Winter Duldrums-- The Ick

The common enemy of all bike racers, aside from roller bladers and taxis, has to be illness and injury.  Nothing interrupts training cycles of the determined more than being sick.  When we get sick or even feel illness coming on we should of course do what is good for everyone else-- rest, see a doctor, get the right medicine, etc...  So when I started feeling a little less than perfect on Thursday of last week you know exactly what I did . . . that's right, absolutely nothing.  I ignored those first twinges of a sore throat and a head ache that wouldn't go away until I was full blown sick with a chest cold this morning.

As a bike racer I fall victim to the same sense of invincibility many endurance athletes feel.  For most people in the United States, that sense of invincibility diminishes somewhere after pledging a fraternity or getting arrested for disorderly conduct.  But for a lot of athletes it never completely seems to go away.  We take risks and push limits well beyond what most would consider prudent.  Why else would we roll down a mountainside at 75km/h protected by spandex and a helmet made of foam?  And then ride back up it to do the same thing again, just this time faster.  

Being a bike racer is about calculated risks.  Knowing when to put in an effort or when to let the break go.  Knowing when to push it through a corner or when the outside line is really faster.  However, listening to your body is equally important.  We run our bodies at such high levels, between training intensity, fatigue and then just every day life.  There is a class of us out there who try to train like pro's just without the support of a team soigneur and masseuse to help us bring it back to reality.  Those folks are left to their own device to try and make sure they don't over do it all.

However, you take all of the above and toss in a little extra drama in life, a touch of extra stress at work or just a bad day stuck on a plane or bus next to the guy whose coughing up a lung and voila...you are sick. It's definitely time for me to start listening to my body just that much more.  Another nap is my near future.

Winter Duldrum-- Picking the Right Clothes

I keep looking at the temperature hoping it creeps above freezing so I can encourage myself enough to go outside and spin for an hour on this recovery day; but alas, that just doesn't seem to be happening just yet.  We have arrived at the unpleasant time of year after Christmas and before it gets warm that tries my soul.  I realize I am from Chicago and should be "used" to winter; but that doesn't mean I like it.  All it means is that I own more winter clothes than people from Florida

One of the things about this time of year I enjoy are long team rides.  I get over scheduled during the season with races every weekend and on the rare occasion I am not racing, others I typically ride with are racing.  Sunday, while out on the District Velocity team ride we paused at the little convenience store on Travilah.  Just a quick stop to rehydrate and plan out the remainder of the route.  In the brief time we sat there talking I saw at least 4 other team rides go by us.  It was a huge breadth of fresh, albeit cold, air that made me feel good. 

I've been pushing lately to break old habits in winter clothing choices.  I've started wearing fewer layers but increasing each layer's heaviness.  In the past I've worn so many different layers that I felt I was cutting off circulation or that I couldn't bend my arms.  This year I have made the transition to long-sleeve jerseys and base layers.  I'm a huge fan.  To that end I've picked up a set of new long sleeve base layers from DeFeet both in regular and wool.

The bonus appears to come in shedding arm warmers in favor of sleeves.  The looser fitting sleeves keep me warmer and allow for increased range of motion.  I still think I'm one of the few people who feel comfortable in wearing two pairs of shorts on colder days rather than thin tights.  Maybe that's odd; but I've also added leg warmers to my collection for the first time.  Prior to this year I had gone with the college football style of winter riding with knee warmers and bare calves.  The addition of a pair of fleece lined Pearl Izumi leg warmers has really helped in the 40 degree temps. 

Still got to have ten different pairs of gloves for every ride.  It's amazing how 45 degrees on Monday requires a totally different set of gloves than 45 on Wednesday and then again on Saturday.  Odd. 

Eating on the Bike

The above picture is the top of my fridge which, in addition to serving as one of my cat Fausto's favorite perches from which he can survey the entire kingdom he jointly rules with his more couch-and-fuzzy-blanket oriented brother Dubs, has come to hold the collection of food I eat on rides. I carry a mixture of food with me on rides including those shown above, bananas, cookies or anything that can fit in my pockets.  I like to carry cycling specific foods because they are just that, specific to bike racing.  Most days around snack time, i.e., 4 pm, while I am hanging out or working at my desk, I do not find myself hungering for a Gu or a PowerBar as opposed to something more, shall we say ordinary like an apple or grapes.  All of this leads me to a degree of confidence that the food I buy specifically for bike racing will be there when I go to grab it. 

