T H E R AC I NG PO S T for Cycling Enthusiasts
September 2013
Go Cat, Go! Master Track Nationals
Junior Spotlight Lucy Brown
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R o a d R a c e s , C r i t s , T T ’s & Cyclocross September 8 Chappell Hill Road Race 15 Universtiy Oaks Criterium 15 Dallas Racing Crit 28-29 Texas State Championship RRs October 5-6 Six Shooter CX 12 Bexar CX 13 Moravia Face Melter 19 TRP Winter Crit 26-27 Spooky CX November 2 Houston CX 3 Bayou Cycling Race 9-10 Georgetown CX 16 Colonel’s SHO Air 17 Cedar Hill CX 30 TRP Winter Crit
Chappell Hill, TX San Antonio, TX Dallas, TX Copperas Cove,TX Austin, TX San Antonio, TX San Antonio, TX Fort Worth, TX Dallas, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX Austin, TX Fort Worth, TX Cedar Hill, TX Fort Worth, TX
M i d - We e k C r i t s September 5, 12 KingRacngGroup Thurs Crit 5,12,19,26 PURE Driveway Series Two October 3,10,17 PURE Driveway Series Two
Dallas, TX Austin, TX Austin, TX
Tr a c k R a c e s September 6-7 ATRA Friday Night Omnium & TT 6 Superdrome Fall Series 14 The Omnium 20-21 ATRA Friday Night Omium & Match 27 ATRA Friday Night Omnium October 4 ATRA Friday Night Omnium Series 4 Superdrome Fall Series 5 The Madison 11 Superdrome Fall Series 18 Superdrome Fall Series 25 Superdrome Fall Series November
Katy, TX Frisco, TX Katy, TX Sprint Katy, TX Katy, TX Katy, TX Frisco, TX Katy, TX Frisco, TX Frisco, TX Frisco, TX
Mountain Bike Races September 1 Camp Eagle Classic Rocksprings, TX 7-8 Back to School Special Angel Fire, NM 7 Slaughter Pen Jam Bentonville, AR 8 Bicycles Plus DORBA FALL XC Race Series Garland,TX 14 NW Arkansas MTB Championships West Fork, AR 15 Dave Boyd Huntsville Classic Huntsville, TX 15 Horny Toad Hustle Melissa Park, NM 21 Hazel Valley Grand Prix Fayetteville, AR 22 Bicycles Plus DORBA FALL XC Race Series Ft.Worth, TX 22 Red Dirt Rendezvous Oklahoma Ciry, OK 28 Squash Blossom Classic Screamer Gallup, NM 29 Piney Hills Classic Ruston, LA October 5-6 Turkey MTB Festival Tulsa, OK
5 Road Apple Rally 6 Tyler Grit and Glide 6 Springhill Classic 12-13 Baylor Mountain Blowout 13 Tyler Speedwaves 20 Elk’s Lodge 26-27 Lake Murraython Weekend November 2 6 Hour Dinosuar 3 McMurtry Madness 3 Sasquatch Stampede 16 Palo Duro Canyon MTB Marathon 16 Spillway Scramble 24 Attila Mountain Bike Classic
Farmington, NM Tyler, TX Barling, AR Waco, TX Tyler, TX Ada, OK Ardmore, OK San Angelo, TX Stillwater, OK Boyce, LA Canyon, TX Norco, LA Hot Springs, AR
Multi-Sport & Adventure Races September 1-2 Hosuton Towne Lake Sprint & Olympic Tri Cypress, TX 1 Eagle in the Sun Tri El Paso, TX 2 Blackland Tri Plano, TX 2 Little Buggy Kids Tri Plano, TX 2 Tri Rock Austin Austin, TX 7-8 Prairieman Festival Grand Prairie, TX 7 The Wurst Tri Ever New Braunfels, TX 8 Old College Tri Denton, TX 8 Onalaska Half Tri Onalaska, TX 14 Cooper Falll Tri McKinney, TX 14 Techno Tron Tri New Braunfels, TX 15 Trifecta Triathlon Graford, TX 15 North Texas Kids Tri Arlington, TX 20-22 Denison Red River Rampage Denison, TX 21 Terra Firma Adventure Race Smithville, TX 21 Aquarena Springs Tri San Marcos, TX 22 Galveston & Lonestar Sprint Tri Galveston, TX 22 Life Time Kids Triathlon San Antonio, TX 28 Playtri Kids Tri McKinney, TX 28-29 Kerrville Sprint Tri Kerrville, TX 28 Iron Soldier Sprint Tri Fort Bilss, TX 29 Playtri Stonebridge Ranch Tri McKinney, TX October 6 Ironhead Women’s Tri Mansfield, TX 6 Meet Your Maker Off-Road Challenge Marble Falls, TX 6 Life Time Tri Dallas Rockwall, TX 12 Muddy Zombie College Station, TX 13 Burnet Tri Hard Challenge Burnet, TX 13 Cy-Fair Tri Cypress, TX 19 5K Foam Fest Austin, TX 20 Monster Denton Triathlon Denton, TX 20 Wiki Wiki Man Triathlon Wills Point, TX 26 Monster Kids Tri Keller, TX 26 Esprit de She Duathlon Grapevine, TX 26 Martindale Tri Martindale, TX 27 Monster Keller Triathlon Keller, TX November 2 WWIII.5 Winnie Wars V Winnie, TX 2 Hook ‘N Ladder Hustle Waller, TX 2 Boots on Ground Veterans Los Fresnos, TX 9 Hell Run Cedar Creek, TX 9 Rugged Maniac 5k Obstacle Race Ennis, TX 9 Great Amazing Race Dallas, TX
9 10 16 16 23
Best of the Best Triathlon Bronda’s Duathlon MudChug Great Amazing Race Mighty Mud Dash
Denton, TX Fort Worth, TX Splendora, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX
To u r s & R o a d R i d e s *Bicycles Inc ARLINGTON Century of the Month Ride distances for everyone.... 12, 23, 42, 61, 81 & 102 miles. September 7 Ride to Remember Poth, TX 8 Asutin Tour de Cure Georgetown, TX 14 Cowtown Classic Bike Ride Fort Worth, TX 14 Aptalis CF Cycle for Life Mansfield, TX 14 Tour for Children Helotes, TX 15 Tour de Pink Prairie View, TX 21 Le Tour de Bayou Alexandria, LA 21 Ride United Parker County Weatherford, TX 21 Houston Tour de Cure Houston, TX 21 Conquer the Coast Copus Christi, TX 21 Hale on Wheels Plainview, TX 21 Cotton Patch Challenge Greenville, TX 21-22 Fort Davis Cyclefest Tour Fort Davis, TX 28 Waco Wild West Waco, TX 28 Western Heritage Roundup Bowie, TX 28 Rip Roarin Ride Liberty Hill, TX October 5 Wish 100 McKinney, TX 5 Wheels for Meals Fort Davis, TX 5 Pedal Palacios Palacios, TX 5 Bike for Kids’ Sake Abilene, TX 5 Pineywoods Purgatory Lufkin, TX 6 Spirit of Texas Ride Wimberly, TX 11-14 Texas Forts Tour San Angelo, TX 12 *Bicycles Inc. Century of the Month Arlington, TX 12 South Texas Outdoor Life Festival Mission, TX 12 Gainesville Depot Day Bike Rally Gainesville, TX 12 North Texas Bicycle Rally Fort Worth, TX 12-13 Bike MS:Balero Alamo Ride to the River SanAntonio,TX 12-13 Bike Around the Bay Baytown, TX 19 Kiwanis Crazy Kicker Mineral Wells, TX 19 The Heroes Ride Conroe, TX 19 Missions Tour de Goliad Goliad, TX 20 LIVESTRONG Challenge Austin, TX 26 Springtown Spin Springtown, TX 26 Pumpkin Prowl Waller County, TX 26 Autumn in Bonham Bonham, TX 26 Texas Mamma Jamma Ride Georgetown, TX November 2-3 Tour de Gruene New Braunfels, TX 2 Wallis Independence Ride Wallis, TX 2 Mineola Metric Century Mineola, TX 9 *Bicycles Inc. Century of the Month Arlington, TX
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Contents Vol. 13, No. 9
Features 4 6 7 8 10 14 16 26 28 30 36 38
A Personal Invitation to PPP4P HHH Behind the Scenes - Bob Clark USA Cycling Junior Development ID Camp Right Coast Adventures Masters Track Nationals What Cycling Has Done for Me ~ Noah Williams The Road to Gold L'Etape du Tour 2013 Leadville! First Race: DORBA LB Houston MTB Race Upgrade for Performance Gold!
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T HE R ACING P OST encourages cyclists and other readers of the publication to submit letters, stories and reports. We reserve the right to refuse to print any submission not deemed in the best interest of the cycling community. We don’t do the latest gossip or scandal. Articles submitted for publication should be in MS Word format. Do not expect to get paid-this is a free publication afterall. If you become a regular, there are some benefits. All submissions are subject to review by the editorial committee, which could consist of the other guy who gets dropped on the Saturday morning ride, either of my 8 o’clock classes, and whoever I happen to be with on the phone at the time. Baggins has the deciding vote. We retain the right to edit anything - especially when it’s a question of space. Sometimes we can’t send it back to you for approval - our time lines change moment to moment with paid advertising. If the above doesn’t fit into your ideas about submission, please don’t. Letters and/or guest articles appearing in T HE R ACING P OST are the sole opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of T HE R ACING P OST staff. Our world revolves around on-time issues. Therefore everything (stories and advertising) should be in T HE R ACING P OST ’ S office no later than the 15th of the month. Call as early as possible with problems or issues ~ if we know about it, we can usually work with you. CONTACT INFORMATION Advertising Sales……….andy@theracingpost.us Race / Ride stories.........andy@theracingpost.usStory Subscriptions……………publisher@theracingpost.us Letters…………………...andy@theracingpost.us Editor…………………….Andy@theracingpost.us Publisher………………..Lauren@theracingpost.us
September 2013
Plan Your Road Trip RBM Rally Report Tri-Talk The View From Back Here Coach Speak West Texas Wind Love Your Ride Mileage Junkie Girlfriend Rider Think!Fiance Racing RBM What’s New At The Shop Junior Spotlight Gear Girl MSU Racing
On The Cover: Catherine Moore at the Masters Track Nationals (story on page 10) Photo courtesy of www.cycleexposure.com
A Personal Invitation to the PPP4P By Mike Reade Lots of cyclists, unusual airplanes flying overhead, wild turkey, deer, fox, and more, served up on 40 miles of traffic-free, smooth, tree-lined roads. What more could a cyclist ask for? Living in this little slice of Hood County near Granbury called Pecan Plantation is a cyclist’s dream – heck, it’s anyone’s dream. A pecan orchard makes up the body of this peninsula formed by the Brazos River, and it’s home to 6000 residents, two airstrips, two golf courses, a full service shopping center, campgrounds, parks and much more . Who needs to leave the neighborhood for anything? So Linda and I have a dream. Our dream is to populate this community with more cyclists than golf carts. But since that isn’t about to happen, at least we’d like to entice you down for a day to see what we’re all about. So, we’re hosting the 5th edition of the Pecan Plantation Pedal for Petals (PPP4P) ride on September 21st and we’re inviting you to participate. For the first time, this event is open to anyone who wants to experience our peaceful area, and we hope that some of you might decide to come back and stay. We have been hosting the PPP4P for our residents the past few years to offset the costs of beautifying our main entrance and other areas. You will see the results when you first come in, and it is all done by volunteers and donations. Our featured 40 mile route starts at our rec center, takes you through the Lake Granbury marina (stop by later for a burger), past the plantation-style inn, around the airstrip and golf course, past horse stables, parks and campgrounds with Brazos River access, and through the trees that make up a very large pecan orchard. There are a few small hills, lots of deer, fox, turkey and other wildlife, and best of all, very smooth roads – a rarity in Texas these days. As an added bonus, after the ride you can visit the airstrip for the annual Pecan Plantation Fly-in and see dozens of unique aircraft up close, have some food and visit with the pilots. Last year’s fly-in featured a mobile flight simulator, restored WWII planes, bi-planes and more. You might even get a ride in one! We have 10, 20 and 40 mile routes this year, and for the small kiddos a one mile escorted ride around the paved orchard walking path. You can bring the whole family down for a relaxing day on and off the bike!
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HHH Behind the Scenes- Bob Clark by Richard Carter
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He purchased a Centurion elite LS and road that for while, before purchasing another bike from a friend who was upgrading his racing bicycle. “I did the HHH eight years in a row. I road with a group that would do the 100 mile route the week before and then do the HHH. I did the 100-mile route every time. My best time was a little under five hours.” Clark quit riding the HHH when he began working as a race official for the HHH races. “I did my first training with Dot Abbott and got heavily involved with being an official.” MSU hosted its first cycling event in March 1990, a criterium at Lucy Park on the same course the Wichita Falls Bicycling Club began its new crit training Thermal Thursdays this summer. Over time, Clark began working with officials as they came in for the HHH. “We developed quite a family of officials who always came back and we still have some of those people working HHH. Now, I take care of the officials and start all of the road races on Old Burk Road.” Clark, and another MSU Vice President, Dr. Howard Farrell, are active cyclists and ride and/or attend thermal Thursdays along with most MSU events. “I ride by myself,” Clark said. “I used to ride in group rides, but I found that riding by myself is a release for me and an opportunity to think. I enjoy it. I still ride actively. I have a racing bike and a recumbent with under the seat steering.” The MSU cycling team falls under Clark’s purview. “It’s by fiat because I started the team. I carry that responsibility and the administrative side of it as well.” Cycling remains a club sport at MSU, even though it is considered a varsity sport by USA Cycling Collegiate since the university gives scholarships. “We were the first club in the nation to give scholarships, and now there are a number of them. Some of the small privates have really gone full bore, but they don’t have football teams or big sports programs. They have been very competitive.” Another part of Clark’s responsibilities is meeting with new scholarship students from around the world, such as Madeleine Steele who arrived to MSU on August 5th from Adelaide, Australia. Clark introduces the new student athletes to the university. He is quite proud that three MSU cyclists Ashley Weaver, Claire Fischer and Angela Streadwick will receive Megan Babb scholarships this year. Clark is also very pleased about MSU’s new cycling minor in performance, which national champion MSU racer Jessica Printer will be the first to complete this school year.
