In the Saddle with KU

Convert

2012-02-01T07:48:00.000-08:00

Replacement bike after the cracked seat tube.

Unfortunately, I’ve been talking about saddle sores way more than I would like. I’ve been battling these things on and off for months and have tried countless remedies to cure my ill. I’ve soaked, used numerous chamois creams, changed saddles, moved my position up/down/forward/back, changed laundry detergent and taken time off the bike. I’ve tried everything.

After missing more days on the bike due to another “irritation”, I was desperate. In the process of raising my handlebars (another prescribed remedy) something clicked. I was on my way to screwing up my fit and needed expert advice before doing more damage than good. I decided to seek the advice of my friend Gary at Bike Mart. Gary has been riding forever and has a deep knowledge for everything bike. He is also a fit guru and I thought he might be able to offer some help.

I bring my bike into the shop and explain my issue to Gary. As I’m talking, Gary asks a few questions and takes a closer look at my seat. Waiting for me to finish, he tells me that fit isn’t my issue. “Your fit is fine, I’ve seen you ride enough. That’s not your problem. Lower your bars back where they were and go see this guy. From the asymmetrical wear on your seat, I think your pelvis is out of alignment.” Sure enough, the wear on the left side of my saddle was inconsistent with the right. He gave me the name of a local chiropractor. I thanked Gary and took the contact info with me. I walked out of the store conflicted. I’ve never been to a chiropractor and always doubted their effectiveness. It’s funny, I never had a chiropractor work on me, but I’ve always had a negative perception because people would tell me to stay away.

Like I said, I was desperate and willing to do anything. I made an appointment. The doctor checked me out and said I was an inch out of alignment. I get adjusted and we talk saddle sores. The doc knew his stuff and recommended mixing up a saddle salve with a base of Bag Balm. He tells me to come back in a week.

I get on the bike the next day and immediately notice a huge difference. I’m balanced like never before. Everything just feels right. Seated, standing, it didn’t matter. My saddle hadn’t felt this comfortable in a long time. I rode and rode and rode. No saddle sores!

In the last month, I’ve seen Dr. Tribendis three times, and the results have been amazing. I’ve been logging some big mileage and with the exception of two very minor irritations early in the process, I’ve been saddle-sore-free. After my last visit, the doctor told me I was good to go and to drop in on occasion for an adjustment if needed. Basically, whenever I feel a saddle sore coming on.

Thank you, Dr. Trebendis!

The Perfect Day

2012-01-13T12:18:00.000-08:00

Figueroa Mountain in CA

It’s easy to say the perfect day for a ride is one where it’s 75 degrees with no wind, crystal clear skies and beautiful terrain. You’re feeling fresh, strong and have plenty of energy. On a day like that, riding can be effortless and the ease of pedaling makes everything a joy. Perfect, easy, fun. But what about all the other days?

It was a Friday and one of those less than optimal days. It was cool and overcast. I looked out the window and saw that the streets were wet with cars kicking up spray. The gray skies hinted that at any time, they might decide to open up and spoil my plans. These are those love/hate days when you try to time your ride just right. The optimal scenario running through your mind is staying dry and coasting into the house just as the skies open up.

I head out and I’m on a mission. Instead of taking the usual side streets, I go the direct route, which means more traffic. The wind picks up and trees sway. Leaves blow across the road. I spin along and make it to the furthest point from the house. Murphy has seen me caught in the rain here many times. Today would be different. I head home as more clouds roll in. It’s now a race. I’m riding hard not to stay dry, but beat the rain. To make things interesting, I take the long route home and press my luck. It begins to sprinkle and the sky darkens. It’s raining now. Big, cold drops. I roll onto our street and sprint for cover. I’m home. I didn’t stay dry; I didn’t beat the rain. It was a perfect day.

Nostalgia

2011-12-16T08:15:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I got a call from my dad and was told he just bought a new bike. I was surprised, delighted and proud all at the same time. I couldn’t believe the same guy that compared the cost of my first road bike with the price of his riding lawnmower was telling me he just got a great deal on a Trek Madone. It’s only been 18 months, but I’m pretty sure my dad is hooked. He’s riding more; doing group rides; has a light for the winter; and is talking about bike fit and stem lengths.

I had little to do with getting my dad on the bike. Andy is credited with showing him the ropes and shepherding him through many rides. My only contribution was loaning him a bike that was sitting around collecting dust. That bike was a 1999 Trek 5500, which also happened to be my first road bike.

As a result of my dad’s new purchase, the loaner was coming home. Andy asked what I wanted to do with it. Kelly and I have a fleet of bikes and I really didn’t want to add another one to our arsenal. I said I would probably sell it so someone else could enjoy it. Andy suggested keeping it so he would have something to ride when he was in town. Okay, as long as it’s being put to good use.

I got the bike and for most people, it was perfectly fine. However, I took one look and the loose bar tape and thin layer of grime on the drivetrain was too much. The bike couldn’t be stored in that condition. My analness kicked in and I began to clean.

I caught myself pulling the bike down for a beer-bike ride the other night. I thought it would be fun to give it a spin after not riding it for years. Truthfully, it’s the cheapest bike in the collection and one I’m at ease leaving locked to a tree. Once I started to ride, the pragmatism faded and a sense of amazement set it. This was my first road bike! The first bike I ever raced, first win, first crash, first multi-flat ride, first triathlon, first time to get dropped by the fast group, first… All done on the Black Beauty.

She’s home now, and maybe I’ll take her on the next beer-bike run not just because she’s the cheapest.

Shipping Rant

2011-09-28T13:59:00.000-07:00

It's been two months and I'm still dealing with a shipping mess. It all started in Bend, OR at the Cascade Classic stage race. Story aside, that race totally kicked my ass and I learned the valuable lesson of never mixing racing with vacation. I decided to make my life easy (or so I thought) by shipping my bike up to Bend instead of flying with it. It's a $300 round trip bike charge on American. I securely packed the bike in a standard cardboard bike box. These are the boxes bike companies use to ship their bikes and I've never had an issue shipping a bike this way. Why should I have one now?

Sunnyside Sports in Bend was nice enough to receive and hold my shipped bike. They would also build it up for me for a fee, but I don't know many people who would prefer someone else to put their bike together one day before a race. I build the bike and all is well. I race, ride, get married and ride some more. Now it's time to ship the bike home. I repack as before and drop it off to be shipped.

The box made it back to Dallas, but when I picked it up, I was in awe. One side of the box had a huge rip in it. The other side had a benign looking hole. I unpack the bike and everything looks okay. Wait a minute. WTF! The packaging surrounding the seat tube is torn and there is a crack in the carbon. I don't know exactly what happened, but whatever made that hole in the box went through it with enough force to penetrate the packaging and several layers of newspaper wrapped around the tube.

I call the shipper to make a claim. They pick the bike up and perform a damage inspection. This is where the story gets interesting. I go to pick up the bike after the inspection and luckily, I get a copy of the report. One of the questions asks about packaging. The inspector wrote "none". I ask the person who handed me the box to look inside (through the tear in the box) and tell me what they see. "Bubble wrap and paper." I ask them to write that on the form and initial it. They were skeptical but complied.

A few days later I call customer service to check on my claim. "I'm sorry sir, that claim has been canceled because there was no interior packaging." I'm pissed and relay the story of the initialed damage report. I send it to the rep. and things are back on track. After more than a month of finding receipts, several phone calls, emails and frustrating moments, I get a check for a new bike plus a one-way shipping refund.

Two weeks ago I saw a shipping charge on my credit card. Then another. I call customer service and those charges are for retrieving the bike. Since my claim was over $1000, the shipper took the bike. For some reason, they were now charging me for picking it up. What! After 30 minutes on the phone, they credited my card for the charges. I saw another charge today. After 30 more minutes on the phone, the charge was reversed.

In the end, I was able to replace my bike, but will always think twice about making my life easy.

Tulsa Tough 2011 & Saddle Sore Update

2011-06-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

As always, Steven's kids (Hunter in the black) always look much more comfortable than I do. Photo compliments of Steven Stuart.

Saddle sore update. The other day, a friend asked me how my ass was doing. It was nice of him to think about me, but as he noted, kind of a funny conversation to have with another guy. After 10 days away from the bike, all is well in Chamois Land. The time off not only helped my underside heal, it also gave me a nice rest. I came back feeling recharged. In the end, all the remedies and creams may help, but I think the only true way to recover from a bad saddle sore is time off the bike

Tulsa Tough is another fantastic race weekend. It has big fields, a good prize list and believe it or not, Kelly and I always have a great time in the city. Friday night's course is flat and wide which made for some sketchy racing. It wasn't fast or hard enough to string things out and prevent guy from going through the corners five and six wide. Things were a bit nerving as I got a terrible start and slowly made my way through the field. I pretty much floated through the group as I conserved as much energy as possible. With five laps to go, it began to rain. I was in the top 12 riding fine. With two to go it began to pour. The road is super slick, but I'm riding fine near the front. With half a lap left, it happens. Four guys in front of me slide out. There is nowhere to go and I'm the next one on the ground. I immediately get up as I anticipate someone running into me. To my surprise, no one hit me from behind. I limp to the line for 65th-ish.

Saturday's race was a little harder. Unfortunately, the small hill wasn't enough to thin things out much. This time, I get a much better start and have no problems staying in the top 15. After about 20 minutes of racing, I feel a drop. Then another. It begins to rain and last night's incident begins to creep into my frontal lobe. It's slick and before I know it, the guy in front of me almost wrecks and ends up riding me into the curb. I'm fine but on edge. In the ensuing laps there are three more wrecks in front of me. F-This! I was done and have enough road rash for the weekend. I've never pulled out of a race because of the weather, but it just wasn't worth it.

Sunday is the real deal and features a tough hill appropriately named Cry Baby Hill. This is by far the best and hardest race of the weekend. The spectators on the Hill go nuts. Most are dressed in costume and have been drinking since early in the morning. Our race is at 3:10 and it's HOT. I bring insulated bottles and race for the first time with a pack of ice on my neck under my jersey. I get another great start which is key for this course. We hit the hill for the first time and it's mayhem. There are so many people on the street that you can only make it up three wide. All this craziness was awesome. Before our race, I overheard some guys who raced earlier complain, "it's getting out of hand up there and someone needs to do something". I was sad to hear them whining. Anyway, the race was brutal even though I was feeling pretty good. The ice pack (ice stuffed in pantyhose) melted about 30 minutes into the race, but did a great job of keeping me cool. I struggled, but stayed close to the front. We dropped about half the group as it got hotter and harder. With three to go, it gets fast and somehow I'm able to move up. Not as far up as I would like, but it's all I have. The last lap. I'm sitting 10th or so. My legs are toast as I try to surge. I hold my position and finish 10th.

I felt I was on some pretty good form coming into the weekend and thought I might be able to produce some good results. All was not lost as my teammate, Chris Powers, took first in the omnium. Congrats!

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-06-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

This picture isn't from this weekend, but it has Andy and I riding together.

Memorial Day weekend is always a good time to race your bike in Dallas. This year we have four races to choose from. I opted for the Friday, Sunday and Monday trifecta. Friday's race was in downtown McKinney which is just north of Dallas. It was a nice fast course that was kind of dark come 9:00 PM. For the most part, the race was uneventful as I found it easy to move up and stay in the top quarter of the 100 man field. With about 7 laps to go and the road narrowing, two guys out of nowhere come into me from both sides. They are each leaning into my shoulders and I'm not BS-ing you, the force from them pushing into me begins to pick my front wheel up off the ground. It's dark, fast and kind of surreal. I got the queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach that I'm going down and it's not going to be good. My front wheel is still in the air and just like that, the riders moved off my sides. My wheel was back on the ground. After crapping my shorts, dropping a few F-You's and finally composing myself, I was back to racing. I moved up with one lap to go and I'm sitting fourth wheel. Coming around the final corners I should have jumped. I was indecisive and just sat there. I held my position and finished 4th.

Sunday's race was the Cat 2 state championship. The course moved to a new venue that is flat, fast non-technical. Again, there was a big group of 100 or so. I'm amazed there are over 100 Cat 2s in Texas. The race is on and I find myself content to slip back into the pack. It was easy to sit near the back and for some reason, I didn't feel like fighting for wheels near the front. A group of two jump away and that pretty much decided the race. I was so far back I didn't even see it happen. By the time I move up, the two-man break was gone. With one lap to go, I'm sitting top 10. Then the pace slows. That's my cue to go. I jump into the crosswind and give it my all. I have a gap with half a lap to go. I end up getting caught by one other guy and hang on for another 4th place finish.

Monday was the age based championship. It was kind of strange because they placed everyone from 18 - 39 in the same race and scored you by your age group. After only a few fast laps, my chain began to skip. I was second wheel when I rolled into the pit. The referee told me I wouldn't get a free lap for an adjustment. Lucky for me, Matt, the pit mechanic came over and said my chain was about to snap. He jumped into action and replaced the link. I roll back into the race. Before I was able to settle in, a break jumped away. I follow a wheel off the front and make it up to the move. There are 10 of us off the front. I look around and know that I'm in very good company. We work well together and build a huge lead. In the final laps there are a ton of attacks as there are several races within the race. I make two big mistakes and it cost me. I doubt the end result would have changed much anyway, but if I could do it again, I would have raced the final laps differently. In the end I finished 10th overall and 3rd in my age group.

All in all, a good weekend.

F'ing Saddle Sore

2011-05-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

This is a post nobody wants to write.

I've been battling this damn saddle sore for the past three weeks. It started out as an irritation and has progressively grown into a debilitating hindrance keeping me off the bike. The tipping point was last Thursday when things got bad. During an easy two hour ride, I found myself shifting my weight on the saddle and standing to avoid sitting. For some reason, I thought things would get better and I rode again on Friday. The opposite happened as riding was even more uncomfortable. I had enough and common sense kicked in. Well, sort of.

My brother was coming to town on Sunday and I wanted to make sure he would be able to do one of the group rides. I decided to take Saturday off and give it a whirl on Sunday. I took extra precautions as I changed saddles, wore two pairs of shorts, used extra chamois cream and applied one of those blister band aids. Okay, that should do it. All through the ride I was shifting my weight on the saddle which significantly altered my pedal stroke. This thing was bad and the ride pretty much sucked.

I had finally cracked and knew drastic measures were in order. I decided to take off whatever time necessary to let this thing heal properly. Should just be a couple days, right?

In order to keep this layoff short, I wanted to do everything possible to help this thing heal. Per the pharmacy recommendation, I bought some A&D cream. I added an antibiotic ointment to the mix and began applying several times a day. After a few days, I saw good results, but wasn't satisfied. I realized this was going to be a slower process than I anticipated and needed more. After some water cooler discussions, I was told there is a boil cream and that a salt bath might help. Desperate to ride, I picked up more supplies, even if it was freaking boil cream! My daily tri-cream application soon saw the addition of a nightly epsom salt bath. Things got better. I'm not sure if this was due to the normal healing cycle or if my remedies were actually helping. It didn't matter, I saw progress.

Here I am, five days off the bike and things are looking good. I'm going to stay on the sidelines for another day and hopefully give it a try Sunday.

Looking back, I should have taken time off earlier and let this thing heal. No matter now, I'm making the most of it by treating this as a nice mid-season rest.

Food and Stupid Racing

2011-05-02T12:10:00.001-07:00

Oh man, another freaking energy bar. Eating on the bike during a race isn't the easiest thing and bars and gels provide an easy access to nutrients and calories. Unfortunately, these things get old and hardly serve as an interesting meal. Kelly loves the chocolate Powerbars and could probably live on them with a daily serving of ice cream and popcorn. I prefer something more substantial and have made a concerted effort to eat more real food on the bike. My favorite has been almond butter & fig jam or agave sandwiches. This is just a glorified PB&J and is nothing new, but it has gotten me out of the bar rut.

Steve Tilford wrote this the other day, and it sums up exactly what I've done the last three races:

"One thing that is super important in this sport is that you have to ride to your fitness level. It is very easy getting caught up in the action and getting over your head because of it. I’m normally pretty good at monitoring my ability and feelings, and using the appropriate amount of energy. I got over my head a few times early for no reason at all. That is just stupid bike racing."

I can't tell you how many times I've done that in the past, but lately I've "gotten caught up in the action" way more than I should. You can find yourself justifying this by saying it's good training or it will make you stronger. Unfortunately, it can become habit and instead of racing your bike, you just ride hard.

Next race, no stupid racing.

Routine vs. Superstition

2011-04-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

Photo compliments of Steven Stewart

My last post got me thinking about the difference between routines and superstitions. Like I said before, I never considered myself a superstitious person, but then I began thinking about it and I'm not so sure. We all have daily routines. Some of these are out of convenience, some out of necessity and some simply help us remain sane.

Everyday I eat pretty much the same breakfast; I walk the dog along the same path; Take the same route to work; Check my favorite websites when I first sit down to the computer. If I'm traveling, I have a whole routine for packing, parking, checking in at the airport and flying. What about racing? When I pin my number, I use exactly seven pins. I even count them out when I get them from the registration table. I always wear full-finger gloves in a crit. My bottles are mixed a certain way. I always get in a slow warmup. I like a Coke before a morning or afternoon race, but not in the evening. I always start a race with my right foot on the ground.

So why do I do these things and what if I don't? Routines are consistent and predictable which ultimately gives me peace. I know what to expect and I don't have to think about them. The fewer things I have swirling through my mind on race day, the better. More to my original point, if I ever had one, is how do you know if these things are routines or superstitions? What if I don't use seven pins or wear long gloves or get in a good warmup? Will I blame performance on breaking routine? What if I would have worn my number right-side-up and had an incident or a really bad race last weekend? Rationally, I know that number orientation has nothing to do with performance, but I'm certain I would still be questioning that decision.

So what do I conclude from all this? I guess I'm routinely superstitious.

Matrix Challenge 2011

2011-04-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

I pick up my race number for this weekend and something happened that has never happened before. They give me number 13. I don't consider myself a superstitious person, but receiving this number is making me think twice about my self evaluation. I planned to get in a longer than normal warm up and during my 20 mile spin, I questioned what this meant. Should I keep with tradition and wear the number upside-down? Does that matter? What if I don't and something bad happens during the race? How do I respect this number but not succumb to it's negative and unlucky aura? Am I superstitious?

Maybe these thoughts of 13 were just a way to keep my mind off the next 90 minutes of focused suffering. That's about the best way to describe the eight turn, .8 mile criterium. It's a beautiful venue and a fantastically run event by my sponsor, Richardson Bikemar t, but for whatever reason, this race has always been really hard for me.

It's time to race and along with my upside-down 13, I get a great spot on the front row. The race started fast and I did a good job of staying active and holding my position close to the front. It was pretty much attack-after-attack-after-attack. There was one particular move that looked strong and I go. I'm sprinting all out and can't get there. The group was just off the front, but it was so fast, I still couldn't bridge. I was gassed as I sit up and hope to jump in the field for recovery. The group is completely strung out and it takes half a lap for me to drift back. It was just enough time to catch my breath. I'm dead last and I look down at my computer. We're only 20 minutes into the race but it felt like an eternity. I surprise myself as I'm able to recover and move up in big chunks. I took my time and eventually make it up to the front again. By the time I get there, the race is up the road. I do my best to keep things moving and go when I have some gas. However, it was far from being enough to putting a dent in the gap. I finish 23rd out of 80.

My legs weren't the only thing that took a beating on Saturday. Our team bibs are rough on my underside and even my trusty chamois cream wan't enough to prevent the dreaded saddle sore. Okay, believe it or not, but this is where the love story comes in. Kelly being the woman that she is suggested I try these Band Aid blister things. Normally I would just suck it up. Then I had this vision of sandpaper rubbing on my unwanted friend during the race. "Okay, what do I need to do?" After prepping the area, Kelly strategically paced the patch. It was intimate in all the wrong ways and a true labor of love.

Sunday was much of the same where I felt uncomfortably comfortable in the group, but never had enough to go with the top guys. With 40 minutes to go, there were five up the road and I'm at the front helping keep things moving as best I could. I made one of those in the moment decisions to stay on the front and empty the tank. I had enough to sit in and finish, but not enough to jump or make the race hard. I pull off and think I still might be able to drift back into the pack and recover again. To my surprise the group was winnowed down to about 30. I completely missed the back of the group and that was it.

