Countdown to Almanzo
In 10 days I'll be on a journey. Maybe I'll discover myself on this journey. More than likely, I'll discover pain.
I really don't know the last time I rode 100 (one hundred) miles in a day. I beleive it may have been the Honolulu Century Ride in 1995. Now I'm doing one on gravel, using a fixed wheel bike. A fixedgear bike! No coasting. No making it easier on climbs. Single speed. Sound dumb to you? Trueth be told, when I think about it, it really does seem pretty stupid.
But I'm still doing it. The goal is to finish. Well I guess that's the main goal. Secondary is the fact that it's a race and I want to win. See, you don't enter a race without racing to win. At least that's the way I look at it.
Of course I'm not going to go out and attack on the first hill and ride solo for the rest of the ride. That's just being stupid. Well, actually maybe it's not. There will be no way for anyone behind to know how far ahead a leader is except by sight. So if you can break away and be strong enough to get out of sight fast enough, anyone else may not bother to chase and really only race for second place. This would entail putting in a huge effort at the beginning for maybe 45 minutes to an hour, then keeping a steady pace without loseing time the rest of the race. It could work.
More realistic is the stay in a decent group without letting any leader or group get out of sight at least till the halfway point. Then slowly ramping up the pace a little bit at a time to shed some riders. And keeping the hardest effort for the final 20 miles or so.
How it really works out is anyones guess. The pack could just split completely apart before the halfway mark, and it would then be like how I remember some of the old mountain bike races. Just picking off riders as you pass, and attempt to keep others from passing you. The drawback is that you'll be battling the wind alone, and that would suck. Even if you ride with a slower rider for a while, as long as they take some pulls, you get a break from the wind that will keep you fresher for longer.
I don't quite know my water stratagy yet. Do I carry all I need from the start? Or do I stop at convience stores and fill up along the way. Water is pretty heavy, yet I don't want to run out. Seems like everyone ran out at some point in 2007.
I'm pretty conservative when it comes to tools and spares (comes from mountain bike racing where you need to do it all your self), so I'll have the recomended 2 spare tubes, pump, co2 cartridges, allen wrenches, patch kit, tire boot made from a section of old tire, chain tool, extra bits of chain and a 15 mm wrench for the track nuts. That should cover it.
I still havn't figured out the food situation yet either. Probably PBJ sammaches, dried fruit, home made energy gel, bananas, oatmeal bars and maybe some brownies.
Bike setup will be orange fixed. I got a 28c Turbo/S tire on the rear. I think that'll be cushy enough. I may add something under the bar tape up front, and even though I don't like to ride with gloves, I think I will for this. Just for the extra padding.
I'm still really hoping for dry conditions. I may not even ride if it's raining at the start. Or I may start and pull off at 20 miles or so if the tires start to sink or pack up.
Looks like I'm just about ready. Are You?
AlmanzoAlmanzo100100ChrisChrisSkogenSkogenMayorMayorGunnarGunnarSoroosSoroosFixed+wheelFixed+wheelfixiefixiefixedgearfixedgearbicyclebicycleraceraceracingracingdirtdirtgravelgravelroadroadRochesterRochesterMNMNMinnesotaMinnesotaRuralRuralcyclingcyclingbikebike
Comments (0) Thursday 05/08/2008 | 12:45 pm
Another cyclist/blogger in my thoughts and prayers
Fat Cyclist has been blogging for a while. Usually humorous his posts reflect what most riders experience in riding. But lately things have changed. His wife Susan has been battleing cancer, but now it seems the cancer has moved into the brain. The only real option is to go through radiation therapy and even with that, the cancer will return.
The only treatment option we have open to us now, the oncologist said, is radiation therapy. And after that’s done, Susan will be better for a few months, but then the tumors will come back, and the brain can’t take another dose of radiation like that. So, absent a miracle, Susan only has months to live.I can only begin to understand the emotions that they are going through. The fact that they have kids only make the story that much more sad.
So Eldon (the Fat Cyclist) and his family are also in my thoughts and prayers lately. And these things really put into perspective life, work, play and cycling. Hug the kids more, snuggle with the wife more, because we really don't know what tomorrow will bring.
Fat+CyclistFat+CyclistBlogBlogBloggerBloggerCancerCancerEldonEldonCyclingCyclingBikesBikesCyclistCyclistFattyFattyPrayerPrayer
Comments (0) Wednesday 05/07/2008 | 12:07 pm
Masi Guy says...
