TEAM HEADSTRONG TAKES IT TO EUROPE

In late June and July, TEAM headstrong members will head to Europe!

Granfondo Sportful (6/20)- Teenie and I will compete for 2nd and 3rd time respectfully in one of the biggest races in Italy. We will do the Medio course, riding against Italy's best. Teenie will be up against 35+ and I will compete in 55+. The race will include 4000-5000 riders and a challenging course that includes 4 mountain passes.

La Marmotte - Bird, Beth and Jim will undertake this massive 108 mile course with 16500 ft of climbing. I once did ALL these climbs...........in 2 days! This race will attract about 6000 riders and end at the top of the famous Alpe d' Huez.

Check the links provided for more info on these great races.

SC State ITT Championships - 6/5

We really don't have any true time trialist on our team but many of us do time trial. some of us really just getting going in racing and therefore need to do alittle bit of everything to see what is fun. Others, like me, aspire to stage racers (all arounders).

This is a great opportunity, without travel, to do a training ride. Sure, you say training ride but the is a state championship? Don't be intimidated, be headstrong! This event will likley have low turnout and not be thriller.

Already, E, Goat and I are committed.

Click below for event info:

SC STATE TT CHAMPIONSHIP

POA Photos

The warm up
The start

Randall looking strong

Deb, Randall, and Joe

Tom near the front

Tom and Deb in the S-turn

Brady riding strong


The sprint

POA Crit - fun race

Gillespie, Tom, Joe, Elizabeth and I showed for the 4/5 crit. There were about 50-60 riders I would say. The ladies did great as they are both darn good crit racers.

I was overly optimistic.....is that unusual? I told Gillespie we should try some attacks...RIGHT! My legs were certainly feeling the effects of MM and SCTAC. My Rate of Perceived Exertion was very high! Although it was 91F, I think it was fatigue that was limiting me. I got run off in the dirt on about the 4th lap as I was taking an outside line in the S turns. I had to chase like hell to get back on. I then moved to an inside line but could not get comfortable. We were going an average of 25 mph but I can remember many races out there where it went much faster. The wind was a factor. So, I hung on and in the last lap, it got all strung out.......don't really think any of us were factors at the end.....I certainly was not.

My power download was totally unimpressive as far as my measured effort!

The great part was that I got some much needed crit time....something I have not had lately. I put myself at the edge of my comfort zone racing with 4/5's. I have what Teenie would call a limiting belief, that these guys are dangerous and I was very nervous. I would like to overcome that and feel more comfortable. It cost a few bucks and I was only gone for few hours....you can't beat it for a training race

I really thought it was fun and good experience and hope to perform much better next time!

See ya out there.

Caesars Head Challenge

Teenie and I doing the metric on June 12. This is our final big training effort prior to our 'A RACE', the Granfondo Sportful, on June 20.

Hope to see some of you out there!

Mt Mitchell - from the DS

My Dad is the kind of guy that finds a large pile of manure and immediately starts looking for a pony. To say he is optimistic, is a great understatement. He would have told me on Monday afternoon and Tuesday that I had my anal nerve and optical nerve crisscrossed and it was giving me a crappy outlook on life.

I was pretty disappointed by my inability to help the TEAM......my only goal. I posted a BLOG and took it down, thought about what I learned, went out to Donaldson and hammered.

When it really came into perspective, it was pretty easy to find a lot of ponies. We had ton adversity which is part of something like this. We overcame the obstacles for the great results posted here. We had some great individual performances, some priceless moments, and some outstanding teamwork. We are a first year team and we are growing stronger fast. Most of us, me included, are performing higher than we have in long time if not ever.

For some of you who are still wondering what happened to me:
* I was looking back and got my front wheel in a rear skewer 5 mins and 22 sec after the start.
* I miraculously stayed upright.
* The next 42 minutes I walked and was on the SAG for 2 miles.
* I commandeered a wheel from a guy from Kingsport, Tn, Jeff, God Bless him.
* I started riding.
* One mile later I helped put a new tire on Philip's rim and we rode like hell.
* It was 20 minutes before we passed the first person on a mountain bike going 12 mph.
* After a few pulls, it was more and more all me...I rode Philip off my wheel.
* I passed hundreds of people going 14 mph. I saw pain and determination.
* I picked up two or three guys but soon rode them off my wheel....Pat, Mike.
* Mostly solo, I passed Marion at 4:29 meaning I rode it in 3:47 (2 miles short)
* BIRD called and told me to return to the Park.
* I never saw the time mat at Marion or crossed it so I received a DNF.
* At 4:29, I would have been 1st in my AG for the Assault on Marion....little consolation.
* I know I had a strong finish left in me.

