I quit.

This has been edited and re-edited over a fortnight, a few handfuls of minutes at a time here and there - finally touched up over a hurried lunch. If it seems disjointed, consider that par for the course for this website. I'm always disjointed. Those with grammatical grudges and punctuational preconceptions should simply close their browsers and go read a good book.

And now, my latest post:

Over the last 30 days or so I have been participating in an activity that has me relocated to an area - while not impossibly far away - about four times farther from home, bike-route mileage wise. After entertaining the idea of biking-it for a couple days prior, the KC-area "snow-my-gawd" events of 2011 hit, and that pretty well clinched it. Timing is everything: thank goodness I had a backup vehicle in the driveway. With that, I began a stint of driving that by quick estimation probably puts me deep in the red against whatever carbon footprint or gasoline savings my car-free/light run of last year provided. I was back in traffic; not just driving in the suburbs but as a part of the bigger problem on the local highways to and from the city - every morning, every evening, for four weeks now. My backup vehicle is not timid at the gas pump, either, to the point where I'm fairly confident I've purchased more gas in the last month than I have in the last four years. The prices sting, and it reminds me how difficult this economic dry-spell has to have been on those that don't have many choices in this car-centric town.

My own, private, socio-economic experiment was underway. I didn't want to use the car. If there was an option available, I did examine it: Car pooling, as a subject, only seemed to put people on the defensive. That was interesting. Those that had safely determined that they lived too far from me were comfortable in saying "they would've if it'd worked out". Those who did live close enough or were on the way had a littany of excuses, some legit - some shallow. Gas money sharing wasn't enough to crack into their personal space or routine.

Then I looked online for train schedules and remembered, "oh, yeah. We don't have a train here."

Returning from my mental Fairyland Park, the bus was next. Despite being very creative spending hours at the computer for a few nights between the KCATA and Jo schedules and maps, initially expecting to find a solution and prematurely re-upping my bus-pass online, I finally threw up my arms. Between four different routes and a lot of walking through the snow berms on the sidewalks, two transfers each way in one case, ultimately there was no denying that I simply can't expect a Jo bus full of people to wait for me, a single rider, to transfer from a KC Metro bus which is *scheduled* to arrive eight minutes after they are supposed to have left downtown. The last bus, an hour later, put me back at the park-n-ride 30 minutes before the kids bedtime. Wife? Peeesed, rightly.

Are Kansas City commuters set up to fail? Oddball schedule overlaps seem common. Seemingly, if you live in Johnson County and work downtown, you don't get off work at exactly 4:30pm AND you can't make it to a stop on time, on foot, you're screwed. I don't get how this works, or how this is passable as "transit". A few minor changes, and - while my attempts here were in fact strictly personal - getting back to Johnson County between 5 and 6pm would work. I'm not beefin' about the minor hassle of standing around for 10 minutes for the next bus, I'm talking about overlays of hours as a result of having missed the previous bus my only four minutes in some cases.

We need more routes. We need more people to be hacked-off about there not being more options. We need more people to realize that gasoline, right now, is the highest its been in many months... and that it is February, when gas historically should be cheaper: and it isn't. What are we looking at this summer? $4.00? Easily. A small handful of oddly-scheduled southbound routes out of downtown KCMO in the evening isn't going to cut it. People know this.... so they just keep driving.

I don't drive downtown every day normally, so while I had a general idea beforehand I didn't know it would be this kind of wake-up call. This town is, frankly, ridiculous and backwards. Is traffic here as bad as Boston, or L.A., or Manhattan, NY, or Chicago? No...it's not, but those are not fair comparisons in my opinion. Check any website you like: The Kansas City metro area has more lane-miles per capita than any other area in the USA. By nearly 30%. When China passes the US in highway miles, it will be because they finally passed Kansa-freaking-city. Some would argue that by driving down I-35 you can see evidence that we'll not be letting go of the title quietly. USA! USA! USA! We have the pavement space - so there shouldn't be traffic issues at all, right? Think about it. Why is everyone reeaally driving everywhere?

Now that I've had to drive a "real" commute for a month now I'm not only appauled, I'm broke, frustrated and I feel like I'm missing a chunk of my life. I don't want to be in traffic, listening to drivetime radio. I want to be home, and I want to have gotten some exercise, and I want to feel like I'm making more than minimum wage after transportation costs are subtracted.

I will blog, I will write my letters and emails and call my representative, keep my MOBIKEFED and other memberships renewed, and so should you - but I will also do what most people I shared a lane with last month either won't or can't, which is hang up the keys and start paying it back. I've missed commuting this last month - and I'm recharged and ready. I'm not starting a crusade, and I'm not wearing any arm-bands with trees imprinted on them, no flags, and perhaps I'll even keep my person-to-person soapboxing to myself - but I am quite a bit more motivated than I was in, say, January, to stay on the bike.

Because I can ride, I should. If you can ride, you should. If you can walk, you should. If you can bus, you should. YES we live in a nation built on freedoms and I understand people can and will choose to drive. That is fine, and I accept it. Sheltered joco life? Absolutely... Granted, I knew all along that I loved cycling, that I was saving money, that I was saving gas - despite how miniscule in the grand scheme - and that I was doing my small part. I'm vastly lucky to live where I live and work where I work, and to have a trail that helps me avoid some nasty intersections.

I also understand that it has gotten pretty hairy on the streets for bicyclists around town. Over a decade in traffic has dulled me to the real dangers and honest fear that keeps many people from even trying periodic bicycle commuting around here, even if they do live close to work. Consider, though, that everything benefits everything else in this scenario: more busses? More options? A fair amount of people WILL use it if it's available. That gets cars off the roads. Fewer cars on the road, less 'fear' for cyclists? Perhaps. I know it is far less stressful to ride at 5AM than at 8AM during the week, and that's attributable to number of cars. Imagine if there were fewer cars at 8AM, as if it was 5AM, finally! More cyclists equals fewer cars on the roads still. Fewer cars on the roads benefit those that don't have a choice in the short term and must drive; less stress, less time on the road (more moving, less crawling) and less road-rage... Which begets less car-vs-bike rage. Motorcyclists can feel safer again. Using less space, less gas. Overall, less wear and tear on the roads, so perhaps we CAN finally spend a billion on light rail and still more busses, instead of spending it on *another* lane in each direction on I-35, 70, 635. And so on.

