Friday I can't wait to go out for a ride after work. As I leave my house a creaky bottom bracket caused me to turn around and try to fix the problem. That's what I get for riding in the rain so much. I had to take apart everything and put it back together again. Determined to not be stopped, I turn my after work ride into a night ride.
I love riding at night. It's like I have the Lakefront path all to myself.
If these power meter readings are accurate, I'm getting pretty good at this bike riding thing. I'm not putting out Klug-like numbers yet, but still pretty good. I can see a lot of improvement since the end of cross season. I can cruise along at a pretty decent clip without getting the heart rate up too much.
I notice a new trend lately that kind of pisses me off. People are starting to walk their dogs while they ride along on their bikes. Way to take up the whole bike lane while you cruise along at a brisk 5 miles an hour. And the roller blading dog walker take up even more space. Ass holes all of you.
This trend is not just limited to the lakefront path. I saw one guy in Bucktown sketching off his dog while it pulls him along on his fixed gear. I can see that resulting in a tragic ending. What an ass hole. Then I saw a lady riding with her dog on the wrong side of the street as she approached the intersection of Milwaukee and North. With her horrible bike handling skills she's yanking on the dogs neck and barely avoiding crashing into both cars and pedestrians while fighting to stay upright. What an ass hole.
On my way home as I ride through downtown. A lot of people are out on Friday night. People notice me but generally I'm just an object of mockery. I'll occasionally see the couple and the boyfriend will point at me and they'll share a good laugh. He probably cracks a weak joke like, "look at the fruit in tights." The girl will laugh, but she probably notices my lean body, perfectly shaved legs, ripped muscles working in perfect synchronization with my bike and she secretly thinks, "he could ride me sometime." LOL, at least that's what I say to myself in my mind.
And when people yell, "hey it's Lance Armstrong," that's getting kind of old. It was cool when people would say that to me back when Armstrong was a champ, but now he is just an aging pro past his prime. I think I would prefer to be referred to as an old pro who's time is now. Next time someone sees me I want someone to say, "Hey it's Menchov." That would be cool.
Riding Kettle tomorrow with my peeps. I look forward to it and I should go to sleep now.
I wonder what Popper's doing...
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Xterra Midwest Cup
Never have your first race of the season be your A-race.
That’s what I was saying last week. An analysis of my training log seemed to point to an abundance of stress: training, work, and home-life stress. That’s why I was feeling so weak and flat, I determined.
So I did what I could to try to bounce back from it. Took another day off, walked to work instead of my usual run from the train. Even took the bus a couple times when I didn’t trust myself to walk. Compression socks, stretching, 10 minute swims. I even went to bed before the third period of the Blackhawks’ big win over Vancouver. Now that’s about as committed to recovery as this Canadian gets!
My own bid to qualify for the World Off-Road Triathlon Championships was only two days away, and I’d managed to ride my mountain bike for 30 minutes since last season. An unplanned stay in a hotel Friday night confirmed that things still did not seem to be falling into place. But don’t worry, I figured, you’re only going to be spending the night before the race in a small tent with three kids who never sleep under the best conditions.
The morning of the race saw frost on the grass. Apparently, the air temperature was 30-something. But for some reason, I couldn’t wait to go swimming in the lake! I don’t know if I was just excited about kicking off the triathlon season or if I just wanted to get the whole thing over with.
Then I hit the water for the “warm-up.”
I felt so much positive energy. I really didn’t care how I did against the others. I was just happy to be there. Jamie Whitmore, the World Champion who has been fighting cancer for over a year now (we met her in Lake Tahoe last October) was there announcing the race, and it’s ridiculous to worry about race performance where there’s someone there fighting for her life. Every time I see her, I want to give her a hug, but she doesn’t know who I am!
As the Pros made their way to the first buoy, they started the rest of us. Next thing I knew, I’m behind a wide row of age groupers but soon found some space, did a loop, ran across the beach, dove back in the water, and found someone to follow. We passed some green caps indicating pro women, and I returned to the beach in 5th. Wow. Where’d everybody go?
Soon on the bike, I heard the familiar, “When you get a chance…” which is what riders say when they want to pass me on the single-track. I move over, wish her a good race, and forge on. But soon I catch her again and sit back for a bit. She’s a Swiss rider trying to catch the American who we can see up ahead, but we’re not gaining. After my reprieve, I re-pass her and pull up to Shonny, the Luna-Chix rider, with the Swiss rider in tow. Eventually, I pass her too, and I realize I’m really feeling strong today.
Then the first climb. Those chicks drop me like I had asked them for a date.
Gone.