I said Monday/Tuesday, I would NEVER do it again. Then, Weinacker called and told me she could win next year. I could immediately envision being out there as a domestique. I immediately thought of all the things we could do better. Tears welled up in my eyes. I read Joe's Blog about he and Cin and tears again. You would think at 60, I would have learned to NEVER say NEVER. I guess I still have lot to learn.

One thing I DON'T have to learn is that I love this TEAM.

POA CRIT - Thursday 5/27

I am headed out to BMW Thursday night....plans are to ride Masters 35+ and then go for about an hour ride down 101 and side roads.

If any of you guys or ladies were out, I would consider the Cat 4/5 in order to race with team mates.

Advise.

What a Weekend....... Bird's Commentary...

Town Mountain Time Trial…… Weinacker and KP just drilling it placing 2nd in the A’s (Goat) and 1st in the B’s (KP).

12 Hours of Tsali…. Where our Geezer & Gal team of Jim, me, Deb, and Sam took 6th place in the Base 4-person team competition (I would add 1st as a coed team, but since Sam & Deb can ride pedal stroke for pedal stroke with any guy we were not interested in “gender” competition, and I am pretty sure Jim and I were the oldest mtn bikers out there….. and having a Helluva a time).
AND…
Our ladies took top 5 of the top 10 in the finish to Mt. Mitchell and 1st to Marion!
Giselle 4th
Weinacker 6th
Emily 7th
Beth 8th
KP 9th (yes the same, “to big to climb” KP)

Stratton 1st to Marion

Town Mtn Time Trial ….. see write-up below

12 Hours of Tsali…… Goal…. HAVE FUN…. Maybe a top 10 finish…..
Jim and I had only gotten a chance to get on our mtn bikes several times this spring but what the heck…… we had 2 of the best Mtn Bikers we know to round out our team and show us the “ropes”….. 11am to 11pm… 12hours of racing…. Pretty much an hour to complete the 11 mile loop…. 2 and 4 person 12 hour teams, solo 6 & 12 hour entrants….. basically 3 one hour time trials….. (and I am supposed to do Mitchell on Monday….bad idea…. A really bad idea)

The race is a Lemans mass start with the first rider having to run a quarter of a mile up a dirt road, jump on their bike and then proceed into a 2 mile climb……. No volunteers here…… so what the heck… I have not run in almost a decade and with an Achilles that screams in pain at the thought of running I raised my hand…. 300 people…. All with giddy anticipation and really just out to have a fun day in the sun……or mud….Oh did I mention that it had been raining for the last 2 days which had just ended at 9am this morning…… and I am not talking that low land drizzle of Greenville, I am talking Appalachian buckets of rain……

As I run up the road, I am thinking who in their right mind decided running in Mtn Bike shoes is a good idea…… I grab my stumpy and head up the climb…. Middle ring cruise… passing people …. Top out …road changes to single track…….start the descent …. Oh shit…. Out of control….. riders coming up behind me…what are they crazy…how can they go that fast….let em pass…. The foliage is so thick you cannot see 20 ft ahead and the riders are just flying blind…. (I am thinking was the 29er a really good idea for this…) ….. we hit another climb… I am passing those kamikaze’s who passed me…top out … cruising the roller coaster section…. Bike slipping out in the hairpins as the mud allows no purchase for the tread….. keep the sunny side up……. I settle in behind a rider who tells me he knows the trail….only to hit a “puddle” that swallows my bike and gives me a mud bath filling every orifice …. Glasses are useless…. Hit the rutted wall…off the bike jammed up with 10 other riders pushing our bikes up the climb…. Then another climb…… Jon Gillespie is there and shots “it is all downhill from here” …. Not exactly but it is a fast section … I have no idea whether I have 100yds or 5 miles to go….. up a climb around a bend and I can hear a PA….. there is the arch…. Dismount run through…. There is Sam …. The handoff…… WHOA…. 57minutes……just 1 hour…. Covered in mud, heart pumping, head spinning, sweat pouring, gasping for air…….. And that is just the start of the day…….. 2 more times….. yippeeeee…





Sam heads out with a gladiator’s intent that sends her crashing into the first turn (literally) at our tent…… bounces up…jumps on the bike and races through her first lap matching a time of 57 minutes…..








