So you have a week’s worth of vacation saved up at work, you’ve been kicking some butt on the trails this summer and feeling strong, you’ve done the Laramie Enduro, Leadville 100, a few centuries around the area…..and now what? Well…….How about a little mountain bike race from Denver to Durango to test your endurance and psyche? It’s just a mere 500 miles along the Colorado Trail, 65,000 feet of climbing, 300+ miles of single track, totally unsupported, no prizes, no entry fee, no sag wagon. No big deal, right? I found out about this race way too late to think of entering it myself but as soon as I heard about it from a coworker I’ve been eagerly awaiting its start next year….
The race starts at 6:00 AM on Sunday, August 2 at the Waterton Canyon trail head in Denver. Racers are given a route description and a Spot GPS unit with their personal profile entered in it. From here, racers are on their own to carry their own food, water, shelter and bear repellent. What! I’m sure after the first day of 16 hours or more on the bike, my clothes would be repellent enough! It is also legal for racers to use post offices to pick up care packages they’ve sent to themselves anywhere along the route, but they must return to the same point on the course where they exited and are responsible for all the time wasted in line! It is also perfectly fine to stop in any fast food joint and eat to your heart’s content – however, racers are also required to pack “it” out. Hmmmm….
The race ends in Durango at the Junction Creek Trail head. If you’re good, five days in the saddle is the fee for a soft bed and a shower. If you’re not, a call to your boss for an extra day or two of vacation may be in order. With this year’s weather patterns, I’m guessing the racers will be in for a little moisture out on the trail. Speaking of “out on the trail”, the Spot GPS units also allow real time viewing of the CTR leader board for those who wish to follow the action from the couch. Ready to join or watch the fun?……Go check out the CTR website.
If the CTR is a little much, how about something a little closer to home for a great cause? The Pedal to the Point Bike Tour was created to help at risk youth in Northern Colorado. Three fully supported routes of 24, 52 and 72 miles take off from Waverly, Sunday, August 9 at 7:00AM and return to an after ride BBQ. 100% of the entry fee is donated to Turning Point. Visit Turningpnt.org for registration and more information.
Now, this is all exciting news and stuff, but remember, before going out on any of these rides, don’t forget to lube your chain…..and here’s a little tip – lubrication does nothing on the outside of your chain except collect dirt and give you a nice black chain ring tattoo on your calf. After lubing your chain, take a rag and wipe off the excess lube from the sides of your chain to keep it from gathering dust and grime. You’ll thank me for it!
It’s official; the training season has officially begun. Whether you’re getting ready for your first race, your first organized ride or your first 50 – 100 mile ride, following a training program can make your end goal seem like a walk in the park. The phrase “work smarter, not harder” may not have been coined on a bike seat, but it certainly should be stamped on one. If you’re like me, you ride your bike because you like to ride your bike; racing and other milestone rides are bonuses. But these days time is money, so spending quality time on your bike is a must while working towards your goal, even if it means staying off your bike. WHAT? Stay off your bike to be more proficient on your bike? That’s right! Countless hours on the bike can actually do more harm than good. Following a training program helps you think about the rest needed to repair and build muscles damaged by training. It also helps you make the best use of your time.
However, not all training programs are created equal. Selecting the right training program depends on your final goal and how much time you have until your planned event. A racer training for a 2 hour race will follow a different training plan than a person wanting to complete their first 100 mile ride (aka a century). No matter what plan you choose to follow, aspects of the plans are constant — hard days, easy days and rest days. The duration and frequency of each of workout or rest day depends on what your end goal is and where you are in the training program.
So……Where do these training programs come from? Search any of the top bicycling periodicals, websites or books and you’ll be able to find generic training plans for most riders and rides like this one. Specialty training sites like Training Peaks will set up a training plan specific to your needs using a questionnaire to help determine your goals. For the more serious riders, a personal trainer may be the ticket. I recently spoke to Kevin Livingston from Pedal Hard Training Center in the basement of Mellow Johnny’s bicycle shop, the one Lance owns, about training, pedal-hard and it was truly enlightening. I must admit, I have some work to do on my training program, or lack thereof after talking to him, and in weeks to come, I hope to share my progress with you. No matter which style you choose, the key is to write it down and follow it. I’d be willing to bet if you’ve never followed a structured training program before and make an honest effort to follow one you’ll be amazed at the time it saves actually spent on the bike and the rate at which you improve.
