Rolling Into Some Time Off
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life, Team Events, Training, USA Cycling Development Team
Back from the crazy circus that surrounds, and is, Interbike, I am finally getting around to taking some time off. Yes, you read that last sentence correctly, it does say time off. I will wait right here while you clean up the coffee which you just spit out, and which is now dripping down the screen of your computer; after all, I am just sitting around relaxing, and I have all the time in the world to do nothing but wait.
The 2009 season has been great, but also has been extremely taxing. Since February, my summer has been filled with more racing kilometers than any prior season, and has also included the proportional and prerequisite increase in training kilometers. My season culminated with a 7+ week trip to Europe where I raced as a member of the USA Cycling U23 Development Team. During those 7 weeks, I not only experienced some of the toughest racing that I have faced so far, but I also was riding on some of my best form of the season. Everything came together for me in an environment that was challenging yet supportive, while also pushing me to grow and develop as a cyclist. As my return home drew nearer, I could feel that the timing would be perfect. I had been racing 3 or more days a week for most of the trip, and my body needed a chance to rest and recover from all those hard efforts. I held on and made it through the last races, before coming home to start resting and relaxing in Vegas style.
Lest you think I am using the term “off-season” to disguise my cyclo-cross season and its related ambitions, let me correct you right here. This time off will truly be downtime, several days away from the road bike, while getting caught up on everything that I have neglected to do since January when I left the cool icy roads of Oregon, for the warmer and sunny roads of Souther California. But first, CrossVegas.
With Land Rover Las Vegas stepping up as a sponsor of CrossVegas, they were keen to have several riders pimping the bright yellow and green skinsuits under the lights of the Desert Breeze Soccer Complex. Along with my teammate, Aaron Tuckerman, I was more than happy to accept the invitation to race before spending a day or two on the floor of the Interbike Trade Show. It is my humble opinion that one needs to spend no more than 2 days in Las Vegas – 3 at the most. A testament to this fact can be found in the numerous descriptions by others who departed through the gates of McCarran Airport, and found that most of the passengers whom were departing looked run down, exhausted, and desperate to get out of the Sin City.
My first full day back in Bend was one of the last warm and sunny days in the immediate forecast, so I decided to make a trip to the coffee shop. I figured that an easy 60 minute spin, with a stop at one of my favorite coffee shops, would be just the way to get the staleness of the drive home out of my legs, while enjoying one of the last pleasant days of Fall.
Yesterday's hail storm signals what is likely the end of warm and sunny days here in Bend.
During the last few days, I have made serious progress in cleaning up my room, as well as unpacking all the bags and boxes which I have been living out of since January’s departure for warmer training grounds. With my floor devoid of the duffle bags and left over race food, I turned my energy to taming the piles of crap which have overtaken my desk. It wont be long now utill I have all of my old bank statements filed, and the pile of unread VeloNews Magazines eliminated. The goal here is that I will have everything cleaned and put away with time left over for a fresh coat of paint. My brothers and I have slowly been going through color cards, and having settled on a color more vibrant than white, I am looking forward to a change of scenery.
While unpacking and putting away all my clothes, I took the time to organize and hang all of my riding kits. Chronologically and in the same order; skinsuits, bibs, jerseys, and then jackets.
In between trips to the local second hand store (which is a great place to get rid of unwanted clothes and generally junk in general) and getting everything put away in its place, I have found some time to enjoy a bit of cooking. Spending time in the kitchen is one of those things which I really enjoy, and fancy myself as good at. These weeks away from structured training also provide a little extra “wiggle room.” While I might pass on the apple pie or plate of Oreo’s during the season, This is a time of indulgence, and enjoying that second helping of ice-cream simply seems like a good idea right about now. Soon enough, it will be time to tighten down the belt, figuratively speaking, and get serious about preparing for 2010, but for now, it is time to relax, and enjoy a genuine break from all the structure that I crave.
