Yes...Strava is a good thing

Yeah, Strava Powered

Those of us that use Strava on a regular basis, know that it is the best thing to happen to cycling since... well, cycling itself. Ok, I may be exaggerating a bit, but it is arguably one of the best ideas that actually promotes good health and of course fun.

Now, before anyone sends me any hate mail about my views; send them somewhere to someone who cares-it aint me. Strava has come under fire in the last few years due to the unfortunate incident that involved a rider in California and ultimately lead to his death. I am going to be blunt and straight forward; just like guns dont kill people, people kill people.

I know in this day and age of blame someone else for my stupidity has become the new schtick, I still (among many other cyclists) agree that you control your own stupidity. How far you are willing to go to prove how stupid you are is based on your perception of stupidity; not society's. If you feel the need to go out and win a digital challis without regards to your own safety, by all means go for it, but dont blame software for your moronic decisions. I know my limits and I know going beyond them could reduce the SS Moron to just a moron. So, there is my flaming arrow to the heart on the view on people that use Strava as a scapegoat; now why Strava is the cat's meow.

This is what matters

I am not a Facebook, update my status every 3 seconds kind of guy (I am not even on facebook or care to be for that matter)
nor do I think that the majority of the population cares anyway. This blog is the extent of my updating (which isnt very often). Strava, at least by what it was initially designed to be used for, is a way for those of use to track not only ourselves, but others in the cycling community. It is a great way to track your progress. Whether it be for racing or just for fun, it is a great online tool. 

What I really find unique about Strava is that it also allows users to connect with other riders that you would never even thought about riding with. It allows cyclists to get out and ride and learn a few things about each other and share tips as well.

This is Benjie Moreno. A very cool cat that started following me on Strava. The only contact prior to this ride where comments on Strava about rides. Today, we finally got a chance to ride together along with 4 others. Now, Benjie isnt the fastest guy out there (yet), but he learned some valuable info on the ride-have fun and dont be afraid to push your body to where it is comfortable for you. I had the most fun on the mtb in quite sometime. Trace was on his second ride and his first time at Gunpowder and he had a blast and met some cool new people as well. I think we tend to get caught up in the ride hard every time you go mentality, we lose track of these kind of rides. I would have never known who Benjie is or ridden with him had it not been for Strava. 

So, say what you will about Strava, but I am stickin' to my guns. For those of you that think it promotes pointless racing, mindless achievements and feeds ego's, well...it does. Nothing is perfect, but think of how many people you have met because of it. Over and out.

Hill Killer Apparel Review...sorta

Well, not on this road

Well, I have put some time in my new digs from Hill Killer Apparel and not only are they a Maryland company, but they have awesome cycling clothing.

Long story short, the shop received some of their samples in the mail a few months ago and I called Mike at Hill Killer and told him what we were looking for and we talked a bit and we were really pleased with what they had to offer. I also asked about sponsorship and Mike and I talked a bit and said he would love to send something to me. Not only did he send a great looking kit, but hand delivers it as well...awesome. Now dont expect that if you live outta the area, but give these guys a look.

I have been wearing my kit religiously for a month now and it is the best fitting

My Peter Sagan routine

stuff I my arse has rubbed against since...ok, onward. The chamois is top notch. I have had a few 40 and 50 miles rides wearing this kit and complete bliss (altogether now...ahhhh). No sore caboose, in fact, it is the only chamois that didnt seem to be stitched too high in the back. I have had some really nice stuff (no names, but they hail from Europe) that made you wonder if they used a unic for a model?

I normally wear a large jersey and medium bibs and these fit the bill perfectly. No binding whatsoever and the bibs go un-noticed...well from a comfort standpoint anyway. Full zip jersey and pockets are at just about the right height; could be a tad lower, but not worth really nitpicking. The SS moron does not believe in cages on the bike, so it must pass the bottle test; and it pass it did. I didnt eat asphalt nor run any fellow riders off the road whilst trying to get my bottle out. They were very easy to stretch and manipulate. I was told by Mike that the fit was close to Primal Wear, and he was spot on. I have to admit, I like the racer fit, but these really didnt feel to "clubby." The sleeves

Pretending to be a Hill Killer

arent elastic; which I prefer, too.

They have a fitting chart on their site, but my measurements are as follows (now dont be jealous, it took 45 years and riding the ss to get this) 44 chest, 31 waist and 35" inseam. I like my shorts about 3-4 inches above the knees and that is close to where these fall.

These guys have THE BEST PRICES ANYWHERE. Seriously, if you are looking into shop, club or team kits, there is no need to look elsewhere. No minimums and you can provide your on artwork of course.

So my final thoughts? Great stuff all-around. I look important wearing it and people wonder if I really am a killer of hills... especially on the flats. Give the guys a call and tell em' the SS moron sent you and you might just get laughed at, but its worth it.

