2011 Turkey Roll Bike Rally Review

I really wanted to call this review, “2 Minutes”, because when I look back at the 3 hours of the overall ride, there was one, single, two-minute segment that made the ride. It reminds me that with all the riding and training we experience and enjoy, that it’s frequently one moment, be it 8 seconds here, or half a minute there, which defines the rally or ride or race for yourself, and everyone else involved.

The 2011 Turkey Roll was held on a mild but windy day, and I guess it had been two years since I had last participated, because the venue had changed from the Fair Grounds to a Catholic Church parking lot, making departure to the traditional 100K route a little more neutral and controlled. Once we hit FM 428, however, we were working on a broad, smooth shoulder with a 20mph tailwind. Several of the better riders were in attendance, and we took longer, but equal pulls for the first 8 miles. However, it was right after the turnoff at mile 8, on to FM 2153, that the defining moments of the rally were established and set in my memory.

The turn North meant that what had been our helpful tailwind was now a brutal, steady, left-front crosswind. The road, which had been wide and with a shoulder, was now narrow, pitted from heavy use, heavy with chip-seal, and had zero shoulder. This is where experience, knowledge of the course, position, and honestly, wheel selection, made a huge difference.

I immediately went in to the red zone when I came to the front and put in what must have been a 450-watt effort for one-minute, riding perfectly in the left wheel-well. There was space for about four riders to ride off my right hip, but anyone else would be forced to either ride along the white line, or attempt to form up on a second echelon. Matt Stephens, Colnago Chris, Chris Powers and myself all took equally good turns in rotation, but at roughly the 10.5 mile mark, I went to the front for my turn, and between the four of us, we put in a solid 2- to – 5 minute effort above 25mph and between 356 and 320w that, when we made the short hop onto Running Bear road, then on to FM 455, well, there was absolutely no one behind us. And by that I mean NO ONE.

We went on to ride at very solid, very high paces, talking, drinking our bottles, pushing but not too hard, for about 2 hours. Finally, at about mile 45 or so, Matt, Chris Powers and I unfortunately lost Colnago Chris, and we would not see him again until the finish. By mile 60, the three survivors had declared détente, and we rolled back through the neighborhoods and in to town, finishing in an official 2:53, without the pit stop at mile 40. We later learned that the trailing cyclists, around mile 10, had NOT formed a second echelon, and had instead suffered a crash that broke up the peloton, leaving us as the undisputed leaders whom no one could possibly catch in that wind. No one was seriously injured, but several bikes and wheels were totaled.

If I could summarize the work and the success of the break, I would say that it was those critical 1, 2, and 5 minute efforts, at high cadence, with equipment that was literally built for those types of conditions (aero bike with aero wheels that actually reduce drag or flutter in crosswinds), at high cadence (95-110rpm), at intensities which were well in to the Anaerobic and Vo2max zones, that made the ride. When you look at North Texas rallies and races, and the perpetual wind, it’s THESE efforts that determine success more than any other type of effort. Train this way, do similar intervals, and your chances of looking over your shoulder to see… no one, grow tremendously.

2010 State Road Race Review – Copperas Cove

I guess it’s been what – two weeks now since the State Road Race weekend? Sheesh, time flies.

I don’t think I have any good photos unless they shot some on Sunday when I was in either a group or solo breakaway. Yes, once again, it was that kind of weekend.

The weather was perfect, and I mean PERFECT, both days. The temps were on the cool side, but the sun came through and warmed things up, while also keeping the wind at almost ZERO on Saturday, and mild on Sunday. Mirage entered the event with fewer participants than last year, but we still had a good game plan, and we knew that the hills would take their toll.

Immediately some riders got off the front, but while I was near the front, I did everything I could to try and keep my emotions reined in. However, it just wasn’t meant to be. In the first 60 minutes, I rode a Normalized 295w, or 4.3w/kg, which was close to my season high. It’s kind of hard to remember, but I know I was involved in several attacks, and did engage in a solo break or two, one of which I think lasted about 8 miles. Idunno, maybe I’m getting the races confused. I think I tried for the 1-lap prime, but was again denied. As the race went through its’ second lap, the whole tempo sort of died down, and while I had some teammates come up for conversations, we all knew it would come down to Shawn Hodges in the sprint. With about 1 mile to go, I remember giving it my all, and then suffering from system shutdown. My legs started cramping, and I went backwards.  Hodges went on to finish 6th, and several other teammates did really well, cementing our place not as winners of the State RR, but as winners for the 2010 season in Cat 3. While I contributed very few points, it was something of an accomplishment, and I took some solace and pride in that result.

