GTS Opening Week

I will not run down the individual accomplishments. Race Results are in the column at the left of this blog but they only tell part of the story.

The TEAM came out 'guns a blazing' this week. Teenie and I anxiously awaited texts and calls after the races and to say we were delighted, would be a gross understatement......we were THRILLED.

Each of you, who raced, helped create an outstanding race weekend. I always like to compare one year to last and we are way ahead of this time last year. We had great efforts across the board!

Next week we focus on Fork Shoals and Donaldson. FS will give us a chance to go uphill and I feel we will be on 'our turf' as opposed to the flatter BMW and Donaldson.

Let's start with a big turn out on Saturday.........and hope for good weather!

Teenie and I look forward to seeing you and racing.

Congrats and I look forward to seeing your posts on the weekend and the details!

I say, well done!

WOW. What a great group of people to have on your team. I was all struck by the purple and black as you guys raced your hearts out at the Greenville Spring Series. I had not seen many of you in some time, and I have to say, YOU GUYS ARE FIT!

Giselle gathering the troops before the race to talk strategy and tactics. That large cup of coffee I saw her with helped to perk everyone's mojo up before the race start.

Congrats to everyone for a great race!

In the 4's, Emily finished 2nd for a birthday present to herself. She is the epitome of age is just a number.

Elizabeth would have been right there with her except that she was taken out by a squirrly rider. Heal up quick! We need you!

In the 1, 2, 3's women's event, Team HeadStrong represented with three women finishing in the top 5!

Ray had a 2nd place finish with the help of a lead out from Brian. Brian already has his eye on the Fork Shoals Race which suits his climbing capabilities!

Patrick must be doing something right. After 90 days on a trainer and 3 days of road riding, Patrick stormed the pack with a solid 4th place finish. That titanium clavicle must be less than 2 grams. Next time, request carbon, it weighs less.

On a beautiful day, an AWESOME team named HeadStrong did the Upstate Proud. Forgive me for not including more photos of later races, work was calling my name..................

Upgrade congratulations to Cristina Lindsey

Congratulations to Cristina Lindsey on her recent upgrade to Cat. 3. On top of that, Cristina placed 2nd in her first W123 race yesterday at opening day of the Greenville Spring Series in a sprinter-heavy field, and is off to a rockin' good start!

GTS is here

Teenie and I are with you guys. Have these things in mind:

* Have FUN

* Be safe

* Know you and your team goals

* Have FUN

Racestrong!

Mt Lemmon Climb

25 mile climb to up over 8,000ft.... 80 degrees at the bottom... snow lining the road at the top...

Randall said it was not steep, maybe 4%...... He lied!

Valley of the Sun

3 days of racing against a very strong field in all categories.  
Day 1   ITT 14.5 miles ... slight uphill into a head wind then back down to the start
Day 2   RR  41.5 miles ..  2 and half loops with a 3.5mile climb on each lap
Day 3   Criterium  .9mi with 7 turns

Great weather, and people were here for some serious racing.   Lindz did Team Headstrong proud taking 2nd, 3rd, 2nd each day and 2nd overall in the Cat 4 Womens.  

Randall, despite his inability to walk to car (note prior photo), garnered 6th overall in the 60+ with a 5th place sprint finish in the Crit (I must say he had great leadout....).  Teenie took 10th in the time trial ( 1 min off due to timing error that would have given her a 5th place.... but.. that is bike racing).  In addition to being the only 50+ female in the race she held her own in the road race fighting a ferocious headwind to finish 17th (out of 32) in the Cat IV women's.

Well, as for me..... I have run out of space and the DS is calling....... 

It's good to have teammates

Another day riding the UWBL. Less miles, faster and 3 sprint zones. An excellent preparation for next weeks races. 4 teammates riding the A group Giselle, Emily Brian and myself. From the start all riding together. We stood out as a team. Somewhere the women decided to do there own ride, which was understandable. Brian and I rode the rest of the ride glued to one another. We both got dropped in the last sprint zone because we were near the end on the hill at SCAT (not paying attention), when Boyd and a few others cranked it up so hard that a huge gap occurred, which we could not bridge. The lead group slowed down and I told Brian lets time trial it and try to catch them. He did not hesitate and took off, as I followed. No one else went with us. We rotated every 60 seconds. Unfortunately we did not catch the group, but made a statement, finishing 1 minute or so behind them. Teamwork! Yea it is fun to have teammates.

