time gaps between various members of the team have gotten a lot LOT closer. It should make for some great inter-team competition.

Tomorrow I fly to Germany on business so I may not be able to update my blog until I get back. It also means no riding but I'm taking the Compex so at least I'll get in some muscle work. We are on the company plane, I wonder what my flying companions will say when I put on my shorts and hook myself up while we are flying?

Nothing special

Seems like a lot of other racers are posting the same things on their blogs this week. The weather has been great and we are all in our preparation phase for the races. The first really big one here in Michigan is this Sunday, the Yankee Springs Time Trial. It usually has the largest attendance until Iceman in November. Everyone is anxious to get out racing again. Hopefully the weather remains nice.

Looks like my frames won't be here in time to build one up for the race but maybe I can have it for the Fort Custer race in a few weeks. I leave for a week in Germany next Monday so I couldn't do much with them anyway.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to everyone. I got out early this morning for a four hour ride. I did about 3/4 of my hill route, a 75 mile route that contains most of the big hills close to my house as layed out using Gmap. Big is a relative term but here in SE Michigan it's hard to find much elevation change. I could pick some of the biggest hills and keep doing them over and over but I wanted to see what combining all of them within 10 miles of my house would be like.

Riding the course in its entirety would net about 4600 feet of climbing. Today was only 3400 feet because I ran out of time and had to get home to get the ham on the grill. I worked up an appetite but it will be another three hours before I can eat. I guess I can snack on the Easter candy while I wait.

Lost a few teeth at Yankee today

Some of the team went out to Yankee Springs today to get in a few laps before the time trial there next Sunday. What a beautiful day, warm temperatures and sunny, things are really starting to green up.

I was doing intervals but began to notice that my bike was ghost shifting which it had never done before, at least not with Sram XO on it. I kept fiddling with the cable adjustment but it didn't seem to make a difference plus I couldn't tell which way it was jumping. I stopped a couple of time to look at the rear end thinking something was loose. Finally I noticed that about half of one of the middle cogs was broken off. I have heard of breaking chains but I've never seen this before. Thankfully I could still ride but I had to skip that (half) cog. I've got a brand new cassette I'll throw on there before the race.

Last night my wife and I went to the Professional Bull Riding competition at the Palace just down the road from us. We have watched it on TV and a few months ago at work when we found it was coming to town a couple of us decided to get tickets. It was a good time but those guys are crazy. Not a lot made the full 8 seconds and quite a few seemed to be hurting when they got up.

Extra protein for the ride

Today I spent a couple of hours riding the rail trails near my house. The weather was the warmest so far this year but a little windy. Things are starting to come alive in the woods, fields and marshes the trails pass through. You can also tell it's spring because the bugs are back. Every so often I would pass through a swarm of them and get some in my mouth. You couldn't see them until you rode into them and felt them hitting you. I saw a couple of snakes on the trail which is not unusual, and I ended up running across the tail of one because I didn't see it until too late. It appeared to be OK though. The joys of riding in the country.

Warm up

After complaining of the cold weather we finally got the first truly warm day yesterday and the first day I have ridden in just shorts and a short sleeved jersey. It felt good but the body has some adjusting to do. Long range the weather should stay warm for a while even if it rains. The Yankee Springs TT coming up on the 23rd is still too far away to forecast but I think I've raced it in everything from snow to 90 degrees. The course can usually handle whatever Mother Nature throws at it.

Speaking of Yankee it looks like a bunch of us will be back out there this Saturday, and probably a lot of other people too since it will be the last weekend to pre-ride. With any luck our new frames will arrive in time for us to get them built for the race.

Paris Ancaster race

A little mud never hurt anyone.

The first race of the year is over, the Paris Ancaster 60K. Chris Werth and I drove up yesterday afternoon to pick up our registration material and check out the last hill at the finish. It is a 300 foot climb on a gravel road in just over a mile. Just the thing you want after riding 37 miles.

The morning of the race we met up with Mike Simonson, last year's winner, Jason Lummis and Joe Brzuchanski, all are from Michigan and they gave us a ride to the start. The also led us on a warm-up ride down the first couple of miles of trail to try and show us where the first bottle neck climb was. We kept riding looking for it as the race time grew closer. Finally we made it back to the start shortly before the gun. Unfortunately there are 400 people in the first wave of all classes so it helped if you could line up early. Imagine 400 riders trying to fit into a 15 foot wide rail trail after the first mile of road.