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Dr. Bob Clark, vice president of administration and institutional effectiveness at Midwestern State University, is better known to area cycling fans as the guy who began the MSU cycling team in 1990. An avid cyclist, Clark rode the HHH from 1983 to 1990, and started the MSU team shortly after a female student came to him asking about getting together a group of students to ride. Clark researched collegiate cycling and wrote an inquiry letter to the director of the South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference about joining the conference. He then powwowed with HHH race founder Ken Webb and Marvin Traywick, and the MSU team took off. Webb and Traywick would later serve as coaches for the team. “When we started to give scholarships and got Berend’s Landing (for a cycling dorm) we started to attract some very talented individuals from all over the world.” Clark was no stranger to cycling when he first came to MSU to teach Sociology. “I rode a bike when I was a kid, obviously. I did some more serious riding when I lived in Missoula, Montana, and I had what was considered a racing bike but it was really heavy. I brought that bike to Texas and went to Toneh (Chuleewah at The Bike Stop) in 1983 right after they opened and asked about upgrading it.”
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USA Cycling Junior Developmental ID Camp By Michael Pincus When I got the email from David Wenger to see if I wanted to help him out at the USA cycling Jr developmental ID camp, I jumped at the opportunity. The last time I was a member of a USA development camp would be way back in 2008 when the camps were still held at Texas Tech. I have only great things to say about my first time camp experience. I made great friends, many of which I still talk to on a daily basis till this day. I learned super valuable skills for when it comes to bike handling and being able to ride comfortably in almost all situations. I learned a lot about how WADA and USADA works. I even got selected to the ride Tour of Idaho as part of a 15-16 year old Jr team. Even five years later, all of the memories I made are still fresh on my mind. A few years ago the Texas camp was moved out of the panhandle and is now right by the capital. St. Edwards University has been home to the camp for the past few years, and from what I hear it is pretty amazing. When I arrived at the University, I quickly got my keys and my meal card and was already moving in. I came straight to camp from a hard fought Tulsa Tough and was ready to meet the campers. As I walked into the main room of the dorms I would be staying at, familiar and unfamiliar faces quickly greeted me. I found out that the entire camp was cheering me on from one of the lives feeds from Tulsa the night before and the entire camp was eager to hear about how my races went. The first day was fun, I got moved in painlessly and was able to get the names of all the campers memorized after only a few hours. My job at the camp was to help out with drills, rides, share my experiences, make sure no one was causing any trouble, and to keep the fun coming. It was crazy to see familiar faces still working at the camp from when I was a 14 year-old way back in 2008. Stefan Rothe was still a helping coach, and Ricky was still the head mechanic. I guess somethings never change, except for the fact that now I got to sit at the “coaches” table during all meals. One of the most important things a young cyclist needs to learn about cycling is how to control their bicycle. Being comfortable on your steed around others is a must. That is why every single day we had grass drills out on one of the empty fields on campus. Grass drills involved anything from riding shoulder to shoulder, picking bottles up off the ground, obstacle courses, as well as tactical games such as last man standing and the camp favorite, “garbage ball,” which was saved for the last day. Garbage ball is basically a team game where two teams pit off against each other. There is one goal (a garbage can) and one ball and the objective of the game is to score the ball in the goal. Every point that is scored restarts the round. First team to a set number of points wins. However, any time a rider falls or puts a foot on the ground they must wait in a penalty box till the start of the next round. To the campers it may seem like an easy game. However, it uses all the skills that have been taught throughout the week. Skills such as balance, track standing, bumping, tumbling, picking objects off the ground, and just being comfortable with yourself and your bicycle. Seeing how competitive the campers got at these grass drills was pretty awesome. I even jumped in on a few of the games that they were playing throughout the week. On top of all the fun games we played each day, there were also some serious days. This included a testing day where campers were put on a CompuTrainer and stacked up against each other on a virtual course to get an idea of how strong each of the riders are. This testing is done for selection purposes to go to bigger national camps as well as for team selections for different races. There was also a big day where we had a speaker from USADA talk to the riders about the drug testing process and the rights they have. This talk was very important to really tell the campers that there are no shortcuts to make it to the top level. Only hard work will get you there. On one day we even got all the campers to go out and race the Driveway. Although some campers are familiar with how the race goes, others were caught completely off guard by how large and fast the racing in the Austin scene is. Between the fresh farmed foods at the café, Comedy Central, drills, Le Driveway and intense wiffle ball games, I cannot think of one specific part of the camp that was better then the rest. However, smiling faces and eager camp goers who were ready to learn and soak up the knowledge and skills we were teaching were constant throughout the week. Cycling is a wonderful sport and activity that has helped shape me into the person I am today. Giving back to the sport through helping with the camp was way more fun than I could have imagined it to be. My best memory about the camp would be when I asked the campers what their favorite part of the camp was. Some said the food or the races, but finally someone said "Michael Pincus". After that, everyone turned to each other in agreement and they all said that I made the camp to them. That response from the camp to me really made me feel that I did my job. I could not have asked for more. WWW.THERACINGPOST.US
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Right Coast Adventures By Payson McElveen 0.141 seconds. That’s how much I missed out on qualifying for the main event. Of the 70 elite men that toed the line for timed qualifying runs at the Val di Sole World Cup Eliminator race, the top 32 get placed in brackets of 4 riders and go head-to-head in this exciting 4X style format of cross-country racing. My time still gave me an excellent result, but meant I’d just missed the opportunity of a lifetime… at least this go-around. It turned out to be one of the few racing highlights I flew home to America with, after an illness and mechanically plagued trip to Europe. I returned to Durango having learned some valuable lessons, seeing that I can mix it up with the best in the world, and also that I have a lot of work to do if I want to do more than just “mix it up”. And despite a great deal of disappointment, I am already hungry to go back. Following the trip, I had three weeks to prepare for the final push of the mountain bike season, almost all of which would take place on the east coast. The string of three race weekends would be my last opportunity to make my case for World Championships team selection, as well as make an impression on several future team possibilities. First up was one of my favorite races of the circuit, the Wisconsin ProXCT. It was a perfect chain-reaction of events. Kenda-Felt rider Colin Cares slipped a pedal at the start, allowing me to squeeze by. A few corners later, two other riders tangled and slowed each other up momentarily, and before I knew it, I was sitting fourth wheel behind Todd Wells, Max Plaxton, and Jeremiah Bishop, as we exited the start loop. As we dove into the lush singletrack of the renowned Wisconsin racecourse for the first time, I made a conscious decision to throw caution to the wind, and take advantage of the opportunity I’d been presented with. Riding that first lap in a select lead group of Olympians and World Championship medalists was surreal, and I was riding on pure adrenaline. Even all the excitement in the world can’t add 35 watts to your threshold power though, and while it was encouraging to see that I had the high end to ride a lap with the best, I began to fade soon thereafter. The following day was the short track race, and played out almost exactly conversely to the XC. A competitor broke their chain right off the line in front of me, and I found myself way back in the pack fighting to move up. This time I had the legs to do it, and at the halfway point of the race had come within yards of catching the lead group. Cooling down after the race I couldn’t help but let out a yell and pump my fists with the excitement and relief of having ridden at a new level. The following weekend we traveled to Bear Creek Resort in eastern Pennsylvania for the National Championships. Again it was a weekend of highs and lows, as I logged my first DNF of the season in the XC, but grabbed my first top 15 in an elite National Championships race in the STXC. The following day Sepp and I bid our Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory teammates farewell as they headed home to Durango, while the two of us pressed on to the ProXCT finals in Vermont. Colt McElwaine (who you might know as “the CyclingDirt guy”) was kind enough to put us up at his house outside of Boston, MA. Over the next two weeks, we honed our skills on some ridiculously technical and wet east coast riding, and even lined up for a Root 66 series race to keep the fitness sharp. The Root 66 series is New England’s equivalent of the Texas TMBRA series, and although slightly smaller in numbers, had a similar friendly vibe. We were also pleased to discover that it pays out comparably to TMBRA races as well! The Vermont ProXCT race the following weekend proved a very fun way to bring my “regular season” mountain bike campaign to a close. The cross-country course was one of the best I’ve ridden, and included three exciting “A-line” jump options that got the crowds pumped. While cooling down after the race, there was a certain sense of relief at being done with the higher-pressure events of the year, but also a bit of excitement stirring as I thought about what another winter of hard training could bring. The Mellow Johnny’s Classic isn’t that far off after all! Before then, however, there are a whole slew of bike-related things I have to look forward to. Along with collegiate mountain bike, track, and cyclocross, I’ll be traveling to Puerto Rico with USA Cycling to do a twoday mountain bike stage race across the island. Even better, fellow Texan Tristan Uhl will be joining me. About the time this TRP hits newsstands, we’ll be grinding up climbs, fording rivers, and battling our way across a Caribbean island. Truth be told, I don’t have the slightest idea what to expect, so wish us luck and look to read all about it in the next issue!
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RBM RallyReport
Hot Rocks 2013
Event coordinators, when planning a rally, are generally restricted to the town or area in which the ride will be sponsored, working with the city to make it the best it can be. You have a limited set of roads and you have to work with what you have. The City of Rockwall and its Rotary Club are lucky to have inherited one of the best routes a city could hope for when planning a rally. The roads are long and flat mixed with long, gradual inclines. Riders enjoy quiet suburban roads, country highways and just a few city streets. No matter which route you choose, it is a “family ride”, as long as you have prepared for the Texas heat. The stadium was well-organized for registration and the complimentary t-shirts were a nice, breathable tech-style, with a catchy graphic. Breakfast fruits were available along with pallets of water stocked for the day. Shade and the use of the stadium restrooms were premium options for riders. Stadium parking filled quickly and spilled into the parking lot across the street. As always, riders compared notes and stories before the start, bragging on completing the Blazin’ Saddles ride the week before, or speaking in earnest preparation for the mecca of cycling events, Hotter’n’Hell Hundred, for which Hot Rocks is ideally scheduled as the last organized event ride until the big day. This year, Texas has had unusually pleasant weather for August (90’s), which made the ride even more pleasant. Cyclists pedaled in an out of quiet neighborhoods as we headed toward the more remote country roads from Rockwall to FM 1138 and FM 6. Riders then headed south to Royse City, a small country town with winding city roads that made me smile openly. Maneuvering the turns on the bike in the midst of such quaint scenery made me want to circle around and drive back through the town once more. The rustic homes have great curb appeal and I was entertained by the sight of them. Heading south on FM roads 548 and 550 provided the long highway stretches where cyclists could really build up a nice training cadence. It’s also where you begin to feel the heat of the day, but the pedaling-pedaling-pedaling is happy work, and as long as riders kept hydrated, a workout to be proud of was attainable. On parts of the route, we were treated
By Lisa Tilley to beautiful vistas overlooking ponds and ranches. It is such a great perk to be able to train in the beauty of the countryside. In addition, participants were well-protected by city staff and sag support. A police car AND ambulance were stationed at nearly every single busy intersection on the map. They were either stationed in the middle of the road, or would strategically pull out as cyclists came through to block oncoming traffic. Bike support was present at most stops, as well as roving bike support trucks from area bike shops. A lot of thought and a lot of volunteers were invested. Speaking of that, volunteers were plentiful at the numerous rest stops and worked tirelessly in the heat. This event provided one or two stops more than other rides typically provide, which was great for those who were feeling the fatigue at the end. The final few miles of the 60-mile route play a little bit with your mind especially if you are really fatigued. Riders are led from John King Dr. to Dalton/552. You know you are close to the finish but you can see cyclists returning on the route you are working so hard to get behind you. Sure enough, there is a U-turn that sends you back to Airport Rd. and you find yourself gazing at riders who still have some miles to put in before the finish. Once you reach Industrial, you know the hard work you have invested is nearly complete. The sight of real sustenance makes you forget the aches and pains and you settle in to a cool, delightful lunch with your fellow riders and families. The start/finish is at Wilkerson/Sanders Memorial Field. A lot of thought and enthusiasm was put into the celebration of the start and finish. Families and spectators were entertained by two BMX stunt shows, bounce houses, and games. At ride’s-end we were treated to Applebee’s delicious croissant sandwiches, chips and Blue Bell ice cream while nestled inside the shade and fans of the stadium. Knowing the proceeds benefit college scholarships to students distributed by the Rotary Club was another reason to smile and know these great benefits occurred all in a hard day’s work.