Starting the day off with a plate of Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict and Chipotle Almonds was a brilliant idea.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Kermesses and My Porcelain Pillow
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life, Racing, Training, USA Cycling Development Team
For the most part, the last few weeks of craziness that is Belgian Kermesse racing has been good to me. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the results and performances have been outstanding, but going full distance in several events, while posting a handful of top 20’s has at least provided a little confidence and success to pad the so often brutal punishment that many riders associate with kermesse racing. Especially coming from America, these races were absolutely foreign to me. With the attacks going from the gun, it seems that the pace/effort could never remain so high all the way to the finish some 2.5 or 3 hours later. And yet some how it always does. As a rider who prefers to see the road tip up, fighting for position while racing down gutters has always been an area of weakness for me. Which is exactly why I am still here throwing elbows and fighting to hold my spot in the gutter. My ability to climb is worthless if I struggle through crosswinds and long flat stretches of road before ever reaching the climbs. Luckily, my pack prowess has been coming around, the these seemingly endless kilometers of suffering through kermesses has taught me a great deal about riding in the wind, or rather out of it, and holding better pack position. Now I just need to find some long climbs to exploit my strengths…
Last weekend, I fell victim what seems to be a variation of the “stomach bug” that has been going around the European peleton. While I don’t even put myself in similar to company to that of Andy Schleck, or Tom Danielson, I did find it interesting to note that they both fell victim to a stomach bug. I think our only similarities beyond a love for the bike, came in the form of some of our symptoms. Friday afternoon I noticed that my stomach didn’t feel good. I chalked it up to nerves, or some other random affliction which would soon pass. While I was out riding and warming up for a criterium that evening, I noticed that I was most “comfortable” on the bike when I was working hard. Every time my heartrate came down below like 155 my stomach would start to turn itself in knots as it worked out a bug. Simple enough I thought, I just have to make sure I ride really hard, and smart, in the criterium tonight, and I will have no problem. I suppose the theory was at least mildly beneficial, considering I pulled a top 25 after going in several breaks over the course of the 70km race. What followed that evening, was four days of laying in my bed, scarcely able to eat.
I spent saturday evening hugging a porcelain pillow as my body worked viciously to rid itself of an unwanted infection in my stomach. No such luck – just lots of time curled up over the toilet. After several days of forcing myself to eat small amounts of rice and other simple carbs, the writing was on the wall. Whatever sickness I had was going to take more than just rest and not eating to be expelled from my body. I went to the doctor on Tuesday morning, and was diagnosed with a stomach infection and given some medicine which will hopefully clear up the infection, and allow my to resume normal eating and training habits. So far so good. I have been able to slowly re-introduce more complex foods and meats into my diet, and the normallness is coming back on the bike too. Today was the first time in nearly a week that I have felt good on the bike, and I am looking forward to a weekend of kermesse racing to conclude my trip here in Belgium.
As soon as I get home, it will be back on the road as I head with my team to Las Vegas for the Interbike show and the Cross-Vegas race. I don’t know exactly how the legs will hold up to 2 days of steady travel before the race, but I had a blast being there last year, and I am excited to get in some racing under the lights this year. Its going to be a busy next 7 days, and I am excited for all that fills those days. See you in Vegas.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Baking, Boise, Bend, & Belgium
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life, Racing, Training
After last weekend’s Tour de Delta, the team returned to Portland for a few days of training and making the final preparations for the last part of the season. For many of us, our time is Portland and Vancouver was winding down this week. My week in Portland was all about recovering from the hard racing and training that I have done so far, getting the batteries recharged, and preparing for a final push through the end of my season.
Monday and Tuesday saw me spending quality time on the couch with my phone and computer, while managing to squeeze in the odd short easy ride to the coffee shop and even a bit of baking as well. In the last year, I have really picked up on a new hobby, cooking/baking. With the craziness of traveling, racing, and big training blocks, it has been a while since I had the opportunity to spend some extra time in the kitchen. Tuesday finally brought me just what I was needing; a day off the bike, just spending time stretching and relaxing. Also, a perfect day to whip up some tasty eats.
After breakfast, I settled into my favorite reclining chair with a steaming cup of coffee to watch the second of the day’s Tour stage. With the stage completed, I returned to the kitchen. The ever reliable Bob’s Red Mill came through for me again. Guided by one of their many recipes, I set about making up a batch of millet bars. My original intent was that the creation would turn out to be similar to a muesli or cereal bar. What I wound up with was more of a dessert/pastry style bar. Not what I expected, but not bad either. Judging from the speed with which the pan was emptied, it seems safe to say that what I feared was a “flop,” turned out to be a “hit.”
The pan of Millet Pastry Bars comes out of the oven. Not what I was expecting, but not a flop either.
In the evening, several of the guys rolled down to PIR for a little weeknight racing action. The races at PIR have quickly become a popular weeknight sufferfest for many in the Portland area. With an easy day on my schedule, racing was out of the question. However a second round of baking was a sure possibility. Inspired by the delectable peanut butter granola which my host family served up in Vancouver, British Columbia, I set out to create my own version. After consulting a few different recipes and suggestions, I was armed with several great ideas, and a plan to whip up some mighty tasty cereal. The results proved to be immensely satisfying, and after a day of relaxing and baking, it was back to getting the systems sharpened up for the coming races.