In addition to one or two time a year team orders, I sometimes supplement my bike racing food from places like the Energy Food Warehouse.  I try to shop and compare when it comes to buying stuff in bulk, in doing so, I find that the folks there offer competitive prices and they ship quickly.  Embarking on the following analysis I offer a caveat, that I am taking no position on the nutritional value of these items.  We can all read labels and I chose them because they are available to me and do the job I want them to.  All three of them seem to do exactly what they are advertised to do and I will continue to use them all as interchangeably as ever. 

That being said, by virtue of long experience I would like to talk about each of them in the terms of useability while riding and thus their packaging.  The three I typically use are GU Chomps, Clif Bar's Shot Bloks and PowerBar's Energy Bites.  That of course is not to say that I do not eat other types of energy foods or that these are the only ones I am willing to try.  Just behind or around what is displayed in the above picture and you'll see Nuun (which was introduced to me by a fellow bike racer and pro-MTBer for Scott), EFS, a host of other products from Gu, Clif and PowerBar plus from time-to-time other things I can get my hands to test out.  However the Chomps, Shot Bloks and Energy Bites are similar products and can be more readily compared. 

From my perspective, when it comes to useability of a nutrition product on a bike, it's about how quickly and readily the product can go from package to energy.  Again, I am not commenting on digestibility or end-game functionality; rather, about how effectively I can get it from my back pocket into my stomach.  We have likely been there in a race or an intense moment in training where we found ourselves in need of food and ended up fumbling around with things for far too long.  For my part I try to consume around 200 calories per hour of riding after the first hour, so in the end I eat quite often.  What I like about all three of these products is that they come in bite-sized pieces which can be parcelled out over time.  As a result I can consume 50-60 calories every 15 minutes.  Just try repackaging a banana while out riding, especially on a hot day, and you will see why that is important.   

Of course, with any comparison I want to name a winner; but in this competition each product has its own pluses and minuses that makes it not practical.  With the Shot Bloks I like the packaging the most.  the Shot Bloks are laid out in a straight line in a packaging that can be easily opened on the move, with just your teeth (don't tell my dentist please).  When I race I normally start the race with a package or two already open so that I can skip that step.  In addition the packaging is laid out in such a way that you can squeeze each one out as you go a long which saves me from losing them to the occasional unanticipated pothole.  However, the Shot Bloks do have a tendency of being tougher to chew especially if they are kept, even wrapped, for a long time.  Not sure why or how; but sometimes they have the consistency of a jelly bean which does not make things easy.  Another added bonus is that some of the flavors have caffeine which can be a nice pick me up through time. 

GU Chomp's are consistent in texture throughout time even when you leave the package open for a while, i.e., day two of a stage race etc . . . . Further, there are typically more of them in a package than Clif so you can be even more judicious in how many you eat each time.  Their packaging is a little bit of a let down.  The tear point does not always open the rest of the package.  And, since they lay loose in the package sometimes there is a little hide-and-seek that the pieces play.  The package is compact so it is never a huge challenge but when you have thick gloves on sometimes it becomes a little more difficult. 

I started using Energy Bites earlier this Fall when PowerBar set up a display at the outset of a group ride I was on.  I tested them out that day and immediately went to buy some when I got back home.  Energy Bites are like mini Harvest Bars, which is an excellent change of pace if, like me, all you were consuming before were gels and chomps.  The Energy Bites lend a certain consistency to eating on the bike which is really welcome.  The major drawback from these is the packaging, its unruly and large.  It fits in the back pocket but when you take it out it's hard to get a hold of pieces especially when you start to get going fast or if there is a sufficient crosswind. 

Like I said, I cannot pick a best or worst here.  And I am going to continue to use all of them because I like them all.  These are just my insights from extended use of each.   