Just Some Thoughts on the Year

Well, this year's race season was a bit of an abbreviated version of what I normally manage to drag my elderly body to. I picked the races that are my favorites and left it at that. Although the Cranky Monkey series was a no-go this year, I had pretty good success elsewhere. I would have to say the highlight of this year was getting to know and race with my new co-ed partner-Liz Hunter. We literally met for the first time at Baker's this year and really clicked. We went on to finish a super nice 3rd spot. We teamed up again for the 12 Hours of Cranky Monkey and finished 2nd. I have to admit, the whole co-ed thing was not on my bucket list in the beginning, but having Liz as a team mate certainly changed that.

I decided this year that I was not going to have a structured training plan. I

The Crew

had no reservations about this; just ride hard when needed and rest hard as well. I have to say, it has been fun and I dare say that I may have even gotten  a little faster? I can say, at least on the road, my efforts have been beyond what I expected. It is nice to just get out and ride and see things that you never noticed before.

The Aviation Velo Shop ride is going very well. Everyone has been getting stronger as a group. What started out with rides in the 17mph range, are now in the low 20's. Pretty impressive when you figure in the average age is 41. We have also been having a great time with our "spin-off" rides at the shop as well. Now if I could just talk them into doing some dirt exlporation.

Now the sad news. I havent really been riding the mountain bike like I should. it's not like I dont want to, but the trails have been unrideable on the times I can ride them. I have been on the monocog steed 10 times in the last 3 months. No, the moron is not jumping ship and embracing the dark side, but rather getting in touch with my inner asphalt merchantism...something like that.

We had an awesome time away in our home away from home this year. Spending time with the family is always an adventure on these trips. We went from from me having to rescue my son from the rapids after his tube flipped to wondering if the truck was going to make it through the mountains. All ended well. I was able to find some awesome new fire roads to ride which yielded some great elevation and views to boot.

Last but certainly not least, spending time with the kids on the trail. It is very tough to get them both together and both wanting to ride together, so I cherish those times when I can. My wife (who does not like being photographed) does not indulge in the two wheeled arts ever since her crazy accident a few years back.

I am not sure what or even if I am racing next year, but I will certainly be riding and having fun. I have been thinking about "retiring" from racing and just enjoying the "casual" side. I am at the age where I can say that I have accomplished most of my racing goals and did them all over the age of 40. That is the most satisfying accomplishment of all. I can honestly say that I am in better shape now than I was at 40. I am riding faster and as long as I can still match or even beat my younger cycling comrads, that makes it worth while. Wait, I think there is still a sense of competitive nature still in there? Of course there is.I am a moron, not an idiot.

Firefighter 50 and Fun with Friends

Skidz in all his morning glory

First off, thanks to Skidz Shanley for fronting the registration so I could do this ride. My funds were a bit miscalculated from vacation. Anyway, this was the first charity ride I had ridden since 1997 at The Chesapeake Bay Bike Tour. I was really looking forward to doing this because there was a bunch of us from the Aviation Velo Club going and it was all good and funny people; the kind of people that your just like to call your friends. Trace, Bob, Daniel, Jim, Matt, Paul and John are great guys to ride with. We have all gotten faster as a group so we stay relatively close. We have being doing hills on...oh wait-Guess what day it is, guess what day...it...is...Hump Dayyyy Yeahhha! ok, sorry for that. Anyway, it has really helped everyone get a wee bit stronger and perfect for this type of ride.

How much climbing?

I had never ridden any of the roads out in the Westminister area. It was drizzly and a bit on the chilly side, but it didnt last long and it became almost perfect conditions. Originally, we had discussed doing a 15-16mph casual pace; that quickly went the way side. This was a 53 mile course with nothing but rollers-a few of them of the steepish sort (hmmmmhhhaaa-evil laugh). The first 5 miles saw 600 feet of elevation; wake up call! The course was backroads and two lane highway type stuff. There was minimal traffic. The rest stop was plentiful and a much needed stop. I was pleasantly surprised with the course. It was full of climbs, fast descents and again, very little traffic. 

We were together at various parts of the ride, but branched off as well. I think we may have ridden faster than we really wanted, eh maybe not. I averaged 19.1 for the ride with a KOM and 2 top 5's to boot. We managed 3,254 feet of elevation;the hardest coming at the end...whew I say. 

Bob "radar" Novotny rode with us and is just getting into the road deal-poor chap. This was his longest ride on a road bike by about 30 miles. He did really well and finished about 15 minutes behind us-not too bad. 

The ride ended with a great pit beef and all thesweet tea you could drink! This was Big Jim's rather macabre looking sandwich (I think it was still breathing). We got a chance to sit and talk a bit while we ate and just really had a good time. I (who never wins anything) won a nice Bontrager floor pump; no Daniel, I did not switch tickets! 