Wednesday’s ride was along a route which I can only assume has become Bobby’s favourite loop when he wants to put everyone else in the hurt box. Several hours of climbing, sectors of gravel, and rolling farm roads was just the ticket to get me going again. Since Wednesday, the training has been rock solid. With some specific work on the TT bike, and a few efforts to get opened up for tonight’s Boise Twilight Crit, things are coming along nicely.
Next up on my program is one of my favourite stage races in North America, the BMC Cascade Cycling Classic. I am stoked on the week of racing on familiar roads in and around the area that has spawned my love and passion for bicycle racing. After Cascade, Bobby and I will remain in Bend to contest the USA Cycling U23 National Road Championships before I make my way across the pond for several weeks of racing and training in Europe as a part of the USAC U23 Development Team.
So far, things have been coming along according to plan, and I am looking forward to final push in the second half of this road season. Boise is coming up in a few hours, so now would be the ideal time to top of the fuel tank before getting the bike prepped for some racing downtown tonight.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Home Run
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life, Racing, Training
It has been a while since the last time I made it to home-base. And so this last week, as well as the one ahead, have been nothing short of amazing. From my winter training grounds in Southern California, I went straight into the first half of the season.
From the middle of March through the middle of June, the team has had a fairly full schedule. Despite this being our first year as a DIII Professional Mens Cycling Team, and our more modest budget, everyone has worked hard to make the season a full and successful one. The result of this hard work, has been more traveling and NRC racing for the other team-members, as well as for myself – something that I certainly would never complain about. From our team’s headquarters in Portland, Oregon to my home in Bend is approximately a 3 hour drive depending on weather and traffic, and the result is that after returning from a long week (or more) of traveling and racing, the last thing on my mind is driving for another day to get home, before almost immediately turning around for the next trip, race, or team event.
Luckily for me, upon returning from the Nature Valley Grand Prix, there was a bit of a hole in our schedule. Back from Nature Valley, my teammate Roman VanUden and I spent a few days in Forest Grove as part of a USA Cycling Junior Development Camp. Working and riding with younger riders is something that I have always enjoyed, and I was more than happy to spend a few days training with some promising young guys and gals that are coming up through the ranks of cycling within the Pacific Northwest.
From Forest Grove, I returned to Vancouver for a few minutes where Bobby, Logan, and I loaded our bikes and gear into the Land Rover for a weekend of racing in Baker City. The Elkhorn Classic Stage Race has been on the Oregon Calendar for almost as long as I can remember and it always turns out to be a great race. This time around, the 3 of us were doing it old school, with no directors, no support, no feeders, or anything. We were simply 3 dudes racing our bikes together, and trying to make the most out of the race. All in all, the weekend was a blast. We came back with some great stories, some good results, and several memories that will last for years.
With Elkhorn finished, I finally had a few weeks with no obligations – racing, travel, team, or otherwise. It was time to come home, and get back to square one. Bobby came along for the first week, in order to preview some of the courses that will be used in the upcoming Cascade Cycling Classic as well as the USA Cycling National Championships.
Coming home after being gone so long was almost like going on vacation to heaven. Except that I live here, and can come whenever I want/need to (pending of course, my parents welcoming me back into the house). It doesn’t seem like the city has really changed too much. The roads are still the same, the best local hangouts seem to be busy, and the mountains certainly haven’t moved – save for maybe the bulge on South Sister, where geologists report that magma is pushing towards the surface. And even though almost nothing actually changed, it all seemed to new and exciting to me. After arriving last Tuesday evening, I spent a great deal of time walking around the house marveling at the views, the weather, and fresh mountain air. Even on my rides with Bobby this last week, the views and the mountains have seemed better than I remembered them.
Over the last week or so, Bobby and I have managed to punctuate our training with several extra-curricular activities. Highlighting these activities was Bobby’s first attempt at tackling the Boswell Challenge, which is served up at the Taco Stand. By the way, the Taco Stand is THE place to go in town for good, wholesome, and filling Mexican food without having to break the bank. Despite a first attempt failure, described by Bobby as an “Epic Failure,” he vows to prepare and return in order to conquer the 3.5 pound burrito which must be eaten in under 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Also sitting high on the list of non-cycling activities was our trip into downtown for a dip in the Deschutes River. While we were out riding on Sunday, I commented on how awesome it would be to sit/swim/soak in the river after returning from our ride. So after we returned from training, took showers, and made some lunch, we rolled down to the First Street Park for a quick swim/dip/soak. As Bobby quickly discovered, rivers fed by melting glaciers are a bit colder than those found in Florida. With neither of us wanting to go all in and freeze, we found some rocks to sit on while soaking our legs after a week of hard training. Along with eating copious amounts of food, and sitting in ice cold rivers, we made a few trips to the super market and spent several quality hours with our computers.