When the race finally started it was about a minute before those of us in the back were able to move. A lot of the race is rail trail, double track and public roads, both dirt and paved. There were some sections through the woods and fields that were very muddy or just slow. For the rest of the course getting into pacelines was the only way to survive.

I rode my cyclocross bike and it seemed the best choice except for a few of the muddy downhills, or mud slides as they called them. I was able to move up fairly well despite the starting position and felt strong on the hills. The narrow tires on the 'cross bike cut through most of the mud and allowed me to gain traction.

Toward the end of the race a large group of us came out of the nastiest mudslide and turned down the two track road only to find out in a few minutes that we were going the wrong way. Of course we now had to go back up hill to get on course. Looking at where we turned there were no markings at this intersection. The rest of the course had been pretty well marked or manned with someone to tell you which way to go. Overall we lost about 4-5 minutes and it may have cost me a chance for the podium. That's racing though, as it was I finished 4th out of 82. Chris had a good race finishing 7th in SS and the Michigan crew had a great day overall with Mike successfully defending his title.

This race is now the largest single day race in Canada with over 1600 riders. It was well organized, inexpensive, and a good early season tester. They even had the results posted online the same evening of the race. I think I'll be back next year. http://www.parisancaster.com/

Last minute race preparation and Chris getting his magic pills ready.

Anticipation

I've been waitng on a bunch of parts for my Rush build. I came home today to find a notice on the door that Fedex had been here but needed my signature before they could deliver. No problem, I drive over to the Fedex station and find out that they only handle express packages, mine had been sent ground. And the ground station has no counter so I have to wait until Monday. Oh well, the frame and fork were just ordered on Monday so I couldn't have done much with them anyway but stare at them.

In the package is my SRAM XO kit including shifters, derailleurs, chain, and cassette. Also some tires, Thomson post and a few other odds and ends. My Mavic Crossmax arrived on Monday and I had already gotten my Magura Marta brakes and Shimano XT crank and BB late last year in anticipation of a new bike. I am using the older style XT with the Octalink BB; they are cheap, I've never had a problem with them, and I've got them on two other bikes. It is nice at an endurance race to have another bike with the same parts for cannibalizing if necessary.

Still to come are some Fizik saddles, Syncros carbon bar and an XTR front derailleur. Hopefully it will all be here when the frame and fork arrive.

It's not my fault

I almost put away the snowstakes marking the driveway last weekend but left them up "just in case". Usually if I put them away we will get a good snowfall, sort of like washing your car guarantees that it will rain. It's been spitting snow off and on today and now the bigger flakes are coming down and some of it is starting to stick.

I stayed on the trainer today, didn't want to fight the cold and wind. Hopefully the weather will improve so that I can do some riding outside before the race this weekend. But if not, at least the snowstakes are still in.

This morning Chris, Todd and I set out for a long ride without too much intensity. I wasn't sure my legs could take it anyway. Our ride was mostly pavement and rail trail on the mtb's but we were able to maintain a pretty good pace without blowing up. The sun didn't stay out for long and the wind picked up making it feel colder than was forecasted. I was surprised that after the previous two days riding my legs were feeling good. They really only protested when standing and climbing. I ended up with over 5 hours by the time I got home.

This week will have a few short intervals as I prepare for the Ontario race on Sunday. Local racer Mike Simonson is going back to defend his title. Speaking of Mike I just found out he works for DaimlerChrysler and is in the same complex I am. He emailed me at work about the race and said he was running a cross bike with a 34t rear just for the last hill close to the finish. He also said to watch out for a some ditches you have to dismount for as well as some downhill mud slides that could be interesting as most people are trying not crash on the way down. Sounds like a fun race.

Updates

I didn't realize it had been awhile since my last post but there hadn't been much new to report. Just keeping in the training groove with more VO2 intervals sprinkled in. I think this weekend is one that will test my endurance. yesterday was a series of VO2 intervals, today was three hours with 40 minute intermediate intervals and tomorrow is a 4-6 hour ride at a moderate pace.