Gone – while I’m running up the sucker wondering what happened. I claw back to them before the next climb, just to have them remind me why they’re pros and I… well, I suck, I guess.
A few guys also pass me including my friend and Get-A-Gripper, Ted, who drops me on the same climb on the second loop. But this time, I know that no amount of clawing is going to bring me back to his wheel. He’s flying. I’m all alone, so I just keep at it and try to stay positive.
Jump off at the transition area looking forward to the run, and I almost fall flat on my face. My feet are like frozen blocks. I had no idea how cold they were. I change into my Sauconys, but have to look down to make sure my feet look like they are in there correctly, because I can’t feel a thing. It takes me a full 3 miles before they warm up, but they did, and I got one of two spots for the World Championships in Maui, won my age group by 8 minutes (second overall amateur) and even managed to give that hug. (see attached)
Dean
That’s what I was saying last week. An analysis of my training log seemed to point to an abundance of stress: training, work, and home-life stress. That’s why I was feeling so weak and flat, I determined.
So I did what I could to try to bounce back from it. Took another day off, walked to work instead of my usual run from the train. Even took the bus a couple times when I didn’t trust myself to walk. Compression socks, stretching, 10 minute swims. I even went to bed before the third period of the Blackhawks’ big win over Vancouver. Now that’s about as committed to recovery as this Canadian gets!
My own bid to qualify for the World Off-Road Triathlon Championships was only two days away, and I’d managed to ride my mountain bike for 30 minutes since last season. An unplanned stay in a hotel Friday night confirmed that things still did not seem to be falling into place. But don’t worry, I figured, you’re only going to be spending the night before the race in a small tent with three kids who never sleep under the best conditions.
The morning of the race saw frost on the grass. Apparently, the air temperature was 30-something. But for some reason, I couldn’t wait to go swimming in the lake! I don’t know if I was just excited about kicking off the triathlon season or if I just wanted to get the whole thing over with.
Then I hit the water for the “warm-up.”
I felt so much positive energy. I really didn’t care how I did against the others. I was just happy to be there. Jamie Whitmore, the World Champion who has been fighting cancer for over a year now (we met her in Lake Tahoe last October) was there announcing the race, and it’s ridiculous to worry about race performance where there’s someone there fighting for her life. Every time I see her, I want to give her a hug, but she doesn’t know who I am!
As the Pros made their way to the first buoy, they started the rest of us. Next thing I knew, I’m behind a wide row of age groupers but soon found some space, did a loop, ran across the beach, dove back in the water, and found someone to follow. We passed some green caps indicating pro women, and I returned to the beach in 5th. Wow. Where’d everybody go?
Soon on the bike, I heard the familiar, “When you get a chance…” which is what riders say when they want to pass me on the single-track. I move over, wish her a good race, and forge on. But soon I catch her again and sit back for a bit. She’s a Swiss rider trying to catch the American who we can see up ahead, but we’re not gaining. After my reprieve, I re-pass her and pull up to Shonny, the Luna-Chix rider, with the Swiss rider in tow. Eventually, I pass her too, and I realize I’m really feeling strong today.
Then the first climb. Those chicks drop me like I had asked them for a date.
Gone.
Gone – while I’m running up the sucker wondering what happened. I claw back to them before the next climb, just to have them remind me why they’re pros and I… well, I suck, I guess.
A few guys also pass me including my friend and Get-A-Gripper, Ted, who drops me on the same climb on the second loop. But this time, I know that no amount of clawing is going to bring me back to his wheel. He’s flying. I’m all alone, so I just keep at it and try to stay positive.
Jump off at the transition area looking forward to the run, and I almost fall flat on my face. My feet are like frozen blocks. I had no idea how cold they were. I change into my Sauconys, but have to look down to make sure my feet look like they are in there correctly, because I can’t feel a thing. It takes me a full 3 miles before they warm up, but they did, and I got one of two spots for the World Championships in Maui, won my age group by 8 minutes (second overall amateur) and even managed to give that hug. (see attached)
Dean
Monday, May 18, 2009
How soon is now? or Revenge of the Deaner
This past weekend was the Xterra Midwest Cup at Fort Custer state park in Michigan. As long as I have been doing Xterra's (11 years), it has been my goal to finish on the podium in my age group at an Xterra Cup race and qualify for the Xterra World Championship. This goal has been elusive to say the least.
At first I wasn't very good at this triathlon stuff, so qualifying was just a pipe dream. But as I got better, it seemed like something would always happen at regional championship races that would take me out of contention. In Xterra so much can go wrong whether it is a bike mechanical, a flat tire, a crash, lack of altitude acclimatization, cramping, digestion issues, or dehydration. You name it, it has happened to me. People I race with would always say, "don't worry, you'll qualify this year." But every year the competition would get a little stronger, the game would be elevated a little higher, and the goal of qualifying would always be close but just out of reach. I figured I was cursed and destined to forever be the underdog.