All in all, I was really happy with how I rode and certain parts of me were grateful I listened to Kelly. Unfortunately, I was outclassed and didn't have what it took to ride with the top guys.

First Races Of The Year

2011-03-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

-16 degree stem to get me a bit lower

Unfortunately, this season got off to a slower than expected start due to a ton of work travel. That's good for business, but not so good for the legs. After coming off back-to-back-to-back-to-back trips, I missed training camp and a few early races.

Lago Vista

My season kicked off in beautiful Lago Vista. Lago is always a tough circuit and the grinding hills will eat away at you. Saturday was super windy and the P/1/2 field was stacked. I was hoping to stay out of the wind and conserve with a goal of finishing. As usual, things don't go as planned. After 25 miles, the crosswinds had their way with me and I found myself off the back. It was brutal and maybe half the field finished.

Sunday was an entirely different race as the promotor decided the run the race backwards. This doesn't sound like a big deal but racing in this direction changes the climbs from gradual grinds to something short and steep. The decision made earlier in the week to downgrade to the 2/3 race was looking better and better. The race started mildly enough and I think most people were intimidated by the course. Coupling my less than stellar climbing abilities with yesterday's results saw me conservatively sitting in the pack. A group of five get away on the first or second lap. I saw the move and probably could have made the jump, but it's early in the race and I'm certain I don't have the legs for a long break. The climbs turned out to be "easier" than I thought and the toughest part of each lap was the false flat that led to the top of the course. The climbs took their toll and every lap we had a few less in the pack. I made a couple efforts, but spent the majority of my time sitting in the group. The last lap was super fast coming down the course into the uphill finish. The sprint was a crapshoot and I ended up 13th.

Celina Road Race

This past Sunday was a local road race just north of town with a rectangular 9 mile course. The 1/2/3 race is 72 miles and we had a small field of about 30. The wind was strong from the south and I was confident things would break up early. Sure enough, it was on from the gun. I had good position as I look down and see 39MPH on my computer. We had a tail wind going into the first corner and everyone was looking to be at the front. You were either in position or wishing you had been more attentive. I'm fifth wheel or so coming around the corner and the entire line of riders behind me is guttered straddling the center line. Powers, Carlson and others were going nuts at the front. We're practically sprinting and I pull through to keep things rolling. I come to the back of the group and we have a gap. Oh man, this is either going to be a very long, or very short day. We continue to rotate and our lead increases. After a lap we have a minute on the field. One guy in our break gets dropped and I'm not far behind. I'm gassed and do my best to conserve. I have no choice but to sit in as much as possible. If not, I would be dropped. Our group of five motors on. Unfortunately, I'm not able to contribute jack. The guys driving the group rode like champs while I was a passenger on their train. We end up staying away for the entire race and I didn't contest the finish. 5th place.

Breaking Stuff

2010-12-12T08:43:00.000-08:00

It all started with this damn creak whenever I stood up to climb or accelerate. After listening to this thing for a few weeks, I took my bike into the shop and had David check it out. It sounded like a bottom bracket problem so David pulled the cranks and ended up replacing the bearings in the bottom bracket. I thought that fixed the issue, but two days later I found myself back in the shop with the same creak. David began to methodically go through the bike in an attempt to diagnosis the problem. He checked the headset, seat, seat post, pulled the pedals, swapped wheels, swapped cranks. Nothing. It still creaked. While inspecting the bottom bracket, he paused and said, "oh, I found our problem, here's a crack." What, a crack, in the frame?! Wow, I never thought this could happen to me.

After working with Trek to secure a replacement frame, the shop built-up the new Madone 5.9 with my old components. From the first turn of the cranks, I could feel a noticeable difference in the ride. Trek definitely made some improvements over the past three years. The bottom bracket is beefier, the tubes are bigger and the seat mast is now round (instead of oblong). All these changes really make for a great riding bike.

On my maiden voyage, something felt strange. Yes, I know it was a new frame, but the spacing between my pedals didn't feel right. I remembered that David added a missing washer between each pedal and crank arm. Apparently, some cranks have a washer there. These new washers were driving me crazy. I pulled over, removed my pedals and took out the washers. I was relieved and surprised how sensitive we are. Then again, maybe it was all in my mind.

A couple weeks ago I was on a training ride and I see this white flash in the corner of my eye. Before I knew it, I was on the ground. What the f&$%!? I look up and there is this big white dog running away. Austin told me it was a Great Pyrenees. I thought about chasing the dog, but then what? I'm sure catching one of these things on a bike, in bike shoes, wearing lycra is a sight. The thought flashed through my mind, but I decided to tend to my wounds. My phone seemed to take the brunt of the fall. After a quick pull of the battery, everything was working fine.

My Favorite Time Of The Year

2010-10-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

I thought there was no drafting in triathlons

I don't know about everyone else, but this is one of my favorite times of the year. It's Fall here in Texas and the weather couldn't be better. It's a great time to ride, enjoy a pint and hang out on the patio. The race season is over and rides are relaxed. There are still those guys that like to go crazy and pound the pedals, but I'm content with long easy rides where I can actually take in the scenery and notice the surrounding landscape. It's time to rest, recover, and do some of those things you miss out on because you spend too many weekends at bike races and your weekday evenings are consumed by 3 hour training rides.

Like most off seasons, I like to try something new. This year, I decided to learn how to ride a unicycle. I've only had a few days to practice, but it's coming along. It's way harder than I thought, and at first you have absolutely no balance. I can only ride for a few feet without the wheel coming out from under me.

Another favorite of mine is to watch others compete. Two

weeks ago Kelly and I went down to Austin for her first Half Ironman. They actually don't call these things "half" anymore. It's now a 70.3 IronMan. I guess people were sick of saying, "No, it wasn't a full Ironman, it was a half". Whatever. I think I was as excited to watch and support as Kelly was to race. It was incredible. Tons of competitors and a superbly organized race. Watching people's pre-race routines reminded me how much preparation goes into a triathlon. Wetsuits, food, race bags, transitions, bike, shoes, helmet, visor, swim cap, water bottles, air pump. Tons of gear and the logistics are immense. Kelly was cool and calm as she prepared. She had a wonderful day finishing with a time of 5:25. I was incredibly proud of her.

Teeth!

2010-10-12T10:56:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday was a very big day for me in the ameloblastoma saga. It's been 16 months since I've had the ability to chew on my left side for lack of teeth. I've had a big gap over there and now it was time for Dr. Gonzalez, who is the Prosthodontist at Baylor, to deliver my new new teeth.

The procedure was painless and fairly simple. He removed my temporary posts, placed the new bridge in the vacant cavities, inserted the titanium screws at the top of each tooth,

and tightened. He checked for gaps and everything was lined up and fit perfect. His finishing touch consisted of filling in the holes at the top of each tooth with dentist spackle.

At the end of our session, the doctor asked me if I was glad to have teeth again. I told him yes, but not because I have teeth again. I was glad because this marks the end of a very long journey. I've been chewing on my right side for more than a year and it doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I don't even notice it. The doctor agreed and reaffirmed my feeling by adding that my teeth are fully functional, but hardly the star. The real story is my jaw and the amazing bone growth I've experienced.

Pneumonia

2010-10-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

I got a call from my doctor the other night. After a chest x-ray and blood tests, he told me that I had pneumonia. I was stunned. He prescribed antibiotics (Levaquin) and told me to take it easy for a while. I’m not exactly sure when I got pneumonia, but I think it all started in Europe when I began coughing. That was over two months ago. I went to the doctor before and they told me it was probably allergies. Even after I told them I don’t have allergies and this cough began on a different continent, the nurse practitioner was confident in her diagnosis of allergies. I guess some people are so proud of their expertise and superior knowledge that there is no possibility of another explanation. That just pisses me off.

It turns out that Levaquin is a perfect antibiotic for cyclists. “Taking Levaquin can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Avoid exposure to sunlight…” “Levaquin may cause swelling or tearing of a tendon (the fiber that connects bones to muscles in the body), especially in the Achilles' tendon of the heel.”

I have to admit this new diagnosis left we with a sense of relief. Yes, they finally knew what the hell was wrong with me and I will hopefully be on my way to recovery. That wasn’t all though. I was surprisingly happy to finally have an explanation for my poor riding the last two months. Ever since I returned from Italy, every ride, race and effort on the bike has been way harder than it should have been. Come to think of it, I'm not sure which one of these was my first thought.

Masters Track Nationals

2010-09-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

It’s always great when your hometown hosts a race. This year Masters Track Nationals was held at the Superdrome, which is about 30 minutes north of Dallas. Coming into the race, I didn’t do any specific race preparation and the last time on the track was back in May where Kelly said she had never seen me ride so poorly on a velodrome. For some reason, my mentality heading into this race was pretty lackadaisical. I’m not really sure why. Maybe it just felt like another race since it was being held locally. Or, maybe I didn’t think masters would be all that hard. Boy was I wrong.

I show up on Saturday afternoon around 6:00PM for warm up and sign in. As I walk into the track, it hits me. This is nationals! There are tons of people, mostly racers. There are tents, bikes, rollers, stands and equipment bags. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a big track race and I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be apart of the buzz. Everyone is in close confines, which makes it very intimate. The energy is contagious and you feed off one another. It’s like nothing else.

I roll to the rail for a 120-lap points race with sprints every 10. I’m late to the line and sitting at the back I look at the small field. I’m pretty disappointed at the weak turnout. Something like 12 guys are competing, and that’s after they combined fields. No matter, it’s time to race.

Shit! The pace is much faster than I expected. My plan of sitting in and watching the race develop was not only a plan, but about the only thing I could do for the first couple of sprints. Carlson is on the side coaching me as I look towards him for advice. He was constantly telling me to move up. Without a good track spin, I was completely outclassed in the sprints. I should have been running a bigger gear (this can sometimes compensate for a poor spin, but there are trade-offs). I was riding a 48x14 or a 92.6. Bigger gear or not, it wouldn’t have mattered, I didn’t have it. I was getting my butt kicked and since I couldn’t sprint, I tried my other option.

If you lap the field in a points race, you are awarded 20 points. I jump hard and get a nice gap on the group. After several solo laps off the front, I’m able to lap the group. In the process of being off the front, Kremke (last year’s champ) and Meidhof (this year’s winner) also take a lap. I’m pooped but recover and take a few sprint points here and there. With 8 laps to go, I know I’m still far behind, so I take another flier. I get ½ a lap, then ¾ of a lap. I’m so close, then the pace picks up and the pack is out of reach. With 4 laps to go I have no chance at lapping the field, but I can still hang on and win the sprint. I was dying, and thinking about anything other than riding hard, like calculating points, was impossible. So I rode hard and hurt more than I have in a long time. I ended up staying away and taking the last sprint. It was way little, way too late. In fact, my effort in the last laps was irrelevant to the final standings. I finished 3^rd.

Vacanza di Bici

2010-08-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

This year Kelly and I decided to take a bike trip to Italy. I've wanted to ride in Europe for years and one night over dinner, we decided to do it. Some friends of ours recommended a tour company that they used several years back. One of my least favorite things about a vacation is planning, and not having a clue about riding in Italy, this sounded like the way to go.

Kelly and I arrive Italy and make our way to the Veneto region where we found our home for the next week. We were staying in a very small family run hotel outside the town of Bassano del Grappa. The area was beautiful and we were surrounded by mountains. Behind our hotel was a fantastically cold stream that we would use daily to refresh our legs post ride. Meals and bikes were included in the package. If it wasn't for the recommendation, I would have been very leery of a package deal. After our first lunch, consisting of three courses and trout as the entree, my mind was at ease. One day on our way down to the river, we saw one of the daughters cutting fresh mushrooms for dinner that she harvested. Wow, they have their priorities right.

Kelly did a LOT of this.

Our days consisted of getting up for breakfast; riding and stopping for cafe; riding more to our lunch stop; riding back to the hotel to relax in the stream; cleaning up and enjoying three hour dinners with our friends from the tour.

The riding was amazing. The roads were very narrow but the motorist were respectful and would drive close but not with malice like you see here in the states. The mountains were beautiful and the climbs were long with switchbacks and perfect views. The descents were crazy and fast. Kelly didn't like them and was white knuckling all the way down. I was proud of her for taking on her fear.

Our bikes.

Our guide, Mike, was great. He would ride as fast as we wanted, mostly faster, and even spent his day off shepherding me and Kelly up to the town of Asiago. All of our rides were great but my favorite and most challenging day was the ascent to Monte Grappa. Wow, it was steep and long. Mike asked me which route I wanted to take. He said this climb was used in the Vuelta this year and we could take that route which was 20K, or we have the option of the shallower 30K route. I had no choice but to do the Vuelta route. Holy smokes, that was the hardest climb I've ever been on. Yes, living in Texas that isn't saying much. The climb I've done to Mt. Rainier is just as beautiful, but a distant second in difficulty.

Up to the summit of Grappa.

To share some learnings, there are two things I might have changed: 1)Get a hotel with A/C when traveling to Europe during the summer. It was hotter than normal and mixing open windows with jet lag and loud Vespas screaming past our hotel at 2AM made me glad I brought my earplugs and Unisom. 2)The next time I go back I would like to do even more climbing. The mountain routes are spectacular and truly unforgettable.

I think anyone who has contemplated cycling in Europe should definitely do it and not put this off. Kelly and I have already discussed going back.

Tulsa Tough 2010

2010-06-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

Tire burn from someone riding close

I was really looking forward to the races in Tulsa, which happen to be one of my favorite weekends of the year. The courses, town and crowds are all great. The money and proximity mean the fields will be big and the racing will be fast. Friday night is a flat figure eight with wide, smooth roads. I was pretty sure the race would end up in a field sprint so my plan was to stay at the front and conserve. As expected, the race was fast and everyone was battling to stay in the top third. The wide, smooth roads made it easy to move around in the field. This was exceptionally helpful after I found myself bunny hopping a curb and riding on the sidewalk to avoid a large crash. I was off the back and it took me a couple laps to reconnect with the field. I probably could have taken a free lap as I saw two large groups coming out of the pits. The rest of the race was fairly uneventful, but quite nerving as I heard and saw way too many crashes. People were riding super aggressively and taking more chances than necessary. Coming into the last lap, I knew I needed to be well positioned. In reality, I should have been top 5 heading into the last three corners. I held back too long and was sitting about 12th. The finish is very fast and you can’t move up more than a few positions. I was 11th.

Saturday is a fairly flat L shaped course with a rise on the back side. I was fairly certain this day would also end in a field sprint. The finish is straightforward and just like Friday’s race, the final three corners are key. Similar to the previous night, I was able to get a good start and hold my position. The race was fast with lots of attacks. It was fairly easy to move up and everyone wanted to be in front. The group would often negotiate the corners five wide which made for more overly aggressive racing and plenty of wrecks. I was fortunate not to find myself in any mishaps. The team rode great and did a fantastic job of keeping things together in the final laps. With one to go, I’m sitting in the top 20 but I’m too far back. I make a big move and I’m able to squeeze into the top six. We’re screaming single file down the hill into the final corner and I’m still fifth or sixth. Two guys in front of me are fighting for position. One of them loses it and goes down around the last turn, I hit my brakes and swerve. I miss the fallen rider but loose all momentum. Riders fly by me and I finish 26th.

Saturday was my chance for a result this weekend I and lost it 150 meters from the line. After all that work and energy, I was kind of bummed. I knew Sunday’s race was going to be a day of survival for me and finishing was my goal. The course has a short steep hill that the locals nickname “crybaby hill”. It will suck the life from your legs and can make you weep. That being said, the course is fair and the crowds on the hill make up for the suffering. Okay, maybe not, but the crowds are amazing. There are tons of people on the hill and there is no shortage of alcohol. People are wearing diapers (crybaby hill), spraying water, screaming, swarming and getting nuts in their own special way. There was even a guy wearing a Speedo and Lucha Libre mask. I got a great start and after several laps, felt myself slowly slip through the group each consecutive time over the hill. People were getting popped left and right and after about 40 minutes I was very near the back of the race. I’ve been hurting since the 20 minute mark and I wasn’t sure how long I could hold on. Each time up the hill, I would hear Kelly and others cheer. This was a huge motivation and a big reason I was able to keep going. The last 20 minutes of the race were surreal. After 20 times up the hill, it was all tunnel vision. Finally, we have five to go. I’m doing everything just to hang in the race. With two to go, people are really getting gapped and I’m too stubborn to close. I make the mistake of waiting for the guys in front of me to do the work. We are all thinking the same thing and I’m off the back with a few others. We keep riding and finish just behind the group. More than half the field dropped out as I finished 44th.

Implants - Phase II

2010-05-18T09:12:00.001-07:00

My latest X-Ray. Compare this to the X-Ray in January and one last August.

Yesterday, I made another trip to Baylor for what will hopefully be my last surgery in the ameloblastoma saga. Dr. Schow installed the implant posts for my three new soon-to-be teeth. Teeth implants are comprised of three phases (1. implants in the jaw under the gum 2. posts that screw into the implants and protrude the gum 3. The crown or bridge that screws into the posts). I've been looking forward to this surgery for a while (if you can look forward to a surgery). It means I'm getting closer to the end; I will be able to chew on my left side again; and they told me this would be the easiest surgery. Considering the context, those are all good things in my book. Christi, my boss, was kind enough to pick me up and take me to Baylor for the one-hour procedure. After a quick IV, all I remember is waking up during the final stitching. No pain, no problem; I was dazed and confused. The surgery was a success. After slicing my gums and removing/manipulating soft tissue, I was the recipient of three new posts.

New posts one hour after surgery.

After picking up some Amoxicillin (I opted out of the pain medication) Christi dropped me off at the house for some nice R&R. After a couple hours of watching TV, I got antsy and called Dave to see if he was up for a movie. Dave has flexible daytime hours and is usually up for a distraction now and then. It was nice to get out of the house. I felt pretty good the remainder of the day. A bit sore and kind of groggy, but I felt good enough to take Kelly out to a casual dinner.

Just out of curiosity, I checked the USA Cycling website for banned substances. Amoxicillin is not on the US Anti-Doping (USADA) list.

The further along in this process I go, the more the doctors are willing to disclose about all my procedures. It turns out that the reconstruction was more difficult and challenging than I ever knew. The use of bone morphogentic protein (BMP), which is the bone graft material used, is in the early stages of use for larger reconstructions like mine. BMP is comprised of concentrated bovine collagen and in large reconstructions, there is sometimes the need to do two reconstructive surgeries. In my case, the doctors added bone fragments to the BMP which created a more complete graft and eliminated the need for another surgery. I thank the people that came before me and I hope the learnings from my procedures can be used to help others.

I'm feeling great today. I'm back at work and hope to do some riding tonight. I might even get ambitious and do our weekly criterium. Don't tell my mom.

Time off and hydration

2010-05-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

I shouldn't have a problem finding an extra bottle.

It seems like every year I reach a point during the season when I need a break. My body is fatigued and my legs feel like wood. Riding hard is a chore and the thought of racing isn't all that enticing. Each year, this occurs like clockwork in June. Strange thing is, it's early May. I really haven't raced all that much this year and I feel like I'm just starting to ride into form. Maybe it's all the time I took off last year, maybe my body is still healing, maybe... Who knows, and it really doesn't matter. I listened to my legs and decided to take most of last week off. It was refreshing and relaxing. Some people find it difficult to take time off the bike and begin to second guess themselves thinking they are loosing fitness. The downtime was great and I hope to come back refreshed and ready to ride.

After a nice break, I resumed my training with our Saturday group ride. Nothing of note to share, except for the fact that it's getting warm and humid here in Texas. In the warmer months, three water bottles is a must. I rolled with two and didn't think much about it. The highs are only in the mid to upper eighties which don't really bother us too much down here. A couple hours after the 70 mile ride, I got a headache and then began to feel really crappy. Kelly said I was probably dehydrated. I drank and drank. Still feeling dazed I passed out on the bed at 9:15. I woke up the next morning and I was fine. I rode but drank almost five bottles on a 60 mile ride. It's time for three bottle days.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I don't think I'm going to be able to watch all the cycling coverage on my DVR this week. Between the Giro on Universal Sports and the Tour of California on Versus, where can one find the time?

