Tag Archives: Training

Everything but the Toes…

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… was nice and toasty warm on this, my first ride of 2009.

Starting out at around 50°F, and closing out at around 40°F, I was wearing long leggings, a wicking base layer and a windbreaker up top, my Salsa N’Agua gloves, and plastic baggies between my wool socks and shoes. As I said, everything was nice and toasty except my toes. I think it was a combination between poorly set cleats and the cold, but my toes were all numb from the cleat down by the time I hit mile 20.

I took the Kona out. It’s very nearly as heavy as my old Fire Mountain, though the 700c wheels and 37mm tires are better suited for roads than the 26″/2.5″ set up was on the old one. Hence, my low average speed (13.8mph) combined with the relatively high top speed (38.1mph).

I can tell it’s been a while since I’ve really ridden. My HR was generally high the whole time, topping out at 202bpm, and the hills were especially taxing. Still, though I could feel it fading towards the end, my recovery was still pretty strong after completing a climb.

The highlight of the trip was the gorgeous sunset I saw as I was heading west on 83rd. One thing that Kansas has to offer is it’s sunsets. I *wish* I’d brought my camera. It would have been the perfect time to break it out while on a ride.

Oh well… next time.

Unassisted Mounting

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After having seen the video today of duder mounting and dismounting the E-Motion Rollers, I decided that I was tired of having to rely on walls to balance myself when I, myself, mounted the rollers. I decided I was tired of having to use a crutch to get started on my indoor workouts. I decided that I was tired of requiring assistance in order to get the aluminum drums rolling and my wheels flying on them. I decided that I was going to learn how to ride them alone.

Without aid.

Without hesitation

And without fear.

And on my own.

Imagining myself mounting the rollers as effortlessly and naturally as the honorable man in the video, I set about slowly and patiently. I took heed to his example and first mastered the initial spin. I spun the wheels and balanced the bike until the rollers stopped and the bike threatened to fall. I did this until I could perform the maneuver as easily as switching from G to C in the first position.

Then, just as slowly, and just as patiently, I began to move my left foot to the pedal. Not to clip in, no, but only to increase my confidence that I could clip in if I so desired. I practiced this until it came just as naturally as the initial spin, as if moving from C to F.

Finally, having mastered the first two movements, I began work on the third. All the thousands of times I’ve clipped in while on the road gave my left foot the knowledge it needed to find the pedal, clip in and before I knew it, without even having to tell my leg to push, I was spinning. The move from F to A minor was mine.

I was spinning. I’d gone from A minor back to G. Without aid. Without hesitation. Without the use of a wall, or a crutch, or a helpful hand. I had done it.

And I had done it.

On.

My.

Own.

(so now I reward myself with a glass of Pinot Grigio, some corn chips, and Babylon 5 – so much for 50 minutes worth of rolling)

Indoor Riding

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So, in case you haven’t noticed, it’s pretty cold. It’s been in the single digits for a while now, and in case I haven’t mentioned it, I’m not a fan of riding in the cold. My excuse the last week or so has been b/c I’ve been sick with a minor upper respiratory tract infection. My excuse this week is that it’s Christmas week, and as such, is pretty hectic. My excuse next week will be b/c it’s New Years, and I’ll be very tired because of it.

I know, those are excuses, not reasons. After all is said and done, the truth is if I wanted to, I’d find a way. But unlike others, I’ve had to face the cold (ha!) harsh reality that riding in the sub-zero cold is too harsh for me. I won’t whine about why it’s too harsh for me, suffice to say that for daily outings, it just is. Riding should be fun. Riding in tear-freezing temperatures, at least for me, isn’t. That’s my burden to bear, and I bear it without shame.

But that leaves me with a problem. I do love to ride, and I love the benefits of riding. I’m healthier and happier. That’s what got me into it to begin with, after all, and that’s what will keep me in. But how to ride when the weather doesn’t allow, or when one allows the weather to stand in the way (as is my case)? There are three main choices… stationary bikes, trainers, and rollers.