Jim’s off who has spent little time on the bike these last few months…… but this was the one event he really wanted to do this year……so he heads out spending every quarter coming back in spent….. wondering how people can go so fast down the trail…..

Then Deb’s turn, who blisters the track with a time of 54 minutes…..why she is 1st in the SC Mtn Bike standings…… and I am up again……

The sun is out, and riders of all ages, physique, gender are challenging themselves with the 11 mile loop…. Everyone having a helluva time…..

We ride, we rest, we cheer, we talk….. we just have a great time……. On every lap we are moving up in the standings…. Our times never slow… the trail is getting better, and we are feeling better and better…. The sun is setting and we are putting our lights on…….

I head out for my 3rd and final lap at dusk …. Open trail in front of me…. I am intent on laying down a good time on this one….. dark trail ……almost lose it…. Keep it going …… over the climb down the descent…. Up another….down again.. the fast section through the forest…… through a hairpin … keep your speed up…..less than 2 miles to go….. nail it…. Through the left hairpin riding the bank high in the turn…..shit over compensated……damn…handlebar catches a tree……. Thrown off the bike into the bank….. stars….where is the air in my lungs? Ribs? Shoulder? Damn, Damn…… get up …. Get your breath……..Get going…… slow pedal at first……. OK… OK…. Pick up speed…. Pull the limbs out of my helmut……. …… there is the finish…….. Sam ready to go… lights on… Jim is there…….Go Sam GO!




I wait around for Sam to come in and Jim to head out before I head home to prepare for Mitchell …….. what a great event, what a great team….. Sam our logistics and team captain, Deb the mechanic and anchor, Jim the Doc and voice of reason, and me….. having a great time……. I am only sorry that I am leaving and not seeing the team through to the finish……..

Mitchell
I have done Mitchell before……once…..worst bike ride I have EVER had…. 2008 where the temperatures set all time records …. Where I got a full dose of heat stroke that caused me 4 weeks of recovery……. Where I cramped so bad that a SAG would not let me continue and ordered me in the car……. Where I swore I would never do it again……. I mean, I am all about descending….what a climb without a descent?….. mashed potatoes without gravy?...what are they thinking…….

But a team event is a team event…..and as the Jens V domestique I am called to duty…… doing 3 1 hour time trials in the woods 2 days before is NOT what I would recommend….. But the great thing about being a support person…… you do your job then sit back and tempo ride to the finish (you hope)…

6:30am start…… all together…. Randall, Perry, Christina, Goat, Stratton, Giselle, Bethster, Emily, Mel with Joe off to the side with his powerhouse of a daughter Cynthia……. Goal …. Setup some of our women for top placings…… My goal is to get them to Marion with a good time and with plenty left in the tank for the grueling 20 miles of climbing…..

Off….. like a Cat 3 race we go out covering the first 4 miles at 23+mph….Heart Rates are skyrocketing… I know several teammates are with me but I am singularly focused on what is ahead….. the pack accelerates to 25mph for the next 7 miles…….. Giselle comes up…. Weinacker is here…. Stratton is here…… Where’s Randall, Emily, Bethster, Christina, Perry……… our pack is split from a lead pack who is about 50 yards ahead…… “Giselle should we try to bridge?” “NO…” I am glad she said that as I note we are going about 30mph……. sit in….. fast enough …. Conserve…… work towards the front……. Giselle and I are close…. Where is Stratton? Weinacker? Drift back….. they are OK….”Move up…need to move up” work my way back up… at the front…try to keep the group at a smooth pace….. its fast enough…could be smoother…… drift back…….. move up….we need to move up…. Stratton on my wheel as we move up through the pack…at the front going through a pace line….Stratton there going through……

Giselle “nature break???”…… Kristi OK…. Goat OK…. Head back through the pack where is Giselle…..Ray tells me she stopped for a P….. oh shit…… Stop at the top of the hill, do the same…… pack moves off down the hill….. Giselle comes up and goes by…. Ray and I back on the bike chasing…… Giselle eases and waits for us….Pack is gone…….. going …. Pick up another rider…up a climb….. down then to Bills Hill….Ray off….. legs are like cement…..no go on the climbs …… too tired from Saturday’s effort……. Giselle is cruising up the climb ….. “Giselle, Go ahead…Keep going” I shout as I decide to back off and will wait at the top for the rest of the team…….. Ray comes up ….. a big pack behind …keep going….. jump in the pack coming up behind you…..