With one week down, and one more to go, I am looking forward to another week spent in here in heaven. The next races on the calendar are Tour of Delta and the Boise Twilight Criterium, after which I return home for Cascade and Nationals. The next month is shaping up to be a great one; time with the team, time traveling, a good amount of time spent at home with my family, and some great races which I have high ambitions for. See you between here and there.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Getting Ready For NVGP
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Racing, Team Events, Training
With the team having completed a successful first year induction to the TD Bank Philadelphia International Championship, we were all on the road again. I was flying from our team base in Portland, Oregon to St. Paul, Minnesota, and the rest of the team was flying from Philadelphia to St. Paul, MN where we would all meet up to prepare for the Nature Valley Grand Prix.
After spending nine hours in planes, airports, lines, and public transportation systems, I finally connected with the team which had come into St. Paul on a different flight. With the Rovers loaded up, it was off to find our host families for the week. Despite having a GPS enabled LR3, as well as 2 iPhone’s, and 2 BlackBerry’s, I have learned that we almost routinely make several u-turns. And it is definitely easier to pull u-turns when you are not driving an SUV that is towing a 16-foot trailer. Turns out that our “3 u-turn policy,” was almost fulfilled. After some stumbling around, and 2 u-turns, we finally found our way here.
We got things rolling today with a hospital visit in St. Paul. The team was founded and came about as a way to “pay forward” the generosity of the Lance Armstrong Foundation as well as the cancer community that was so terrific in supporting David and Norrene, our team managers, while Norrene’s mom fought her battle with cancer. Part of that mission, is to visit approximately 1 children’s hospital per NRC event that we race in. During these visits, we get to share the joys of cycling with the children while handing out LiveSTRONG wrist bands and telling how they too can LiveSTRONG.
After returning from the hospital, we made ourselves some lunch and prepared the bikes for an afternoon training session. The team rolled out for a couple hours to get the legs moving again. Our evening was simple and low-key; shower, eat dinner, team meeting, and then some time in front of the TV before bed.
With all of the final preparations made for the coming 5 days of racing here at the Nature Valley Grand Prix, my eyes are getting a bit heavy, and tomorrow will get off to an early 9:45 start as we all take a crack at the challenging 7km TT.
Thanks for reading. As a side note, I am going to be keeping daily updates coming here on MissingSaddle. As part of this week’s racing, I have agreed to keep some daily updates, and you can all find them right here. Until tomorrow…
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Moving On From Complacency
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life, Training
After my unexpected hiatus from the blogging, I am back. Some of you probably were grateful to not find my longwinded dissertations, while it seems that others suspected I had fallen into an abyss. Needless to say, I am back, and here to again exercise my gift of gab. Read, enjoy, complain, or skip to the next blog; the choice is yours.
Since my last race in Merced, I have really ramped up the training. The coming season will be a long one, and having a proper base in the legs will provide the foundation that I need to build upon for future successes. The first week after Merced was good, but not great. Every day, I would head out for the day’s ride, planning to execute the specifics as noted by my trainer in Training Peaks. At the end of each ride, I would stumbled back into my barn, where upon I would download the day’s data to share with my trainer. At this time of the season, we are just coming out of my “base” phase. Which means that for the most part, the focus has been on “building the volume of my engine.” And the next step will be to tune up the “top end.” The result is a lot of hours are logged while riding primarily in the Endurance, Super Endurance, and Tempo ranges of my fitness.
Every couple days, and a workout would come along packing a few short and high intensity intervals. These efforts were not really part of the “tuning up my top-end,” rather, they were to keep my systems just a little bit sharp – basically so that I wouldn’t forget what it feels like to go really hard for a shorter amount of time. When I was logging time building my base, and the schedule didn’t call for high-intensity work, there were only 2 remaining options for my days. Option 1, was the occasional leisurely day of recovery, with maybe a short 1 hour spin thrown in to keep the legs loosened up. Option 2 would be L.T. work.
