Fast

That would be my mountain bike. I picked up my Titus Racer X from Benidorm over the weekend after getting some work done. With ship date for trip to AZ looming, a test ride was imperative. Last year, I had a 44t/29t chain ring set up with an 11-34 in the back and I just recently picked up a 42t big ring. I figured losing 2 teeth in the front was no big deal as I don't think I've EVER spun out on the mtb. I also went with an 11-32 in the back because even on the steepest/longest pitches (think Mt. Snow) I rarely used the 34. Doing the math, you're faster walking. So the new drivetrain configuration now afforded the use of a medium cage rear derailleur. A couple of advantages here would be improved shifting by allowing for shorter chain length and a little more ground clearance to (hopefully) avoid the dreaded rear derailleur shearing. Been there, done that. I think smaller chain ring difference up front will also improve front derailleur performance as well.

So I headed up to the lake for a couple laps to see how she's running. I was immediately impressed with rear derailleur performance- fast and very crisp, almost like a road derailleur. The Stan's ZTR wheels are amazing. The Karmas at 35psi were rolling magnificently. I was enjoying the ride experience thoroughly when I looked over to the lake and I saw a bald eagle lifting off the ice. There was no doubt- white tail feathers and a white head, not to mention immense size. It took off flying North, probably headed for the Colebrook Reservoir on the CT/MA border, ~8 miles "as the eagle flies".

I ran 175mm cranks last year and though they provided better leverage for torquing over techy stuff, my lower back would feel like someone was jabbing knives into it toward the end of a race. I popped out the cranks, sold them, and picked up some 170s. As I was riding the lake, it felt like I was spinning better, applying power evenly throughout the pedal stroke. With the 175s I lost some of the power at the very top and bottom of the stroke. My hope is that the better spin with the 170s will help with the technical loose 20% climbs where constant torque is needed. Sound like fun, right?

Kicking it up a bit on lap 2, I was surprised how fast I was. I guess it's not bad for a sub LT ride over rolling terrain on a mtb. I'm not sure how much of it was the wheels or maybe I'm in better shape than I think I am. The bike weighed a tick under 23# which is pretty damn good for a full suspension mtb.

Returning home, I cleaned the bike up and I was now faced with the enviable task of breaking it down and packing it in the TriCo case. This was my maiden voyage in this arena so I did a little research on the internet and bombarded Doug with multiple emails. I ended up removing pedals, chain, handlebars from stem, seatpost/saddle from frame, and rear derailleur from hanger. I wrapped handlebars with towel and ball bungeed to frame, wrapped rear derailleur in foam and placed in rear triangle. I put spacers in brake calipers, and spacers in rear drop out and fork. I didn't have to take air out of fork but it probably would have allowed for a few more inches of space. The lady at the FedEx "authorized ship center" (more on this later) said I had up to 80lbs for my size package (huh huh) so I also threw in the following: hand pump, shock pump, tools for bike assembly, mtb shoes, helmet, spare tire and tube, camelbak, canister of Perpetuum, bottle of Hammer Gel, water bottle, chain lube, Stan's, grease, and probably a few other things I forgot. Placing foam over bike and gear, I then put wheels on top of that layer, rotors down. The 26" wheels fit comfortably but I can see how a 29er would probably require tire deflation. I then placed another piece of foam over the wheels along with the other half of the case. Looking at this "bike gear sandwich" I thought to myself that this compression procedure from 20+" to 11" is going to be a barrel of fun. Strap by strap, inch by inch I finally got it. I sweat more in that half hour than I did on the ride that night. I had read that this procedure is a lot easier when someone can stand on the box while you tighten straps. I agree.

In the days leading up to the bike packing I probably was on FedEx.com maybe 50 times running all sorts of size/weight scenarios for shipment to AZ. There is a "hold at location" option with FedEx so that Sunday night we can hit the FedEx near our hotel that's open 24hrs and pick up the bikes. So TriCo says their bike box dimensions are 47" x 30.5" x 10.5". My actual measurements of the box were 47" x 29" x 10 5/16". The deal is that FedEx uses some sort of dimensional weight formula. Not sure exactly how they calculate this but here was the breakdown:

47x 31x 10= $113.82

47 x 30 x 11=$110.76

47 x 30 x 10=$103.36

47 x 31 x 11=$166.27 <--Effed

These costs are for 60lb ship weight (though I'm allowed 80 with no price difference) along with $4k of insurance.