   

Rocking the Round Hill (VA) with a Neo-Pro

In looking back at this blog I  realize I post a lot about not being in DC.  Last year I spent over 80 nights away from DC for both work and bike racing, which could lead some to believe I do not like it here.  That is absolutely not true.  Riding in DC is some of the best I have found in the country.  We have beautiful roads, respected routes and a great community of fellow bike racers.  The Mid-Atlantic racing scene is also one of the best and most consistent in the country.

I also don't write a lot about local races and riding.  A quick review of Gam Jams on a Monday morning following a race weekend will prove how well covered the local scene is already.  It will also serve as a reminder of the painful moments my subconscious tried to forget as well.  Therefore, my own particular insights about these races probably would not provide extra value and might distract from my own joy of reading about other people's impressions of our experience. 
Now that the race season has subsided and I am back to long training rides I have headed back out to one of my favorite local haunts about an hour drive from DC in a town right under the Blue Ridge -- Round Hill.  For various reasons, I have become a regular in the area and I know I'm not alone.  In the past I have seen a host of MABRA's finest-- Joe Jefferson, the now west coastal Chuck and a bunch of team rides from NOVA-based squads on those back roads.  So the secret is definitely out.

One of the real joys of riding there is that I am joined periodically by Neo-Pro Curtis Winsor, pictured here in white (in full high school prom night glory).  When he is home and away from his efforts to conquer the cycling world I often join him for way too many long hours in the saddle.  He does have a tendency of getting us lost and convincing me to go for "just a little bit longer" which almost always turns into one more mountain or one more hour.

I need to brag a little bit here about my friend Curtis.  I have been riding with him for about 2 years and since then he has gone from elite ametuer to faux pro and now to an official neo-pro with Kenda/5-hour Enegry Pro Cycling presented by GEARGRINDER.  It has been incredible to be along for the ride while he has made this journey and I cannot say enough good things about his attitude and how grounded he has remanded.  Granted, his epic rise does mean I win fewer and fewer town/county/state-line sprints against him; but, I have grown comfortable with that fact.  And more importantly, it will not dissuade me from trying, again and again. 

Bike racing is, at it's heart, a social endeavor-- a shared suffering.  Growing up as a swimmer I realize the privilege we have in bike racing of being able to talk to others while we are training or competing.  It was always difficult in swimming to realize you were going to be staring at a black line on the bottom of a pool for hours without the ability to share thoughts or jokes with those who are nearest you.   

Winter training is about that aspect of the sport-- rolling out with your buddies for long rides.  In the race season, which now seems to be ever expanding with the inclusion of CX, I get so focused on getting to races on time, on prepping equipment and all sorts of things unrelated to just enjoying the company of people who share my interest.  When winter rolls around it's great to re-enter that world.  I have been admittedly isolated in the last couple of offseasons, much to my detriment.  I spent a lot of last offseason riding solo.  Too much time out alone will likely drive you crazy and I'm sure it did for me . . . to a small degree. 

So this winter, I have promised myself that I will be more present.  So if you see me out riding or on a group ride please just ride up and chat.  I can always use the company.     

New Orleans and New Sarpy

I've had a long standing love affair with the Crescent City and I got the chance to be there for a week. There is something really special about New Orleans- it's a perfect mixture of life, food, decadence and rust. I enjoy cities that are lived in, ones that have history which is evident from the moment you walk in. I get really annoyed with places that are so clean and so perfect that you wonder if you have to take your shoes off when you cross the city limits. New Orleans is a special place and you know it just by being there. You see it even more when you get passed Poydras and head out into Southern Louisiana.

While the pavement might not be perfect, New Orleans is a really rideable city and one that I have gotten used to riding in. It also has a growing cycling community with well attended local weekend rides. By virtue of living in Mississippi for a couple of years I came to know the racing scene and a bunch of the elite guys who are legit hammers. I wanted to test out my legs on the river levee which is an about 25-mile stretch of paved bike path along the Mississippi River which heads out to New Sarpy, which is a small town on the river. The path is not nearly as congested as you would guess and it's a good place to get in a strong ride out into the swamp. Just don't expect any elevation change but do expect a strong headwind at some point.