In case you didn't know Tim Jackson (aka: Masi Guy) crashed pretty hard racing in the velodrome. Looks like he's pretty happy he was wearing a helmet.
Confession time, I didn't wear mine this morning to work. This is cause I left it at work last night. See at quitting time, I decided to call the limo to take me home due to lightnining ripping accross the sky, and the deluge of rain pouring from the heavens. Of course I packed everything in my bag and forgot to pick up my helmet off my desk. ... sigh ...
This morning I got up at silly o'thirty in the morning to get in some dawn patrol before work. I even started rolling down the street, then thought "Something's not right. Hey I don't have my helmet on." I immediatly turned around and went home to search. I didn't find it cause it's at work.
But it's not a bad thing. In fact the best thing was; that this gave me the excuse to crawl back into bed and get some extra snuggles before having to get ready for the day.
But anyway I'm hoping and praying for a speedy recovery for Tim.
MasiMasiMasiguyMasiguyTim+JacksonTim+JacksonTimTimJacksonJacksonCrashCrashBicycleBicycleCyclistCyclisthelmethelmetcyclingcyclingracingracingvelodromevelodromeheadheadinjuryinjurysafetysafetysnugglesnuggle
Comments (0) Wednesday 05/07/2008 | 09:02 am
KSTP report on cyclists breaking the law
OK, I didn't see the report. I don't even know if we get KSTP down here in the boonedocks that is Rochester. But I heard about it through the blog chatter.
Well isn't it interesting that someone should do some research on the claims that the reporter makes in the report. Listen to this:Police told McNaney that "about half the time a bike is involved in a crash, it's the cyclists fault." Garwood says that number is bunk and sent a list of 2006 bike incidents to KSTP. "If you look through it, you will see that 120 of the 200 crashes (or 60%) for which fault can be determined were caused by drivers, while only 80 (or 40%) were caused by cyclists," Garwood wrote. "It is a clear indication that driver error and violation of law is a significantly greater threat to bicyclist safety than bicyclist error and violation of law. I expect KSTP to correct this misstatement of fact on the air."
Also caught on tape by KSTP? Two cars failed to make a complete stop at the same stop sign that KSTP filmed bikers ignoring. McNaney failed to acknowledge those violations.
Follow this link to read the whole thing.
KSTPKSTPcyclistscyclistslawlawbicyclebicyclecyclingcyclingroadroadtraffictraffickstpkstpnewsnewsreportreport
Comments (1) Thursday 05/01/2008 | 02:46 pm
April '08 Search Strings
Once again here's what's bringing you guys to this site.
1 ken woods memorial road race
2 ww2.rochesterflyers.com
3 ken woods bike race
4 ken woods memorial
5 sporttracks review
6 awareness test bear
7 specialized 2d helmet
8 ken woods road race
9 sporttracks
10 mountain bike sweepstakes
11 profile track hubs
12 lemond badmouth lance
13 alley cat names bike
14 tour de pepin
15 track bike hubs
16 trek madone 5.2
17 2008 ken woods road race
18 mens health giant bike sweepstake
19 oxbow classic
20 profile hubs
Once again, nothing strange and nothing too interesting.
Search+stringsSearch+stringsGunnar+SoroosGunnar+SoroosStatsStatstermstermswordswordsfunfunRochester+FlyersRochester+FlyersKen+WoodsKen+WoodsOxbowOxbowAlley+CatAlley+Cat
Comments (0) Thursday 05/01/2008 | 08:28 am
Ken Woods Road Race whooped my ass!
Seriously.
After the race I went home and took a serious nap.
The race was epic. It's like what I imagine a europen spring classic would be. Let's see:
Snow - check
Wind - double check
hills - sorta check (there was a couple small rollers, and then about a mile long climb near the finish
cobbles - well, no check here. Though the roads are pretty bad in Minnesota.
I don't know where I placed, I didn't stick around much afterwards. Maybe I can link to the results later.
Here's how it all came down. I signed up for the 35+ race. It was a toss up between the 35+ or the senior cat4 race. Both were to be 2 laps. But I figured it'd be safer to ride with the more experienced riders, even if it is generally faster.