So I was told by a woman at the Packaging Depot (do not go there fellow cyclists) that "their measurements are very precise and FedEx uses lasers". I'm kicking myself now for not measuring box height after packing the bike, but oh well. I guess I assumed because each side of the box was flush that it was at the most, still below 11" in height, given empty box height of 10 5/16". Length and width dimensions remain unchanged as the contents of the box are in no way changing my initial measurements. I wheel the box in the place, a guy puts it on the scale and it's 72#. Ok, no issues there. He gives me a form to fill out while he busts out his trusty tape measure. Here we go. He literally measures all 3 dimensions in less than 10 seconds. I stopped midway through my form filling and asked him what measurements he got. He says, "47 x 30 x 12". He gives me an attitude as I questioned his height measurement. "It was over 11", so it's 12"," he flatly states. (.1" over and FedEx apparently rounds up) Well, I knew this was heartbreak hotel. I asked him the cost. "$130". I wasn't about to get into a measurement debate with this guy but it almost seemed like he knew that by inflating one of the measurements it would result in a significantly higher cost. At this point I really just wanted to get the damn bike shipped. I opted out of insurance because I didn't feel like giving this douche another dime of my money. I find it funny how the lady I spoke with earlier said that FedEx uses lasers for measurement but this a-hole takes a height measurement of a less than 12" tall package from a standing position with a floppy tape. Oh well, lesson learned. I will no longer go to an "authorized ship center" or Packaging Depot for that matter, ever again. I'm hoping sending bike home will cost less. If there's a measurement issue in Tucson, I will be going behind counter and measuring the damn box myself. Or strangle employee with it.

Sorry for rant. I'm done.

Refocusing

After a month of dedicating my body to the removal of snow from various structures and surfaces I am now ready to commence more serious training for the upcoming season. The month sort of ended in a shitstorm crescendo; I had an intense albeit short, bout of the flu last weekend. I had gone to the gym in the morning and felt ok but I had a feeling that something was a bit off. I got home and progressively got worse as the afternoon rolled around. Em and I were supposed to attend a birthday party for her nieces later in the day so I was a trooper and off we went. I don't think I was there more than a half hour when I ended up leaving Em there, with our couch being my most singular focus. I got home, promptly changed, and covered myself with several blankets hoping to cease the (now) excessive shivering. I was burning up. It was probably one of the worst fevers I've had. Em finally came home some 2 hours later with recently purchased digital thermometer in hand. The verdict: 101.6. I can only imagine what it had been when I first got home. Em put her sick nurse skills to good use. I was feeling better within the hour. The fever finally broke and all that was left was a night of every 2 hr diarrhea. Hey, at least I didn't shart in the bed.

Next day I came around. I started downing Gatorade to replace fluid electrolyte loss. That's when you really start feeling like shit- when you lose a ton of electrolytes. I probably get a little carried away making sure I get them back in. Anyway, it must have been a 24 hr thing. Never had it that intense and that quick before. So I think I'm in the clear and late Sunday afternoon my back starts spasming out of nowhere. I mean the type where if you move a certain way (usually unconsciously), it takes your breath away. As par for the course for most athletes, I start racking my brain in what I could have done to eff my back up. It must have been the shoveling Friday that did me in.

After 2 days of sitting around, we get yet another 4" of snow on Tuesday. I was back at it again. Sadly my hands have been wrapped around a shovel more this year than my handlebars. Even though I employed proper mechanics (I must look like a robot to my neighbors), I still managed to tweak an on-the-mend muscle. Wednesday night I figured I'd better try testing my back doing something so I decided to jump on the trainer (I know, I know) for an easy spin. Miraculously I was able to watch 3 episodes of Family Guy (1:30) with no issues. I can't help but feel like I'm incredibly far behind at this point but I guess you just have to hope that everyone else is too.

A couple of positives out of all this are that I currently weigh a pound less than I did all last season. I've gotten really focused with my eating. I eat several small meals a day and limit excess carb consumption after 6pm. I got that going for me. Which is nice. Seeing as I probably have less than a dozen rides in the first 6 weeks of this year, at least my equipment has that much less wear. I think I also have like 40 prs of chemical toe warmers as well. When it does get warm the roads will be eternally wet as this shit melts, so bikes and clothes are sure to take a beating then. Maybe this weather will end up being a blessing in disguise, giving us all the break we needed. Hopefully not completely breaking my back in the process.

Stay positive. Those first couple 60 degree days are gonna be unbelievable this year!