My riding tip for this week is more like a resting tip. Rest is the most important day in a training cycle. It’s when all the good stuff happens. Riding hard or long tears muscle fibers down. These fibers get repaired and grow during the rest days and recovery days. Even during interval training, the rest phase is not to be skipped to cut down the work out time.
In the coming weeks I hope to make some changes to my own training program dealing with my rest and duration in preparation for the upcoming race season and report on my progress. I hope to see your progress as well but until then, remember to kick back once in a while and put your feet up and rest!
So, the weather finally allowed the New Belgium Brewery short track race series to begin and boy, did it ever! Close to 100 racers in all showed up! The kids started off the evening followed by the beginners. Then the “A” class got started and the “open” class wrapped up the evening. I have to say,it’s great to see the parents get their kids involved in a sport that tests their inner strength as much, if not more than, their physical abilities. No matter what your ability level is or what you ride you quickly find riders on the course you can race with and learn from. Sure, we all want to be out front at the end of the race but that’s only a small part of it all. Many thanks to NBB and the volunteers who come out to put this thing together. If you want more information on the series and the next race go to here, more pictures of the race here. Just to give you a taste of the evening…. here’s my own little racing folly…
As I approached the sign up table and saw the list for the “A” class I began to wonder if I should have arrived a bit earlier and taken offwith the beginners — 42 riders in the “A” class! The spectators with the cameras may have had the right idea. I chose to mount my camera on my handle bar and set it up for movie mode. The camera setup received a few curious questions on the starting line, however. And now, whew! here come the butterflies! Looking around, I notice a few faces I haven’t seen since the snow started flying. “Hey Mike how you been, you been riding much?”….Hopefully you hear ‘no’, but nobody ever says yes. Jason gives a little speech and soon after…. READY GO! OK, here we are at that first turn in the top 10 and remember that first big dip. Relax, get your weight back. Alright, I’m about fourth at the moment and here’s the first little climb, I stay on Brain’s wheel (I hope he’s breathing just as hard as I am). Good thing my heart rate monitor was not charged! I’d hate to see a fourth digit appear! Settle in on this next straight away and get the breathing under control before the next section of climbs and descents. Take the corner wide…. keep the momentum now out of the saddle and down….again. Oh, it’s a little breezy on this back section, should be on Brian’s wheel. Careful on these off camber turns so…….dang it! how’d he get by me?….You don’t go down. No No. Stay with him on this next sweeper, good. Ooofff! Watch out for that branch on the next lap, remember to check your helmet after the race. Got a bit of a separation from the guys behind… nice…keep a good rhythm. This dirt pile is new, don’t go off the edge. Watch out for the next couple of turns, they’re tricky…don’t lean into them and wash out the front wheel. Crank it up around this section now and stick your tongue back in your mouth (always helps!). There’s the tree, I hope these guys get through it clean… c’mon boys, stick it. Last turn, show everybody you’re doing fine. Four more to go….3….2..1. Just hanging on..AHHHH relax. Wow, did I drink gasoline before the race? Those fire eaters would do good out here, where’s my camelback? But you know, I’ll be back!
If you want to see some coverage of the open class race visit you tube at the following link Sorry, I forgot my camera was on the lower resolution setting.
That’s my story for the week. Have you seen the latest news coming from the Lance Armstrong camp? Itseems while training in France he literally got himself into a bit of hot water with the AFLD, the French anti doping agency. After returning from a training ride, a tester from the AFLD was waiting for Lance wanting hair, urine and blood samples from him. With all the groupies Lance has in France naturally, he wanted to check this guy out. While his team made some calls, Lance thought he might freshen up a bit and hopped into the shower. If you don’t know, that is a big NO NO in the world of drug testing. You must not leave the sight of the tester after the request for a sample has been made and certainly not to go take a shower, especially in Europe. Just kidding Yann! Since announcing his return to cycling Lance has been tested 24 times each without incident, or is it indecent exposure? This little slip may be just what the Tour De France race organizers need to keep Lance from becoming an eight time Tour winner or even help Levi or Alberto win the Tour for Team Astana. By the way, Lance was in our own back yard recently, in Steamboat, and gave a video update of his recovery and his brush with the AFLD. Sounds like the training is going well and we’ll be able to see him in the Tour of Italy or Tour de Italia May 9 – 31
You’ve probably guessed by now that I can’t get enough cycling. Have you checked out Cycling.tv? It’s a site where you can subscribe to view all the big races around the world. They have packages to view major road, MTB, cyclocross, track and extras, such as trials and BMX. Even if you don’t subscribe, they have some pretty cool video clips to get even the weekend warrior pumped up to ride. I watched it Monday before the NBB short track series.