Wait, wait……. I am watching rider after rider crest Bill’s Hill….no one…no one is smiling (unlike Tsali where everyone was smiling) there is Emily…Perry….. we acknowledge… I look for Beth……no Beth…..oh shit…… I wait…..and wait….Mel coming up…… Mel, where is Beth?? She is ahead in a pack with Perry…….damn, damn……

On the bike…… go go go….. how long has it been…. 30 miles to Marion……. 10 minutes back maybe…. Damn….. Mel cannot hold my wheel, nor does he want to…….. picking up and dropping riders along the way….race pace…not good……do the math….you will not catch them…… 5 miles…got to try…..10 miles…. Keep it going……15 miles….this bloody hurts…… 20 miles….. I am DONE…… do go… no desire…… Mitchell will not happen today…. Settle down…. The girls will be out of Marion before I get there…they will be on their own…….

I have faith in everyone of them….. they are the most tenacious, gifted, women I have ever ridden with….. I will only be able to cheer them on in my thoughts…….. and hope, just hope the weather holds…..

One thing I have learned over the years doing events….be it hiking Mt. Whitney or the Presidential Range, doing a half ironman, sail boat racing in open water, a double century, a road race in gale force winds…. Is that sometimes it is better to call it a day…. And save it for another day…… If it’s the day you don’t have it, maybe it is the day to back off and “chill”……….. 58 and still going strong……

Oh, and my faith was well founded as Giselle, Goat, Emily, Beth, and KP did Headstrong proud….. Congrats to all of them on a great ride…..

First Time Mitchell Rider

Goal: to finish with my daughter Cinthia and do it in a time of 6 to 6 ½ hours.

It was my type of weather: not to hot and not to cold. So we started at 6:30 sharp and my domestique made me stay close to the front for the first 45 miles. The first hour was like a crit race. Our average until Bills hill was 25.5 mph. I am thinking this is like doing a Donaldson A group ride.

Then came Bill. Bill is certainly more than a hill. I gave everything to stay with the front group, but after seeing the first stars, I knew I had to back off. All of a sudden I was on my own. I am thinking oh crap now what? Very quickly I catch onto the guy in front of me and then we catch the next rider and so on. Before you knew it we were a group of 20 and what made my day is that Cinthia came back. I knew that she could have been the first female on the mountain, but she sacrificed herself for the old man. So now we are recovering well and all riders are working together and making a pace line. At about mile 50 there is a larger group of riders in sight that we eventually reel in. All of a sudden we are 35-40 riders and I am thinking that there could only be like 20 riders that got away. So we work together until Marion, which was very relaxing.

Unfortunately at about mile 60 we are turning left and a guy runs into my rear wheel. OMG I am thinking that I am going down, but for some reason I am able to control the bike and stay upright. The guy that hit me was not as fortunate and went down. Luckily he was able to get up and hopefully did not hurt himself too bad. A friend of mine that was riding behind us thinks the rider that ran into me lost his concentration for a moment due to fatigue. So we continue on. Next thing I hear is that people are telling me that my rear wheel is not true and is wobbling. Why did they tell me this, because now I am only thinking about my rear wheel. How am I going to ride 40 more miles with a defect rear wheel? I think about Christina and our camp and tell myself: this is not what you want to think about. The bike is still moving. Just get it out of your head. Cinthia tells me to open my rear brake all the way. So at least now it is not rubbing against the brake pads.

So we make it to Marion and shortly before, we or better Cinthia changed our strategy not to stop in Marion. We both had a full bottle of water and decided to make the next stop, which was an excellent decision because we could continue to draft for the next 10 miles. We stop at mile 82 and fill up our water bottles. Need to thank the lady volunteers at this stop because they new everybody was in a hurry to move on and they moved like a pit crew at NASCAR.

At mile marker 85 the pain came. I could hardly sit anymore. My daughter is constantly telling me: come on dad, you can do this, do not stop to eat and drink. At mile 92 it happened. A cyclist worst nightmare. My left leg starts to cramp. I slow down. Try to go easy and ride it out. Seems to work, but it slows the pace down for a while. Now Cinthia is making me eat more and more. She has so much food in her back pockets it reminds me of a pantry. Within a mile I thought a bolt of lightning hit my right leg. It just went from top to bottom. I have to get off the bike because the pain is so bad I would probably fall off. I try everything from stretching to jumping to get rid of the cramp. We lose a lot of time and Cinthia is pretty pissed. For the next minutes all I hear is I told you so and so forth. I am thinking, can‘t she be quiet?