Matrix Challenge

2010-04-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was two days of criteriums at the Matrix Challenge. My club puts on this race and I have to commend them on an excellent production. The venue is one of the best in Texas, which consists of a figure eight course surrounded by historical homes and a beautiful park. This makes it very spectator friendly and invites people to stop and watch the show. Many of our races take place in small obscure towns in backwoods Texas where there are very few, if any, spectators. The only people who really watch the race are the officials and feed zone friends.

Scraping a pedal around one of the turns.

The course is very technical with eight turns, tight roads and some off-camber corners. The key to the race is to keep a good position at the front and maintain speed throughout the turns. Saturday started fast and stayed that way throughout. I got a great start in the 75 man field and held a nice position at the front for the opening laps. I made my first mistake by getting lazy and slipping back through the group. The rest of the race was a bit surreal. I just focused on two things: always moving up, and maintaining as much speed through the corners as possible. There were tons of attacks and it was a constant battle for position. After a little more than an hour into the 90-minute race, I found myself closing too many gaps. Once again, I made another mistake by losing momentum when I let a gap get too big. I was spending way too much energy on the wrong things. At 70 minutes, my legs gave out and my day was done.

Brake wear after this weekend.

Sunday was a new day and despite my poor results on Saturday, I was kind of pleased with my ride. Going into Sunday’s race, I had two things on my mind: Always fight for position, and never let up. Once again, I got a great start. This time, I did a better job of holding my place in line. The race was a constant battle and began to wear down the field. A small group slipped away containing two teammates. A few more riders bridge, but I was in no shape to follow. The pack slowed down a bit but still remained fast. I stayed aggressive and marked as much as I could without blowing up. I even found myself in a couple short-lived moves. After 75 minutes of attacking one another, the lead group lapped us and we all came together. The pace got even faster as everyone vied for a lead-out position. During all the confusion, I found myself near the back. I kept trying to move up and finally got near the front with just over a lap to go. We hit the last corner before the final lap and I make a bad move inside. I get pinched off and brake hard. My momentum is gone and my race is done. I finished 28th.

Tough Weekend In Fayetteville

2010-03-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

I'm not at the front, the picture just cropped this way.

This weekend was the first stage race of the year, and one of the best race weekends in Texas. Saturday is a 3 lap, 68 mile road race followed by a 6.6 mile time trial. Sunday is a 7 lap, 95 mile road race. The promoters decided to offer a separate Cat 2 field since there was a wait list for the 100 rider P/1/2 field last year.

The forecast for the weekend called for rain, wind and cold. I wasn’t looking forward to that kind of weather but did my best to pack appropriately. Vest, gloves, leg and knee warmers, base layers, arm warmers, hats, shoe covers, etc. We wake up on Saturday morning to mild conditions. I check the weather report on my phone and the radar shows a big red-orange-green band headed our way. Uh-oh. The earlier races were already underway when the storm hit. The rain was pouring down as the winds picked up and the temperature dropped.

I was immediately soaked as I rolled to the start. The conditions were miserable. There were about 50 of us on the start line and we shivered in the rain like lap dogs. The start was slow and lazy. I had zero warm-up. I bet that was pretty much the same for everyone else. After a couple miles, the pace picks up and we’re racing. I use the word “we” loosely. I was just trying to survive the day and the weekend. The race was long, cold and wet. Most of the day was a blur except for a few thoughts circulating in my head:

> Stay in position and move to the front in the crosswinds
> These hills are hurting more than they should
> Don’t think about the cold

The race wasn’t super fast but all the combined factors made for a really hard day. This became apparent as I found myself in the lead group of only 12 with one lap to go. I was glad to see this and it put my mind at ease. I got too comfortable and that can be bad. On the last hill, about 7 miles from the finish, some gaps begin to open in front of me. The gaps get bigger and it turns out two guys in front of me both flat! I move around and attempt to close. The pace is really high and I give it everything I have for the next ½ mile. I almost connect, but my legs won’t take me there. The pack rides away. I get picked up by a group of three and we ride in a minute plus down.

I’m sitting 14th overall going into the time trial. After a three hour break, which consisted of nothing more than eating, showering and cleaning my bike, it was already time to ride again. The winds are howling and it’s pretty cold. I wear arm and leg warmers. The clock ticks down and I’m off as the tailwind pushes me along. I hit the first corner and my 30 second guys passes me. Holy smokes, he was flying. The crosswinds were hard and the final headwind was killer. I just couldn’t push over my gear. I finished with a time of 16:13 which was poor enough for 24th. What a sad effort.

It’s Sunday and believe it or not, but I’m still sitting 14th in the GC. Attrition is taking its toll and we are now down to about 35 guys. It’s cold and really windy, but we are dry. The scene is similar to Saturday’s start as we stand around and shiver while waiting for the gun.

Each of the 7 laps is almost a carbon copy of one another. The hills are hard and the crosswind sections thin the field. People were popping every time the wind was at our side. I did my best to stay protected and near the front. As the race progresses, two groups of two were up the road. I would have loved to be there, but I knew I didn’t have it. The laps tick down and we have one to go. Our group is down to about 14. I stay focused and maintain position. The memory of being dropped yesterday is still fresh in my mind. The pace gets hard but the group stays together until the end. I finish 11th overall for the weekend.

A Shock to the System

2010-03-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

Did you ever take that dare and jump into a freezing cold pool? The first second is okay, then it takes your breath away. Your system is completely shocked by its surroundings and you go into survival mode. That pretty much sums up my first two weekends of racing. It had been nine months since my last bike race. My body forgot what it means to be really pushed and suffer. The long, slow rides were great for a base, but my training lacked the hard intensity that is vital to road racing.

My first race was in Walburg, Texas and I couldn’t believe how excited I was to be racing again. It’s amazing how much you can miss this stuff. The weather in Walburg is usually super windy, raining, cold, or some sort of combination. This year turned out to be pretty nice with a slight breeze and super mild temperatures. The 75 man field kept the pace steady and brought back every attempt at a break. I had no factor in the race as my legs had a hard time matching the jumps and constant accelerations. I was there just surviving. With one lap to go, I was able to stay in the top 20. It was apparent the race was going to end in a field sprint and everyone seemed happy with that. The finish is at the top of a small hill that is a big ring power climb. I’m sitting just outside the top 10 as we hit the hill. The sprint is on and just as soon as it started, it was completely over for me. I immediately begin to loose position. I had no power in my legs and quickly slipped through the pack. I had absolutely nothing and finished 32nd.

The next day was Pace Bend which was also a Cat 2 only race. Things weren’t so good as I was hurting by the second lap. I think our race is 13 laps of a 6+ mile rolling enclosure. The terrain is undulating and there are a few big ring climbs that I usually don’t have problems with. This year was much different. Just like the previous day, I had no power in my legs. It gets hard about 30 miles into the race and there is a split in the group. Unfortunately, I was too weak to be in position and I watched a group of 6 or 7 roll off. I move close to the front on a flat section and see a teammate in our group. I go to the front and help with the chase. I can see the group and normally could have ridden across or at least gotten pretty close. My efforts were weak, but hard enough to break me. Apparently, I only had one match and it went up in flames. It was too much and my day was done.

The next weekend was Lago Vista. This is one of my favorite races of the year even though the course of 80+ miles can be super hard. This was a P/1/2 weekend and I knew it was going to kick my ass. Long story short, it did. I last 60 miles on Saturday and 30ish miles on Sunday.

I had very mixed feelings about the start to my season. It was wonderful to be racing again, but difficult when my fitness is lacking and I’m no help to the team. I know, what should I expect after the past 9 months. I just hate to use that excuse.

Post Surgery Follow Up

2010-01-12T17:19:00.000-08:00

Compare this to the X-Ray they took back in August.

I'm constantly amazed at what doctors are able to do these days. I think the doctors are equally impressed with their work at times. I had my post surgery follow up appointment with Dr. Schow today. They took a panoramic X-ray and after a quick viewing and oral exam, the doc said I look damn good. He was excited to see the new bone growth and was quick to pull some other doctors over for a peep show. They were equally impressed. Dr. Schow told me we will need to let these new implants heal for about three months. He will then add extensions which will heal for a month before the caps are finally added. It will be worth the wait.

This surgery is by far the easiest and I've had my quickest recovery. I'm feeling almost normal and have been pretty much doing everything as before. It's nice not to have something big looming in the distance. I'm looking forward to putting all this behind me. Even as I say that, this has had such a big impact on me that I doubt I'll be able to do that completely.

Implants

2010-01-08T09:38:00.000-08:00

Does the titanium plate they removed from my jaw really deserve a biohazard bag?

Yesterday, I went in for implant surgery to replace the three missing teeth that were extracted when a good chunk of my left mandible was removed in June. Leading up to the day, it really didn't hit me what a big deal this was. Not the surgery per se, but how far I've come in this whole process. Yesterday was the culmination of many things:

1) I'm really on the path to full recovery
2) My newly generated bone is strong enough to accept the implants
3) This should be me last surgery
4) I will be able to chew like normal soon

In addition to the three implants, Dr. Schow planned to shave down some extra bone growth and remove one of three titanium bone plates. I wasn't sure how this might complicate the surgery. To my surprise, I was in and out in about 90 minutes. Considering everything, I felt pretty good. Fortunately, my mom came into town and was there to take care of me. She cooked soft foods and soup so not to disturb my tender mouth and stitches. Thanks again mom! I'm a little tired, sore and swollen (minor compared to last time) but all in all, doing quite well. The implants reside below the gum line under the stitches for now. We will let the implants heal for about three months before they are capped with an artificial bridge comprised of three pearly whites. Very exciting!

A conversation with Chris and Kelly

2009-12-07T19:57:00.000-08:00

This is a typical conversation in our household.

Where It Starts

2009-12-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

We all start out somewhere and at one time each one of us was that hairy-legged, baggy-jersey-wearing goober who had no idea what they were about to get themselves into. No idea how fun it is to ride with a group. No idea what it’s like to be in a break. No idea how hard others can push you. No idea what it’s like to blow up at the front and shoot straight out the back. No idea how it feels to descend at 55 MPH in a pack of 100 guys. No idea…

A friend who is getting more involved in cycling asked me how I got into “serious riding.” Funny, I never really considered myself a serious rider. I mean, really. I’m not a pro, I don’t log 20,000+ miles per year, I don’t get paid to ride, I have a job and I don’t weigh 140 lbs. Then again, I will ride over 8,000 miles this year, I take home occasional winnings and have a great sponsor http://www.bikemart.com/, my arms are as skinny as the ones on my 120 lb. girlfriend, and I have a bike blog.

This got me thinking of how I got here and I really had to look back. It all started sometime after college when one of my friends had an extra mountain bike and asked me if I wanted to go ride at some place called Cedar Hill. I said sure and met him the next Saturday for the ride. Little did I know how crappy I would feel when I mixed a hangover with the Texas sun and the dusty single track of the state park. I couldn’t even finish the nine mile loop and ended up taking a shortcut back to the car. For the next several years, my riding was sporadic at best. Then in 2001, I entered an adventure race with some friends from work. We had a blast. I ran a marathon that same year. I wanted to ride when the trails were wet, so I bought a road bike. I did my first triathlon the next year. It was a great experience. After a couple years of triathlons, I decided to take some time off from running and concentrate on cycling. I signed up for my first bike race at our weekly crit. I had no clue what was going on and was bitched out for cutting someone off. It was amazing and I was hooked.

I was slowly sucked into the sport. More miles, faster groups, bigger races. Before I knew it, I was catting up, riding with a light at night and spinning on rollers. You leave parties early; ride before and after group rides; and sneak in rides whenever you can. It becomes ingrained in your life and you in a subculture.

Enough reminiscing, I need to get out and ride.

Tandem

2009-10-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you had grapefruit?

This last month has been a blur. No posts here usually means life has been plenty busy. Two weeks ago, I had my monthly visit with doctors at Baylor. As usual, they took an X-Ray and for the first time since surgery, I was able to see some change in the composition of my jawbone. My gap is beginning to fill in with a milky, spider web looking substance. Bone! I was very excited and so were the doctors. They gathered around the image like schoolboys around a centerfold.

Another big accomplishment for the month was my first group ride since surgery. It was wonderful to ride with a group again. Luckily, it was a race weekend so the pace was fairly tame. Even with a slower than normal ride, I still had a hard time recovering after some hard efforts. I took it easy and used a shortcut or two to keep things manageable. I still have a long way to go but it is a great feeling to ride like this again.

In between work travel, I had the chance to spend a weekend in Chicago with my brother and Stephen. Among the many activities, a highlight of the weekend was renting bikes. We ended up with a tandem and a hybrid of some sort. It was great fun and we got some crazy looks. Yes, two dudes on a tandem is quite the sight. After riding along the lake, we headed up to Wrigleyville, hit an Oktoberfest celebration, visited Chinatown, saw the Buckingham Fountain and stood in awe at the base of the Sears Tower. I’ve been to Chicago countless times, but I’ve never seen it like this before. Prior to this trip, I was a complete bike snob and wouldn’t have thought about renting a cruiser and riding around town. I always had to have a road bike so I could get in a good ride. After seven hours on the bike touring the Windy City, I now have a new definition of good ride.

Kolaches

2009-09-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

Riding around White Rock one morning.

I had a strange dream last night. I dreamt I was doing some kind of organized bike ride, not a race. It was getting very close to the end of the ride, but it felt like a race because everyone was gearing up for the sprint. As we approach the "finish" there is a guy who locks handlebars with someone and begins to lean into me . Instincts take over and I lean back and push him into the barriers. The guy goes down hard. I feel bad but all I could think about was not going down.

Everyone asks how I'm doing. My typical answer is, "great". And this is true, but it's kind of hard to measure when much of my life is so easy on the body. I work in an office. I live in a house. I commute by car. None of this is physically stressful. For me, a more accurate measure is what I can do on the bike. I hate to say this, but that's about the only time I have the ability to really push my body. And I haven't done that yet. I'm doing some longer rides of 65ish miles, but these are slow and easy. I'm going to continue to take it easy and slowly build up my strength and speed. October is the goal for my first group ride. Kind of funny that's a goal.

On our way down to Austin for Kelly's triathlon last weekend, we rode in Temple as we continued to ease my way into shape. If you ever get a chance, stop at Green's Sausage House for their Kolaches. I never thought I would be a fan of these sweet treats but the cottage cheese Kolache is amazing. Seriously.

Even after a flat, Kelly was able to take 4th in her age group.

On Tuesday, Kelly wasn't able to start her car in the morning because her battery was dead. I told her to take my car and I would ride the motorcycle to work. Apparently, this wasn't to be our morning. The motorcycle wouldn't start. Option number three. I changed into shorts, loaded my work clothes in the backpack, and jumped on my bike. I took back roads and ended up on the Katy Trail which takes me right to my office. Wow, the ride to work was fantastic. Riding home wasn't as pleasant as the high hit 95 degrees, but it was a good experience.

Deep Ellum

2009-08-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

Last week David (one of the artists I work with) and I decided to spend our lunch hour in Deep Ellum. The once thriving community of bars, restaurants, tattoo parlors and art galleries has hit some hard times. David and some other artists were commissioned to revitalize the sculpture park at the entrance to the area. Walking around reminded me of the many nights we would spend at Trees, Art Bar and The Bone. That was a long time ago.

Remember Copper Tank?

Friday was another trip to the doctor and he said my mouth is looking great. Things are so good that I don't have to make a return visit for another month. He took some measurements and I can now open my mouth 22mm!

Another week of riding and I'm feeling stronger and better each day. Kelly and I planned to sleep in and take it easy Saturday morning. However, the beautiful weather got the best of us and instead of sticking to plan, we took a short spin at the lake. Isn't it sad when you give up a chance to be lazy? On Sunday, we got together with Dave and did a longer ride out to Cedar Hill. I'm still lacking strength and stamina, but the pace was casual and I felt great the entire ride. This was the first longer ride I've done in a while where I wasn't glad to be finished.

My best.

Ten Weeks

2009-08-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

Pitstop on the Sunday ride

Ten weeks post surgery and this was the first weekend I've really started to feel like myself. It's kind of hard to explain what this means and there isn't one telling sign. I think it's all the little things that are starting to come back. On Saturday, I was able to open my water bottle with my mouth. I'm using my Sonicare again. I'm riding more and Kelly said my legs are starting to get some definition. These things don't sound like much, but they are all taking me closer to a full recovery. That being said, I don't know that I will ever be 100%. Maybe, maybe not.

I was getting my hair cut the other day. Layne, who has been cutting my hair for the past couple years, and I were talking about the surgery. As you can guess, this is the topic of many conversations. Anyway, she told me something that surprised me. She said she was proud of me. I asked her why and she said she was proud because I continued to go out and about with my grizzly beard and swollen jaw. She said many people wouldn't have done that and they would have stayed hidden away at home. I don't consider going out in public looking like a mountain man who was on the loosing end of a UFC bout anything to be proud of, but she brought up a great point. I got some crazy looks when I was out in public. It honestly didn't bother me, I tried to have fun with it. I knew it was temporary, just like the beard. I know almost all of this is temporary and that makes it a little easier. The pain, the swelling, the wired jaw. All temporary.

The last couple of weeks have been good. Actually, they have been great. It's the little things. It's the big things. It's all the things we normally don't think about. Now they have me thinking.

My best.

One Dr. Isn't Enough

2009-08-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

Friday was another visit to the doctor and more good news. Dr. Schow was excited to see things recovering so well since the removal of my arch bars. My gums were healthy and the ridge that has formed where my teeth were removed is strong. This is all very nice to hear. I have another checkup in two weeks. Assuming all goes well and my bone continues to rejuvenate, the next big thing will be teeth implants in four months.

Here is the x-ray they took on Friday. Compare that to the x-ray at four weeks.

With all the good news, Kelly and I decided to go see a Dr. Seuss exhibit at one of the local galleries. Very cool stuff and I was surprised to find an obscure reference to six-day racing. For those that don't know, six-day racing was a type of track racing that was very popular around the turn of the twentieth century. Believe it or not, but one of the most popular locations for racing was Madison Square Garden.

Riding is going well and I have really been enjoying my new outlook on training. Instead of following a plan that had me on the bike six days a week, I now ride when I want, for long as I want and as hard as I want. On Sunday, Kelly and I had a great ride with Will and Greg out west. It was nice to get away from our normal routine of White Rock and the south loop.

My best

8 Weeks

2009-08-04T14:45:00.000-07:00

On Friday, the doctors at Baylor removed my arch bars. This doesn't sound like a big deal, and compared to much of what I've been through over the last couple of months, it wasn't, but it's one more wonderful step towards a normal bite. The procedure was pretty simple. I was hooked up to an IV and before I knew it, I felt a cold rush up my arm. I was out. The doctors removed the arch bars by cutting the wires that were individually wrapped around my teeth. Kelly told me it took all of 15 minutes.

Since the removal, eating has become much more enjoyable. Food doesn't get stuck in the bars, I'm not biting my cheeks as much and it's much easier to chew. My bite still lacks power and I can't completely open my mouth but each day brings more improvement.

Other things are returning to normal as well. My standard line is, "I can do most everything as before; just not as intense."

There has been an interesting balance when it comes to riding. Some fitness is retuning and I have the urge to ride harder and join group rides. I'm holding back because my body is still healing and it will do me no good to push myself in this way. It's hot. My season is done. I need to recover. This has been a hard realization and my solace is knowing that I can use this time and come back stronger next year.

I did something rare this morning. I woke up early and rode. Wow, it was really nice. Cool, calm and peaceful. It was 79 degrees and I got goosebumps on the way to the lake. I guess my body isn't used to the frigid temperatures. There is a fast ride on Tuesdays around White Rock. I ran into the group before rollout and stopped to talk with Les and Jordan. I was tempted to sit at the back of the group, but I knew better. There will be time for that.

Assuming all goes well, the next major procedure is to replace my three missing teeth with implants. Dr. Scow said my bone should be strong enough by the end of the year to accept the implats. Four monts ago, the thought of implants would have blown my mind. Today, I look forward to them.