All in all it was a super great time and is definitely on

Yep, this good

the to do list for next year. I hear they are adding the Cotoctins to extend the loop (hmmmmhhhaaa-evil laugh) again. Hopefully we can get together and do some more rides together and do some of that weird male bounding, thing.

The Jersey's are Coming...The Jersey's are Coming...

Well, we finally got the green light on the shop jersey and bib design. I finalized the artwork and it is a go. I really like the way they turned out. We are having them done through Hill Killer Apparel. They are a Maryland based company that does great work. I am officially sponsored by them so this is not a shameless plug, but rather a well deserved advertising plug. We are looking to get them by september. This will make us official; kinda like gold bracelets. It will finally be good to have some guys wearin' this stuff. We have a Strava based club that has 16 members and growing. It will be nice to see 16+ riders lookin like the soul train mminus the soul anyway.

The ultimate convertible...the only way to see the Smokies

I am not much of a photographer. I dont claim to take a picture because of its relationship to the negative and positive space. I dont make something out of an image that doesnt exist. I take pictures as just a simple memento of any time spent in a given place at a moment in time.

When I am on my bike, I normally dont carry a camera, but on very rare

occasions (you would have a better chance of catching me walking around my house nude while vacuuming and cleaning while listening to The Cars Greatest Hits...wait, something sounds vaguely familiar about that) I do break one out.

I found a new "playground" for my Ferrous this year. I nice little fireroad that just happens to be the longest and steepest off road section in the Carolinas-lucky me, eh? Words cant describe it, so here is the elevation chart.

As you can see, you get tall real quick. Now, since this blog is about my misadventures on the ss, it must be noted that 90% of the time, I was standing; Which isnt bad until you realize that 90% of the time you are standing.

These climbs had an average grade of 8.3%...bleek! Thats right fun indeed. I did manage to get my first HC climb out of this mess, though. The great thing about climbing these mountains is the view you get from the top. Ahhh yes, it is indeed worth it. It managed to rain the first time I went up, but I got lucky the second time around, yes as if once wasnt enough. The gravel grinder takes you to the top of the Blue Ridge Parkway were you see some amazing views.

Of course, a 14 miles climb means only one thing...a 14 miles decent. Now, normally this would be a blast, but this is a forest access road which means there is the occasional truck or car coming up the mountain, so you have to be super careful around the multiple 180° turns. I think I even unclipped and did a few little classic MT Tam drifts on the corners.

I will leave you with one last pic from Mingo Falls. I took this standing right underneath it. These are amazing falls. We hikes up to the top on what could be best described as unclimbable trails that were near vertical.

This is my home away from home. I cant imagine going anywhere else, nor do I need to. One day, this will BE home.

Better Late than...Later

Just some nice pics (Swim, Bike, Run Photography) from our 2nd place finish at the 12 hours of Cranky Monkey. I even made my Facebook debut on SBR's Facebook page...The SS Moron does not engage in such Tom Foolery as Facebook.

And we are off...

Yes, it is another trip to Cherokee, NC. Not going to bore you with any details, but it is a riders paradise; road or mountain. This yea, my goal is to find road lesser traveled with tons of elevation. One that I am going for is a little section from rt 19 to the top of Seffacoo road. This little jaunt takes you from a "mere" 2000 ft to 3784 ft...in just over 4 miles-ouch. I am not even sure why I want to do this. My fear is that it leads to somebody's home that doesnt like cyclists. I imagine seeing signs like..."we eat cyclists", or "we like cyclists HANGING around here." Yeah, maybe a little paranoid, but it is NC and in the middle of nowhere. It has been a little damp down below as told to me by my inside sources in Bryson City, so I may be on the road bike a little more this year.

My goal is to come away with 30,000-40,000 ft in the 2 weeks I will be there. I

am guessing I will be worn out by the end as well. Not sure if I will make the Clingmans Dome trip as it has not been in the cards in the last two years with two failed attempts due to a tornado and bad weather. It is a nice 4,800ft + climb to the top with no flats...all climbing, bleek.

I am really looking forward to breaking my 45 year old body this year.

Baseball Rules

Well tonight was the best game ever. No, I am talking EVER! Coming into this game, we had won 7 straight games. Our pitching staff is walking less and getting more outs. We are hitting and making key plays in the field, too.

Tonight we played the second best team in the league and 2 games away from the championship; so this game meant everything. My son has not been able to catch because of his thumb that he injured in a travel game a few weeks back, so that cut us short a bit.