Quads

Interesting email I received from Graeme Street, owner of Cyclocore:

Dear Alex,

Are you riding "Quad Dominant"?

Most Everyday Cyclists are and if YOU ARE, it could be:

 *Making You Much Slower in the Hills.
 *Increasing Your Susceptibility to Back fatigue.
 *Decreasing your power and speed potential.
 *Leading to Chronic Imbalances and Potential Injury.

What is Quad Dominance?

Basically, it refers to a very common, over-dependance on the
contraction of the quads through the pedal stroke and more
importantly, a decrease in Glute/Hamstring/Hip Flexor utilization
leading to most of your power, coming from the front--not the rear.

Very common for people in general, not just cyclists and is
a PRIMARY REASON for most peoples back pain/problems.

In cycling, I refer to it as "mashing the pedals" as opposed
to "levitating the pedals".  Again, very common in cyclists.

Usually, we want a 60-40 split in action power between our
glutes/hams/flexors and our quads.  However, most of us are
more likely to be 50-50 or worse, 40-60.  The 60% being the
power supplied by the quads alone--WAY TOO MUCH!

If you cramp a lot, have trouble snapping out of the saddle or
getting low and hammering at high leg speeds--you more than
likely are QUAD DOMINANT. 

IN A NUTSHELL:  "You're Not Pedaling from your Hips & Core!"

Basically, you're IMBALANCED and you're not alone!

What can Quad Dominant Imbalances cause?

In my experience...

 *Poor climbing power due to weak glutes/hams.
 *Increased back fatigue, usually from a weak core.
 *Inability to get aero and for longer periods. (poor flexibility)
 *Increased susceptibility to knee pain/injury.  (big one!!)
 *Cramping!  Cramping.  Cramping!  (insidious truth)

Not to mention, losing huge potential for MORE POWER!

If you use my Cyclo-TRAINER Sessions, you know how
much emphasis I place into teaching you to RIDE FROM
YOUR HIPS and CORE!   (at nauseam)  Keep doing them!

It's my "core philosophy" and one that works incredibly well
to help you re-balance your hip power, quad strength, and
leg speed for more efficiency, for longer periods of time.

I'll attack your hips, core, leg speed, & power in
every trainer session we'll do together...

**TRAINER SESSIONS #1-10 + BONUSES (special today)**
http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?AdID=530859

**NEW 2.5 Hr "CLIMBING EPIC" TRAINER Special (#17):
http://www.cyclo-club.com/products/item124.cfm

***NEW Strength & Wt-Loss TRAINER Bundle (# 11-13 + IN 5')
http://www.cyclo-club.com/products/item120.cfm

My Cyclo-TRAINER sessions will systematically help you:

 *Retrain your hips and core to ACTIVATE while riding.
 *Increase Glute and Hamstring Utilization and Power.
 *Strengthen the back and open the hams for aero stability.
 *Decrease dependance on your quads for power.
 *Open new channels for more leg speed & efficiency.
 *Super-charge your climbing muscular endurance.

You see, to help you balance your quads and hips, I need
to attack your body in multiple ways, that do not always
utilize the bike--which is why in many sessions, we get off the
bike and I'll attack you with Cyclo-CORE like training.

In fact, the more you ride with quad dominance, the more
quad dominant you become!  READ THAT AGAIN.

Use my Cyclo-TRAINER Sessions 1-3x week, and I promise
you, you will be quad dominant no more and finally begin
to MAXIMIZE YOUR POWER & STRENGTH by tapping into
your "Cottage of Wattage".

I use to be quad dominant for years and I always had back
pain, tight hams, and was weak in the hills.  Really weak.

Then, I started Cyclo-CORE Training and Cyclo-TRAINER
sessions and not only are those problems solved--but I'm
climbing and riding stronger than I was when I was in my 20's.

I want you to feel the same!

Ride Hard.  Balance Your Quads.  Dominate!

--Graeme Street


Totally makes sense.  There is a huge reservoir of power in the back of your body.
You just need to tap into it...

I cracked...

and rode my trainer! Hey, it's been one of those winters. I've been keeping busy with the gym sessions, snowshoeing, and seemingly daily snow removal. "I challenge ye to a shoveling contest!" Sorry, had to get that in there. But anyway, when my buddy Craig asked if I wanted to come over and do a sufferfest video, I said sure, what the hell.