BUT, it all has to start with the individual. Is that you? Is it the next co-worker or friend you tell about the bike or the bus? (or both?)

Now that my activities north of the river are coming to an end it will be very welcome indeed to get back into a healthier, more responsible routine. As the snow melts away, the rains wash the streets and the temps warm up, perhaps this is becoming as good a year as any to start real change. No, there shouldn't be a season for it - but this is the year for all of us to do something. Gas will never be this cheap again, and we will wax wistfully for $3.00/gallon in as quick as two years. If you must drive, is it time to think about how much you REALLY need that SUV or diesel pickup? Can there really be a mobile, work-from-home workforce? Have you asked your employer if you even need to be in an office downtown at all?

Start something.
Do it this week.

As for driving to work every day?
I quit.
Join me.

Does fun equal fast?

Okay, I suppose Sunday and Monday won't be too bad - but for the 29th day of January, 2011, it nearly touched 50 degrees.  Felt awesome outside, so after a few chores around the house I ventured outside and onto the bike for the first time in over a month.  

I've ridden, sure - but it's all been indoors, slowly rebuilding and letting the left leg heal.  After getting smacked with a fairly heavy-duty upper-respiratory infection that has taken three rounds of antibiotics to destroy, I was told by the doc to take this last week as FULL rest (as opposed to active rest) and lay off exercise entirely.  Ugh.  That sucked.

However, it's those down-times that promote healing in many senses and allow muscles to rest.  OK, sure - I'll keep telling myself that.

Today, though, I could resist no longer.  A full week of at-or-above normal temps missed, and a fairly slow-moving winter storm coming next week - it was looking like "now or never".  I took the bike out of the trainer, dressed up, and took to the road.  

Thank goodness for fenders.  A lot of cyclists ask me:  why run fenders?  "you're still going to get wet if it rains," they say - and they're right.  However, this time of year is when I can confidently point to the salty snow-melt constantly running across almost every lane-mile of pavement in the metro and say "that's why."  Summer rain without fenders doesn't really bother me unless I'm on my way to work where fenders do keep me CLEANER if it's wet out, but this time of year when the rooster tail one gets without fenders is laden with salty chemicals and is only a few degrees above freezing... well, if I don't have fenders, I don't ride.  Besides my comfort, let's not forget the chain, cogs, cables, bottom bracket cups... all the things that really don't need to be sprayed with salt-wash.  Fenders.  Fenders.  Fenders.

Whenever I get the nutty idea to "save weight" and remove them, I ride on a day like today and remember why I put them on in the first place.

The wind was light, and the sun was out -- this was an awesome day to be on a bike.  I was buzzed a few times by flocks of geese as they tried to figure which fields were fields, and which fields were lakes.  I conquered the mile-long steady climb from 187th to 199th on Ridgeview without any muscular "noise".

I played "chase the train" on Woodland Road near Spring Hill, KS.  I lost.  

Even as I tried to "take it easy" on this short 25-miler, I found myself with a pretty decent average speed - a number I haven't produced in months, no matter how hard I'd have been pushing.  Sure, it's only 16.2 MPH average for 25 miles, mostly flat to rolling along Ridgeview to 199th, to Webster, to 223rd, to Woodland and back home - but, that's honestly the fastest I've been since... yikes:  September?  August?

I had a blast today, breathing deep, taking turns spinning up some climbs and standing and grinding out others.  The sunshine felt awesome, and the sky was really pretty - birds were even signing.  Heck, even traffic was friendly.  I think that feeling of freedom - freedom from the trainer and that little tiny room off the garage - was propelling me forward, just a little faster than on previous rides.  The training from the last month or so has indeed helped, and - while I won't dwell on this subject as promised - the leg was feeling stronger and engaged... though it did "tweak" a little, just for a few minutes, after I got home.  It went away immediately, however, so that's a good sign.  What felt really good was being able to breath cool air deeply without hocking up a lung... so, the chest is on the mend, too.  It's been a nasty month for such things, and I have heard many echoing that lately.  

I know, I know... average speed:  it's not supposed to matter, but to me it does.  It feels good to be able to go a little faster than the "normal".  Even though I've shelved my massive goals for a while until "whatever" happens I still find it interesting that my average speeds, annually, since 2004 have dropped.  I log miles primarily for component tracking, but I do track average speed - the website I use at BikeJournal.com does the rest of the calculations and averages, so I find myself looking at them from time to time.  My average speed in 2004 - my fastest year - was 16.78 MPH.  Last year it was 14.68 MPH.  This is because of many things:  I ride solo, don't tend to push myself, there is seldom someone to chase when I ride solo on non-commute rides, and commuting generally equates to low averages because of traffic, the bike trail, etc.  If my distance riding happens to be a permanent, it's usually slower - because I may usually be alone.  If it's a brevet, I tend to be a little faster.  In 2004, I was living closer to work - but somehow didn't commute that much.  I did a lot more recreational club rides on the weekends that year, and - for example - I haven't been to a club ride in a LONG, LONG time.  