TEAM headstrong in Arizona

While Linz, Bird and I did the usual intervals and 30-30's in preparation for today's Time Trial at Valley of the Sun in Arizona, Randall did his preparation while we were in Dick's Sporting Goods. This didn't seem to hurt him as he finished in 7th place, today, in the 60+. His times and data show he was almost exactly where he was last year. Not bad, hu, for a guy 2 months out form back surgery!

Jon joined us arriving late last night after dealing with the weather that caused plane cancellations and delays. Bringing one bike (road) and racing in maybe the most competitive AG (50+), plagued by technical issues (Chain, etc.) and 4 hours sleep--he ran a TT he can hold his head high with. His time was 39 and some change on the road bike without a TT helmet.

My race pretty much looked like last year, as well. Joe tells me to measure ourselves against the field as opposed to the race as the conditions change. Today there was a headwind which according to the buzz, put us 1 -2 minutes off the prior years time. They logged me at 41: something. In the CAT 4 field I finished 10th out of 32. Not what I'd hoped for, but there it is, none the less.

Linz again made us proud. She raced a strong TT clocking a time of 39:05 and placing 2nd behind a triathlete-turned-cyclist who finished in 36 something. Yikees!

What the first place racer doesn't know, however, is that although she may have taken first on the TT, Linz can handle a bike like a pro and that both the road race and the crit are her tramping grounds!

Tomorrow the Road Race. 2.5 laps requiring a climb be tackled 3 times. Stay tuned!

Just another day in Greenville, SC...

I took advantage of yesterday's spring-like conditions to sneak in a two hour training ride. My "coach" (that would be myself) had me scheduled for 8x2min "Big Gear Hill Climbs", which I like to do out by the Green Valley area. I escaped the apartment with shorts and legwarmers, a long sleeve jersey and a wind vest, my first day out in months without full tights, a jacket and shoe covers. I enjoyed the tranquility of a warm-up spin on the smooth asphalt of the Swamp Rabbit Trail, where I had the road to myself with the lone exception of the kamikaze field mouse that darted in front of my wheel, challenging my bike handling skills. I turned left past Furman U, crossed the highway, and rolled down the hill and across the bridge before starting my first climb. Pushing a big gear at 60 rpm's and 300w, I forced myself to concentrate, and not pedal in "squares". As I was recovering at the top of my 5th repeat, a slightly built woman in headstrong kit streaked by me, intensely focused and tucked in behind another rider. It was none other than our own Giselle, absolutely crushing the climb...in February! I turned around and rode back down the hill, ready to begin my next repeat, when on the opposite side of the road, tucked in behind a motor scooter, a tall rider in red BMC kit and white Oakley sunglasses was effortlessly flying up the hill, trailed by a small gaggle of riders.

Riding home, I reflected on the day, and I don't know who was more impressive, Big G or Little G, but I do know this: I would never have experienced what I experienced today in the Fla Keys...or Cincinnati...or Pittsburgh...or anywhere else for that matter. Greenville, SC is a pretty cool place for a cyclist to live.

Working Race Calendar

You can upload a spreadsheet of the Team Headstrong Calendar at Team Headstrong Event Calendar Rev 1.01  (this is in GoogleDocs as Google Groups is no longer supporting files and pages..... you should receive a notification about this.   I will be uploading the maps and other files from the Groups to the Docs for your access). 

This is a working copy and is only as accurate as race promoters have provided data.   I will be updating it on a regular basis, so if you have comments send them to me and I will incorporate additions, changes, etc.

GSTS is around the corner.... time to start "testing" the engine.....  AND REMEMBER it is a TRAINING SERIES..... it is about RACE training... Tactics (Individual & TEAM), Fitness..... Testing Yourself......

I hope to see alot of you out there.....

Bird

The telephone is ringing!

Holy Crap! We are racing in 5 days. Months ago, when Teenie, Linz and I set the goal for Valley of the Sun, it seemed like a great idea. Now, Bird is in. With 5 days to go, there is a little voice in my head saying:

* What were you ever thinking?