I've done more spinervals workouts than I care to admit and I will say Coach Troy is a good motivator. But I was willing to give this a shot. After warming up with an episode of Family Guy on hulu it was time to get down to bi-ness as they say in the more non-rural areas. The workout was "The Hunted" and I was immediately taken aback by how interactive it was. It honestly felt at times like I was Robert Gesink. (Well, maybe if I was 5" taller and 20 lbs lighter.) The first part of the workout was 10 minutes of tempo followed by a 20 minute climb with some over/under efforts and at the end were some reverse intervals done like this: 10 sec full gas/50 sec recovery, 20 sec on/40 sec recovery, and so on until the last two (which hurt) were 50s/10 and then the whole 60s at full gas. I highly recommend these videos if you're really hurting (like I was) to spin the pedals. They are WAY better than Spinervals and if you can get a group together, all the better. I just got my wireless internet straightened out at the house so if you want to come over to the Combes torture chamber and do one with me, hit me up. After all, it's still only January...

Desperate times call for desperate measures, sure, but riding outside trumps the trainer any day. One could argue that you're constantly pedaling while on the trainer, but to be honest I pretty much ride like I'm on a fixie anyway (I know, I know, CB2) so that advantage is effectively eliminated. Trainer workouts have their place- probably more so in the recovery ride realm. I honestly don't have any flat routes near me. It's all good when you're in the heat of battle in the Strava climbing competition, but if you're just looking to spin the legs, the trainer is where it's at. I think overall you lose your sense of exertion on the trainer. If you don't have the luxury of one of these, then you don't really know how hard you're working. Sure you can wear a HR monitor but HR is more of a response to the power needs of the legs. In other words, the elevation of HR is purely autonomic: You don't will your heart to beat faster. The heart beats faster in response to the physiological needs of the body. Another important positive of riding outside is exposure to light. At least for me, to get outside helps minimize seasonal affect disorder. The end of November and into December sucks when it's starting to get dark at 4:00. We've turned the corner in a big way in that regard. On a non-cloudy day, the sun is still decent until 5:00 now.

I took the Nokian Hakapeliittas off last night and threw on the Michelin Mud2s for the ride today. What a difference dropping over a pound of weight (per wheel) makes! At times it felt like I was flying compared to the Nokians. It's funny how your body and mind get used to something. Had I been running slicks, the Mud2s would have felt slow. It makes me wonder why racers train on ultra light bikes. Ego, I guess. I'll never forget showing up to a fast group ride last Spring and getting dropped like a bad habit. Needless to say, I didn't show up with that bike again. I might ride my 24 lb winter beater more this Spring though, so that my 21.5 lb mtb feels light.

On the weight loss front, I've managed to dump 2 lbs already. Hey, a kilo is a kilo. I've got to get in shape for my little Spring training trip with Hilljunkie. We're headed to Tucson for a solid 7 days of riding. This will be my first bike centric trip. I'm looking forward to riding, eating, and sleeping my face off. I guess we're going to drive north a bit and hit Sedona as well. You can check out the latest scenery there on Sue Haywood's blog. 6 weeks away and would you believe it, a mere 9 weeks until Hopbrook Dam which will undoubtedly be a mudfest. Get your ass riding!

Making the best of things...

We've had it quite easy the last few winters in CT. Since I started riding, this is probably the "worst" yet. Excessive snowfall and arctic cold have produced several Jens Factor 5 days. But I guess in a way, it's a good thing- this whole getting off the bike for a couple months (well, not completely) helps to refresh the body and the nervous system as it won't be long before we're BLOWN from the hard rides to come. I can't imagine if I lived in Southern California; I'd probably be perpetually overtrained.

The offseason is a good time to work on things that are neglected throughout the year when we're turning the cranks tens of thousands of times. It's funny how unathletic I feel this time of year when I explore other arenas of fitness. Hip flexibility and core and upper body strength have completely hit the fan. I remember the days when I could run and jump like a deer but I suppose those days are behind me now. I often like to say, "the older we get, the better we were." So true.

I've managed to get out on the bike when there's Jens Factor 4 or lower and if there's significant snow, then snowshoeing it is. I think continuing to get exercise outside is good for the mind this time of year as diminished daylight can really get you down. (Although, we are heading back the other way now.) I've probably been snowshoeing a half dozen times or so and let me tell ya, it's a heluva workout. The movement is almost identical to climbing hills out of the saddle. I've actually seen HR's in the low 180's going hard up a steep hill with 2+ feet of snow. I went backcountry xc skiing once and my hip flexors were sore for 3 days. Skate skiing is tantalizing but I guess it's my unwillingness to travel to a good place to do it, my lack of gear, and my impatience in learning proper technique that have kept me away. I believe I blew out all my patience learning a new sport with swimming 5 years ago.