My best.

Arch Bars

2009-07-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

Good news! I had another appointment with the doctor yesterday and he said things are looking good and I won't have to be rewired. I'm scheduled to have my braces removed next Friday. It would be nice to get these things off sooner, but schedules are full and another week with braces isn't all that bad.

I call these things braces but the technical term is arch bars. In order to wire a jaw/mouth, an arch bars is attached to the top and bottom row of teeth. The bars are attached by looping a wire around each tooth and then wrapping it to the bar. Once the bars are connected, the jaw can be wired by looping vertical wires between the two bars.

In order to remove the arch bars, each wire around the tooth must be cut. They say this can be very uncomfortable so the doctors will put me out for the procedure. I'm thankful for this. My mouth has suffered enough and it's time to give it a reprieve.

I can't begin to tell you how great it is to chew again. Soft foods are still on the menu and it will probably be another week or so before I graduate to anything crunchy. I'm finally brushing the backside of my teeth and I can almost slide my entire pinkie finger in my mouth. I tried this the other night at dinner and Kelly was laughing while she told me people might think we were strange. We laugh because we've had plenty of looks and interest through this whole thing. If only a finger in the mouth was the most shocking.

All my best.

Freedom!

2009-07-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

Us at six weeks

Last Friday the doctors removed the wires that prevented my mouth from opening. It's been six weeks. I can't describe how good it felt. The procedure was very simple and took about 30 seconds. Three snips and some pulling did the trick. I could barely open my mouth but it was enough to put some relatively solid food through. My first meal was at Cantina Laredo. Enchiladas and guacamole. I was bit over zealous with my order as my jaw was extremely weak and I couldn't even bite through a corn tortilla. It didn't matter. I mashed the food into very small pieces. It was pretty hard to chew and my teeth hurt but I was eating. It was fantastic!

No wires!

Each day brings new strength to my bite and I'm able to open a little more each morning. I've been amazed at how much better I feel because I'm eating solid food again. I'm not sure if this is due to the caloric count or the sheer joy of it all.

On Friday the doctors removed the wires but left the braces on my teeth just in case they need to rewire me. Oh boy, that would be terrible. I have another appointment tomorrow and they will schedule the removal of the braces or rewire my jaw. Let's hope for more good news.

So Close

2009-07-16T10:15:00.001-07:00

Soup de jour in the office

If all goes according to plan, I will be sitting in the dental chair about this time tomorrow having my wires removed. I say "according to plan" because you never know what might happen and for some reason Dr. Schow might say, "Chris, you are looking good but I think we need to keep you wired shut for another two weeks." There is a small thought way in the back of my brain prepared for something like that. The remaining 99% of cerebral activity is all about food, chewing, sticking my tongue out, licking my teeth, kissing Kelly properly and eating. Yes, consumption has dominated most thoughts but there are other things I didn't realize I would miss: Yawning, sneezing, licking your finger to turn a page, whistling and opening a water bottle with your teeth on the bike.

My favorite smoothie: Soy milk, chocolate protein powder, 1 frozen banana, 1 big scoop of peanut butter. Blend and enjoy.

Least favorite meal: 2 GU packs and orange juice

Favorite treat: Dave's espresso milk shake

Favorite meal: Pesto and tortellini

Meals I crave: Mediterranean, Kelly's cooking, Pizza & Beer

Things I won't eat for a very long time: Soup, smoothies

Biggest takeaway from all this: Cherish what you have today

1 more day...

A Good Weekend

2009-07-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

This past weekend almost felt normal. The word normal here means not having thoughts of my mouth dominate the day. It's obviously still a big deal when I eat, but it was nice to do pretty much whatever I wanted within reason.

To celebrate the cutting of the wires, I decided to renew my beer of the month club.

I was able to ride both Saturday and Sunday for the first time since surgery. Only 54 miles in total, but a huge step in the right direction.

I really miss riding fast.

We went to a movie on Friday night, a party on Saturday and hosted an impromptu tour (Tour de France) watching gathering on Sunday. Dave's espresso milkshakes trumped the racing on the Tourmalet.

I'm still craving a Triscuit even though Lucha won't eat one!

This looks gross, but this pesto & tortellini puree was the best thing I've eaten in 5+ weeks.

4 more days...

Counting Down

2009-07-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

The other day Kelly left me a countdown sheet to help me track the number of days left until my wires are cut. It reminds me of one of those Countdown to Christmas Calendars some of us had as kids. I began counting down the days last Friday when I met with the doctors and was told they would free my jaw in two weeks. 14...13...12...11...10...9...8...I now have 7 days left. It's so close I can almost feel my mouth move again.

I haven't counted down towards anything since I was a kid. I guess I've never felt the need. Things will get here when they get here and everything in between is just as important. This experience has been a bit different and I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the 17th. The end is in sight.

For the past month, I've made a visit to Baylor for a weekly checkup. The doctors gave me a reprieve this week. Not that I want to make another appointment, but I think I might miss seeing the doctors' excitement each time they've checked my progress.

I've been able to ride twice this week. My 22 mile ride on Monday ended with me feeling extremely low on energy. It got me thinking and I started to read my food labels. One jar of soup I had for lunch the other day only had 100 calories. What! I had no idea I was eating so little. I rode again last night and filled my bottles with my favorite sports drink. It has 100 calories per scoop and doubled my calorie intake from lunch.

7 more days and counting...

Time to Go

2009-07-06T12:45:00.000-07:00

This weekend I decided it was time for the beard to go. It was one more pain that I was sick of dealing with . Originally, I never intended to grow a beard, I just stopped shaving because I was sore, I had a big incision on my neck and I was terribly swollen. After a while it became a game and I now had a excuse to have facial hair.

On Sunday, I finally had enough. Kelly and I made a trip to Target and I picked up a $15 hair clipper. I went outside and started to trim away the beard. The first thing I noticed was some beard funk where drool, toothpaste and food collect - it was nasty. I can't imagine what's in Billy Gibbon's beard. I played around a bit before I settled on a new style. It's terrible and Kelly talked me into wearing it to work today. Christi had the best comment, "Oh, that's interesting".

Lunch today post shave

After shaving away all my facial hair, I'm surprised how swollen I am. The beard acted as a kind diversion and shield. It was fun and people would say how much they liked it. All that being said, it's so nice to have smooth skin again.

Kelly pulling in a big one!

Luckily I was able to do a little more than shave this weekend. Kelly and I made a trip out east to visit the family. Juicing, socializing, boating, skiing, fishing, eating and drinking were the major events enjoyed by most. I was able to experiment with my new juicer, hang out in the boat and socialize. I left the hardcore activities to everyone else.

All my best.

Four Weeks

2009-07-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

The pictures are much nicer with Kelly in them

My days of late have been pretty simple. I get up, go into the office, come home and sit on the couch. This doesn't sound like much, but I'm resting up and feeling good. Trips to the grocery store and the occasional Jamba Juice run get me out of the house. I was even able to ride my bike yesterday. Kelly and I rode 18 miles and I felt great.

Today was a big day as I hit the four week mark and had another appointment with the doctor. Kelly had to work so I went stag. I'm pretty self sufficient but it's still nice to have her along. The visit began with my first set of X-rays since surgery. After a quick review of the film and my mouth, Dr. Schow said things are fantastic. The bone is growing well and he has never seen things look so good at this stage. My jaw will be wired for two more week and we set up an appointment for my wires to be cut on July 17. I will be counting down the days.

Compare this with my first X-ray.

As a standard procedure following surgery, the bone that was removed from my jaw was sent to the lab for further testing. One test they perform will determine if they removed the infected bone with enough margin (i.e. they cut enough bone out). The results came back and all the infected bone was removed! If not, the doctors would have to go back in for a second time - I don't even want to think about that.

During my visit, we also discussed the BMP (Bone Morphogenetic Protein). This was the bone growth material they inserted in place of a bone graft. One interesting point during our conversation compared the cost of a traditional bone graft to the use of BMP. BMP is VERY expensive but the cost of a bone graft is about the same as using BMP. The bone is free during a bone graft, but there are additional costs such as anesthesia and operating room time that equal the cost of the BMP. For the patient, using BMP eliminates an additional procedure and the pain associated with cutting into your hip. The BMP sounds pretty good.

I will be taking my first road trip this weekend to spend some time with the family in east Texas. Have a great 4th and enjoy the weekend.

Returning to Normal, Almost

2009-06-29T15:20:00.000-07:00

Things are going really well and each day brings new improvements to my health. My strength is increasing, the swelling is going down and the pain is negligible. Most everything I'm dealing with now is just an inconvenience. Sleep is still disrupted, eating is tough, sneezing and yawning are painful and I get fatigued easily. Okay, it's a pain in the ass, but I can deal with all this knowing that I'm improving and getting closer to the end of this first stage.

Me drinking horchata at Fiesta

Sunday was the first busy day I've had in a while. Kelly and I went for another bike ride. I made it 19 miles and it felt surprisingly good to sweat. We went to lunch and spent the rest of the day out of the house. Jason and Dave came over for dinner and the night ended like most others with me relaxing on the couch.

Sunday was also the first day I didn't take a nap and I paid for it this morning - I was so tired and it was super hard to crawl out of bed. I made it into the office and worked until 3:00. The rest of my night will be spent resting and taking it easy.

My best.

Three Weeks

2009-06-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Compare this to my photo at two weeks

Over the past couple of days I've taken a big step forward and I'm finally at a point where I can enjoy my days. I've moved from just surviving one day to the next, to actually enjoying most parts of the day. The wiring is still a pain and sleeping is kind of hard, but I will gladly handle those things.

Each day now seems better than the next. Friday was the first time I've felt like myself. I'm not near 100% but the fog and haze have lifted from my head. After working yesterday morning, I met Birdwell for lunch at the Premiere Club. He works out there and said they have have a nice smoothie selection. They also have a nice spin room -- 45 bikes! This was only my second time to eat out and it's helping me feel normal again. Thanks Jerry.

After lunch, Kelly and I made it over to Baylor for another appointment. The doctor said things couldn't look any better! He removed my stitches and showed off his work to some of the interested doctors. It was fun to hear the pride in Dr. Schow's voice when he said, "see how good his ridge looks." They put me on the scale and I'm up to 154 lbs. I have X-Rays and another appointment next week.

Celebrating our successful appointment, Kelly and I did something we haven't done in three weeks. We went out to dinner. We had a great time and of course, my menu consisted of a smoothie and soup.

This morning marked another first. Kelly and I went out for a bike ride. It was slow and short, but was simply fantastic. 1 hour, 12 miles.

My best.

How Creative Can We Get?

2009-06-25T16:34:00.001-07:00

Lately, I've been tempted to put several things in the blender, but I usually chicken out. Last night Butler came over and we decided to cook and watch a movie. That's about the norm around here. The ingredients for dinner consisted of salmon, roasted red peppers, sweet potatoes and peaches. For the chewers in the group, the dining options were pretty easy to see. I figured the salmon might be too much for me and I would eat some soup and a smoothie. Kelly and Jason were having none of this. We were all going to dine together. We cooked up the goods and I put the salmon, roasted red peppers and peaches in the blender. I kept the sweet potatoes separate. The potatoes were creamy, sweet and smooth. Perfect. Now it was time for the salmon. I stuck my straw into the bowl. Wow, it wasn't all that bad. The mixture of flavors made for a nice blend and a pretty good dinner.

Today was a good day. I made it into the office at 8:30 and left at 3:00. When I got home, I sat on the couch and slept for almost two hours. I'll spend the rest of the night home hanging out and resting. Tomorrow I go in for another check up.

My best.

Some Bike Stuff

2009-06-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted anything even remotely related to cycling in a long time. Most of you are interested in my recovery but I thought I would put something up that you don't have to be a velophile to appreciate.

This guy is amazing:

For bike nerds only:
I came across this a while back http://pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=6978. I was disappointed that this type of advice is being put out there. Please tell me you wouldn't attempt to build your own jersey like this. The cleat covers might take the prize. Then again, I could have used them the last time I was at the track.

Not Quite Ready

2009-06-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

I wanted one of these.

Tuesday was a good day but one that found me "working from home" instead of in the office. Most of the guys are out of town and I didn't have the energy. I actually got quite a few things done and was able to rest and relax on the couch. I didn't leave the house the entire day. Usually this would drive me bonkers but right now my body is still craving rest. Kelly walked in after bike class and caught me watching The Devil Wears Prada. I was desperate as I've exhausted many of my TV options. I usually don't feel like reading and believe it or not, my interest in watching another bike DVD is waning.

But ended up with this.

Last night I had a craving for beer and poured a glass to split with Kelly. I was all excited but quickly lost my desire after I took two sips and found out I'm not ready for it yet. I guess my taste buds are a little off because it just didn't taste right. I'm not much of a soda drinker but we have some good Root Beer which was a nice substitute. I know, lame. But that's the story of my life as of late.

Today has been the best day so far and it now seems that each day brings improvement. I woke up around 7:00, ate some breakfast, fell asleep on the couch, hit Jamba Juice, then made it into the office. I was pretty productive and happy with my time at work.

The other day Kelly said my beard was smelling kind of funny. I now shampoo it when I do my hair. Is that how you care for serious facial hair?

All in all, things are pretty good right now. Let's hope for more days like this.

My best.

Back in the Saddle

2009-06-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day back at work in over two weeks. I rolled in at 8:45 and got on a 9:30 conference call. I didn't talk much but when I did open my mouth, (ahem, speak) our client on the other line said, "I think there is some static on the line, I'm having trouble hearing you". I didn't say much after that. Everyone in the office was very understanding and careful not to work me too hard. After another meeting, the crew decided to treat me to lunch at one of my favorite restaurants. They have good smoothies and several pureed soup options. I chose the mango lassi and tomato soup. Both were excellent. This was my first time to eat outside of the hospital or house so I decided to try and eat like a civilized adult. The lassi was easy but I had some difficulty with the soup spoon. My mouth and wires didn't cooperate and after several dribbles down my chin, I reached for my trusty Jamba straw. Important note: the Jamba straws are extra large and make quick work of the thicker liquids. Sucking soup through a straw at a restaurant is kind of bizarre but I think it's better than caking my beard in dried soup. Lunch capped off my work day. I headed home and took a nice nap almost immediately after sitting down on the couch. I was out.

In our quest to perfect the espresso milkshake, Dave stopped by tonight with some fresh shots from White Rock Coffee. It was late so we decided on decaf. I would have been up all night otherwise. The shakes were fantastic and a stronger espresso flavor is the consensus.

My diet today:
Puree cereal and banana
Odwalla protein drink
Mango lassi
Tomato soup
2 cups chocolate pudding
Vegetable drink
Chicken soup
Macaroni and cheese smoothie
Espresso shake

I'm feeling much better today. I think we're on a roll here.

Take care.

Wait and See

2009-06-21T17:29:00.001-07:00

This was a good weekend for me and I think I'm back on track. I'm sleeping much better and only wake up a couple times each night. Saturday was by far the most adventurous day of my weekend. Kelly's mom made a surprise visit and was all about being here to take care of us. She cleaned, did laundry, kept me fed and cleaned more. It was not expected but very nice. We decided to get out of the house and set out to Bikemart to pickup my bike after a tuneup. I won't be doing too much riding but it's nice to have some things in order. The shop was slow which gave us time to catch up with the guys. Kelly needed some shoes so I suggested we hit the running store since I wasn't ready to go home. We were in and out in a flash and to complete the pilgrimage, we had to hit Jamba Juice. We're getting to know the crew there pretty well and here's what happens when you spend too much time drinking smoothies.

Even though I'm sleeping well, I still wake up tired and feel fatigued at certain points throughout the day. I woke up Sunday and eased into the morning. I spent most of the day on the couch and watched way too much of the US Open. Kelly was completely bored, but I'm always a fan of the Majors. Butler dropped by in the afternoon and we capped off the day watching some Spring Classics (bike races) on DVD. He ordered some pizza and I ate my lentil soup. Oh man, the pizza looked so good. I thought about asking for a slice to blend up, but decided not to. I went to this Sushi buffet one time and it left this terrible "taste in my mouth". There is a ritual to eating sushi and cramming as many pieces of nigiri into your gullet isn't one of them. Same with pizza, there is a certain way to eat it and I can't do it pureed through a straw. I will just have to wait.

I'm going into the office tomorrow and I hope I'm able to hang in there for a while. Again, we'll have to wait and see.

All my best.

Two Weeks

2009-06-19T12:49:00.001-07:00

This has been a pretty tough week for me. I feel like I've taken a few steps back after the adjustment on Monday. Sleep has been hard to come by and I've been pretty sore just about every day. The pain medicine has been my friend. Last night was the first time this week to get more than two hours of sleep at a time. The quality of sleep has a huge effect on how I will feel the next day. Still tired, but so far, today has been good.

I visited my doctor this morning and he said things look, "fantastic". It's been over two weeks since my surgery and I thought I would have been further along -- Back in the office and maybe even on the bike. Recovery is slow and that's just the way it is. I pushed my doctor on how long my jaw will be wired. Originally it was four weeks. He said it may end up being six. I wasn't surprised. This is a radical treatment with a conservative recovery. In order for the BMP to set right, everything needs to be perfect. If not, the bone won't grow back correctly and I'll have to go back in for a bone graft. Something I don't want to do.

I'm not the only one sleeping around here:

Kelly made a macaroni and cheese smoothie. It was satisfying and kind of nasty all at the same time. OJ, soups, pudding and smoothies are the staples of my diet. I can't wait to chew again.

Spending all day on the couch is tough, but to tell you the truth, that's about all I have the energy to do.

I'm on edge and particular about everything. It's either too cold, too hot, too spicy, too much or not enough. Kelly is tough and hanging in there. I'm surprised I haven't chased her away.

They put me on the scale at the doctor's office. I'm down to 150 lbs. Perfect climbing weight!

All my best.

Not a Good Night

2009-06-16T16:10:00.000-07:00

After being rewired yesterday, the pain in my jaw only got worse. I figured it would subside once my mouth got used to the new position. Wishful thinking. Before hitting the sack, I took some pain medicine. My relative comfort lasted about two hours and then I woke up in agony. My mouth, teeth, jaw and head all hurt. I was miserable. I took some more pain medicine and put an ice pack on my head. It was a fuzzy couple of hours and I wasn't sure if my mouth would adjust or if the wires were too tight. I even contemplated using the wire cutters. We called the resident on call at about 5:30AM. He said my jaw just needed some time to adjust. This was by far the worst pain I've had since surgery. Dr. Schow called later in the morning and told me to man-up and quit whining. He didn't but he probably should have. He actually told me exactly what the resident said. "The wires can't be too tight." I slept until 11:00AM.

Dave came over today with supplies for his famous espresso milk shake. A little this, a little that and we were in business. The shake was awesome and helped alleviate the pain in my jaw. It was nice to have some outside interaction. Thanks Dave.

I spent the rest of the day like many others, here on the couch. Pain has an amazing way of draining your body of energy. I can't imagine suffering though real pain. All of this is temporary and will come to an end. I'm feeling better now and I think I'm acclimating to the new wires.

The swelling is going down and I'm looking better each day. If it wasn't for the rewiring, I think today would have been great.

I'm getting desperate for solid food, but not enough to try this: http://www.digyourowngrave.com/cheeseburger-in-a-can/

Take care and enjoy your day!

Two in a Row

2009-06-15T15:40:00.001-07:00

Today was another good day and I think things are starting to fall into place. I had another follow up appointment this morning and the doctor said everything looked great. I still have some significant swelling, but it's coming down and that's a very good sign. Yesterday, while at the bike store I was laughing and managed to shift my jaw out of place. I brought this up and Dr. Schow said he needed to put my jaw back in place. He called for cutters, new wire and wire twisters. He cut the wires and told me to keep my mouth closed. I wanted to open up so bad. Maybe I could create just enough room for him to slip in a Triscuit. My teeth stayed together and before I knew it, he was winding and twisting the wire. Oh my gosh, it was so damn tight and it still hurts now.

