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Recently, I found myself in some uncharted waters. It was not my surroundings that caught me off guard rather it was my familiarity with the surrounding that put me in this unusual place…leading the pack on the final climb on the final day of winter training camp.
As I mentioned in my last entry, while I enjoy climbing on my bike I have never considered myself a climber. With that said, winter endurance camp this year found me riding with the front on many of the climbs, and to my surprise on a few occasions dishing out a little pain of my own. While I was more than happy to explore these newly acquired climbing legs I was not going to fool myself into thinking I had a crack at winning the final training day’s mountain stage that was being billed as EPIC.
Indeed the day was to be epic but not in the ways many of my teammates had envisioned but none the less epic in a single way in which I found myself right at home.
The day started as all the others earlier in camp had quick descent into the adjacent valley followed by a few hours of climbing our way back out of said valley to yet another descent to yet another climb. As we approached the final climb we had all managed to soften each others legs a bit pushing the pace when the terrain suited each individual’s strengths. With approx. 40 miles covered and some 3,000+ feet climbed the beast known as Kitchen Creek Road began to flex some muscle. Kitchen Creek consists of an approx. 5000 feet climb over 13 miles much of which is covered on a gated road leaving you unsupported and thanks the broken terrain lacking cell phone coverage.
As the road pitched up so did the pace with the true climbers sitting on a the front driving a pace that in the past would have left me waving good bye. But with my new climbing prowess I dug in…then it happened. SNOW, yes that’s right as the elevation climbed patches of snow began to encroach on the already narrowing road. Soon a light dusting lay trackless in front of us. All of sudden we were on my home turf, playing my game, finally an epic last day of training camp I could win.
As the snow deepened our riding turned to short burst of crud busting surfing until at last all traction and forward progress was halted. Always the optimist I was sure things would clear up just around the next corner. Plowing forward with my bike slung over my shoulder hunting out the most efficient way up the mountain in mid-shin deep snow, clad in lycra and a smile from ear to ear, at last I was on a solo break, set to take my first mountain top victory. As the march up Kitchen Creek continued the distance grew as I felt my competitors/teammates succumb to my superior preparation. Approximately, 3.5 miles later I topped out on the climb with plenty of time to zip up my jersey throw my bike over the 5 foot tall snow bank and celebrate my victory to the amazement of a half dozen crazy cycling fans …or maybe they were shocked teenagers on a sledding outing.
As the rest of the team came trickling it was apparent the day’s ride indeed was epic but alas it was an epic day that played to my strengths, strengths that have been crafted and tuned on the winter roads of Montana.
I must admit hindsight is 20/20 and while everyone survived the Kitchen Creek ride, it certainly will not be billed as the best example of good team decision making. Namely, that crazy Montanan, blinded by the thought of his first mountain top victory, should have stopped and encouraged the group to retreat. I suppose that would have been the sane thing to do, but alas being a Montanan predisposes me to a bit of insanity.
While training for the 2010 cycling season started in early December my 1st formal outing with the National team for the year began yesterday with a bang in Alpine, CA. Typically our training camps at this point in the season include new potential riders to the program, and thus the pace can be tempered with their inclusion, that is not that case this time around. Instead all the riders here are National team riders and being the first time we have seen each other it would seem we all have a particular interest in how the off season has treated the others.
 Now a sane person would suggest that we simply ask the individual how off-season and subsequent preseason training is going, but it is the competitor in us all that would prefer to find out in a series of challenges we like to call throwing down or drilling it or…. in short each person takes their swing at going as hard and fast as they can in hopes of dropping the others. What this all amounts to is little in regards to answers and/or conclusion on one off season..no no it generally just leads to an all inclusive trip to the pain room rendering each and every one of us thoroughly burnt toast. Two days down just shy of 120 miles logged, many of them at all out race pace, and four more out in front of us I imagine burnt toast will be putting it lightly.
All of rides start with a 25 to 30 minute decent from Alpine, CA at 35mph and end with an hour or so climb at 8 mph. Yesterday was a bit cold particularly on the downhills which there were plenty of because there was plenty of uphill climbs. Today, was a perfect Southern California day and what lacked for in number of climbs we made up for in length, grade and intensity.
As it sits right now I must say I feel pretty good about my climbing. While I enjoy climbing I have never been considers a good nor particularly strong climber. In the past, I have not been able to really consider getting over the top of the big climbs with the front group but all that is changing. Yesterday, I hung with the front group on all but the steepest grades and even then I was only hanging a few seconds off the back. Today, the legs were a bit heavy and the climbs had a little more meat to them but again I managed to hang and even did some time on the sharp point of the stick. So, it can be said that I am pleased at the improvements and performance this early in the season. Now with that said I still can not say I am climber nor that there is not tons of room for improvement. But I do know the road I am on is the right track, a track that rewards hard work and digging deep.
I am excited for what the next few days hold. I have a good feeling about this year…the journey continues.
I thought I would share a few pictures from our trip to North Carolina for Christmas this year to kick off the first post of the year.