Today Robin, Shari and I made it over to Yankee Springs to do a few laps, it was my first time on some real trails this year. I had a hard time sleeping last night in anticipation of today. Even with all the rain we had last night the trails were in perfect shape. I rode better than I thought I would in the tight stuff but I was starting to feel it a bit in the legs on the second lap. Shari posted some lap times faster than her race lap last year and she was riding at less than race pace today. Robin and I both have the same size Scalpels but he borrowed one size smaller for the ride today and he and I have both come to the conclusion that the smaller size seems better for us. Lighter and more maneuverable, it looks like we will be ordering new frames and selling the old ones.

They have done nice job with some reroutes on a few of the hills. Now if they would remove the logs that are pointing out waiting to impale a wayward rider on some of the downhills it would be appreciated.

Tomorrow I'm riding with Chris and Todd for 4-6 hours. The route will not have many hills on it and be mostly rail trail and pavement. The idea is just to put in the time.

Back roads in the spring

One of the pleasures? of living where I do is the multitude of back roads, usually dirt, that I can take from my house and ride for hours and have very little traffic. When I moved to Michigan it seemed that every time you turned off a major highway the road turned to dirt within a half mile. Of course dirt roads aren't so great when they are wet. Or dusty. Or full of potholes.

Today was a recovery ride and I figured I would take an easy jaunt around some of the dirt roads that were damp yesterday, thinking they would be fine today. They were dry all right, the county had gone through today and graded the few roads I planned on riding. Grading brings a whole new set of problems. The road was now loose with numerous rocks, branches and who knows what else that had been turned over and brought to the surface. Plus the piles of loose dirt that formed in ridges along the edge of the grader blade. Riding all this on a skinny tire cyclocross bike did not make for a very relaxing recovery ride. I'll count it as training for the Paris Ancaster race in two weeks but I hope their back roads are in better shape or it's going to be a long race.

Tomorrow it's back to VO2 intervals as my coach continues to try and get my motor humming at higher speeds. With the warmer weather coming in I may make it out to the west side to ride some real singletrack this weekend.

Hills and Bocce

I rode the first part of a 100 mile hill loop I had put together on paper to see what it was like. I had tried to string together most of the bigger hills in the area, big being a relative term. I use a bike with a single 48t ring up front to make the hills a little more of a workout. I did about the first half and found that there was one stretch that was just a bunch of rollers since you have to travel from one hilly area to the next.

There is a point where I could turn around and reverse the loop to get in 70 miles and get to go up the hills I had come down previously. Plus I would never be more than 15 miles from home. I think this would condense the climbing into a smaller route, more bang for the buck. My HR monitor with altimeter comes back tomorrow after getting the battery changed so I can get an actual read on total elevation gain.

My team had our bocce party today at a facilty near me that has indoor courts, a bar and a restaurant. It holds international tournaments there as well. I've never played the game indoors before, always in someone's yard. This was like bowling on a putting green, it didn't take much effort to roll the ball clear past the target. It was fun and a chance for the team to get together before the racing starts in a few weeks.

Snow again

Woke up this morning to snow covering the ground and more coming down. Spring has felt more like winter so far. My schedule called for more of the high intensity VO2 intervals today and I had planned on doing them on the trainer anyway. And I hate them, it's hard to sit there and go as hard as you can and not get anywhere. It's easier to control the variables on the trainer but not as much fun as doing them outside. Probably safer though because I can get dizzy after doing one. If the weather improves tomorrow I'll try to ride outside before our team bocce party at the nearby Palazzo di Bocce. http://www.palazzodibocce.com/ Should be fun, next we'll have to try curling, eh?

I also submitted my orders for our team's sponsored parts. I am building up a Cannondale Rush and am going to try the new Terralogic Lefty fork. http://www.cannondale.com/rush/ This bike will be used for the longer races relegating the Scalpel to backup bike in the endurance races but still the primary weapon for the shorter XC races. Pictures to be posted once the parts start coming in.

Finally riding some trails

One of the local parks by me has finally dried to the point that I could get off the road and onto the trails. Even though the trails aren't much from a technical point it was still nice to be riding on something other than roads or the trainer. I had done a fairly intense workout yesterday so my legs didn't have a lot of zip in them. Maybe I should blame it on the softer ground and sand I was riding in. Yeah, that's it.

Yesterday I mentioned the new endurance series that incorporated six races around the country. I had considered doing the four in the eastern part of the country since you only had to do four. I read yesterday afternoon on the series web site that one of your four has to be a western race, meaning Colorado or Utah. As the Honda mower commercial says, this changes everything. I don't know about doing the series now.