The first inning looked like real bad news. 3 hits and 4 walks lead to a 4-0 deficit. By the third inning it was 4-3 and looking to be a good game. The 4th inning saw thew wheels come off the cart. 7 walks and 3 hits lead to a 13-3 killing. My son came in and did what he does best-shut the door. He pitched the last 2 innings and allowed 1 hit with 2 k's and no runs. Now I have been doing this long enough to know that anything is possible, but to be down 13-3 going into the last inning. Well, to keep a long story from being really long, our team scored 9 runs and won with a walk off single. I have never seen a group of kids get so excited at the outcome of a game before. I am so proud of the way they kept their heads up and came through and didnt give up; wouldnt it be nice to be a kid again and have that mentality?

I am super proud to have a son like Alex. I played ball all the way through college and I cant tell you how it feels to see your son play. Not only does he play, but for 9 years old, he is an amazing player. He catches, plays the field and is a dominating pitcher. How dominating, well I will tell you. Better yet, here are his numbers.

3-0 record, 3 saves, 34 innings, 9 hits, 5 walks, 67 strikeouts. I love to watch him pitch. He has great mechanics and rarely ever walks a batter. He has great command and doesnt just throw the ball; he locates his pitches.

The championship game is next and I cant wait to see how these guys play and no matter what happens, I am really proud to have coached these guys and watch them progress. Go get em guys!

Missed it by that much

Well, one of my favorite TV actors said it best...Missed it by that much. Don Adams was the best Get Smart ever. One of my favorite all time shows. Yep, it was close saturday at the 12 hours of Cranky Monkey at Quantico.

I havent been training in any sort of manner; just going and riding hard some days and riding easy on others-perfect recipe for success. Eh, I am 45, I have accomplished quite a bit in the last 4 years and I am ok with that. Anyway, as you might know, I have a new team mate in Liz Hunter. We met up at our first race at Bakers and took 3rd so we decided to hook up again and hit the super challenging trails at Quantico Marine Corps Base. This is one of those course that on one hand you love it becuase it will challenge you and your fitness level and on the other hand you hate it because there is climbing at every turn; 1503 ft per lap to be exact. Each lap is about 9.5 miles of pitted downhills and steep climbs.

This time it was Liz's turn to do the first lap and she did what she does best, nice consistent lap times. I on the other hand like to go out and hammer the first lap and try to make the other teams dig deeper than they normally would. I turned in a scorching 51:14 which was good for 10th fastest overall. Now of course, this comes at a price. I know that my lap times would be about 2-3 minutes slower as I went, but this strategy always seems to work for me.

We were in between first and second all day. The cool thing about these enduro races is that you get to chat with the competition and talk about everything, but also get to feel out were they stand and how they feel. The strategy really doesnt come into play until around 4:00 or 5:00. You have to really get your lap times in check and keep track of your competition.

By lap 9, we were ahead by 4 minutes, but the guy from the other team turned in a crazy 56:00 and cut our lead to just 18 seconds by our 10th lap. Of course, your legs are screaming and you are tired at this point. I started to really cramp up on my 4th lap and turned in a respectable 1:00 lap time. So this put us in a real precarious position because we now could possibly end up in third if we werent careful. My last lap was pain squared. I started get those dreaded inner thigh cramps right at mile one; not going to be fun. I really had to focus on not thinking of the cramps that felt like I was being squeezed by a boa constrictor. These can be a little more tolerable on a geared bike, but when you are trying to mash up a hill out of the saddle on the ss, you cant hide the fact that your legs are exploding right underneath you. My goal was to hunt down the first place team and I thought I would have seen her earlier during the lap, but didnt catch her until mile 7. I saw her walking up one of the 11%+ grade climbs. I had to reach and dig deep for some yet untapped power that my body was saving for just such a spot...wasnt there. I struggled up the first of the last 4 climbs and at this point, it was a foot race now. She was tired and I was tired. We would both mount at the apex and hammer as fast as we could, and then at the 3rd climb, she dismounted and there was that reserve power, or maybe that thing they call perseverance through pain thing. I hammered my 32x18 up that freikin' gravel grinder my left leg just stopped working. I had to do some single legged speed work for about 100 yards to recover and didnt see her until the end. Somehow I finished with a decent 1:01. It wasnt enough to take back enough time to regain 1st, but that was what racing is about; hammering through the pain and digging deep when you cant turn the cranks anymore. Luckily Liz held her ground and we finished up in second by a good size margin.

I have to say that was the most exciting race I have been in. Down to the last lap and really pushing when you cant push anymore. Liz is awesome. I am glad that I have had the chance to race with her and we have two podium spots in two attempts. I am really looking forward to hooking up for yet again another chance for that first place spot.

Ooops...12 Hours of Quantico Cranky Monkey Race

Tomorrow is the 12 hours of Cranky Monkey; anything else to say, well I will be doing another duo co-ed with my Bakers Dozen teammate, Liz. I didnt race last year due to body malfunctions and such. The year before, Will Hunt and I won the 2 male open. The year before we finished 2nd.

