Explaining my absence...

Twin Sizzler road race, 7/4/2011

This blog and I have been silent lately, and so this post is meant to explain away the past month.

If you follow this blog, you know that I joined Snakebite Racing late last year. And then you also know that team members are required to accumulate race points based on participation in order to remain in good standing.

I've been doing a lot of racing lately, and the most logical blog post would be a race report. But I just think that race reports can be rather dull. They're mundane to write, and boring to read. Besides, if you really want to know about my races, you can always check the Snakebite site.

I wasn't sure if I'd be motivated to race enough to maintain team status, but planned to give it my best shot and then decide later if I thought it was all worth it.

So far, this is what I've learned:

• Racing makes training easier. It keeps me motivated and goal-oriented.
• Racing also makes 'regular' riding a little more difficult, in terms of spontaneity. Now I weigh the consequences of going for a non-training ride if it may hinder my performance at a race. That's a little annoying.
• Other than that, the sacrifice on my time and energy hasn't been all that great. 

Life is a balancing act. There are all kinds of competing interests (and disinterests) vying for time and attention, and not enough time in the day. But summertime in northeast Ohio is frustratingly short , and so I'm OK with postponing other interests in order to take advantage of warm weather and sunny days for cycling.

So, that's my excuse: So many rides, so little time. 

I'll post more after next week, when the bulk of my summer race schedule will be behind me. Until then, look for me on the roads!

The Duathlon Report

Michelle, Nancy, Me, and Jackie, post race (Nordonia)

My two favorite duathlons - Nordonia and Twinsburg - are now history.

Nordonia Duathlon Race Report

Nordonia is a low-key event. It's not sanctioned, so it brings out racers of all levels, from newbie to seasoned. Last year I finished in 1:13:something, which put me into 2nd place overall but I wanted to do better this year.

I started the run kinda fast, because Nancy and Michelle from Snakebite are fast runners and I made the mistake of starting out with them. All the while, I'm telling myself to slow down to a more sane pace, there's still too much race left to burn myself out in the first mile. I'm not a great runner, but I was hoping to maintain a 7:30 mile.

I got into the transition and scrambled to get on the bike. The course is 2 laps of a 5-mile loop, complete with a nice climb up Valley View Road in the middle. I like climbs. The first time around, I got into my groove and kept up a steady pace, and was able to pass a lot of those fast runners. The second lap up that hill, everyone was petering out a bit, so I threw it in low gear, cranked up the cadence, and finished near the front to begin the last run leg.

And then I was done. My tank was on "E". My legs were concrete, I was gasping for breath. After ascending to the paved trail, I had to walk about 20 paces just to catch my breath and convince myself that I could run some more. At that point, a girl I passed on the bike now breezed past me, but I had nothing - nothing - in me to respond. It was all I could do to start running again, and keep her in my sight to the finish.

I didn't know that up until she passed me, I was the female leader! Oh well, even had I known, I couldn't do anything about it.

I finished #2, but my results showed that I had the third best time on the bike overall, including all the guys! I'm really pleased about that, but I wish I could run better. My time was 1:10:18, better than I had hoped. I won a ceramic coffee mug.

Jackie did great - almost 6 minutes faster than last year. And she chalks some of that improvement up to the training she did over at Ohio Indoor Cycling all winter.

Twinsurg Duathlon Race Report

Me, Nancy, and Angie cool, calm, and collected before the Twinsburg Du

Lots of Grunt Girls and Snakebite teammates raced today, which made this one a lot of fun.

In a nutshell, my race was nearly identical to the Nordonia event (good first run, great bike leg, petered out and had to walk a bit on the 2nd run leg - what the hell???). And, as in that other race, I took a second place finish.

This was a little strange, though: I was actually the fourth woman to cross the line, with Angie crossing scarily close behind. I thought for sure I won age group (and Angie won hers, too), but the final results showed that women #2 and #3 were penalized for some transgression (choices: drafting, blocking, or wearing earbuds on the bike).