So, last year and in '09: more commutes & permanents = slower speeds, yes.  But, more commutes - lets be honest:  sometimes commuting isn't the "funnest" thing in the world.  I can only take that same stretch of bike trail for so long, and options are as limited as the time I usually have to get home.  I think if I only wanted to commute and that was my only goal, it'd all be good.  I'd focus on consecutive days or something, and be content -- but I'm a dualist, a conundrum.  I'm still coming to grips with the notion that maybe I can't really have my commute and ultra-race, too.  A big part of me still has that competitive bug eating me from the inside out, but to really accomplish both, I have to ride smarter in '11.  Someday, I won't care nearly as much - but, right now, I still want to try and get a wee-bit faster, commute, and do some ultra-events.  I can tell you this:  the word "fun" does show up a lot more often in that 2004 block of ride entries.  There is something to that.  But I know enough to know that I don't have more fun because I'm faster... I think I'm faster because I'm having more fun.  Attitude.

Still looking forward to March and a 200km brevet attempt.  Hopefully, only a few more weeks of nasty weather, only a few more weeks of questions marks in the leg department, the roads will begin to clear, the sun will get a little higher, the gloves will come off - in a couple ways - and spring will arrive at long last.  If I play things smart, this year will be lower in mileage, higher on fun, and maybe a bit faster.  Here's hopin'.

Thanks for reading, all - and thanks for the waves out there today, my fellow cyclists.  Good to see ya! 

Socked in

Feeling guilty, and part of the problem lately:  driving a LOT... more than I have in the past four years, probably.

The "man" is charging plenty for gas these days, too, which isn't helping.

Seems to be going around, just as things were looking up, bronchitis (or whatever this lung-butter is about) has me down hard for a month now.

  

Regardless, I've been taking long, easy "strolls" on the indoor trainer and making plans in my head.  In front of me while I ride, with music in my ears, is a computer screen with slide shows of warmer days, clean roads, friends, and long stretches of pavement in front of me.  With TdF video tape rolling, and music playing, I am rebuilding... slowly.

Stay tuned... if round #2 of antibiotics works, I hope to be posting some good snow-ride pics and commute stories.  

We're only 20 days into this new year... and I'm itchin' to get started!

Stay warm, upright, and healthy out there!

In the clear!

A quick update - after visiting the orthopedic doctors office yesterday, and enduring some leg tweaking, pulling, yanking, poking, squeezing, twisting, and about ten x-rays from varied angles, the verdict is in: apparently, there's nothing wrong with me.

That's exceptionally good news, actually ... while a touch frustrating because there is still some lingering "awareness" in the leg. However, according to the doctor and a good hour of discussion and showing me the insides of my leg on a screen, I feel pretty good getting some confirmation. Whatever WAS wrong with my leg has either completely healed, or is strictly muscular in nature. The knee joints, from every conceivable angle, don't have any damage, arthritis, or alignment issues. The tendons are rock stable and solid, and the ligaments are in great shape. Giant sigh of relief, for sure... and confirmation that, despite the set-backs, I've been doing the right things. Save for this injury, it was invaluable to get a picture of the ankles, knees and hips and basically find that the last thirteen years of cycling haven't done any damage. I feel very blessed.

So, I'm probably on the back-side of things - confirmed. The pain is likely leftover, and as long as it doesn't flare up I'm in good shape to keep ramping up mileage - if I want to. I still have my eyes, therefore, on the 200 kilometer brevet at the end of March. He wants to see me again shortly after that, just in case - but basically said if I can pull that off pain-free, I'm effectively in the clear. The take-aways involved ramping up slowly, don't pile on too much too quickly, and listen to the leg. Common sense stuff, sure... but it's helpful to hear it directly from a medically-trained source. The last three indoor trainer sessions haven't produced any twinges or tweaks or flares... so the bike fit, as hoped, is apparently where it should be again.

The roads have been better... and it's been cold... but I hope to return to the road with a commute... possibly tomorrow. I've been riding indoors to stay warm, stay out of the weather, and make some minor tweaks to dial out the pain - with the added bonus that if anything DOES happen, I can simply stop pedaling, unclip, and stop immediately. Therefore, riding on the road until I received yesterday's verdict was a point of nervousness. Now that I've got the "green", I'm anxious to get back out there - even if it was only zero-degrees F this morning!

Granted, the dynamics of riding without the rock-solid platform of the indoor trainer underneath me might cause my leg to move out of alignment a bit, but the key is taking it slow. I'm going to avoid the steeper climbs on my usual route, and stay in the small chain-ring for sure. Every passing day, I feel stronger.

In staying with the previous post: yeah, I still want to achieve a finish at the Tejas 500: but, I'm not going crazy simply because there's "nothing wrong". Nothing changed overnight. No strict spreadsheets, no "sessions", no craziness, no stress. I can be successful, achieve a finish, and still have fun on the road to the event. No record-breaking runs: just finish. If I can ride a 600k straight through, I can do it. That's the objective, long term. Short term, get ready for the 200k on March 26th. Shorter-term, save some gas money and get back to enjoying the ride to work. The rest of the "training" will take care of itself. If it stops being "fun", I'll take some steps backwards. If things aren't lining up, push it to 2013, 2014, 2020... just like I mentioned previously. Take it as it comes.

And, with that: that's as far down this road as we're going to venture. You may see some mention of "the leg" here-and-there in subsequent posts, but we're now back to ride reports and commuting reports. That's the fun stuff, the reason I write, and the reason you read.

I'm done over-thinking things... time to ride!

History repeating

If we, as humanity, simply let history repeat itself blind to the consequences - well, that's pretty ridiculous.

I've noticed a theme about myself in this regard, and the REAL new-year's resolution I should be making is pretty obvious now.

In short: setting goals is what keeps me focused, on track, accountable, and has produced results in the past.

However, setting goals on the heels of an injury... okay, honestly, while still nursing an injury ...is foolish, and is already setting me up for frustration.

Frustration leads to attitude issues, where the bike - a source of healthy, fitness, and fun - becomes a point of stress.

I seem to remember resolving at one point not to stress too much, so I need to keep that promise.

I know, I know -- this setting a goal and backing-off cycle is annoying to read about, I'm sure of that. It's harder living through it, trust me.

I have no doubts that I can achieve what I've outlined a couple posts ago. I'm not backing out because it's too hard. I'm not really even backing out. I'm being smart before proceeding, instead.