Sunday’s race was the 40+ men, with a different cast of characters. Again I rode hard, rode strong, but the race itself was much more controlled. It was definitely a better team event. One breakaway that I launched lasted about 45 minutes, and I did get maybe 1 or 2 minutes up the road, but it was eventually reeled in, and the counter-attack that sprung from my catch led to the break that actually got away and stayed away. That break, with two McKinney Velo riders, two Mirage riders, a San Jose and one other guy, made it stick, shelling an Austin Bikes rider, and the rest of us played defense, mostly keeping the “Joe’s Pro” riders from attempting to bridge.

When the race was all but over, a teammate and I tried to set up some attacks that would or could possibly crack the rest of the peloton and fragment it so that there would be no sprint, but I kept getting shadowed by this rider in pink and blue. He was AWFUL! Once again, though, when Mike Brown of Velo McKinney went out and launched a serious attack, later joined by his teammate, it was perfectly timed, and the two got away in the last 3 miles. It was textbook. In the end, once again, I missed the pack finish, ended up well out of the top 60, and sort of struggled in. I DID receive some recognition and took a share of the team payout (the team took 2nd), which was gratifying, but in the end, I raced with my heart, not with my head, and the penalty was to sort of struggle in after 2.5 hours of aggressive riding.

I’m not sure what I want to do next year. I don’t know if I’ll ever be strong enough to ride away and stay away in the 3′s. I like riding in the 40+, and there may be a new category in TXBRA next year – 40+ 3,4, but in a way, it seems sort of like sandbagging. Three weeks before I turned 40, I suffered a heat stroke, and took most of July off, gaining about 4-5 lbs in the process. Honestly – it hasn’t gone away. I know my power is there, I know my strength is there, but I don’t know if I can make another investment like this again. I probably will, but I know there are other challenges out there, and coaching is more of a determinant than anything.

That’s about it right now – not much else to say. I’ll try to post about the USA Cycling Coaching Summit in the next day or two, but right now, I think I just want to go for a ride.

Joule 2.0 review, Part 2

To continue the thoughts before I get distracted with a couple of other projects and essays, let’s get back to the bullet points that were not commented on during the original blog post. I covered the first 3. Now, let’s continue.

Here are the bullet points yet to be covered. Honestly, I’m sure I’ll remember some more things at some point in the future. It’s hard to write thoughts down or read them in to your iphone when you’re rolling along, no?

• A Barometer to read elevation and feet or meters climbed.
• The ability to switch from bike to bike to bike, using the new ANT+ Sport technology so that each bike’s unique power meter, speed sensor, cadence sensor, and heart rate sensor, could be stored, and called up with a minimal amount of hassle.
• On-screen torque zeroing and calibration.
• Customizable screens showing what I wanted to see, and when. Something very malleable.
• GPS
• Cost below $500
• Weight below 200g
• Either USB upload/download and charge, or wireless upload/download and charge.
• ROCK SOLID MOUNTING ON A STEM OR HANDLEBAR
• Easy navigation and intuitive menus.
• Must be robust enough to withstand the elements, sweat, and crashes.

Let’s cover the points.