We finally hit the final climb to the top. We are grinding away. I am constantly looking at the accumulated miles on my GPS. Even the tenths are moving so slow now. Eventually we hit 102, but no finish in sight. Where was the finish? The fog was so dense here, we had about 50 yards of visibility. There was another .5 miles which we rode to the finish line. You are thinking, what is a ½ mile for a cyclist? This ½ mile took forever. Finally it came: the finish line. Cinthia and I held hands as we cross. 6 hours and 12 minutes. I‘m sure we could have broken 6 hours, if it weren‘t for my mistakes, but there is always next year. I need to thank Randall and Jon for the hard training we went through these past months and a special thanks to Christina, which I‘m sure I could not have finished if I would not have constantly adjusted my head to the new hurdles.

Asheville Town Mountain RECAP

WOW, KP and I had an awesome time in Asheville on Friday night. The weather forecast was very ominous so a total of 42 riders were slated to ascend the mountain, 5 of them being women (and that includes KP and I!). KP and I had already decided, rain or shine, we were going to race our legs off.

In the women's A event, it was me pitted against Pro rider Lauren Tamayo. She was the defending champion from last year who also happenned to set a world record last week in the Panamerican Track Championships in the 3k discipline. She also happens to live in Asheville.

This course is very technical. Steep uphill for about a 1 1/2 or so, levels out, then up, up, up, then almost a false flat finish. Very fast middle and end sections where you need to anticipate gearing changes and get into the drops. Some riders doned TT helmets, skin suits, and disc wheels.

Lauren Tamayo indeed crushed her previous record with a time of 20:43, placing 4th OVERALL! She earned a sweet, well deserved $500 paycheck for her efforts. I placed 2nd with a time of 23:08 and managed to shave 36 seconds off of my last year's efforts. And, 2nd place earned me $100 bucks and a cool bling bling medal :). And, not to mention some awesome post ride burritos! (of course, yes, they were paleo!)

KP absolutely dominated the Women's B race. Her time, a smokin' fast 22:54. KP earned an awesome medal, socks, gift card? and the bragging rights that she really placed 2nd overall for the women. (Kp, I can't wait until you can Cat up so you can be in the money!)

I can tell you this, we rode fast and both posted solid times. We were hoping for a much bigger turnout for the women's race, but the bipolar weather was an issue. I am super proud of my teammate KP, you truly rocked it out!!

Indeed, we both rode HeadStrong into the night and truly left everything on the course.

Thank you to everyone for the good luck wishes! KP and I are both ready to tackle the race again next year. Won't you join us?

MT MITCHELL PART V - Self Talk

Well, it is close. Right about now is when that little voice in the back of my head starts asking, "What in in the heck were you ever thinking?"

This comes out verbally in some things you and I have heard/said:

* I have not ridden this far one time this year! No matter that nobody ever runs 26.2 miles in prep for a marathon!
* Gee, I just want to finish and feel good! Nobody ever 'feels good' at the finish. This thing hurts like hell. Admit it. You want a time and you know what it is!
* I am not trained for this type race. This is what I've been saying. No matter I ride a bike 15-17 hours weeks up and down mountains. No matter I am in the best shape of my life.
* I don't like these long things. I like shorter races. No matter, the longer it goes the stronger, I get. No matter I have great results in the long guys.

What are you saying???

Well, I am gonna do what I always do. I am gonna replace every negative thought with a positive vision. I know my current thoughts will determine my future. I am envisioning being at the head of the TEAM headstrong paceline mile after mile. I see myself pacing some of women up to the Parkway.

I AM SEEING MYSELF CROSS THE FINISH LINE LAST AMONGST THE TEAM AND THE CLOCK SAY 6:SOMETHING.

I am seeing each of you meet your REAL goal....whether said or unsaid.

I AM SEEING MYSELF KICK BUTT!

How are you seeing yourself???

ASHVILLE TOWN MOUNTAIN HILL CLIMB

Weinacker (AKA Goat) will be competing Friday night in this prestigious event. She will be going up against defending champion Lauren Tamayo. Tamayo is a professional cyclist and the fastest 3000M track rider in the world. Goat has trained for this and MM as 'A' races. She has goals to set a new course record Friday night.

As her coach, I can atest to the preparation she has put in for this race. Goat knows, " If she can dream it, she can make it happen."

Kristin Phillips (AKA KP) will join Weinacker.

Both are making names as elite class climbers.

Friday night should be thrilling evening in Asheville with this competitive face off!