I love eating in New Orleans. My experience is that food is a celebration down there and not something which you just do. I had to have a couple quick meals and hit up one of my favorite sandwich shops Mother's which is perfectly located right across the street from the courthouse. Just remember when someone asks you if you want debris on your po-boy that means a whole bunch of dressing and not road trash. And everyone at Mother's refers to you as "baby" and they don't take tips. Just accept those facts.

I also got to try out a place I've wanted to try for a long time- Upperline-- which is just up the road off St. Charles uptown a bit. It was delicious meal and the bartender made a great sidecar which is always a plus. And who can complain about a $45 prix fix three course menu? I enjoy places where the owners and managers are there and take an interest in your enjoyment. Just thinking about it now makes me want to go back down.

DON'T FLY US AIRWAYS

I cannot make it any clearer than that. I have been a longtime critic of the random pricing of airline bike fees; but a recent charge I was forced to pay was unconscionable. I went down to New Orleans for a trial last week. Based on our position in the case I knew I would have some periodic free time while I was down there so I thought it was a good idea to bring the bike with me. Plus, I wanted to test out my form on the river levee-- nothing says fun like 50 miles of absolutely flat reptitive riding (sarcasm font)!!! So I boxed the bike up and took it to DCA for my morning flight. After some back and forth with the ticket agent, I was charged $200 for just my bike-- $200!!!

This was a $140 increase over the fee I paid in 2008, on the same flight, on the same plane, on the same airline. I consider this to be ridiculous. Of course I thought that this was just the latest in a long line of airline's charging random amounts for bikes for no good reason. And, that on the way back the price would fall back to the $100 range like it is on United and most other airlines. Sadly I was mistaken. I checked the US Airways website and sure enough, the bike fee is listed at $200.

I guess I should have checked the website out first and would have been spared the grotesque shock of hearing that dollar amount. However, in my wildest imagination, I did not think it could possibly be that much of an increase in such a short period of time. What is most interesting is that the bike fee is a 10x increase over their standard charge for other checked bags. I debated doing an airline-by-airline spreadsheet of charges; but I found that the fees change so regularly that it really is not worth my time to try and keep up.

Moral of thes story, check their prices online beforehand and simply do not fly US Airways. The service has always been marginal and its employees are lackluster anyways. By and large Southwest and Virgin are the best and cheapest airlines when it comes to baggage fees-- $50 each way. If possible, my goal is to limit the number of times I check my bike this year. Just means more driving for me; but to save the aggravation of fees and bike boxes I have no problems doing it.

The Rivalry

There is something pure about a rivalry-- a simplicity in the dislike rivals have toward each other mixed with a grudging respect that comes with heated competition. Rivalry is part of what makes sports great and why watch. What would baseball be without the Yankees and the Red Sox? What would football be without the Bears and the Packers? It is games like those that get circled on calendars long before a season starts. It is those games which draw people in like no other throughout the season.

When I was a swimmer, back in the days of yore, I had a bitter rival. We did not race each other each weekend but we found ourselves staring across the lanes more often than not. With each race our rivalry grew and the competition got better. Eventually I would outpace him and the competition ceased but while it was on going it produced some magical races.

In the world of bike racing I have missed out on that for some time. So you can imagine my happiness when Nick Versus Gravity brought back the joy of rivalry to my life. It started subtle, a text taunting me about his prowess in CX followed by a Facebook message encouraging me to bring my "A" game. Then came his assurances I would find myself in the tape. Because of a trial scheduled this September I was not able to open the CX season in MABRA but sure enough when Winchester rolled around I got to line up right behind him and this is what ensued:



Granted neither of us won the race but all the fireworks do not have to be at the front of the field right? In the end his mouth was bigger than the wattage he could throw down...however he did go down a bunch of times. We have not resumed our rivalry yet because frankly Nick Versus Gravity chose to chicken out and not go to Granogue; presumably because it was too much of a man's race for him, and I raced up in the 1/2/3 at DCCX.

Come Ed Sanders the Rivalry will resume. This one is likely to get ugly.