I havent been on the mountain bike since may. I think I will do great. Oh, this is a mountain bike race...I forgot. I am a little nervous about this one because of my dirt vacation. I have been riding my road bike, and that counts for something. I am not going to go out and do another 49 minute first lap like 2011-sure. If we average 1:00 per lap, that 12 laps and good enough for a
top 3.

Anyway, this will be short just because I have some shopping and sleep to be doing.

New Friends...Same people

Yes, my title is makes sense. Even if it doesnt, it is my space to write whatever I want, in the manner I choose to write it; so there...hmmff. This whole life thing can be a really funny, if not hectic and strange at times, but overall pretty funny. I mean, you can meet people over the course of your life that are just random hand shakes or pointless bantering (sounds familiar, eh?). I have had conversations with people for hours and come away with nothing but a headache and nothing gained.

Then you meet people that share some common interests and you may chat a bit, but never really go beyond that until (low, timpani build up TO A CRESCENDO!) BIKES! Yes, bikes. You find yourself talking about bass lines and drum beats and you find out that bikes, not just any bikes, single speed bikes becomes a common bond.

Ryan is one of the bass players (an excellent bass player) at my church. We sort of talked here and there at times, but nothing to involved. He found out I worked at a bike store and it has blossomed into a great cycling, musician, graphics kinda fun to ride with thing. The best part is, Ryan is buying one of my SS's and is on his way to finding the joys and yes, maybe even a little pain of mountain biking! Yes it is ok to cheer and sing the singlespeed national anthem. Wait, you dont the SSNA? Just check out "New World Order" by Ministry. Thats it. Period.

Anyway, He is super stoked on become an official dirt merchant. Ben was our small group leader and he is also a SS aficionado. We have been riding together a few times in the last week and it has been super cool. His cycling needs and wants are a bit on hold due to buying a house, but he is itching to do some mods to his Redline Monocog.

I really look forward to gettin out with these guys on the dirt and showing them the ways of the Singlespeed Moron. It just goes to show how a seemingly meaningless conversation can lead to something bigger. So get out and ride and meet some new friends that just might be people you have already known.

I am still alive

It has been a while, but I am still here. I am riding the road bike more and taking a break from racing for a bit. I have abandoned any "real" training structure, but still maintaining a somewhat-if haphazard- attempt at keeping my overall fitness level up to snuff. Surprisingly, I am riding stronger than I ever have right now. I am mixing in my son's baseball schedule and my daughter's ballet schedule and my softball schedule with my riding time and it is working out nicely.

I recently landed a nice sponsorship from Hammer Nutrition as well. I am really psyched about this. I have been using there stuff for a while, but now I am really starting to understand the whole science behind the supplements. If you havent tried their stuff, give it a go. Also give them a call and tell them a little bit about yourself and maybe they will hook you up as well. They are great people to deal with.

I am racing the 12 hours of Cranky Monkey with my lovely teammate Liz again for another chance at a podium spot in the co-ed division; we took 3rd at Bakers. She recently old me she is ready for a singlespeed build up. Wait, I have to wipe the tears from my eyes and catch my breath. Ok, anyway things are going very well for me right now and I am aggressively going after certain segments to push my limits a bit more; with the help of my friend Bruce who is back to riding our shop ride on saturdays. I really enjoy riding with Bruce. He pushes me to ride harder and even though I dont always want to, I know it is good for me.

So real quick, our baseball team is now 3-3 after thursdays 8-1 victory over Rosedale. My son is having a crazy awesome season so far. He is 2-0 with 39 strikeouts in 15 innings and has allowed only 5 hits with 1 walk. He is batting a solid .300 with 12 stolen bases too. I am having quite the season myself-especially since I havent played since 2001. Thats right, an .857 average. I have only been playing every other week, and that is fine with me.

So, thats it right now. Hopefully I can keep this momentum going into Quantico.http://www.hammernutrition.com/

Bakers Dozen, 3rd place, Pain and This Co-Ed thing is pretty cool

Funny how these endurance races go. You cant wait for 9am to start and by 4 or 5pm, you cant wait for 10pm to come.

First off, my son entered the junior race. This was his first "real" mountain bike race. He was super excited and I was too. I was a little worried because this was his first ride without me there to coach and watch; he was on his own.

They went off and he was gone. Of course, all sorts of things were going through my head; Is he ok? How does he feel? The first group of kids came through, but not Alex. the second group came in, still no Alex; six riders in. So I rode to the top of the last climb-which is pretty long for these little guys and there all saw him exiting the woods spinning those little legs on his SS (all of the kids but one were older and had they all had geared bikes). I was encouraging him to keep pushing and rode with him the rest of the way to the finish. I have never seen my son so tired. I was so proud of him. He rode hard and finished strong. So he finished 8th out of 12, and he was happy...so was I.