I prefer rollers over stationary bikes and trainers b/c rollers force you to stay balanced, while the more traditional trainers keep you upright on their own. Rollers train your riding form as well as your fitness level. I currently have a set of rollers I use when it’s too cold out, but they aren’t perfect. They’re not bad, mind you, as far as rollers go, but they suffer from the same thing most other rollers suffer from… they’re rigid. They just sit there holding the wheels in place, and as such, they don’t feel natural. Sure, you can move side to side, and mine have wheel guards to keep me from rolling off the cylinders, but there’s no forward/backward motion, so it feels stiff and unforgiving. Moreover, they don’t allow for out of the saddle sprinting very well. Once I’m up and rolling, I’m stuck in the saddle until I stop.

I’m here to tell you, that’s not natural at all. My future gf/fiance/wife will appreciate the benefits of occasional out-of-the-saddle riding.

The other problems rollers present are all easily overcome.

  • Bored? Sit them in front of a television (or sit a television in front of them). Better yet, sit them in front of a television with a DVD player attached. If that’s not your thing, put on some music and ride to the rhythm.
  • Getting too hot or staying too cold? You’re indoors… I’m going to assume that being able to afford a bike and rollers means you can afford to control your climate. You can always put a fan up to give you the illusion of wind (or to just keep you cool). Consider a headband to keep the sweat out of your eyes. If you’re rolling as you should be, you’ll sweat.
  • Can’t mount or dismount? Well… this remains a bit of a struggle for me. I still need a wall for support, but I’m making it a goal for January to conquer that weakness. More on that later…

However, as I said, the one thing I’ve found that the rollers simply don’t do is feel natural. In a fixed position on the ground, they don’t let the bike move naturally as you pedal, which (unless you’re like me and have a perfectly flawless stroke), becomes very obvious after the first few revolutions. This fixed position also makes it difficult to stand up while riding. Not impossible, but you have to be really really careful and know what you’re doing. I’ve not tried it yet, b/c I’m not keen on launching myself off the rollers and into the television stand. Maybe someday…

And that’s why I really want to find myself in possession of an E-Motion Roller. The videos on the site highlight the natural movement of these rollers, as well as the bumper system that makes out of the saddle and in the saddle equally natural.

The only problem is that they’re not cheap. Still, one gets what one pays for, and since I’m dead set on hitting the mountains again next year, not to mention staying in shape in the meantime, I’m seriously considering dropping the not-insignificant cash for these things. Perhaps the most important point, however, is that since they’re good enough for The Fat Cyclist, they’re certainly good enough for me.

In the meantime, I’m looking forward to trying out the mount/dismount technique shown in the last video on their video page.

Hammerfest to Lawrence and Back

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I just joined a fellow Defined Fitness Training LLC member, and two others for a quick out and back between Shawnee, KS and Lawrence, KS. It was a last minute invite yesterday, and since I was planning (and needed) to get out for a ride, it fit the plan perfectly.

Now… when I mean quick, I mean just that. We rode hard and fast nearly the whole way. I was hard pressed to keep up… in fact, I didn’t. Had they not slowed the pace a bit, taking mercy on my lack of riding lately, it would have changed from a group ride, to a solo ride for me.

I’m a little confused by the stats reported on motionbased.com… my Garmin shows a moving time of 3:54:18 and an average speed of 18.82mph vs. the 4:53:35 time and 15.6mph average the site recorded. I’m going to go with what’s on the Garmin itself, thank you very much. ;)

Normally when I make the trek to Lawrence from my house, I’ll stop a couple times… typically once on the way out, and once on the way back. Not so much this time. It was hard spinning from our rendezvous point at 47th and K-7 to Wheatfields Bakery?, where we (finally) took a break and had breakfast. Their English Breakfast is pretty good, as are their cafe mochas.

The new Dew Drop should be here next week… I’ll pick my riding back up again when it arrives, and all will be right in the world. I drove to work all last week… it was nice not having to plan ahead with the clothes, and being able to get home more quickly, but losing the stamina really isn’t that hot, nor is not having the extra time to myself.