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Master Track Nationals Major Taylor Velodrome (MTV) By Catherine Moore
Photos courtesy of www.cycleexposure.com
This year I decide to give track racing a try. From the very first moment I was terrified but I loved it. My preparation was to listen to Chris Carlson, spend as much time on the track as possible, listen to Chris some more and good old fashion intervals. The kinds that make you feel like you’re going to explode. After a few months of racing and training, I figured I was as ready as I was going to get, so Indy, here I come. The Jelly Bean is loaded and I begin my journey to Indianapolis to Master Track Nationals and my friend, Gail’s house. She lives 12 miles from the MTV and has opened up her home to me. The Indycycloplex, which has a BMX track, skate park and cyclocross venue, is home to Marian University. Once there, I get kitted up and put in a quick session on the track. MTV is a longer track than the Superdrome at 333m but the banks are not as steep. My first event is the points race. Sprint after sprint I am spinning like crazy. After the points are tabulated I wind up in 4th place. I head over to the Alamo, the tents full of Texans, to cool down. ”Man, you were spinning out. What gear were you riding?” I told them a 48 x 15, an 86, which is a junior gear. Urgh, no wonder I couldn’t keep up. Being new to track I had no idea about all these gear choices but I should have asked more questions. This is a mistake I will not make again. Now, I am trying to figure out what gear to run. I can borrow someone’s chain ring and run a 50 x 15 on the Easton TKOs or run the Corima disc with a 48 x 14. I had no idea what to do and start to Schleck my options (over analyze yourself into race paralysis). I go back and forth. After conversations with Gacki, Chris and FB messages with Korina and Nuffer, I decide to run the disc. No need to change the front chain ring. Plus, it will play towards strengths. I wake up to the sound of rain hitting my bedroom window. The morning sessions are running two hours late. This gives me more time to “over think” but I had a plan after talking to Chris and I was sticking to it. I was going to attack out of corner four and go for it. The gun goes off, bam, and we are racing. There are a few attacks but they are easily covered and I bide my time waiting for an opening from the rails. Then the ladies drift down track just a tad. So, I jump hard over the top and dive down out of corner 4 with nine laps or 3k to go. After a lap I look to see who is coming - no one. Then, I snapped into pursuit mode. The people at MTV are going nuts, pounding on the boards and Aron and Suzie are in corner 4 yelling, “Go, Cat go!” Six laps to go: “Okay, just a 2k pursuit - you can do this!” Then 5, 4, 3 laps go by. At 1k to go my legs start to burn. 2 laps and I am thinking, “Here we go Dad. Let’s do this.” I scan the track on the backstretch and I have a ½ lap lead. “We got this Dad, we got this.” The bell sounds and I keep on top of the gear pushing towards the finish. Baam, I cross the line and the tears start falling. My father, Al, died in February. During the 60’s he used to work for AJ Foyt as his mechanic and lived for Indy 500. The Brickyard was just a few miles away. Knowing my father, he would have loved track racing. I congratulate the other ladies, cool down, drink and get ready for awards. Words can’t describe how it felt to stand on the top step and put on that jersey for the first time. The final podium spots belonged to Cheryl, Kristen, Cindi and Andrea. Two days later I am back to racing. This time it is the Individual Pursuit. I was in the 2nd from last heat. I get on the track but I miss understood some directives form the meeting and I do not have the greatest start. First lap needed to be a 30/31, which I hit 31, from there on put I hit 26s and tried to drop to 25’s the last 3 laps but this did not happen. I cross the line in 1st place and eagerly wait for the last heat to finish. The announcer calls out my name and I give the ol fist pump, yes!! Now, it is off with my USADA chaperone, because I have date with a cup. It takes over an hour before I can finally go to the bathroom. This is a story in itself. My last event was the 35+ Team Pursuit. My teammates were Andi Smith and Annabelle Holland, both from CA. Our strategy was to have me take longer pulls since I was the strongest of the 3 in the pursuit. Andi is in lead, followed by Annabelle and myself. Our plan worked beautifully and we took the National Championship by 12 seconds. 10
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The whole week was incredible. All the Trackies were very helpful and super nice. I had just as much fun calling out splits for Suzie, keeping track of points and yelling out sprint laps to Chris. Texas had a great showing at Masters Nationals with many other podium appearances. Shannon Moak, Skipp Sparry and Chris Carlson took home a combined 7 titles. While Suzie Goodwin, Nelson Li, Aron Seiken, Ted Kicey, Cindi Vargas, Robert Bodamer, Val Tieman, Don Carlburg and James Martin had podium spots. Track racing has a fun relaxed atmosphere similar to the feel of a cross race minus the heckling. With two tracks within easy driving distance of all of the major metro areas in Texas, we need to get more people to try it out. It’s super fun, great training for road and cross, and is a great way to get some extra speed in your legs. Thanks to all my sponsors: Think Finance, Bicycles Plus, TDI Technologies, Trek, Bontrager, Giro Sport Design and Skratch Labs.
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Tri Talk September 2013 Rather than try to write something brilliant again this month, I’m just going to give a recap of my last few events. Frankly I’m so tired from all the traveling and racing that being brilliant probably just isn’t going to happen. But, I did do some cool events, and some of them are probably either already on your radar, or need to be. First up, training camp. I spent 9 days in Utah training, and it was awesome. Too often we just travel to race, and miss out on some amazing opportunities. I think we all do this partly because we love being outdoors and enjoying nature. But when you’re in an aero tuck, focused on the next person in your AG, or trying to maintain a 7m stagger, you’re not paying much attention to the scenery! Sure, I’m a coach and I should talk about the training benefits of a focused block at altitude and in the mountains. But, most of us aren’t making a living at this, and damnit it oughtta be enjoyable! So go somewhere pretty just to train. I guarantee that the view from atop a 9000ft mountain, or the chance to watch the sun come up over the mountains in the middle of your run, is worth it! Next up was the Waco Triathlon. This was the first year my schedule allowed, and I was impressed and plan to go back. There’s a spring and an Olympic, depending on what you’re in the mood for. Waco is an easy drive for most Texans, and it’s a well-run, fun event. The Brazos is a nice swim, the bike has just enough to be interesting but still be fast, and the run is pretty cool. Perhaps the best part is that there are 3 hotels within walking distance of transition. About those hotels though – don’t believe the schedule and head back to your room for a quick shower before awards. I was clean, fed, and back in time for awards, except they were already over! River Cities bills itself as the “best little triathlon in the south” and it would be hard to argue with that. It’s a sprint with distances of 800m,
By Steen Rose Head Coach - Athletes On Track srose@trainingbible.com 18mi, and 5k. Sure it’s a little warm, but it’s over before it has a chance to really get hot. The race is capped at 1100, and sells out in minutes each year. The goodie bag has more gear than I have space to describe, there’s post-race food and drink, and there are more aid stations on the run than kilometers in the run. One of the cool things about this race is that there’s something for everyone, whether your slow and looking to have a good time and drink beer afterwards, or trying to crack the top of your AG (bring your A-game, this is one competitive race at the pointy end!) My whirlwind mid-summer tour ended with Olympic Nationals in Milwaukee. This was my first national championship in triathlon, and I was very impressed. I’ve spent several summers in Milwaukee for bike racing, and it’s a great town and a great time of year to be there. If you punch your ticket next year, and are thinking about going, it’s worth it. With 4400 athletes, 2700 in the Olympic, many of us were worried about overcrowding, but even though I started in the 13th wave it was never too crazy. There were some hiccups, but mostly minor, and they are things that should be ironed out for next year. FYI, Nationals is on a 2-year schedule, and this was year 1 in Milwaukee. Vermont was a little too far in 2011-12, and while Milwaukee isn’t bad, here’s hoping for something a little more local in 2015-16! Steen Rose is the owner and Head Coach of Athletes On Track and an Elite Coach for Training Bible Coaching. He has been competing in cycling and multisport events for 16 years with 14 state titles and 3 national medals to his credit. He has been coaching since 2003 and works with all ages and abilities of athletes locally, nationally, and abroad. He can be reached at coach@athletesontrack.com
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VOL.13, NO. 9 THE RACING POST
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The View From Back Here What just happened? That whooshing noise we just heard, I think it was summer blowing by. Left are memories of 100 plus degree days, blast furnace winds and enough excuses to keep us from doing what we really prefer doing. The View From Back Here is out of excuses, then armed with new resolve to do better, it rains. Summer 2013 has been pretty much a lost cause. Particularly foul weather has played havoc on this old fat boy’s riding activities. It just loses its appeal with temperatures hovering in excess of 100 degrees. That made the street temperatures well In excess of rapid ice melting. Nothing is more discouraging than pulling out the old insulated water bottle that was so carefully prepared with ice and fluids to encounter a tepid and unsatisfying dose of hydration. My science teacher son would have a valid explanation, along the lines of convection and/or conduction. Perfectly valid observations I would suppose, but that does not decrease the near stomach turning gag reflex of lukewarm water. Short of one of those back pack type water containers (and the inherent weight and leaks) the hydration situation for me has remained incurable. The oppressive heat has also made survival of the cyclist a little more involved. The View From Back Here grew up in West Texas. I understand heat. I have lived in it, I have worked in it and I have survived it. All said though, I do not have to like or enjoy it. Survival aside, riding in the oppressive heat is not enjoyable. Professionally speaking, The View From Back Here has seen more wind damage than usual. Subjectively, the wind has not quit blowing until way too late to get a quick ride in after 5:00 PM. With weekends somewhat full, it has been pretty easy to stay at the house. For many, cycling is a solitary endeavor. We get beaten down during the day and a little solitude is needed. Driving the West
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Contact the Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau at 254-547-7571 or www.copperascove.com For cycling maps, local accommodations and restaurants
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By Russell Livingston
Texas highways offers this writer enough time alone. At times the radio does not even pick up a clear signal. My CD collection is limited and has been listened to enough that no surprises are left to enjoy. It probably does not help that my personal taste in music is somewhat limited to songs released in the ‘60s and ‘70’s. Personally, my riding partners were AWOL this summer. My science teacher son was either doing something else or on a three week odyssey in, near and around Wyoming. A trip his old Dad cannot find fault in. Our pace when riding together, or at least his tolerance for my slower pace, is compatible and we have logged many miles together. Not so this summer though. So the daughter is still around, right? After the tire bending episode on the scab maker, she took her bruised knees to Africa for six weeks of decompression and ministry. With a busy schedule and other fish to fry, she has not had the time to grab a few miles with the old man upon her return either. Group rides in Midland are getting harder to match with my schedule. The riding group is not to fault, with rides on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday being scheduled and executed with regularity. Excuses abound and that is just a part of the aging process. Another personal problem with group rides has been the ability to keep up. Getting dropped on a social ride is not that much fun. Since I personally do not require as much solitude on the bike as I used to, getting dropped kind of takes the element of fun away. The spin classes have been my only solace this summer. Most of the obstacles discussed are by definition eliminated. The only problem is that spinning is not riding. Our instructor may use terms like climbing a hill and “going aero”, but personal experience tells me that nothing on a spin bike in the air conditioned YMCA can begin to duplicate a hill climb up Mt. Locke in September or blasting down the highway in a time trial. That 45 minute retreat of sweat and effort cannot duplicate 45 minutes of self propelled movement on the streets and trails. It is not going to totally work out. So an element of panic sets in. The third weekend of September will be a personal day of reckoning. Cyclefest, that assembly of cyclists from all over the state will converge on Fort Davis, Texas and will embark on another epic ride. The Texas Alps have been blessed with some moisture and the scenery promises to be beautiful. Late September promises to be less hot and more tolerable than the temperatures in the Permian Basin. So what’s the panic about? The mountains and hills have not lowered themselves one single inch. Can I do it? Perhaps I can, perhaps I can’t, but it will be fun trying and stretching myself to new heights. The View From Back Here will be there though. Friday night, the Ft. Davis Indians play Sanderson in Six Man Football. For the early arrivers who have nothing else to do on Friday night, come out and experience another aspect of small town Texas life. Simply find the brightest lights in town. The tour of Saturday will be the standard fare with hundreds of riders of various abilities riding a challenging course for each level of experience and endurance. Some work to complete the course faster than previous efforts, and the rest of us simply try to complete the course. Whatever our personal situation, there will be people there that are like minded and eager to push themselves to personal limits. As summer ends and fall approaches, let us seek to eliminate or at least mitigate the reasons and excuses we manufacture that keep us from accomplishing what we have set out to do. Maintaining our physical condition and enjoying our chosen pastime perhaps can be a little easier with milder climates and the settling of circumstances around us. Everyone have fun and ride safe.
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What Cycling Has Done For Me By: Noah Williams I learned how to ride my bike at age 3, and when I was old enough, I rode my bike to school every day through elementary and most of middle school. I also frequently rode around the neighborhood with my friends and occasionally rode a tandem on the local group rides with my dad, Christian Williams. I began racing road with measured intent at 9 years old. At the time, I was competing in other sports as well as learning music, which both continued through my 15 year old racing year. I am now 18 and completely committed to the sport. While I would technically consider myself a racer, I am fundamentally a rider, as only a small percentage of my time spent on two wheels is actually in a race! As I am quickly approaching having spent a decade racing and riding a bike as my “thing”, I can look back on the time I’ve spent in the sport and say with certainty that it has had a huge positive impact on my life. As I write this, I’m sitting at the kitchen table in Belgium in our team’s house. At this time I’ve been in Europe for a little over 2 weeks, with 4 weeks still to go before my return flight. I spent 10 days in the Italian Alps and am now racing in Belgium, on the same roads that the Pro’s race on in the spring classics. I think anyone else my age who hasn’t had the opportunity already would kill to spend 6 weeks in Europe (cycling or not). It’s my second trip this year, thanks in no small part to the readers of The Racing Post. (Thank you!) At the level I currently pursue this sport, this is only one of the many ways riding my bike has rewarded me. While it is certainly a massive privilege to race my bike in Europe against the world’s best, it is not the biggest benefit from racing and riding. For me, cycling as an activity (racing aside), has shaped who I am for the better. My bike keeps me healthy, I can find solutions to the most difficult problems on long rides, and it gives me a way to break the rhythm and go wherever I choose using nothing but sweat and will. There is a certain
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way in which a bike, a non-motorized, completely inanimate machine, gains a personality, much like a friend when you spend enough time on it. You don’t have to be a racer to enjoy the simple thrill of the wind in your hair. I love the little personal victory of riding further than I ever have before. The absolute triumph of cresting a mountain, then ripping down the other side. I think it’s incredible that something as simple as riding a bike can offer so much personal gratitude and fulfillment. On the other hand, many of the people who inspire me, who I look up to, and some of my best friends, I’ve met through cycling. As you can see, for me riding my bike is so much more than just about winning races and doing x-amount of hours in a week. It’s about personal achievement, physical trial, travelling the world, meeting new people, setting an example, learning who I am, overcoming challenges, helping others, and finding something to truly pursue, a purpose, if you will. While in this short article, I can only scratch the surface of why I love this sport so much, and everything it’s done for me in the years I’ve spent with it. It is definitely a sport/hobby/lifestyle that you get back what you put in. So what has cycling done for you? [ED – The Racing Post welcomes submissions of under 750 words about “Why I ride” – send them to andy@theracingpost.us with “Why I ride” in the subject field]
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The Road to Gold By Alan Ashe The event is the 2013 National Senior Games held this year in Cleveland Ohio. I am in the class of men ages 5054. The events I have qualified for on the state level are the 20k and 40k road bicycle races. My desire is a gold medal, however, if another medal is at stake, I won’t let it slip away. If none of the three are within my grasp, then I will have tried my hardest and tip my helmet knowing I competed against the best. Weather can be an important factor and Saturday morning began with a drizzle of rain to start the day. Not enough to wash the remnants of oil and dirt from the roads, but just enough to make it slick as wet paint. I suited up to race anyway. The 40k was scheduled for the first day. I felt slightly relieved because this should be the easier of the two races I was doing that day. I was soon mistaken. The drizzle that began this morning had turned into a torrent by the time we lined up to race. 50 men from around the United States ready to tear it up. The neutral start went away the moment we hit the course, which was a loop and two 180-degree turns, running along the edge of Lake Erie on Highway 2. That was going to be fun in the pouring down rain. I navigated the first turn successfully and raced full gas up and down the short section of Highway 2. The next 180 became my undoing as I was in a bad position, eating rain, drinking rain, and breathing rain. The group attacked up the hill, and in my effort to hold on, I popped like a stretched rubber band. My race was over. Oh, I kept chasing for three more loops only to see my group coming towards me at each of the two turns, always teased
by the distance that separated me. Still, I chased. I managed to work with three others and we exited the course on the final lap to a slight uphill off ramp, skidding over painted crosswalks in two right hand corners and pretend-raced to the finish 300 feet from the last corner. No gold, no silver, no bronze, but I did learn from my wife I had managed a top 20. That took the sting out of my eyes from the rain and road grit that plagued my vision. We go back to the hotel and I washed the grime of racing away. To soothe my ego, we went to dinner, where I dismissed the food and drink protocol of racing and I had a beer. Day 2 came with sunny, clear skies and cool temperatures from the breeze blowing off Lake Erie. This was going to be different. I felt different and I thought I could do this. I can win that medal, that precious gold. All of the training, sweating and suffering over the past months came down to this final thirty minutes or racing. It was on. Today’s race was the 20k. Only two loops around the course meant it should be even more violent than the day before. After the neutral start, it seemed fast, but not difficult to hold the wheels this time. The pace builds. The attacks begin and I cover them holding the wheels of new friends and I stayed with the pack. I can feel it this time. We made the final 180 turn to face the hill that was my undoing the day before. A break was off the front and feeling good, so I went after them. Too far, I sat up and waited for the pack to rejoin. The hill was long and my legs weakened for a moment from the pace. I hung tight and stayed connected, telling myself to finish the hill. The end was coming up with a final bump and a long descent to the off ramp. I hit them hard. I hit them on the right side of the bridge, using a strong tailwind as we went up the final bump and gave it all that I had. I’ve never gone so fast. Half way up the short climb to the final right hand turn, I am caught from the chasing pack. It didn’t work. Just as well, turning that last right hand had put me back into the wind, but this time it was my enemy. No sprint finish for me, no solo break away and again I finished in the top 20. Yet this time was different. The statement we hear so often hit me the second before I attacked on the hill. “You must risk losing in order to win.” Yes, I had lost. The difference this time is I lost on my terms and not the terms of the men I was racing. My road to gold was over this time but with a better appreciation of what it takes to earn the precious medal.
