Laatste Ronde

Today I went out for a ride. My plan was to do Prune Hill — six steep hills each with pitches in excess of 10%. Since I figured it might rain, I brought along my rain bike which also doubles as my pit bike for cross racing. It’s about a centimeter shorter than my road bike and the seat isn’t as long. It’s great for cross, fine for most rainy day riding, but not so good for steep hills since I like to slide back on the saddle. I’ve also been timing this route for a few weeks and today was perfect weather — cool and overcast.

By the time I got around to setting out on my ride, the roads were dry and I wished that I had brought my road bike since it would have been much faster (more comfortable) on the hills. Oh yeah, my rear rim on the clinchers I used for cross training had given up the ghost a month or so back so I’d swapped out the rear wheel on the rain bike. This morning when I was getting the rain bike ready, I threw on a spare wheel I should have scrapped. The bearings were a bit crunchy and the freehub wasn’t too free.

Once I got underway, I discovered that the start/lap button on my Polar HR would stick so I wasn’t going to be able to time the lap. I rode the couple or three miles over to Prune Hill and made the turn onto Dahlia. As I shifted into bigger cogs as the road pitched up, I discovered that the shifting on the substitute wheel was imprecise and once I got to the smallest cog, the rear mech played a little tune on the spokes. When I got to the 18% section I turned around, daunted by the laundry list of little inconveniences. Did I mention that I accidentally brought my shoes that are a half size too small? Or that I didn’t put the bottle cage on the bike and was carrying water in a borrowed bottle in my back pocket?

I’d talked myself out of riding those hills. I had worn myself down with a litany of trivialities. Once at the bottom, I was disgusted with myself. Who gives a rats patooty if I’m slower than my fastest time. No matter how long it took me to ride those hills, they were going to make me stronger. I turned around and headed back up Dahlia and finished out the rest of the hills. I was about three minutes slower than my good times. But so what? I was putting stresses on my legs — stresses that were going to pay off.

I felt pretty good when I was done.

My OCD has paid off. The preliminary schedule is up! The big news? A double weekend at Astoria for Halloween. Alpenrose kicks off the series and is followed by Wilsonville (Memorial Park again? I liked that venue) and Rainier HS. Barton is on tap after Halloween and then two TBA dates complete the scehdule. Not on the schedule are the two USGP races over the first weekend in December.

I was out doing cross drills at lunch today. When I finished, it was about 95 degrees but it felt hotter. There is a park adjacent to my work that is a fairly good place to practice. There aren’t any run ups but its got shade and not many people — no one other than me today. The “revelation” of the day is that I’d done with the step through. I’m way more relaxed with the dismount off the back and I’ve got it dialed for faster approaches.

I am trying hard to be in some kind of shape come October. We’ll see what happens.

I’m checking the Cross Crusade schedule page at least four times a day. I hit the refresh button every time too, just in case.

That is all.

Disclaimer: More watts will make you go faster.

That said, a little tecnique will go a long way, especially if you are woefully deficient in that department. Since I’ve been doing this for a few years, I feel comfortable getting off and on the bike. However, I still spend some time each preseason working out the cobwebs.

When I learned dismounts, I used the step through for the fast ones and the step back for the slow ones. If you take a look at the Euro Pros, almost all of them step back no matter what. Last season I considered making the step back my only dismount. The problem was that whenever I tried a fast dismount with the step back, it just didn’t work well. I couldn’t maintain the same speed and I jarred my whole body when I hit the ground. This past Monday I tried it again and I seem to have found a much better method. The big difference is that I swing both my legs forward after unclipping but before hitting the ground. I’m able to do it because I’m supporting my weight with my hands — my left on the bar and my right on the top tube. I didn’t try any super high speed dismounts but the ones I did at a moderate high pace felt solid.