Life Without the Torelli

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While the Torelli is in the shop… or rather, while the wheel is in the shop getting straightened out, I’ve been on the Kona. It’s only been two days, but I’m already missing the tight handling and faster speeds.

Then again, it’s the faster speeds that landed the wheel in the shop to begin with, so maybe it’s for the best.

I took the Kona out yesterday for an long ride home by way of the Indian Creek Trail and the Gary Haller Trail. I ended up with just shy of 33 miles, and that because I ended up missing the turn into Shawnee Mission Park, and doubled back to grab it.

It would have been a perfect time to have the camera with me. Lots of stuff to take pictures of.

Beneath a bridge, there was a little boy playing in a bucket by the water. Standing guard was his little Jack Russel Terrier. It was very Norman Rockwell. I wish I’d had a camera. Though, these days, I would have had to have him sign a release to post his picture.

Later, on the trail was a group of suburban white guys in gangsta gear. They actually flashed gang signs at me as I passed them. That would have made a great picture too… assuming I could play it off w/o gettin’ cap busted in my ass.

Aside from those two moments, riding the trail is just so much more enjoyable than riding the streets. It almost qualifies as “time to myself” since I’m not dealing with drivers and their various “idiosyncrasies.”

The thing about the Kona is that it’s a heavy bike. I was more tired after 33 miles on it, than I would have been after 50 miles on the Torelli. Maybe 60, even. By the time I got to Shawnee Mission Park, I was ready to be home. I’d gone through three water bottles, grateful for working fountains along the trail, and my legs were aching. So were a lot of areas, but those were due to the crash the day before, rather than the ride. I’m reminded why I started riding the Kona to begin with, or why I didn’t mind riding it, anyway… it’s a great training bike. Ride a while on that, and riding the Torelli will feel like I’m flying.

I don’t laugh out loud often when I’m riding. I sing some, but I don’t see much that makes me laugh. This morning I took the short route into work on account of still feeling yesterday’s trail ride, and as I hit 76th Terrace and Antioch, I heard the unmistakable sounds of Gangsta Rap (or whatever they’re calling it these days). It was, to me, an odd sound at this time of morning. As I neared Antioch via a little parking lot, I found the source… a middle aged white male was sitting in… get this… a *mini-van* with this (c)Rap blaring. A mini-van! I nearly fell off the bike from laughing. I’m lucky I wasn’t shot, or worse yet, had a child seat thrown at me!

Indian Creek Trails and Post TPB Thoughts

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On Sunday, and then again yesterday, I went out and rode the Indian Creek trails. I’ve become far more comfortable on the streets lately, and didn’t want the hassle of dealing with the tight corridor when extra traffic (other cyclists, pedestrians) is involved. But, the GF wants to get more riding in, having been inspired by the TPB, and wants to start easy, which is to say, with hills numbering very very few.

I’d ridden the Indian Creek Trails years ago before I picked up the Torelli, and only remember one little hill that gave me trouble. Bear in mind, that was back in my days of “Granny Gear is for Wussies” thinking. Now, I’ll hit Granny Gear without a second thought if it’s necessary or appropriate. I’m still trying to get the GF to appreciate it’s benefits. Once she truly does, she’ll find that she’ll go farther with less effort and generally train better with a full range of gears at her disposal.

Both rides were very hot. At least while I was on the streets getting to and from the trail. Once on the trail, the temperature cooled down dramatically. Between the creek and the trees, it almost felt cool. The construction at 103rd and Metcalf is a bit of a pain, but it’s not a huge deal. The work done at Antioch is phenomenal.

I made a couple wrong turns while I was getting to know the path again, but it’s easy enough to find one’s way again.

One of the things I really liked about riding in the mountains was the winding roads. While the trails don’t offer much in the way of blistering downhill runs, they are very winding, and are a lot of fun for that. I think the GF will find them very agreeable.