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Coach Speak Going to the Well By Steen Rose srose@trainingbible.com Head Coach - Athletes On Track Are you familiar with the concept of matches? A “match” is a really hard effort, usually in the context of a race. You’ve only got so many matches in your matchbook, so you want to be really careful about how and when you dole out those efforts. These are the times when Paul or Phil would say something about the pain cave, suitcase of courage, turning himself inside out, or being on the rivet. For the true power junkies, there’s even a formula in WKO+ for what constitutes a match. But I’d like to talk about matches in the context of a season. There’s actually a theory rolling around in my head that your matchbook is finite over the course of a career, but today we’re just going to talk about a season. I’ll have to give my lifetime theory some more thought, but I am absolutely convinced that your matches are finite in a given season. With my athletes, I talk about going to the well, and not wanting to go there too often. Most athletes have another level that they can take themselves to given the right motivation. But these efforts come at an extremely high cost, and their impact should not be overlooked or trivialized. One of the coaches whom I follow recently talked about having his athletes color code workouts. Anything color coded red was a loss, and he wanted his athletes “losing” very few workouts per year – basically he doesn’t want to push them too hard for physical, emotional, and psychological reasons. But I’m talking about “wins” that come at too high of a cost. The better track coaches will only have
their athletes “double,” or run more than one event, once or twice a year. They realize that multiple, all-out efforts are costly, and that more than a few of those will compromise not only performance at end-of-season championship meets but also long-term success (if your kid is in track, and the coach is throwing them into every event where they might pick up a point for the team...realize that your kid’s best interest is being subjugated to the coach’s best interest). Two of Lance’s legacies should be his preparation for the Tour each year, and his longevity. Regardless of what he did, it would be stupid to argue that the playing field with his peers wasn’t level. So what was it that made Lance so dominant at the Tour, for so many seasons? If you’ll notice he didn’t race much, and he used the Dauphine and Tour de Suisse as tune-up races, not caring or trying to win. In other words, he didn’t go to the well too often, and saved it for when it truly mattered. Sure, beware red days on your training log, but also beware blue ribbon days that cost you a match. Matches are precious, so save them for when it really matters. Steen Rose is the owner and Head Coach of Athletes On Track and an Elite Coach for Training Bible Coaching. He has been competing in cycling and multisport events for 16 years with 14 state titles and 3 national medals to his name. He has been coaching since 2003 and works with all ages and abilities of athletes locally, nationally, and abroad. He can be reached at coach@athletesontrack.com
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W e s t T e x a s W i n d By Richard McLamore It’s not cool to admit it, but I haven’t been ‘cool’ in ages, so, here goes: I prepared almost sorta hard for the Tour de Gap this year. I wasn’t planning on winning, instead I wanted to try to help a couple of other guys do well. For several Saturdays, a small group of us would do segments of the ride course to know the landmarks—which really means knowing just how much you have to suffer to make it to the top when Luke Allen or Kelly Brown jumps for the nine-millionth-time on one of the Camelbacks or wherever it happens to be.
passengers wearing Delirium and Velocity jerseys. Especially since pretty much all of them had been present for Luke’s “flat on 83, spend the next 10 or so miles chasing back on, then go with Harrison and Paul Bonds in what turned out to be the winning break” performance last year. And no one really knew just how hurt he’s been most of this year. Since I didn’t know how strong the kid really was, but did know that Tom Harrison and Stefano Rossellini would just love us to set up their counter-attack and I suspected Aaron—remember, I thought he was somewhere in the bunch with us— wouldn’t mind much either, I counted on the usual experience in Tour de Gap: the break might or might not stay away, but not all of ‘em would stick together. And then, after 2 or so miles of deciding that since the almost frozen water-bottle I’d had down the back of my Verge Racing Post jersey [I’m not kidding folks: scary good value for money!!] wasn’t gonna get back to where it came from at whatever speed it was we were doing [that speed was, to use the technical term: “FAST”] I drank as much of the lovely, cool, delicious mineral-enriched Abilene tap water as I could and tossed it at the first rest stop. Which did double-duty as the last rest stop when we finished, but unlike last year when I finished in survival mode, I didn’t stop there this year. After we cruised over the ‘hill’ (us locals call it a hill, anyway) at Lemon’s Gap and sped towards highway 83, I wondered why we were still going so fast. See, the prevailing winds out here are from the South or Southwest, and even with a good bunch, it seemed like we were just going too fast. The beautiful corridor of American flags that the great volunteers at the second rest-stop had placed answered the question by fluttering and waving due South: “oh, North wind,” I thought. “That changes things.”
We—Luke, Richard Linebaugh, and I, had some basic strategies— most of which boiled down to “Pay attention to who gets in the early break. If Kevin McCarver or Jon Garrett get in it, one of us needs to be there.” So, of course, McCarver and Garrett did get in the early break, along with Aaron Uzzell and Tom Warren, and . . . all of us missed that magic time where jumping across to the break is a 1-2 minute explosion of joy and suffering to the 3 hour threshold workout that being in the break for 70 miles of a 77 mile t-shirt ride’s gonna be.
Luke, at least, asked “should I go?” I looked—and at that point, of the 4 guys coalescing into a break, I only recognized McCarver and Garrett. There were just too dang many guys in Velocity and Delirium jerseys to keep track of at first, even if the Delirium guys helpfully have their names on the side-panels. At least they didn’t have the radios this year. I flat out didn’t recognize Aaron or Tom. Tom, at least, has grown him some hippy hair this year so I didn’t recognize him until we picked him up in the last 12 miles. Anyway, I told Luke “wait.” At that point the gap was big enough that you couldn’t just explode across it, and as the skinny kid in the Garmin-Sharp kit, any big move from Luke short of a total detonation was gonna have a lot of 18
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And then I had to stop thinking and start chewing my stem and handlebars to hang on as someone started drilling it with the tailwind down 83. I can’t tell you how fast we were going because I don’t ride with a computer, but the size of the group started dwindling. Whoever started it, Luke decided that fast was good, went to the front and just started rolling. A couple of times Harrison jumped around to test him out a bit and he must not have liked what he saw because he stopped launching his counter-jumps. [Aside: one of my favorite riding memories ever comes from a Melon Patch Tour several years ago when Josh Brown, Tom, and I sort of arranged for a 13 or 14 year-old Luke to “win” the ride.] Harrison standing down, though, seemed to be the cue for his team-mate, and long-time West Texas just general hoss, Kelly Brown, to include those of us who could stay with him in a special presentation of “Kelly’s Three-Hour Microburst Session.” Linebaugh told me after the race that we’d had something like 60 20-30 second 350+ watt surges during the ride. I think Kelly started probably 45 of ‘em at least. Now, I may be the worst possible person to write a rally report for the Tour de Gap, because I’ve ridden the course so many times I almost don’t see it as landscape anymore: it’s segmented and chunked: “make it to rest stop 3 and reset for the rollers before the turn;” “make it over the wind-farm hill;” “watch out for the camelbacks;” and, last, and usually worst: “prepare for the death march into the wind on 83 during the second loop.” What makes the Tour de Gap a great t-shirt ride, for me, isn’t the scenery because I don’t see it. A lot of it, though, is the volunteer support and the encouragement we get from the Taylor County Sheriff’s Deputies marshaling a couple WWW.THERACINGPOST.US
of the turns. (And that’s not just during the ride—if you’re riding out this way, be sure to give a thumbs up or wave to a Deputy if you see one, you’ll definitely get a wave back).
The other thing that makes the Tour de Gap a great, and dreaded, ride, is that evil, horrible, no-good, very bad second 25 mile loop after you turn just one kilometer from the finish, and the nice warm burritos and the watermelon slices, and the cool water and Gatorade, and the music, and your buddies who did the shorter rides, and the shade of the huge pecan trees. But no, you turn for the second loop. And most years, that means turning into a headwind that has intensified since the first time you encountered it two hours before to start the ride. It’s not so bad for the first part of 613 because you’re mostly going uphill, but once you crest the ridge—BAM. I’ve seen Lance Bowers (heal up there, sir) look, well, just plain awful, after cramping out of the early break on that stretch. Shoot, a few weeks before the ride, during one of my “get used to and learn to love the misery” exercises I averaged . . . oh . . . about 10 mph on that stretch, which is mostly downhill. And then we hit a crosswind section to Tuscola, which served as a couple of guys’ “Walburg moment.” Serious guttering, because we could start to see riders ahead of us—and since no one but 77 mile riders did this
loop, riders ahead meant that the break was shattering. Luke, Richard, and I had agreed to wait until the last part of the second loop to really make an effort to bring back the break, because we’d have seven miles of headwind to work with. Luke, though, is both young and just beginning to feel strong again, so he decided to roll off again the first moment we eased off in the crosswind. He got a decent gap, Stefano and Kelly argued about who should chase him and possibly Campagnolo vs. Shimano and Specialized vs. Cannondale. But even arguing they were going fast enough that Luke’s gap wasn’t growing, so I took the front to slow-roll things for a bit. Then Luke stayed off until we made the turn for home with 7 miles and 2 or so semi-hills and a head-wind to go. It’s really thanks to Luke and that 20 or so minutes of 300+ watt goodness, I think, that we made up what time we did—and that he sort of suckered Delirium and Velocity into chasing him down and closing time on the break. The first guy we saw turned out to be Tom. Luke caught up to him, and Tom hung on for dear like to Luke’s wheel, and then he rolled along with the rest of us when we regrouped at the base of Lemon’s Gap. Aaron, on the other hand, got a big pat on the back from Kelly for his huge effort, and just shut it down for the rest of the way. I started cramping with 3 miles to go, but rode through them, and was even able to throw in 2 Zipp free-speed attacks, one of which netted me the coveted (by me) win of the Buffalo Gap town sign sprint that no one else was riding for. They did smirk at my victory salute though. I can’t tell you what happened in the last k, because just as I was recovered enough to chase back to the bunch after that major sprint effort, I heard a noise up ahead and then saw our local Leadville qualifier, Brian Miller do his own “George Hincapie crashing in Paris-Roubaix 2006” imitation. What made that even worse was that Brian had separated his shoulder pretty badly on July 4th. [Tour de Gap was July 27th, and Brian was hanging with the chase group in like his 3rd year of riding, and really his first year on the road. Dang.] So, I slowed down to make sure Brian got up swinging both of his arms. And then he walked across the line a couple of minutes later because the crash broke 2 of his spokes. But he’s in Leadville thawing out with his finisher’s belt buckle, so all ended ok. Finally, the last cool part about the Tour de Gap: The Abilene Reporter News and a couple of the TV stations cover it—so that there are good pictures in the local paper, and when McCarver won, someone was there to be impressed by and note and spread the news about how cool it was that he was even riding again after a really, really nasty crash in April.