Why is this a big deal? To be honest, it’s not. If you feel good with the step through, keep doing it. I feel a bit more relaxed stepping off in back and if I could do that all the time, it might provide some small efficiency. As with much of this stuff, if you are efficient and comfortable with a particular technique, only change it if there is a compelling reason.

I don’t run. I used to and have tried to do it again over the last few years but it just hasn’t worked out. I keep promising that I’ll run in preparation for cross season but I haven’t been able to bring myself to do it. I keep on improving my results so training that weakness just hasn’t factored into the plan. Cyclocross is a bike race, and as such, I’ve spent my limited time trying to find a few more watts to put into my pedals.

I went running yesterday evening. I didn’t get out the running shoes and pound the pavement. Instead, I figured I’d try a more purposeful running workout. I hitched up the Burley to my cross bike and hauled my son over to a local park. While he played on the playground equipment, I ran around with my bike on my shoulder. I’d run between 20-30 yards at a time with dismounts and shouldering and remounts for each little run. I didn’t run fast and there were plenty of opportunities to rest while I helped out my son.

So what did I learn? I ran just enough to get a little sore and make my legs feel stiff and not so snappy today. It was probably the right amount for a first time out. My shoulder is sore with some light bruising. I don’t recall my shoulder every feeling that uncomfortable last season. I wonder if it’s soft or I just don’t notice such things in a race.I have no idea if running with my bike a few times a week is going to get me any significant gains in races. But I thought I might give it a go and see where it takes me.

Since some folks were advising me to try the dawn patrol method of fitting in training, I don’t think I was abundantly clear that I am actually managing to ride my bike a fair amount. Usually, I get up early and head into work. Then I take a ride at lunch and eat at my desk afterward. I like riding around noon because I’m awake and it’s light. And warmer too. And I can sometimes corral some guys from work to ride with me. I’ve also managed to get some longer rides in on Sundays. The real trick is going to be finding a way to manage the kids in the fall during the races. I’m fresh out of family help (grandma visits are done) so I’m solo with the kids for the weekends.

This past Sunday I took my cross bike out for a team ride that was to depart from the team DS’s house — which is on Livinston Mt. For those of you not familiar with this Vancouver, WA landmark, it’s a fine little bump along the fotthills of the Cascades. I decided to ride to the ride and planned on an hour to get there. It took me about 45 minutes to get to the base of Livingston and then another 25 minutes to climb the 3.25 miles ascending 1,300 feet to Bill’s house. A car full of teammates pulled up beside me on the climb and I handed them my bottle to fill in case everyone was ready to roll when I got there. I felt very pro.

I needn’t have worried about holding anyone up. As is the case with many large groups, they weren’t ready when I pulled up ten minutes late. After some shenanegans, we pulled out for three hours of logging road, quad track, and singltrack fun. I was hurting pretty bad on the final climb but still intended on riding back home. However, once I got off the bike and filled up my bottles, I decided I was about cooked and took up an offer for a ride home.

On Wednesday this week, I went out at lunch and rode Prune Hill. There are a number of ways to the top and I’ve selected six of the steepest that form a circuit of sixteen miles and climb 2,500 feet. It’s a pretty good workout. What I’ve learned is that I suck. But I’m pretty sure that if I keep doing this stuff, I might not suck quite as much in a month or so.

Hills, good for the soul.

I’ve been quiet for a while, huh? Though I haven’t been posting, at least I’ve been riding the bike. I still can’t say no to cookies and ice cream but I’ve been gaining fitness. Since my legs have been feeling better, I’ve been able to draw on the satisfaction of seeing improvement to keep working on the bike. My blog has been another matter altogether.

As some may know, my wife opened a fabric and yarn shop this spring in Vanvcouver. She carries all natural fibers and also has a selection of organic stuff. So if you cats want to knit up some dope arm warmers or wool bike socks for cross season, StitchCraft is just over the Interstate bridge — an easy ride plus you get 10% off if you bike to the store. Since this is a new business and summer is the slow season, my wife is running the shop solo for the time being. That means opening, closing, hanging around for the classes, and offering an open knit night once a week. We also have two children. While she’s at the shop and I’m not at work, I’m with the kids.