I wondered how I’d feel about riding once the TPB was over. I wondered if I’d have the motivation to keep going as hard as I’ve been. I wondered if I’d want to ride at all. The rides I’ve been on since I’ve been back have been some of the most enjoyable rides I’ve been on, even including the TPB. The pressure is off. I’m not turning the cranks with any goal in mind. I’m just turning the cranks to turn the cranks, and it’s fantastic! Even as hot as it’s been this week, putting 30 miles in at a time in the heat of the day has been thoroughly enjoyable.

I’ll tell you something else with regards to the heat. Riding at 12,000ft is a lot easier than riding in Kansas heat and humidity.

I absolutely intend to ride the TPB again next year. As does my brother, as does one of our hosts, and the GF even has aspirations for it. At some point, I’ll need to ramp up the training again my brother and I are going to beat our time of 8 hours and 14 minutes. For now though, I’m going to throw myself headlong into riding for the sake of riding.

Maybe I’ll see Warren T out on the trails sometime…

Triple Bypass Week, Friday – Warm Up Ride, More Fantastic Dinner and Final Preparations

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Matthew had scheduled a paintball session for Friday afternoon, but my brother and I were really too concerned with making sure we were prepared for the Big Ride, and requested that it be rescheduled for Sunday (we were banking on not being too tired). He was agreeable, and so my brother and I drove down to Bergen Park (again) and met up with the rest of the “Warm Up” ride participants. While we were waiting, we noticed (how could we not) a silver Porsche Carrera drive up with a bike rack on top carrying a nice Scott. We couldn’t help but make a little fun of it. I mean, seriously… a Carrera, with a bike rack? C’mon. Turns out that it’s the Team Evergreen Club President!

I want to be a bike club president if it allows me to afford a Porsche!

He gives a bit of a speech to us, talking about the origins of the ride, and how it’s turned into one of, if not The premiere single day event in the country. He wishes us all the best of luck, and we all click in and set out….

…on a hard ride with some seriously confidence busting hills.

Triple Bypass “Warm Up” ride

It turned out to be a much more difficult ride than either of us imagined, or hoped it would be. We made it, but we were a lot more tired than we should have been after 16.5 miles. The altitude wasn’t affecting either of us as much as we expected it to, but the ride leaders set a mean pace. Naturally, we had to keep up. Dropping simply wasn’t an option.

That night, the GF made another dinner. This time she made home made Scallop and Shrimp Alfredo with Angel Hair pasta. It was an another amazing dinner. That GF of mine can cook, and loves to do so. Everyone who’s had anything she’s made loves that she loves to, as well.

Taking a lesson from our bike commuting experiences, we packed all our gear after dinner, knowing that in the morning we’d be too tired to be sure we’d gotten everything. Then, a couple of glasses of wine settled our nerves and we went down for an early bed time around 9:30pm.

Neither of us slept that well. We were anxious and nervous and excited all at the same time. We’d been preparing for over 8 months in our own separate ways, and as difficult as it was to believe, it was almost time…

Triple Bypass Week, Thursday – High Climbing, Wolves and Prime Rib

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After the success of the previous day’s ride, my brother and I wanted to ratchet it up a notch on Thursday. Not a huge notch, mind you, we were still cognizant of working ourselves too hard too early. We didn’t want to come down with altitude sickness, or stress our bodies too much before the Big Ride on Saturday. But we were also very pumped up. That meant more climbing and at a higher altitude.

This time, Matthew took us down to Bergen Park again to pick up my bike, and a few other odds and ends, and drove us all the way up to Echo Lake at the foot of Mt. Evans Road. Matthew drove back down to Bergen Park to wait for us. What a star!

Echo Lake to 12,000ft and back to Bergen Park

The climb up Mt. Evans Road is, all and all, a little steeper than up to Juniper Pass from Bergen Park. Combine the additional grade with the additional altitude, and we were working harder. But the extra effort was well worth it. It’s absolutely gorgeous up there. Made all the more compelling by having gotten there under our own power. All the pictures we took simply don’t do it justice… if you’ve not seen it, you owe it to yourself to head up thataway sometime.