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Midnight Massacre By Kim Jennings Summers in Texas are HOT, and sometimes we have to be creative in our training regimen. The Spinistry puts on some crazy fun events, and their Midnight Massacre gravel grinder seemed like a good fit to mix up our bike routine. Michelle and I had attempted the 100K gravel ride last year, but were unsuccessful with a torn sidewall about 5 miles into the route. We tried to butt the tire, but that didn’t hold so after going through all our tubes we had to fill the tire up with grass in a futile attempt to get us back to the car. This year we were better prepared for the challenge; and we looked something like an alien scuba diver disco sag wagon gone racing rally rider. I had the following items secured to my bike/person: helmet light, battery pack, back up battery, 3 tubes, a Big Air, extra CO2, tire lever, adapter, glow sticks, a racerback camelback, cell phone, snacks, saddle bag, rear blinky, 2 water bottles, and some cash in case we needed to bum a ride. The ride is unsupported and riders are responsible for themselves—neat concept! Kevin Lee, the madman behind the curtain, knows how to put on a bike party. The Spinistry, event promotions, has created a cult like following, and it brings casual riders and racers together on the same platform: Ride a bike really far off the beaten path. For $20 you get the ride and an after ride meal—bbq pulled pork, rice beans, pico, chips, and cold drinks. I don’t know of any event where they feed you a real meal after the ride for 20 bucks. There is even a cool app you can download to your phone that has turn by turn directions, course maps on MapMyRide, real time weather, and more fun features. It is easy to see why there are so many Spinistry disciples. The Midnight Massacre gained so much popularity that pre-registration had to be capped at 175 riders—the largest Spinistry event ever! This was also the largest women’s turnout for any of these crazy rides, and we were excited to be a part of Spinistry history J It was cool to see our riding buddies–Jan, Jim, Mark, Scott, Rhyne, Toby, and Larson—all from different cities and riding backgrounds in the parking lot before we started. The ride started promptly at 8 p.m. and we all took off in hopes of staying with the front group. The lead pick-up truck had a camera crew and paced us for the first 5 miles until we were out in the country. Let me rephrase. The ride started in Sanger, TX just north of Denton off I-35, so we were already in Texas country by that point. That is one thing that is great about our state. There are 1,000’s of miles of roads less traveled and a cyclist paradise—if you can handle the heat. Riding in a big group in gravel is an art form. You have to combine road racing skills with mountain biking handling, with a Xanax effect. You have to keep calm and relaxed with no boisterous moves otherwise you will find yourself kissing the dirt. It is hard to see what is quickly approaching in a group, along with the dust, and possible pot holes and other obstacles that pop up in your line. You kinda have to follow blindly as you are led down the gravel Loving your Subaru is even easier now, because Jubilee Subaru is looking after you. Every new Subaru gets 2 tunnel o’ fun. years or 24,000 miles of complimentary maintenance. As the ride continued, our group quickly dwindled to about 15 riders. The bikes of choice for this group were mostly CX bikes with 35mm tires, and a handful of 29er mountain bikes. No doubt it is easier to ride a mountain bike in the gravel, but you lose speed on the paved road and fast sections of gravel. Most of the gravel sections were in good condition. CX bikes are faster, but your lower back pays for the beating you get from washboard gravel roads. Pick your poison. We chose to use our CX bikes and were happy with our decision. Scott Braden was a rockstar and rode his 29er with flat pedals • Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive • 200-hp SUBARU BOXER® engine • 33 mpg hwy • Sport-tuned suspension • 8.7 inches of ground clearance and lime green water shoes—and hung with the fast guys! • Voice-activated GPS navigation system • Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) • High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights It started to get dark about 8:45 p.m.and we all turned on our lights. There is something special about riding a bike at night in a group with lights. We looked like a group of charging bison across the plains. The sun had 249 dipped low in the horizon and the sky was brilliant pink, orange, and purple. If you haven’t done a sunset ride recently, I would highly recommend it. There was a lot of surging in our group, as corners were taken hot and the accordion affect took its toll on the riders in the back. At one point I looked at Jan and to quote one Toby Smith said, “I don’t want to alarm you, but we are the LAST ones!” This spurred immediate shuffling to ensure pack survival. There were a few butt clinching moments when we hit downhill sections Jubilee Subaru in the dark and it was really hard to see with the dust, and before you knew 4717 W. Waco Dr. it, there would be large gaps and the group would slowly come back togethWaco, TX 76710 er again. 254-752-2886 www.jubileesubaru.com We came up to a ridge with some stair-like climbs and this was the grenade that blew the pack apart. About 5 guys got away from the pack on the climb, and the remaining struggled in groups of 2-3. I was in a group with Jim, Larson, and a few others and we started working to pull the front group 42
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p.m.before and this was such a cool experience! (so cool in fact, we did another moonlit ride the following evening). The people, moon, roads, breeze, glow sticks, and food made this one of the highlights of my summer. Huge thanks to Kevin Lee and all the Spinistry volunteers who took so much pride in putting on this event. We’ll be back next year!
back. After a few minutes I realized that Michelle was not with us. We made a pact before we started that we would look out for each other and stop if the other had an issue—neat concept! I turned around and saw her and Mark riding together, and we became a happy traveling circus trio. Our little group of 3 kept steady, and we could see the rear red blinkies of the riders in front off in the distance. The red blinkies were like beacons of hope that we were on the right course. The course was marked with orange reflective arrows, but it was easy to take a wrong turn if you were in lala land. Such was seen when we saw two groups of riders blow past some left hand turns. Oops!! The moon was gorgeous and was a day away from a full moon cycle. It was so bright that we didn’t even need lights on some of the wide open roads. I took a picture of this cool moon flower…I’m not sure what it really is called. I’ve never ridden my bike past 10
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Classic Fall Rides & Races Photo By: Susan Farago
Susan Farago, Austin-based coach, writer, and mileage junky. www.susanfarago.com
Temperatures are starting to cool off which means fall is in the air! This time of year provides some of the best riding and racing Texas has to offer. If you have been keeping up on your long rides since spring and your legs are ready for a new challenge, you may want to try long distance racing or a multi-day event. Or if the summer heat has gotten the better of you, now is a great time to start ramping those miles back up for longer rides this fall and winter. This month’s column features events all mileage junkies can take advantage of for some oh so long and lovely time in the saddle. Included in these top picks are multi-day events and unique races (non-criterium style). Have a favorite race or ride? Go to The Racing Post’s Facebook page and get the word out!
RACES (non-crit) (09.19-21.2013) Texas Time Trials – Glen Rose, TX Events: 6, 12, 24 hour bike races www.tt24tt.com/index.html (11.2-3.2013) Tour de Gruene – Gruene, TX Events: Time trials: individual (10 mile) or team (26 mile) www.tourdegruene.com (11.12-13.2013) No Country for Old Men – Big Bend, TX Event: 383 mile ultra-distance bike race www.dextooke.wix.com/ultradex/index.php/no-country-for-old-menrace#!ncom-home/c1nbj
SINGLE DAY RIDES (100+ mile options) (9.8.2013) Tour de Cure – Georgetown, TX Distances: 15, 30, 50, 80, 100 miles m a i n . d i a b e t e s . o r g / s i t e / T R / To u r d e C u r e / A 2 C T X CentralTexasArea?pg=entry&fr_id=8656 (9.15.2013) Tour de Pink – Prairie View, TX Distances: 12, 23, 34, 47, 63, 80, 100 miles secure2.convio.net/prp/site/SPageServer?pagename=information (9.29.2013) Chile Pepper Challenge – El Paso, NM Distances: 10, 20, 37, 62, 100 miles www.elpasobicycleclub.com/cpc/index.html (10.5.2013) Pineywoods Purgatory – Lufkin, TX Distances: 25, 52, 72, 102 miles www.pineywoodspurgatory.com
Supported Rides
(Sept-Dec) Century of the Month Ride – Arlington, TX Distances: 12, 23, 42, 61, 81,102 miles www.bicyclesinc.com/articles/cycling-calendar-pg16.htm (10.19.2013) Kiwanis Crazy Kicker Bike Ride – Mineral Wells, TX Distances: 22, 37, 50, 62, 100 miles www.mineralwellskiwanis.com (10.20.2013) Team LIVESTRONG Challenge Austin 2013 – Austin, TX Distances: 20, 45, 65, 90 miles www.livestrong.org
Group Riding
MULTI-DAY RIDES (10.11-14.2013) Texas Forts Tour 2013 – San Angelo, TX Distances: 3 days, 40-100 miles per day www.texasfortstour.com (10.12-13.2013) Bike MS: Valero Alamo Ride to the River – San Antonio, TX Distances: 2 days, 47-158 miles total www.biketxh.nationalmssociety.org (10.12-13.2013) Bike Around the Bay – Galveston, TX Distances: 2 day, 180 miles total www.bikearoundthebay.org
Individual Time Trial Racing 24
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L'Etape du Tour 2013 ~ Annecy, France By Jonathan Garrett Be honest, before this year's Tour, how many of us ever heard of Annecy, France? I consider myself to be a Tour de France fanatic and yet never heard of Annecy before the Tour route was announced last fall. It turns out that even with 100 editions of the Tour, they have only been to Annecy twice, and one of those was in 1959 so we can all be forgiven. Annecy (pronounced like "awn-see") is a town of about 5060,000 people only 30 minutes south of Geneva, Switzerland in the French Alps. The best way I can think to describe it would be to imagine Boulder, CO and add a lake and better food. Every summer or winter sport you could hope for is available in Annecy. At the Geneva airport, we met a guy with his snow skis going skiing that weekend. Yes, the high Alps still had plenty of snow on them. L'Etape du Tour, in its 21st year, followed Stage 20 of this year's Tour de France. Each year they pick one of the hardest stages of the third week of the Tour and hold a giant Gran Fondo a few days before the pros arrive. This year the route was only 79 miles but included 14,600 feet of climbing. Historically, the event was capped at 10,000 riders and was actually difficult to get in if not signed up way in advance, but this year they removed the field limit. By race day, there were over 14,000 riders. So while this is now very similar in size to the HH100, there is one huge difference worth noting. The HH100 has routes of 100 miles, 100k, 50 miles, 25 miles and 10k, so that all abilities of rider can participate. L'Etape on the other hand is one route only and a super hard one at that. In Europe, everyone is fast. Even little old ladies are fast. Rider number 14,286 is a fit individual that totally plans on riding 80 miles in the Alps. They started us in waves of 1000 riders about every five minutes. The first wave would be nice but it appears that only a UCI license or local politics would accomplish that, so I was very happy with where they put me. The first wave had several Pro Tour riders but also the Annecy mayor. From my performance in 2010 I was given the great privilege of starting in the second wave. At a glance, they seemed like local P12 or Masters riders, so I felt at home there. When watching the Tour on television we always hear talk of the "traffic furniture" and see some of the worst crashes caused by it. It is hard to express how scary it is to ride through that on unfamiliar roads with thousands of people. The first couple of miles made me very nervous. It was essentially the only flat part of the ride so also very fast. It felt a lot like the start of a mountain bike race where we were trying to be first to the single track. The first 8 K's were flat and fast with roundabouts and miscellaneous traffic furniture leading to the turn on to the first climb that was a narrow little farm road. I had been in Annecy a few days early to pre-ride some of the climbs but it still shocked me how fast my group was climbing it. With the amount of climbing in the day ahead of us I knew that I personally would need to spin and save my legs but many in the group were flying up it in the big ring. I just had to let them go. For me L'Etape is not so much a race but an experience. Getting to ride the actual course of the Tour completely enhances your enjoyment of it. You really feel how hard these stages are. I felt like I spent most of my day either climbing in my granny gear at 8 MPH or descending the other side at 40+ MPH. This stage did not really have any flat spots. Descending in the Alps is scary too! I never was able to open it up and see how fast I could go because of the constant flow of riders around me. When you are in groups of riders you don't know going around blind turns that you have never seen before you simply cannot go as fast as you would on a familiar road. On the first descent I saw two really bad crashes. One of the guys was air lifted out. Talk about ruining your European vacation! I thought I could have gone faster but once on the final climb, all thoughts of my goal time were out the window and I really just enjoyed the day. I crawled up the final climb while interacting with the 26
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massive crowd. It was easy to get water and encouragement. On one corner we all did the wave together as I cruised by. After seeing every inch of the route it was easy to see where some of the attacks would come when the Tour arrived a week later. I predicted the attack at 1200 meters to go when first Froome and then Quintana surged away to win the stage. It was the logical place to go on that climb. Recommendation #1: If you go to Europe, take your bike. Recommendation #2: L'Etape is a great event and it is easy to find tour groups that will handle all the logistics for you. All you need is a plane ticket and your bike. The hotel they put us in was three blocks from the start line. Recommendation #3: For those reading this article, I would actually suggest Annecy over Paris. Active outdoor people like us have so much more to do in a place like Annecy and yet you are still truly experiencing another culture. Even your significant other will be completely happy as central Annecy still has authentic French shopping. Annecy is nick-named the "Venice of the Alps" and scenic dinner cruises are available on the lake. Paris is great to visit but you will imagine yourself living in Annecy. Ride lots!
