The Weekly Report

This week the weather has both cooperated and frustrated. It's been cold, but not snowing, so at least the roads and paths are clear. Unfortunately it's also been gray, which really de-motivates me. Give me sun and I can drag my body out the door no matter how tired I am. Gray skies mean extra shots of espresso and an extra shot of will power to layer up and get outside.
To add to that on Wednesday I made the drive to Boulder to catch the Wednesday Worlds 'Cross ride. It's basically an informal race that many of the top riders in Boulder use to get faster. It starts at 8 AM, so it was an early morning. But traffic and some bad luck meant I didn't get to Boulder until 8:20, so I missed the ride! Riding on my own my legs feeling like heavy noodles, so it may have been a good thing I didn't make it.
This week I'll just be racing on Saturday. I'm definitely starting to wear down from my longest 'cross season to date. My top end is going and more often than not my legs are fatigued. Cross demands a level of snappiness that only a committed rider can provide. Last weekend my legs were dead during the drive to the venue but somehow they felt OK when we started. I guess that's what pinning on a number does, to quote the great Jens Voigt, "I tell my legs to shut up and do what I tell you!"
In a stroke of some luck this weekend the weather looks great. Cold, but not snowy or wet to create the muddy conditions of last week. I don't mind the mud, but when every pedal stroke is an adventure it kind of takes my motivation out. That's likely due to the fact that my technical skills are poor but my aerobic conditioning is high. I guess from now on I can only hope that mother nature is on my side!

Muddy Mayhem

Yesterday was the coldest, wettest, muddiest and most frustrating race I've had to date. I was tired, but looking forward to racing with some top guys, and believed I could have a good result. However some unfortunate timing along with more of "that's just racing" luck came together to create a tough day for me.
The race was in Fort Collins, about 90 minutes from home. The Cat 2/3 race was at 9:45, so it was an early morning. The first hard frost greeted me as I packed my gear in the car. We took the straight shot north on I 25 arriving right on schedule.
The venue was by far the biggest I've been to. This being a stop on the US Grand Prix it had it's own little village of sponsors, vendors and food stops. The atmosphere was great even if I could still see my breath. I found registration, grabbed my number and headed back to the car to bundle up and hit the course.
Twists, turns, off camber U turns and a few straight aways made up the loop. The ground was frozen solid underneath my tires, making a bit nervous. Hitting the deck is never good, but with the ground this hard it would be a much harder impact. I got the lay of the land and rode back to the car to continue my warm up on the trainer.
Changing into my skinsuit and knee warmers I geared up for the tough race ahead. The temperature had risen to around 30, and with no wind it was really pretty nice. Classic 'cross weather! Mentally I was in a good place, ready to be aggressive but not overly amped. Sitting in the corral waiting to stage seemed to drag on, but soon we were all in neat rows nervously tugging at our gloves or adjusting our shoes. Then we were off.
In the first 50 meters on pavement I had both decent and not so good luck. I was in the top 12, but then the rider to my left veered over so I had to check up. This cost me some crucial spots heading into the first corner. From my days as a BMX rider I know how important that first corner is. Get there clean and your day is much easier. Come through near the back and it's a dogfight to the front.
As we hit the course the usual argy bargy was taking places. Guys leaning on each other, trying to get the better line, trying to move up. It was the usual chaos but at least no one went down.
Then the real chaos began. In the hour between my riding the course and the race the temperature had risen just enough to thaw out the frozen ground, creating a muddy, slick as ice mess. Any attempt to really lean into a corner and your front wheel went out and down you went. This happened in front of me a few times causing me to lose my momentum.
Quickly I realized the race was getting away, but there was little I could do. The course was littered with guys sliding out, even on the straight flat sections. As we rode our tires filled with mud, making traction even more hard to come by. Any time you lost momentum and tried to gear back up the tires just spun.

Slipping and sliding was the name of the game. Photo: C. Johnson

Through many corners I had to unclip my inside leg to ensure I wouldn't go down. I tried to focus on the riders ahead of me and work on catching them. Through the grassy sections I powered along as fast as I could to make up some ground. By the third lap I knew I was well out of the top ten and since I had no rhythm, nowhere to just unleash the legs I was pretty frustrated. As the laps went down I vascillated between trying to hammer and just not caring.
The coolest part of the course was the stairs run up. I've seen these on some of the more professional courses, but never had the "pleasure" of negotiating one. Pretty much they put a large stair case with about 10 steps in the course followed by a short flat and then the ramp down. It's pretty fun if you get it right, but screw it up and you can really hurt yourself.