I understand they want to make it a national series but how many people will really be able to afford the time and money to race all over the country? It will be interesting to see how many people actually qualify for this series. I may do the first two since they are the closest and see how it goes before deciding to do any others. The problem though is that some of the races have a registration limit so it is a gamble if there will be any openings by the time I make a decision.

New Endurance series announced

I read this morning on Cyclingnews.com that there is a new endurance series that combines six races from around the country and awards an overall champion. And they have a Master's category that is 50+, that's me! One of the races in the series is Michigan's own Lumberjack race which I've signed up for. I would love to do the series but the cost would be prohibitive on my own. Anybody else interested in joining up?

Here is the information off of Cyclingnews: http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtb.php?id=features/2006/ultra-endurance_series

Six times the challenge in new US endurance series
By Steve Medcroft

Five 100-mile mountain-bike race promoters announced the formation of a U.S. ultra-endurance national series this week. Comprising the Mohican 100 (Ohio), the Lumberjack 100 (Michigan), the Breckenridge 100 (CO), the Wilderness 101 (PA), the Endurance 100 (Utah) and the Shenandoah Mountain 100 (Virginia), the National MTB Ultra Endurance Series runs from June 3rd to September 3rd of 2006 and will be awarding National Series Championships in Open Men, Open Women, Singlespeed and Masters 50-plus categories. As presenting media partner to the series, Cyclingnews will be providing reports and results from each race.

Formed, promoters say, to fill the void in national-level competition for ultra-endurance athletes, contenders for the series will face some of the most challenging and popular 100-mile courses in the country. "Ultra endurance needs to be represented on the national stage,” says Ryan O’Dell, promoter of the Mohican 100, the first race in the series. “And although most of the participants in these events aren't trying to win but simply to finish, there is a whole class of athletes - like Garth Prosser, Jeremiah Bishop, Chris Eatough, Tinker Juarez and Mark Hendershot among others - who have a unique talent to push themselves over greater distances. They deserve a national series as a way to recognize their talent."

“Ultimately,” O’Dell says, “it’s my hope that this form of racing will be elevated to the Olympic stage and that the U.S. will have a ladder of competition in place to develop more ultra-endurance athletes that can compete at the Olympic level."

A rider accumulates points toward the series championship by racing the solo male or female, singlespeed or master’ s (50-plus) categories at each race. The points are an accounting of the number of seconds behind that race’s winner in their category. For example, if the winner of the men’s Breckenridge 100 finishes in 10:30:10, a rider who finishes in 10:50:10 would earn 1200 points towards the series (the number of seconds in 20 minutes). The winner, of course, earns zero points.

The concept is that the rider with the lowest overall points in four of the six races will be declared the National MTB Ultra Endurance Series Champion at the final event of the season (the Shenandoah Mountain Touring 100 in Harrisonburg, Virginia). "Anyone who races the eligible categories at any of the six races is eligible to be considered for the series championship," says Wilderness 101 and Shenandoah Mountain 100 promoter Chris Scott. "The only pre-requisite is that they race at any four of the six events and at least attend the Harrisonburg, Virginia finale (you only need attend the ceremony, not race the final if you have enough points to win) to be crowned champion."

The group of promoters have yet to release final details on the cash and merchandise prize package for the overall series competition (attempts to secure a naming sponsor are ongoing) but with the help of sponsors Kenda, Independent Fabrication, Thompson Seat Posts, Hammer Gel and Cannondale, the prize pool is already growing. Series contenders are, of course, eligible for the cash, product and trophy prizes available at each of the individual events.

For more information, including links to each individual race Web site and registration information, please visit www.ultramtb.com.

The races
1. Mohican MTB 100 (Ohio, June 3) - The 2006 National MTB Ultra Endurance Series opens Saturday June 3 at 7am at the Mohican MTB 100. Based out of the Mohican State Lodge near Loudonville, the first race winds through Ohio's Walhonding Valley.
Because it’s held in Ohio, racers might expect a flat and fast course but instead get 350-meter steep and rolling climbs. "This is a one-lap race held almost entirely in the 5,000 acre Mohican State Park,” says Team Cannondale’s Garth Prosser, who helped design the original racecourse with promoter Ryan O’Dell. “We have stream sections reminiscent of La Ruta de los Conquistadores in Costa Rica (with the Crocodiles, giardia, E.Coli and bike thieves left out), the chance to ride some "off limits / no bikes allowed" trails (opened to us for just the one day) and sections along tree-canopied Amish buggy trails that wind through pristine old growth forests.”
The Mohican 100 has a field limit of 250 participants and fills up early so riders with Ultra MTB National Series aspirations should get registered as soon as possible. The 100-mile record was set by Trek/VW pro mountain biker Jeremiah Bishop (8:05:50).