Annecy, France ~ the "Venice of the Alps" WWW.THERACINGPOST.US
The race…14,000 people…
Amazing food and wine…
Leadville! By Chris Powers Leadville...as epic a day on the mountain bike as everyone said it would be. After finishing it, I can tell you I'm glad I didn't go early and preride or see the course, as I might not have come back! The race was incredible and the views, when my eyes weren't rolled back in my head, were beautiful. Not being a mountain biker, Leadville appealed to me from a few angles: Jeep trail mostly, good excuse to go to Colorado, perfect vacation destination with Carson, little to no single-track and lots of climbing. However, the altitude was pretty scary. Leadville sits at 10,200’ and the turn-around at Columbine is over 12,500’! So when I finished the Austin Rattler and qualified, I was excited, but as the race got closer I had this feeling of just wanting to get it over and start the vacation with Carson. Maybe it was too much time between the two races or the fact that I had only been on the MTB a few times since doing the Rattler. Carson and I loaded up on Tuesday night and headed to Colorado Springs on Wednesday before the race. We played around there and then headed to Breckinridge to spend the night Thursday with teammate Kyle Parrott and family. Then on up to Leadville on Friday. It was a sorry attempt at acclimating, regardless, I was there and it was time to race. Race day started as normal, but got very interesting once I made it to the starting corral. I lined up next to Robbie Robinette and we started talking air pressure. He reached down and said, “that's not near enough”. I told him it was 28lbs and reached down and squeezed it only to find out it was about 15lbs. 10-12min to start and PANIC set in. I grabbed the bike and headed to find a pump...and there he stood in all his glory...David Wenger. We tried a co2, nothing, valve stem is stuck and leaking!!! He told me to stay there and took off running, only to return in a couple of minutes with a floor pump. YES! I put 40lbs in it and twisted the valve closed as hard as I could. No problem, 2 min to spare! Now I have what seems to be a leaking valve and I burned the only co2 I had in my pack! Long story short, no flats, crashes, or mechanicals all day and the tire had maybe 20lbs in it at the finish, it was completely flat Sunday morning. Wenger saved my race! Thanks David! I want to give a special thank you to my Lifetime Fitness Flower Mound feedzone crew- Carson (Super Kid) hung tight all day and had a blast running around with Daina and Chris and feeding me, Daina Boeschenstein- then most incredible cheerleader and morale booster I've ever met. She keeps all of the Flower Mound Lifetime Fitness crew rolling in the right direction. Donielle Boyle who fed me at Twin Lakes on the outbound leg...great job and a huge thank you for being there. Chris Preston for shuttling them around and getting me my feed bag at Twin Lakes inbound, and the rest of the Lifetime Fitness Flower Mound crew- amazing people, couldn't have done it without your help!!! Thanks again to the Richardson Bike Mart crew- Jim Hoyt, Woody Smith, Gary Woolfolk for handling the fit, Michael Hinton and Barry Bishop for getting the bike race ready. As always, you guys are incredible, thank you!! Also, thanks to all those that shouted support. Descending Coumbine in the rocks at that speed was nuts, but I heard all of you! I couldn't feel my hands after awhile and was really trying to watch the trail, the riders coming the other way and my fingers to make sure they were really pulling on the brakes...a little sketchy! This is truly a race against the clock for those outside the top three podium true contenders. Sometimes in sport we have to set our own goals and they don't always have to be winning the race (that's still hard to swallow, but gets easier the older you get). For me, the goal was sub 9hrs to get the "BIG" buckle. I knew I couldn't compete for a top 10 and frankly, I was nervous about the 9hr mark. The sense of accomplishment has set in and I'm really proud of my effort and the efforts of those that raced. My lower back tightened up on Powerline and I fought it the rest of the day, but with Carson there, quitting was never an option. Everyone out there had their own goal and the positive comments and encouragement back and forth were awesome; it kept you going to the next feedzone. If you're looking for a personal challenge, something to really push you to the edge, try Leadville. You won't be disappointed. So with all that, got my big buckle and a ton of incredible memories. Goodbye Leadville and time to find the 2014 adventure. 28
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Girlfriend Rider ~ Blurred Lines Here I stand in front of the full-length mirror, surveying myself in a cute red sundress. Nope. I can’t wear that. Throw it on the bed. Shorts. Reaching into a drawer of my bureau, I pull on a pair of light blue shorts. Between the bottom of my shorts and my dark brown tan line appears a ghastly white stripe of skin several inches thick. No, I can’t wear those. Exasperated, I scan the clothes in my closet. “What is taking you so long?” demands Racer Boy from the other room. “We were supposed to be there…like now.” I have been a good girl this summer: I have ramped up my riding, logging miles and miles in the heat, enduring sunscreen dripping off my forehead and burning into my eyes, salt caking visibly on my arms. My body has become more toned. I look and feel better. Except for these blurred lines. I hate these blurred lines. These tan lines. “I can’t find anything to wear!” I call back. “Because you lost weight?” “No! Because I look like YOU!” I own two different brands of cycling shorts and one pair of bib shorts. Each is of a slightly different length. For the first time ever, my gloves have created a line on each wrist. For the first time in my life, I am the possessor of a farmer’s tan. And the shorts variety has created a hazy but distinct line on each thigh. Racer Boy walks into my bedroom and spies an array of shorts, skirts, and dresses covering my floor and my bed. He smiles broadly. “I think you look great.” “Thanks. Really. But it’s 100 degrees outside, and I can’t find anything that hides my tan lines. They look stupid. I look stupid.” Surveying me, he says, “You realize that people see those lines as a badge of honor? It shows you’ve been putting in time on the bike. It’s part of the culture.” If you understood that last comment, it's because you're a bike racer. I've noticed since dating Racer Boy that cyclists make fun of each other for not having tan lines. During the winter months, as he put on his knee warmers, he would tell me how his friends make fun of him for being cold natured; they already started getting their tan lines back. And inwardly, I responded, ‘But it looks so weird’. I believe endurance athletes see them as a badge of honor. Instead of displaying hulking shoulders and triceps resulting from hours spent in a gym, cyclists sport distinct lines above the knee and mid-bicep. Which is fine, I guess, if you're hiding them with baggy cargo shorts and oversized t-shirts. But I guess I don’t want people far across the room looking my way and wondering, "Why is that girl wearing tan-
color opera gloves with her strapless dress?" I don't want to look at my legs in a mirror while wearing crisp white shorts and say, "Wow! My legs have such nice stripes." I think about watching Racer Boy at road races and crits, and I recall girls in the parking lot after their race. Sometimes I see them after they’ve changed from a kit to a t-shirt and shorts. I’ve seen the distinct sock line and the white strip of skin between girls’ shorts. But that’s at a bike race, where everyone is sweaty, sticky, and smelly. “A badge of honor? Even the women?” “Yes! It shows how much they’ve been training. And racing. And look at you: you look like you’ve been training.” I’m still not convinced. “But we’re not going out among the cycling cult. We’re going out with my friends, and I want to look cute.” There, I said it. To those folk not associated closely with those who ride 50 to 200 miles per week, tan lines would appear weird. Awkward. Strange. I rack my brain, trying to think of other activities where they might sport tan lines. Other than swimmers and those people who put on a bathing suit and lay out in the sun. Yeah, those girls might show strap lines. Runners? Soccer? Not really. I can’t think of anyone else. I put on the red sundress again and stare critically in the mirror. I still think my legs look somewhat ridiculous, but it does draw attention to the fact that my quads are more distinct than they were a few months ago. That’s pretty cool. And my arms. I haven’t been lifting weights. Why do my arms look more toned? I did get some questions and some comments from our friends that night. And some ooh’s and aah’s when I explained how much I’ve been riding. I don’t know if I see it quite as a badge of honor, but I guess it is a measure of hard work. Either way, Racer Boy exhibited more pride in my ramped up riding that night than I did. I’m not sure how I’ll feel this time next summer. But I guess if he likes this look, I can live with that.
FIRST RACE: DORBA LB HOUSTON MTB RACE By TRP Staff TRP: We thought it would be cool to interview you on the day of your first USAC mtb race. Tell us, how did you get started riding a mountain bike? JO: I bought a used bike to try and see if I liked the sport. Well, it was love at first bike! I was hooked immediately and never looked back. TRP: Why did you start riding a mountain bike? JO: I mainly started riding to get in shape. My wife was into riding before we met and thought it would be something we could do together. I quickly found out how much fun it is blasting down a trail. TRP: How often to do your ride? Do you actually train? Or have a training plan? JO: I try to ride a trail 3 to 4 times a week. My regular rides are North Shore, Horeshoe and Samson Park. My training plan consists of riding as hard and fast as possible each ride. I always keep track of my ride with an iPhone application.
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Jason Odean
I always race against myself and try to beat my best time and average pace for whatever trail I am riding at the time. TRP What kind of bike do you have? Anything particularly cool about it? JO: My trusty steed is a 08 specialized FSR XC comp (AKA The Root Beer Float). The only factory parts left on the bike is the rear shock and stock hydraulic brakes. I replaced the front fork with a Rockshox Reba fork which completely changed the bike's handling; but the biggest change I have made is the wheel set. The guys at Bicycles Inc hooked me up with a sweet set of light tubeless Shimano wheels which are awesome. I am completely “Anti-tubes� since going tubeless. TRP: What made you start thinking about racing? JO: It's kind of a natural progression. I usually ride alone and I always race myself. I am always trying to better my lap times at the trails I ride. So getting into racing was an easy choice. Now there are just a lot more people on the trail with me. TRP How did you prepare for racing in general? JO: I prepped like any good Clydesdale rider would, I started with racing the Fat Boy Crit at the FWMBA Fat Tire Festival this year. All kidding aside, the way I prepped for racing was just to ride as much as possible and identify weaknesses in my riding so that I could improve them. I have also recently learned of the importance of proper nutrition as it does play a large part in your cycling performance.
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TRP What made you pick this race? JO: Well my plan was to start racing earlier in the year, but as it is same for other riders, life happened and I just did not have the chance to race yet. When I saw the flyer for the DORBA XC fall series races, I knew I was ready for them. The DORBA XC race at LB Houston just so happens to be the first race in the five race series. It wouldn’t have mattered to me where the first race took place because I was going to be there. Plu,s the races are sponsored by the local bike shops such as Bicycles Plus, Bicycles INC, and Cadence Cyclery just to name a few. Without these guys as sponsors, these races wouldn't happen, bikes and parts would be harder to get and we wouldn't have the awesome assortment of trails we have here in the DFW area. TRP: What was it like getting ready today? JO: The same as it is for other racers I'm sure. I was nervous and anxious, but the difference was I didn't really know what to expect. Of course I didn't want to eat breakfast, but I was dedicated and wolfed down my carbo-loaded breakfast at 3:00 am to be ready for the 7:00 am start. TRP: What was it like getting to the start line? JO: Complete focus. There were people all around me talking, but I couldn't tell you what they were saying. I had complete tunnel vision and focus on getting a good start. The start was a fifty yard sprint to the trailhead with about thirty guys fighting for positions. TRP: What were the first minutes like? JO: Pure adrenaline. I got a pretty good start off the sprint and all I wanted to do was stay on the back tire of the rider in front of me. Due to the good start it raised my confidence level quite a bit. TRP: What were the hardest moments of the race? JO: The whole race! This trail is completely flat with no climbs or descents. The trails I ride have many climbs and descents so you have a chance to recover. At LB Houston it is just pedal to the medal the entire race. You really have to pace yourself and know your limits. This trail definitely revealed a few weaknesses in my riding. TRP What was the finish like? JO: For me it was pretty uneventful. I came sprinting out of the trail onto the road towards the finish line. I was all by myself. As I was approaching the finish line a junior rider came out of their loop in front of me. So I had to slow it down and just cruise through the finish. TRP What did it feel like after your finish? What did you do immediately after the finish? JO: I felt a little sore after the race as well as tired and hungry. I just rolled around for a few minutes cooling off my muscles. Then I watched the rest of the Cat 3 racers come through the finish. TRP Have you any words of wisdom for others who have not (yet) started to race? JO: Just to get out there and race. Racing will reveal to them the weaknesses and strengths in
their riding. It also is an environment where they can meet new people who enjoy the same sport as they do - which is what is needed for the sport to thrive. TRP What will you do differently next time? JO: I will come up with a better training routine. Riding the day before at a full out pace probably isn't the best way to train before a race. Also getting off of work just a few hours before the race doesn't help either. TRP Any “Shout-outs”. JO: Why yes I do. I would like to thank my beautiful wife Andrea for supporting me as well as my family (even though they are roadies). I wouldn't be able to compete and participate in this sport without their support and dedication. I would also like to say thanks to everyone at Bicycles INC for setting me up with the products I need to keep my bike rolling smooth.
"Think" Like a Winner!
Presented by
Patrick Dougherty Think Finance Racing Sponsors: Think Finance, Bicycles, Inc., Trek, Bontrager, TDi Technologies, D&W Painting With the Texas State Road championships looming, so many of us need to re-set our goals due to the horrific August heat, long season and other summertime distractions. So having good morale is the glue that holds your season together and could be the single most important aspect of accomplishing your end of the season goals. Let's take a look at what can impact morale and what we can do to improve our morale when it drops.
attempt longer, harder races without knowing how to properly train for the new intensity level. They are just not physically and mentally ready to compete in a higher category. • Team issues. You're not having fun on your team. Someone or something is bringing the morale down on the team. There is a lot of negativity out there, a lot of excuses that can infect a team and not allow them to perform up to their abilities.