* How in the hell do you think you can race 8-9 weeks after surgery?

* Your fitness is crap.

* You can't put the same power out you could last year at this time.

* You are too old for this stuff(I know I never say it, but I think it at times).

* You..................(finish this with every negative thought you can imagine).

You see, I am just like you. In fact, we all have this type thing going at one time or another, when we face big hurdles.

I have no answers for the questions above, no rebuttals for the negative thoughts. I only know one thing to do. Every time I have these thoughts, I am going to place(in my mind) an image of me standing on the podium. I am in my body and what I see is very vivid. Two competitors are next to me. Teenie, Linz and Bird are in the crowd of thousands(well maybe 50-60?). People are cheering. I think to myself, "Dude, you are a winner!" I know in my heart I am a winner even if I don't make the podium.

The GTS is two weeks out and for many of you, "the telephone is ringing". Pick it up.......and remember that, "Dude(or Dudette), you are a winner!" Hold this thought even if you don't get to the podium.

What are your plans for the GTS? Which races are you in? What are your weather contingencies? What are your goals? Are you talking to your team mates to know their goals? Who will you be racing with in which races? Remember that your current thoughts determine your future.

Teenie and I will see you at Fork Shoals, Week 2 of the GTS!

In the Locks of Old Man Winter...

I'm taking Randall's advice and posting from the Morgan world! I certainly hope that this post finds the rest of our team in good health and riding/running strong!! I am so sorry that I have not been able to send in or post updates and certainly hope that this LONG post does not bore you:)
First of all, back on Dec. 23 (yes, 2 days before Christmas 2010) my 7 yr. old, Max, was sick and I had taken him to church to literally lie in a pew while I help many of the ladies decorate the sanctuary for the Christmas Eve services the next day. As he rested, we worked. Then, when it was time for us to go, I leaned down to help him up and picked him up the wrong way. I did not realize it immediately, but as the day went on, my lower back began to really bother me! After running a few errands (last minute gifts), the evening came and I was loosing mobility quickly. Somehow, by the grace of God and complete will power, I made it through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, hearing my daughter sing at church, going to family dinner, setting up presents, etc... THEN IT HIT!! The day after Christmas, I was in the kitchen getting a cup of coffee and I collasped! Somehow, Scott carried me to the bedroom and all I remember was that the room was spinning and I was dry-heaving and sweat was rolling off of me! The kids were in a panic and I knew something was seriously wrong!! I have never had pain make me nausiated, and I've birthed 2 children and had several injuries... This was scary!! So, I called a family friend, who also happens to be a spine surgeon... After several tests, a herniated disk was the culprit! So, 12 days of steriods later, the inflammation was decreasing! side note: Prednosione (sp?) is awesome!! I didn't sleep, and if you think I have lots of energy without the Pred., I'm sure you would have been scared of me on this stuff! Let's just say that my house has not been cleaner! I called our housekeeper and told her to take the day off! I was scrubbing the oven, cleaning out the refrig, going through the kids' toys and old clothes... Good Will loved me!! Anyway, back to my injury... so, the treatment was 6 to 8 weeks of NO RUNNING and NO RIDING except on a stationary bike!! I could do (and now love) hot yoga, but I have NEVER NOT RUN in the past 25 years!! So, this was an adjustment, but let me tell you that I will do whatever I am supposed to do so that I do not go through that pain again!!! Needless to say, Hot Yoga and Christina's (Teenie's) inversion table have become my friends!! When a hard-core runner cannot run, life for family members can be difficult (haha!) but, SouthernOm is awesome and I've been going 3 and 4 times a week! I always blew yoga and pilates off as "softie crap!" but boy have I eaten those words!! Seriously, I lost 3 pounds without meaning to and have built core strength like you would not believe! Forgive me for ever thinking yoga is not a heart-rate-accelerator!!!!

My back?? Well, I am not 100%, but I feel 99.9% better and this Thursday will be my 6th week "anniversary" so I'm going to give a light jog a try! Last week, I had a horrible head cold and am looking so forward to warmer weather.