2. Founder’s Lumberjack 100 (Michigan, June 17) - Two weeks later (June 17th at 7am), the series moves to the Manistee National Forest around Wellston, Michigan. "My race differs from all the others in the series in that it is four laps of a 25-mile circuit,” says promoter Rick Plite. “The course is also 99% singletrack and peppered with short climbs. Riders have to always be on the gas. It is a very demanding and tiring course.”
The course record (7:27:38) was set in the inaugural run of the event by Scott Quiring. Due to National Forest regulations, the Lumberjack 100 is also limited to a 250-rider field.

3. Breckenridge 100 (Colorado, July 15) - The series heads to Colorado for it’s third stop. The Breckenridge 100 course is built out of three distinct cloverleaf trails. Headquartered in downtown Breckenridge at Carter Park, the course loops through the epic backcountry terrain over surrounding ski resorts. Hometown epic racer Josh Tostado won the first running of the high-altitude race with a time of 9:13:19; ahead of Gary Fisher pro Nat Ross.

4. Wilderness 101 (Pennsylvania, July 29) - Stop four returns east; to State College, Pennsylvania for the Wilderness 101. Launching from Coburn Park at 7:00 am and run on a network of rocky State College-area trails, the Wilderness 101 promises to be one of the most technical races in the series. “The course is fast at the start until racers get past aid station 2,” says promoter Chris Scott. “Then there’s a section of bigger climbs and the downhills start to get a bit rougher as the race stretches on.”
First run in 2000, The Wilderness 101 is one of the older races in the series. “The 101 was one of the first endurance races of this genre,” says Scott. “And therefore also has a high probability of an early sell out.” Six-time 24 Hours of Adrenalin Solo World Champion Chris Eatough set a blistering course record in 2005. “It is unlikely that anyone will break Eatough's 6:59:48 finishing time,” Scott says.

5. The Endurance 100 (Utah, August 26) - After an almost month-long break, the series returns west for the 100-mile stage of the three-race E-100 series in Park City, Utah. Starting at 6am at The Canyons Resort, the E-100 climbs through Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley Resort, the Deer Crest Development and portions of Park City's municipal trail system before returning to the finish area at The Canyons. Along the way, riders will have climbed a total of 18,627ft; all at altitude.
Capped at 499 riders, the course record for the E-100 (10:13:32) was set by non-other than ultra-endurance legend David “Tinker” Juarez.

6. Shenandoah 100 (Virginia, September 3) - The final race in the series, the Shenandoah Mountain 100, is held in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Rolling out at 6am from Stokeville Park, the event is a mixture of riding tests. “The highlights are the off-camber singletrack and the dark deep feel of the Eastern hardwood forest,” say promoter Chris Scott.
Multi time event winner Jeremiah Bishop (current course record holder at 7:23:36) has said he believes a sub seven-hour finish is possible in the SMT100.

Better yet

I felt pretty good yesterday but wondered how I would feel today with some big gear intervals and a longer ride on the schedule. I did the intervals on the trainer and they didn't seem too bad, I wanted to get them done before several of my team mates came over to ride the back roads. I finished shortly before they showed up.

Robin and Shari Scurr, Joel Miller and John Burt came out to join me on a tour of some of the back roads around my house. We ended up with a little over 40 miles and all but about three miles of that was dirt. The route I took them on wound its way through (and up and over) some of the horse country north of me. For some of my team mates it was the longest they had ridden this year but everyone did great. Kudo's to John for doing the route on his SS with a rigid fork. Some of the roads were pretty bumpy and I'm sure his arms and back are probably feeling it. Hopefully we can do it again and I can show them some more of the countryside.

Tomorrow is a recovery ride and then it's back at it again.

Good ride today

This morning's workout called for two 40 minute intervals at just below race pace. I met Chris and Jay at 7:30 with the temperature at 20 degrees and the wind starting to pick up. I planned to be mainly on the pavement and rail trail for the intervals since you have to work harder to keep the HR up on the smooth stuff than on the mtb trails. Most of the trails around here aren't ready to ride anyway.