My doctors have been amazing. Dr. Schow, Dr. Draper and Dr. Ding at Baylor have taken extremely good care of me. They are a great group and I would recommend anyone needing major dental work to visit Baylor Dental.

I decided to try something new for dinner yesterday. We hit our local Thai restaurant and I ordered a couple of soups. Bad idea. It's just doesn't work through a straw.

Christi asked me if I have to carry wire cutters around with me wherever I go. Well, yes and no. The hospital gave me surgical wire cutters and told me to take them everywhere. I haven't been out of the house much, but the cutters remain on the counter.

Another good one, let's see what tomorrow brings.

All my best.

A Good Day

2009-06-14T15:42:00.000-07:00

For the past 10 days everything I've eaten has been delivered through a straw. It's been old for a while, but today was really tough for some reason. This morning, Kelly was eating a Triscuit and it looked simply fantastic. I don't even like Triscuits and I think the only time I eat them is when camping or fishing. I asked for a piece and she said no, it might choke me. Just a tiny, tiny piece was my reply. She gave in a picked a crumb from the side. I put it to my lips but nothing. I wanted to savor that cracker so bad! Digging through the fridge, I saw the pudding cups Dawn sent me in a care package (thanks again Dawn!). I decided to see if I could get anything through my clamped jaws. Just the simple act of scooping up the chocolate/vanilla swirl in my spoon was a delight. I pushed the creamy sensation through my lips and to my surprise, I was able to get some past my teeth. It was fantastic. I finished two cups in about a minute.

Food aside, today has been my best day so far. I slept through the night for the first time since my operation. I felt good throughout the day and was even able to get out of the house. Kelly and I made a road trip to the BikeMart to drop my bike off for a tuneup. It was great to be out and even nicer to see Michael and Gary at the shop. It didn't take long for me to peter out so we took off. On our way home, it was time for another treat at Jamba Juice. I was able to cash in a very small percentage to TJ's gift certificate. Thanks!

I was pretty tired after the outing and spent the rest of my time here on the couch. Felling pretty good but tired.

My plan is to stay home from the office this week. I would like to head back in, but I think it's best to let my body heal and rest.

Good day. I'm looking forward to a few more. Take care.

What Would You Have Told Me?

2009-06-13T19:10:00.001-07:00

Dinner

Several people have asked me if I thought this was going to be as intensive, rough or hard as its been so far. My answer, no way. The doctors told me that I would be pretty swollen and probably miss two weeks of work. I really thought I would be back to work after a week and on the bike shortly after. Boy was I wrong. But what are the doctors going to say? "Dude, your head is going to swell to the size of a watermelon, your jaw will be wired shut for four weeks, your are going to feel like total crap most days and it will take at least a week before the swelling begins to go down."

Today was actually a very good day and I think I've made it over the hump. I'm not going to get too confident, but it was nice to feel good. I only took my pain medicine once (normally every four hours) and I had a bad stomach ache. Other than that, a pretty successful day. I thought I was going to make it out of the house tonight, but in the end I was too tired and decided to stay put on the couch.

The immersion blender and I are becoming close friends. Today's menu consisted of puree de cereal with banana for breakfast, split pea soup for lunch and beans & rice smoothie for dinner.

Enjoy your weekend and try to stay cool.

Trying to Keep Things Cool

2009-06-12T22:12:00.000-07:00

So what is worse than staying at home all day long with a big swollen head? Staying at home all day long with a big swollen head and no power. We had some crazy storms here in Dallas on Thursday and our electricity was knocked out around 9:00AM. I was feeling pretty good and spent most of the day reading on the couch or in bed. We lucked out because with the rain came cooler temperatures and the lack of A/C wasn't so bad.

The power was finally restored sometime early Friday morning. The high for the day was 94 and I heard the A/C run most of the day. It would have been tough not having power two days in a row. My brother came in town with my dad who had a lunch at the new Cowboy's Stadium. I had a doctor's appointment at 11:00 and Andy was amazed with the efficiency at the hospital. We were in and out in 20 minutes. Dr. Schow said I looked good but he thought I had some drainage in my mouth. He unwrapped a sterile suction kit and upon further inspection determined the "drainage" was actually some old soup or something. Nice. The outing pooped me out and I immediately crawled into bed when we got home. I felt terrible for the rest of the day. I stayed in bed until finally waking up at 10:45PM. Turns out I didn't even get to see my dad, but it was nice to spend some time with Andy.

I'm still swollen and Kelly said I'm looking better tonight. My days are up and down. I hope tomorrow will be an up one.

As always, Kelly is amazing and is keeping me healthy. I couldn't do this without you!

It's great to hear from everyone and stories of your day or riding always cheer me up.

Have a good weekend everyone and if you are riding, be safe and enjoy. For those racing Nature Valley GP- kick some butt up there.

All my best

Some Days are Better than Others

2009-06-10T16:32:00.002-07:00

Last night was the longest and hardest night I've had so far. I woke up at 1:30 and my face felt so big and swollen that I thought my stitches were going to pop. It was terribly painful and I just sat in bed for a while. I was hesitant, but after about 20 minutes I decided to get a second opinion. I woke Kelly and told her what was going on. She said I looked bigger and felt warm. My suture looked fine but she thought I might have a fever. She brought in a thermometer. My mouth is wired and I didn't like where this was going. Before I knew what was happening, I felt a poke under my arm pit. I was relieved and she read out 98 degrees. I put some ice pack on and eventually fell asleep until waking up every hour or so for the remainder of the night.

Today was better but I still feel bad and the swelling has moved to my bottom lip. I'm hoping this was the worst and tomorrow will bring a smaller head.

My diet is still soup and juice with the occasional mix of puree cereal with bananas.

Ten Years!

2009-06-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

This is the model the doctors used to prepare for surgery. By building this, they were able to pre-fab the jaw plates and have a game plan before they made the first cut. I was surprised how big the hole became.

Then I saw this:
R.T.B., male, 30 years old, came to the Department of Maxillo-Facial Surgery complaining of a bulging in his left-side mandible, which had been enlarging for the past ten years.

"Enlarging for the past ten years!" Oh my. I can't imagine.

Last night was tough and I was really fatigued this morning. I think I have even more swelling than yesterday. I'm ready for this thing to turn the corner. Soon, I hope.

My New Arsenal

2009-06-08T14:51:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day for me. For the second time since my return home on Friday, I was able to leave the house. I had a 10:00 checkup with my doctor. He said I was recovering very well and everything looks great. Walking around the dental school was interesting. Most people had to do a double-take. Even though we were in the hospital, they looked surprised and relieved it wasn't them. No matter, I was just happy to be out and about.

Being a little over ambitious, I asked Kelly to take me by the office which happens to be very close to the hospital. It was good to see everyone even though my visit was short. I was pooped and came straight to bed.

Keeping everything clean has been pretty easy and it's something I look forward to twice a day. My mouth wash, Cookie Monster brush (small and gentle), Blistex and Ortho Wax are all I need. The wax is a gum-saver as it creates a barrier between my lips and wiring apparatus.

Your support has been great and I thank each one of you. Here are some quotes I pulled from your emails:

-You are braver than I am, I never included photos
-AAAAAAAHHHHHHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGH
-Many heart felt thanks to Kelly, don't know what we'd do without her
-You look great!
-Keep fighting thru the challenges
-I am wishing you health and wellness
-We're missing you out there on the road
-The next time you have half your head removed you had better call me
-By the way, beer is liquid
-Once you can get back on the bike, we can do some easy laps
-I know how you feel with your jaw wired shut. Lot's of milk shakes....
-Why is it then when anyone has surgery they look kind of shiny?
-You'll be back up and riding in no time
-Were they able to make you any prettier?
-I went out and did a ride this morning, not sure it fit the fun you described :)
-So happy to hear you can get a pill through the space where the teeth were
-Yeahhhhhhh!
-After 4 weeks of a liquid diet you'll be going uphill really fast :)
-Poor Chris probably looks like a sock monkey about now :((
-He is lucky to have such a wonderful girl by his side taking care of him
-All the best, my friend. Recover quickly
-At least beer doesn't require chewing
-That is insane in the membrane
-I am a pro at making homemade baby food

Holy Smokes

2009-06-07T15:34:00.000-07:00

I know I had a big head, but this is ridiculous. It's Sunday and this picture might not show it, but I'm feeling much better than yesterday. We have a pretty good routine going around here. I stay in bed or sit on the couch and I listen to the blender trying to guess what new treat is coming my way. The garlic, avocado, cucumber drink didn't make the short list. My favorites are the fruit smoothie and cheap chicken noodle soup puree. We started with the more expensive soups but for whatever reason, the Lipton soup in a pouch is doing the trick. Besides guessing the drink, I get up and walk to the bathroom, rinse my mouth and take medicine. That's about as physical as it gets. I though I would be going stir crazy by now, but I just don't have the energy.

I go to the doctor tomorrow for my four day checkup. I'll keep you posted on the results.

Thanks to everyone for their support, calls, thoughts and stories. Take care and I wish you all the best.

Me and My Blastoma

2009-06-07T15:14:00.000-07:00

It all stared innocently with a slight pain in my lower gum behind my left molar. The oral surgeon thought it was a cyst, and after removing the growth he sent it up to the lab for a routine biopsy. The results were surprising and revealed the cyst was actually a benign and rare tumor (ameloblastoma). The Maxillofacial doctors at Baylor informed me that there is no way to “treat” the blastoma. It must be removed. This past Thursday I went into surgery and about three inches of my jaw were removed. In the process, three teeth were lost, three titanium bone plates were installed, bone growth material was inserted (Bone Morphpogenic Protein) and my jaw will be wired shut for the next four weeks. Before and after photos.

The first words I remember following surgery were, “hold on, we will remove the catheter in just a minute”. Yeow! After an overnight stay, and a better than expected recovery, I was released form the hospital on Friday. The doctors told me at 48 hours there will be another mountain to climb. They were accurate in their timing but their metaphor should have been something closer to defending a heavyweight title. I was about 3x as swollen and felt terribly fatigued. I was doing good just to get out of bed.

Kelly is taking great care of me. Her careful hands, attention to detail and creative mix of fluids to send through a straw is amazing. I’m on a total liquid diet and even the smallest pieces of fruit can clog up the whole process. Drinking out of a straw is convenient and the residual burping has kept Kelly entertained. At least that’s what she tells me.

Tulsa Tough

2009-06-03T05:51:00.000-07:00

Todd off the front.

Believe it or not, but Tulsa is the host of one of the best race weekend around. Three days of big time crits with huge payouts. Big fields, nice courses and a separate Pro race. I raced my first Cat 3 race here back in 2006. It was a huge learning experience as I got dropped from both races. I was hoping for some better results this year.

I haven’t been on a road trip in a while and was looking forward to the drive with Kelly. Unfortunately, my trip will be cut a day short because I have an early flight on Sunday to DC. (I’m actually typing this up on that flight) After 4+ hours in the car, we arrive in Tulsa around 4:30 on Friday. My race isn’t until 8:10 so we lay around the hotel until it’s time to get ready. I get in a great warm up and feel pretty good sitting on the start line. We’re off and 100+ of my Cat I/II buddies are off. It’s an eight corner, flat course. The streets have been repaved recently which make for smooth, wide and fast turns. It’s a really fun course but required complete mental concentration. There were tons of wrecks and guys all over the place. I couldn’t believe how poorly some people were riding. I was sitting in the top quarter of the group and saw at least four wrecks and heard many others. The rest of the team was looking good and we seemed to be riding strong. The race remained fast but I felt really good coming into the final laps. On the last lap we are flying. I’m in great position for the final corner and I cut it really hard. I end up taking it too tight and have to brake. It costs me as I finish 15th but I’m in the money. The team had 4 others in the top 20.

Saturday is a different course with a little stair-step hill. After last night’s race, I was feeling great physically. However, my mental state wasn’t quite as solid. After witnessing all the mishaps on Friday, I felt something I’ve never experienced before. I was a little scared. I’ve never been worried about a crash. It’s just part of racing and it happens. Last night seemed different. It was as if people lost some inhibitions. After fighting for a place at the start, I was sitting second row and ready to race. We’re off and I’m near the front. Second lap and someone goes down in front of me. I make my way around unscathed. The entire race is a battle for position and I’m not able to hold my place as well as last night. At the halfway point, I find myself near the back of the group. I slowly move up until I’m at the front again. It’s five to go and the group is strung out. Last lap and everyone is trying to move up. I hold solid near the front. Coming down the hill into the last corner, I take it wide to maintain speed. Once again, I don’t take a clean line and have to brake. I give it my all which is good enough for 17th.

Memorial Day Racing in Dallas

2009-06-03T05:30:00.000-07:00

My nephew, Ryder, on the podium after the kid's race.

Memorial Day weekend is all about crits in DFW. We’re lucky enough to host three races and one of those happens to be our state championship race. Before I go any further with anything even remotely interesting (or not-so-interesting) about my weekend, I want to congratulate Andy on an amazing ride in the Cat III state championship race. Andy initiated a two man break with about 30 minutes to go. The gap started at 10 seconds and began to grow until the field gave in and started to race for second place. On the last lap, the two leaders were still together and Andy was looking strong. Along the back side of the course, Andy attacked and came around the final corner with a big gap. When he came across the line he had plenty of time to raise his arms in a well deserved victory salute. I can’t tell you how happy and proud I was. Fantastic!

My weekend actually began on Sunday after skipping the Saturday race. Sunday’s crit was flat with only two real corners. The race stayed super fast as there was nothing to slow the group down. After the race, someone told me that we were consistently hitting 36 MPH on the finishing straight. Throughout the day I was able to hold a pretty good position and move around as needed. In the final laps the pace began to pick up even more and I worked to maintain some sort of presence at the front of the race. With two to go, Andrew, Todd and Ryan are on the front. I do my best to make it up there, but I can’t crack the top 10. Last lap and it’s really fast. I’m tucked in and think I have a really good position but the final sprint is so fast that no one is able to really move up. I’m spun out and stay seated. I can’t even stand up to sprint. I finish 12th.

Unfortunately, Monday’s race wasn’t as kind. I got a good start and was able to stay near the front for the first couple laps. As the race progressed, I began to slowly slip back. I couldn’t corner, I had trouble accelerating and I did a terrible job of holding my place in line. I lasted about 30 minutes before I was done. I watched the rest of the race from the sideline and was amazed how many people ended up dropping out. It was a day for the truly tough guys and I think about 30 of the 100+ field actually finished.

Riding In Temple

2009-05-14T17:01:00.000-07:00

For Mother’s Day, Kelly and I made the two hour trek down I-35 to spend the weekend with her mom in Temple. Not wanting to miss too much training, I set out to find the best rides in the area. My expectations were pretty low. Temple has a population of about 54,000 and cycling in most small Texas towns ranks right up there in popularity with Tofurkey. I put a post on txbra and was immediately told to contact John B. at Sun Country Bicycles. I gave John a call and he was super friendly. He told me there are group rides on Saturday and Sunday that leave out of Lions Park.

On Saturday, Kelly and I drove to the park to meet up with the group. To my pleasant surprise, about 20 people showed up. One of the regulars said this was a smaller group since several of the riders were doing a rally near Austin. The people were extremely nice and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. We rolled out and found ourselves splitting off with the faster group of six. The route took us south through some of the local farm and back roads. I think I saw maybe three cars.

That ride was a perfect way to kick off the weekend. It wasn’t so much the ride itself, which was great, but the people and the attitude they had towards new riders joining their group. Not all rides are so accommodating. I remember being in California and doing the Swami ride that used to roll out of B&L. Everyone told me this was a super fast ride and to hang on. This visiting Cat 4 with hairy legs and a travel bike rides up to the start. I asked if this was the Swami ride and I hear some guy say, “hmm, you’re going to ride with us?” I stayed with the group and seemed to earn my keep. After the ride, one guy in the group reached out and invited me to hit the local coffee shop with some of the others. I took him up on his offer and all the guys I met turned out to be very friendly. It just took some time to find out.

Back in Temple. Sunday was a little different as John put together a special Mother’s Day ride. The 7:00 start was a bit early for me, but you weren’t going to hear me complain. I was just happy to be out with the group. There were six or seven of us and once again, we hit the back roads just outside of Temple. It was another really nice ride. Thanks for taking care of me and Kelly.

If you are ever in Temple and looking for some nice group rides, give John a call at the shop or show up at Lions Park.

Check Your Cleats

2009-05-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

Last week was my first outing at the Superdrome in almost 9 months. In the off season the track was completely resurfaced and all 700 boards were replaced. Warming up on the new surface was fantastic. It was super smooth and amazingly quiet. After finishing my warm-up and riding into the pits, someone was nice enough to point out a broken piece of something under my bike. What? I looked down and a chunk of my cleat was sitting there. Crap. Luckily, Kelly was there with her shoes and KEO cleats. I swap out cleats and I’m in business. Unfortunately, in the process of changing hardware, I forgot to mark Kelly’s cleat placement on her shoes. I was certain to mark mine, but in my haste I totally missed her shoes. I felt like an ass. Cool as always, Kelly said, “don’t worry, I’ll take care of it later.” She is too good to me.

The evening was a fiesta-de-scratch which consisted of three races of 20, 36 and 60 laps. For some reason the turnout was low so they combined the p/1/2, Cat 3 and Masters 30+ fields. The group was still only 15, but it was better than four of us beating up on one another. I rode pretty aggressively throughout the night, but only a few others wanted to play along. Everyone else seemed content riding defensively and in the end I lost interest. This is a lame excuse, but my mind was not there. For the omnium, I was 3rd in the P/1/2 and 2nd in the Masters 30+. Michael did well with a 2nd and 1st respectively.

Tuesday evening was our local crit. I told Kelly I was tired and the plan was to conserve. When I got home that night she told me, “I bet your plan lasted all of two laps”. She was pretty much dead on as I found it very hard to contain my enthusiasm and sit in. There was just about no wind and I thought things would stay together. To my surprise, the attacks kept coming until we had a break. And then another. We had teammates in all the moves so I was happy to sit near the front and cover. With 20 minutes to go, things got stretched out. I followed some wheels and ended up in a group of four off the front. I was riding okay but knew it wasn’t going to be enough in the end. We started to sprint and my legs were spent. I had little to give and finished 3rd.

Let It Go

2009-04-30T07:57:00.001-07:00

Photo complements of DallasBikr
http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b317/DallasBikr/FDM%20crits/20090405/

This is the second time this weekend I find myself getting dropped less than halfway into a race. I ride over to the sideline where I find Kelly who has been watching and cheering as she mans her volunteer post at corner #7. I plop down and sit there in disgust as I decompress. Kelly calls this pouting; I think we’re just splitting hairs. I hate this feeling, and falling out of a race after doing nothing more than trying to survive is disappointing. I really shouldn’t be whining because that’s just how it goes sometimes. Okay, enough ranting and as Kelly told me, “let it go”. I was finally able to do that and the weekend’s performance at the Matrix Challenge is now behind me.

Unfortunately, my self esteem wasn’t the only casualty this weekend. Tim Burke and Michael Gacki went down at some point. Recover well and I hope to see you both on the bike soon.

Questioning my ability to race a bike, I was looking forward to giving it another try at our local Tuesday nighter. I roll up and was completely caught off guard when I saw Michael kitted-up and ready to race. Wow, he’s riding all banged up after cracking his frame and I was here complaining because I had a “bad” weekend.

The race is on and after about 30 minutes there’s a split in the filed. I find myself in the front group of 18 and after working to keep things moving, I rotate to the back of the pack. This group is too big and there are several attempts to break things up. With 3 to go a rider jumps and has a nice gap. I hesitate until I finally make a move to bridge. I bring a couple guys with me and the group works well together to make it stick. With one to go, we all start to look around to see who will flinch. We are now crawling along the course, but this doesn’t bother me because I still have three teammates in the chase group. We approach the last corner and Crosby jumps. I’m late to react and knew I should have been behind him. The group goes and I give it my all. It’s not enough as I finish 3rd.

