We got some snow

I struggled to stay focused at work all day, got home, charged my light and headed over to my usual loop to go play in the snow. It was 29 degrees and snowing when I left at 8pm.

I took the I-pod along and listened to some Matthew Good while I was slowly making my way around. It was peaceful in the woods tonight.


On a sad note, our team, HereForTheSwag, did not get into the 2009 Leesburg Bakers Dozen. The registration opened Friday Night and closed on Sunday. This was HereForTheSwag's innaugural race last year, and probbaly the most fun. I think I'm getting over it though. I'm psyched for 12 Hours of Lodi Farm which is just two weeks later, and I'm hoping I can squueze in the marathon race at Greenbiar in April. Time will tell though.

I need some rest.

BS

Weekend Update

The beers got the best of me Friday night and then work got the best of me for most of the day Saturday, But I got a nice three hour ride in today. I found a new trail today too! I don't know who keeps putting these side trails in off of the main loop but they are doing a great job. This one has a lot of up hill log crossings, nice technical challenges to keep me loose for SnotCycle next weekend.

I did get a flat right as I was starting my second loop though, I had enough air left to ride out and change the tube in the rear. I think I'll try again to get the tubeless working back there. I brought some green tea down in a thermos and drank hot tea while changing my flat and jersey. A nice way to take the chill off.

Quite an exceptional weekend!

One cold night last night!

Yesterday I asked Luke if he wanted to go for a night ride. "Yeah let's do it he said". Fast forward... it's 9:06pm and Luke hasn't called to confirm. I'm glad about this, as it is much colder than I anticipated and my front derailleur is frozen in one position from my prior weekend riding. Just as I am going to settle into the season premier of Lost my phone rings, "Hey dude, I'm in the car"...well now I can't bail...arggh.

I'm glad I rode but it was cold. We rode the standard loop and since I couldn't shift out of my middle ring into my granny gear (easiest and smallest front chainring) I had no choice but to kill this hill that has been my nemesis on my last few rides. So that felt good.

As we loaded up the bikes we talked about how neither of us would have been out riding if it wasn't for each other. It's some kind of maschositic codependence. I think I first learned this principle on my highschool crew team. If you skipped a 5:30am practice you let down seven other people (plus a coxswain).

Oh and Matt K started a Here For The Swag Team Blog, back in April that I forgot about. He is averaging one post a year, but maybe we can increase that this year? What do you say Matt?

I'm off the bike tonight, my legs were kind of tired after last night. I'm gonna try to squeeze in a night time W&OD ride tomorrow since it will be 52 degrees.

BS

A trip down Memory Lane

I lived in Buffalo for five and a half years before moving down to NoVa over a year and a half ago. I just read an article in Bicycling Magazine, featuring tips from a blind bicycle mechanic at Shickluna Bikes and Darts in Buffalo, NY. The article reminded me of a pretty funny story after leaving the shop, and since I was compelled to e-mail them I thought I'd share the story with you as well...

I was never a regular customer at Shickluna, but in Summer 2006 after I bought my first ever pair of clipless pedals off of my roommate, I needed both shoes and a pedal install, so I went to Shickluna. I brought my bike and pedals and Ken Bukowski installed the new pedals for me. I watched him throw the bike in the stand and begin both pedaling the bike with one hand and working the pedal wrench with the other as if he were a silent steam engine. Watching him, I thought it was strange how he didn't seem to look directly at what he was doing. Less than five minutes later he was done, and I was on my way, pedals installed on the bike, cleats installed on the shoes, bike back on the roof, and to the trail I went. While driving to the trailhead I began to think about how remarkable it was to have witnessed a blind bike mechanic dispatch my pedals so quickly.

I arrived at the Hunter's Creek trailhead around 6:15 that evening. On go the riding clothes, on go the new riding shoes, off the roof comes the bike, Pop goes the trunk..wait a second what's missing?.. My front wheel. Thoughts of where it could be begin to flash through my mind. "Oh. Ohhhh, you idiot". In my mind I can see my wheel leaning against the rack in front of the shop, right next to the curb where I parked my car. "Ok, so how can I make this work?" I ask myself. "I know... borrow a wheel".

Me: "Does anyone have an extra front wheel?"

Marky: "Matty, What the hell are you talking about, that's not like asking for a chain link"

Me: "yes I know, but I seem to have left my front wheel at Shickluna, back on Hertel".

Marky and Chris together: "That Sucks dude!!!"

Me: "Yep! I'm going back for it. Have a good ride, I'll see some of you back at the house."