I was able to keep both intervals at just below or slightly above my upper HR target and felt really good while doing them. Chris and Jay were on their SS's so they were spinning away like mad. Especially Jay since Chris had switched his to a bigger gear he was trying out for the Paris Ancaster race. We got in about 3.5 hours. Tomorrow I'll see how I feel since it's some big gear intervals and a 4 hour scheduled ride. Robin and Shari Scurr are supposed to join me along with a few others.

Thursday I wrote about Kent State playing in the NCAA championships, well they played last night and got smoked. Oh well, at least as a consolation the Girl Scouts showed up at my door today to deliver the cookies we ordered a month ago.

Go Golden Flashes!

My alma mater, Kent State University, has made it to the NCAA tournament again this year and will be playing their first round game tomorrow at the Palace which is only three miles down the road from me. Unfortunately ticket prices are fairly expensive but driving home past the Palace after work today I noticed their sign said that practices today were free to the public.

After doing a recovery ride I checked the internet for the practice schedule and found out that Kent was scheduled to practice in about 45 minutes. I took a drive down there to check them out. There wasn't a big crowd but you could get down almost next to the floor and I was able to personally wish each player good luck in the tournament as they were leaving the court. Go KSU.

Much better

My knee felt better this morning and on the bike this afternoon I was able to complete my scheduled training without any problem. I iced my knee anyway as a precaution. I think one of the things that helped it out was taking a few extra Tissue Rejuvenator capsules from Hammer Nutrition. http://www.e-caps.com/za/ECP?PAGE=PRODUCT&PROD.ID=4057#info1

From their website:
Benefits:
Reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling
Increase joint integrity and mobility
Allow decreased NSAID use
Promote more rapid healing and return to normal training post-injury
Extra Benefits: Tumeric, one of the components in Tissue Rejuvenator, in addition to being a powerful anti-inflammatory, is also a well-known antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic agent.

I ran across this article on another blog about an endurance racer from Slovenia that makes most of the rest of us look normal. I found it a facinating insight into not only the individual but athletic endurance in general. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/05/sports/playmagazine/05robicpm.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5070&en=43ea654b7a294d89&ex=1142571600

Knee problem

During my recovery ride yesteday I could feel that the back of my right knee seemed a little tender but thought it may have just been from someting I did on Sunday's ride. During today's training though I could still feel it and it seemed a little worse so I cut my training short. I've iced it and hopefully it is nothing serious. I've never had any knee pain before while riding so this is new.

I've been searching for possible causes but it's difficult. Conventional theory is that pain in the back of the knee is from a seat too high or too far back. Nothing has changed in the saddle on the bike, other than instead of being on the trainer I rode outside. I did change stems but to one that is slightly more upright and with less reach. I also used a different pair of shoes that I hadn't worn since last fall. The search continues......

On a positive note I tried a different chamois cream that seems to do well. In the past two years my time in the saddle has greatly increased forcing me find something to help cut the friction. I had been using Bag Balm and it seemed to do the trick but began to notice that my shorts were starting to lose their stretch in the seat, becoming very baggy. Some research has led me to believe that the Bag Balm may be partly responsible since it is a petroleum product and can potentially damage the synthetic fibers.

I bought a jar of Assos chamois cream and have used it for the past two rides. It definitely gives the old tush a tingle. I had read reviews on the creams "properties" and now having tried it I can attest they are true. One of the ingredients is menthol which seems to both burn and cool at the same time. Makes you forget the saddle pain. Some of the other ingredients are of medicinal value and after only one use it seemed to help with some saddle sores that had started to develop.

Hopefully tomorrow the knee will be better and I can get back to the normal training schedule.

24 Hours of Adrenaline has announced that this year's 24 Hour World Solo Championships will be held in Atlanta, Georgia on October 6th, 7th, and 8th. A new venue and date may mean an increase in attendance over last year's race in Whistler, BC but I'm sure it will still be overpriced. At least it's closer to Michigan this time.

26 vs. 29

Those who follow the mtb world know that there is a controversy about which is better, the standard 26" or the newer 29"wheel size. Arguments have been made for each and I'm sure each has its place. I've never ridden a 29" mtb yet so I can't comment on actual experience. I did do a comparison of sorts today though between my 26" wheel mtb with slicks and a cross bike with a wheel size equivalent to a 29".