Back to the Michigan race, I studied the start list and formulated my strategy for this race. Given the strengths and weaknesses of the other competitors I figured my best strategy would be to swim as hard as I can to minimize the number of people I have to pass on the single track, push hard early in the bike to get towards the front of the pack, then wait for fast bikers to pass me and get on their wheel and ride with them. Then hopefully I will have enough to get through a relatively flat run.
Everything about this course plays to my strengths and I have confidence that I just might be able to finish top 3 in my age group and possibly within top 20 amateur overall.
At the beach start I look for my friend Dean Hewson. I don't know if I can swim on his feet for very long, but if I can get out to the first buoy in a good position I might be able to find a good draft. Everything goes right and by the end of the 2nd lap I see the green and pink swim caps of a few pros just ahead of me. I am told by a spectator that I am 15th amateur out of the water.
Onto the bike I hammer to the first section of single track and pass a bunch of people. I know I can put out this effort because once I get to the single track, I'll get stuck behind some slower riders who are great swimmers and have plenty of time to recover. So far everything plays out perfectly and I'm moving to the front of the pack. Eventually Jim James catches me and I am able to stay on his wheel. This is a breakthrough moment because in all the years I have been racing Jim, anytime I came out of the swim ahead of him, he would promptly ride me off his wheel. Soon Scott Gall catches us and we are like a train. Jim drops his chain and falls off the pace but then we pick up Jenny Smith and keep on chugging along.
Onto lap 2 Jenny picks up a water bottle and she falls off the pace. Scott and I keep pushing each other and I feel I am near the front of the amateur field because I just passed a bunch of really good pro women. Now my goal is to put as much time on the field as I can before the run. I finally pass Dean and I know he is having a great bike ride. I expected to pass him much sooner. For all I know he could be first amateur.
I take some liquids and Scott promptly rides away from me. Lucky for me Jim catches back up to me and we take turns pulling all the way into transition. The race announcer says we are second and third amateurs into transition. I can't believe it, but now my goal is to hunt down the guy in first place.
The first lap of the run is lonely but I feel pretty good. As I exit the woods I see Dean about an eighth of a mile back. Eventually he passes me at about mile 4. Now self doubt starts to creep into my head. Who else is coming from behind? Turns out, it was no one. I cruise in behind Dean and finish 3rd amateur overall and first in my age group. I punch my ticket for the World Championships with the race of my life.
Never before has a race performance surpassed my expectations but this performance blew my mind. Everything went exactly as I planned and nothing went wrong. I was only 1 minute behind the first amateur Blake Vogues. At all my other Xterra cup races I never finished higher than 6th in my age group and I usually finish about top 50 overall or worse.
I'd like to give props to Dean for chasing me down and finishing second. He said he was having a great race too. I'd like to think we pushed each other to great performances.
Right now I'm riding high and feeling pretty good about achieving a goal I never thought I'd achieve. Now my ambitions for the 2009 Xterra USA Championship are much greater and I look forward to seeing how far I can take this.
At first I wasn't very good at this triathlon stuff, so qualifying was just a pipe dream. But as I got better, it seemed like something would always happen at regional championship races that would take me out of contention. In Xterra so much can go wrong whether it is a bike mechanical, a flat tire, a crash, lack of altitude acclimatization, cramping, digestion issues, or dehydration. You name it, it has happened to me. People I race with would always say, "don't worry, you'll qualify this year." But every year the competition would get a little stronger, the game would be elevated a little higher, and the goal of qualifying would always be close but just out of reach. I figured I was cursed and destined to forever be the underdog.
Back to the Michigan race, I studied the start list and formulated my strategy for this race. Given the strengths and weaknesses of the other competitors I figured my best strategy would be to swim as hard as I can to minimize the number of people I have to pass on the single track, push hard early in the bike to get towards the front of the pack, then wait for fast bikers to pass me and get on their wheel and ride with them. Then hopefully I will have enough to get through a relatively flat run.
Everything about this course plays to my strengths and I have confidence that I just might be able to finish top 3 in my age group and possibly within top 20 amateur overall.
At the beach start I look for my friend Dean Hewson. I don't know if I can swim on his feet for very long, but if I can get out to the first buoy in a good position I might be able to find a good draft. Everything goes right and by the end of the 2nd lap I see the green and pink swim caps of a few pros just ahead of me. I am told by a spectator that I am 15th amateur out of the water.