Saturday, Sam and I spent the day getting certified / re-certified for indoor spinning classes and then I taught for Gis. for 2 hours yesterday! My legs were fine and I'm thankful for many things: #1) To have had this injury during the Winter months, #2) To still be able to spin my legs and do hot yoga, and #3) to read and keep up with all of you and your strength pours into my spirit!! I hope to run in the Reedy River 10K and would love to be able to ride in at least one of the Spring Series races, but this week will be the test week and I will play it all by ear.

Sorry again for the long post, but as Randall said, the blog is a great way for us to keep up with each other! Hope this is OK! Have a great day and a healthy week! Old Man Winter can kiss my...

Mt Lemmon

Teenie and I set out to do a 3.5 hour ride Saturday morning. We would warm up and do a 30 minute interval that would take us up about 5 miles. We were then going to return to the base and finish up with a large loop including some hefty rollers.

When we finished the 5 miles, we just kept going........another 5 then 10 miles. Now, understand we were still 10 miles from the summit. Yes, we climbed 4500ft/15 miles and still had another 2000-2500ft/10 miles left. Out of food and water food, intending to return to the base after 30 minutes, we reluctantly turned back.

High winds buffeted our decent and kept speed moderate. However, the fun was not over! At the base, we faced a flat 5 mile run out to the car. We whipped by 2 girls who race for Team 2012. They jumped on the train. When we reached the stoplight, we were all a little giddy.

The scenery was the most impressive I have experienced in North America. The rock formations are spectacular and the vistas are endless. I hope each of you can experience this!

Saturday UWBL Jan 29th ... B's

Most of us (Randy, Mel, Brian, Tom, Ray, Linz, Elizabeth) opted to ride the B's as 100+miles was not in our training plans (or legs, or heart.....).  Since Randy has been leading the B ride we supported him and the shop riding a good tempo ride with a couple of good "rollouts" and efforts ....  Cinthia and Joe opted for the A's as the entire LeesMcCrae team were in town for the ride.

It was a beautiful day to ride, cool at the start but I cannot remember the last time we had some real warmth. on a bike ride....Randy led things out controlling the pace with a little help from me and the team, at least until the "rollout" after Possum "something"...... where the rollout turned into a slugfest ........tooooo far out and created the first "burn" of the day..... Ray, Brian, Linz, and I all started to play as Kelly (?) jumped...... Wait....isn't this waaaay toooo early to go?    I sit up, Linz sits up.... riders now coming up..... its a long way out........ I tell Linz its a long way and she can reel them in.........   several riders trying to real the three bad boys in......... Linz goes......everyone starts to fade before the finish ..... I think Brian go it.......

Rollers back across to Dunklin Bridge where we try to set up a pace line...... no go.... Impatient I launch off the front trusting that one of my team mates would make the move with me..... Nada.... solo off the front ... ..... I am maxed out.. no one coming..... hands in the drops, head down...... I am not going to make it..... to early in the season...not enought training for this old body to pull this off........... Tom pulls the pack back up to me and luckily I am able to jump back in before the turn on Slatton Shoals...... Legs are toast (maybe that big hill workout on Thursday just did me in...... or maybe....)... We are headed back north into the wind...no surprise there, making our way back to Hwy 20........

Ray "the motor", Brian "the spin", Tom "Diesel"  and Mighty Mouse drive the pack on the run back in.   Randy and I watched from the caboose as we watch the "kids" and the diesel motor us back in..... Some guy next to me says.... who is that woman up there?  She is killing it.......

Its a B ride...... don't tell my legs that..... Great ride.... Randy Mc did a great job leading this...  I am toast...

Elizabeth hung on and hung on throughout the ride (were you there for the final run in???) 

January....   30 more days of winter riding.....

Weekend finally looks good

Looks like a break in the weather! I know all you guys deserve it. It is the time of the year when activity is a little lower and our interaction is less.

Please take time to blog.....tell us what is going on with you, training wise and other wise. It might not be as sexy as riding in the Tucson Mountains but it is our way of staying connected.

Teenie, Linz, Bird and I are going to get a jump on things at Valley of the Sun in 2 weeks. This is the largest stage race (about 1000 riders) I have experienced and starts the season here. I am very confident of Teenie and Linz as far as fitness.....never been higher. I have not seen Bird ride lately but isn't Bird always fit?