Since I was bumped onto the podium, Nancy (who had her rotator cuff fixed over the winter, but seems to not have lost any fitness because of it) took first in our age group.

I finished in 1:04:46, which is way better than I had expected, given last year I finished in 1:10:36.

Grunt Girls Andrea, Kim, Stacy, Beth, Pam, Paty - who else? there were lots! - all ran great races, too, and some of us met up at Fresh Start Diner for a celebratory chow down.

Duathlon: My race goal

I like to do race course re-con a week or two before the actual event, just to get a feel for the terrain. Even though I've competed in the Nordonia Duathlon before, I wanted to go out and test the track again today, a little over a week before the race.

I'm glad I did; it was a lot harder than I remembered. Of course, the perpetual rain/cold/wind/rain weather pattern northeast Ohio has been suffering through since March doesn't put me at the same level of fitness as last year, either.

I did the entire course in a little over 1:17, which isn't too bad. I finished the race last year in 1:13: and some change, which got me a second place for all women.

Goal for May 21:

Let's go with 1:14:00. I know that I haven't been out training as much, and the race is 3 weeks earlier than last year's event. I'm trying to be realistic here...

Anyone else doing this race?

Racing season 2011 begins!

I raced at RATL (Race at the Lakes) yesterday, for the first time and in my Snakebite Team kit!

4 other teammates showed up for this race, and we worked together on tactics, coached and encouraged each other along the way, and had a good time doing it - but just couldn't keep up with the lead girls. Thanks to Angie, Andrea, Stacy, and Kim for a great race yesterday.

And congratulations to Gray Patton who did this amazing bat-out-of-hell impersonation, taking off like she was on fire at the very beginning of the race, and holding her lead the entire 15 laps. I didn't see her again until I finished.

Next week I'm planning to be back out at RATL, for the last of the 4-race series. But I'm also considering racing the Colavito Time Trial series, which begins next Sunday. Not sure if I'll do both races yet - I'll decide later in the week...

Goal Setting

I like to plan my training around goals I set for myself early in the season.

This year's goals are a little late in coming, because the season has been delayed a bit (rain, wind, cold, repeat...)

Joe Friel, in his "Training Bible" books, says that goals should be:

• Measurable - otherwise, how do you know you're improving?
• Under your control - 'complete the Twin Sizzler in 1:15:00 or better', vs. 'Win Twin Sizzler)
• Stretch your abilities - 'Finish a 10K race' isn't a real goal for someone who already runs 5 miles
• Stated in the positive - 'Not drown in my first triathlon' is an example of a not-positively-stated goal

With those guidelines in mind, here are my 2011 goals, in no order of importance:

• Ride with the Summit Freewheelers "A" group 3 times, hanging with them from start to finish all three times
• Run a 10-mile road or 10K trail race
• Run an average 7.5 min/mile pace in my two spring duathlons
• Attain the 8 points required to maintain 'Team" status in Snakebite Racing
• Compete in the Blossom Time 5-mile run, finishing with a better time than Andy Z (who dropped the gauntlet early in the year, and just so happens to be the CEO of the company for whom I currently work)

And lastly, I'm going to add this one is as a BONUS goal, even though this isn't currently part of the plan:

• Complete a Century Ride

I'll update each of these goals as the season progresses.

I'd love to hear what you're training for this year. Please post your goals in the comments field of this blog.

Rite of Spring

Stravinsky's masterpiece ballet was a big controversial hit back in Paris in the early 1900's. And it wasn't just because the music is kinda weird and primitive.

The denouement of the performance is when the main character dances herself to death in sacrifice to the gods of the Underworld, in order that Spring may once again return.

Is this, in some archetypal way, the reason why I'm drawn back to Death Valley every February? To ride myself to death in order to appease some Vernal pantheon? When I get home, warm weather typically follows close behind. Hmmm...

Well, I didn't quite die this time, but I assume the Furies, after hitting me with so many rights that I was begging for a left (be careful what you ask for), decided to let me go - for now.

See you next year. Sucker.