Putting this in print basically gives me something to look back on, a brain-check of sorts. I'll do my best NOT to drive this goal thing into the ground, and I plan to return this blog to it's regularly-scheduled diet of ride reports, photos, and thoughts about gas prices, why commuting makes sense, and why I love long-distance riding. I'm going to lessen the personal challenge portion and focus on the real reasons I keep coming back to long-distance riding over and over again: it's FUN. It's VERY hard to explain, but even at 2am, with saddle sores, droopy eyes, an empty stomach and sore legs I somehow find myself smiling and giggling.

I don't want to cheapen the simplicity of those moments by tossing unrealistic training goals, mileage targets, heart-rate data, and cadence drills on top.

Boring myself and my readers to tears with all the analysis therein... there are plenty of racer blogs for that.

This blog has always been something different, and I'd like to keep it that way.

So, for the record and before I put this thing to bed once and for all, some points of clarity:

One: paying for insurance premiums every two weeks on payday and not utilizing the benefits thereof is equal to ripping myself off. I'm tossing out the ridiculous buffoonery and stubbornness that has kept me from seeking professional medical advice for the past six months. I try really hard to self-diagnose and somehow justify my continued suffering as normal, expected, and honorable. I read forums, I read blogs, and somehow convince myself that the words I'm reading are gospel. I convince myself that I can push through it. If it works, great - I saved myself a co-pay... but, it hasn't worked this time. Continuing on this path isn't the solution.

Riding a bicycle is not supposed to hurt. Soreness, tiredness, lactate burn at the top of a climb, bursting lungs.... that's different. Muscle, joint, ligament or tendon pain shouldn't be there. The injury I sustained off the bike in July and exacerbated in September is the culprit, and continuing to ignore that fact is foolish at best. I'm making an appointment with a professional, and will take their advice. If they tell me I can't ride until May, so be it.

The successful rides I finished after the bike fit I received earlier this year tell me it's probably not the bike set-up, but if it's a factor then I will make changes. If I have to take some time off, I'll use that time to focus on other things that will make my cycling upon my return better: losing weight, cross-training my upper body, eating smart, and being happy about it. Even the pros get hurt and have to miss title races - the difference is that they listen to their coaches and team doctors, and heal. They come back stronger. I need to do the same, simple as that.

Two: because of the above, I'm obviously putting my goals on hold. Once I'm healed I see no reason not to revisit them: and if it all has to be pushed back to 2013, 2014, 2020, that's fine, too. However, if I do revisit them the approach will be looser; which will keep me healthy mentally, as well as physically. Ill be training on what's worked in the past for me: perceived effort. No data, no analysis in front of a computer for an hour after each ride, no re-plays, GPS uploads, no stress. Cycling is my outlet to reduce the stress caused by work, bills, normal life stuff. Cycling will not become a point of additional stress. I refuse to take myself THAT seriously.

Sure I want to be successful, and if I do return to the Texas Time Trials again I won't take it lightly.... but I won't take it so seriously that I forget why I like riding in the first place. I've seen plenty of people at that event that are working hard, riding fast, but laughing and having a good time, too. I've also seen semi-professionals there simply CRUSH lap records while their coaches crunch numbers on clipboards - and while some of them are really nice people that will have a conversation and a beer with you, far too many of them are unapproachable jerks that don't know how to have fun anymore. I adamantly refuse to be the latter guy. Let's forget about talent, average speeds, etc. - if I want to ride fast I can, and sure there are faster riders than me - but who cares? I'm not going to be a subhuman jack-hole about it.

Three: If I never ride another "medal" event or never punch past 100 miles again, I can still sleep every night. I've had my time in the sun. Some would say that all of this riding is selfish - and, well, I stand accused. I'm not perfect. But, on record, I have never used cycling as an escape from my greatest adventure: my family. None of this means anything without my wife, kids, and the rest of my extended family at the end of every road. Enough said. If the cycling becomes "too much", I'm done.

Now that I've got my head back in the right place, enough talk.

I have a phone call to make on Monday to find a good sports medicine doctor, and I have some electronics to return.

My only remaining resolution is that this year will not be like last year; whatever that ends up meaning is fine with me.

Ride for fun.

Ride for friends.

Ride for health.

Ride to save gas money.

That's what this blog was founded on.

If I happen to ride 200 miles in a shot, it'll make for a good story.

If not, I'll not lament the "good 'ole days" any longer.

Let's get back to basics.

What the heck is "training"?

This is going to be an interesting year; only a couple days into it I find myself scratching my head.

For the first time since 2007 I'm dusting off a lot of old training tools, spreadsheets, and just picked up a heart-rate monitor. I've re-read practically the entire UltraCycling.com website, re-read a lot of my old journal and blog entries, and set up the indoor trainer. I've posted some motivational quotes and sayings in the man-cave/workout room downstairs. I've refreshed the music on the MP3 player. I've joined a couple more forums, a workout tracking webpage, and have some goals set. It's time to get busy.

Professing goals to the masses is part of my motivation - but I'm approaching if differently this time. I'm the only one accountable here, and I'm pretty much writing it to capture my mindframe as I step through the process. I don't want to put any stress into the situation - I can't do that to myself. Sure, putting it on the blog kinda sets me up that way, but compared to years and goals past I can't really use these pages as a "contract". The bond is with myself, not - no offense - the readers. Hopefully, it'll still make for interesting reading as the months pass.

Really loose framework here for the purposes of these pages, however, I have my sights set on a few things - in order of importance.