Now to the question, what’s in Steve’s pack? If you’re going out for a ride, best to bring the essentials to be able to fix your bike without having to call Mom for a ride home. Many a time the tools and goodies in my pack have allowed me to fix my bike or aid in fixing someone else’s so they could get back home or to their car. A well stocked tool bag or jersey should have the following:
* Form of ID – just in case
* Phone
* Dollar bill – Place it between the tube and tire to fix a sidewall tear. Tyvex house wrap works well too but you can’t buy a coke with it.
* Two tire levers
* Two tubes
* Patch kit
* Co2 & or Pump – pumps usually always work
* Multi tool w/chain break
* A couple zip ties never hurt
* Energy bar or two – You may feel like going longer.
* Good ole duct tape – Wrap 1/4 ” thick around your pump to get out of a sticky situation.
That’s it for this week. Oh, I just about forgot = an update on Colorado Safety Bill 148 — it is back on the House floor. Thanks to the Conference Committee, the confusing amendment was voted to be removed from the Bill. Hopefully, the clarity of the Bill will make it easier for it to pass at the Senate level. But before it gets to the Senate, it must return to the House for a “yes” or “no” vote. This is where you can help, call or email your state Representative and urge him to vote yes on the Bill. I just sent another note to House of Representative John Kefalas and it took less than five minutes. Follow the link http://bicyclecolo.org/page.cfm?PageID=988 To find your State representative and send him a note.
Now that’s really it for the week! Hope to see you at NBB next week!
The race starts at 6:00 AM on Sunday, August 2 at the Waterton Canyon trail head in Denver. Racers are given a route description and a Spot GPS unit with their personal profile entered in it. From here, racers are on their own to carry their own food, water, shelter and bear repellent. What! I’m sure after the first day of 16 hours or more on the bike, my clothes would be repellent enough! It is also legal for racers to use post offices to pick up care packages they’ve sent to themselves anywhere along the route, but they must return to the same point on the course where they exited and are responsible for all the time wasted in line! It is also perfectly fine to stop in any fast food joint and eat to your heart’s content – however, racers are also required to pack “it” out. Hmmmm….
It’s official; the training season has officially begun. Whether you’re getting ready for your first race, your first organized ride or your first 50 – 100 mile ride, following a training program can make your end goal seem like a walk in the park. The phrase “work smarter, not harder” may not have been coined on a bike seat, but it certainly should be stamped on one. If you’re like me, you ride your bike because you like to ride your bike; racing and other milestone rides are bonuses. But these days time is money, so spending quality time on your bike is a must while working towards your goal, even if it means staying off your bike. WHAT? Stay off your bike to be more proficient on your bike? That’s right! Countless hours on the bike can actually do more harm than good. Following a training program helps you think about the rest needed to repair and build muscles damaged by training. It also helps you make the best use of your time.
generic training plans for most riders and rides like 
So,
o check this guy out. While his team made some calls, Lance thought he might freshen up a bit and hopped into the shower. If you don’t know, that is a big NO NO in the world of drug testing. You must not leave the sight of the tester after the request for a sample has been made and certainly not to go take a shower, especially in Europe. Just kidding Yann! Since announcing his return to cycling Lance has been tested 24 times each without incident, or is it indecent exposure? This little slip may be just what the Tour De France race organizers need to keep Lance from becoming an eight time Tour winner or even help Levi or Alberto win the Tour for Team Astana. By the way, Lance was in our own back yard recently, in Steamboat, and gave a video update of his recovery and his brush with the AFLD. Sounds like the training is going well and we’ll be able to see him in the Tour of Italy or Tour de Italia May 9 – 31
