Snowball Crit #1 February 20, 2011

The racing season is underway.  In Virginia the season has started with the Snowball training series for the past 14 years.  Although this is a training race, riders don't treat it like that.  Nerves are high and anticipation is great.  Sometimes it could set the tone for the season.  It is a great place to gain some confidence for the year, but it is also a place you could lose all you worked for.  A high place or an aggressive showing with validate your winter training.  A fall or crash could easily get in your head and cause unnecessary nerves for the remainder of the season.

The Virginia Beach Wheelmen had something to prove:
The Virginia Beach Wheelmen (VBW) really came together as a team this winter.  We have also considered ourselves a team and not a club, but we are still amateurs with life that tends to get in the way.  In the past we have had a few racers stay focus all year while others allow silly things like new babies, new homes, weddings, new jobs and opening new businesses to get in the way of cycling (I know crazy isn't it?)  This year it looked like it was all coming together.

• Mike Tamayo decided cold or not, there was nothing to keep him off the bike this season.  He religiously followed a winter training program I provided to him.  
• John Gray got very motivated early.  He took the CX season to take time off the bike.  I coached him with weekly plans, strength and cross training.  I have never seen him ride so well.  
• Tim Shockley opened up his Shockley Sweet Shoppe store at the beginning of the year.  This actually allowed him to quit his landscaping job and concentrate solely on his business.  This change in duel concentration has allowed him to get in a good solid month of training and the promise of more miles to come.  Tim was quickly riding himself back into top form.
• Zach Kyler has done his best to follow the training plan provided for him by me.  He, however has battled the flu throughout the winter, especially last month.  This illness has kept him from being consistent.  He is a strong and motivated racer and it will not take him long to regain his form.
• Jon Nisbet, currently our only Cat 2 racer, has been busy with work and a new baby.  Anyone who saw him during CX season knows that it doesn't take much for him to regain form.  Jon is a natural talent and will get hungry for racing again.
• Then there is me.  As the coach of the team I am just as concerned with everyone's form as I am with my own.  I am exactly where I wanted to be.  I put in a lot of time and feel I need to just work on race speed and I will be right there.  That is what the early races are all about.

That is the VBW racing team.  We worked hard this winter and feel like we deserve success.

CAT 3/4 Race
All of us with the exception of Jon Nisbet lined up for the 3/4 race.  We had our new, bright green helmets which received a lot of attention.  We were ready.  The plan:  Have at least two riders at all times at the front.  Make sure nothing escaped without us.  We would rotate the riders through taking turns to cover.  More importantly though, test out our legs by making some attacks of our own.  Use this as a training race and see what we could do.  If at the end it was a group sprint, we would form a leadout and try to get at least 2 racers in the top 5.

Photo courtesy of Team Traveller

Everything went as planned except that Zach ended up getting dropped.  That was okay, he didn't quit and continued to use the race as another step to getting his fitness back.  The team was all very pleased to see him stay in.  Mike and John did the majority of the work with attacks and chases.  At all times you could see the aggressiveness of the bright green Rudy Project helmets.  Tim and I both did a fair amount of work covering attacks, making attacks and just creating an aggressive presence in the pack.  With just a few laps to go we started to get into position to create a leadout.  Coming up to the bell lap, Mike, John and myself were right near each other with Tim just behind us.  Then the crash happened.  It separated the field.  Mike barely managed to stay up and it really took him out.  John wasn't prepared at this time for a big sprint because he had just launched an attack.  Tim was a little too far back and got separated.  I kicked it, yelled to John to get on my wheel.  He said "keep it going".  In other words he couldn't get on.  I couldn't slow if I had any chance on catching the lead.  So I kept going hard and caught the group just before the second turn.  As we rounded the turn I gunned it again to pass the line and I got on the wheel of the two riders creating the leadout.  The big effort left very little in my legs for a sprint and I ended up with 4th place.  Not bad, but we had hoped for better.  The other guys finished well, at least no one went down with the crash.