MT MITCHELL PART IV - Tortoise and the Hare

In one of the previous posts, I talked about besting all my companions in the 11:22 Granfondo feat. One the reasons was the 'off the bike time'.

During the race, I was off the bike a total of 23 minutes. My companions, as a comparison, were off 1-1.5 hours. I passed the best rider 3 times before I completely left him behind, laying in the grass, at the top of a Col. He had come around me grinding about 2K from the summit. The total climb was 28K (yes, that is right....17+ miles) with some very steep grades. I rolled the rest stop and never looked back.

Here is what I know about stops:
* Take as few as you can.
* Set a time goal for the stop just like a transition in multisport.
* 15 minutes can seem like 3. Time the stops and have somebody call out the time.
* Pee at the side of the road vs. waiting for porta john.
* When stopped, keep your helmet, glasses, shoes and gloves on. Precious time is saved.
* Get off the road for safety.

Here is the math. If you are riding 21 mph and you stop for 5 minutes, you will have to go 23 mph for nearly an 45-60 minutes to catch back up. This does not take into account the fact that you might lose the main field or the draft affect. It takes about 25% more energy to go 23 than 21mph if your are pulling. I know Bird can correct this calculation and I am probably off......but not a lot.

MT MITCHELL PART III - Packing for Marion

You will need to bring your bag to Team HQ this week so we can transport it to Tsali where Jim will take over. Suggest the following content:
* Sunscreen
* knee warmers
* arm warmers
* rain jacket
* vest
* food
* 4 bottles loaded with sports drink powder

Place your name on bag and put tape with name on your bottles. If I am doing the math right, Jim will have about 40 bottles. HE WILL FILL THEM WITH WATER! AND SHAKE 'EM UP.

Jim will be right on the roadside with the bags and bottles all laid out by each other. We will radio him ahead to tell him so he can do this and the bottles will be cold.

Jim will have the latest weather forecast for us for Mt Mitchell! This will determine what part of this stuff we need or leave at the car.

Also remember you need to check a bag at the start on Monday morn with clothes, towel, soap etc. There are showers at Marion and you will need one, trust me. The bag will be waiting on you at the summit.

CAROLINACYCLING.COM

Neil Browne is running this web site. He is a journalist, Cat 3 racer and Director Sportif of the Hincapie Development Team. He is often covering races. If you win, please seek him out........he was looking hard for KP for an interview after the Paris Mt TT. I realize KP had no earthly idea of this. These interviews are great PR for TEAM headstrong.

Mt. Mitchell Recon Ride

I rode the Mt. Mitchell course from Marion (intersection of 70 and Hwy 80) to the top of Mitchell yesterday, Thursday, May 13th, 2010 as a “reconnaissance “ride.
Basically 28 miles with almost 5,800ft of climbing…. I rode it easy to moderate pace, and it was still very tough. I averaged 10mph and it took me 2:47… (for the Friel disciples I never went above Z3).

1. The real climbing starts at mile 8 (mile 74.6) on Hwy 80, where it is 4 miles (ave 6.5%) to the BRP #5-6. BUT that is just the warmup as you actually will be climbing for the next 20 miles at an average grade of 5.5% (doesn’t sound steep, but..) ..... and you will only get 3 “reprieves” (one substantial).......

for the complete summary click on the link below.

Mt Mitchell notes

MT MITCHELL PART II - HYDRATION AND NUTRITION

Ok, we have taked about hydration and nutrition but let's get specific.

While I don't love these long affairs, I have done about 6 of them over 6 hours. All have been successful. Hydration/Nutrition is just as important as pacing when I go over 4 hours. My first long race was in Europe took 11:22.....yes, that is 11 hours and 22 minutes, and I beat all of the 9 fellow Americans who accompanied me. Most were much stronger riders. They obviously were not smarter racers.

Here's what works for me. I try to knock down about 400-450 calories per hour. I:
* only eat and drink things that have previously worked for me. Nothing new!
* drink a lot of calories. I add Carbo Pro to Gatorade.
* drink at least 1 large bottle of fluid per hour and sometimes a little more.
* start drinking about 10 minutes into the race.
* eat sport beans, shot blocks, gu and dried fruit.

Solid foods and fiber just don't work for me. I once starting chewing a bite of Cliff Bar and it's mass grew 3x in my mouth. Seriously, these foods take to much to digest when you are going hard.

I use a Bento box for the beans, gu, etc....it is an accessory made popular by 70.3 and Ironman athletes. CT has one for about $10. I started biking late in life and I need very convenient items when I am going 21 mph.

