Well. Things have changed since you last saw. I stopped writing because honestly, I had a really good season. Much stronger then 2012, and much less injury prone. I feel that my riding is maturing and my training is starting to take form.
I'll recap my 2013 season:
- I had ridden my first 8h solo. I remember it being tough but satisfied at my attempt, it really showed how far I had come though the first lap jitters saw a minor crash.
- The solstice was also a good showing for myself, strong rides, a mechanical in the middle of the night but nothing I couldn't manage.
- Six in the Hood is where I really feel I had my legs under me. I rode very well, but lost a GPS during my race, that was unfortunate and a bit of a downer.
- Summer 8 I rode on a team, did very well again, laps were strong. Final lap would have been the fastest as I had taken a wrong turn, but still managed to crank out a lap only 1 minute faster then the first lap I rode.
- Fall 8 I rode solo with a chest infection. I still managed to pull 11 laps, and really enjoyed my day. I feel without the cramping I could have done 12 laps but learned a lot.
- PDE: what a shit show, it was my first realization that sometimes you should call a race on account of weather, and that being all SUPER MACHO MAN is more expensive then its worth.
- PDE: THE REVENGE: Riding in Ganaraska in the snow is awesome, and made a really good argument for a fat bike.
2013 Post Season: MUCH TRAINING, VERY SUFFERFEST, SUCH STRENGTH, WOW
2013 Post Season Redux: Started training at a FTP of 240. My current FTP is something like 293.... I am still 255lbs on a dry day.....
2014 Season So Far:
Old Pueblo: Hella fun, felt great, desert riding was fantastic. Also yeah baby, Vegas and Arizona!
Steaming Nostril: Hyper Strong for the race. Not sure why, but I rode extremely well, and very determined to put in a good showing.
Paris to Ancaster: This is where shit started getting weird. Overall I was 12 minutes off a 1st place finish in Clyde. Factor in my crash, and a bunch of other shenanigans and you can make up that 12 minutes in the delays. This will haunt me the entire year, and will push my winter training this year into possibly a next level, I'm already thinking about that, but more later.
Spring Epic 8: A Race Report
A couple of things and none of these really are anyone's fault but my own:
1. I didn't stop and eat in the morning. This was the biggest mistake I made. I always start a race with a decent meal, and a good amount of coffee/espresso just to get the blood moving.
2. A huge delay on the 400 left me about 15 minutes to prep my bike, my gear, my food, and my mind for the race. Not exactly optimal but I got to the line..... the back of the line, but before the start.
3. I have learned that being at the back of the line on a Singlespeed is a death knell for warming up. You don't warm up, you end up over exerting yourself to keep moving forward behind novices and skittish riders.
LAP 1: Starting at the back of the pack was hard. People are slow, unsure of themselves, and rely on that granny gear. There was a lot of walking where people would granny and eventually fall off on some of the hills. Don't get me wrong. I was there once, and I understand and hold no grudge, but I can get frustrated fairly quickly, and frustration leads me to doing stupid acts of strength that do nothing but burn me out.
LAP 2: Its thinned out now so its not so bad. Lap 2 goes well, nothing to write home about. My hand I injured in P2A is on fire and my forearm is cramping trying to compensate for it.
LAP 3: Thinning more, I'm getting passed by team riders and eventual podium solo riders. I feel like I'm getting into my groove..... except.... my hand.
LAP 4: I have no power anymore. Lungs are fine, just can't put any power down. I'm bonking. I have goosebumps on my legs showing I'm not drinking enough. I stop and eat and it helps a bit.
LAP 5: I really consider packing it in. I hop off the bike and use the portable can in the solo pit. I get out, I feel a bit better, I head out again after eating, my hand has gone dull and remained so for the rest of the race.
LAP 6: I really consider packing it in. Hills that I should be riding are getting really hard, or my body just doesn't want to deal with it. I get to the solo pit, and just pound water and Gatorade hoping to get myself on track.
LAP 7: I'm in survival mode, and I start hallucinating. I see the camera guy around every turn, every bump everywhere. Just black silhouettes out of the corner of my eyes. The final climb is bad. I swear to god I have cramps in my ankles. How does that even happen. I pull into the pit, eat. Rob is there, so is Marc. They're going out for another lap, and as such, so am I. If anything I am not a quitter, finish what you started becomes a mind worm for the next 2 laps.
LAP 8: The mantra of "Keep Moving" is starting to play in my mind over and over. The hills I was walking before I'm riding again and I actually start feeling alright. Stop in the pit, grab a drink, head back out. Though I'm starting to just randomly rest around the course at random places. My mind is no longer into this race and is fighting my constant barrage of telling me to shut it down vs my determination to ride the full 8hs.
LAP 9: I just hold on for dear life. I'm riding and in a dark place. I manage to make it around and call it a day handing in my baton. I rode what seemed to be the longest straight ever to the pit area, and got off my bike finally.
Physically, no real major cramps. Quads were fine, calves took a beating from all the on foot climbing I did with my bike.
Mentally, that was a beating I wish not to endure again.
Anyway, if anything I've learned here its that I absolutely need to eat in the morning before a race, I can't compromise that any more. Riding 8 hours on the equivalent of a coffee, a couple of candies and a nutella sandwich is probably not the best idea I've had in a while, but I know for next time.
Anyway it brings me to this. At this point I feel that I am as good as I will get without drastic changes. If I manage to drop the weight I keep saying I'm going to drop, and train as hard as I say I want to train. The problem with that is that it would end up being all that I did, and I'm not sure if I want to commit to really getting that into my training considering I already train fairly hard and regularly at the expense of my personal time.
I still remember my first ride 4 years ago and how I got to the end of my street and just about died. I'm happy with being healthy and strong again, but I have a competitive side that if left unchecked can really take the fun out of things sometimes. The problem is, that its starting to get that way.
Sometimes, fun IS winning, and I really want to win, but at the same time, I think this year I'm realizing that in order to do that, its going to require a commitment that requires a significant amount of change mentally and physically over the winter of 2014 and for the remainder of the summer. I know I can roll out some monumental efforts for the next 8H solos and other ultra endurance rides I'm doing.
Mentally right now, a bit beat up. P2A stung knowing how close I was to justifying the training and restraint over the winter, follow it up by a half decent showing at the Epic 8 and its got me thinking too much about it.
I'm not paid to race, in fact I spend all together too much money on racing with very little return other then some socks, and a couple of T-Shirts, I can quit at any time, and really it would make no difference to anyone other then my own family... but somewhere racing became something to me personally.
If anything, it can be summed up as an effort in, results out ratio that is visibly measurable every off season to first ride. I am very much a creature of cause and effect, and I enjoy when things make sense on first glance. I have seen how I have changed in the last 4 years and I am truly happy to be accepted, belong, and perform well in a sport I had enjoyed in my youth.
But the ratio has become a bit skewed as I am nearing what I figure is the end of my self coaching, and mentally this is throwing stones in my pond as I try to figure out what I can do already to improve myself for 2015, and the rest of my 2014 season.
Also the fact I'm considering Pueblo 24H Solo doesn't help.
