Syd's bar tape

Sydney did this to her cross bike...... I dont know how. I think its two kinds of tape interlaced. I am impressed.

Most of us just get our nails done before a race.

Amazing at 76

I got a magazine that came out with our USA cycling membership. Maybe you got it too? Its is called Her Sports. I was flipping thru it and there is a story on page 46 about a Nun, Madonna Buder. In 2006, with seconds to spare to qualify as 'finishing'. .... with a time of 16:59:03.....17 hours being the cut off.....She DID IT.


She did the Hawaii Ironman at age 76.


I thought I would never again let myself get goosebumps from watching Ironman finishers crossing the line. NO! I am not going to get emotional again.
But I still do. I always get teared up when I see someone struggling and pushing themselves beyond their limits to GET to the line. I cried outwardly when I watched Julie Moss crawl across the line to finish, in 1982, showing that finishing is victory. http://www.angelfire.com/pro/mattwick/ironman_history.htm
But this, I was only reading and I got goosebumps.

Bruder is quite amazing. They discuss her past, her first race was at age 48! She did her first marathon at age 51. Her first Ironman was in 1986. What inspired her? Back then women like her were pioneers, showing everyone that women could do these events!. She is still a pioneer today. Even now we still see pioneering types that show us to break the mold. History is always in the making, we have fields of over 100 women now in some races. (prestige series)
Now this is back in the early 80's when she was doing this. Back then there was a running craze. Three's Company. Women were sporting addidas striped hot shorts, long socks and Nike running shoes. But women did not have an event in the Olympics for marathon untill the mid 80's. ((1984))http://www.marathonguide.com/history/olympicmarathons/chapter25.cfm
In 1979 the Ironman only had 50 athletes compete. The first Ironwoman, Lyn Lemaire, a championship cyclist from Boston, places sixth overall.

She started traning in her 50's to compete in an event that many thought impossible for a man, and certainly for a woman. Yet she did the Ironman. Even during those early 'craze' years when no one knew what they were doing, no one knew how to train or what to eat . Everyone was in awe at anyone that would even attempt to do the Hawaii Ironman! Not that many women would even attempt it. But here she was, a FIFTY year old woman. crazy! hahaha. :)
She did Boston at age 52 in a time of 3:39:12. in 1982!! Her first Ironman at 56. that is in 1986. She then went on to set record after record.
just WOW.

Hank keeps telling me , in regards to getting older, KEEP working at it and you can keep the power.
If you are interested in learning about aging. There are many articles on the subject and probably some better than these somewhere on the net. :)

http://home.hia.no/~stephens/maxpower.htm
http://ajpheart.physiology.org/cgi/reprint/286/4/H1565.pdf

Whitewater Criterium

EDITED
We have never done this race. The women's race started at nearly 5 pm and about a 2.5 hour drive I didn't really want to do it. So I opted to do the Men's 45+ with Hank.

We kind of got lost thanks to Mapquest getting there and made it with just enough time to dress, and register. We had 15 minutes to warm up. I kinda felt ok, but it was one of those "oops didn't warm up enough'' kinda things which sometimes doesnt really matter.
But, of course, in this race it mattered. :O

The course looks like this: take a paperclip, hold both loops and pull them apart so the loops are at a 90 degree angle . Now straighten out the top loop end so it opens up and it is at a 90 degree angle. Now cut off the loose arm on top and take a coiled spring and connect it to the free ends of your paper clip.
Yup. that is the course.
From the start finish line you go UP a rather steep little hill then it turns sharply into a little golf cart parkish road, no curbs, just flat asphalt thru the trees....lots of trees. ...lots of big trees.....no padding on trees. .......left, left rightleftrightright left....little swirly narrow road. THEN....it dips downhill into a sharp V crevice to the street...the street is narrowed in half as you turn immediatly right...to a long stretch which rises up and up...then turns again for more rising until it finally gives you a graceful downhill and maybe 2 seconds of relief before you turn into a U turn corner....RIGHT into a hairpin curve....then you sprint like heck to the hill again as you pass the S/F line. 1/2 mile course.
FUN!
Hank said it was the stupidest course he has ever done.