A Tale of Two Days

2009-04-24T08:34:00.001-07:00

This past weekend gave me another chance to stay close to home and hit some semi-local races. Saturday was a 90 minute circuit race on a 2.5 mile car and motorcycle track. It was full of turns and elevation gains which on paper sounded like a pretty exciting day on the bike. The lack of wind, small Cat 2 only field and negative racing kept the race tame and uneventful. There were a few of us who tried to split the race up, but there wasn’t enough of an effort to really hurt anyone. The momentum the pack gained from each downhill was enough to carry the group up every incline. I quickly figured this was going to end in a sprint so I decided to take it easy and conserve. With one lap to go a couple guys escape off the front. At the base of a “climb” I attempt to bridge. I’m closing the gap and do my best to control my effort. I approach the group, which is now two, and see the pack approaching. I’m less than a kilometer out and get swallowed by the group. I have nothing left and coast to the line finishing behind the group.

Sunday is a new day and after a pretty easy Saturday, I’m feeling confident and strong. It’s a 16 lap, 5 mile circuit around Texas Motor Speedway. After taking a breather yesterday, the winds are howling and going nuts. This course is flat and completely exposed so I know we are going to battle cross winds all day. From the gun, Michael goes. I hate early moves so it’s nice to have a teammate up the road. His group is reeled in. We’re still on the first lap and for some reason I decide to attack. Before I know it, Stefan and Ryan are behind me and they really start driving the pace. After a few pulls I put myself deep into the red and drop back. The group picks me up and I find a comfortable place near the front. Second lap and I’m following a good move off the front. It’s Scott Veggeberg so I know I’m in good company. Brett, Dan, Tim and a Moritz guy bridge up and we are now six. As the laps tick town, I can tell it’s not going to be a good day for me. Little by little, I begin to fade. The group takes notice and they aren’t sure if I’m BS-ing or really on the edge. Brett puts in some hard moves to test me. I dig deep to hang on. At mile 55, I come off the front and Brett decides to take it up a couple clicks. He makes a super hard move into the headwind as I drift off my rotation. I struggle to stay with the group but I get gapped. I’m done. Half a lap later, the pack picks me up and JL immediately launches a nice move that takes six or seven guys with him. The group is gone. At this point, I’m spent, sore and completely cooked. Michael and James are on the front setting tempo. They greeted me and by the look on their faces, I knew I looked bad. Michael immediately came to my aid with GU and water. I struggled to stay with the group and I think Michael had to ease up so I didn’t get dropped. The last three laps were all about survival for me. In the end, Ryan stayed away and took second, JL 13th and Robert rounded out the money spots after a nice lead-out from Michael. A special thanks to Michael and big congrats to Ryan.

I think, therefore I...

2009-04-06T15:46:00.000-07:00

It’s the first of April and way too soon to reflect back on the season but I’m constantly in analysis mode so I’ll go into it anyway. There has been something bothering me over the last month or so and I think I finally pinpointed the cause. My nonscientific diagnosis of the problem is my inability to race with intuition and over-think everything. I stopped racing with my gut and left the decision making up to my brain. Yes, there are plenty of cerebral moments, but in a race you can’t process most decisions fast enough, you just have to race with feel.

Tuesday night and it’s our weekly criterium. I decided to be more aggressive and stop thinking so much. The race was fast and the lack of wind kept the group intact. The team was riding really well and in the end we had some trouble getting organized for a lead out. I went to the front with less than half a lap to go but I didn’t do a good job of ushering the team up. The wrong guys were on my wheel and I missed a good opportunity. Still thinking too much.

After a less than stellar performance the previous night, I decided to double dip and hit the Ft. Worth Wednesday night race. I will be committed to my new mode of racing without thinking even though I said the same thing Tuesday night. It was windy and I was pretty sure there would be a break. Lap 1 and I find myself bridging up to a hard move off the front. I’m not thinking. We are soon joined by a few others and work hard to establish the break. Still not thinking, just racing. We loose a couple guys just as two more bridge up. We’re five now and working together well. The laps are ticking down and the group is content to just roll. With three to go, I attack but the group brings me back. Things settle down. Now I start thinking. One to go and I put in another move. I have nice gap but the wind is killing me. The group catches and blows by me. I’m spent and finish 5th.

It’s Sunday and another chance to race at the Metro VW criterium. This non-thinking thing worked out well on Wednesday before I started to use my brain in the last laps. Will it be possible for me to stop thinking and just race tonight? From the gun it was on. I’ve never seen it so fast from the line. Luckily I get a good start and follow my teammate JL up to two Metro riders who were killing it. I find myself in a group of three off the front. I hear Michael calling splits -- 20 sec, 34, sec, 41 seconds. The crowd is cheering and I hear Kelly and others pulling for me. It was great, but unfortunately, not enough to keep me in the break. I last about 20 minutes before Peter Carey attacked and dropped me like nothing. I don’t know the guy but he was impressive. I ride tempo until the pack comes through. They pick me up and I recover as much as possible. Another attack goes and without thinking, I jump. I’m in a move of six and we pick up the lead break of two. It’s me, Crosby, Rahsaan Bahati and a bunch of Metro guys. There were a few attacks but in the end Metro was setting up their guy and rode a steady tempo. Last lap and it gets fast. We approach the final corner and Bahati goes. Holy shit, we didn’t even know what hit us. He was gone. I follow the lead out and give it my all. It’s good but not enough. I finish 3rd.

On the way home Kelly told me she hasn’t seen me ride like that in a long time. Come to think of it, she was right.

Fayetteville Stage Race

2009-03-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

This is what our hotel looked like the whole weekend.

Fayetteville is a two day stage race that consists of a 67 mile road race, a 6.6 mile time trial and a 95 mile road race. I have to admit I had some mixed emotions going into the race weekend. I was excited for another weekend of racing but my time trialing abilities suck and I just don’t like doing them. Geez, I can be such a whiner sometimes.

One BIG bonus on the weekend was the addition of our feed zone extraordinaire. Kelly graciously agreed to help the team by providing hand-ups during the road races. This was going to be huge, especially during Sunday’s marathon.

Saturday turned out to be a great day to race. The weather was cool and the winds were calm. Most of my day was pretty uneventful as I did my best to conserve for the next two stages. The pace was quick but wasn’t balls out. In the end a group of four stayed away and gained 40 seconds on the field. I ended up finishing in the middle of the pack in 27th.

After about 4 hours of hanging around, trying to decompress and rest, it was time to gear up and prepare for the time trial. The course is a rolling 6.6 miles and to my surprise the wind was still pretty calm. I spent about 40 minutes warming up on the trainer and then made my way to the line. 5-4-3-2-1-GO. I’m off and do my best to pace myself for the 15 minute effort. I divided the race into thirds. First third is hard, second third is harder, final third is all out. I approach my 30 second man and see the finish. I get out of the saddle and sprint. Oh, shit. That’s not the finish. It’s a group of spectators. I’m about a kilometer out so I keep the tempo as high as possible. I finish with a 15:38. I was pretty happy with my effort, but it did little to compete with the tuff guys as I placed right in the middle at 50th.

The 7:30AM start time on Sunday was there before I knew it. My legs felt pretty good and I was ready for a long day in the saddle. The race turned out to be really fast and after a couple laps, a break of 8 or so escaped off the front. Unfortunately for my team, we didn’t have anyone in the group, so it was time to go to work. After considerable effort, I make my way to the front of the race where I join two teammates who were already working to pull back the break. Some other teams pitched in as we rotated at the front for a couple of laps. With two laps to go the attacks start to fly. I quickly drift to the back and do my best to hang on. We go through the feed zone for the 5th time and I get to see Kelly with drink in hand. I take another water to wash down the Coke from the previous lap. The group flies through the feed zone and I’m still hanging on to the back. I’m completely depleted and my energy is waning. I scarf down a PB&J sandwich Kelly tucked in my jersey pocket. The last lap is a killer and at mile 90 my legs decide my day is done. I get dropped from the group and ride in solo for the last five miles. I end up 54th overall. My results don’t show it but I was pleased with my efforts. This was tough weekend for me and I feel both physically and mentally harder as a result.

Another Weekend of Racing

2009-03-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

Me somewhere in No Man's Land.

We're 10 minutes into the 35 mile crit and I already know I missed the winning move. It's a windy day and I was pretty sure a break was going to go early, so I tried to stay aggressive in the opening laps. Now, I find myself sitting in the group anxious for a move. I take a couple shots at breaking up our pack. Nothing is going and I only have one teammate in the race so I recover, sit in and cover any moves hoping they will result in something. At one point, I find myself in "no man's land" for a couple of laps. The rest of the race is pretty uneventful until I see the break come around the corner to lap the field. The pace picks up, but nothing serious. On the final lap I see my teammate close to the front preparing for the sprint. I move up and jump into the final corner hoping to string things out. It might have helped as he finished 10th which was the first finisher outside of the break -- really lame way to look at it. I ended up 18th.

This was a local race and on my drive home I was still beating myself up for not being patient and waiting for the right move. Just then it dawned on me. Four days before I had oral surgery and earlier in the week I didn't think I was going to be able to ride or race. I was fortunate to be on my bike. Sunday is another day and lucky for me, I get to race.

Sunday was a road race in the small town of Celina which is about an hour north of my house. It's kind of nice when you can wake up in your own bed with your girl and not have to travel every weekend. I feel for the guys who are constantly on the road. Our race consisted of 8 loops of the 9 mile course. There were flat open roads with some small climbs/large rollers sprinkled in for fun. The race started off with a bunch of attacks as everyone was to looking get a break going early. I think it took about 3 laps until the right mix of riders got together off the front. All the big teams were represented and most of the field was content just rolling. The guys that missed the break were desperately trying to bridge or split the field to no avail. They were outnumbered and it's really discouraging to work so hard without allies. The rest of the race was pretty nice as the group moved along at a conversational pace. I've never seen a race take such a lax tone but I was okay with the tempo. With a couple of laps to go I got antsy. With one to go the pace picked up and we rotated a bit at the front. The pace remained high but slowed on a climb. Without thinking, I made a hard move off the front. I sprint up the hill and notice some separation. I'm riding hard and hit the next climb. I'm hurting and wonder if this is such a good idea. Just then Powers and a guy from MSU bridge up. We work together well and have a nice gap. We're about 5 miles from the finish and the pack doesn't seem to be closing. We ride hard and keep working. About a mile+ from the finish, the MSU guy attacks. Powers and I work together and bring him back. We approach the finish which is uphill and into the wind. I'm sitting third wheel and look back, the group is nowhere in sight. We crawl up to the line and then we all start to sprint. I give it everything but finish second in our group, 10th overall.

Most importantly, the team did well as we finished 4th, 10th, 12th and 14th.

Lago Vista Road Race

2009-03-02T09:07:00.000-08:00

Lago Vista is one of my favorite race weekends of the year. The course is fast and tough, the fields are stacked and there's always a good crowd. Saturday's race is a 5 mile circuit that we hit 16 times for a total of 80 miles. The front side of the course is a stair step climb and the back side is crazy fast with some steep 50+ MPH descents. For the most part you are either going up or coming down. The plan for me was to be at the front of the race early. Well, things don't always work out as designed. I get a bad start and continually struggle to make it to the front of the 120 rider field. The race is fast and with 25-35 MPH winds, super hard. All my efforts to move up drain me. We're only 4 laps into the race and battling a nasty crosswind section. Someone opens up a big gap. I jump around to close it, but I don't have enough in the tank to make it back to the group. My day is over.

Sunday was a new day with a fresh start. And fresh I was since my race on Saturday ended after an hour. The wind was down to a nice breeze and the weather was perfect for a long day in the saddle. I got a nice 30 minute warm up on the trainer and felt pretty good about the conservative plan for the race. Just to keep things interesting, I was told our field size would increase today with the addition of the Kelly Benefits squad. We usually have a few pros in the field but it's kind of rare to line up next to a full team. It was cool to see and I know this was only going to make it that much faster. Unlike yesterday, I got off to a good start and was able to stay near the front for the first couple of laps. The pace stayed high and I did my best to spin up the hills. The descents were crazy fast and riding in a pack of 130 can be kind of scary when you are 8 abreast. I'm halfway through the race and feeling good. I do my best to conserve but there are times when I have to close gaps and really focus on staying up in the pack. The focus in a P/1/2 race is so different from any other category. In the past, I could sit in and kind of drift off into thought. If I drift off now, I will likely find myself off the back. As the laps tick down, the field begins to dwindle as tired riders fall from the group. With 3 to go I start to cramp but Gary passes me a Coke and the sugar and caffeine help keep me moving. 2 laps left and it gets fast. People are anxious and aggressively protecting position. Last lap and it's on. We crest the hill and I move up. We are flying down the back side and I don't dare touch my brakes. I keep my eyes focused on the front and tuck in behind a couple teammates. We approach the uphill finish and everyone is sprinting. I give it my all. I'm cramping but it doesn't matter. I finish 22nd which is 2 out of the money. I'm happy with my result and even happier with the team. Four in the top 25. I think Kelly Benefits took 3 of the top 5 spots.

Gary - once again I owe you a great big thanks for the culinary masterpiece Saturday night and all your work in the feed zone keeping us replenished.

Let it begin

2009-02-25T14:49:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was the official start of the Texas road racing season. Well, it's not the "official start" as there were some races earlier in the year. Kind of crazy when there are guys racing in January. As the weekend grew near, I played race scenarios through my head. The vast majority were good and included smart decision making and strong riding. A few not so good visions crept in that challenged my fitness. I was fairly confident I was ready, but you will never know until the gun goes off.

Saturday was a 72 mile Cat 2 only road race and it turned out to be windy, rainy and cold. The pace was quick and I did my best to stay close to the front. Unfortunately, I found myself dropping back. It wasn't a fitness thing, just getting comfortable with racing again. Eventually, I was able to move to the front, cover some moves and escape the pack in an attempt to bridge a break. My move was weak and the group quickly reeled me in. The break soon came back and we were one. I slipped back into the pack and before I knew it, I was jamming on my breaks to avoid a wreck. Colin, my teammate, was on the ground but he said he was okay. The group is now splintered and I bridge up to a pack of 15 or so. As I try to settle in, I notice my front wheel is flat. Damn! I pull over in the feed zone and wait for the wheel truck. I wait for 4 minutes and nothing. I guess the wheel truck got stuck behind the wreck. It's cold, windy and I'm wet from the rain. There is no chance I'm getting back into this race so I call it a day.

Sunday is Pace Bend and it's a fast, rolling enclosure. The P/1/2 race is 13 loops for a total of 80 miles. It turns out to be a super fast race and I have a hard time finding my rhythm. It takes me about 1/2 the race to get somewhat comfortable with the speed and movement of the group. I spend most of the race in the middle somewhere and with 3 laps to go I move to the front to help pull in a break. Things get interesting as I see one of my teammates make a strong move off the front. I jump on a wheel and sit on for a free ride. It all comes back together with 1 to go. It's fast and I make a big move about 3 miles from the finish. It cost me a lot of energy and I finish behind the group.

It was a tough weekend and I wasn't there for the team when needed. Bad decision making one day and a mechanical the other will do that for you. Next weekend is one of the best races of the year and I get another crack at this thing. I'm already looking forward to it.

Big thanks to Max and Jim for managing and sponsoring the team. Thanks to the guys at Bikemart www.bikemart.com for all the wrenching on my bike. Gary - kick ass meal Saturday night. Gary and girls in the feed zone - thanks for the hand ups.

Randomness

2009-02-06T08:22:00.000-08:00

For breakfast I usually have 2 choices:

A) Egg whites and vegetables
B) Steel cut oatmeal

Kelly likes different options.

It takes 13 1/2 minutes for a Cliff Shot Blok to dissolve in your mouth. I found this out on a ride the other day.

Training camp on some farm road in south Texas.

I love to see people do new things. This is Kelly's third time on the rollers.

Goals

2009-02-04T09:23:00.000-08:00

We are already a month into the new year and I still don't have any goals for 2009 in print. That doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about them, they've just taken a back seat to chamois butter reviews and indoor training woes.

What makes a good goal? It should be simple. It should be measurable. It should be a stretch, however realistic. And most importantly, a goal should always put you in a better place.

2009 Goals
1) Success for the team - this is my primary goal; if all else fails, see #1.
2) Have fun – strange some of the things cyclists enjoy
3) Train more - more intensity, more miles, more consistency
4) Big race - hit at least one pro field or multi-day race
5) See a new track - every year I like to travel to a new track

That does it, now let's see how this year turns out.

Creme de la Creme

2009-01-18T14:19:00.000-08:00

While getting ready for the Sunday 9:00 group ride, I thought this would be the perfect time to compare a couple brands of chamois butter. This wasn't a scientific experiment nor was it an attempt to choose the best product available on the market. In the past, I've used Chamois Butt'r, Udderly Smooth Udder Cream, Bagbalm, Assos and Cocoa Butter. I don't like Udderly Smooth or Bagbalm. Assos is nice but a bit pricey. So, that leaves me with Queen Helene Cocoa Butter and Chamois Butt'r in my cabinet. On most rides I use Queen Helene and have always been happy with the results. It's cheap and gets the job done. I've never had a problem with the Chamois Butt'r but it cost more and seems work about as well as the cheaper QH. Or does it? Today, I decided to find out if my cheap-ass-skewed decision making process was doing me justice. As I get dressed and go through my normal pre-ride routine, it's time for the application. I think about the best way to measure results and decide on the half cheek method. QH on the left and the CB on the right. I carefully apply equal amounts so not to create an advantage for either. I finish up and head out the door.

It turned out to be a great day and the ride was perfect. 76 miles of hard tempo with some attacks here and there. Without the benefit of a race, a hard training ride is the best test lab I can secure this early in the season. During the ride all was well as I completely forgot about the test. Unwanted friction is one of the last things you want to think about. After the ride, I roll up to the house and notice that I really can't tell a difference between sides. All is good. Now for the real test. I jump in the shower and while cleaning, I notice that my right side was slightly irritated. No saddle sores or anything major, just a slight hint of rub. My left side was perfect and was friction free. So there you have it. Both products work well but I will continue to use the old faithful QH at a discount price.

Option #3

2009-01-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

With most of the country stuck in a winter freeze, Dallas has been fairly isolated from the Arctic blast that is moving through much of the US. Even with the sprinkling of warm days where I can get away wearing a kit and arm warmers, we still have our share of cold. Cold by our standards anyway. When the temperatures drop below the line of TFC, I have a couple of options: 1) Stay in bed and enjoy coffee and a late breakfast with Kelly (always a nice choice) 2)Man-up and get my butt on the bike wearing a ton of gear or 3) Ride indoors while still maintaining some sense of sanity.

Note: Camera flash may cause blinding effect when reflecting pale objects.

Most of the time I will choose option 1 or 2, but on the rare occasion I will pick 3. The other day I was forced inside and my only salvation is the fact that I don't have to jump on a trainer but can ride the rollers. I have to admit, they are actually kind of fun and keep you somewhat entertained. Most of the time I will spin and watch TV. Riding with one leg, no-handed or even trying both simultaneously is also a good way to pass the time. Even with these diversions, I'm usually only able to manage 40 minutes before I give in. Yes, I'm weak. Today the weather was great and this made my choice easy as I escaped another day of riding indoors.

New for 2009

2009-01-15T15:11:00.001-08:00

I’m back on the bike and finally updating the blog. I’m sure I could have come up with something to write about over the last couple of months, but the desire to sit down and put it to paper hasn’t been there. Winter training is cold. Base miles are uneventful. Not all that interesting. Then again, how interesting would most people find this stuff anyway?

2009 is here and for me there are some big changes. New team, new bike, new squad. This year I will be racing for the Matrix Richardson Bikemart P/1/2 team. For the past four years I have been racing against Michael, Andrew, Max, James, Robert and Jonathan. We will have a squad of 12 which includes 5 other newbies that were also added this year. The team looks good and we’ll see what kind of form we have at our training camp in Fredericksburg in two weeks. Actually, we won’t really be tested until the first big race weekend of the year at Walburg/Pace Bend.

Okay, so it's on to 2009 and time to put down some goals for the upcoming season. But before I do that let’s take a look back at 2008. I had some specific and not so specific goals. http://inthesaddlewithku.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html For the most part 2008 was a successful year. I found myself on the podium in some road races; received my upgrade to a 2 on the road; won some track races; and got a chance to race in Seattle at one of the bigger track races of the year. No nationals, no major stage races. My training goals were pretty much in line as I logged 8350 miles vs. 7603 in 2007. I know it’s not all about the miles but along with race results, it’s another indicator of progress. All in all 2008 was a very good year and I think 2009 will be even better.