Here's Webster's definition: The mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, confidence, or loyalty) of an individual or group with regard to the function or tasks at hand b: a sense of common purpose with respect to a group. That seems right on target and will give us a base from which to further understand this topic. We are all aware that in sport, and especially cycling, morale can be very fickle and easily altered in any given race by a variety of circumstances (i.e.: win, lose, crash). We all know the feeling that when morale is high, we feel like we can take on the world. When morale is low, we think we need to train harder, we have little confidence in our abilities, and we enter races with common excuses like “I am here just to finish” or “I’m here for the training." These thoughts happen at every level of the sport, from beginning racers to top-level professionals. Some handle it better than others. Others live a roller coaster of emotions. Let's look at some of the common ways in which morale can be challenged in cycling: • Inadequate preparation due to being out of shape or detrained. You are capable of racing in your category; you are just not fit enough at that particular moment. • Sickness/injury. It seems there were a real nasty set of viruses going around this year that took weeks out of people's training time. Entering races without adequate training after being sick or just trying to race while not being 100% can begin the process of digging yourself into a training hole. • Setting too high a target. Perhaps you qualified, but are just not ready to be in that next category. You might notice yourself being non-competitive every week and that is no way to race your bike! A common situation is that many riders get their upgrade points in criteriums or easier road races, and then they
So how can you increase your morale and begin to improve? Practice patience. Don't rush back from sickness; don't jump up in category just because you can. Make sure you are ready to take on all aspects of the next level because cycling is a particularly difficult sport. If you have an injury, be honest with yourself about when to take up competition again. Remember, there are plenty or races to compete in. Take the long view. Instead of trying to cure the problem all in one race, try taking smaller steps. For example, since cycling is a team sport, set a goal to help your teammate succeed. Come away from the race with a feeling that you made a difference for your team. It may not feel like a lot, but it is a viable starting point. Maintain your emotional perspective. It's always a good thing not to get overly excited when things are going well or to fall off an emotional cliff when you are not achieving your goals. Remind yourself that whatever is happening now, good or bad, will not last. This mental approach is most important during the low points of your season. Know that things will improve and will not remain down too long so long as you can maintain some balance in your reactions. Expect that you will have lower morale at times. If you expect it, you can handle it better. I learned that there was much more to bike racing than the physical side, and my experience was a pretty normal response to the stresses of racing. Like so many things in life, maintaining positive morale is an ongoing quest involving knowing yourself and knowing that your struggles are not just unique to you ... everyone has them. While we may all share the process of struggling, everyone has a different set of strengths and weaknesses, and we all progress at our own pace. Thanks for reading, Patrick Dougherty
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PERFORMANCE DRIVEN cinelli-usa.com Handmade in Italy
What’s New At The Shop Red 22, Red 22, 303D, HRR, set, hut, HUT! By Adam Spears With the NFL teams getting ready to break camp, the title of this article may sound more like a quarterback barking out calls on a football field than anything cycling related, but this is actually some of the nomenclature for the latest products that SRAM/Zipp has to offer. The Red 22 refers to the new 11 speed SRAM Red and Force groupos that are now available. The 303D would be in reference to the new Zipp 303 Firecrest available with a disc option. Lastly the HRR would be in regard to Hydraulic Road Rim brakes that are now on the market. Let’s take a closer look at all three. Red/Force 22 With Campy and Shimano both having 11 speed drivetrains established, it was time for SRAM to follow suit. SRAM has taken last year’s new Red groupo and added that 11th cog. A recap on the 2012 Red groupo was the addition of the Yaw front derailleur that operates without the need for trimming. This Red groupo saw great improvements in performance from the quality of the shifting to the reduction of noise. The Red groupo also is extremely ergonomic with proper hood position fitting seamlessly with the palm of your hand. Also, improvements in both weight and aerodynamics made this on of the most sought after groupos on new bike purchases for 2013. For those that share a passion for performance but like to be a bit more rational with the pocketbook, the Force 22 groupo is a perfect choice. All of the features seen with the
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Red 22 groupo have been engineered into the completely redesigned Force groupo. Yielding 22 usable gears the Force groupo will provide optimal performance at a lower price point. The major difference between the two groupos is weight. Another great thing about the new 22 road series is the interchangeability of the components. For all of the do-ityourselfers out there or for those who like to build a bike up part by part, you could do a mix of Red and Force components to get both some of the weight savings on key components and then save a few dollars on other components. Zipp 303 Firecrest Disc Zipp has added a disc brake wheelset to the lineup with the introduction of the 303 Firecrest Disc. What the heck would somebody need a 303 with a disc rotor for? Well, with recent introduction of disc brakes on select road bikes and the disc brake becoming more and more common on cyclocross bikes, the market calls for a high performance wheelset to fit those needs. All of the features one has come to
love about the 303’s have been included into this wheelset in addition to some upgrades for disc brake usage. Zipp uses the newly designed 11-speed compatible hub with larger Swiss stainless steel bearings in the rear hub shell to provide increased durability. The virtual 3-cross spoke-lacing pattern is optimized for reliability as well as exceptional stiffness, resulting in efficient power transfer and quick acceleration. This 303 Firecrest will be available in both a clincher and a tubular set up. I have yet to take these for a spin, but having had the opportunity to see these wheels up close and inspect them, I am salivating at the opportunity. HRR & HRD – Hydraulic Road Rim & Hydraulic Road Disc This is the newest technology to come to the shop. We actually don’t even have a 2014 bike in stock yet with this technology, but when the demo bikes came by recently, an opportunity to take a bike with hydraulic rim brakes was given. The largest gains seen with the addition of the hydraulic rim brakes are a completely sealed system that will require less hand effort to apply the same amount of braking seen in a cable actuated set up. This fully sealed system will also reduce cable drag on frames that require tight routing of cables. With a rim brake, the traditional areas of concern are still given with the braking surface itself and the friction created by pads. That is why SRAM has also created a hydraulic road disc brake as well. Much like the world renowned stopping power of the Avid systems, Red disc brakes will create more braking power and control. Both systems are available in the SRAM Red line up. They will feature a larger (taller) hood on the brake/shift level to accommodate the brake fluid reservoir. This is always an exciting time of year at the shop, and no, I am not just talking about the start of football season. New products are being launched from all brands, even as I write this article. For the latest and greatest be sure to get to your local bike shop to see some new 2014 products like the Red 22 or some Zipp 303 Firecrest Discs. And as always, see you on the road. WWW.THERACINGPOST.US
Upgrade for Performance By TRP Staff I don’t know how often ”newish” riders come up and ask, “What can I do to make me go faster?” or some such variation on that theme. Heck, I once asked that question myself. No matter who you are, a rider desiring better performance is constantly plagued with the question of what is the most cost-effective way one can improve? Nowadays I give them a stock answer: increase your cardio fitness level, improve your strength to weight ratio and ride more, lots more, faster. They frown because those answers are both obvious and usually hard to accomplish over a short time. I smile because I know what they mean. They mean what can I buy that will give me an advantage over what I have now. This is especially true of “newish” riders. They’ve saved up and cleared the objections from whoever may voice them about buying a “good” bike. Zipp 30 Wheelset They’ve ridden it a couple of thousand miles and between sprints for city limit signs or the last 15 miles at the rallies, they now want more performance. (Get used to this cycle, it never stops, but the increases become less significant the father up the equipment scale you go.) So now they’ve exploited their V1 bicycle as far as it will go – they’re ready for V1.1. There are hundreds of upgrades available – from pedals, to shoes, to helmets and even better tires. But the biggest bang for the buck is in wheels. They are the soul of your machine and improvements there will give you the biggest bang for the buck. Besides, you need a second set of wheels. Everybody does! If your bike cost you $3,500 or less – my suggestion for this upgrade – spending less than $900 - is a set of the new Zipp 30s to replace the stock wheels. Their design and construction will allow you to go faster. The advantage comes from the high quality aluminum for strength to weight, their enhanced aerodynamic design, great spokes, superior stiffness, their stainless steel coated bearings for long-lasting smooth spin and the experience of Zipp/SRAM to make something that will last for a long time without maintenance. They are designed so that you don’t have to mess with them – ever. The first thing I did to test these wheels is go for a couple of rides on a pair of “a little better than stock” wheels from an old bike. I took out my trusty Bontrager Race-lite wheels and did about 100 miles on them
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over 3 rides. This was to set the standard for ride-feel down from my Zipp 202s that were my usual wheel of choice. This was not fun. On the third ride, my knees and body had been reset to the “Good Bike” stock level. Still, I remembered why I had kept these wheels – actually they were and are really nice wheels. Then, I mounted the Zipp 30s. Unlike the Zipp Firecrest wheels, I didn’t have to readjust my brake cables to allow wider rims. Though wider than previous set, the Zipp 30s are not so wide that you have to do anything other than a spin or two on the brake barrel, if that. I set off to my normal 25 – 30 mile ride that has hills, curves and some great sprints. The first thing I noticed was that immediate sense of more power, more speed and almost a “gear” worth of difference. That is what I call an upgrade! But the next thing that became apparent was that they were quiet and smooth. Maybe I should add “solid” to the description. Riding was a sense of stable security that was immediately noticeable compared to previous wheels. After 200 miles, this had not changed. What had changed was a sense of increasing performance that I got with the set I tested. I have no way of explaining this, but I had a progressive sense of the wheels becoming smoother and faster during the first 100 miles. Maybe it was the transition from the other wheels or maybe there is some level of breaking in – I don’t know - but they seemed to roll better at mile 100 than the first ride. Not being a light rider, climbing out of the saddle or stomping sprints tend to elicit groans or hesitation from wheels – the Zipp 30s maintained their silent, strong stance. Along this route there is a bridge seam I usually bunny hop. On the third trip past this barrier I didn’t. Checking the Zipp 30 alignment and true after that ride, I found no wobble. After that, I dubbed them “officially bulletproof.” Getting back to the point. An upgrade to Zipp 30s will bring you noticeable performance gains because wheels matter. Less weight, more stiffness and better aerodynamics will give you more distance and speed for energy expended. The wheelset is the easiest, most effective way of affecting these changes on the bike and the Zipp 30 seems to be the best, cost-effective way to do that over “good bike” stock wheels. Let the old wheels be for the rain or maybe the gravel-grinder you want to do. Let the Zipps be the wheel for beating your buddies. VOL.13, NO. 9 THE RACING POST
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Junior Spotlight: Lucy Brown Presented by: By TRP Staff TRP: Tell us a bit about yourself. LB: I am Lucy Brown, 17 years old and a senior at Memorial High School. I live in Houston, Texas with my parents, Emmy and David Brown. Bennett, my oldest brother is a musician in Austin, TX. Gatewood, another older brother, is a senior at Texas Tech University.
Norba National race.[ED – Ooh Ahhh ] TRP: Have you tried other twowheeled sports? LB: Not really. I do ride a Yamaha TT 110 and a 125 around my farm in Kentucky. TRP: Do you participate in other sports? LB: I am a member of the Memorial High School Markettes, which is our drill team. We dance at pep rallies, football halftime shows, basketball games, competition and a spring dance recital. As you can tell it is a year round commitment and we have practice every day for at least 2 hours. In addition, I ride and jump my horse Lizzie every summer in Kentucky.
TRP: Lucy, when did you start riding? Can you tell the story? LB: My oldest brother, Bennett Brown, went to Camp Mondamin in the western North Carolina mountains one summer where he started mountain biking. When he got back, he wanted a nice mountain bike, so he bought a Schwinn at the old REI. There was a Huntsville race flyer at the checkout so my Dad took him to the race. That’s how my mom and dad found the TMBRA series and my family’s biking journey began. Since I was only five years old at the time, I raced in the Kids Kup Series. TRP: When did you start racing? Why? LB: After a year of Kids Kup mountain bike races, pre-riding the 10 & U course and watching my brothers race, I decided it was time for the real races at age 6. TRP: What kind of bike do you ride? Any interesting equipment on it?
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TRP: Where do you go to school? LB: Memorial High School in west Houston.
LB: Currently I use my brother Bennett’s hand me down 2007 Trek 9.8 26”carbon hard tail and Time pedals. My first mountain bike came from Toys R Us and the shocks were springs. Next I raced Tristan Uhl’s orange Schwin with 20” wheels. My last bike was a Gary Fisher signed by Gary Fisher himself when he was in Waco for the
TRP: What grade are you in and what’s your favorite subject? LB: I am a junior and I enjoy yearbook the most. TRP: What do you think of school? LB: I enjoy learning different subjects and challenging myself to do better. TRP: What do you see as your future … what would you like to do after graduat-
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ing from school? LB: After graduating from college, I most likely see myself being an elementary school teacher. TRP: Do you have a job and, if so, where do you work? LB: Babysitting TRP: How many days a week do you ride and how many hours do you put in? LB: Due to my hectic schedule, my main training consists of racing and I benefit from dance workouts every day. I ride a stationary bike when time allows or I run outside. TRP: Do you have a formal coach? LB: No TRP: As a Junior Racer, what do you think could be done to increase the sport’s popularity among young people? LB: Mountain bike racing is very important to my family and me. It has given us many meaningful experiences. Of all the initiatives to increase the sports popularity among young people, I think the recent increase in participation among valuable programs such as NICA and the Texas High School Mountain Bike Racing League are great. They provide an overall extremely positive experience with a complete focus on the high school racer. Those groups focus on team building and not just competitor building. They emphasize the whole experience and not just the race results. TRP :Tell us about your first Race? LB: I don’t remember my first race but one of my most memorable races was my first NORBA National Mountain Bike Race in Waco at age 10. When pre-riding the course on Saturday, I crashed, and was rushed to the emergency room since I couldn’t stop crying and my parents and the wilderness 1st responder all thought I had broken my arm. I ended up racing and winning my race the next day even though I had a very sore arm. TRP: Tell us about your worst Race? LB: From 10 years of racing I have a few I could choose from… maybe the race at Bar-H in St. Joe when someone told me during the three minute countdown to my start that my back tire was flat. (I did end up winning that race by the way). Or the race when I had to walk pretty much the whole way because the trail was drowned with mud at X-Bar in Sonora. But the most recent worst race was last Labor Day at Camp Eagle near Rock Springs when the temperature was a scorching 109 degrees. Thinking I had enough water I foolishly didn’t take any at the feed zone. After the next long hill I reached down for water and I realized I only had one sip left. I could only think about the water the rest of the race and I didn’t think I was going to be able to finish. I suffered from severe dehydration for the whole next week causing me to miss school as well.
TRP: Tell us about your favorite Race? LB: I’ve had a lot of fun races but the NICA league 2012 championship race at Warda last spring was by far my favorite. It was my first high school race and I didn’t know what to expect. I raced as an independent since my school didn’t (still doesn’t) have a team but everyone made me feel welcome. I rode smart, aggressive and harder than usual because I was determined to win. The cheering crowd throughout the whole race (and after the race) encouraged me to keep going faster. As soon as I left after awards, I began to think about the next high school race... that was a little bit less than a year away. TRP: If you’re not on your bike, what are you doing? LB: Markette’s drill team practice, church youth activities, Young Life, school, hanging out with friends and spending time with my horse on our farm in Kentucky in the summer and holidays. TRP: If I could go anywhere and do anything it would be …. LB: I would go sailing in the Mediterranean. TRP: Favorite food? LB: Hamburger TRP: Training food? LB: Spaghetti, Gatorade, Cliff Bars and bagels and cream cheese. TRP: Other than that? LB: Chick-fil-a, Pizza, steak, ice cream, Starbucks. TRP: Okay. What are the top five on your playlist? LB: Clarity, And We Danced, Wagon Wheel, I Love It, Can’t Hold Us. TRP: What do you use as a ring-tone? LB: iPhone strum tone. TRP: Campy, SRAM or Shimano? LB: Shimano. TRP: Favorite pro bike racer? LB: My favorite pro biker is Lance Armstrong. It is an incredible accomplishment to win the Tour de France 7 times in a row regardless of what is going on now. He has used his fame and money for charity and made a huge impact on cancer research, fundraising and inspiring cancer patients. He and I raced at Rocky Hill Ranch on the same day once and after the race he signed my jersey and more importantly he signed the race venue t-shirt for my good family friend Judy who was battling cancer. He was a cycling inspiration throughout my childhood. I remember constantly telling my family and friends that I was going to race in the Tour De France and win it 8 times in a row. (That’s not going to happen!) I have even raced at his ranch several times. TRP: Anybody you’d like to thank or mention? LB: I thank God for my athletic abilities, keeping me from harm and the opportunity to race all over Texas. Also my mom and dad for all their support, Team Bicycle Sport Shop and TMBRA board members for maintaining a great series. I especially want to thank Jackie and Bill Payne, the amazingly dedicated leaders of the Bicycle Heaven Team and the Kids Kup, who gave me enormous emotional, bike and nutritional support before and after every mountain bike race. When I was younger I so looked forward to heading to the team tent after finishing my races for a nice cold Sobe and chairs to collapse into. Their tent was like a family room with a TV, cooling fans for when it was hot and heaters when it was cold and someone welcoming you home.