My prime directive: I want a finishers trophy from The Texas 24-Hour Time Trials, namely the title event and RAAM qualifier "The Tejas 500". I've attempted this race twice before, and DNF'd twice before at roughly the halfway point. The first time it was injury, the second time it was lack of training culminating in basically riding too slow for the time limits. Learning experiences that I need to make good upon to make my third - and probably final attempt - at Tejas a success. I'm setting a reasonably achievable timeline for this goal by looking at the 2012 edition. First, if the Mayans were right it'll be the last time I get to try it. (bah) Second, it gives me a solid 20-months to get ready assuming it's still held the last week of September. There is a big gamble here, and I've seen it happen with other ultra-cycling events: the event could evaporate by then. There are a lot of races that I never got a 2nd chance at because of personnel or level of interest changes, financial issues, or what-have-you. The Tejas events, however, have international pull and have grown each year. I'll keep a pulse on things with the organizers, but I don't anticipate things changing. If they do, I'll pick something else. For the distance, however, this is probably the best event of its kind anywhere. Compared to my subsequent "2013" goal of the Furnace Creek 508, it's a TON cheaper to participate in, also. It's perfect, and I want to finally check it off my list. I may have some forthcoming secondary goals for the event itself (i.e., age group, certain distance in 12 hours, 24 hours, similar) but the primary objective is "official finisher".

Leading up to Tejas will require nearly all of the 20 months of ramp-up time. My last distance even approaching 500 miles was at the 600km brevet in 2007. Since then, and in prior "training", I have to proclaim that I was strictly a "finishing randonneur" - and many of my last dozen or so brevets were simply done on a "finishing" pace. I have never really been a true "ultra racer", and I'm okay with that assessment. I've participated in plenty of ultra events, but I failed nutritionally, mentally and in training. I'm still immensely proud of all the medals and accolades I've amassed, but I understand now where I came up short in certain areas and where I failed to break past the really big mileage barriers. I feel like I have the perspective necessary now to make some changes and put some plans into play with the patience and persistence that generally accompanies the successful ultra-racer's methodology. A lot of this comes strictly with age - and it instantly makes sense why most consistent ultra racers are usually about my age and older. I have no illusions about becoming a "world beater" or "record holder" (although I have been eying Byron Rieper's West-to-East Kansas cross-state UMCA record for a while now, in wonderment), but I do have intentions to approach the sport with more of an athletic, scheduled and proven approach. Simply rinding a bunch won't cut it, simply eating less and slimming down won't cut it, simply having a "faster" bike won't cut it. I still plan on having a lot of fun in the next couple years - but it will be balanced with some honest, hard work.

So, since the injury of late '10 is fading into the background I begin to ramp up slowly to the first stepping stone - the March 2011 200km brevet. Sure, I could probably just knock off a 200k this coming weekend based strictly on the base miles still in my body, but that would be foolish. I truly have to be patient and ensure the injury doesn't flare back up. I have to make sure I follow the same 10% increase rules that anyone coming off of an injury should follow. The past is the past, and I have to start at square-one and take things one week at a time. Therein lies the secondary goal for 2011, which is completing another full SR-series. That's a steady series of 200, 300, 400 and 600km brevets inside a short 7-week period. This tends to fly in the face of the "steady ramp-up" in some respects, but staying on task NOW will guarantee success in April.

Add into this some cross training, weight loss, diet improvement, and mental training. After the 600km brevet is finished, some rest. This is where a lot of benefits are gained - through active rest. I can't make the previous mistakes of just continuing to hammer on mileage and expect to get anywhere. I dusted off a spreadsheet that entails something like a 4-5 week rotation of mileage and effort, which should net gains and reduce the chances of another over-use injury. Keeping that 4-week rotation in mind, it's a perfect segue into goal #3: a re-try of a 2nd RUSA R-12 Award run, which should keep me on a plateau of mileage base while still allowing longer-distance venues to work on speed-at-distance.

That segues into the spring 2012 brevet season, where in contrast to this-year's goal of finishing, I will have an eye on finishing quickly. Fourth goal in line involves a "straight-thru" 600km brevet, focusing on keeping speed up and keeping sleep at bay - good Tejas training. Another rest period immediately follows that ride, and then the ramp-up towards Tejas 2012 begins with the start of that summer.

Bringing some science to the table will be a new approach with heart-rate training. I've dabbled in this arena before, without any success because I never stuck it out. I'm going to give it a good honest try this time. Intervals, fat-burning sessions, the works. This is what has really bitten hard in the past few years, and after some reading it makes a lot of sense now, in retrospect. I've merely been "riding" -- which, there isn't really anything at all wrong with... but I still find myself with goals in mind, a competitive streak, a penchant for personal challenge. Therein lies the frustration - because if commuting and finishing brevets was "enough", I'd be content. Largely, I *am* content... but I still have unfinished personal business. So, my complaints about no longer being "fast enough" have to be answered with the aforementioned return to "training", and using tools like the HRM to unlock potential that has been dulled by a few years of riding by the seat of my pants, not really pushing hard enough to net improvements but not ever taking it easy enough to get real "rest". No-man's land, in a phrase.

It feels good to have an approach again - but there will be challenges. The biggest trick will be balancing a good commuting routine with ACTUAL training. Especially with gas prices on the rise, will be tough to swallow my pride on some beautiful summer days and just drive, carpool, or discover a new bus route. Eyes on the prize. After a year car-free/light, I can afford to drive a few times this year. I have to ensure that I follow the plan, and squeeze potential out of each mile. I can't even count how many times I'd planned to "take it easy" on the commute home, only to arrive overworked and exhausted from another "hammerfest". My body knows that it's being used for something, and no matter what I do on the weekends or on the trainer I have to make sure I'm not making the assumption that "a few commutes" won't impact things. Small wonder in years past that annual average speeds have suffered, and injuries have occurred. Well, no more. While I may end up being "that guy wearing the HRM for every commute", I have to acknowledge the value of wearing it on "recovery" days to ensure I don't over-do it, as well as using it on "intensity" days to make sure I actually work hard enough to change my personal power-band for the better. Since commuting will comprise the bulk of my training time, I have to maximize it - silly as it might look doing intervals with panniers. I know what I'm doing - damn the rest.