CAT 1/2/3
All of the VBW racers with the exception of Zach decided to double up.  What a great way to get speed in your legs.  Jon Nisbet didn't race at all because he was battling an illness.  The race started with the idea that we were going to sit in and survive.  The problem is that we are bike racers and a lot of times finishing in a pack with a large break up the road is not surviving.  Once again we did our fair share of work with Mike and John pulling the most weight for the team.  A four man break did get up the road and there was a lot of effort to catch them for a while.  As far as us, Tim was the first to go.  He got some good speed in his legs and some great training but it was a little too much for the miles he had under his belt.  I was the next one.  This actually surprised me.  At no point during this race did I think I was going to drop.  With about 14 laps to go, just before turn number 2, my legs cramped.  It was a sudden cramp, both legs, quads, hamstrings and calves.  I actually almost lost control of my bike.  Luckily I was on the outside and was able to go outside the cones and just go straight.  I couldn't pedal and I couldn't sit down.  It took a long time to go away.  That had never happened that bad before.  Mike was next.  With fewer than 5 laps to go his legs started to cramp and he couldn't work them out.  John did very well and stayed in for the final sprint.

I am very excited about how the team did.  It makes for a very promising season.

2011 Sleepy Hole Smackdown

Register on Bike Reg:  Click Here

2011 SLEEPYHOLE SMACKDOWN

PRESENTED BY   The Virginia Beach Wheelmen   and City of Suffolk Parks and Recs           

at SLEEPY HOLE PARK IN SUFFOLK, VA on March 12, 2011

PART OF THE VIRGINIA CYCLING ASSOCIATION BAR

Held under USA Cycling Permit, Pending

CATEGORY	TIME	FIELD LIMT	DISTANCE	PRIZE VALUE/ PLACES	FEE
CAT 5	8:00	40	30 minutes	Pride	$20
Women CAT 4 / 40+	8:45	40	30 minutes	$100/3	$20
Women 1/2/3	9:30	50	40 minutes	$150/3	$20
Junior 10-14	10:20	40	15 minutes	Trophies/3	$10
Junior 15-18	10:45	40	30 minutes	Trophies/3	$10
CAT 3	11:30	60	45 minutes	$300/5	$25
Kid’s Race	12:30		1 lap	Ribbons	$0
CAT 4	12:45	50	40 minutes	$200/4	$25
Pro/1/2/3	1:45	60	60 minutes	$499/5	$25
Masters 40+/50+/60+	3:00	50	45 minutes	$150/3	$20

             WANT TO RACE TWICE?  SECOND RACE $10 OFF. (ALL JUNIORS JUST $10 REGARDLESS OF RACE ENTERNED)

              Entry fee includes a $3.00 USAC Insurance fee and $1 BAR fee.  All entrants must have a current USCF license or must purchase a            One-day license at registration.  Riders under 18 requires a parent’s signature to race.  All USAC rules apply.  On line registration is            available on BikeReg .  BikeReg Service fee will be charged for online registration. Race day registration will be available for a $5           late fee.  (no late fee for Juniors, Women and CAT 5)..Helmets are required for all races; no aero bars.

Course Description:  Flat, fast 0.5 mile loop with two 90-degree bends and two nice left sweepers.  Bring the family, plenty of room for kids to            play.   

              Directions:  Google Map or GPS address is 4700 Sleepy Hole Rd, Suffolk VA 23435 (Sleepy Hole Park).

Parking will be available in designated parking areas.  Please do not park on the road leading to the course.

For additional information contact: Joshua Goyet at (757) 515-5940, Email:  vbwheelmen@cox.net

The 3 Foot Passing Law

Over the last couple of weeks the Virginia Cycling Association List Server has been flooded with comments, questions, ideas and sometimes just plain nonsense related to the legislation concerning giving cyclist an additional 1 foot of safety.  Currently the mandates motorist pass cyclist giving them at least 2 feet of space.  The bill did not pass and the majority of the cycling community seemed quite upset.  It was referred to as "free safety".  The bill would have made us riders safer and would not have cost the the government anything.