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Gold! ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships, Den Haag, Netherlands, July 13, 2013 By Kathy Hudson With a noon start time, I had a more relaxed morning than typical on race day. So relaxed, in fact, I cut it a little too close for the start. We were staying in the host hotel right on the beach, so I stayed in the hotel room until 20 minutes to start. In my estimation, this would allow me plenty of time to put on my full-length wetsuit at the last minute while keeping my body temperature down and out of the hot sun. However, I forgot about the 1,000-meter walk to the starting line down the beach. Time had grown short. I went in the racer’s lounge and tried to put on my wetsuit in a hurry. Then I was off, jogging down the beach for the start. The run was my warm-up, because by the time I arrived, all the women and the older men age groupers were already lined up for the start. I took a last swig of water, and immediately got offers of up to $20 euros per drink from my bottle. Scott handed me my wristwatch that I had removed to put on my wetsuit. The horn blew and we were off, running for the surf. I hoped it would be rough (to make it harder on everyone), but it was actually one of the calmest days of the entire week, so it seemed like we all got to the first turn buoy together. If you entered the ocean on the far left of the start line, it looked shorter from the beach, but the current took those swimmers down current and left of the buoy that we swam around the right side of. Those that had missed, began to claw and grope at the rest of us, and I was pulled under water several times. I just relaxed, did a few breaststrokes, waited for traffic to clear, and began swimming again. As I rounded the last buoy of the swim, there were two girls to my left. The safety kayakers were trying to force them toward me, so I just swam straight to shore, instead of trying to follow their line. The kayakers continued to push all of us squarely on a path to shore that exited the water through a pile of dangerous rocks. I know this was not their intention, and just assumed the current had taken over again. I never got caught up in the rocks, but some did. Running to transition, I began to strip off my wetsuit and think about the sand on my feet. So many things ran through my head in transition. I had everything laid out in a pattern I thought was quickest to get my gear on. We had been told that a small container of water would be a great way to remove the sand from our feet before putting on the bike shoes. I forgot to bring one, so Scott made me one out of a cardboard box lid and plastic bag liner. I put both feet in the water at once. I placed my helmet on my head, my gloves on my hands, then my thoughts turned to my feet. They were still 38
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in the makeshift bucket of water. I decided to sit on my towel being careful not to spill the water or to let any of my gear stray from my 20” wide zone around my bike (I didn’t want a penalty). As I was sitting, I noticed I still had both feet in the box lid. What was I waiting on? A pedicure? I pulled out one foot, put on my sock, then my shoe, and then finally, my other sock and shoe. 2 minutes and 26 seconds later, I was out of transition. Wow, really? I should have baked a cake as well. I ran across the sand in my stiff bike shoes until I felt the familiar surface of hard pavement beneath them. I mounted my bike, rode up the ramp to the boardwalk where the folks were cheering and faced a set of stairs leading back down to the sandy beach. Easy enough, as this set of stairs was about 3 flights
and had a built in ramp. Still, as is often the case in cross triathlon, there were faster swimmers in front of me that were slower, less skilled riders. I told myself to be patient on the stairs, and rather than blasting around them, I waited until we were safely on the beach to pass them. I spent the first 3 laps of this bike leg passing quite a few women and men. Many people cheered and chanted, “Go Hudson, go USA”. It took me a couple of laps to figure out how they knew my name… it was written on my team uniform. Even the people from the
Netherlands cheered for Team USA. During the bike, we had 4 laps of approximately 6-kilometers per lap to ride, crossing the deep sandy beach 5 times per lap (about 100 meters each time). With each crossing, we had to dismount, run while pushing the bike, and then remount and continue on. At one point, I had so much sand in my shoes I had to stop and dump them out. I had mastered the deep sand beach crossing by the third lap, and made it all the way across the sand to within 5 meters of the other side of the beach before coming off my bike and having to run. I was most excited about this (it was the small things that were beginning to make me happy). However, by the end of this lap, pushing the big gear through the deep sand had taken its toll on my muscles. My inner quads began to cramp. I made the incorrect assumption that there would be water zones along the course. Race directors decided to only have water for the run, so I rationed the one water bottle I did have for the 4-lap, 1.5-hour bike ride. Also, by the 4th lap, another wave of racers had started their race. After their swim, they merged into our bike course. This new crowd made for plenty of crashes in the deep sand, especially from some of the men who hadn’t ridden a lap yet in those conditions. As they crashed in front of me, it became exciting just avoiding them, and with each time I had to brake and swing my leg off the bike to avoid one, my quads would cramp further. To make matters worse, I forgot drafting was legal in this race. Packs of riders would sail by me on the beach, tucked in behind each other conserving energy, while I was off in my own world, slugging it out with the sand and the sand castles, dodging kids and other random beach goers, one kilometer at a time. The bike portion of the race was now over. I ran through the transition area and grabbed a fresh water bottle I had stored near my running shoes. Each step in the sand left me wanting to cry, because my quads and now calves were screaming with cramps. Internally, I was questioning if I could complete the race, and if I would actually have to crawl to the finish, like the girl did many years ago in the Ironman triathlon. I didn’t want to be dramatic, but I wanted to get on the podium. I yelled at Scott to ask how I was doing on the run, and he told me “good” because no women in front of me had “50+” marked on their calves, but you couldn’t be sure. Some of them were not properly marked and some had tall socks on so you had no idea how old they were, other than
guessing. This aggravated me that I couldn’t get exact updates, but Scott reminded me to “Just Run”! I was, after all, in the World Championships. As I rounded the last corner and ran onto the blue carpets leading up to the finish, I heard them say “Hudson, and it’s a Gold Medal”. I was so happy to hear those words as they held up the World Champion tape for me to run through. My friend, Melanie Etherton, was sitting in the finish area recovering when I arrived. She had finished well in front of me, but even though placing 5th overall woman, her age group was so competitive that she just missed the podium by one spot. I suddenly felt undeserving of my own medal, because she had placed in front of me and here I sat with a Gold. I told Mel and a fellow Team USA member sitting there that I just got lucky. The guy from Team USA looked at me, and said, “Good luck happens to those that are the most prepared.” From 14 years of age, I have competed at all levels of racing in various sports, from beginner to pro/elite at both national & world cup races. Along the way, I had a family, kids, college, a career, and now a grandbaby. I am racing in the 50-54 age group. To an outsider, it may seem like my age group is easy, when in reality, there is a reason there are fewer of us in each progressively older age group. I sat at the awards ceremony and noted that after the age group of 55-59, there were no more women on the podium. There were men through the 70s in this sport, but no women on this particular weekend. Aside from the fact that most of us have lives, jobs, kids, and grandkids, it also becomes harder to remain healthy, injury free and consistent to be able to continue to perform at this level as we get older. Beyond that, mountain biking is a relatively young sport that I started doing in the early 90s, and most women much older than me just weren’t exposed to it. Often, those that are exposed later in life are too afraid to pay the price of repetitive crashing or broken bones to learn the technical skills needed to perform well in the sport. To get on the podium, it takes a lot of drive, a lot of determination, and a lot of support, not just from the racer, but also from our family and friends who put up with us and take care of us. It took my husband always making sure my bike was in the best shape for training and racing, packing it and unpacking it countless times at races, and always having the right tool or the right attitude or words to fix anything that might happen. It took our local bike shops always being there to provide the parts we needed at the last minute. It often took sponsors helping out with equipment, logistics and financial support, but sometimes simply an understanding boss giving me the time off to race, and a lot of personal savings. It took friends to understand when I needed to ride hard on a given day, or when I needed an easy day and fun time training. It took kids who understood my need to train even on holidays, or explaining to their friends about their crazy mom who raced. It took mastering international airports, international food, international culture and jetlag. An on a lessor note, it took sharing a variety of wines with family and friends, teetering on a fine line of just the right amount to still enjoy life, but not so much as to affect racing, training and nutrition. I am very proud of my finish. I have spent three years focused on cross-triathlon races, since its inception by the International Triathlon Union (ITU) into the World Championships in 2011 in Spain. I won the gold medal there (in Spain), a silver medal in 2012 in Alabama, and another Gold here in the Netherlands. I thought of another friend poking fun of me when I stated that I wanted 3 medals from this sport in 3 years for a nice framed collection box for our living room. He said, “Yeah, I think I’ll put that on my bucket list too.” I realized it was a lofty goal after hearing his response, and am proud to have accomplished it.
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make a bridge but the girl behind me did and I didn’t see her again. As I crossed the finish line and she told me I got second I was reminded how thankful I was my mom was there and of all the support she gave me. Without it I wouldn’t have been able to finish. My awards were that evening and standing on the podium I thought: I did it. I made the podium at nationals and I’m definitely coming back.
Mountain Bike Nationals: Mother Daughter Adventure Part I by Fiona Dougherty The night before the race, my stomach churned as I lay thinking about all the hard work it took to get there. All of my road training, making sure to get to the qualifying races, it all had led to this: USAC Mountain Bike Nationals. After I qualified, we started to think about arrangements for going out to Pennsylvania: plane tickets, hotel reservations, car rental, who was going with me etc. It ended up that my mom went with me, so we packed up our bikes, bike gear, clothes, and other travel items and flew out four days before the race, thanks to my Pop-pop’s sponsorship. Our first flight was pretty good except that we made an unscheduled plane change so my mom was biting her nails over whether the bikes would make it or not. Thankfully, the bikes made it, and we got them at baggage pick up before proceeding to the car rental. We made quite a scene on the way because we each had a giant duffle bag and our enormous bike boxes. We flew into Philadelphia and had a little time, so we went and got a Philly cheese steak. I liked it, but my mom wasn’t so sure. The race was at Bear Creek ski resort near Allentown. It was so beautiful and had fairly new rustic buildings. That first day, after flying in and having cheese steak, we drove up to Allentown, checked into our hotel, and got the bikes put together. The next late morning/early afternoon we did our first pre ride. It was probably the toughest course I have ever raced! It was nonstop rocks climbing up and going down; so tough that descending wasn’t much faster then the climbing. The views at the top of the mountain were amazing though as were some wild raspberries I found by the trail. The next day we pre rode again at a faster rate. The rest of that day went by uneventfully until the evening. We heard that there was a velodrome in town and it happened that there was a race that evening so we went. It was so cool! It was the first velodrome race I had seen. The day before the race we rode at Trexler Nature Preserve, which was the opposite of Bear Creek: smooth and with good flow. That evening we went to packet pick up and the race meting. Race morning we got up fairly early got all of our stuff packed, headed out to the resort, and got set up. I warmed up for thirty minutes then lined up. I didn’t quite get the placement on the line I wanted nor the start I wanted. When the whistle blew my foot slipped on my pedal and I lost a few seconds. I settled into 3rd place after the sprint. I made it up the first part pretty well, passing the second place girl on the second descent. I did well the first lap and passed the first place girl on a technical section and held her off for the rest of the lap. This brought me in the first lap as leader, about two minutes up. However, I didn’t fuel correctly the first lap and lost it part way into the second lap and even doubted whether I could finish. I literally got off my bike and considered quitting (at this point, the two girls who I passed the previous lap passed me). Then all the people who had wished me luck and my family who had done so much to get me here crossed my mind. So I took a deep breath, poured some water on myself and continued. I felt better after I crested the top of the mountain and caught the second place girl then the first place girl again. Unfortunately, I had gotten sloppy and didn’t 40
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MSU Racing ~ Madeleine Steele By Richard Carter Five foot, ten inch Madeleine Steele, from Adelaide, Australia, is the newest member of the Midwestern State University cycling team. An architecture major, Maddy will study art at MSU. She’s a Cat 1 track rider, but has yet to ride a road race. She’ll race as a Cat 4 in the Hotter’N Hell Saturday road race and the Sunday crit races. “I started cycling last November,” she said with a laugh. “For Christmas in 2011, my brother game me a road bike which had been in an accident and had been given to him. He had put on new forks and a front wheel. I was using it to ride to work.” Her friends asked her to go on a ride and then a couple of girls asked her to go the track. “I’m lucky enough to live in a town where the headquarters of the Australian Institute of Sport is, and there’s a big track. I went there and coach John Murray, with 40 years of experience in cycling and women on the track, saw me riding around some chairs and said I had amazing bike handling skills.” Steele explains her bike handing skills from a game she used to play on her mountain bike. “I have a narrow driveway and my parents’ cars were always there. I road a mountain bike to school, and I would always try to ride the whole way down the driveway without putting my foot down. And, it was always so hard,” she laughed, “because you couldn’t scratch the car and there was a wall on the other side, so it had to be a perfectly straight line.” Murray told Steele after her first track session that she had natural ability and the right body shape. “The week after, he put me up against some girls in a scratch race and I beat them all on my borrowed bike. He couldn’t believe it. “We did another race but I didn’t know the tactics. The pack split and I got stuck at the back of the second pack. With two laps to go, I had to do something and I won again. I dunno. “It was like, ‘Who is this girl?’” she laughed. Over the next few months, as she acclimated herself to the track and increased her conditioning, “my time reductions came down so fast. Obviously, it’s slowing down now. I don’t know where it will be in six months. It’s exciting.” She said it’s amazing having just arrived in Texas, when at this time last year she had never ridden a track bike. “I’d never thought of doing cycling as a sport, and now I am part of a team and there are events where we will be working together.”
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Steele would love to become a professional racer. “If it comes down to it, architecture can wait. I love racing like I loved athletics as child. In high school, I let that drop off and focused more on academics.” Asked whether she had the instinct to win, she replied that her previous sport was netball, which is kind of a cross between basketball and lacrosse. “On the netball court, I was a defender and so a few elbows here and there don’t worry me at all,” she laughed. “The second time I was on the track, my coach said I wanted to win so badly racing from the back. He saw that determination in me.” Less than a year into her cycling career, Steele has already competed in an international track series, where cyclists were competing to earn points for the world cup. “My coach said why don’t you enter, not thinking about it. And, all of a sudden there was this extremely new girl against the world champion Anna Mears,” she laughed. “I got dripped in every kieren, but every time I was a little closer. On the last day I was only a couple of meters behind the end of the pack.” Steele will be an excellent addition to the MSU cycling team and will attend Track Nationals on September 19. As a team, the finished second nationally in 2012. As good as she is on the track, the road is still an unknown for Maddie. “The road will be a work in progress,” she said. “My coach said before I left ‘Who knows, you might come back a road cyclist?’ That’s probably the right attitude to have. Just because I tried track first doesn’t mean that I couldn’t be at road too or at least enjoy it.” She is not sure yet what studio art classes she will take at MSU. “For an architecture student, pen and ink is important but I also love model making, so sculpture would really be fun. I have never studied art so we shall see how my architecture will transfer to art.” Steele had been in America for one day, when we sat down to chat. “I landed straight in Dallas from Australia, a 15-hour flight. “The first time I was in shock from it all was standing in line at Fuzzy’s and everyone was talking. I said ‘My goodness.’ It was loud and all of these accents and I was trying to listen in to conversations. “I know I am the one with the accent, here.”
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