DV Spring Century: The Fury

Saturday, Feb. 27, 2011













The good news is that the rain and cold that was predicted for today must have been canceled, because we woke up to clear skies and mild temperatures. That's all for the good news.







Dave and I got out in time to watch the 200-mile riders go out.We especially wanted to cheer on Tim, who was sporting his 508 jersey for his return engagement to Death Valley. It was so exciting to see the group take off in twilight, especially after hearing Chris Kostman's pep talk: "If it's snowing on Salisbury Pass, think about turning around." YIKES!

I was nervous. After Tim left, Dave wanted a quick breakfast, but I could barely choke down an English muffin. I was ready to go right then and there, and had my bike loaded and waiting outside the cafe. Dave had to run back to the room for his bike (he wasn't nearly as concerned about this day as I was). In the meantime, I took my place in line, and waited for Jill to come up. She looked as anxious as I felt, but we reaffirmed our commitment to this ride and to our ability to have some fun with it.

The countdown began and we were off. Dave missed us by moments, although he claims he saw us making the turn out of Furnace Creek Ranch, and directly into the wind.

This wasn't completely unexpected. But the force of it this early in the morning took us a little off guard (it wasn't yet 7 AM).

It didn't feel good at all to be back fighting a headwind. We struggled. I wondered which was worse: a killer headwind during the first half of the ride, or the last (like last year). I was to find out that there was another option I hadn't considered, an option that trumped the other two.

The route to our first checkpoint at Badwater is mostly flat with a few long downhills. It took us 2 hours to go the 17.7 miles. That was NOT a good omen.















Here's what is tough about a strong, steady headwind:

• You're in your lowest gears, holding a steady cadence just to move forward. There is no coasting.
  
• You struggle to stay upright when the strongest gusts hit. Your arms begin to burn from the effort to hold your line.
• You can't drink, eat, blow your boogery nose, or take pictures while in motion, because you need both hands on the bars at all times.
• You don't want to stop for any of the above because you're already crawling at 7 mph, with 80 miles to go.
• Headwinds are like non-stop hill climbs. And then you come to the hills.

The only bright spot in this entire exercise was the anticipation of the fast 4-mile descent from Jubilee Pass, followed by the delicious tailwind on the return trip.

This thought is the only thing that kept us going. There were at least a couple of really, really hard stretches where I didn't think I'd be able to continue to the next checkpoint at Ashford Mills (mile 45.4).

But we made it, although Jill and I were both pretty burned out and cranky by then. It was good to stop, re-hydrate, pop some Endurolytes, take a break from our sustained misery.

The turn leading from Ashford to Jubilee was almost windless, it seemed, and I attributed that to our direction of travel and increased elevation. I was probably half right. I didn't want to think that perhaps the wind was shifting direction.

We began a slow climb up the 6% grade to Jubilee Pass, about 4 miles away. The road wound into the mountains, and it was absolutely stunning. As I pulled a away a bit, shedding my jacket, a passing car honked and slowed next to me. It was Dave!

He had very wisely turned back at the entrance to Artist Drive, about 8 miles before Badwater. It had taken him an hour and a half to get there, and he thought that was just stupid. So he turned back, covering the return trip in half an hour (tailwind, you know), took a shower, got French toast at the 49'er, packed up for our departure tomorrow, then decided to drive out to find us. It was great motivation to see him. He waited at the turnaround point at Jubilee Pass, and we both cheered Jill as she came in just behind me.


















Karen and Steve, volunteer's we met at last year's event, were there for support again, and we chatted with them briefly before turning around. Karen mentioned something about the winds often changing direction, and I thought she was kidding but she looked kind of serious.





Without further delay, we said our goodbyes and told Dave that we'd see him in 2 hours back at the Ranch. It had taken us 5 hours to get to the turnaround point.

The descent was fast, with a few crosswinds thrown in for fear factor, but the view was unbelievable. A quick stop at Ashford (now checkpoint 3) and we were off again.