I will take 4 bottles with me at the start. I strongly recommend you do. Don't tell me they are too heavy. Teenie and I use the guns that fit behind your seat, but you can put them in your jersey. Once empty, you can jetison them as we pass a rest stop if you like(they are only $4 and hey, you don't have to wash them). I will have another 4 at Marion with Jim.

We can not wait in line at a rest stop for fluid. They won't have what you normally drink, and if you think you are going to make this on drinking water, God rest your soul!

Your plan may be different......have one. If you have not done many of these, send your plan to me. I will play Devil's Advocate. Getting this right is key to making May 24th a good day.

One "Tough Broad"

Well, thank you to those of you that came back to scrape me off the pavement this evening at SC TAC (formerly Donaldson). There is nothing better than to be surrounded by friends when one is hurting and in pain. Elizabeth, Giselle, KP, Mel, Brandon, Debbie and Randall-much appreciated.

It seems that I did not break any bones but some pretty tender areas such as right shoulder, lower back, right calf belly and left clavical. hmmmmm. I am qualifying myself for the "One Tough Broad" Award! My disappointment is that I was sooooo close to the finish. Darn! Not too big a deal to some of you, but to this athlete that has recently switched over from multi-sport to only cycling, it was a "break-through" night, as coach Joe would call it!

So, thank you again. See you at SC TAC.

FYI-Currently, Ricardo Hincapie is in ER having his hip xrayed. I hope it is not broken and if it is that he heals quickly.

MT MITCHELL PART I - MENTAL PREP

I will make several entries between now and the 24th. These musings are likely to be nothing new but will hopefully cover areas that can improve our performance.

The mental side of preparation is often overlooked. Teenie has taught us that "we act in accordance with the truth as we believe it to be". What is your truth about MM?
* Riding vs racing - Either is OK, just level with yourself. If you have a time goal, you are racing.
* Team event - 'Have to' or 'want to'? How do you think LA would have done in the 7 tours without a team? better or worse?
* Harder or easier??? Do you believe going slower would be easier??? If your goal is easier(and mine usually is), let me challenge you to consider that 'faster is almost always easier'.
* How can I go 6.5 hours? I have not ridden that long all year? I am unprepared?.......Does anybody ever run 26.2 miles in training for a marathon? It is your cumulative training that has prepared you(or not) for MM, not any one day.

There are many more 'truths' to examine. If your truth is close the real truth, you are setting yourself up for a good day.

The race plan is another area of mentally preparation. You can break the race into parts and MM is easily 4 parts:
1. Spartanburg to Marion
2. Marion to the Pkwy
3. The Pkwy
4. The ride to the summit

Know your pace, food, hydration, exertion for each. Know your bike positions, pack position, clothing.
Know your limits:
* Z1 HR - Easy
* Z2 HR - Endurance zone - conversational
* Z3 HR - Tempo zone - you can say phrases
* Z4 HR - Threshold zone - you can say words
* Z5 HR - Anaerobic zone - can't talk

For a distance like this, most athletes find that the maximum average effort they can achieve is between Z3 and Z4. Any time in Z5 can be deadly. Of course, the lower your HR the better.

Part 1 will challenge us in that it is important for us to stay together for economy yet we have different capabilities. You will not be able to go 'too easy' in this segment. If the ride up there is easy for you, it is all the better. You can attack the climbs! The danger is the ride, to Marion, being too hard. If you average between Z3 and Z4, this means that you will have considerable time in Z4 so stay calm. Consider yourself a car with a fuel tank. The more fuel you have at Marion, the faster you can drive to Mitchell.

It is really important to think about this prior and know you limits before the race. The heat of battle is not the time to negotiate with yourself. You will not find your analysis to be solid when riding 21-22 mph in peleton.

So, give a few hours, if not many hours, thought to this event. Train mentally, as well as physically.

See ya there.

Headstrong Ladies Go 1,2,3 at Paris Mtn ITT

Incredible showing by Kristin Phillips 12:04, Kristen Weinacker 12:05, and Lara Shaw 12:38 who took the top 3 female times at Saturday's Paris Mountain ITT. KP and Goat improved over their previous times by about 30 seconds. The powerful trio were followed in by team mates Kristi Stratton (13:07), Debbie Gillespie (13:33) and Perry Seltz (14:35).

Another very strong showing by Team Headstrong.