The guys were good natured and laughing with each other. It was a light hearted event.
A Mack rider and IS Corp rider were off the front on the first lap and the chase group hit it. I saw 25-30? men at the start line but the race immediately dwindled to Two in front and 13 chasing. I heard the next day that many people rode one lap and went to their cars and went home, forfeiting their 25 bucks in the process.
I have raced all season and after 15 minutes, this is the first race I dropped out of. I didn't see the point of trying to just ride and finish. The two guys I was riding off the back with kept pedalling and eventually got lapped. But they were riding for series points. ((cup series))
The only time I could rest or catch back on was the little hill.
It seems that if you are a good bike handler and can time trial. You got an advantage to a course like this to just power hard in the first 5 minutes and TT the entire race. No one can move on you. Its yours. As long as you hold that pace solid.

Hank said he never could get a rythm. Me neither. Well. you can feel how painful this course was.

Hank did very well and got 7th. The last lap came up and the IS corp won. Mack took second. A second break had been following the two leaders ahead of the chase group. One of them flatted just as they approached the start finish line.... BOOOOM lke a gun shot right in the hairpin turn. It messed up the chase group a bit as they sprinted to the finish.

What a bizarre race! I could not imagine that race with a 60 guys on it. unreal.

The weather was so nice up there. Sunny, warm. It was cloudy and rainy down here and still is , even as I type.
Yeah. nice day. But wow that course kicked your butt. whew.

Penalties you should know for Super Week

Davitamon-Lotto’s Nico Mattan won the 2006 Gent-Wevelgem in controversial circumstances after appearing to illegally ride in the slipstream of a number of motor vehicles in the final kilometre of the race. Did you catch that race last year? The motorcycles were all over the place and he just jumped from one to another as he sprinted past the break and won the race. He definitely had an advantage using them...but then again the motorcycles were annoyingly in the way. I imagine he got a fine. But if it was only determined to be brief....then he would have gotten simply a warning. Read the rules! ((assuming they use similar rules in his racing))

I found the rider information on Super Week. The women's races are all NRC this year but the rule book is a 2005 UCI rule book. http://www.internationalcycling.com/download/TechGuide.pdf RULES . FINES and PENALTIES for the complete rule book for this year you can go to: http://www.usacycling.org/

19. Using the slipstream of a motorized vehicle
briefly: Warning
For a long time: Penalty $ 25. bucks
In a stage race: $40. bucks plus time penalty 10 seconds.

But here are some more snippets of rules taken from the super week site:
rule 26. Its only 15 bucks for a penalty if you block an official's car. Penalty: 15 bucks.

So just have a team mate block the car and then draft off a motorcycle for an hour. Penalty total: 40 bucks. :)

Oh but there is a rule for Collusion. that jacks it up a bit. Now you have to add ::
17. Cheating, attempting cheating or Collusion amongst riders penalty $75 bucks. plus possible DQ

I have never colluded. Even on a group ride. Well.....ok.....I think I might have once with a team mate. But it didn't work because the other girls figured it out. Hank took pictures. http://www.collusiongirls.com/

10.2 Deviation of line in sprint where you endanger others $75 bucks/ DQ
You know.............
oh never mind.

10. 3 Pulling a jersey of another rider penalty: 40 bucks
during last kilometer of event: 75 bucks plus DQ
SO. Does grabbing the seat not count? If you grab the seat its not in the rules. I guess a seat grab is legal then.

24. Non- regulation supply of refreshments 15 bucks. ( that is an expensive beer)

34. Illegal or dangerous throwing of an object into crowd ...penalty: $25 bucks.

38. Use of cell phone in peleton... penalty: $40 bucks
OK ....so...... throwing the cell phone at someone would be cheaper.

26. willful obstruction of a rider or team car $40 bucks plus DQ!

16. passing a lowered railroad barrier.......ELIMINATION! (hmmmmm) so who REALLY won 2006 Roubaix....

11. pushing off a car or motor bike. $25 bucks
11. pushing off a team mate $25 per offense per rider. (cheaper to use a car)
11. pushing another team member (assuming they complain) $40 bucks plus DQ
11. pushed by a spectator....................A WARNING!
Didn't someone punch a specatator once in the Tour de France? How much is that worth?


Oh.....here you go::
32. acts of violence to a rider: penalty $75 bucks
unless its serious violence then elimination
32. acts of violence to anyone else: 75 bucks. Then they will sue you so....tack that on too.