It was about 30-35 degrees at the start, and the wind was blasting about 20 mph from the west. Snow and small ice pellets were falling from the sky off and on. They told all the 35+ riders to the line and the whistle blew.
We rolled easily down the road with the wind at our back for the fist section. Then we turned south, and the hell of Cannon Falls began. Not only did we have an extreme cross wind, but the pack surged a bit, and I made the mistake of attempting to keep contact with them. I couldn't get a place in the pack where I was sheltered from the wind and was being dropped like a lead sack of potatoes by llama who is allergic to lead potatoes.
I dropped back to the second group, where we ended up forming a decent paceline. We rounded the corner where we were now going head on, into the wind. We kept the paceline up but were only able to average 12.25 mph.
Being in a paceline helped me recover somewhat and I hoped that we could keep the pack together and battle the wind together insted of battleing each other.
We ended up catching up with the lead group. Or at least part of a group of other 35+ men that was ahead of us. Then we turned the corner heading north. Crosswind again, but there were sections of the course where it was a little at our backs. It didn't seem like the pack was working well together anymore, and some riders took the oppourtunity to surge away. I still hadn't recovered enough to be able to keep up so I ended up with a small group of 3 riders attempting to kinda work together and not loose too much ground.
This didn't work to well, and the pack was getting further and further away. We approched the final hill of the first lap and I decided that if I wanted any chance to bridge back up, I better go now. So I spun up the hill, dropping the other riders.
I used the tailwind to recover and make up ground. I ended up catching the pack just before we turned south to fight the crosswind again. This time though, the pack was willing to work well together, everyone taking quick turns and trying to keep a steady tempo.
Once again we headed into the wind, where we were able to go a quarter mph faster than before. This time even when we made the turn north, we were still able to work together for a while. There were a couple surges. Then a rider from LSC attacks and gets a pretty good gap. The problem was that there were 3 (maybe 4) of his team mates in the mix. So they wern't gonna take any turns at the front to reel thier teammate in. We did end up getting pretty close to catching him, but then the hill before the last hill slowed us up a little, I think the group thought he was just far enough away that we could be cought, but I didn't really think so. But I wasn't gonna try to bridge up just yet. I wanted to try to use the same tactic as the first lap.
We rounded the last corner and I surgedthe hill, then attacked. I felt like my lungs were gonna explode. (funny thing, my heart rate file doesn't reflect this) I got to the top and looked back and realized I took someone with me. I then ended up pulling too long to be able to recover when this other rider took a pull. I was pretty much blown now.
I took maybe 2 more pulls, then the the guy goes "come on, let's go."
To which I reply "I just pulled you up that freaking hill, and you expect me to still take pulls?" Well actually I just said "I think I'm done."
At this point I was at least hoping that I wouldn't be cought by the pack. But another rider must have left the pack and was able to come around me, and I just couldn't even think of catching on, so I let him go. And then I rolled over the line.
So it looks like 4th out of the group I was riding with, but I don't know yet how I placed in the race.
It was, for sure, the hardest I've worked on a bike in a long time. Maybe next time I can be a little smarter and hide in the pack a bit more.
Results and Photos
MCF posted the results of Saturdays race here. Looking at them, I can see that I was in the chase group (though we didn't chase much, I think we were just attempting to finish), and finished 8th in my race.
It wasn't bad ... but it wasn't really good either. Now I gotta see what my next race is gonna be. I know I'm skipping the road race next weekend. Maybe I'll do the Synergy Time Trial the following weekend. Not sure though. It is a ROY event, but it's kinda far drive. plus I don't have any aero equipment, except for a set of Syntace clip-on's.
If I don't do Synergy, Almanzo will be the next one. I hope the weather finally warms up for that one. Dry conditions would be good too.
Last Thoughts
Congrats to other Rochester Racers who braved the elements.
- David Herbert - 1st place - 50+
- Eric Applen - 10th place - Senior Men cat4
- Peter Maves - 1st place - Senior Men cat5
This post has been combined and updated to show results and final thoughts.
BikeBikeraceracecyclingcyclingken+woodsken+woodsroadroadGunnarGunnarSoroosSoroosVelo+RochesterVelo+RochesterLSCLSCGopher+WheelmenGopher+WheelmenCycling+teamCycling+teamHellHell
Comments (1) Saturday 04/26/2008 | 10:03 pm