Today's weather was even better than yesterday after the overnight rain left the area. I rode my cross bike on the exact same route I took yesterday to see how much of a difference it made. Mind you that yesterday I had two 25 minute intervals at a higher pace and today the only intensity was a series of 10 second big gear intervals. The wind for both days was about the same but some of the rail trail was a little drier today. For a 62 mile ride I was 20 minutes faster on the cross bike yet my average HR was 6 bpm lower. And after doing the intervals today early on I could feel fatigue in my legs so the last hour or so felt harder than yesterday. If I had done yesterday's workout on the cross bike I'm sure the difference would have been even higher.

The route I was on was probably 75% pavement so I figured I would be faster on the cross bike. I was surprised though that I was just as fast if not faster on the rough sections of rail trail, although certainly not as comfortable on it as on the mtb. I think I will end up using the cross bike for the Paris Ancaster race next month but I need to order some new chain rings. The mtb and big ring was a fun experiment and maybe I'll try it in a spring training road race just to see how I do.

This photo was take at the Dodge Tour de Georgia two years ago. I spent the week following the race as well as riding the roads and trails.

Sunny and warm(er)

The weather forecast was actually correct for today, sunny skies and warmer temperatures. I waited until later in the day to ride, normally I try to be on the bike by 8:00 am but today I waited until 10:00 to allow it to warm up some. The wind was a little stronger than predicted and riding solo and mainly on the roads meant I had nowhere to hide. Makes you stronger though right?

I figured the back roads would probably be messy (C-Dub confirmed it later on his ride) so I kept mainly to the pavement and rail trails. The Detroit area is not the best place to ride the main roads, after all it is the motor city, so you have to be creative. I did loops at a local industrial park, Oakland University, and the Chrysler Tech center (where I work) before heading out to Stony Creek Metropark for a lap there. I found this cool free software that lets you plot a route and it gives you mileage along the way and also includes an elevation profile. http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ Here is today's ride, my mileage was a little higher than shown because I did an extra loop at one spot. I would say it's pretty accurate though. http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=59728

I had a chance to try out my mtb with slicks running a 1x8 and a 48t up front. This is a possible bike for the Paris Ancaster race next month. It seemed OK but the chain popped off the front once in spite of a derailleur rigged up as a chain guide. I'm going to try and come up with an alternative guide. If the weather clears up tomorrow I may do the same ride on the 'cross bike for a comparison.

The warmer weather sure brought a lot of people out to enjoy the sunshine. I have to wonder though about all the bikers riding with bare knees. I think the high may have reached 52 but out at Stony the lake is still frozen so the temperatures are usually cooler. I try to keep my knees covered when the tempratures are in the 50's or below. A lot of coaches recommend keeping them covered below 60. Some even say below 65! Maybe it just a part of getting older or banging my knees so many times from playing softball but I know they will ache if they get cold.

The Trillium aren't out yet but one of the trails near my house is always covered with them each spring.

Spinner or masher?

Today's intervals were of the high cadence variety. I had to do several of them of moderate length and keep the cadence above 120 rpm's. These bothered me more than doing the hill climb or strength intervals. I guess I'm one of those who prefers bigger gears.

Tonight six of us went to a township meeting to discuss recreational opportunities in preparation for a survey they will be putting out to find out how the taxpayers feel about the parks and recreation in the township. We split into groups to discuss various topics and raise our issues. Our group of six bikers were evenly split into the two groups but somehow both groups came up with the same ideas that there needed to be more bike paths and trails and better maintenance of those that exist. I would say we kind of stacked the deck but most of the others in attendance voted on these issues as top priorities also. Hopefull we will see some action based on our participation.


Looking from the trail on Big Mountain in Whitefish, Montana. Whitefish is where my son lives and also the home of Hammer Nutrition.

Easy day

Not much new today, just an easy spin on the trainer. My legs were a little heavy until about half way through. Back to the harder stuff tomorrow.

My campsite on Drummond Island the night before the 12 hour race. This year the race will be a 12/24 hour and held over Labor Day.

Another beautiful day

I met up early this morning with Chris and Todd for an easy four hour ride. We were trying to keep our HR's to a reasonable level. We managed to ride most of the time without getting too muddy, the roads we were on were a lot drier than the ones I was on yesterday.