• Barometer – CHECK. The Joule definitely covers current elevation and feet or meters climbed, and while I haven’t tried it, I’m pretty sure it has an elevation calibration protocol. Now, one of the REALLY cool things that the Joule does, that other head units don’t yet do, is that it measures VAM, or “Vertical Ascent Meters per Hour”. This was a measurement of climbing put together by the nefarious Dr. Ferrari, to basically come up with a way to look at how the best climbers fought their way up mountains. At the time of this writing, however, the VAM feature measures VAM for the entire ride, and it does NOT reset with intervals, even though you can see it on interval windows. I’ve brought this to the attention of Cycleops, but have not heard a response from them at this time. It should be an easy fix, though you never know with these firmware developers.
• The ability to switch from bike to bike to bike, using the new ANT+ Sport technology so that each bike’s unique power meter, speed sensor, cadence sensor, and heart rate sensor, could be stored, and called up with a minimal amount of hassle. - CHECK. OH HOLY COW I CAN NOT BELIEVE HOW INCREDIBLY AWESOME THIS FEATURE IS! SET OFF THE FIREWORKS AND LIGHT THE SPARKLERS! THIS FEATURE IS AWESOME! CYCLEOPS, I CAN NOT THANK YOU ENOUGH!  Now, while I calm down, let me explain why this is sooooo critical. There is a subset of the power meter crowd, and even the non-power-meter crowd, who have more than one bike. There are also folks who have more than one power meter. I know, I know, that’s a seriously small subset, but honestly, when you get in to these things, you start to realize that you may need different cranks or wheels for road cycling, time trials, track, and even mountain biking. The only other head units that are worthy of use right now are the Garmins, and it definitely takes time to ‘find’ the new and unique codes every time for the ANT+ protocol that is the common wireless language for all of these power meters, speed sensors, chest straps, and cadence meters. Heck, even the foot pods for runners use ANT+. Me? Well, you have to look at this in the context of someone who is constantly measuring power for all cycling applications (YES, THAT IS MY JOB… SORT OF), but I have 3 quarqs and two powertaps. All wireless. Until recently, I had a Garmin 705 for the road and TT bike, a Joule 3.0 for the Gary Fisher Simple City, and a Garmin 500 for the mountain bike. So, it’s a lot of hardware and sunk expense to get the convenience I wanted… Probably close to $12k. But the Joule 2.0 (I’ll discuss the 3.0 in some PS or epilogue at the bottom of this or another post) allows you to record the unique speed, cadence, speed/cadence, HR straps, and Power Meters for each of those bikes, and then pull them up for ‘activation’. It takes about 1 minute. I now have 1 unit for four bikes, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier. I’m still keeping the other units for other reasons, but yeah – for now, the Joule 2.0 is a universal data trap.
• On-screen torque zeroing and calibration. It’s there, it’s doable, and once you know how to navigate the menus, it’s easy. I’ll leave it to the Wattage forum to correct me on the esoterics of things, but suffice it to say that my multiple PM’s show very little drift after the first two weeks of break-in. I’m happy.
• Customizable screens showing what I wanted to see, and when. Something very malleable. CHECK!!! Again, WOW and WOW and WOW! I love it. I probably should try to shoot some photos to include on this screen, just to show you what can be done, but again, HOLY COW. The OPTIONS are awesome. I can switch the amount of information presented from 2 things to over 8, and I can actually cycle instants, averages, maxes, and other stuff so that the information I want to see can be dead-center on the screen, OR,  on the bottom of the screen in a divided area. I really ought to pull up SnagIt and build you some images, but I wanted to get the words written first. So in a nutshell, HECK YEAH you can modify and alter this thing to no end. You also get options on the amount of time you want the backlight on (don’t laugh but mine’s permanently on,and that’s got a lot to do with why my battery doesn’t last as long) , and how you want the contrast set.  This is a great feature list.
• GPS – “XXX”. Now, NOT having this feature is interesting. I think it has more to do with cost, with complexity, with weight, and with battery duration issues. And with all the new websites and features coming out that highlight just how awesome GPS is and why it’s God’s Gift to Cyclists of All Ilks and Trades… well, I was sold and thought that it was the absolute best thing to have on a cycling head unit. BUT, there are some real limitations to GPS… First, it doesn’t tend to accurately display “Z” values in terms of altitude, especially when the changes are so minute. Second, it tends to work best at speeds above 25mph, from what I can tell. Third, Anyone using GPS in an attempt to be accurate on distance traveled is going to be disappointed when every time you go over that same piece of road or trail, you’ll get a different value. It’s just not that accurate (nothing is, really. Go read James Gleick’s “Chaos Theory” about how surveyors looked at a border between two countries, at the same time, using the same instruments, and ended up with wildly different values.). So, I’m actually going to hedge my answer here, and say that it’s MOSTLY unnecessary. The only reason I DO still like having GPS is that the Joule is dependent upon Speed or HR to begin and maintain its’ recording. That’s kind of a weakness, since we do stop and sometimes walk away from our bikes while leaving the head unit on the bars. But overall, it’s okay not to have GPS. I would love to have that, but I think I understand why they didn’t…. Though I’m still not sure and I’m definitely a waffle on this one.
• Cost below $500 – Hmmm. Barely. Internet listings show a cost of $450-$500. ALWAYS add the cost of the head unit and interpretive software when you buy a powermeter!
• Weight below 200g – Nailed it. The head unit is about 75 grams, the mount is less than that, and the GSC10 is about 50, so you’re in for everything at <200g. Those riding integrated ANT+ kits like those found on TREK bikes and maybe a few others. Needless to say, you won’t feel the weight on your bike. It won’t affect balance or anything else, and the unit can be mounted on the handlebars, the stem, or the frame if that’s where you want it.

Okay – I’m getting the itch to actually break out the Descente kit and go ride. I’ll keep plugging along on this review and will make a solid effort to shoot some photos of the features. My parting comment right now would be to suggest to Cycleops that they duplicate something they did a LOOOONG time ago, with their LYC, and build a Joule 2.0 and Joule 3.0 simulator for their website. It might overcome one final bit of stigma associated with all these new head units – their complexity.

Part 3 to come.