Congratulations to all

Camp musings from Bird

First, thanks to everyone who clipped in, for a great weekend. I guess everyone has been a student of Christina's in the power of positive thinking/attitude as it showed. It was a pleasure to host the camp and share my favorite rides and home with all of you.

Saturday's ride was actually 11 rated climbs, not the 9 I had mentioned....... Yes, Joe, just one more climb...... We had short climbs, steep climbs, and one really nasty long and steep climb. 7,000 ft of climbing in 60 miles is a tough challenge and everyone did a great job.

I have tallied the "points" and without a doubt Giselle is the clear winner of the Polka Dot jersey overall. Tom Reynolds was the winner on the men's side (soundly beating me with the climb up 215), but our women put the "hurt" on the men in this slugfest of climbs. I have weighted the climbs ( to my advantage of course), but the billy goats who made it up the 215 climb prevailed as it was awarded the highest point total. I am not sure I got all finishing right on all the climbs but it is close enough.

click below for pdf of above.........

http://teamheadstrong.googlegroups.com/web/Camp%20Climb%20Sat%20Results.jpg?gda=_yPDLk0AAACKGPPl9da7NmykyZ4xRiQ96oJ80zOzzKAYRMydWtn8tj-2HgGjxvk3NiJjYJs3y0YTvc-Bxa5oLHTGRv7hImiG5Tb_vjspK02CR95VRrtmeQ&gsc=Dba2ugsAAAClgRP4VJVbhJ9h9Dy6ivbI

BRADY LEADS SEW

E (our own Elizabeth Brady) currently sets atop the Southeastern Women's Cycling Race Series in CAT 4 with 68 points. E says she has her sights on the French Broad Classic in July. The FBR is one of the key races for TEAM headstrong. The TEAM should have strong participation in the omnium which features an ITT, a RR and a Crit!

Camp from DS's viewpoint

I guess Camp exceeded my expectations in about every way.

Having Joe and Joyce Friel there was real thrill for me. Besides being my coach and one of the world's authorities on what we do, he rides seriously strong. And Joyce, what a team player?? Rider, SAG, cook, and photographer!!

We had 19 our 20 team members participate.

The lodging was wonderful.

The rides were very challenging.

Lauren nailed the food/nutrition.

Teenie helped us get a little more headstrong.

Even at the summits, we still had smiles.

We built personal relationships.

We set goals.

We organized Mt Mitchell and Tsali.

How do we best this act? Tucson in Jan?? I know some of you are thinking:
I can't get off, it will cost a lot, Tucson is too far. Well maybe? But just maybe, If we dream it, we can make it happen.

Paris MT TT

I registered for the PMTT on Sat, May 8, and see that Lara, Joe and Christina all have start times. Are you all doing the TT, and if so, is anyone one up for riding another hour or so after the TT?

A note from Beth

A big thank you to Randall and Christina for coordinating a fabulous climbing camp. Thank you for the attention to all the details, it doesn't go unnoticed (oops, it IS noticed!). It was great meeting Joe and his wife Joyce and to have the opportunity to learn from him. And Christina's presentation was enlightening.



Thanks to Jon and Giselle and their families for offering their beautiful homes. I bet there aren't any bicycling camps in the country with luxurious accommodations like those. Thanks sooooo much to Lauren for all the time and effort she put into making delicious and nutritious meals for all of us. That had to be the most difficult work of all! And of course a big thanks to Jon for putting together the challenging and really fun routes.


It was so wonderful to get to spend time with all of you both on and off the bike. You all have something special to offer and I enjoyed every moment.



It was very memorable!!



With a smile,



Beth



P.S. Love the bra and little bike pouch. And the hats are great! See? So many details!

SCTAC tonight

Is anyone doing the SCTAC ride tonight? I spoke with Sam yesterday, and she's planning on the B ride.

Mt Mitchell Training Ride

Of course you can come if you are not doing Mt Mitchell. Bird, Teenie and I are going 4.5 -5 hours hard on Saturday. this ride will be on the order of Saturday Camp ride. Please comment about your preferred start time if you feel like you might be 'in'. Let us know if you can do all or part. We will try to accommodate to fit all interested!

Spring Camp 2010

Thanks to everyone, for making the spring climbing camp an awesome event. You all are welcome anytime to join us at Bird's Lodge...

Jon

SCTAC

Teenie and I will be doign a 2 hour ride tomorrow and recovering...no SCTAC for us. Wanted to let you know.

Thank you...

I had the most fabulous time with each and all of you this past weekend! Thank you all for being so fantastic.