Off go the new shoes, on go some jeans over my shorts, off I go, back to Shickluna. Slightly dejected, I drive back to Buffalo, the shop had closed and the bike rack had vanished. I ran to the window. "YES!! my wheel is there and I can come back for it tomorrow. I called the next morning and thanked the sales guy for saving my wheel and I walked in. I asked a Sales Guy for my wheel and he asked Ken where it was. Ken pointed and the Sales Guy came back with my wheel.

I was pumped that my wheel was intact and I was pumped to have had a stellar mechanic to have worked on my bike. The sad truth is I still tend to forget my wheel, In fact last time was as recently as last month. Some things will never change.

Cheers to the crew at Shickluna!

BS

Big Winter Riding Apparel

I did a huge ride on the mountain bike today. I completed one normal loop, then decided to head back to the house and put more air in my rear tire. Let me just say that I love Reston, and I love living three miles from a really fun mountain bike trail, and two miles from the W & OD. Since I got cold while I stopped and fiddled with my broken mini pump, I decided a quick jersey/base layer change was in order.

Tangent...


Above, you'll see how much gear I wear when it is 25 to 39 degrees. What are we looking at here? Let me explain, starting on the left:

Base Layer: This consists of a moisture wicking long-sleeve shirt, a pair of cycling shorts, and a pair of socks.

Mid Layer: Here you'll see a long-sleeve jersey, a pair of insulated cycling tights, and another pair of socks (I put these on over the base layer socks, but overlapping the tights).

Outer Layer: Top right, you'll see my very reflective cycling jacket, a pair of baggies, and mixed into the bottom row- a pair of leg warmers and a pair of heavy gloves with liners. Note, the leg warmers go over sock pair number two.

The jacket really helps because it is both wind and water proof. After a little while riding, the base and mid layers (top only) are soaked in sweat (gross), a recipe for hypothermia casserole if I break something and get stranded. The jacket is key, and as long as I keep moving, I don't get cold. I usually carry a camelback packed with, among other things, an extra long sleeve base layer just in case I ever have to spend the night in the woods.

Anyways, I rode three hours yesterday, and five hours today, so my legs are toast and tomorrow will be a much needed, and well deserved, rest day. probably 26, and 34 miles respectively, I had that half hour layover while back at the house. Today was great though. The ground was frozen, a little snow fell for part of the ride, and I felt like an animal on the bike. It was also the longest ride I've done in a while, which is good, something I need to continue through the winter.

I was surprised at how much energy I was able to end the ride with. I started experimenting with fuel on the trail. This weekends menu: Clif Gels, Clif electrolyte drinks, green tea, two kinds of pretzels, and pop tarts. All seem to agree with each other and me, but the fresh brewed green tea got cold in ten minutes.

I felt great when I got back tonight. My toes were numb, my legs were hurting, but I was in a great mood! I stretched, showered, and rode (in a car) over to Primo Pasta with the roomies for some linguini with clam sauce and a side of meat balls.

Looking forward to tomorrow's rest, and next weekend's big winter ride!

BS

Weekend Update

The weekend began Thursday at The Bike Lane. Phil called me and said he was building up his downhill bike and bringing beer. I'm there! Lauren built most of it with Phil serving as apprentice. I sat with Tony and drank beer, commentated, and snapped pictures.

Just so we're clear on who's doing the work here

Here's a cool shot:
Hit it with a Hammer!!


I took a video too!

I spent an hour on the trainer yesterday since it was still in the teens. But today it was about 38 degrees. I suited up and went on a 25 mile mountain bike ride. I felt OK, the legs did not really have much power but I had a blast actually riding my mountain bike. The trail was frozen solid, although you can tell a lot of people were on them when that were wet- Not Cool.

Since tomorrow is MLK I'm going to get out again tomorrow, though, it is supposed to be a little colder than today.

BS

A Lesson on Bike Fit

I went into The Bike Lane on Tuesday and had Tony take a look at my fit on the road bike. It turns out that I had a pretty jacked setup. My handlebars were off center, my saddle was angled up, and I had the saddle set a little too high. I brought in some Smutty's to show my appreciation!

The lesson here: let a professional take a look at your road bike fit. I'm still a novice when it comes to fitting road bikes. I can handle a floor fit, which involves getting someone on the correct frame size and swapping a stem if necessary but that's really just the allegro in what becomes a fantastic symphony of "bike fit".

After determining the correct frame size, any good shop will throw the bike in the trainer and do a quick fit session with you. They'll look at you on the bike and determine your ideal stem length, ideal saddle height, and the fore/aft positioning of the saddle. The tools of the trade include levels, lasers, and a few other gadgets. The Bike Lane will do this for free when you buy the bike. Seriously, any good shop should, get to another shop immediately if they don't offer it with the purchase of a bike.