We are 3 weeks from the opening weekend of the Greenville Training Series. The first weekend is SCTAC and BMW. Teenie and I will be in Tucson that weekend but we will be present at Weekend 2 and 3. I always enjoy racing against the 45+!

Joe told me sometime back that we are going to be much better than last year. When Joe talks, I listen.

Right now, I am just visualizing the B&W gang kickin' some butt.

Stay strong and let us hear from you!

Ups and Downs in the West

Biking is sport in which you can be on top one day and in the toilet the next.

On Saturday, Teenie and I lit up a group ride out of Tubac Az. The ride was comprised of some super triathletes, coached by Training Bible Coach Tom Manzi. Risking being a braggard, I would say we gave 'em a lesson in bike riding.

Sunday, at Sweetwater, with ex-pro mountain bikers Jill and Brian Grasky, we got the lesson. It was the Mountain 1 and the Maddox's zero! And, I have the scrapes and bruises to prove it.

The Sound of a Champion

I have always thought of seeing champions but this week, I heard one. Teenie, Linz and I set out to do 4x6 minute Z4 intervals(redline pace) with 2 minute rest intervals. We chose a loop off Rancho Vistoso.....a famous road out here. It was about 8 miles and we would just keep going until complete.

We warmed up on the way over and started at the same time and same point. The terrain was rolling and with my power and my TT bike vs Teenie and Linz on their road bikes, I was suppose to get way out in front. When complete, I would ride back toward them and likely pick up Linz and then Teenie.

I hammered through the intervals, actually exceeding threshold in the last 3 and then sat up. That is when I heard gears shifting down right behind me. At first I thought, "How could some one come off a side street and over take me?" Then I heard a familiar voice ask, "That is 4 isn't it?"

It was Linz and she had kept up with me on her road bike........ those gears changing was my very first time to hear what A CHAMPION SOUNDS LIKE!

REDEMPTION IS MINE! G-VEGAS TIME!!

41 DAYS, 16 HOURS and 31 MINUTES. This is the amount of time I have left before my feet grace the line for the Snickers Marathon in Albany, GA. I savor this countdown as I anxiously await completion of my first ever marathon. But first, I have a little redemption of my own, something more personal that has its roots deeply planted from last year.


Today, I raced in the Greenville News 5k with approximately 2,000 other crazily clad runners in 31 degree weather. We shivered and shuttered around a 3.1 mile, somewhat hilly course thru the streets of downtown. I did not win, yet I was a winner in my own right. I won because I got to the start line and completed the race. Last year, I sat on the bench with a calcaneous stress fracture taking note that next year would be different. And, it was. I ran a personal best 5k of 21:11 and placed 2nd in the 25-29yr age group out of 124 women. Yes, I wanted to win, but I did and didn't at the same time. I won because I raced as hard as I could. After downloading my garmin, my HR avg. was 173bpm. But, my max was 204. 204!! I have not seen this number or anything above 190 since rowing and those dreaded 2k erg tests that would make anyone want to puke. I had to double check the data because as we all know, technology can flaw and your heart rate can spike on occasion to 250/300 if it picks up a different signal. But, this was my actual heartrate. At the finish, I got an instant ear ache. Something that I also got when I rowed those darn 2ks.


The most amazing person at the race (other than my mom :) was a woman named Evelyn Tripp. She set a NATIONAL record today of 50 minutes (give or take) for the 5k course at 95yrs. young! I was fortunate enough to be able to take a picture with such a champion in her own right.

I still have a lot to learn about running and 5k's. I did not taper for this because it is a stepping stone towards my ultimate goal of the marathon. I would like some feedback about something I noticed in the race today. I found myself getting passed, not on the uphill, but on the downhills by swarms of runners. Is there a certain technique I am missing here? What is the missing link? Shorten your stride, lengthen? Let gravity pull you forward? How do you run downhill, haha, seems like such a simple question............................

THANKS!

Carla Swart

It pains my heart to hear that such an athlete has fallen......   My thoughts go out to Lees-McRae cycling, her family and Cinthia.   Carla was a truly outstanding athlete with an incredible future ahead of her. 

Live life to the fullest every day......

More from AZ

After Teenie scientifically found her limits, a neighbor showed up to test her

findings.