Through several of these days, I felt as though I had not really performed the way I should/could have. Like I had something more in me, but I was never able to produce the numbers I wanted. I once heard it said, “A power meter has the ability to make a great day really great; and simultaneously, a shitty day can be made really shitty.” My first reaction to this was simply that the author was afraid to face the reality that his numbers were simply not as good as he imagined or hoped they would be. But now, I found myself in exactly the same spot. For me, it was the second part of this phrase that was ringing true. Day after day, I would go out on the local roads and highways, flogging myself through a seemingly endless array of intervals and efforts, only to see “dismal” numbers after downloading the data – and I usually didn’t even have to wait for the download to see the dismal numbers.
Frustrated and not sure of “what my problem was,” I began some searching. Sitting on my bed, I would scour data files and training notes that I have saved over the last year. As I studied the “good” files, I was hoping to find the key to “my problems.” Several days of searching revealed no such key. Without a “key” to my problems, I began to face the bigger reality that I was afraid to face squarely; all this time, I was looking for a scapegoat of sorts, but really, it was ME that was the problem. Sure, a difference of a few percentage points could be explained by comparing a “base” ride with workouts done in preparation for the Tour of Utah last summer, but still, the largest part of the problem was simply ME. Ouch, that hurt a bit. A reality check of sorts.
After some soul searching, I realized that while I have given everything in an attempt to make the most of this self-imposed “make or break” season, I had become too complacent in my training. Along the way, good became great, and moderate became good. With this reality check cleared, I tightened my belt a few more notches. Training, eating, sleeping, diet, everything was going to the next level – only for real, and this time, it was going to be extreme. Because I had become so complacent with mediocrity, I felt I needed some shocks. And the shocks came.
Over a week of training removed from said “shocks,” and they are now a part of my daily life. Cycling is a sport of details and determination. With these details readdressed, and a renewed sense of motivation, I have start to reap the rewards of my “shocks.” The numbers are coming back up the where it seems that they should be, my trainer is happy with the progress I am making, and I no longer am feeling complacent in training. Every day, every ride is an exercise in finding the “next gear.”
A perfect example of all of this work paying off is my training ride from Friday. On a ride of 165 kilometers, with over 15 different sprint efforts, I surely had more than enough opportunities to break the 1,000 barrier – my usual marker for a good sprint versus a not-so-good sprint. Through each sprint, I turned myself inside out, hoping that the end of the day would bring a 4-digit power reading, and some satisfaction. Sitting here Friday night, as I posted the file into Training Peaks, I went back, analyzing each of the sprints. Several times I cracked 1,000 watts, and even once I recorded the highest power-output I have managed outside of competition. Now I have a new bench mark!
With my belt tightened, and with my training is “back on track,” it is time that we get this season of racing underway. This weekend will mark the beginning of a 3 week block of stage races and traveling around the West Coast for bike races. I am ready, the legs are good, the journey should be a blast. As time and the internet connections permit, I will do my best to keep things current and up to speed here as well.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Digging Out Of “The White Stuff” And A Long To Do List
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life, Racing, Training
The last few days have been phenomenal for myself, as well as for the team as a whole. Saturday and Sunday were my first races of the season. Although I am just now phasing from almost entirely being focused on building a base, to sharpening my form for the upcoming early season racing campaign, I found some good legs for Saturday’s race in the snow. Following Saturday’s effort, I jumped into my first real testosterone feast on Sunday evening. A local crit turned out to be a showdown between several teams looking to sharpen their form as the prepare for the upcoming Amgen Tour of California.
Following my efforts from Saturday, I was content to spend most of Sunday’s race tucked away in the field. As usual, I tried a few digs, but the legs would have none of it. At the end of the race, we had put in a blistering 45+ kph average, and Justin Williams made short work out of the hard work done by JellyBelly as they worked to set up a leadout for their sprinter.
On the far side of the country, my teammate Bobby Sweeting was enjoying some of his own “Sweet Success.” Sorry, but I just had to use the phrase. His weekend was stacked with a mix of collegiate and professional time trials (his especiality) and crits. Despite having a few mechanical mishaps along the way, he put in a strong performance to pick up 3 wins in the 4 races that he entered. Nice work Bobby! The team is starting to hit its stride, and I am excited for the success that we hope and plan to find in the coming months as we race, train, and live together.