  

It seemed like a no-brainer to pass this law.  However, reportedly according to one legislator, "cyclists are often rule breakers who don't deserve any additional protection".  Therefore, according to him, if you run a stop sign, you deserve to be hit by a car.  It doesn't pass the smell test, but it did create a lot of dialog on the importance of riding within the law.  Let's look at a couple of reasons why all this talk was probably a waste of time.

First of all this discussion occurs at least once a year on cycling list servers everywhere.  Usually it is a result of a cyclist getting hit by a vehicle.  Each time this topic comes up, cyclists are upset and through opinions, ideas, they want to make T-shirts and bumper stickers, call their congressman and get on their high horse and tell the world to respect cyclist because we will save the planet.  Then all is forgotten until the incident sparks the same conversation.

Let's look at the law itself.  Are you any safer if a car gives you 3 feet versus 2 feet?  Since most if not all cyclists are also motorists, can you tell the difference between 2 feet and 3 feet when passing something on the road traveling at 25-65 miles an hour?  Be honest, and the answer is probably no.  Here's another question to ask, how many non-cyclists know that they are even supposed to give cyclists 2 feet?  If you ask most people, I bet the answer you would get would be something along the line of passing "safely" or with "due regard".  Most people would not even know that there is a specific number.  So is it really safer to pass a law that no one knows exist anyway?

Here is my suggestion on how to make cycling on the open roads safer:  Don't ride in a manner that makes people want to hit you.  It is very simple and free.  Here are some examples.

 

Group rides could present problems.  On any given Weekend, large groups of 30 or more can be found all over the country and city roads of Virginia Beach.  Most of these groups will ride 2 or 3 (maybe more) abreast.  When motorists, trying to get home or to the store attempt to pass these large groups, they may be forced to put themselves or others in danger by using excessive speed and traveling down the wrong lane.  Many cyclists, though motorists themselves, cannot understand why these drivers get so upset at them.  I have heard riders say things along the line of "what is so important that they can't wait behind us", or "we have just as much right to the road as they do".  We may have right to the road, but "Share the Road" goes both ways.  Plus, we should never presume we know the importance of someone's activities.

 

What if you came across a group of horseback riders on the road while you were in your car?  Would you be comfortable passing them?  Would you be tolerant of them slowing you down and disturbing your day?  Be honest with yourself, everyone is in a hurry at times.

Ride in smaller groups.  Limit the number to 7 or 8 riders and always be willing to slow down, single file or do whatever it takes to ensure the cars can safely pass you.  Look and act like you belong on the roads.

The other day, a friend of mine who is not a cyclist was leaving his street on one of those county roads.  The speed limit on this road is 55 mph and is pretty narrow.  There was a car coming down the road to his left.  He was stopped at a stop sign when he noticed the car was going much slower than 55 mph and had her blinker on to turn right onto the street he was leaving.  He pulled out and quickly realized that she was not turning and she had to slam on her brakes to avoid hitting my friend.  He felt really bad and felt even worse when he went around her and notice a cyclist lying on the ground.  The cyclist was motor pacing off of this vehicle.  The driver was probably doing about 25 to 30 mph and the cyclist was following so close that he couldn't be seen around the car.  The blinker that my friend thought he saw was the hazards.

He stopped to check on the rider.  He felt really bad and apologized.  He said he was really sorry and he thought her blinker was on and that she was turning.  The cyclist responded with "That was her hazards you asshole."  Needless to say my friend no longer felt bad.  The cyclist was being careless and did not accept the responsibility for his own decisions.  I'm not saying he should not motor pace, but he needs to understand that he doesn't own the road and that other motorists may dictate what his pacer needs to do, and he needs to be able to react accordingly, or not pace at all.

Remember, just be nice and don't make drivers want to run us off the road.

Rest Versus Recovery: What's the difference?