I’ve managed to carve out time to ride but all I’m doing these days is working, riding, and taking care of the domestic concerns (and poorly in some instances). Looking down the road to cross season is something I’ve been avoiding. Since the shop is open on Sundays, I’ve got to find some solution for the kiddies (ages almost 4 and 7). I can’t leave them up to their own devices at the races — especially the youngest. If I get a sitter, the cost per race get’s rather prohibitive — $20 to race, $10-$20 in gas, plus $40 or so for a sitter. I expect I’ll get to some races but exactly how many is up in the air.

While I might be getting a little faster, I’ve noticed that Diviney is looking rather formidable. Shoot, he won the short track 40+ expert series and placed first in, what, four of the six races? I’m sure not that fast. On a recent team ride, I was pretty strong on the long, medium grade hills but got dropped like a stone when the pitch got steep. I used to own those punchy climbs. I think it’s a combination of sucking and being too fat. There’s a distinct possibility I won’t suck so bad in another month or two but I’m not optimistic about sporting any less mass.

I’ve got a few ideas for things to write about so I hope to keep things a bit more up to date in the coming months.

Yeah, I’ve gotten caught up following the circus around France. I paid attention to the classics and the Giro too but something about the tour gets me a little more excited. In the spirit of the tour, I present you a list of Chuck Norrisisms. All of these are the work of others — I claim no originality. However, they all made me laugh.

• Once Chuck Norris crashed in the Tour. The road got Chuck Norris rash.
• Chuck Norris doesn’t need to be aero because the wind gets out of his way
• Chuck Norris sweats pure EPO.
• Chuck Norris once challenged Lance Armstrong in a “Who has more testicles?” contest. Chuck Norris won by 5.
• Chuck Norris doesn’t chase down breakaways. Breakaways chase Chuck Norris.
• All 21 switch backs on Alp d’Huez are called Chuck Norris
• Hors catégorie is French for Chuck Norris.
• Chuck Norris finished the Tour de France yesterday.
• When they screen the riders’ blood for performance enhancing drugs, they’re looking for Chuck Norris.

Edit:  Another one …

• Greg Lemond accused Chuck Norris of doping. No one knows what really happened but they have agreed to call it a hunting accident.

I did a little riding this weekend. Sure, it wasn’t Elkhorn but I had a lot of fun nonetheless. Early Saturday I pedaled over the Glenn Jackson Bridge, met a teammate, and rode around Tabor for a while at a fairly leisurely pace. I was back home in time for a “honey-do” packed day of fun and excitement.

Sunday was a different animal altogether. I drove up Livingston Mt. to teammate Bill’s house. It was dry at my house but the weather at Bill’s is what I generously termed a vigorous mist. The five assembled riders grumbled about starting out it such dampular conditions but start we did. We headed out on our cross bikes and dropped down some dirt roads to the rollers at the top of53rd. On pavement, we headed over to Ireland then Lessard and dropped way down to Boulder Creek Rd. At a two track, we headed uphill, gently at first. We turned left onto a narrow jeep trail and started the climbing in earnest and topped out 1,000 steep and sometimes rocky feet later. We spent the rest of the ride connecting bits of quad and motorcycle trails along the flanks of Livingston for a delightful three hours of challenging trail riding.

I really enjoyed the motorcycle trails since they most approximated singletrack and the motos had dug ruts in the corners that made for some nice berms. They featured plenty of rocks and roots and the dampness made traction a challenge. We also rode along a quad trail with some deep mud filled ruts. It was pretty cool trying to pick lines and adjusting to wheel drift and poor traction. I was glad that Bill let us use the hose after the ride since my bike was covered in sticky mud. Apparently, it was the proper consistency to fling off at angles that didn’t include my ass or back so I ended up with a rather clean kit.

I had a blast.