Yesterday was a trip down memory lane. Despite the fact that I am not even an hour from the USA-Mexico border, the day brought back many fond memories of training in Belgium during January. Sunday afternoon, the weather was improving, and we enjoyed racing the crit under partly sunny skies. I wasn’t about to plan on a sunny day yesterday, but I was willing to hope against hope for some more sun. Instead, I awoke to a driving rain and strong winds. After my breakfast of muesli, (a cereal I learned to love while living in Belgium) some fruit, a delicious homemade blueberry muffins (thanks Grandma) and a large pot of coffee, I was ready to ride. I spent only a few short minutes consulting a map hoping to find a new loop to ride for the days endurance work. Not even halfway into my ride, and I made a serious blunder. Somehow, I managed to get myself thoroughly lost in/near the city of Escondido. Although I might like to say that the wind and sideways rain are to blame, it would be more honest to say that I simply wasn’t sure of all the streets I needed to follow on my expected route. Anyhow, after something like 20 minutes of charging down the wrong street(s), I realized my mistake. I backtracked and was back “on course.” Or so I thought, A few hours later, and I finally knew where I was again – only I was seriously “behind schedule.” Climbing through the mountains, the rain turned to snow and hail, before settling on freezing rain for my descent back into Ramona. Even with the wild weather, some extra kilometers, and spending over an extra hour on the bike, I would say yesterday was one of the best rides I have done here in SoCal. I know it sounds strange, but I really enjoy the riding in shitty weather. Perhaps that was evident in Saturday’s race; I received several comments about the fact that I was nearly the only rider not wearing a rain jacket. Or maybe, I am just crazy and love every moment on the bike. I am still not sure, but my guess is that it is a healthy mix of both.
Today, and I awoke to a bright California sun shinning through the barn window. As usual, breakfast included some of the best coffee and fresh fruits, along with a new batch of homemade muffins. My Grandma is quite the baker. Some recipes turn out in a completely unexpected manner – the results are a few scrapped loaves of bread, a few loaves that look malformed, and even a handful of delicious serendipities. Yesterday we had a serendipity that made for some great snacking material, and today, we had delicious corn meal muffins. Now, with breakfast finished, I am looking at an easy recovery ride, as well as trying to knock several items off of my To-Do list in Entourage (Mac version of Microsoft Outlook). This list has actually developed a scroll bar in the last few days, and so I realize I have a lot of work to do. Better ride and get doing.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Getting Things Going Full Speed
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life, Racing, Training
Tomorrow will bring the first race of the 2009 season. Following an abrupt end to my 2008 cyclo-cross season, it is now time to put a new year, and a new season, into full swing. Although I am not sure what all the season ahead of me holds, I am excited for the adventures that are going to come my way. Along with a solid calendar of racing, I know that my teammates and I will build lasting relationships, endure tough times and fun times, and that by the time the fall rolls around, we will have all experienced numerous events which we will surely carry with us for many years to come.
Even before tonight, the first memories of a new year have begun. 2009 started with a bang for me. Not even a week into the new year, and I was in the kitchen cooking my favourite pasta dish from scratch. While the night’s dinner was intended to be a “last supper” of sorts, before my brother, Graham, returned to the United States Naval Academy for his second semester, my family had other plans for the evening. As I stood in the kitchen, kneading the pasta dough and simmering an Italian sauce, my family schemed behind my back. Half way through dinner, my brothers excused themselves to find a “blanket for my mom.” Turns out, that “a blanket for my mom,” was code for “Carson’s birthday presents.” My family had just successfully arranged for me to cook my own birthday dinner – and I didn’t have a clue! Not only was this a surprise, but certainly a memory that will last for many years.
A few weeks later, and I had made plans for my own trip to Southern California for some early season training and racing. Made possible by the generosity of my Grandparents, this winter will be my first time preparing for the coming road season in a climate that is more mild than Oregon’s cold and wet winters. Sixteen hours of driving, punctuated by a delicious Italian dinner (this time, it wasn’t pasta) with my mom, and I had arrived at my new training grounds. The following days proved to be everything I could want, and more. It was only after 14 days that I began to revisit routes I had previously ridden. Along with a seemingly endless array of roads to train on, I found the weather to be pleasant. The occasional rain shower did nothing to dampen my spirits, and the long rides over some of the highest points in the area made for incredible training rides. As I had hoped, the majority of these first few weeks have been spent riding in shorts, with only the occasional need for arm-warmers in the mornings and evenings.
Tonight, and the memories continue. As many people have learned, I love pasta. If it were possible, I suppose I might eat pasta on a daily basis; however the reality is that would be far from the healthiest of diets, and more importantly, “moderation is the spice of life.” Or so I am told. Anyhow, for only the second time in as many weeks, pasta is on the menu for dinner. Tonight, it wont be just any old garden variety of pasta that was purchased from the nearest market, oh no, it will be much better than that. As I continue to cultivate one of my new hobbies, tonight’s pasta has been made from scratch (the dough is resting while I type this). Over the top of tonight’s plate of pasta, I am preparing one of my favourite sauces – an organic red sauce with ground beef. Placing a tossed green salad on the table should top of the tank, and I hope that all of this time in the kitchen tonight, has the engine firing on all cylinders tomorrow come race time tomorrow – if nothing else, the meal will be damn good.