Running up the stairs was one of the coolest parts of the race. Photo: C. Johnson

When it was all over I finished in 20th, just inside the top half of the field. Given that I am a Cat. 3 rider and our group was a combination of Cat. 2 and 3's I was surprised I was that high up.
My bike was covered in mud, like everyone else's so I washed it off a bit and went for a quick cool down spin. The clouds had rolled in and I was getting really cold really quickly so I spun back to the car, changed into some jeans and a puffy jacket and watched the rest of the racing. Thankfully the "All You Care To Eat Pancakes" guy was out, so for $5 I filled my belly.
For the other riders the course dried out and actually got really fast. I was blown away with how fast the pros, women and men, were able to ride. Cyclocross racing is truly a skill all it's own.

The bike looking a bit dirty post race. Photo: C. Johnson

Weather report

The weather has finally changed, and drastically. Reasonably warm mornings have been replaced with frost and light snow on roofs. The roads are still clear so it just means more layers before heading out on the road or trails. Getting dressed to ride in the cold definitely requires more thought and time, and bad decisions have greater consequences.

Bitter cold air bites at my face, hands and feet. Windproof layers are a must. The cold and numbness slips into my feet and hands. Sometimes my hands sting, then they warm up. Handling the bike is awkward, my hands wrapped in multiple layers. Trying to manipulate the small click button on my iPhone is impossible so I choose my playlist wisely.

The wind bites at my exposed face, focusing my efforts. The days of riding just to ride are done, every pedal stroke has a purpose. The cold keeps my mind from wandering, I'm focused on what needs to get done. In this, the cold is a benefit. It toughens my mind and reaffirms what I get out of pushing my body. I know that down the road I'll think back to these cold days and know that I've put in the hard miles and have the toughness to get through it.

But this is Colorado, next week may bring the warm fall weather back. In past years I've had days in January riding in 50 degree sunshine. I'm hopeful that this winter will provide snow where I want it, up in the mountains, and keep it dry below 6,000 ft.  You never know so I'm prepared for anything.

On Sunday I'm lining up with the big boys. It's a major race, part of the US Grand Prix of Cyclocross, in Fort Collins. They are combining the Cat 2 and 3's, so I'll be thrown in with guys much faster than myself. I don't mind that, you only get better by racing faster guys. It's going to be cold, it may be muddy or wet, but either way I'm going to be ready to give it all I have.

A long weekend of racing

Racing hard at the Castle Rock 'Cross Race. Photo: Courtney Johnson

This weekend I tripled up my racing calendar. I had thought about doing this all week but left it up to how I felt on each day. In the end Saturday was a complete bust and Sunday was a mix of more bad luck followed by a great race.