This years Bakers had a lot of first for me personally. My first co-ed endeavor. My first co-ed endeavor with someone that I have never met and my first real feeling that I just dont recover as quick as I did. 

I really didnt know what to expect this year. I was riding with someone who I

Yes, a geared bike with suspension

never rode with with before, let alone met. My last race at Patapsco was miserable even though I finished 5th (mercy placement?), who knows. My fitness level seems fine on the road, but my mountain bike rides are not impressive at all. I have been having lower back pains as of late and my wrist still hasnt felt good from bowling 6 weeks ago; do we really have to get old? 

Liz asked me if I would go first and I said sure (I hate going first). Sure enough, 1/2 mile into the race, I got nabbed by the people who lined up near the front that should have been. First, there was a bottle neck into the pines, and then-I still cant believe this-but a guy stopped to walk over a 6" log. I lost 1 minute just from that. It was my fault for not getting closer to the front, but man that really ticks me off. Then, up the first small climb, the same thing-people walking. We decided to do doubles and I couldnt wait to get past the first lap. 

Only 12 hours and 35 minutes to go...

During my 2nd lap, the pain in my back and wrist started to rear its ugly head and it started right at the worst part of the course. Try this, get on a pogo stick that doesnt have any pogo and try to bounce as hard as you can and maintain it while going uphill for about 5 minutes straight. Yep that is the best way to describe this section. Now do it 8 more times. 

I started feeling a bit better on my 3rd and 4th laps, but my arse was raw already, I mean grater raw. My wife-bless her heart-ran to Wal Mart and got some baby lotion and man that was a God send.  

My 5th lap came undone. I still dont know how it happened, but about 3.5 miles in, I burped 75% of the air from my rear tire. I was screwed. I ran fro about 2.5 miles and finally gave up, until some young kid doing solo gave me his pump and I was back in business. My lap time was a dismal 50:00.

At this point, we where in 4th place; about 8 minutes from 3rd. Liz was turning in some pretty consistent 46-47 minute times. Doing doubles was working for her as well as for me. I was really proud of how we were doing at this point. My flat made it more of a chore to get back.

Up the wall

My next 2 laps where very good, I felt much better, although my power just wasnt there and my hr was low. The pain in my back was really getting to mw at this point. When I came in, I went to check the new results and we moved back into 3rd by 2 minutes. I had gained 10 minutes with my two faster laps.

The two teams in front were pro teams, so I was pretty darn happy where we stood. Liz came in and said she was ready fro single laps-so was I. We had gained more time on 4th and sat comfortable in 3rd by 20 minutes. 

My first night lap was really good, not great but good enough. At this point, this is where strategy comes into play. Liz came in at 9:09 and I had to back before ten in order for us to make sure that we stayed in 3rd, if I didnt the 4th place team may have the opportunity to go out and finish one more lap.

I struggled the entire lap, I was done. I was hurting and just wanted for it to be over. I kept looking at my Garmin as if to try to slow down the time, amazing...I couldnt do it. With about a mile and a half to go, I had 9 minutes to get back. I was sweating bullets at this point. I was feeling like crap. Then I got this sudden urge to kick myself and get past the pain and mash the pedals. I got back to the tent at 9:57. That might have been the fastest I rode all day. 

Jack White inspired...

Liz went off and sealed our 3rd place spot. We were both pretty tired and glad it was over. We ended up with 18 laps, only one behind the pro teams, so I am ok with that. we both rode hard and both wanted a podium spot. We finished 1 lap and 22 minutes in front of 4th. 

Liz was super excited and I am really happy that she got a chance to be on the podium and I am glad I had the chance to share it with her. I didnt have a particularly great race personally, but we did well as a team, and that is what matters.

Bakers Dozen with my blind racer date partner thing

Now, I have never been on a blind date; of course I really havent been on a date since 1987. I have raced Bakers for the last 4 years. It is a fun course and weather can be anywhere from 40° to 75° ( I am hoping for 75°). I have done a 2 man 2x's, solo singlespeed and this year will be my first ever co-ed adventure. This doesnt really have anything at all to with dating.

What would normally happen is that you team up with someone you know or at least know through friends. This is a bit unusual in the fact that I have know idea who Elizabeth Hunter is! My friend and SS racing nemesis John Houghton asked if I knew anyone interested in a 2 person co-ed for Bakers and I said me! I was signed up for solo SS ,but I had so much fun riding with my friend Blake Bricker doing a 2 man (we finished 3rd in the male open-we would have been 1st in the 2 person geezer cat), that I thought this would be a blast. I have never done a co-ed race so I am really looking forward to it.