I was surprised that once on the bike my legs felt pretty good. Walking around this morning they were feeling the effect of yesterday's ride. Today though I felt like I had about the same amount of power at the end of the ride as I did at the start. Maybe the Compex workouts are paying off.

We were talking about the benefits of riding early in the day, especially this time of year. It can be a pain putting on all the warm clothing to get out at first light but the roads are firmer plus when you get done you have the rest of the day to do whatever, including recovering on the couch. I try to follow the same pattern pretty much all year on the weekends. This week is supposed to get warmer with a predicted high of close to 60! Unfortunately rain is also coming but we can deal with that.

This picture is of Robin and Shari Scurr getting ready for the Addison Oaks 12 Hour race. This year the race is in May
.

Blue skies

I got out early this morning to take advantage of the frozen roads, knowing they would soften later in the day. Although it was in the teens when I left the beautiful blue skies and sunshine made it feel a little warmer. After about three hours though the roads were turning muddy causing me to search for pavement for the rest of the ride.

I am fortunate to have miles of back roads to ride and trails close by. Today's ride took me up north through the Metamora area which is horse country. The horses seemed curious about me and watched warily as I rode by. At other farms they were galloping around the pastures, enjoying the sunshine as well. I need to take a camera with me to capture some of the scenery.

On today's ride I had a couple of longer intervals of medium intensity prescribed by my coach. One interval became an all out sprint as I got chased by a dog. My heart rate shot up 20 bpm's over target for a few minutes. I think I'll skip that road for a while. Tomorrow is another long but low intensity ride with a couple of friends, including Chris W. With warmer temperatures predicted we will have to plan our route to avoid the back roads later in the day.

Another photo from Glacier National Park.

We're in

C-Dub and I have registered for the Paris Ancaster race in Ontario next month. It turns out I was wrong yesterday about the mtb vs. 'cross bike thing. Most of the fast guys are on 'crossers since the course is pretty tame. Only a few hills but some mud in spots. Of course April in Canada could mean snow too. I'm trying to decide what bike to use, I've got a cross bike but don't know if I want to spend 2.5 hours racing it or use the hard tail with some skinny tires and road gearing. I'll probably end up with the mtb since that's what I'm used to riding. I'm going to take the 'cross bike out for a few longer spins though to see how it feels.

The "warm" picture for the day, C-dub racing on a much warmer day at Addison Oaks.

Follow-up from yesterday

Yesterday I mentioned that I had been going to the doctor for skin cancer related to too much exposure to the sun. I have received a lot of responses from friends which I appreciate. I should have included a link to this website for more information. http://www.skincancer.org/

Today I was following some old links for races that I might do some day and ran across this one in Canada. http://www.parisancaster.com/ It is a point to point race in April that has a mix of everything in it, road, trail, etc. Last year our local fast guy Mike Simonson won it using a cyclocross bike but it looks most people are using mountain bikes. I hope to make it this year and share the ride with a few others.

I know we are all looking forward to warmer weather so I thought I would start adding pictures from when we weren't all bundled up as a reminder that Spring is right around the corner. The first one is from Glacier National Park after Jason and I had ridden through it on the Going-to-the-Sun road.

Sugar and spice

The Spice Girls. This is for a friend who says I need to spice up my blog. How's this C-Dub?

On a more serious note I had another doctor appointment today with the dermatologist. I've been seeing her regularly for the past year for skin cancer. Fortunately it was caught early enough that spots could be frozen and I use a lotion that basically burns you skin in the bad areas but makes the areas look like hell. Then you stop with the ointment and use a steroid cream to heal it. Then you start the process all over again. I don't have to go back until August or if I notice something unusual on my skin.

Growing up I was always outside getting sunburned, even blistering and peeling. We always thought that it was normal. Heck, I even had it happen a few years ago. My Scandinavian heritage doesn't allow me to tan, unlike my wife who can turn brown after an hour in the sun. I just turn darker red. Turns out my brother and dad both developed skin cancer which prompted me to go. Now I try to put on the sunscreen and always wear a hat. I've gone to wearing a covering under the helmet. Nothing like burning a helmet pattern into a balding head.

So to everyone I urge you to take proper precautions whenever you go out. We spend a lot of time outside and want to continue to be able to do so.

On a training related note I got a three week plan from my coach. Looks like a lot of on-bike drills including strength and tempo training before we move into the really hard stuff. There is still over seven weeks to the first real race.