Diet. I've behaved badly. Nobody is keeping track but me, I know this --- but remember this is more of my personal journal that a "how to be" guideline for anyone else. I'm not happy with myself right now, and that's part of the large plan, also. I work in a shop with a customer base that includes a lot of local race talent from all age groups, and there's no reason for me to make excuses about not being able to take a few months and look more like the athletic masters racers that wander into the shop. Power-to-weight ratio, injury prevention, personal image - there's nothing wrong with making sure my BMI is in-line. Done it before, and the training program is almost a guarantee I can get there again.

So, there you have it -- at this writing, that's my intent for 2011-2012. I will absolutely ensure that I won't use all this as an "excuse" to not have fun with the bike. Dark Side Rides, gravel rambles, why not?!? There is something called "training load", and heck: if a fun ride happens to occur on a particular training goal day, I'll work it in and then get back into the social groove with the group when I'm finished. There is a balance, and I haven't read a program yet that says you can't have fun while working towards a goal. Therein lies the underlying checkpoint and alter-goal: having a goal in mind, without turning into a "racer" jerk that won't ride the fun stuff. Screw that noise!

As I step through this process, watch for updates and ride reports to resume frequency. Lots to document, for sure.

Thanks, as always, for reading!

It's going to be a good year!

Preparedness is a family and friends affair

While it's arguably a valid subject at any time of year, winter in the mid-west often has me thinking of survival techniques and general safety.  Granted, suburban Kansas City is fairly benign when it comes to real, honest wilderness extremes.  I'll grant you that:  this isn't Montana, northern Ontario, or the Mojave desert - that's certain.  However, it's surprising how quickly in this age of expansion and construction that I can find my self utterly isolated while out on a bicycle ride, and that's the motivation for these thoughts.

Bicycling for recreation generally leads to riding in groups for motivation and friendly competition, but longer distances and commuting tend to weed out some of the crowd.  Often times you can find someone to ride with - but not always.  In fact, a large percentage of my mileage each year is spent in complete solitude and this is the norm for many commuters and long-distance riders.  Even when commuting a short distance to work, through town, I can find myself out well out of view and out of ear-shot on the county trail system.  Traffic is the "natural enemy" of the recreational cyclist, which can put you in isolation on-purpose while looking for that perfect, quiet route.  You can be off the beaten path yet still very much "close to town" in any of these situations.  Add in the harsh conditions of winter and you can begin to see the potential for less than ideal scenarios to arise. 

I don't want to further this culture of fear we already live in.  (Too late?)  We all already know that bicycling is an "inherently dangerous outdoor activity".  Society at large has "taught" us through various "scientific" studies and "research" that we're constantly at risk of dying some horrible death, or at least moments from being injured no matter what we're doing.  Wear a helmet.  Wear sunblock.  Ride smart.  Check your tires.  Don't over-tighten.  Grains of salt.  What I'm talking about here, however, can be a legitimate concern:  crashing, bonking, getting lost, running out of water, having more flat tires than supplies to fix them, having a major mechanical problem during a ride - they can happen without warning at the best of times for the most well-prepared rider.  Despite all that, bicycle riding is fun and the benefits far outweigh the risks.  You can't foresee every problem - nor should you get bogged down trying to.  Any cyclist should have the knowledge and skill to fix flats, fix minor mechanical issues, and get moving again -- but there are other things you can employ to stay safe that don't involve your gear or your bike at all.

The scenarios are as endless as your imagination - but don't get so hung up on them that you find the need to prepare and pack for anything possible.  Carry the same things you always carry - but know how to use what's around you if needed.  Can you make a splint?  Can you make a fire?  Do you need to?  Do you know how to get back to town?  Can you walk?  Will you be okay if you have to simply stay put?   Sure, sure - the chances of anything major are very slim; but the majesty of a long solo ride through beautiful scenery can hide the dangers that await you if something goes awry.  Paranoid?  Yes, perhaps I am - but consider that I might be paranoid enough for both of us, and take heed.  I've been on the bad side of scenarios like this, so being prepared may prevent you from having to endure the same.  Simple orienteering, light survival knowledge, knowing your limits, knowing how to effect your survival without technology.  Remember, this has nothing to do with equipment so much as it has to do with employing your mental preparedness and knowing that you have a safety net in place.

There are plenty of outdoor survival resources available on the internet, so I won't delve into that subject here.  Further, you know the things already touched on in the post about winter clothing, so this post is a mild extension that talks about something we often forget as cyclists:  Having that safety net in place.  Assuming you have already made all the other preparations necessary to enjoy winter time (or ANY season) riding, you should always have a system in place to monitor your safe return.  Many a survival story has unfolded simply because of lack of communication.  It's a hard nut to crack:  feeling independent as a adult and as a cyclist, an adventure-minded individual not having to be accountable for your activities has to take a backseat here - even if you tell only one person, just communicate.  That's the hardest step.  

In this day and age, there's almost no excuse.  Social networking, email, text messages, GPS tracking, mileage tracking websites, or the simple buddy system work marvelously and should be taken full advantage of.  Make sure the person you have for your safety net is responsible, someone that will check their messages or is ideally already in that habit as part of their job or lifestyle.  The people in your safety net don't need to be on-call, or the person that will pick you up if something happens - make that clear.  They don't even have to be cyclists.  Family is an obvious choice.  If it's a friend, have an up-front conversation with them over a beer or coffee, and set expectations.  Don't put too much burden on your contact people.  Let them know your ability, your limits - and make it a big envelope so as to avoid confusion:  setting boundaries so that if you go out for a ride and expect to be back at 2:30 and your contact person doesn't have an email from you at 2:45 they don't hit the panic button and send out the National Guard, for example.  