I have been following Elizabeth on Strava and her me, and we look to be in the top 5 from what I have seen of the list. She is a strong rider. Her only fault? She doesnt ride a SS. Oh well, nobody is perfect. She raced there last year, but says she wants to be competitive this year so she is looking forward to it as well.

Hopefully this year I dont suffer from a concussion and get Rhabdo. My wife still thinks I am an idiot for finishing the race. Idiot? I had to remind her that is Moron. Idiot denotes a completely different "type" of moron. I like to consider myself the more intelligent form of moron. I will let Elizabeth form her own opinion. Who knows, this may become a habit and we become the greatest blind co-ed team ever...

Feeling Good

Well, it was bound to happen. I really did try to stay on track, I did. I tried to maintain focus and tell myself that this is working. Fooey! I am abandoning any structured training. A friend had to remind me that there is no"fun" in training; only raining.

Two weeks ago, I had my last soda; a Dr. Pepper I believe. I also started training in a different arena-diet. I have been monitoring what, when and how I eat. The first week was rough, but this week I feel like new. I mean after a day of hills, I take an easy day afterwards. The new me; I ride hard the next day as well; a real rebel. Oh, wait...I did the second day on the Ferrous SS.

I woke up this morning not quite sure what to expect and headed out to Patapsco. I really thought after the first 1/2 mile 10.5% grade gravel grinder, I would be kapoot, but not only did I feel good, bit moved up to 4th overall (1st in the 45+ age group) on this climb; not what I was expecting. So I continued to ride hard for the rest of the ride for the most part.

Yesterdays road ride yielded a max HR of 193. I have been a bit concerned that I havent reached 200, but thats ok. Todays ride on the ss saw it climb to 195. I was pretty stoked in the fact that I was maintaining 183+ for 3 minutes straight on different occasions.

Yesterdays road ride was a bit strange. I had lower back soreness and tired

legs at the end, so I really shouldnt have had to much-if any gas left in the tank for today. Man, good food is good fuel. I am a true believer in this whole chocolate milk as a recovery drink too. I didnt have any muscle soreness at all today, nor right now. I really wish I had felt like this last week during the race. Oh well, Bakers is next week and I will be teaming up with Elizabeth Hunter for a co-ed make up. I have done the SS solo, 2 man so now this. What is great about this is that I havent even met her! I am a Strava stalker though, so I take a peak now and then.

So I am looking forward to this whole new me thing. What the heck, I am 45 years old, I can do what I want.

Over and Out...

AFC Sugar Hill and a dismal 5th

This will be a very short entry because I am not real happy about my performance. In a nutshell, I had the most miserable race ever-and I knew it right from the start. No power and lower back spasms near the end of the race; not a good sign. I struggled through the entire race and worse yet, there was nothing I could do about it. How I managed to nab the 5th spot is a miracle. Either everyone else felt as bad as I did, or they all had pity on my 45 year old haggard body. I finished six minutes slower than last year, which in all honesty really surprised me; I thought it was slower than that. Strangely enough, everybody's times were way off from last year as well; I guess everyone was feeling blah.

So, I am glad that this one is in the books and I am going to get in the tub and sulk a bit.

No Race, but a day of fun with the kids

Well, the AFC Sugar Hill Race was postponed for a chance of rain which never occurred. It really sucks because this was my taper week for this race now it is sort of screwed up. I was ready and looked to claim another podium spot. I was really dying to ride today, so I gave the kids a choice of a hike or bike; they chose wisely!

We headed out to Gunpowder to check out the trails and take some pics. It is the first time this year I have had them both on the trails together. I figured this would add some competition to the ride-I am so sneaky. It is funny to watch these two together; they are very competitive with each other, especially when I praise one. Before I get a chance to praise the other, they try to out do the others' praise-hilarious.

Gunpowder is a great place to take kids to ride. It is nice rolling doubletrack and singletrack. It does have rocks and roots in spots, so you have to be careful. I have to say, I wasnt expecting them to do as well as they did, but they rocked that trail today. I was really proud of both of them. I never forget to tell them either-they eat it up.

We ended up doing 8 miles in 1hr and 11 minutes-not to bad. What was most important was they had fun and we spent another great day outside (not in front of a computer or tv).

Note to parents-it is never too late to get out with your kids. They will grow up before you know it and you dont want to be that parent that says "I wish...".

I love the fact that like to ride. Not just ride, but ride the trails and see how much fun it is. We take a lot of breaks to check out the scenery (something I dont get a chance to do on my training rides) and learn a little bit about each other too.

So, race cancelled, but it couldnt have been a better day. A day with the Bug and P-zero; yeah, nicknames-dont ask. I have 3 kids, but one is all growed up and bike riding is not on her to do list, but thats ok-she is still a super cool artistic kid. One day I will get her out there. I will have to play the guilt trip on her or something.