34 Stealing food or drink: .... penalty $250 dollars! .........what??

THIS is a serious OFFENSE!!! Especially if its a latte' .

stealing a cell phone... no penalty

Chicago Crit Rumors

New in 2008: The Chicago Criterium
Yup. Someone told me last nite that we might have a chicago crit, perhaps as part of super week. RUMOR has it.......

The city this morning announced the inaugural Chicago Criterium, to be held in Grant Park July 27, 2008, and featuring "national and international cycling teams," no doubt part of the mayor's effort to establish the city's Olympic credibility.

Summer Group Rides in Full Force

I could trash my legs doing nothing but group rides this time of year. Warmer weather, bigger groups and longer evening rides make it feel like summer is finally here!

But WOW it brings out the ''Boister'' in the Boys sometimes!!!!

I did a great ride today. The VCR ride. (Village Cycling Ride). Its a big enough ride and has an A and a B group.

Hank and I had been debating what ride to do on Sunday morning. We usually race so it was a nice treat to hang out and just ride and train. We decided to do Wayne's Team Colavita ride. We could ride and work the front and get a good workout while we get to know some of the Colavita members. It was at 7 am . I didn't have my butt ready in time to get out the door and we were not sure we'd make that ride, plus Hank woke up sharp and wanted to hammer. Sooooo we went instead to the Lake Forest parking lot to try our first Mafia ride. I was hoping for a super big group. (so I can hide)

We get there and NO RIDE! Apparently it was 'moved' to 7:30. ( oh darn! ) ;)

That is fine with me, I know on rides like that the fast boys sometimes get roudy and start bashing into each other. I had gotten a good dose of boisterous riders yesterday when I did the Harper Ride. Yes, there was a certain person or two that would enter the street first and jump across the street. One guy tried to shove someone onto on coming traffic! NOT COOL!

It seemed they were forgetting to call out things like "TRUCK LEFT!" ..... 30 riders were coming into the road thinking it was CLEAR! gah! Sooo NOT cool. and WATCH those potholes. http://www.harperride.net/ .

Fortunately we have experienced enough riders and the guys seem to find a way to take care of the bad seeds ;) heheh.

I think the driving monotony of the Cicada's constant drone is making the people insane. INSANE!!!!!

Hank and me decided to meet up with the VCR ride since they usually have a good pace and we know the guys are steady, solid riders. It seems that the junction there, at Lake Forest Train station, is a hub of good rides on Sunday morning. Just get there early. Judson, Mafia, VCR and probably other rides are all centered there.

Sure enough, we did an AWESOME pace line. We broke off the B ride and found some strong riders and we did tempo. Forever. We rode steady, strong and even for 30 minutes which turned into 60, then an hour and a half. Hank said the pace line was like a Swiss Watch.

I won't tell you when I finally cracked. It happened. I am sworn to secrecy. Two other guys got out of the pace line too, right after I did....I think they were waiting for the girl to say Uncle first. :) Hank and the other two riders were really going at it to maintain the high pace. It finally got to be just Hank and a Look jersey dude. We all were turning blue at this point. FINALLY we stopped to replenish water at a Barrington drug store. But we had to get back to the car so ...on we went.

It was great. I have not had such a demanding workout in a long time. With temperatures up to 93 degrees and us all running out of water, you could even say it was nearly epic.

Hank and I rode on for almost 4 hours> It was a good quality workout. Its probably a lot better for me than the Mafia ride. Challenging without the attacks.

I suppose any workout can be this good with a power tap and a few strong guys to push you. Very nice. I like being pushed like that. The satisfaction of a ride well done is as good as an accomplished day at the races. :)

Wind

I think if I ever got a tattoo. It would either be the Mayan wind god, Kukulcan or the Thunder God of native american lore. I think Kukulcan is that angular snake you see all over Cancun's ruins. The wind swirls and moves with effortless grace, just as a snake glides.

Iowa City Road race is where I learned that the wind is not an enemy. It can be a useful tool. I did not use the wind wisely that day. But I learned a lot.