If you are already in the habit of posting your ride results to a social network, have that be your conduit.  "Headed out for a quick 50 miles to Smalltown and back".... then, later,  "an awesome ride today".  Simple, succinct, done.  Be creative - but make it transparent, easy, effortless.  The trigger mechanism for your safety net should be something to the effect that if you haven't been heard from by sundown, then someone out there starts to try your cell phone, and so-on.  Even if it's a false alarm, it builds a network of accountability that could potentially come to your aid someday.

Plan a route:  Often times I am hard on myself for not being spontaneous enough - but as the miles get longer and longer in the course of training, it becomes harder to simply meander:  I have to have a route planned, something to stick to even if it is a loose plan.  It's very hard for me to simply "go out and ride", or "show n go".  When it comes to riding solo, however, this is a good thing - and any route plan should be communicated to your network as part of your "departure" message.  Include an image of your route or a list of towns you expect to hit.  No-one has to look at it - but it's there if needed.  If you are spending an hour plotting a route on your favorite mapping website or program, share that link with your network.  Don't think of this as being tied to the route, however - you still have freedom.  Even if you decide to meander during the ride and take a side-road, everyone still has an excellent general idea where you intended to be, and there isn't a search-party in the world that will just "stick to the map".  Even if you don't know the route - have a general direction of travel and communicate it.  "Headed to Cycleburg", should be enough:  your network knows where you live, and there are only so many ways to get from your home to your destination and back.  If the worst should happen, they can figure it out.  If you decide en route to alter your plans, however, be sure to communicate!  Update from the road, "Headwinds stink, turning north to Geartown."  Stay connected. 

Technology is catching up.  Only a few years back I had to get in the habit of turning off my cellphone during longer rides to conserve battery, and I was constantly in and out of coverage areas.  These days, phone run-times are longer and coverage is better.  You have to try a LOT harder to get truly isolated around here.  Is any of this a real issue then?  Probably not --- but it is remarkable how isolated you can feel only a few miles from town when nobody in a car will stop to assist you while you fix a flat tire.  Being hot and sweaty on the side of a road in frigid temperatures isn't apparent at all to someone flying past in an automobile - they'll just think "crazy biker", and keep going.  While there is still a lot to be said for the kindness of strangers, you have to be realistic.  Blow a tire on a rural downhill, drift off the steep shoulder and into the brush below - you can be mere feet from the road, yet completely invisible to passing cars.  If you have a $1.00 reflective mylar emergency blanket in your seat-bag, you may never need it --- but you'll be infinitely glad you brought it should that rare, rare hand be dealt to you when you're miles from home, with a double flat and jammed chain, in the rain, 30 minutes before dark.  Make sure your phone is "findable" by enabling GPS features (if applicable).  Keep your phone turned on, call for help - if GPS isn't an option, one of the first steps search and rescue will use involves triangulating your signal.  Even if YOU don't know where you are, the professionals have the tools to find you.

Finally, the obvious "safety in numbers" - the original social network:  ride with a friend.  Try to plan something - riding with friends always trumps riding alone, from many angles.  The same rules apply, though -- make sure family or friends know where you are headed, especially if the conditions are questionable.  Never assume that someone else in the group will do this for you.  Redundancy is good.  Event riding can be a good thing - especially if it's well supported.  There will be sweepers, roving SAG, and course marshals that will make getting lost a difficult prospect.  However, even in those situations there can be miscommunication and crosstalk - so at least make sure someone in your network knows where you're headed on that special Saturday morning.

There is no "off season" - but safety is always in-season.

Ride safe!

'dude, reMixed

Often times the mental side of randonneuring gets the better of us all.

Some would argue this sport makes you a little bit "off".

I would agree.

Wait for it....

There is a void in ultra-cycling

I'm almost a month late in reporting this, but I felt it relevant to at least catch up and pay my own respects in these pages to one of ultra-cycling's greats.  It is with a heavy heart that I share the following link:

N.Y.Times.com 2010/09/30, Jure Robic

I have been in a "news hole", quite literally focusing every last nerve and neuron towards work and other commitments, barely keeping up with the even the weather reports.  Quite literally, I don't know WHAT is going on.  Living under a rock?  Indeed.

Today, however, I took a brief respite from such things and started shopping for a goal for 2011/2012, something I usually do after an injury has altered my cycling routine like it has this year.  That move sent me instinctively to the UMCA's website, and the front page news literally stopped me in my tracks, dropped my jaw, and misted my eyes.  

The only, however trite, analogy I can think of:  this would be like losing Lance Armstrong for many cyclists.  Reading his accolades is humbling.  Having stood on the roadside, watching him fly by like he was out for a 40-mile club ride was a real thrill:  that was the closest I'd get to this man.  Literally and figuratively, anyone that has ridden a bicycle with aspirations to ride long (200+ miles) and fast, maybe even attempt The Race Across AMerica (RAAM), has probably looked at Jure Robic's race record, and like me, probably just thrown up their arms in defeat.  We are not worthy.

Year after year, Robic was (and will probably remain) THE subject of conversation when it came to the Race Across America - and it simply won't be the same without him.  I don't know if we'll see someone approach that race with the same dominance that Robic brought.  It's not a tag that should be used lightly, but I don't think anyone would argue associating this word with Jure Robic when it came to long-distance cycling:  Legend.  

Rest in piece - your memory will be honored by the retelling of your many heroic rides and seemingly super-human accomplishments.  We will not talk of filling shoes... in my opinion, it can't be done.

I humbly extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jure Robic.

Of small things, big things someday come.

I came across this sign today during errands:



Now, let's give ourselves a moment to examine the initial reaction you may have had to this. Is it the same reaction I had? Perhaps... maybe not:
Yeah, I was instantly thinking "boycott".

Many of us go to that extreme almost instantly. As cyclists, our rights are always under fire... it's natural to get defensive. Things often get larger than ourselves as we see bicycle bans that encompass entire towns or stretches of road. Think St. Charles County, MO., think Blackhawk, CO., think 83rd Street in DeSoto, KS. Translate this across the "internal combustion line", and think about Cassoday, KS. This paradigm can apply to bicycles, motorcycles, to bow-hunters, to gun rights, to chewing gum in movie theaters. It's about common courtesy, at its core - but it can get out of hand quickly. Are these small towns really "anti-cyclist", or is there something simpler here?