It really doesnt get any better than this now does it?

Sugar Hill Pre Game Show

Thats right folks, it's time for the 5th annual AFC Sugar Hill Race. Where fun is had for all (unless you consider redlining in the first 5 minutes fun)! We will see great displays of courage (pride) and determination (cutthroat tactics) on the trails on saturday (unless it rains). Yes folks, with 3000ft of elevation and 22.3 miles, this should be a doozy.

Yes, I have been doing this race since its inception. I love to hate this race. Why? One; it is early in the season and two; it is early in the season and the waterbars climb has your heart rate in zone 9z at the very beginning and there is not alot of places to kick back and relax; climbing is on the menu for today.

I have progressively gotten better here every year. In 2009, I finished 8th well behind first place-to be fair, I really didnt train in 2009, I just went out and rode till I puked. In 2010, I finished 7th with a better showing and 3 minutes faster. 2011, I had my best race thus far. I was actually in the lead for the first two laps and just couldnt hold on at the end and ended up 3rd. This was the first year it was run in the opposite direction which had 3x's the climbing. Last year was pretty good. I finished six minutes faster than 2011 and ended up 4th. Though my placement was one place lower, my time is what I was super pleased with. I really noticed a big improvement in my overall fitness level. This year I feel I am in the best shape ever. My goal is to finish sub 2 hour (2:02 last year). I think it is doable being that I have 58,000 more feet of climbing and have done a boat load of endurance miles to boot.

I feel pretty tight right now and this week I have been doing E2 riding. Last year I made a crucial error and 3 days before the race, went out and hammered the course for 3 laps and then some. It was fun I have to admit, though.

The forecast is showing rain, so we shall see how this whole thing plays out.

Just some perspective, maam

Well, last year at this time on was on my way to what I thought was going to be a pretty good season; I dare say even my best. Then things happened and the wheel fell off the cart so to speak.

It is funny how certain things matter more to someone; even things that arent that important in the grand scheme of things. I mean, I could lose my job, and yet it wouldnt be as bad as not finishing a race as well as expected. Sure, it would suck for a bit, but you move on. Now you may say that my priorities are outta wack; maybe so, but to me a job can be had at anytime, maybe not one that you would consider palatable, but a job none the less. Cycling is what makes up who most of us are-at least cyclists anyway...duh. I mean, every january you cant wait to get going and start training and pushing your body beyond what you ever thought was possible. You dont get up monday morning and treat your job the same way you would approach your cycling goals for that same day-be honest. We live to ride... literally. I am fortunate enough to work doing the thing I love to do outside of work.

There are days were I sit and think long and hard about racing and what it means to me and is it worth the effort every year to push myself to get better even as I get older. Yes. Do the jitters every go away as I line up with guys that are younger and faster than me? No. Is it worth it to go out at every race and try to hang with these guys knowing that some are in better shape than myself and push even harder than I should? Yes. Is it worth it at the end of every race knowing I raced a great race and proved I can still do this and do it reasonably well? Most definitely. Is it worth it to go and push myself against guys half my age and beat most if not all of them? Hell yes!

I dont like to lose...period, but even finishing 3rd or 5th is not losing; you finished-and trust me, some races you win if you do just that. I see mountain bike racing differently than most do I think, though. When I go to race, I dont ever go with the assumption of winning. I know, "Why the hell do you go then" you say. Here is my take. Mountain bikers are unique in the fact that, unlike most roadies, it isnt about cut throat tactics that are meant to demoralize ones efforts. It isnt about how expensive your ride is or even what you wear. Mountain bike racing is about pushing yourself to the limits of pain you cant imagine. When you pass someone or get passed, they hurt as much if not more than you do. It comes down to who can tolerate the pain longer.

When I race, I go to beat me...thats it. I dont care what anyone else is doing or has done, I go knowing I trained hard and if I did everything right, I will place in my usual top 3-5 (with a win sprinkled in here and there). I have learned in the past the hard way that if you spend too much time wondering and scoping out the competition, you end up going down a long path of disappointments. I am fortunate to have a wife that digs me but doesnt care for racing-but she is there every race and that makes all the difference in how I race most of the time.

Now, I am not saying that you should ignore what everyone else is doing, you have to peak in every once in a while, but dont get caught up in the logistic stuff; worry about you and everything will be fine. My goals at every race are to exceed my times from the previous year. So far, I have done that and more. I know at some point in my life, that aint gonna happen as much, but I will ride the fun coaster until it derails.

So, somehow that went more to the racing aspect of riding than I originally planned, but its my blog. In a nutshell, get out and ride and sometimes ride hard and if Joe Hammertime shows you up, thats ok. Just ride your ride.