Why is fit so important on a road bike? On a road bike you often remain in the same position for several hours at a time, if your not in the right position, meaning your bike doesn't fit, then you will experience pain in any number of places on your body. People riding hybrid bikes are in a less aggressive position yes, but they often don't ride them for nearly as long. On a mountain bike you spend more time changing positions and standing because of the terrain changes. That's not so say being on the right size bike is not important, because it is. However the minute details are in most cases, less critical in these cycling disciplines.

Sorry, the fit lesson got a little long, now you know though, and knowing is half the battle. Update on training: I spent an hour and a half on the trainer tonight and Sunday night. Both workouts were steady state, but I kept the intensity pretty high. Went for a night ride on Monday with Luke, mountain bikes on the W&OD. It was 31 degrees F. Only my toes were cold though.

I should probably disclose that I work part time at The Bike Lane during the spring/summer/fall, so I'll be plugging them every chance I get.

BS

Weekend Re-cap

Friday night- Went out for some beers with Pratik and company, met up with TJ and company for some late night bowling and more beers.

Saturday- Spent most of the day just hanging around. Did not do anything worth writing about (no one wants to read about me on the couch!).

Sunday- I spent an hour at work, then a little while at the book store while waiting for everyone to go ice skating in the Town Center as part of my roommate's birthday celebration. I haven't been ice skating since I was six years old. You know that saying; "it's like riding a bike, you never forget". Well I did OK, I managed a solid 45 minutes of skating without falling. But there were definitely some six-year-olds turning laps on me. We went out to eat after, then I swung by The Bike Lane and hung with Tony, then back home for an hour and half trainer session followed by a core workout.

So Sunday makes up for Saturday's inactivity. And yes you read correctly, I broke down and bought a trainer. It is a bit louder than I thought it would be, so I'm still going to try and use it sparingly, by substituting night rides with Luke, and getting out on the weekends more.

BS

Low Key Weekend

I took advantage of yesterday's 45 degree weather and set out on a 30+ mile ride. I tried to make sure my heart rate was up (relatively, I don't own a HR monitor) the whole time, so I hammered on the flats and even on the slight downhills. My legs were on the verge of cramping up when I got off the bike. Because of this I spent a good amount of time stretching after the ride.

I fueled up that morning with a sausage egg and cheese sandwich and a coffee from Starbucks (breakfast of champions). Two hours later, about 10 minutes before I rode, I had a vanilla Clifshot. A little over an hour in, I had an espresso flavored Clifshot. I also drank two bottles of water. It's hard to remember to drink as much as I should in the winter, but I did pretty well yesterday. I got a little lost on the way back, but hey- what's a few more miles?

All total, the ride was 2 hours, 15 minutes and I was hurting on the last mile. I came down hard off of that last gel and was fighting for energy to get back to my house. I may try some solid foods on the next long(ish) ride like that.

Conclusion: I'm out of shape; seriously, I'm starting from scratch here.


Today I walked around DC for a little while. I like getting in there on my own for two reasons. One, it allows me to learn a bit more about where things are, so I don't look like an idiot when I take people with me. And two, I like being able to walk around at my own pace and take some cool pictures.

Still have not gotten that trainer yet, I'm going to get it at lunch tomorrow, so I can get some riding in this week. I started a brief core workout and my abs are killing me today :( Off to the store for some food.

BS

New Years Resolutions

Ahh New Years Day… It’s 7:50pm and I’ve spent most of the day watching TV, and playing online with the personal finance software at www.mint.com. I got sucked into a marathon of the biggest loser. Reality TV is such a train wreck but I really like the message that this show conveys. I think it really captures the emotions these people feel while building healthier lifestyles and literally reshaping themselves. I almost shed a tear or two watching these people reunite with their families.

On a smaller scale (pun intended) I put on some weight over the past few months, I’ve been riding less and eating a few to many burritos. I weighed 185 lbs when I stepped on the scale last week in NY. When I’m riding a lot I’m usually down to 165. I think this year, a healthy racing weight will be around 155 lbs to 160lbs. This means less beer.

I’m picking up my trainer this weekend and I’ll start rebuilding my base training. I’ve written before that the two goals for this year are the mountain bike races; 12 Hours of Lodi Farm in May and the Shenandoah Mountain 100 in September. As a side effect of training for these events I’ll become more “fit” then I’ve ever been. That’s almost more important than doing well at either race. I’m looking forward to losing the belly and building some functional strength.

The other fitness goal I have for this year is to become more financially fit. I am trying out this new online budgeting software at www.mint.com. This works by bridging with your banks, credit cards and giving you a snapshot of where you spent you money. I know now that I spent over $26 at Starbucks in December. So the path from here forward is to continue to build up a decent emergency fund, and then start socking money into a money market account, or an index fund to start stacking cash for a home down the road. All while continuing to save for retirement and probably pick up a full suspension bike that will help over the longer races this year.