Onto the bike I hammer to the first section of single track and pass a bunch of people. I know I can put out this effort because once I get to the single track, I'll get stuck behind some slower riders who are great swimmers and have plenty of time to recover. So far everything plays out perfectly and I'm moving to the front of the pack. Eventually Jim James catches me and I am able to stay on his wheel. This is a breakthrough moment because in all the years I have been racing Jim, anytime I came out of the swim ahead of him, he would promptly ride me off his wheel. Soon Scott Gall catches us and we are like a train. Jim drops his chain and falls off the pace but then we pick up Jenny Smith and keep on chugging along.
Onto lap 2 Jenny picks up a water bottle and she falls off the pace. Scott and I keep pushing each other and I feel I am near the front of the amateur field because I just passed a bunch of really good pro women. Now my goal is to put as much time on the field as I can before the run. I finally pass Dean and I know he is having a great bike ride. I expected to pass him much sooner. For all I know he could be first amateur.
I take some liquids and Scott promptly rides away from me. Lucky for me Jim catches back up to me and we take turns pulling all the way into transition. The race announcer says we are second and third amateurs into transition. I can't believe it, but now my goal is to hunt down the guy in first place.
The first lap of the run is lonely but I feel pretty good. As I exit the woods I see Dean about an eighth of a mile back. Eventually he passes me at about mile 4. Now self doubt starts to creep into my head. Who else is coming from behind? Turns out, it was no one. I cruise in behind Dean and finish 3rd amateur overall and first in my age group. I punch my ticket for the World Championships with the race of my life.
Never before has a race performance surpassed my expectations but this performance blew my mind. Everything went exactly as I planned and nothing went wrong. I was only 1 minute behind the first amateur Blake Vogues. At all my other Xterra cup races I never finished higher than 6th in my age group and I usually finish about top 50 overall or worse.
I'd like to give props to Dean for chasing me down and finishing second. He said he was having a great race too. I'd like to think we pushed each other to great performances.
Right now I'm riding high and feeling pretty good about achieving a goal I never thought I'd achieve. Now my ambitions for the 2009 Xterra USA Championship are much greater and I look forward to seeing how far I can take this.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
ABD Team Time Trial
Tim convinced me to do the 40 K team time trial out in some far western suburb this past Saturday. Dean was doing it too, so the chance for a little friendly competition drew me in.
We get a nice warm up in and show up to the line when we find out we missed our start. We had to re-sign up and wait around and go last. In Grand Tours it is an honor to go last but in this case it was kind of a hassle since we were all pumped up and ready to go at our original time.
I tell Tim that the wind is at our back on the way out and will be in our face on the way in. I want to start out conservatively so we have something left in the tank for the headwind. After Tim takes his first pull he is probably dropping 400 watts and that strategy flys out the window.
I was able to withstand the thrashing Tim gave me and we came in in 56:33 winning the cat 4 title. Dean was right behind us in 56:46.
Sunday I was really excited to head out to my cousins' house in New Lennox and go bike riding with them. They are way better athletes than I was at their age and I'm not just saying that to be nice to little kids. It's true. They are interested in doing a triathlon so I'm going to help show them the ropes and give them a little training advice.
They told their 500 times from the last swim meet they did and they are faster than me and only 1/3 my age. Dang, I think I'd smoke them on the bike though.
I helped fix up their bikes and then we went out for a ride. They have pretty solid basic skills on the bike. I think I can mold them into champions.
We might try out a relay together as Team Ramos and then they will do the Tri Masters South Shore Kids Triathlon in August.
We get a nice warm up in and show up to the line when we find out we missed our start. We had to re-sign up and wait around and go last. In Grand Tours it is an honor to go last but in this case it was kind of a hassle since we were all pumped up and ready to go at our original time.
I tell Tim that the wind is at our back on the way out and will be in our face on the way in. I want to start out conservatively so we have something left in the tank for the headwind. After Tim takes his first pull he is probably dropping 400 watts and that strategy flys out the window.
I was able to withstand the thrashing Tim gave me and we came in in 56:33 winning the cat 4 title. Dean was right behind us in 56:46.
Sunday I was really excited to head out to my cousins' house in New Lennox and go bike riding with them. They are way better athletes than I was at their age and I'm not just saying that to be nice to little kids. It's true. They are interested in doing a triathlon so I'm going to help show them the ropes and give them a little training advice.
They told their 500 times from the last swim meet they did and they are faster than me and only 1/3 my age. Dang, I think I'd smoke them on the bike though.
I helped fix up their bikes and then we went out for a ride. They have pretty solid basic skills on the bike. I think I can mold them into champions.
We might try out a relay together as Team Ramos and then they will do the Tri Masters South Shore Kids Triathlon in August.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