Many athletes use the terms "rest" and "recovery" interchangeably.  These two terms, though  have very distinct meanings and are quit different.  Interchanging the terms may be an innocent mistake, but interchanging the concepts could cost you.

Rest can be thought of taking time off.  This rest period involves sleeping, relaxing, reading my blog or watching television.  Heart rate is low, metabolism is low and body temperature is low.  Without sufficient amount of rest you will feel tired, unmotivated, uncoordinated and mentally drained.  You should and probably do rest each and every day.

 

Recovery involves a low level activity and is vital to any training program.  Cyclist who use power meters are usually encouraged by their coaches to use their meters on their recovery rides to ensure they do not go too hard.  During a recovery ride the other day, a rider I was with said that if he went any slower he felt like he wasn't accomplishing anything.  My answer was your not supposed to accomplish anything on a recovery ride.  What I meant was that you will not gain fitness by training at a recovery level.  Many riders will then ask, if you're not gaining fitness, why do it?  The answer lies in what happens to your body during the hard training days.

When training hard in cycling or any sport, you create microtrauma in all your working muscles.  Along with the trauma your muscles endure, they also are exposed to waste products, high acid levels, and decreased oxygen levels.  After a hard effort, if you stop immediately, your body does not have the ability to flush the bad stuff out and repair the damage.  This is why a proper cool down is so important.  Even with a proper cool down, you body still has work to do many hours to a couple of days later.  While it may seem like pure rest is the answer, doing nothing can hinder the recovery process.

Recovery training at a low level will increase circulation, elevate body temperature and increase sweating and respiration.  This slight increase above normal will help the body flush excessive waste from the muscle, improve blood flow to help with trauma repair and ensure proper nutrition is being delivered.  Be careful though, too hard or too long will irritate sore muscles and stiff joints or stress metabolism and create unneeded strain.

It may be difficult sometimes to decide which one is best.  You need your rest.  If you are physically tired and mentally drained, no amount of recovery training is going to benefit you.  If you need to recover from a race weekend or a hard training bout, than using active recovery will speed the process along and allow you to train hard again the next day.

In summary, get your rest and remember it is alright to go for an easy ride.

Training While Sick: Should I or Not?

What athlete has not asked this question?  What cyclist has not heard the philosophy of "train if the illness if above the neck and rest if its below"?  Sometimes its easy to make the decision, like when its 19 degrees and raining.  However, can and should cyclist rest when fighting even a mild sickness?

Let's think about mild head colds.  The reason for this is that I believe most athletes would rest if faced with a fever, flu or symptoms extreme enough to really force them to bed.  When you think about the start of a head cold, you are really just talking about a little congestion, sore throat maybe from nasal drainage, sinus pressure, headache and slight fatigue.  Not enough to really keep you off the bike, but maybe it should be.

At the beginning signs of an illness, we do a lot of things to try and combat it.  Extra Vitamin C, maybe some zinc or the now so common cold protectors like "Airborne" and EmergenC".  We probably also go into a mode of hydrating ourselves beyond normal range and rest when we can.  What if we have a hard ride to do though?  Or what if you are on the final week of a base building program and you have to hit the numbers on your training program?

Here is the bottom line:  Exercising in the early stages of an illness increases the chances of it progressing.  Exercising in the later stages when you just have lingering effects (usually above the neck) can help relieve those symptoms.  Besides, can you give your training the full effort when fighting a sickness.  It is advised to shift your training slightly, maybe take an early rest week or put off the last week of base training.  Its better to rest now and be able to give your training full effort in a few days then to try and push through and extend your sickness by a few weeks.

That being said, can I take my own advice.  This little head cold is not bad.  I think I could fight it quickly so it feels odd to stay off the bike because of it.  However, I know that my interval training would not be up to par and my long rides outside would compromise my immune system.

Looks like I will be shifting my training slightly.

Stay healthy.