At 12,200ft or so, we had to turn around in spite of a strong desire to continue on. Hunger pangs started to hit, and that’s a sure sign that it’s time to reduce effort and refuel. So turn around we did, and enjoyed yet another fast downhill run back to Echo Lake where we grabbed a light lunch and proceeded to climb back up to Juniper Pass before throwing it in neutral and letting gravity have her way with us back to Bergen Park. We didn’t sprint downhill like we did the day before, but it was still a blast!


While heading back, we stopped to check out one of the “scenic overviews.” While there, we met a local couple who were all to happy to help out a couple of flatlanders with a picture. Our camera batteries were dead, so she took this one and e’mailed it to us later.

Also on the way down… we saw a short (what appeared to be) Mexican man walking two wolves up towards the pass. I’m not sure if they were pure bred or mixed, but they were huge, they were gangly, they were grey, and they were gorgeous. If the camera batteries weren’t already dead, I would have stopped to take photos.

That night, the GF cooked up a fantastic meal of prime rib, roasted fennel, and crab cakes. Mmmmm…. is there anything crab cakes can’t do? It was so good, our hosts thanked *us* for the dinner, never mind that they were putting us up for the entire week free-of-charge.

After dinner, my brother found an organized warm up ride for the Triple Bypass being put on by Team Evergreen. It appeared pretty low key, and more of a tour of the Bergen Park area than anything, so we committed ourselves.

Triple Bypass Week, Wednesday – Bad News at the Bike Shop, and Our First Ride in the Mountains

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I’m used to waking up early in order to ride into work with time to cool off. My normal 05:00 CST wake-up time nearly came through for me, and I woke at 06:30 MST, and was unable to go back to sleep. So I got up and joined our host who was already up with coffee ready. It wasn’t long before my brother was up, and we started planning the week’s training. He was very concerned with not overdoing it, and fortifying ourselves with proper nutrition. I’ve been winging this whole thing from the start, so I continued that trend and just went with the flow. He been counting protein grams, and making sure to get the ride types of food at the right time during his preparation. I’ve been eating frozen pizzas and whatever else the GF puts in front of me. Granted, I’ve been eating *better*, but I’ve not been strict by even the least strict sense of the word “strict.” For the most part, I’ve been training like I ride… by the seat of the pants.

Elk Meadow to 10,000ft and back to Bergen Park

Off our hosts front porch.

So, we eat what he recommends, and hang out for a few hours catching up, chatting with our hosts, and generally enjoying the start of our vacation. At around 11 or so, we packed up the truck with our cycling gear (including our bikes), and son #2 drove us down to Bergen Park, where we hit a local bike shop and had a quick bite to eat before hitting the road. While at the bike shop, I had them true my wheels and check the rear derailleur as it felt a little off. As it turns out, the derailleur drop out is bent a little. I opt to ride it as is, and take them up on the offer to fix it overnight. Wheels trued up, Son #2, who I will refer to as “Matthew” (b/c that’s is name) dropped my brother and I off on Highway 103 just west of Bergen, and we set out. Our plan was to ride for about 30 minutes, and then do 15 second sprints followed by 15 second recovery or another 15 minutes before turning around. Things didn’t really work out that way. 30 minutes came, and we just felt like continuing the slow climb up, which, as it turns out, wasn’t nearly as hard as we thought it would be. We set a nice slow pace of around 7mph, and just rode… and rode… and rode. Bergen is at about 7,700ft, and we probably started at around 7,900ft. After an hour, we were just a couple hundred feet shy of 10,000, and decided it would be criminal to not hit that mark. 10,000ft arrived, none the worse for wear, and we turned around to reap our reward.