Averaged about 21 mph for the next 10 miles. Had the good fortune to hook on with a couple of younger guys who worked with us in a paceline. They were too fast, though, averaging 27+ mph, and we backed off the pace because we still had 30 miles left and needed to conserve our energy.

Jill and I were in better spirits - chatty, happy, prematurely congratulation ourselves for sticking with it in spite of the atrocious wind. The universe was smiling down on us.

And then we got to Mile Marker 24.

The road follows the contours of the mountains at the level of the salt pan, winding in and out with a regular rhythm that becomes almost predictable. We turned into the first of many inward-leading curves, and were slammed with a biting, cold, malicious force. The winds HAD shifted. The furies were once again unleashed.

And just like that, our pace, our attitude, our desire to finish just kind of fell apart. We struggled like crazy for the next 6 miles, stopping every so often when we could no longer stay upright. At one point, Jill, in a head-down tuck position, hit another cyclist who was just standing in the road. She went down, but was unhurt - just rattled. We were out in the middle of the desert. There was no cell service, no SAGs in sight, and many miles of pain to endure until we could call it quits.

6 miles to Badwater, 18 from there to Furnace Creek - but it could have been a million. At the pace we were riding, that meant about 3 more hours on the bike. Neither of us had the will to continue.

I thought of Dave napping in the warmth and comfort of the Ranch, and regretted my boldness in suggesting that we would meet him at the finish. So, while stopped at the top of a turn, with the wind screaming in my face and no one to hear me, I shouted at the top of my lungs, "DAVE!".

Jill mustered up strength from somewhere (her 'suitcase of courage', maybe?) to practically sprint the final stretch to Badwater. Lot of cyclists were parked there. Many had already abandoned the ride. Consensus was that everyone was struggling. As Jill said, wind is the great equalizer.

Chris, the guy who picked Dave up from yesterday's windfest, was at Badwater. He opted for the 100-miler rather than the Ultra (150 mile) route, saying that riding in this kind of weather was 'rather silly'. We told him we were done.

Now, how to get back to the Ranch?

The support volunteer told us the SAG couldn't take us, they were too busy picking up those in serious trouble. Oh, and there was no cell service in Badwater. Sorry.

Jill was shivering on the curb, totally spent. I grabbed snacks and went in shameless search of anyone who was going to FC - not because I wanted a ride, but just to get a message to Dave.

I found no one, but Jill did. The wife of a rider who also had had enough agreed to contact Dave when she was within cell tower range. All we had to do now was sit tight and wait.

Not 1o minutes later, Dave pulled up next to us in the Badwater parking lot. How's THAT for Radar Love? He didn't get the call (yet) that we needed rescue, he just had a hunch that we might want some help. Jill and I were in awe of our 'rescuer', and praised him lavishly as we crammed 2 bikes and 3 people into our rental Corolla. We drove the final 18 miles back without regrets.

Jill was nervous about Tim, still somewhere out on the 200-mile course. As soon as we were back at the Ranch, she jumped into her car and went out to find him. Dave drove back to Badwater to see if our boy Chris wanted/needed rescue (he didn't). I took a long, hot shower and was dying for a beer.

When Dave came back, we stood at the finish line to cheer on the intrepid riders who braved the final leg of this ordeal. It was maybe a bit less windy, but colder and getting dark. Most riders came in with their headlights on, including Chris. Jill and Tim drove up just before that. Tim was uncharacteristically happy to have been rescued, said he would have appreciated it 20 miles earlier! He put in 124 miles altogether (nice job, Tim!).

I think that maybe about half the riders who started actually finished, and most of those had probably considered DNF but didn't have the option. I was glad that we DID have the option. We had ridden 85 miles in just over 7 hours.

Anti-climactic ending for this day/trip: I got my beer and some grub, but by the time Jill and Tim were ready for a drink I was completely, stick-a-fork-in-me, wiped out. We said our goodbyes in the hallway of the hotel. Jill and Tim, it was awesome to see you again. Safe travels home, and we look forward to seeing you in Minnesota.