Long Promised Joule 2.0 review

Well, man, this has been tough. I decided a while back to purchase and try a Joule 2.0 from Cycleops, and it basically took me most of the summer to really get my head around it. I’ll go in to more detail as we go, and I’ll try to post some photos, but in a nutshell, it is ALMOST my favorite on-bike Power Meter head unit. I’ll explain the almost as we go along…

After over a decade in which Power-Tap used their now-ubiquitous “Little Yellow Computer”, it became obvious as technology progressed that a more capable bike computer was a necessity. Other head units have added features and functions, and the Little Yellow Computer (from hereon called the “LYC) just wasn’t cutting it. Savvy cyclists needed more memory, more windows, more multifunctions, longer lasting batteries, backlights, uploads, downloads, and all sorts of things. Based on my own experiences, the following is my own list of wants and needs for the Ultimate on-bike Power Receiving Device.

• Gobs of memory – the ability to store weeks and months of rides, if not years of rides, in one location. You can NEVER have enough places to back things up.
• Long Lasting Batteries. Something that would last at least 6 hours while recording everything, and including a backlight for indoor use, as well as cloudy days.
• The ability to read TSS, IF, and PNorm, not JUST on an overall ride basis, but also on a per-interval basis. I know this may cause some controversy, but way back in 2002 and 2003, when I was learning about TSS, I believed that  PNorm was probably more important on a per-interval basis (especially for longer intervals), than it might be for overall ride purposes, because it yielded a more realistic ‘physiological effect’ that would account for things like rolling terrain, traffic, road conditions, and the like.
• A Barometer to read elevation and feet or meters climbed.
• The ability to switch from bike to bike to bike, using the new ANT+ Sport technology so that each bike’s unique power meter, speed sensor, cadence sensor, and heart rate sensor, could be stored, and called up with a minimal amount of hassle.
• On-screen torque zeroing and calibration.
• Customizable screens showing what I wanted to see, and when. Something very malleable.
• GPS
• Cost below $500
• Weight below 200g
• Either USB upload/download and charge, or wireless upload/download and charge.
• ROCK SOLID MOUNTING ON A STEM OR HANDLEBAR
• Easy navigation and intuitive menus.
• Must be robust enough to withstand the elements, sweat, and crashes.

Well, you know, this is a tough list, but honestly, I think the Joule almost made it.

Let’s start by going down the list of features for the Joule 2.0, based on my own list above, okay?

• Gobs of memory – CHECK. Joule offers over 20 hours of memory in 1-second recordings, and can store summaries for up to a year’s worth of rides. This one was big, and it helps a ton.
• Long Lasting Batteries – CHECK, SORT OF. My own experience with the Joule was that it definitely lasted the necessary 6-8 hours per ride, but that if you keep the backlight on, which I’m prone to, it’ll run down in less than 5 hours. Comparing it to the 705, I don’t think it has as long a battery life, but I think they must be using either smaller or cheaper batteries. The Joule also just has a mono-color screen, so the battery life sort of puzzles me. Still, it’s worked for just about every ride I’ve been on for any duration, though the battery signal does drop about every hour or 90 minutes.
• The ability to read WKO+/Coggan/Allen Metrics. OH HALLELUJAH I THINK WE FINALLY GOT A GOOD ONE HERE! YES! But wait…. The formula used by the Joule is ever so slightly different than the one used on WKO+, and, well, if anything, the Joule’s on-screen TSS scores tend to read a little high at the end of the day. It’s not the worst thing in the world, and I suspect it has more to do with the way the Joule is recording or not recording zeros and stops when I’m in traffic, but comparing the Joule’s downloaded TSS scores with the exact same data from a Garmin 705 that is just kept running, regardless of stops, always reveals that the Garmin’s values are higher, and closer, to the numbers read on the Joule’s head unit itself. It’s a bit of a mystery, but honestly, I think I can handle it. I just have to ride about 2-5% harder or longer to get the desired TSS scores on WKO+. IF for an interval is nice, so that you know how hard you’re riding in each interval, as is the ability to reveal wattage zones, and Pnorm, all on the same screen as time. TSS for intervals isn’t as important for me, but the Joule presents just about all the information you need to know on a per-ride and a per-interval basis, which is VERY helpful.

I figured I better post this. More to come.

ErgVideo Multirider Performance Training – How and Why it works!

CompuTraining Works

How many hours a week do you actually train? It’s a serious question. Think about it. We’re cyclists – recreational, competitive, triathletes, utility riders. But in today’s modern world, the difference between how many hours you PLAN on training versus the hours you actually GET to train, getting the most out of the time that you actually have available, is critical. Now for the next question… When you actually do get to train, how good is the training? The reality is that after we’ve headed out for our ride, there are SO MANY variables that can affect the quality of that ride, that it remains difficult to actually achieve that which you planned for, especially if you live in an urban area and have to deal with traffic or hazards.

