Sweat and Sunscreen

m.kamphuis

Weather has finally warmed up (too warm?) and the riding has been great. Some hot, sunny rides have left salt on my cap and left my jersey/short tan in great condition.

Racing has been less than mediocre when it comes to results. I've been enjoying the races, but I always leave feeling a little shorted. Haven't quite figured out the 3s yet...I feel like I'm lacking the snap to go with some of the accelerations. Or sometimes even the motivation to try knowing that there are going to be lots of hard accelerations and only 1 or 2 that really matter. In better news, Doug took 2nd at Fitchburg on Saturday. Lots of splits towards the end of the race and for a lap or so it looked like it was going to all come back together. Turns out anther split that I missed this year. Seems to be the story of the year.

While the results haven't been all that good, the news from the power meter has. The Quarq has told me that last week Sunday I put in a stellar 2-hour power number. I hope to put that to use this upcoming weekend at Nine Mile for the WORS Big Ring Classic. Maybe the lack of having to use tactics will allow a good result...time will tell.

Get out and enjoy the weather that this spring shorted us! Use that sunscreen...or try to top my tan lines!

Ride Snacks

d.rettig

Is that a tootsie roll in your mouth or are you just happy to see me....

Bones glory




Better get yourself out to "Ride the Drive" on Sunday -- it may be the last one we have for a while in Madison

http://www.cityofmadison.com/transportation/ridethedrive/

Gordy Paulson - Support of Junior Development Cycling Team

Gordy Paulson, of Speed Cycling and the Trek Midwest Team, giving back to junior development cycling team:

click here for story

 

Speed Cycling

 

Great job, Gordy!

Inspiring Pro Cycling Photography

Visually inspiring.
If you haven't checked this site out yet, click on the days post you like for a bunch of pro cycling photos:
Cycling Tips

The Bone 2011

Cold, wet, with a northeast wind - what's not to like?

The Bone was hard. I got dropped from  the front pack with 55 miles left.  I ended up with a group of about 15 that included Shelley and Forrest. With about 40 to go, the sag wagon with our  group let us draft. We were smoking at 30-35 for a decent amount of time.  I dropped with the other guy who was up front with me and there were only two guys in sight.  The four of us came together not long after only to lose one. Rode into Pewaukee with 3. One dude quit at Pewaukee so I finished with the other guy. Surprisingly there were a crapload of persons behind us that never caught us and we never made contact with anyone dropped from the lead group. Quite a workout. 

Here is the stream-of-consciousness version.  I am hanging okay. F@&$.  Not hanging so well. F$&@.  There they go. Nobody is back there. F$&@.  Wow. I only have intermittent feeling in the ulnar nerve distribution of my left hand. Wonder if this could cause permanent damage. Several hours left.  Finally someone else.  Why won't anyone but Forrest, tri-dude, and me pull?  Right foot feels funny. Alternating numbness and burning sensation. Can't be good. If I see another rolling hill I might cry. Back cramping. Stand. Quads cramping. I think a French existentialist wrote about something like this. Maybe he was a bike rider.  (Various promises to God or any other higher power made at this point.  Slightly worried my entreaties will fall on deaf ears given my heretofore confirmed agnosticism). Out of Gatorade. Still have water. Out of water. Have plenty of despair. Sure despair will not desert me. Sag wagon stops gives me water. Reconsider agnosticism. Sun out. Pewaukee 10 minutes away. Smile and laugh. Not sure why. Attitude Sports. Sandwich. Pee. One dude left. 20 miles isn't so bad, right. I am stupid. Not sure why I am stupid but seem convinced that I am. North Avenue. Hospital hill. Honestly think burrowing through hill will be faster than climbing it. Find comfort zone ... Uh, there is no comfort zone. 124th and North. Long downhill to Tosa. Doesn't seem as rewarding as it usually does. Home. Sort of incoherent. Pawn says are you sure nothing is wrong. I don't know how to answer the question. 

Fun stuff. 

Patrick Callahan

Fit for spring!

Today I was able to get some help with fine tuning my fit on the Madone. Wow! The Retul system is something else!
I've always had nagging piriformis issues and I don't want it to become a problem this season. Speaking of seasons, it sure has been a strange spring in Wisconsin. It doesn't feel like May at all, and I know that all too soon, August will be here and road racing will be over in the blink of an eye. I've surprised myself with some of my race results because I don't feel like I have the fitness I had last year, since the weather has been partly to blame for me not getting the quality/quantity of miles in that I hoped to have by now. There's a lot of strong girls out there and they definitely challenge me every time we leave that start line. 
But, I have no complaints as I'm really enjoying getting to know the guys on the team and hanging out with a really fun and laid back group of people. They are so supportive and full of laughs. To me, that's more important than any race result I accomplish. 

Cat 1/2 Women - Shelley's kick'n it in 1st place!

Wisconsin Cycling Association Cat 1/2 Women

She's also currently in 3rd for "team" points. Considering she's racing solo, that is impressive.

Great job, Shelley!

Lunch ride

d.blomme
This week was the first week where it felt like spring/summer arrived. The work lunch rides with temps in the 80's has felt great.

 

past weeks

The racing results have encouraged me to step away and spend some time doing what I should do more - enjoying the ride.  I've gone back to my roots and hit the mountain bike trails; this was a goal of mine this summer and I've got off to a great start.  I've also taken the Madone out for, well....a ride...imagine that!  Not for training, not tracking heart rate or power, not hurrying from point A to point B... just riding...... because I can.

 

When the results don't come as we may wish, and the news is of the sort it has been this week, may we all take a moment to remember why we ride; it's fun.

 

Be safe and more than anything, enjoy the ride.

Vroom

I think I figured out how to get one of these on my Madone 5.5