Hiatus

2008-10-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

A fine example of off-season training

The season is long,
it grinds away,
our desire wanes,
it will return someday.

I crossed the line at my final race of the year, the Texas Tough Grand Prix in Dallas, and I was done. Done racing, done training, done suffering. At least for a while. The end of the year is here and that always means good things for me. It’s time to relax and enjoy some time off the bike. GinerMan, late mornings and some extra weight around the waist all make for a great winter plan.

Off-season training this year began with a 3 week bike hiatus. That was a little longer than I planned, but a foot issue pushed this out an extra week. I felt myself get a little antsy at the end of week two, but was able to keep it together for another lazy seven days. I’m now able to ride, but my foot problem isn’t complete solved, so I’m going to make a visit to my friends at D2 in Eagle, CO and let them work their magic.

My hiatus wasn’t completely sans bike as I found myself in Las Vegas for Interbike. For those of you that don’t know, Interbike is the granddaddy of all bike shows. It was three days of nonstop bikes. Walking into the convention center for the first time was quite overwhelming. If it was the latest and greatest, it was there. Some of the new TT bikes were amazing. I got a chance to try out the new Dura Ace electronic shifting and I was surprised how much I liked it. The pro criterium on Thursday night was fun to watch and it was nice not to be racing. Come Friday, I was ready to head home. Enough Vegas and ogling.

Now is the time to get in some nice easy base miles. My off-season riding will begin slow and will gradually buildup in duration and intensity. The start of the 2009 season is only four months away. Next up will be a review of 2008.

Surprise Ending

2008-08-14T08:52:00.001-07:00

It's always good to see friends do well, and even better to see them surprise the guys at Cyclingnews.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/track.php?id=track/2008/aug08/goldenwheelrace08

Nicely done Andrew!

A Happy Bike

2008-08-13T07:53:00.000-07:00

Bikes like to be ridden, they like to go fast and they are really happy when they win. Here is an update from my Finnish friend and his Cervelo at Track Nationals. Congrats Jouni!

Hi Chris,

News from Finland, and mostly good news! Good news are that last weekend I have won two medals in Finland Track Nationals at M40 class with your old Cervelo P2T. Less good news are that I still feel sick and I am pretty tired because of a crash, but that is just a little harm since I have reached almost all my goals.

Finland Track Nationals begun on Friday 25th at Helsinki Olympic Velodrome. At first day I participated on M40 class 1 km TT. The start was really difficult even though my side was strongly covered by tape. I was really slow at first 200 metres. Then I got up my speed and finally I got third place at the race. It was much more than I dreamed on!

Pursuits were held on Saturday. Since I got P2T last spring, my goal has been to win Nationals M40 class pursuit competition. Last Saturday I was injured and I know that I had hard job in my hands. I still decided to fight and do my best, because I knew that I had good aerobic shape and good legs. I knew exactly what I have to do at qualification. I rode at last start due to my silver medal from previous year and I went to Finals with the fastest time, by 1,60 second faster than the third competitor. Then I knew that I was very close to my goal. Finals was as exciting as they use to be, I'm sure you know that. I succeed well enough and won Finals, even though I rode first three laps too fast. It was great moment for me when I passed Finish line, passed seats and waved my hand! I had met my target.

Now I can rest and nurse my injuries. And make new plans. Probaly I still participate some races at this season, but I have no need to take them seriously. I can just have fun and practise competing. And maybe next year I am little bit faster than this year.

Regards,

Jouni

Dude, update your blog

2008-08-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

The hiatus came, the hiatus went. I rested. One more big race on the calendar, time to train.

I’ve made it a point to travel to a different track since I began racing on a velodrome three years ago. 7-11 in Colorado Springs, ADT in Los Angeles and this year it was Marymoor in Seattle for the FSA Grand Prix www.fsagrandprix.com. Kelly and I arrived a couple days early in order to acclimate to the 70 degree weather and get our fill of Zoka, Hales and the Fremont Troll.

It’s race day and I was excited to get in some track time on the 400 meter, flat, concrete circle @ Marymoor. The weather was perfect and the crowd was amazing – packed bleachers and people all around the track. I registered for both the pro/1/2 and master races. The elite races were fast, hard and difficult to read. I had trouble determining what moves to follow, what to let go and who to mark. As I was told, the strategy on a 400 meter track is quite different from that of a 250. When the race got hard and instincts took over, my brain defaulted to what it knew instead of factoring in the size of the tack and the quality of the field. The fields were big (between 30 and 40 riders) and it was easy for the group to pull back most moves. Field sprints ruled and I raced too aggressively thinking more things would stick. In the masters I finished 5th, 5th and 6th and in the P/1/2 I was 5th, 12th and DNF. $100 prize.

Special thanks goes out to Kelly and my pit crew. I can’t tell you how nice it was to have you guys cheering me on and taking care of me. Many thanks. Gary, thanks for letting me use your bike case, it worked great.

What is it saying?

2008-06-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

Listen to your body. It’s a phrase we all know and most of the time, it’s one we don’t like to hear. We equate it with, “slow down” or “take it easy”. We want faster, further, harder and more. Hold on, just one more race, one more ride, one more mile. We fight and struggle, but there is nothing left. More often than not, we were warned, but like always, we don’t listen.

This past week I got dropped from both races I entered. My legs were flat and I had nothing left. I had no fight and my true desire to race hard just wasn’t there. You can’t race at 80%. It just doesn’t work like that.

The tipping point was two weeks ago in Copperas Cove. Saturday was the 85 mile masters state championship. It was windy, hilly and for me, very hard. After missing the break, I did a lot of work in my unsuccessful bids to bridge up to the lead group. In the end, I was able to make the chase group selection for a 6th place finish. I was drained and knew Sunday’s P/1/2 race was going to be even harder.

As expected, Sunday was ON from the gun and the break was established after only a few miles. To my surprise and better judgment, I made the break of 10. As I learned, making the break is the easy part, staying in is what counts. It was crazy hard and the wind and hills only made me suffer more. I did what work I could, but after 45 miles my neophyte Cat 2 legs were at their limit. After a not-so-hard acceleration up a hill, I was off the back. The chase group wasn’t too far behind and I was looking forward to the comfort of just sitting in. Surprise #2, the group was only 7. The field was shattered and this was all that was left. As the miles ticked down, I felt myself weaken and got popped with 15 miles to go. I ended up 15th.

I left it all out there on the roads of Copperas Cove. It’s time to rest and I will take a week completely off the bike. I did the same thing last year and came back rested and recovered. Funny thing, I just checked my training log and my week long hiatus began on June 11, 2007.

Collecting Dust

2008-06-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

I have this rule when it comes to keeping things. If it's not being used, it goes. I may throw it out, donate to Goodwill or sell it, but I can't keep it. I'm not a collector and I don't really understand why you would want to collect all these things that just sit on a shelf, hide in a drawer or get locked away in the garage. Whenever someone says, "my, you have quite a bike collection", I quickly remind them each bike has a specific purpose and they are all governed by the rule, "it gets used or it goes". For the non-cyclist, it's hard to understand why I have so many bikes. I explain there is a different bike for the rain, race, time trial and track. Once they get over the fact that I have all these bikes IN the house, I usually get a response like, "oh, how nice".

It was over a year since I rode my spare track bike and the time had come. I hate to see bikes that aren't being used. It's not their nature, nor purpose. With the hope that someone else would get some use of it, I put the frame up for sale on fixedgearfever. The bike sold to a guy in Finland and $850 dollars was deposited into my paypal account. I was happy and I hoped the bike would be in good hands. Turns out it was. Here is the reply I received after the bike arrived.

Hi Chris,

Here is a picture where you can see a fresh P2T owner. Now I have all gear which I need at track national champs on July. I have planned to participate at least at elite class 4 km pursuit and then at M-40 class 3 km pursuit and 1 km TT.

P2T is right now at local bike shop, where it will have Dura Ace track bottom bracket and cranks (Mike Tillman's old ones). Bars will be at first phase ITM aluminum TT bars. Wheelset will be the same which I use at time trialling, Zipp 808 front wheel and Zipp 900 rear disc. I believe that this is good enough equipment at this season.

Regards

Joni

4 Days, 3 Crits

2008-05-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday
Memorial Day weekend means criterium racing in Dallas. It was hot, windy and for me, very hard. Our club hosted the Gary Glickman Criterium which features a fast descent into a 180 degree turn that whips you back up a nice steady climb past the
start finish. I'm doing this P/1/2 thing and goal number one for me is to finish the race. 67 guys lined up and it was fast from the gun. I did a nice job of maintaining a pretty good position until about halfway through the race when I got caught behind one of several wrecks in the infamous 180. I was cutoff and had to put in a really hard effort to bridge back to the group. This move put me right on the edge of my threshold for the remainder of the race and I really suffered just to stay in contact. With 2 laps to go I was actually able to move up and even went with a small move off the front. This was followed by a flurry of attacks as I did my best to hang with the group. It was an uphill sprint for the remainder of the pack and I ended up 18th. I was spent but was very happy with my performance.

Monday
It was the state championship crit and I'm a big fan of this course. It's technical, hard, fast and tight. I did a good job of positioning myself on the first row which is a race in itself. I think this good starting position created a false sense of security and I might have been too relaxed and comfortable. We're off and 104 guys race into the first corner. There is just one problem. I can't get my shoe clipped in and a ton of riders blow by. No worries, just get clipped in and go. I'm mid pack now and I can't find a rhythm. I make my way around the course and as I hit the most difficult turn, I almost loose it into the hay bales. Jeez, what the hell am I doing? I loose more positions and I'm floundering. The back of the pack and I are one. This is not good. I move up but it costs me. It's a constant struggle to stay with the group and every corner is a battle for position. I keep trying to move up but I'm only wasting energy necessary to stay in the race. After 30 minutes I'm completely defeated, both mentally and physically. It's over. I drop out and watch the rest of the race from the sideline.

My time pouting came to an abrupt halt as it was time to stop feeling sorry for myself and help Kelly get ready for her race. This was her first time on this course and only her second criterium ever. The course is tough, intimidating and the ambulance sitting in the off-camber corner doesn't help the nerves. No matter, Kelly lined up with the group and was off. In the end, she was disappointed with her effort, but I was so proud of her for stepping up and racing.

Tuesday
I waffled on the decision to race our weekly criterium, but after a miserable result on Monday, the need for redemption won out. It was a cool, beautiful night with hardly any wind. I line up for the A race and look around at the small field. I guess the weekend of racing and threat of rain kept some of the guys on the couch. The race was on and started out fast with lots of attacks. Many of these were solo efforts which ended in the same result, being reeled in by the group. I go with a couple moves, but after a while I just sit in because noting is going to stay away tonight. After a while, I find myself sitting at the back of the group. I wasn't forced there, but slowly drifted back and just watch the race unfold. It was my first time in a while not to suffer. With 3 to go I move into the top 5. With 2 to go Andrew Armstrong launches a move with another rider. I have to respond so I go and bridge up. We are three and we have a nice gap. With 1 to go we are working together nicely. I really want us to stay away and keep the pace high. The pack is charging and they are really close. Andrew comes around me in the final turn and sprints, I can't match his move and the pack is closing. I can hear the group right behind me. I give it my all and hold on for 2nd. $15 prize

Friday Night Track

2008-05-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

Friday was family night at the track. Well, not officially, but it was for me. I was fortunate enough to have my mom, Kelly, and Kelly’s mom and brother all cheering for me in the stands. As always, it’s great to have fans and I was hoping I could put on a good show. I never feel pressure from others in the sense they have some grand expectations for me to do well. However, I do feel a responsibility to them and will race with everything I have. Not to say I don’t race like that anyway, but having the support and people cheering you on can motivate like nothing else.

Three races were on the docket and there was something for everyone – 8 lap scratch, miss-in-out and a 50 lap scratch. As many of you know, I hate the short races and 8 laps is exactly that. My plan for the night was simple. Be aggressive. This is about the only way I can win an 8 lapper and if I have the legs, it’s my favorite way to race anyway. With 3 laps to go in the first race, I make a really hard move off the front. I’m alone with a nice gap and I'm able to hold off the field. The miss-in-out is all about positioning and I was fortunate enough to defend a good spot and I finished second. The final race of the night is always the longest and my favorite. I attacked somewhere during the fist 5 laps and tried to stick to my strategy - be aggressive. In the end, it came down to me and Edgar in a break of two. I knew that as long as this break stuck, I would win the omnium for the evening. In the end, I was happy to sit on the front for the last lap+ just to make sure the charging pack didn’t catch us. There were a couple of favorites missing from the 1/2 field, but I still had a very good night on the track. Thank you to my personal cheering squad. $60 prize.

During the open warm-up Andrew Armstrong http://www.armstrongcycling.com/?page_id=27 went down in a nasty crash. He destroyed his helmet and cracked his frame. He was unable to race Friday night but seems to be recovering well. Andrew – I hope to see you riding strong at the state championship race this weekend.

I was told Joe LaCour took a terrible fall in the Saturday sprints. Joe – speedy recovery, we are thinking about you.

Numbers

2008-05-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

I rode more miles last week than ever before. 300 to be exact. Just like most of my training, there was no real reason for the big week, it just kind of happened. With my recent upgrade, increasing my training has been on my mind and I'm sure that had something to do with it. I record all of my rides and I averaged my weekly totals for the year to see how this week stacked up. My average came out to 194 miles per week.

After doing 115 miles on Saturday, I noticed I was pretty close to 300 and a nice ride of 67 miles on Sunday would allow me to hit the mark. As I finished my ride on Sunday, I looked at my computer and I was at 58. Okay, just a few more miles and I'm there. Wait, how many miles did I need for 300? For some reason, I couldn't remember if it was 63 or 67 or 73. Damn. That got me thinking, what is it with our obsession of round numbers? Wouldn't 298 be just fine? No, absolutely not. I finished up the ride and my computer registerd 66.5 miles. But was that enough? The first thing I did when I walked in the door was to get on the computer and check my training log. Oh yeah, I needed 67 miles. I was at 66.5 and that didn't make 300. So I got back on my bike and rode another half mile.

WTF

2008-05-07T08:16:00.003-07:00

I actually saw one of these while riding around the lake the other day on a training ride.

http://www.hunterk9.com/site/870877/product/588

Perspective

2008-05-05T12:42:00.001-07:00

We all have one and each of us is entitled to our own. The perspective of one is never exactly the same as another. What's hard for me may be easy for you; what I notice may be something you take for granted; and when I say digging deep, you say it got a bit faster. On Saturday, my perspective felt as if I was looking from the outside in.

Coldspring, TX, population 692 was the site of my first P/1/2 road race. I often get a kick out out of the "P" in a P/1/2 race. P is for Pro and for the most part, our local races are sans P and would be better described as 1/2, but it does sound cooler when you can throw the Pro in there. Some of the chatter this week focused around the Mexican P team Orven who was sending some of their riders to beat up on the Texas boys. Hmm. First Pro/1/2 race + pro team, oh brother.

My goal for the day was simple - finish with the pack. In order to do that, I knew I needed to just sit in and hang on. Turns out, that's about all I could do. The race was 82 miles with some nice climbs sprinkled along the front side of the course. It was crazy fast and I did my best to stay out of the wind. Most of my day was spent either sitting at the back or trying to keep a position somewhere in the middle of the group. From my ass-of-the-pack vantage, it was quite enlightening. There seemed to be two races within the race. One at the front where the top guys were duking it out trying to break each other, and the second where everyone else was hanging on.

Positioning was key. After finding myself off the back for the second time, I knew I had to avoid the guys getting gaped off and needed to fight for a spot in the middle of the group. The last lap was really fast and I knew I needed to move up. With 4 miles left and the group still together, my first thought was, "damn, I'm going to finish with the group!" My second thought was, "you better get your butt up to the front." I do my best to move up and I'm sitting behind the lead out. It's an uphill finish and the sprint is on. I ride hard and finish 13th. No prize this week as the money went to the top 12.

Congrats to Thacker Reeves of Matrix for the win. It was great to see Thacker do so well.

Upgrade

2008-04-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

The word upgrade means bigger, better and more. For most people this is something that can be bought in order to make life a bit nicer. Upgrade your car, TV, house, wardrobe or for some, your wife. In the world of cycling this can mean pretty much the same thing. It’s easy to upgrade your bike, wheels, components or shoes. There is always something newer, lighter and more expensive. Open your wallet and shell out the cash. Instant upgrade.

The other day I received an envelop from USA Cycling. It contained a very small, yet significant item. This was an upgrade that cannot be purchased -- my Category 2 upgrade on the road. I'm a 2 on the track as well but for me the road upgrade is different. This is something I never considered or even thought possible even a year ago. I remember an email exchange with a friend after my upgrade to a 3. He asked me if one of my goals is to become a 2. My response was something like, "No, I have absolutely no desire to become a 2." I really didn't think I had a shot at it, nor did I care to upgrade. In my mind, end of story.

When I first started racing bikes, I had one goal and it was simple. Improve leg number 2 of a triathlon so I would be a stronger triathlete. I don’t really consider myself a former triathlete, just someone who did triathlons. Anyway, after my first bike race, I was hooked. I haven’t competed in a triathlon since, and I have absolutely no desire to race triathlons again. Then again, I had absolutely no desire to become a 2.

Rhythm

2008-04-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday and Sunday marked a big weekend of track racing here in Texas. Bikemart and Matrix really stepped up by putting 10K on the line. It was great to see and I hope it's something that becomes the norm around here. The schedule was packed with races and categories which gave you the opportunity to race as much as you could handle. I made the wise decision to race two categories which had me competing in 9 races and riding 254 laps in 24 hours. In short, it kicked my ass and I was worn out come Sunday afternoon.

Andy was in town and this marked his first time to race track. He did really well and finished up 3rd in the Cat 4 race. By the second race he looked extremely comfortable and was riding very strong.

Kelly was at the track the entire weekend and I can't tell you how nice it was to pull into the pits and see her sitting there. I hope there will be more of us at the track in the near future.

The team pursuit started off my weekend and was a blast. It's an amazing event and yes, it is a time trial. As you've heard before, I HATE time trials, but the team pursuit is a whole different game. It's four riders doing their best for the collective good of the team. Nothing selfish here. We ended up second and I was a bit disappointed as we missed the win by 2 seconds. Good job to the guys at Mercy for taking it.

The 30+ races were kind of uneventful and I wasn't as aggressive as I should have been. As much as I tried to block it out, in the back of my mind I knew I had some tough Elite races coming up. I took second in the omnium with a 1st, 2nd and 2nd. 4 races down, 5 elite to go.

All the Elite races were hard and fast and are pretty much a blur. Unfortunately, my racing went something like this: 1) me making bad decisions and working too much at the wrong times 2)someone else making good moves and putting me on the defensive 3)me countering and riding hard 4) just riding hard makes you tired and takes you out of the race. I love hard racing and pushing yourself to a place you didn't think possible. This weekend was a bit different, I just never found my rhythm.

All in all it was a great weekend of racing and I had a blast watching others do what I didn't. Andrew and Stefan rode extremely strong. Gacki had the move of the weekend. He made an early break in the 8 lap scratch and was able to hold off the elite field. Good stuff and it's always good to see ballsy strategy stick. Oh, keep him on the mic, he was damn good Saturday night.

Special thanks to Gary Woolfolk at Richardson Bikemart for putting together my sweet pursuit setup!

Time to rest a bit.

Rocky Mount Stage Race

2008-04-14T11:36:00.001-07:00

This will be my third year to return to the beautiful city of Shreveport for their annual stage race. The 1/2/3 race begins with a 67 mile road race, followed by a 4 mile time trial, and ends with a 60 minute crit. Stage races are fun, but I hate time trials and this year I'm better prepared becuase I now have a TT bike. I'm still a terrible time trialist, but I hope this won't have me sucking quite so bad.