The solution, of course, is indoor training, and nothing gives you a better indoor experience than using a CompuTrainer with the ErgVideo software.

The CompuTrainer is an indoor ergometer that uses a precisely controlled electromagnet to increase or decrease the load placed on a bicycle rider’s rear tire. When the load increases, the rider must match that load with power, known in our business as Watts. The ErgVideo software takes it another step, simulating an actual ride, and the nuances of wattage that are required to pedal around. The ErgVideo library has over 50 titles, so you can pick and choose workouts to suit your needs, be it intervals, race simulations, or adventure rides. More are added to the library every year.

The final piece to indoor training is found in comradery. ErgVideo and CompuTrainer allow for multiple users (up to 8) to perform the same workout, but to do it at their own respective wattage threshold. In other words, everyone will be doing the same 3-minute interval, let’s say, but one rider will be doing it at 350 watts, while another rider will be at 250 watts. Both riders will be at 115% of their respective thresholds.

The indoor training classes at the Cycling Center of Dallas are 12 week programs that go through three distinct “meso-cycles”, which basically means that riders will focus on one energy system per month, and will then switch to training another aspect of performance the next month. Testing for Threshold is done every 4 to 6 weeks, and as riders adapt to more intense loads, threshold values are adjusted so that they can continue to improve. Riders get a consistent location and environment, get a safe place to work out, and get a workout that is incredibly effective, giving riders the most “Bang per Buck per Minute” of any type of workout, indoors or out. Programs are 8 to 12 weeks long, and participants get a booklet describing each workout, it’s goal, and how it fits in to a bigger plan of progression and periodization.

While triathletes have known about the benefits of CompuTrainers and indoor training for years, It’s been rumored and confirmed that several professional cyclists, including Taylor Phinney and Michael Rogers, have switched the bulk of their intensity training to indoor training. The time they do NOT spend outdoors, is then spent recovering, and research is proving that in many cases, “Less is More”, especially among Endurance Athletes.

If you are a recreational or competitive cyclist, but have to juggle your schedule for training with work, family, church and travel, you might think about indoor training and the ErgVideo experience. Your power will improve, your strength will rise, and you’ll be able to ride at a higher speed, longer, because of the work done indoors. Two days a week, 60-90 minutes at a time, can yield improvements in power-to-weight ratios of 10 to 15%. It truly is ‘revolutionary’!

2%.

A poor head-on shot of my TT position.

The world of Time Trials is really, really complex. In many ways, it’s “The Race of Truth”, but in many ways, it’s also a race of technology. The pursuit of an aerodynamic edge, be it wheels, frames, helmets, or skinsuits, really can mean the difference between hitting the podium, and missing it.

This weekend, I raced an awesome looped course, complete with rolling terrain, different types of pavement, and an increasing wind. It was incredibly fun and challenging, but when the results were posted, I had missed the money by ONE second, and I had missed the win in my category by just about a minute. Let’s play around with some numbers here and there, look at wattage values, and see if we can figure out a way for me to increase my speed and reduce my time, just by using technology.

Over the years, I’ve tried to use technology to influence my positioning on the Time Trial bike, and also to influence my purchasing decisions, so everything tends to be tilted towards that which will produce the lowest amount of drag, while still allowing me to generate adequate power to the pedals. For this event: here’s my equipment list:

• Aluminum Cervelo P3.
• Aerobars
• Oval TT fork
• Nimble Trispoke up front.
• Bontrager Aeolus Disc Wheel in rear (2007 model?)
• TIGHT skinsuit
• Louis Garneau aero helmet.
• Pearl Izumi Booties

I opted to not bring a water bottle, though honestly, I should have considered wearing my camelback with a couple of ice cubes inside, but I don’t think my performance suffered from dehydration. I drank adequately prior to the effort, knowing I would lose fluids through perspiration and respiration from the stress and the environmental conditions.

Using Golden Cheetah’s experimental “AeroLab” and also a tried-and-true program from “Analyticcycling.com”, I took a section of road that was smooth and steady in its’ slope, where I knew I was in my aero position as consistently as I could remember, and I tried to determine my Coefficient of Aerodynamics, or CdA.

You try to get the lines to mesh as much as possible.