The establishment that posted this sign probably has no opinions or thoughts on how bicyclists use the roads around their town... or maybe they do, now, after the fact. They may not have anything against exercise, or alternative transportation. Let's definitely assume this point, however: whoever posted that sign did NOT spell out "bicyclists not welcome".

Yet.

I spoke to the manager working the store shortly before I took this picture and asked a lot of questions. I was wearing plain-clothes and had my kids with me. Nothing about me said "cyclist". I was even very careful about indicating I even knew what a "cleat" was. With my sweat-stained ball cap and hoodie, I might as well have come in from a nearby small town, and just wondered what the sign meant. But, even talking to me as a "probably-not-a-cyclist" individual, I could hear the disdain and frustration under her tone and in her choice of words.

I won't try to repeat verbatim what she said here, but the point was that cleats tear up linoleum. There were themes of "courtesy", and "how would they like it if..." rhetoric that touched on whether or not said cyclist would want someone walking across their new floors with screw-in soccer cleats on, things like that. There were lines drawn that made sense: even at the golf course, the pro-shop says "no spikes". There should be a difference in the real world, sign or no sign? She knew enough to debunk what was clearly already a topic that had come up, probably from a cyclist defending their footwear: I know anytime I walk around on concrete that "recessed cleat design" really doesn't mean that much, and her old floors apparently evidenced that.

"But, it's just a c-store...who cares?" you might wonder.

I went there, mentally, also... but let's consider this for what it is. This isn't a big-chain, corporate type of establishment. This is a small town, locally run and owned business, which happens to have a small amount of support from the gasoline company that supplies the pumps and fuel they also sell. This is, really, "home" for the people that probably spend most of their waking hours either at the store, or doing something to support it.

Let's think about the economy. Let's think about how it has really affected small-town America, small-town Kansas, and small-business owners around the region. This particular store used to make and sell really decent barbecue, and last year had to stop. The equipment they invested in for that effort still sits, un-used, inside: a probably sad and daily reminder to them of a dream that didn't quite work out. They may still be paying off that equipment. Probably stings.

Let's think about the fact this store maybe isn't seeing as much business as they'd like. Right down the street about 3/4 of a mile is a larger, corporate-maintained, franchised gas station and c-store right off the main highway. They may not have made the best choice in location, but it probably is still the choice of many of the locals. Still, they might have liked a taste of the highway traveler's dollar over the past few years, and that can't be sitting well.

Regular maintenance still has to be done, cleaning, repairs, and all on a tight budget. The roof might leak and need to be fixed. Light bulbs. Coolers on the fritz. Then, the floor starts to show wear. As a concerned owner, you'd bend down and look at that floor and see that the markings are clear. Frustration sets in - that it's not in the budget, or that the floor was supposed to last "xx" years and it hasn't. The money to keep replacing tiles just isn't there. How do you control that expense? Can you afford to turn away a customer in this economy? On a summer weekend, they probably see as many cyclists as they do farmers and locals. What to do?

It probably started mentally, then verbally... now it's a sign on the door. It probably starts discussions where the owner would have sooner liked to bite his tongue and just say "thanks for your business"... but, that frustration is still there. Maybe it starts arguments, threats from alpha-cyclists akin to "never shopping there again" are shouted. More frustration. Is the argument worth it? Sure, it doesn't say it now, but maybe the words on that sign will read "bicyclists not welcome", eventually.

Maybe this is already circling the forums that I no longer subscribe to, or someone else's social network page. I don't know... but I actually (as if you couldn't tell) tend to side with the shop keep on this one. I know what the economy has done to me, and my family. I know what I have had to say "no" to, what I've had to wait to repair in my own home and on my own bicycle because the money wasn't there. I don't like it when someone meat-handles something I worked hard to build/fix/maintain. I know a lot of us are like that. That's not unusual -- but, I know enough about myself that running a c-store, constantly letting the unknown masses into my pride and joy, the store that supports my family, and seeing them mess it up - however tiny, however un-intentional... I personally could not handle it.

Un-intentional: I don't believe for a second there is a cyclist on earth that intends to mar linoleum on purpose. Cleats are part of the package. However, I would also note that I don't believe there is a cyclist on this earth that wouldn't look at this sign, and because of what we generally go through as cyclists, not instinctively go on the defensive. It's inevitable. I would caution against that, here. Perspective: someone on the morning radio applauses questionable behavior towards cyclists, or a major c-store chain airs advertisements that put cycling in a negative light, or a congressman tries to take a road away - YES: fight, scream, pound the table, write, call, email, stand up and speak.

For the Stilwell Grocery at 199th and Metcalf; folks, let's see this for what it really is - and either kindly slip the shoes off, or spend the $12.00 on some rubber cleat covers. The fact we're riding bicycles for sport or recreation indicates that we, however small, have some expendable income - and certainly the time. You'll save their floor, you'll help a small business stay open in a larger sense. You'll maintain a good relationship with a familiar oasis at the end of a long stretch of road: for all of us. It shouldn't matter that there's another c-store 3/4 of a mile away: boycotting is not the answer here. Courtesy, understanding, and partnership is.

Supporting a local business is important. They have effectively opened their "home" to us, their restrooms, their ice machine and water dispenser, their front porch and picnic tables. Yes, we are paying them for drinks and chips - but I'm not sure that's the point. Let's remember how often our rights as cyclists are at risk, and extend them their right as business owners to set some guidelines. I don't find their request here terribly unreasonable, even if it does add a small step to my ride routine.

And, don't over-react: this is not so much an "anti-cyclist" thing as it's an "anti incosiderate people" thing.

Think about it.


Thanks for reading.