Saturday I raced the SchoolYard Cross in Boulder in the 35+ category. I'm only 33 but because of A.C.A. rules I qualify for that category. The 35+ is often a very competetive field with many old pros racing. This isn't sandbagging by any means!
The course suited me well with a mix of flats to power on and turns to power out of. I had the extra boost of a new set of Mavic R SYS wheels thanks to Mark at Mavic N.A. The bike and wheels were dialed in and I felt great.
At the start I got a decent start, not great but in the mix. By the middle of the first lap I was around 10th and moving up. Halfway through the 2nd lap I had moved up more and was in sixth or seventh. Then I felt my rear tire going flat. My stomach sank as I kept riding along hoping the tire would hold for the rest of the race. Seeing 4 laps to go I knew I would need a new wheel. There went any points! Adding insult to injury, my spare wheel had a wider rim than the R SYS and my rear brake was rubbing for the final 30 minutes. It got so bad I got off the bike twice and even did the last lap with my rear brake completely undone.
To say the least I was disappointed, angry and tense. I wanted to throw my bike and start cussing, but instead I fixed the brake and spun easy to cool off. After some time I was calm and just came to terms with the bad luck.
Sunday I woke up ready to race again. This race was in Castle Rock, just 20 minutes from home. I had been thinking of racing twice in the day, the 35+ category at 9:45, then the Open 3 category at 3:50. With that much time between the races I decided I would bring my road bike too, race the first race, then spin on the road bike, then race the 2nd race. I wasn't sure of my plan but I wanted to be ready if I felt really strong.
Warming up at 8:30 I could feel Saturday's effort, but I also felt powerful, a good sign. I had raced on this course last year and it is a mix of bumpy straights, tight U turns, pavement and even some whoopdy doos! I was ready to go hard from the start.
Once again a bit of bad luck would kill my chances of a good placing. The start of the race was on a small patch of pavement leading to the course. The racer in front of me missed clipping in his pedal and the field went by me. Instead of being 8th going into the 1st corner I was 18th, and the front of the field was pulling away. I tried to get back up early but the course was really tight and passing was very difficult. I worked hard to keep passing racers all race long, eventually settling for 13th place. Not what I wanted, but I didn't flat!
At this point I decided I would race the Open 3 category just to see if I could do it. I quickly changed into my road riding gear and hopped on my Tarmac to spin around for close to two hours. I could really feel the racing in my legs but the spinning felt good.
I stopped at the B and B Cafe in Castle Rock and ordered pancakes with bacon and eggs. It tasted absolutely delicious, just what I needed. From there I spun back to the course to meet up with Courtney, who had driven out with Shane, who was racing in the Cat 4's, just before me. I changed back into my cross gear and got back on the 'cross bike. My legs still felt good, but when I put out a big effort my legs ached.
At the start I was just hoping to get a chance to race my race and not have any bad luck come my way. With the sun starting to set the 20 or so riders lined up ready to go.
This time I got a good start and got into the first corner in the top ten. I was ahead of the chaos and in a good spot. Rolling through the halfway point of the first lap I had moved up to 6th in a battle with two other riders. On the next lap the rider in front of me dumped it on a tight and loose U turn. I got by him, barely, and kept hammering. I had another rider right on me and a few others just ten to twenty seconds back. The next three laps I lead, all the while being chased. The other riders was technically stronger than me and better in the corners, but I could still power away on the flats and paved sections. Going into the last lap I knew he would make a move. All I would have to do is cover his attack and get by him on the last paved section before the technical turns at the end.
Sure enough, during the first part of the last lap he went by me and I just sat on his wheel. We stayed that way getting to the pavement where I again conserved energy by sitting in his draft. The course had a slight uphill at this point before making a hard left back onto narrow single track trail. I knew I had to get by him before that section if I wanted to stay in 3rd.
With 50 yards to go to that point I stood up and hammered on the pedals. My legs screamed and felt like they would split, but I got by him. I put in one more acceleration hoping to seal the deal. During one tight corner I could see the rider behind me and he had pretty much given up. All I had to do was ride safe and take third, which is just what I did.
I felt really good with the effort and outcome. Of all the races I thought I'd do well in I never thought it would be the last of three in 24 hours. I'll take it though! I also got a medal and 20 bucks for my 3rd place, so that was an unexpected bonus.
Next weekend I'll only race once, in Fort Collins. It's a big race and promises to be super competitive so I'm resting up this week and giving it one good go!

My Tabata Intervals

Here is a quick screen shot of what my Tabata intervals look like. Tabata intervals are done as 20 sec. all out, 10 sec. rest, done 6-8 times. I usually do 2 sets of these with 5 to 10 min. of easy spinning between. The goal with these is to increase your maximal power output and teach you how to "GO HARD" when you really aren't recovered at all.

These are great for cyclocross since during a race you're either on it full gas or setting up a corner. You never really get a chance to fully recover, unless you want to place last. Mentally these are great since you have toput your head down and go even when your legs are telling you in no uncertain terms to stop.

The 1st bout was done with the all out 20 sec at 425 to 450 watts and an average of 315. The 2nd bout was mostly the same but some corners on a few efforts lead to lower wattages then I hammered the final 2 efforts. The 20 sec. efforts range from 410 to 520 and I averaged 330. Overall I'm pretty happy with those numbers. Vo2 Max efforts need to be a minimum of 3 minutes long, so at 3:20 I just got into that arena.