A Look Back at Cycling Trends That Went Main Stream and Why We Hope They Don't Continue

I was thinking the other day on how cycling and cycling styles suddenly become trendy in America.  The trend doesn't seem to last very long and really doesn't usually correspond to an increase in cycling interest.  Here are a few examples:

Cycling hats:

Used in place of helmets "back in the day", cycling hats were as normal part of a team uniform as gloves and socks.  Today you can still find many of these hats still in the style of the old teams.  This craze, for whatever reason, took off main stream.  These hats were ugly enough that cyclist probably questioned why they should wear them.  Then they became popular everywhere.

 

They were even popular in movies.

 

As a cyclist walking around seeing everyday Joes wearing a hat saying "Colnago" was quite confusing.  You may have thought that was a perfect person to have an in dept conversation with about who looked good in this year's Tour.  Half way through your opening statements you probably realized you had made a mistake and simply wanted to get away without telling him his hat looked stupid.

Cycling Shorts:

AKA--Biker or Bike Shorts.  These became trendy in the 90s.  I guess they are pretty comfortable to wear to the gym, aerobics, running and of course on the bike.  Any pair of shorts that are comfortable doing those activities should be made into denim and used everywhere.

Everywhere they were.  Don't get me wrong, I was a young cyclist in the 90s and I fell to this fashion flaw.  My brother and I both blamed my parents who were simply going with the trend.  As my mom would say "Speedo doesn't make gay wear, they make athletic wear."  That is true, but fashion wear it is not.  Anyone caught wearing these shorts to soccer practice was referred to as a "ball hogger" for the day.

For every hot girl in the gym wearing these shorts there were 5 old hairy fat men also wearing these shorts.  Not worth the trade.  Cycling shorts should be reserved for cycling and maybe for a little extra chamois time once off the bike (preferably not in the mall though).

Roof Top Bike Racks:

This trend peeked probably 10 years ago.  This is when hoopties or ghetto rides would put Yakima or Thule racks on their cars for style only.  I worked in a bike shop at this time and over half of our roof top bike racks sold would never see a bike.  They would actually, at times come in pairs so they could split the system with someone.  All they really wanted was the front bar, the fairing and maybe a wheel fork to stick straight up.

They are usually easily recognized by the lack of accessories.  In one case I have even seen a bike mount sawed off to about a foot and half long to that is would fit on top of a pick-up truck.  

The big reason I was happy to see this trend go away was because of the value of racks on the black market.  Even locked racks weren't safe, it usually meant more damage to your vehicle.  I personally had 1 set stolen and one attempted. 

Roof top racks should be left to the athletes.  Cyclists, water sports and skiers have the right and need to drive around town with the racks as a permanent fixture.  They usually even buy cars with the idea of "will a rack fit?"  These racks should not have ever gone main stream and I am glad to see the trend die.

What will be the next cycling trend to go main steam?  Jerseys, helmets, gloves all worn as fashion?  We'll just have to wait and see.

My 2011 Product Wish List

I sat down today thinking what can I buy for my bike in 2011?  Of course I have a dream wish list which may consist of a new TT bike or even a track bike.  However, I was really wanting to put a list together of items that I will probably actually be able to buy for the 2011 racing season.  Here is my list in no particular order:

New Helmet:

 

Rudy Project Sterling Helmet in colors that really match my team's look.

New Sunglasses:

 

Rudy Project Noyz Fluo.  I haven't decided for sure on this style or color, but it would match the helmet.

iBike Upgrade:

 

I have the Gen I iBike and would really like to upgrade it to the Gen III.

iBike Wireless Speed/Cadence and HR mount:

 

My iBike is wired to the front wheel.  Also my Polar HR monitor just gave out on me finally.  So this option will give me a lot more data in a lot less handlebar space.

New Shoes:

 

Gaerne Carbon G. Myst Road Shoe.  I have this brand of shoe and really like it, just time for a new pair.

New CX Shoes:

 

Gaerne G. Inka shoes.  My old shoes fell apart this cross season.  This purchase is a must, but could probably wait till the fall.

I'm sure other items will come up, but these are the ones on my radar for now.