On tap for tomorrow, is the Boulevard Road Race. I have never actually heard or read of this race, but it apparently has quite a following. Regardless, the field is stacked with talented riders and teams making their final preparations for the upcoming Amgen Tour of California. Highlighting the start-list is a full contingent of riders from Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team, Floyd Landis and several of his OUCH p/b Maxxis Teammates, a handful of riders from Team Type 1, and the list goes on. Needless to say, the 150km race should be hotly contested, and provide a solid springboard from which we will launch our coming seasons of racing.
The timer for my dough just rung, which means I have noodles to roll out, and a sauce to finish. After dinner, and it will be the final pre-race routine of preparing my bikes, gear, and loading up the car.
Now, I have got both hands are the bars, and we are about to get a terrific new season going full speed. Hold on…
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Raining On My Happiness: Part 2
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life, Training
Authors Note: Because this post became rather lengthy, I am breaking it up into 2 posts. This is the second half.
After dinner that evening, I returned to the barn; where I spent several hours repairing my tires and tubes, as well as putting the TT bike together. Since I would not be able to ride my road bike for several days while I waited for new shifters to arrive, the TT bike was my only option to continue training. Still motivated by the letter from USAC, I worked late into the night, mounting new tires, my SRM, and a new saddle on the TT bike. Come Thursday, I would be ready to keep on training, right where I left off. My only concern was that I counted 2 and not 3 events, which one might call “bad luck.” In no way am I a superstitious person, or one who believes in karma. At the same time, I have been riding long enough to know that I usually hit a big string of bad luck before the going gets smoother again. Perhaps this is the world’s way of testing me, to see if I have the mental tenacity to push through the hard times. I don’t really know how or why, but these moments of adversity are not frequent, yet seem to come when I am “high” on life. Still, I push on, believing that I will find a new inner-strength; one which will carry me closer to my dream of racing in Europe.
As I headed into the hills yesterday (Thursday), I was again enjoying the warm sunny day, and the roads I was riding. Another day, another route. After just over 3.5 hours riding, I was nearly home. Just a few last kilometers which were mostly downhill. As I rode along Hwy 79 in the aero-bars, a large pickup truck roared past. As I fought the cross winds and the draft from the truck (the driver scarcely budged to make room for me), I was barely able to keep the bike upright. My trajectory suddenly changed, and I was headed straight for the ditch. In this instant, several thoughts raced through my mind; I don’t think this TT bike will do well in the gravel, “bikes are easier and cheaper to fix than bodies,” (that is what my mom always told me when I started riding), if I try turning in this gravel I am surely going down, ok, then, take it straight into the grass; stop and walk back to the highway. After several moments of riding through weeds, rocks, gravel, and debris, I came to rest a few meters from a barbed wire fence. Relieved at not crashing or hitting the fence, I walked back to the road. Looking down, I saw my tires were covered with hundreds of thorns, rocks, and pieces of metal. As I wiped away the debris, a quick hissing came. At first, I only suspected a rear flat. Quickly, I remounted hoping to ride the last bit of air to the Julian Pie Company, just a kilometer or so down the road. As I pulled into the parking lot, the air ran out. This was a relief; I had made it to a comfortable stop where I could refuel and comfortably repair my flat. That is when I realized both tires were flat. Stranded again, I went into the café for some coffee and a pastry while I evaluated the situation.
As I ate my pastry, and gulped down the coffee, I asked several unsuspecting motorists if they were headed towards Ramona. None were going in the direction, or had room in their cars. Several long minutes later, and I was again on the phone with my grandfather. Again, he was quickly willing to come my rescue, and I sat in the café as I waited for him. Although I was angry “at the world,” I was also quite relieved. This was the 3rd bit of bad luck, and it was a relief to have it done and over with. Now, I can only hope that my dues have been paid, and that I can return to riding my bikes without obstruction from the woes of bad luck.
Today (Friday) and I have an easy recovery ride on the books. After several minutes on the phone, and I have again infused a large quantity of cash into the ever-supporting crew back home at Sunnyside Sports. I am not sure about my mom’s words though. It seems that a few scabs would heal easier and cheaper than the large bill to replace all of my tires, tubes, and damaged parts, but what is done is done, and I still have all my skin.