I finished this ride with 4 x 1 minute all out uphill. This is an effort I used to do at the beginnig of a ride as two rounds with 5' spinning easy, then I'd go ride tempo for an hour. This was two years ago and I would push with everything I had to keep it over 400. This day, after lots of all out efforts I maintained 473, 410, 408 and 410, so I was really pleased with that.

This type of training is very different from what I used to do, long steady rides where I was never really out of breath. Doing these types of workouts has boosted my power, aerobic threshold and has helped me realize what GO HARD really means.

Cat. 3 racing, welcome to the jungle!

I prepped for the pain, the hurt of racing to the limit for an hour. Mentally I was ready to dig, physically I was strong and the weather even cooperated with sunny skies and cool weather. The only problem was that I was moving up to the Cat. 3's where the field was bigger, the quality higher and the speed faster.

The course today was outside Boulder at the FlatIrons Mall of all places. It sounded corny but the course was long with a mix of tight corners, slick grass and some fast flats. After riding the course a bit I chose my tires (knobby up front, slick in the back), decided what to wear and got onto my trainer to continue warming up. I did some quick spinning and big gear efforts getting ready to hurt. After downing my customary Double Latte PowerGel I headed off to the start. With no call up I knew I'd be starting in the middle at best. When the start of the race is super important like it is in cyclocross this makes the whole race a come from behind effort.

My rad skinsuit and caffeinated PowerGels helped me go faster! Photo: C. Johnson

 My assumption was correct and as we took off I was in the middle of 80 other racers flying into the first corner. It had been awhile since I'd experienced what that was like and I was happy just to get through safely. When we finally hit the grass it was carnage. The left hand U turn backed the field up and guys were falling everywhere. Many riders, including myself, hopped off the bike immediately and got to running. Re-mounting the bike I tried to make up ground and not let any riders by me.
Feeling good I tried to put in some efforts on the flat sections and not get caught up in the crashes.

The grass was well worn from previous races and it was super slick. All high speed corners became a gamble and even if you stayed upright you could still be taken down by the guy in front of you. On one fast downhill left turn three guys stacked it right in front of me. On a slow U Turn with an uphill I was riding it clean when the guy behind me fell and put his shifter into my rear wheel. When that stuff happens there's just not much you can do.

Then I felt my rear tire going soft. It wasn't an immediate flat so I continued to ride it for two more laps. I could feel the tire getting softer and on the off camber sections I thought it was going to roll right off. I yelled at my friend Shane who was in the pit area giving me bottle hand up that I would need a wheel when I came back through.

The course was mostly slick grass and off camber U turns that wreaked havoc on the field. Photo: C. Johnson

 I rolled into the pits where Shane had gotten a girl from Mavic, who was providing neutral support, to help with the change. Unfortunately she fumbled it a bit and it took almost 30 seconds when it should have taken 10. Not that it cost me a victory or anything, but it was annoying none the less.
So I rolled away ready to just go as hard as I could. I quickly glanced at my watch and saw we were only 25 minutes into the hour. I was determined and now I had some clear space in front so I could ride my own lines.
Finding my rhythm I was on the edge of going too hard and just hard enough. This was my first time racing for an hour, in the Cat. 4's we only went for 45, so I was worried about that extra time. I was surprised at how well I was feeling late into the race. Recently I'd begun using PowerBar's newest product, Beta Alanine. It is a pill that helps clear lactate and allows you to go harder and keeps your perceived exertion level down. After a month long loading protocol of 4 pills a day I am now in the maintenance phase and am really starting to notice it's effects. While my heart rate was pegged at 165 and up (above what I normally see) I wasn't gasping for air or feeling like I would pop at any minute. This kept me motivated to get the guys I could see ahead of me.

Trying to ride hard the whole way. Photo: C.Johnson

 In the end I was happy with my effort, even though it put me in 40th out of 59 finishers. Without the puncture and the wheel change I could have been higher up, but I don't delude myself into thinking it cost me a win or podium.
For my first foray into the Cat. 3's I had raced hard and put out a strong effort. I'll be racing again next weekend and hope to have a better result, but if I can look back and be happy with my effort that will be enough.