 Sara’s parents moved to Hayesville, NC approx. two years ago, retiring on 50 acres adjacent to and overlooking Jack’s family farm that he lived on when he was a little boy before moving west. I must say the old Roger’s home is a bit worse for the wear but the walls still hold a lot of memories. Jack’s uncle mentioned he has thought of tearing it down on several occasions but has yet to get around to it, I imagine just a little to hard to see of those memories disappear. As for the new home, it is beautifully located on knob just above the mountain pass known as Sally Gap.  Above Jack, Sara and Amelia standing outside the old Roger’s home. Left, looking up at Jack and Roxy’s new home overlooking the valley below
Knowing I was headed to a more cycling friendly climate for Christmas I made sure the bike was in toe. That said having never spent any time in that part of the country I had no idea what to expect. I can however, assure you that I was expecting hills not mountains and was pretty skeptical of how much fun the riding would be. All that would quickly change as I started researching the area only to find out that her parents live with in riding distance of some of the Tour de Georgia’s most notably stages, most including the feared Bald climb.
It did not take me long to realize those hill are indeed mountains. They may not be tall by elevation standards but they are steep and have plenty of elevation gain to them, something I was reminded of over and over again as I coaxed my carcass to the top of said mountains. But more then the climbs it was the narrow, banked, swooping road that put and perma grin on my face. The road riding was truly amazing, and opened my eyes to a whole new level of riding enjoyment. I would be describe them as paved singletrack.
Needless to say the training miles ticked away effortlessly when compared to the alternative of slaving away on the trainer back in Montana. Once the 10 day visit was done I had managed to climb all the featured climbs in the Tour de Georgia, logged over 350 miles, and felt as though I was finally getting back into the groove of things on the bike.
It was wonderful to spend some quality time with Sara’s parents. Amelia was like any good child most interested in the wrapping…
… Sara and I enjoyed our gift, our own starter family. Although I must admit the custom BBQ apron was a close second.
Wednesday the temperature was in the 50’s, and I could have easily gone on a bike ride if it was not the off season. There was no snow on the ground, the grass still had some green to it and the newspaper published an article on the fact the leaves were staying on the trees much longer than normal. At 9:00 p.m. that night it was raining lightly and the temperature was falling slowly.
We stumbled out of bed to this….
…when the snow finally stopped falling total accumulation was 22″ at our house. In order to keep up with the snow I had to shovel the driveway and sidewalk 3 times. I hear the skiing was pretty good and may try to make some turns this weekend during my break from the bike.
Amelia opted to stay cozy inside yesterday, but Pinner was loving it.
Welcome winter!
The 2009 World Championships have come and gone, leaving me with some amazing memories, things to work on, and completely exhausted. At the conclusion of racing the US team had managed to earn 11 individual medals including multiple Golds. The most notable moment for me of the World Championships was watching the men’s tandem ride away from the heavily favored Spanish team to become the 2009 4-km Pursuit World Champions. Watching Clark and Dave steam roll their way into the finals only to shave another second plus off there personal best to claim gold, left me in tears and truly amazed. Other notable rides include the women’s tandem setting a new World Record in the 3-km Pursuit, Aaron Trent’s two gutsy rides for medals (one after a broken chain in his kilo start, and the other coming from behind in the Pursuit finals) and lastly the 1.5 hour continuous dance session that left me sore and completely drained.
As far as personal results I am happy to say I road to two 5th places in the 4-km Pursuit and the Kilo as well as a 4th place in the Team Sprint. My first race was the Pursuit, held on Day one of the Championships, an event that I had not specifically trained for. Needless to say my expectations in the start gate were nothing more than to have a good consistent strong ride…surprise, my final time was 5:06 and change, marking a personal best and slotting me into a surprising 5th place.
Saturday, marked my big day with the Kilo being the race I have invested nearly all my training to. Unlike the day before in which I was relaxed and confident for the Pursuit, Saturday I was wound tight weighed down with some major expectations I had put on myself for the Kilo. I know that I am capable of going sub 1:10 in the Kilo and after waiting three years to return to international competition I was pouring the pressure on. Rather than being confident in my ability I spent the building moments before pondering what could go wrong. In the gate, I was able to flush my mind of these thoughts and as the clock counted down I was ready to attack the pedals. 3….2….1….hang up on gate….0….attack the pedals. The timing on the gate releasing and the clock reading 0 seemed to be a bit delayed and consequently when I exploded on the pedals the gate did not let me go…reload the pedals and I was off. Despite the pour start at the 500-meter mark I was flying running the second fastest time of the race…and then something happened. What happened? I am not sure nor is my coach but over the next 500-meter’s I went slower and slower rolling through on my final lap slower than I had gone for any one lap during my entire 4-km pursuit the day before clocking a 1:14:4. Again I am not sure why but I know my legs are capable of going faster than they went. I have to wonder if it was the result of all the pressure I had put on these 70+ seconds for the last few years, the doubt I had, or maybe I missed something in my training…in short it was not to be this year and I am now okay with that. I am proud of what has been achieved in 4.5 years and consider myself extremely blessed.
Sunday, was a cherry on top of things racing as a member of the Team Sprint team with our first ride qualifying us for the finals while at the same time setting a new American Record for the event. In the final’s we jumped out to an early lead but had it slip away in closing meters despite improving on the American Record we had set earlier in the day.
Now it is time to kick back, enjoy a few days off the bike, eat some dessert, and most importantly love on the family. Then as the days roll on we will start the evaluation and planning process for the next year. Surely there are some hard questions to be asked, some achieved goals to celebrate, and some tough training objectives to plan. The 2010 World Championships are 8 1/2 months away and I aim to be there relaxed and confident, riding at the fullest of my abilities.
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