Saturday's road race was a 5 loop circut with some rollers and one little climb. The race started off fast with several attacks and two riders finaly excaped the grasp of the pack. I tried to get clear of the group a couple times, with my most successful move occuring when I teamed up with Andrew Armstrong. We were uneventfully pulled back into the group. The remainder of the race was pretty tame with an attack here and there but the pack seemed happy to stay together and successfully chased down the break. With one lap to go, it got fast as we headed for home. The finish is at the top of a long rise and looks easy but will bite you after a long road race. I move to the front and follow the accelerations. The group is splintering but I do a good job and stay with the lead group. I go hard at 200M and end up 4th.

After a good lunch, shower and some rest, our time trial was set for 6:00PM. I have a nice warmup on the trainier and think fast thoughts. 4 miles is not very far but with a 15-20 MPH head wind and my poor TT skills, it's pure misery. It's an out-and-back course so I have the benefit of a nice tailwind on the way home. I'm off and I'm really pushing it. Surprisingly, the turnaround come sooner than expected. I take the 180 and give it everything I saved (which wasn't much). The retrun trip actually felt very hard even with the tail wind. I ended up 9th with a time of 8:49 at 27.2 MPH. Andrew Armstrong kicked my butt and won the TT with an 8:21.

Going into Sunday's crit I was sitting 5th GC - trailing 4th by 18 seconds and ahead of 6th by 2. The plan was to stay active and hopefully get in a break that might bring me closer to 4th. The race was fast and before I know it, there is a group of 5 off the front. Top 4 guys are up the road and I got stuck behind a gap. I make a hard move in a solo attempt to bridge. The wind was up from yesterday which made my day even more difficult. I make the connection and sit at the back for a quick rest. The break was full of attacks as everyone was trying to break the other riders to gain a few precious seconds. The cat and mouse game going on at the front of the race allowed the chasing pack to catch the break. No matter, the goal of the GC contenders isn't to win today (which would be nice) but to make up time on eveyone else. Back in the group I found myself marking the rider sitting 6th overall (bib #3). The finish was fast and I didn't even attempt to position myself for a good sprint as I continued to mark #3 just in case he got an idea about jumping early to surprise the group. Sure enough, he moves to the front but doesn't really make a strong move. The sprint is on and I ended up 7th across the line. I didn't make up any time on the top 4 but was able to keep my 5th place overall. $109 prize. Andy had a great weekend as well and finised in 7th overall.

Missed Opportunity

2008-04-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

Ahhh. We're 15 minutes into our weekly Tuesday night race and I'm watching the break leave me in its wake, only to be swept up by the pack. I royally screwed this one up. Two big blunders: 1) I was anxious and worked too hard in an attempt to establish the break 2) I got too cute with a couple guys who were opening up gaps and jacking around. It pissed me off and I can't let those things get to me. In the end, it got me dropped. With the break up the road I settled into the pack in an attempt to recover. With 5 to go I move up to the top 10 and I notice Andrew Armstrong getting ready for something. He's always a good wheel to be on near the end of the race. He makes a move and I'm on his wheel. He takes a massive pull and we have a nice gap. I come around and we work together pretty well for the next couple laps. With 3 to go I'm feeling the burn and fading. I have to really dig "into my suitcase" to keep it going (I just like to say that, but I really was huring). Andrew does the majority of the work for the remainer with me moving to the front when I can. Last lap and I'm plenty thankful. We end up holding off the pack and I crossed the line 9th.

Mineral Wells Road Race

2008-04-09T07:43:00.001-07:00

It's 4:00AM Sunday morning and I'm getting my ass out of bed. It's hard to leave a warm bed occupied by a beautiful woman, but I have a 90 mile drive to Mineral Wells ahead of me and I need to get moving. 47 of us line up for 62 miles of pretty flat roads with one good mile long climb known as Cherry Pie Hill. It's early in the race and a break of 3 is off the front. It's windy and I have a good feeling this won't last. After 30 miles of thinking the break is going to come back, it finally does. Now the race is about to get hard. There are several attacks and after a nice climb, the group is down to about 20. Just then, Derek from Dallas Racing makes a nice move. I watch him go up the road and finally decide it's time. I jump hard and now find myself between Derek and the group. Just then, I hear a ping. What the heck was that? My front wheel is wobbling a bit. No matter, just ride. (Turns out I broke a spoke) After about 2 miles I bridge up to Derek. Unfortunately, we were now at the base of the hill and my effort to bridge left me gassed. Derek leaves me on the climb and about half way up I get caught by a small group. A couple guys attack and I have no response. We crest the hill and are about 3 miles from the finish. I find myself in a group of 4 trying to chase down the 3 leaders. We work well together but we're not covering enough ground. At 1K I make a move but the others cover. At 200M the group kind of stalls out. I go, I give it everything. The line is approaching and I can hear the other riders closing in. I take the sprint and end up 4th. $65 prize.

Cold Friday night @ the track

2008-03-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

It was a cold ass night at the track. Nonetheless, the first race of the year will always bring out a good crowd and Friday was no different. This was going to be my first 1/2 race at the Superdrome and I was looking forward to it. The first race was an 8 lap scratch. After having a really hard time warming up I finished 4th. I had no sprint an my legs weren't turning over the cranks very well. I HATE short races. Race #2 was 16 laps. After watching Troy Owens make a nice move, I tried to chase with 2 to go. My effort felt hard but was really lame as I ended up burning out and placed 6th. The last race of the night was a 40 lap scratch. The longer the better for me. Unfortunately, I was caught snoozing when Andrew Armstrong and Matt S. made a strong move to lap the field early on. The remainder of the race was an attack-fest. It was aggressive which made me smile. However, it was a constant struggle to keep up with move after move as my legs were slow to respond. My normal gear seemed a little too big this early in the season. With 5 to go and the first and second spots locked up by Matt and Andrew, I attacked. To my surprise nobody came with me. I had a nice gap and tried to settle into a hard, yet sustainable tempo. With 2 to go it got hard. One lap left and I'm beginning to fade but I still had a nice gap. I ended up 3rd. 5th in the omnium.

Tuesday Night

2008-03-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

Last night was the first Tuesday night crit of the year. I haven't raced in a month and was looking forward to getting some intensity back into my diet. Much of my day was spent inside at the office and I didn't notice the wind until I drove over to the crit. It was nuts - super windy 25+ MPH. Windy means riding in the gutter and an early break. About 55 of us line up and look straight into a head wind. We're off and the pace is crazy fast. I'm sitting close to the back and we're completely strung out. Damn. I wasn't ready for this. After a couple laps there is a break. Mark Ross is in it so I move to the front of the group in hopes of keeping the pace nice and slow so the break can escape. I sit second wheel behind Andrew Armstrong. He keeps a "slow, but not too slow" tempo as I watch the break get half a lap on the field. With the break established and pretty much on their way, my group gets antsy. Attacks start flying off the front. I do a pretty good job of marking the strong riders as the group begins to shatter around me. The wind is taking its toll and guys are dropping left and right. With 5 laps to go there are about 12 of us in the second group. Crosby and Carlson make a move. I'm too spent to follow. With 3 to go, I decide to take my chance. There were already several guys up the road and we're racing for 8th or something by now. Hamilton was in our group so I thought I might soften things up for him. Plus I was itching to go. I attack into the headwind and it is super tough. I stay away for a lap before being pulled back into the group. Upon my arrival, Anderw makes a move. He solos away and there is no reaction from the group. With a lap to go the pace picks up. Coming up the final straightaway into the wind, Bonivata launches. I'm on his wheel and I sit ready to come around. The line is approaching and I go. Holly smokes. The wind is nuts as I struggle to come around. I give it my all. It wasn't enough. I finish 10th.

La Jolla

2008-03-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

When you travel for work, it's nice to make the most of your time on the road by incorporating some fun into the trip. Kelly and I decided to extend my stay in California and hang out in La Jolla for the weekend. The plan was simple: relax, eat well and get some time in on the bike. Well, sometimes plans change and after walking out on the beach Friday night, that bike thing got washed away with the tide. We ended up spending Saturday enjoying the city, shoreline and beaches of La Jolla.

The only must see thing of Saturday was a bike store that Kelly found earlier in the week. California Bicycle. It was a great little shop with a knowledgeable and friendly staff.

They took pride in being a "not so typical" bike shop and really paid attention to the little things. We also got a chance to meet Jose who is the bike fit specialist. His fit room was quite impressive and it wasn't just for show.

I got the itch to ride on Sunday so I hooked up with the SDBC ride out of La Jolla. The group was split into two groups, basically the guys who race and those who don't. I went with the SDBC race team and they took me out for 65 fantastic miles of scenic views lots of climbing. All in all a great weekend in La Jolla.

2008-03-03T18:10:00.001-08:00

It’s funny how perspective has such an impact on our emotions. Among others, it can instantly make us happy, sad, glad, proud, embarrassed, excited or angry. With some reflection, a time of misery can turn into something cherished. The opposite is also true, as a time to shine can quickly be seen as misery.

Kelly, Andy and Ashley were all down for one of my favorite races of the year, Lago Vista. Kelly and I were racing together for the first time and Andy and Ashley were bunking up with us in one of the cabins near at the start/finish. Kelly finished with the group on Saturday and placed 9th on Sunday. I was proud.

With 3 laps to go, my race was getting hard. Half the pack dropped out and people were suffering on the hills. An attack is launched and I go with it. We get a small gap, but our little group is brought back into the mix after some hard efforts. My work in the group hurt me more than I expected. I sit near the back in an attempt to recover. With two loops to go and the hills getting closer, it’s coming. I’m still not recovered but I know I will have to go. As we hit the hills a rider jumps off the front. I wait and find a wheel to extract me from the group. There’s one guy up the road, two of us chasing, and the field. After 5 miles and lots of work, we bridge. I wish I could take credit for doing my share of the work, but the previous break hurt me. We are now three with one lap to go. I take a good pull heading into the hills and just like that, I’m done. I get dropped and there is nothing I can do. My day is over. The group passes me after a minute and I helplessly watch them roll by. I don’t even attempt to rejoin.

Oh, what was I thinking? All I had to do was hang on and I didn’t. I was really pissed at myself. I knew better and I let it happen. After beating myself up for a while I finally decided there was nothing I could do and I needed to let it go. So I did.

Sunday was hard and fast and did I mention hard? Less than halfway through the race and the field is cracking. The group just split and I find myself in the second group with about 15 guys up the road. This was it. I jump out of the pack and bridge up to the lead group. I was happy to ride up to Andy who was looking pretty good. The break is moving along and most are working. After a couple laps, Andy falls off and we are down to 10. With 2 to go, I’m hurting bad. I’m not much help to the group and spend most of my time in the back. At this point, I’m just glad to be there. I’m thinking survive. We approach the line and I have nothing to give. I finish 7th. I was glad to be done.

Walburg & Pace Bend

2008-02-25T15:44:00.000-08:00

On tap this past weekend were two grandaddy races of the Texas racing scene. Saturday was Walbug and I lined up with about 80 other Cat 3s for 3 loops of a 22 mile course. I have my love/hate relationship with road racing. I want it to be hard all the time. Sitting in while I roll around the roads of south Texas gets a little nerving. Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil and you have to pick your moments to make a move. My moment happened to be around mile 62. There is a group of 6 up the road attempting to chase down the 3 leaders. I attack hard and roll away solo in an attempt to bridge. It takes about about 1/2 a mile of seriously hard tempo to make the connection. I sit in to rest and get into the rotation. Here's where things get a little sticky. I come off a pull and as I move to the back of the group, I clip a wheel in front of me. I hear a CLANK, SNAP, POP and immediately find myself unclipped with feet sliding along the asphalt. I catch myself and save the fall. Luckily, no other riders were involved. As I slow to a stop, my mangled carbon wheel lay in shambles. I watch the break ride up the road. 30 seconds later the peloton flies by. My race if over.

Bike racing is all about making decisions. Should I attack? Should I sit in? Should I go with him? Should I fight for this wheel? Should I let this guy in? Should I pay more attention to the wheel in front of me? It’s the convergence of a hundred different variables. From gauging the other racers, to understanding the limits of your body, to factoring in different strategies. All this to gain an advantage on your competitor and in the end, win.

100 guys show up on Sunday for 62 miles of rolling hills in Pace Bend, Texas. I spend the first half of the ride surveying the race as I watch the force of the pack swallow up all the attempted breaks. Attacks are sucked up like nothing and the tired riders are swept to the back of the group. We're about halfway through and riders are tiring. A successful break is around the corner. Sure enough, two groups launch off the front. I’m late, but I react and make it about halfway to the first group. I look back and the pack is charging. I know I can make the connection to the second group, but decide to conserve my energy and sit up. BIG MISTAKE. Up the road the two groups merge into a break of 7 and are able to stay away. I was kicking myself the rest of the ride. Rule #34. If you can make the break, do it, no matter what. After about 15 miles of being really pissed for not bridging up, I decide it is time to get my head back into the race. With two laps to go I attack. I start nothing and end up back in the pack. With one to go, Derrek launches a move. I wait. Nothing. It’s time, so I go. I’m alone, then a young Matrix kid bridges. He helps but works a bit too hard and gets popped. Hassan bridges up and we start working. We catch Derrick with about 1K to go. I’m hurting bad at this point. Derrick leads out the sprint and I’m sitting 3rd wheel. Hassan goes. I go around Hassan but it’s too early. Hassan has a bit more and is charging. We cross the line together. It is close. I end up taking it for 5th place. $40 prize.

Food

2008-02-20T13:12:00.000-08:00

Most of you know I'm kind of a priss when it comes to my eating habits. Salmon, chicken, veggies, salad, fruit and nuts are staples of my diet and I've heard just about every comment from, "you have such a healthy diet" to "you're such a Sally" to "I feel uncomfortable eating this in front of you". My all time favorite food conversation was the time I brought my lunch to a client engagement and the SVP commented on my healthy meal. I told him that it is race season and I need to get ready and this is just part of my preparation. I use racing as an excuse to those who really don't know how obsessive I am. He responds, "Wow, I didn't know you were a NASCAR fan, me too!" To this day, I still don't know what eating chicken and broccoli have to do with racing cars.

Is my diet a relationship breaker? My last ex bought me the book, Your Diet is Driving Me Crazy. I think 6 days a week on the bike and racing most weekends had more to do with ending our relationship than my diet.

Now, does diet have any direct correlation with riding, racing and results? I can't say I know for certain, but this is the way I know to eat. I just hope Kelly won't get too fed up with my goat yogurt, unsalted pretzels and raw cashews.

It's that Time of the Year

2008-02-04T20:33:00.001-08:00

The start of the racing season has arrived! It's been warm down here and I think everyone has race fever. The one problem with moderate weather is that winter training is easy and as a result, everyone and his brother is going to be strong. Speaking of, this will be the first time Andy and I race in the same category. We've raced together in some races, but never as 3s.

My only expectations for the weekend were to test my fitness, gauge the competition and get in some early race pace efforts. Saturday was a short, 50 minute crit-type 2.2 mile circuit race with about 65 guys. The course was closed (to cars) and very fast. There was only one real "hill" to speak of and it wasn't all that bad. I do a good job of staying out of the wind and enjoy watching Andy hold a better position and mix it up at the front. I move up in the group as I see Andy bridge up to a break of 5. I hear downshifting and off launches a rider. I quickly jump on his wheel and enjoy the free ride up to the break. After a few more attacks, the group is back together. With a lap to go, I move up. We're less than a mile from the finish and Andy and I squeeze through a closing gap and slide into the top 10. Perfect. Just then, the Horse and another guy launch a move. I jump in and we have a nice gap but we are still far from home. A couple more join the group and we are rapidly approaching the line. Andy is there and moves to the front with less than 800 meters to go. His drills it and I'm directly behind him, yelling, "GO, GO, GO!" He's giving it his all and I'm waiting. We drift left and I hesitate, just then another rider goes, I respond and move around Andy. I give it everything I have. Unfortunately, it's not enough. I finish 2nd and Andy takes 5th. Amazing lead out AK - Thanks. $60 prize

Sunday is 5 laps of a 12 mile loop. The course is nice with some rollers and one hill that will get you out of the saddle for a couple of kicks, but nothing too hard. Breaks, cross winds and a rough semi-paved road are the highlights of the day. With 16 miles to go and the group still together, there is a loud explosion. Andy's rear tire blows. He was fine but his race was over. After a right turn into a crosswind, the tempo picked up and I knew this was what we've all been waiting for. I move up and just like that, a group of 5 is off the front. I get into a group of 3 and we chase. We're close and I bridge up to the group of 5. A few more come up and we are 9. We pickup Hassan who was off the front. We have 12 miles to go and we need to work together in order to stay away. I can still see the group chasing. After some coordinating, we start a nice rotation and we work pretty well together. With 3 miles to go and the break safely up the road, I feel a cramp coming on so I rest a bit. We hit the last hill of the day and one rider makes a move. We let him go expecting to bring him back shortly. We miscalculate and with less than a mile to go, we are racing for second place. The pace picks up and a couple people launch, I wait. Another rider goes and I'm on his wheel. We're about 150 meters out and I go. I push hard and take the sprint to finish 2nd. $60 prize

Engineers

2008-01-17T10:41:00.000-08:00

I broke a spoke on my front wheel the other day. It was kind of strange, I wasn't riding or even on my bike for that matter. My 928 SL was sitting on my rack and I noticed a spoke was broken at the thinnest part where it screws into the nipple. My training wheels on this bike are Campy Zondas. No worries, I knew my LBS http://www.bikemart.com/ wouldn't have any issues with the repair. Mike B. looks at the wheel and shows me that the entire rim is sealed and the only way to replace the spoke/nipple is to drop the nipple into the valve stem hole (the only hole in the rim) and position it around to the open spoke hole. Okay, that seems like a pain. He wasn't finished with his explanation. He also told me he was going to have to glue a bb to the aluminum nipple and slide it over using a big, fat magnet. Maybe I'm missing something here, but this seems like an awfully complex way to replace a spoke. I just hope I never break a spoke out in BFE without a bb, magnet and some glue.

Looking ahead to '08

2007-11-13T13:35:00.000-08:00

It's time to get back into the swing of things - racing is just around the corner and I promise to be more active on this site. Here's a post I never uploaded from November. It's 35 degrees today.

It's November in Dallas and the high today is 81! I know this is optimal riding weather and I should be enjoying it. And I am, but where are those mid 60 degree days? It feels like spring and this forces my mind to believe I should be gearing up for another race. Speaking of, it's time to put down some goals, ambitions and predictions for next year.

Training Goals:

Training camp weekend

Put in more time and miles on the bike this year

Hit the hills hard - my weakness

Ride more before and after group rides (see bullet 2)

Improve my TT

Racing Goals:

Do at least one out of state race

Top 3 in p/1/2 track

Provide good lead-outs that lead to podium finishes

Have a good result in a stage race

Top 3 in a Cat 3 road race

Ambitions:

Upgrade to a 2 on the road

Introduce more to racing

Promote cycling

As always, have a damn good time doing it all

Year in Review

2007-11-12T15:48:00.000-08:00

The 2007 race season has come and gone. It's time to relax, recover and retrospect. The fall means long, slow riding. Knee warmers and long sleeve jerseys are the norm. Two bottles will be enough for almost all rides. Schedules are released and training plans are made.

I would have to say that 2007 was a successful season. I met many of my goals and had a fantastic time doing it. I can't tell you how much I've learned and how far I've come both mentally in how I view the sport and physically in the way I race and train.

Training goals taken from blog archive January 24, 2007: Log more miles, consistent training, train on the hills. To date, I've ridden 6500 miles in '07. My total mileage for 2006 was 4951, up from 2837 in '05. Consistency was KEY this year. I was able to train on a regular basis and would arrange my work travel in a ways to minimize off days. It's kind of nuts how far we go to get in an extra training ride. Hills - here is where I can improve. More hills, more climbing in '08.

Race goals taken from my 2007 training plan: finish top 5 state crit, finish top 2 in Cat 3 track, top 5 Tuesday night A race, enjoy. Looking back these goals were more predictions than actual goals. That being said, I exceeded my predictions with some nice results and my track upgrade, which wasn't even on the radar screen at the beginning of the season.

2008 goals and predictions the next time.