With nearly 19k miles in the legs over the last 3 seasons, I'm not so concerned about "base" at this point. I believe I have a base level of fitness in the legs. I'm just trying to work on weaknesses at this point which include but are not limited to core strength/flexibility and leg strength all while decreasing the old bodyweight. Apr. 2nd is the first mtb race of the season, a mere 10 weeks away.

Got blood drawn this morning for 1st blood test in 15 years. I'm anxious to see really how healthy I am.

Saw a post from Todd Holland on Facebook last night:

http://www.ultracycling.com/events/GMD.htm

Never done a double before and that would be one mother of a way to pop the cherry on that. I know the word "epic" is probably overused, but if this isn't epic then I don't know what is. I might have to email that sicko Sandy for some details.

Be careful what you wish for...

I was just saying to myself that I hadn't gotten a real good workout in a while and was hoping I'd get it today. Given the weather (17 for a high) and sub-par road conditions there were several exchanges of "What do you think?" and "What do you think?" before we finally pulled the trigger to ride.

Riding with Brian is never easy. Couple that with the fact that I still had the studded cross tires on and I was in for a ride to Hurtsville. Pulling out of his driveway, you're met with a nice 400' climb as a warm-up. Plain and simply, it sucks. Those tires seriously have to be worth a couple gears and with a 42x28 minimum, yeah, you know where this is going. ON top of that, I had to ride like I was on a fixed gear on the descents (Brian still effortlessly coasted away) and then slog back up the climbs. I initially thought that because it was so cold that my Garmin wasn't picking up my HR properly, i.e. it was running about 10 beats higher than normal. I tried a Fonzie tap of the unit, but I was still a regular vistor the upper 160's/low 170's. Well, it wasn't the Garmin, it was the goddamn tires.

The ride was nondescript, really. It was cold with a slight head wind as we headed north but my trusty Assos gear was (once again) doing its job wonderfully. I know everybody has their go-to gear, but let me tell ya, Assos is the best. Yeah, it costs an arm and a leg but there's a reason- It works. If you ride outside a lot, a Fugujack and a pair of bib tights will not let you down.

My water bottle was frozen solid 20 minutes into the ride. I think I was able to get the top off at one point and take a sip but I otherwise went without water for nearly 2 hours. Yeah, all the risers were taking their toll and for sure my mounting dehydration was only exacerbating things. I felt a twinge of a cramp coming in my right hamstring at one point and thankfully things just held together until the end.




For shits and giggles I weighed the cross bike with the studs. About 3# of rotational weight added over the Michelin Mud/Jet combo.










Also for shits and giggles I weighed everything I had on laden with sweat. I figured around 10# so nearly 9.5 was pretty close. And yes, I may have shot this naked.







For the metrics geeks: STRAVA

Note to self: Remove studded tires before riding with Brian.

Strava inspiration

Well, if you need any winter motivation, there's a climbing competition over on www.strava.com. I think it's $50 for the annual membership. The site is quite interactive in that it will automatically tabulate and categorize any climbs you hit on an uploaded route. I'm currently sitting in 15th as of press time. I think something like 10 of the 14 ahead of me are Aussies so while I'm swerving around black ice, they're riding around in shorts. The other 3 are Southern Californians. Bastards. Unless I start hitting Winsted Woods on a regular basis, I predict CB2 will be climbing (pun intended) the leaderboard seeing as seemingly 90% of his miles are on dirt.

I'm still weighing in at a buck fifty eight so that with my 26 lb winter bike and probably at least another 6-7 lbs of clothing/shoes, I'm pushing 190+ up the hills of northwest CT. My full intent is to go into Spring at sub-150 and hopefully when I jump back on the Cervelo, I won't be Battenkilled in April.



I've got one of these babies and I think that if I track my weight daily I'll do a better job of staying on top of my weight.




In other news, I'm going to be racing with Benidorm Racing in 2011. I was approached a month ago by some guys I ride with and it looks like the team's got a good group of people to hit the area race scene with so it should be a lot of fun. I'll probably do most of the Root 66 series and a few road races. I'll more than likely do a couple hillclimbs as well as the old standby, D2R2 and maybe another 100/10000'. Looking forward to it.