For the second image, take Frontal Area and multiply it by the Coefficient of Wind Drag. Both numbers come up close to a .265m^2, which is better known as the “HOLE” you cut through the air when you’re in a certain position. Remember, I lost 3rd place by 1 second, and I lost the victory by one minute exactly. The difference then, between 4th, which I got, and first, which we want, is about 1.8%. Thus the title of this post – a 2% improvement in my time would have earned me the win. I may have been able to pedal faster, but honestly, from what I know about aerodynamics, my .265m^2 is probably a little high. I’d like to see if I can lower that CdA down to a .25 or a .24 without losing power, and see what that would achieve.

Here are the results of some Analytic Cycling calculations. Notice the DROP in watts required to travel at the same speed. We’ll go back to my original power average on the last image….

Wattage required at .25m^2

Wattage Required at .24m^2

The savings on watts at the same speed, 10.2 meters per second, goes from 252w to 243w to 237w, or a savings of 3.5% and then 2.4%, or a total of 6% decrease in the amount of power required to hold that speed. So, you’re doing less work, using less energy, to get down the road at the same speed. Now, let’s show the final chart, and reveal just what speed I would have held on that section, had I been able to hold a .24m^2 aero position, and still generate 250w…

250w at a CdA of .24m^2

My speed goes up from 10.2m/sec to 10.44 m/s, or….

2.2%.

Now, this is never a perfect science, but let’s just say that I was able to mostly hold that position, stay at a perfect .24m^2 CdA, and generate 250w, which is about what I pushed on Sunday.

I averaged 25.3 miles per hour, or 11.3 m/s.

a 2% improvement would have yielded an average speed of 25.8mph, or 11.53m/s.

Covering the distance of the TT route, a 2% improvement would have yielded a 55:07, which would have put me 2 seconds out of 2nd place. Raising my power to 252w would have put me down in the 54 minute range, which would have led to a a win in my category.

So what’s the moral of the story? Well, as much as I love power, let’s face it – time trials are almost always won by mere seconds. Never let up, push as hard as you can as long as you can, but remember the little stuff that can, and does, make a difference.

Now – if I can just find a way to shed that drag, ever so slightly! Stay tuned!!!

THIS is how you win a sprint!

.0075 seconds, or the width of a tire.

The image above is from the Mineral Wells Criterium, hosted by promoter Andy Hollinger and his wife, Lauren. The race was held in downtown Mineral Wells, on a short course around the famous derelict hotel, the Baker, which has been unoccupied since 1962 or 72, depending on whom you ask. The course included a short, but steep, 100′ long hill, and a really rumbly back side, before two turns that returned you to the start/finish, on a smooth, descending stretch of road. The locals were quite welcoming, and it was neat to see the local bank highlighting the event on their LCD display. Temps were actually pretty moderate all morning, as there was a slight overcast sky, but it did not diminish from some really good racing.

The Cat 3′s went off at 9:30am, and several familiar faces lined up at the start. As soon as the whistle blew, we jockeyed for position, and I settled in to roughly 3rd or 4th position. The climb was really deceptive, as there was a longer ‘pre-hill’ climb that was long enough to string out the racers, but was still short enough to minimize gaps. An ALS rider led for the first 3 laps or so, and then wiggled his elbow to let someone else take a turn up front. As is my tendency, I pulled and took turns pulling for a couple of laps, staying near the front and trying to challenge for primes. However, the Williams cycling team had two really good riders, and they took almost every prize, including first and second at the end. When my chance came, I kept my hands down in the drops, pedaled as absolutely hard as I could, but was surprised to find a shadow overtaking me on my left as we approached the finish line. With a final burst, I threw my bike across the line, hoping beyond hope that the effort was enough to nip my fellow competitor.

This is the image, captured by the camera at 10,000 frames per second. 3rd place was mine, along with a nice payout and the satisfaction of knowing that I had done everything I could to earn that high placing.

Special thanks to Andy and Lauren Hollinger, and their continuing efforts to make Texas Racing the best in the nation.

2010 Cedar Hills Rally – 2:31 100k!

Head for the Hills of Cedar Hill!

The 2010 Cedar Hills Rally brought a whole host of surprises, and it began with the weather. After a long spring of rain and even snow, we North Texans had begun to enjoy a true spring, with multiple days of good weather, mild-to-warm temps, and breezes finally coming in from the South. Sure, there had been some storms that came in from the South and due West, but at least the Blue Northers were gone. However, on Saturday morning, we woke up to, get this, temps in the high 50′s, and a gusty wind blowing mostly out of the NorthEast, but really just sort of all over about three different directions on the compass. About 2000 people showed up to get their fill of the rolling hills just south of Dallas, and the course did NOT disappoint.