I am off for my recovery ride now. Oh, wait, I have 2 flat tires and some additional repairs to make first. Still the sun is out, I love riding my bikes, and I am excited for another day of training, and the adventures that may come my way…
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
Raining On My Happiness: Part 1
Posted by cgmride | Filed under Life, Training
Author’s Note: This post became rather lengthy, and so I am splitting it up into 2 shorter posts.
After a little over a week here in beautiful Southern California, things have been mostly enjoyable. With the dawn of Wednesday, the weather has turned for the better, from cool and overcast, to warm and clear blue skies. It doesn’t really get much better than that.
From my barn here in Ramona, CA, the nearby roads seem endless. After 9 days of training, I don’t think I have done the same ride twice! Wednesday morning brought me more than just improved weather. I awoke at 07:06 as I do every morning. After I switched on the lights and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, I went about my morning routine. Aside from seeing more sun, and fewer clouds, everything seemed to be the same as usual. Get up, dress, use the bathroom, make coffee, etc. As I walked up the hill to the house, I pulled my Blackberry from my pocket to check my e-mails. Reading from top to bottom, it was the same old same old; people looking for group rides, some daily mailings, spam, etc. The last e-mail is where things changed; straight from the communications desk at USA Cycling, I received a letter making official my selection to the USAC National Development Team.
Sitting out this ‘cross season due to my hand injuries, might just have been the biggest blessing in disguise. Since that day in early November, I have changed my focus to building and preparing for a strong road season. With the year’s National and World Championships off the table, I worked with my coach, Todd Herriott, to revamp the training schedule. In place of shorter high intensity workouts, we began to implement longer “base” oriented road rides. Having several months available to really work hard on building a big and proper base for the road season has been terrific. Making all the long rides more bearable has been the anticipation of racing on the USAC National Development Team, getting to experience road racing at some of the highest levels in Europe.
Things continued to improve on Wednesday morning when the aroma of fresh baked rye bread greeted me I the kitchen. What a way to start things off! With breakfast and the dishes done, I returned to the barn. A few more e-mails, and I was in my kit, ready for the day’s training ride. On the schedule I had several hill repetition intervals going up Palomar Mountain. With the tires pumped and my bottles filled, I rode off towards the mountain with a renewed energy. I love riding my bikes, I really do. Every morning, I awake and think about how lucky I am to be living my dream; training and racing to become a better cyclist. If there were ever a way to boost my “drive,” telling me that my dream of racing on the roads of Europe with the National Team, is surely one of the best ways to do that. The pedals seemed lighter, the roads smoother, and the hills flatter.
After about an hour of warming up en-route to the hill, I was ready to start my intervals. Just one problem; my tire had a slow leak. After pulling the spare tube from my saddlebag, I discovered a hole in my spare. Great! The tube had been worn by a metal clip, and was no good. Luckily, I had some patches with me. I pulled the patches out, to repair the original tube. To my dismay, the patches had “expired.” The glue was dry and crusty. At the bottom of the box, I found one last patch with a bit of adhesive. Carefully, I sanded and patched my only useable tube. With the tube and tire remounted, I slowly pumped the tire back up to pressure. Although I wasn’t sure the patch would hold, it was my best hope at getting home.
Climbing back on the bike, and a new problem arose. My shifter had lost a pawl along the way. I don’t know where or how, but I was now stuck in my 13, with only the 53 and 39 up front. Palomar Mountain was out of the question; I tried pushing the gear up the hill, but it was nearly impossible. I turned, and set out to do my intervals along the flatter, yet still rising, Hwy 76. As I completed the first interval, I saw a large group of cyclists headed toward me. It was none other the Floyd Landis, and his newly formed Team OUCH! A quick u-turn, a few minutes of chasing, and I was on the tail end of the group. I rode along, enjoying the draft as well as the company. Roman Kilun dropped back, and we had a nice chat along the way. To be honest, I had turned around in hopes of getting a new tube, and maybe some service for my shifters. At the same time, I didn’t feel right just asking for service from this team straight away. So I rode along, my rear tire still leaking, and enjoying the company of the other rides. Some ignored me, some said “hi,” and others just gave a funny glance. Eventually, my patch gave in to the pressure, and I was flat again. My ride ended when the air ran out at a quicky mart along the road. With no town or help in sight, I stopped and called my grandfather for a ride home. He quickly was in his truck, and came to my rescue a short while later.
Check back soon for the second half.
Keep the Rubber Side Down,
C-