The strategy behind using the wind in racing can sometimes be key to winning. Hank always takes me around the course of an important race not just to look at where the holes are and the corners, but he mainly discusses the wind. A flat crit can become a playground of attacks and breaks when the wind picks up strong. Where is the best place to attack. Where will the attacks come. Where to move left or right to curb in case you are in the front.
When do you never attack.

I lost that race by misunderstanding the wind. I should have won that one, lost it because I thought I was super woman in the wind. I thought that if I used a hill in a head wind, I could get away far enough that no one could get on my wheel. HA! Me thought WRONG!
Your speed reduces in a head wind. You can't do anything about it. You can hunker down, make yourself small.....it is what it is. I can lose almost ten miles an hour of my speed driving into a 20mph head wind using the same power as a still day. The lighter you are the worse it becomes. I was in a road race in Cannon Falls last year where we had 20 mph head winds with 30 mph gusts, a crash happened within the peleton and the pack split apart instantly. The women that went down, were probably two of the smallest women there and from what I heard, (you know how 'crash rumors' are), they were the ones that went down first. ((why do people on other teams like to tell you if your team mate was part of 'that big crash'.??)) hmmmfh.
I am guessing a gust of wind caused the chain reaction that led to this accident. NO one got hurt but maybe 9-12 women went down and chaos was the result. If you were in the back, you were stuck chasing in scattered packs for miles with little hope of catching the front break. WIND. Teams live for this chaos, they love the wind. WInd will help you stick your break.

In an eschelon, I learned that a person can attack. It is not easy. It can bring everyone with you if you do'nt do it right. It certainly doesnt feel good but it is workable and effective. A cross wind is a good thing for a time trialest. Everyone is feeling the wind the same, gutter them by moving to the curb so no one can draft in your eschelon. If you are in a good spot in the back of an eschelon that is moving fairly well down the road, you can attack from the back but move rapidly to the opposite side of the road away from the leader of the eschelon. This is not as easy to do if there is a double yellow line rule. At the end of a race, you can remember that the double yellow rule is over.

My best attack ever was in Iowa City Road Race. I started the break with a tick of the pedals up a long tall hill. I was on a hill that turned upwards into a long tail wind section. Whoever was with me, made the break. Syd took over and hammered into the tail wind, I was so grateful. I looked around to see who was with and saw two specialized girls, one a wicked sprinter, and another sprinter. "Pace line" I said. We got away. The peleton had some girls try to catch us, but could not rally up enough support and had to settle to be the second pack.

My worst mistake ever was in the very same race. After 30 miles of a break, I got stupid and attacked on a hill into a very strong head wind thru the top of the eschelon, It was less than a mile to the finish line and I figured I could get away if I just distanced myself a little bit. INstead I just rode , dragging the front girl and all the others along with me to the line. ( she was the strongest one there ) ....I then lost the race.
I know in hind site I could have broke away earlier and ridden away in the cross wind. I will have to try that one day.

I swear sometimes I forget I am racing!!!

Bits of lyrics from one of my favorite songs..... John Denver:


Windsong Lyrics(Denver/Henry)

The wind is the whisper of our mother the earth.
The wind is the hand of our father the sky.
The wind watches over our struggles and pleasures.
The wind is the goddess who first learned to fly.
........
the wind is the singer who sang the first song.
...........
The wind is a twister of anger and warning,
the wind brings the fragrance of freshly mown hay.
The wind is a racer, a wild stallion running
and the sweet taste of love on a slow summer's day.
The wind knows the songs of cities and canyons,
the thunder of mountains, the roar of the sea.
The wind is the taker and giver of mornings,
the wind is the symbol of all that is free.
So welcome the wind and the wisdom she offers,
follow her summons when she calls again.
In your heart and your spirit,
let the breezes surround you.
Lift up your voice then and sing with the wind.

Crit Belly

THE CRIT BELLY . This happens when we do too many criterium races.
I suppose it can be likened to the 'weekend warrior' physique. Too many short duration fast paced rides, resting during the week and quick hard races on the weekend coupled with NO core work and lots of carbs has added a bit of pudge to the midriff.

Remedy? Spice it up with a stage race or a road race or get out and do some miles. Longer, slower tempo-type rides and stop eating so many Luna Bars. :)

But a really good way to instantly lose 5 pounds....disguise the problem with a good application of self tanner! :) haha.