Several top riders from local clubs attended, but it was the Colavita team that really became the major players. From the gun, Brian Reid jumped to the front and set a blistering pace, WITH THE TAIL WIND, for about 3 miles. David Arteaga, a rider who knows these roads like the back of his hand, and had his breakout moment in this rally two years ago, also rode up front, along with several other riders, including a tandem Joe’s Pros/Colavita team, Curtis Palmer from Colavita, another Colavita rider whose name I can’t remember, and a Williams rider, along with a long-time veteran of Texas rallies, Duane Neu. Again, the pace was blistering, and I was truly surprised that the tandem riders were actually really, really good at negotiating the turns, shifting, holding on to momentum, and basically doing their part in the pack. They pulled, they drafted, they rotated through pacelines, everything. I was impressed.

In the first hour alone, we averaged 28.3 miles per hour, and after staying at or near the front for a number of pulls, negotiating the twisty course and the accompanying county roads (medium quality-to-poor quality, so you had to keep your eyes open), I rolled back to see if I could find some of my teammates… and the pack ended at 10 bicycles! Now, I need to tell you – this is REALLY rare. Most of the time, packs don’t split up and breakaways don’t form until well in to the rally, but here, some time around the first 30-45 minutes, we had actually cracked the peloton. It wasn’t an excuse to slow down, but it did make things easier for the riders who were there, and it also made things safer, since we could negotiate the turns better, and regroup after road crossings, etc.

At about 31 miles, we finally left the cracks and chip-seal and began to traverse west-bound toward the eventual turn right and trip home. The wind was howling, but with the Colavita rider on the back of the tandem (a STRONG female cyclist) directing the paceline, we were able to hold things together quite a bit and quite well, losing very little time in the crosswinds and the climbs out and back to the finish line at Cedar Hill High School. Unfortunately, we did lose two of the 10 riders, one to a flat, the other to fatigue, but the rest of us were able to withstand the turn in to the headwind, and get within 8 miles of the finish line before Curtis unfortunately cracked on a long, ever-steeper hill, facing the headwind. This put us down to 7 bikes (8 riders). Duane rode incredibly well, and Brian and David actually came to a detente of respect after they traded barbs earlier in the ride when discussing who was working more.

The finish went basically uncontested, since we were passing hordes of cyclists from other routes who were finishing up their own rides of 25 and 40 miles. At the end, we looked down and noticed that, with the challenging terrain (3000′ of climbing) and the brutal, gusty wind, we still did almost 62 miles in 2 hours and 31 minutes, a new record for myself for sure, and one that everyone else said either was or was close to their overall PR. Stats for the ride (my own) went like this: 2200 Kilojoules of energy expended, Normalized Power for the ride of  279w, IF of .976, which makes me think that either my Threshold is low, or that I need to check calibration (the cold weather necessitated a manual calibration before the start, but the Joule 2.0′s menu system is, well, still vexing me at this time, and I didn’t want to mess with it). MMP60 Normalized was a 297, so I think I WILL raise my FTP to at least 297 from 287, and see what that does for me. Average speed for the ride was 23.3mph.

Overall, it was a fantastic ride, and again, I’m surprising myself as I come in to form, just in time to save the season. Rally riding is de facto racing for many of us, and with this finish, I am confident that I can hold my own among the elite riders of North Texas.

Post-Race notes:

• My supplement strategy involved two items: Extreme Endurance pills (6) (http://xendurance.com/), which keep the blood alkaline for a longer period of time before lactic acid overwhelms the system. I was able to completely avoid cramps and sore legs, and I felt that especially on the hilly portions in the homeward leg, in the headwind, I was able to stomp on the pedals at a higher cadence and with more force, thus matching pulls or pulling through on the group with whom I was riding. I was able to do this over, and over, and over, and after the rally, as tired as I was, I was completely void of soreness. Even descending stairs was no problem.
• The second strategy involves ingestion of 500ml of pure beetroot juice. A study showed that beetroot juice is filled with nitrites, and the supposition is that in the body, the nitrites are converted to Nitric Oxide, which acts as a vasodilator and a blood vessel repair apparatus or elasticity improver or something like that. I won’t divulge the after-effects of said fueling, but suffice it to say that per the effort, you end up with more stamina and more strength as a result of a better blood circulation system.

Photos will be posted as they become available, but this was one rally that this author will never forget, for its’ toughness, its’ speed, and the coordination of the group with whom I was riding. Chapeau, y’all! See you next weekend!

Joule 2.0, 3.0, Garmin 705, 500 Power Meter Receivers

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Will be doing a long-term review of these four head units later this week and month. Please stay tuned.

