No Official Results Yet...Regardless A Good Race!!

I guess getting results for a bicycle event takes a bit longer than road running but regardless it was a very good starting event yesterday!! I competed in the Browstone Road Race in my first USA Cycling certified event, so that meant a short race of 20.4 miles. The race itself was a 5.1 mile loop that we covered 4 times. It was a rolling course with lots of rollers and quite breezy in some sections. Obviously, after the last attempt at racing, the plan was no run ins with a car! It was a good learning experience but I still found myself a little apprehensive in the crowds especially after that crash. I finished with the lead group (right on the back of it) of about 15 riders or so. I did not get involved with the sprints "shit show" finish as even on some of the hills a lot of the riders had a hard time holding their lines. In all I covered the 4 loops (20.4 miles) in 50:39 or 24.2 mph with 766 feet of total climbing! I came away feeling like I could have gone another 4 loops at the same pace.

Training continues to go very well. I continue to make improvements in my training especially as the back gets closer to 100%. I love being able to tackle all the monster hills here in Central PA. This past week in 7 days of riding I did a combined 6882 feet of climbing and 14,498 feet in the last two weeks. My goal for this week is 8000 feet. I am also looking forward to next week as I will get a week of training in the Poconos in Lackawaxen, PA - new roads and new hills! Training also improves because of being able to analyze a lot more details of my rides through the Garmin.

New Training Totals:
Week - 7 rides/ 276 miles/ 13hours 15minutes/ 21.0mph
June - 26 rides/ 977 miles/ 46hours 32minutes/ 21.10mph
Year - 179 rides/ 6,055 miles/ 279hours 51minutes/ 21.8mph

In the race, I wore a 4K for Cancer jersey which was given to me by one of my athletes who is currently biking from Baltimore, MD to Portland, OR. He is participating in the ride with other college students and raising money for cancer awareness. Even though the ride is in progress it is never to late to give. Please check out his webpage which includes blogs from the road:

http://4kforcancer.org/profiles/nate-wineland/

I am now checking schedules to figure out when my next race will be as I want to get back at it as soon as possible. As soon as I get official results from Saturday and pick my next week, I will get that information on here.

TdO 11!!! Epic just can't describe it!

New Bike!!!!!!

The week was highlighted, not only by great training, but the purchase of a sweet new bike. I received my check from the insurance company of the driver who hit me during the race. I headed up to The Bicycle Shop in State College, PA to check out a Cannondale CAAD 9 with Dura Ace! As soon as I got on it I knew this would be the new toy!!! While shopping and talking with the workers, I decided it was also time to add another toy to the purchase and get the Garmin Edge 500 with Heart Rate Monitor and Speed/Cadence Sensor. What a great purchase that is turning to be already. It is so much easier to analyze each ride. Maybe a bit too much information for me to go crazy over while analyzing each ride...lol

The week also brought the hills back into trainer. With each appointment with the chiropractor, I can feel the back getting better. I would say at this point it is about 95% recovered. In the five rides since getting the new bike and Garmin, I have had a total of 7616 feet of climbing. The first ride up the hills kind of kicked my ass a but I can feel the climbing legs getting back under me with each ride. This week was my second biggest week of training this year.

Week - 7 rides/ 270 miles/ 13hours 2minutes/ 20.70mph
Month - 19 rides/ 701 miles/ 33hours 17minutes/ 21.10mph
Year - 172 rides/ 5779 miles/ 266hours 35minutes/ 21.80mph

Now next Saturday, I will be racing for the first time since the crash. I have been wanting to race but I will admit I am still a bit nervous on the bike especially on downhills. I guess that is normal given I was hit on a downhill. I am still a little quick on the brakes which kind of sucks since I am flying up the hills with ease right now. Next week's race:

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=11717

This blog's music selection is in honor of Clarence "The Big Man" Clemons!!!

TdO 11!!

Maybe This Week!

The back is almost ready. I would say I am between 90-95% back to being able to race. I have be able to add more hills to my rides but nothing that really requires me to get out of the saddle at any point. The back is still stiff and aches slightly when I try to jump out of the saddle. I also figured out that for now that up to a 2 hour ride is my limit. With all of that said, I put racing on hold yet one more week. I am also waiting as there is a very good chance I could have my new bike early next week.

There are a couple race that I am looking at for the next few weekends. My biggest drive for getting back into racing so quickly is to get my CAT 5 starts so I can move up to CAT 4 and race at least slightly longer. Some possibilities:

http://www.bikereg.com/events/Register.asp?EventID=13534 - 18 laps
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=13603 - 22 laps
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=11717 - 32KM

I am also looking for some longer road races (regardless of certification) because I had so much fun over the Mon Tour. I believe the longer a race is the better off I am. It is also very motivating to think about racing long especially while watching the Criterium du Dauphine and Tour de Suisse. In just over 3 week, it will be the start of the Tour de France.

Training continues to go very well. I had a very good week and felt incredibly strong on the small hills I was able to add to my training. I believe this week I will be able to add some more hills to my rides. I have a few more appointments with the chiropractor to help loosen the back up. I can definitely tell a difference in my pedal efficiency after a few appointments. New training totals:

Week - 7 rides/ 254 miles/ 11hours 56minutes/ 21.30mph
Month - 12 rides/ 431 miles/ 20hours 15minutes/ 21.30mph
Year - 165 rides/ 5509 miles/ 253hours 33minutes/ 21.80mph
Weekly average - 233.71 miles/ 10hours 44minutes/ 21.80mph

It looks like August is going to be the best time for the TdO 11!!! There will be some training together in the hills of the Poconos come early July. I won't won't beat him up too much on the hills. It will be quite a change from the flat roads of South Jersey for him.

Time To Race Again!!!

Almost feeling 100% after the bike crash! I have started working with a chiropractor within the last week and I can feel a difference (slightly). I still have days when the back still feels pretty stiff. It is not painful but just a dull nagging ache or tightness. It acts up mostly when I attempt to jump out of the saddle to hammer a little. Because of this, I put a 1 week extension on my comeback to racing. I am hoping to get back out there racing this weekend. Below are the links to two possible races this weekend:

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=13282
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=13238

Despite the back, training has been going extremely well still. Granted I have been limited to doing a flat out back course basically everyday until back can handle some hills. Today was the first time that the back did not tighten up when I popped off the saddle. So, who knows, maybe tomorrow morning I will be able to head for the hills. I really do hope so because I do like riding the hills here in Central PA. I am also hoping to be able to start joining some of the group rides!

Despite all flat rides, I was able to up the minutes on the bike back to where they were prior to the crash. Once the back is 100%, it will also be time to get back in the weight room. I know the addition of weight training back in the schedule will take my cycling to the next level. I already feel incredible and strong on the hills.

New Training Totals:
Week - 7 rides/ 249 miles/ 11hours 36minutes/ 21.50mph
June - 5 rides/ 177 miles/ 8hours 19minutes/ 21.30mph
Year - 158/ 5255miles/ 241hours 37minutes/ 21.80mph
Per Ride Average - 33.25miles/ 1hour 31minutes/ 21.80mph

It is also now pretty much officially summertime. I am looking forward to a nice relaxing quiet summer. Not much on the agenda as of yet. Of course, there will be plenty of biking, time at the "Lot" and the TdO '11!!!

Stayed tuned for more details regarding the Epic event!