I can tell you with no qualms whatsoever that flying down a mountain at 35-45mph, taking the corners and curves tight on a bike built for racing is one of the singular joys in life. I won’t say it’s better than sex, but I will say it comes damn near. I really put my Torelli through the paces, learning it’s limits in ways Kansas is simply not equipped to offer. We were laughing the whole time, pushing ourselves more than we intended, but we couldn’t help it! The spirit grabbed hold and would not let go. And then came The Curve. I’d replaced my brakes pads a few weeks back with brake pads I thought would be better. Let’s just say I’m glad they proved inadequate on an inside curve where I would have gone into the cliff face, rather than off the side of the cliff. I didn’t actually hit the cliff face, but I did leave the road surface and was headed that way. Lesson learned, we continued our downhill run, perhaps a little more cautious, but having a blast all the same.

Aside from leaving the pavement once, I was incredibly pleased with how the Torelli performed. It was absolutely perfect, cornering on rails, and dipping lower than I ever thought it would, only to bounce back up for the straightaways like it was coming up off a trampoline. What a fantastic bike to have for those 45mph runs. The triple crank also came in damn handy. I don’t think I would have been able to make it without it. I probably could have used another cog on the low end, but I made do just fine.

Arriving back in Bergen Park, I drop the bike off at the shop to have them bend the drop out back into place, and we head back to the cabin, feeling very good about being able to finish the Triple Bypass. We made the climb up to 10,000ft quite easily, and had the time of our lives on the way down.

A few hours later the bike shop calls me back and tells me that not only is the drop out bent (easily fixed), but the rear derailleur is bent as well and one of the chain tensioner cogs is loose (fixable only with a replacement part). It still works, though, so I decide I’m not in the mood to spend $300, and tell them to adjust it as best they can, and I’ll replace it later. That disappointing call out of the way, my brother and I and Matthew (who you’ve already met) and Andrew (son #1) get back to playing Halo 2.

We’re nowhere near as good at Halo as we are at riding.

Bypass Preparation Week Continued

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I’m sorry Kansas. I didn’t mean to make you cry. You’re beautiful in your own right… and no matter what anyone says, bigger is not always better in the hills department. Be happy with what you have, and others will be happy with you too.

We got to the ride start after stopping off at a coffee shop for some coffee and swag and hung out in the parking lot waiting for the rest of the pack to show up. One guy drove up in a silver Carerra with a bike rack on top. What a sight that was. He got out, an old wizened fellow with silver hair, stocky of build and yet with the definition of one used to long ride in a bike saddle. I have to admit, we did make a little fun of the fact that he drove a Porche to a bike ride, and with a bike rack, no less. As it turns out, however, he’s the Team Evergreen club president. Who’d've thunk it?

At 12:55 they called everyone together. There were about 30 of us, and they gave the typical “thank you for showing up, ride safe and obey the law” speech. The club president mentioned the growth of the Triple Bypass over the years, saying that it far outstripped what the original organizers had in mind, and that it was one of, if not the premier one day ride in the nation.

All I know is that it’ll be a defining challenge for myself and my brother.

After the short speech, we were on our way. All in all, it was, in a word, tough. It was a lot more effort than either myself or my brother anticipated, and we’re hoping it didn’t set us back too much the day before the Big Ride tomorrow. I think he’s more worried than I am. I’m used to riding day after day after day. Him? Not so much.

Not only was today more physically taxing, it was more mentally taxing. I think the reason, at least in part, is that we didn’t know when the climbs would end. They were steeper, and we didn’t know how long they’d go. Tomorrow, though we’ll be climbing hard for miles upon miles, we know going into it that we’ll be climbing for miles upon miles. We can steel ourselves before the first pedal stroke, thus saving us any mental anguish that comes from asking the question “When will it end?!” We didn’t have that today. Additionally, we rode considerably harder and faster today just to stay with the pack. Wise? Maybe not. But it’s what cyclists do.

We spoke with a couple of the other guys that are riding tomorrow, and they mirrored our sentiment that the climbs today were more difficult than, at least, the climb up to Juniper, the first peak we’ll arrive at tomorrow.

All the same, it was another gorgeous ride in Colorado.