Greenville RR review

It’s been a while since I posted about a race, and that’s really because I haven’t been doing much racing. I did do a rally in August, a 100-miler that felt fantastic, even in the heat, and I probably should have written a review about the Texas State Team Time Trials, in which we placed 4th with just 3 riders, but I’ve been focused on writing a book about WKO+ software, and getting the fall program set up for the Cycling Center of Dallas. But this past weekend, myself and 3 other Mirage cat 3′s entered the Cotton Patch Classic, a race AND rally, which was also a stage race, and was ALSO an omnium (points instead of time).

I prepped for the event as best I could, including my now famous need for Sushi the night before the race. For some reason, sushi just does it for me. I’ve always had great results the next day, stayed out of cramping trouble, and generally had that sense of well-being that is so necessary to race. Race gear was the basic Soloist with Aeolus 6.5′s, three water bottles, and my trusty Quarq Saturn.

An Omnium race is a little different in terms of stage racing. Instead of racing for time, you’re racing for points based on finish. Points are given six deep, I think, maybe 8 or 10, but time doesn’t count. As a result, in the past there had been hotspot time bonuses out on the course. This year, there were none.

We rolled out on time, about 50 of us, and it took about half an hour before someone started the fireworks. Shawn Hodges and I communicated really well, and when he attempted a breakaway, I blocked for him. However, it never really went anywhere. About 40 minutes in, I attempted my first attack, and got off the front with one or two other cyclists. However, our break never got more than a minute up the road, and we were reeled in. I tried again at minute 50, and again at minute 56, only to get sucked back in to the pack after a few miles. My teammate Robert Snedden then launched an attack, but it, too, was slowly reeled in. Nothing was sticking.

Finally, at about 2 hours, I launched an attack that ended up becoming a solo effort that lasted roughly 9 miles. After that, though, I was cooked. There wasn’t much left in the tank, and the pack was going to decide the winner at the finish line. I tried to lead out my teammates at 2k, but my speed just wasn’t high enough to keep others from attempting to pass me. Then, there was a ton of confusion in the last kilometer, and we ended up rolling across the finish line sort of without even knowing that it had arrived. None of the Mirage riders got points for the Omnium, and there was the usual finish-line crash.

But I was really, really, really upset about that finish. Notsomuch about my results, or my team’s results, but about the way the finish was set up. The finish line was at the bottom of a rolling hill, on the far side of a low bridge. There were cars obstructing the shoulder, as well as the officials’ tent, and there was a cop car on the left hand side that added to the confusion. We finished at high speed, but there was no way to truly accelerate or lead out or get away, and there was a perceived ‘squeeze’ at the finish line that really left a bad taste in everyone’s mouths. It was really unfortunate, because the course itself was such a great course. But if you want to tie it up with a bow, you have to have a great finish. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and a good rider went down because of it. I had such a bad taste in my mouth after the race, that I decided to come home instead of contest the TT and Crit over the next two days.

Now, what’s the moral of this story? Hmmm. I could point fingers everywhere, but instead, I think it’s important to make something constructive out of this experience.

• First off, it was, for me, a great race. For 98% of that event, Mirage was at the front, attacking, blocking, counter attacking, and trying to keep the pace high.
• I’m really happy with my fitness right now, and that of my teammates. We rode well together, communicated, and basically played the game. I like this. It’s something I’ve dreamed of for years.
• When you have a complaint, not only do you count to ten, you count to about 1000. You write your complaint down on paper, edit it, rewrite it, and then submit it to the Race Director. For this event, as soon as I was finished, I did everything wrong, and I went after the Finish line officials, the Race Director, the local Gendarmes, and several teams that never bothered to show their noses at the front. It was the WRONG WAY to elicit change or get an audience that would listen. Later, much later, I was able to talk with two or three officials, and two Race Directors, to vent my comments. They listened, they agreed, and they vowed to change. I also posted all the GOOD THINGS about the course and race on the local state racing forum. The thing is, that you’re not going to be able to re-race the race. It’s over. It’s done. You can’t affect the outcome. Move on.
• No matter what, no matter how early or how late you get to an event, SCOUT THE FINISH LINE!!!! Had I KNOWN that there would be a downhill finish, with different road types, different cones, etc. I would have been better prepared. Had I KNOWN where the finish line was (it was definitely confusing, thanks to a million cones and cars in the way), I would have been better prepared and picked a better location to be in, or I would have known where to attack.

There was lots to like about this race, and lots to dislike. However, its’ proximity to Dallas, and its’ time in the season, make it a must-do for next year. Hopefully the promoter will take the lessons to heart, but I also need to show up better prepared. I might GPS this thing next year.

TSS for the race was 229 points, IF was 90.2%, and Pnorm for the event was 259 watts. The attacks were my strong point, though they may have been TOO strong, since I never got enough people to go with me. Lesson learned.