Getting the racing season started (sort of)

Since I had the time and opportunity, I decided to do a mountain bike race today. I took part in BuDu Racing's West Side Mountain Bike Series at South SeaTac park. I haven't raced a mountain bike in well over 2 1/2 years so, combined with how early it is in my training season, my expectations were low. I was pleasantly surprised however. I raced in the sport category and although I started out near the back of the field, my lap times were consistent and by the end I had moved up to the middle of the field, finishing 10th out of 20 in my age group.

More encouraging than the results page though was how I felt during the race. I haven't done any real intensity yet in my training and have only been back on the bike for a little less than a month. I felt good on the what climbs there were and was able to push hard without blowing up. The work in the weight room over the winter paid off as well as I had very little fatigue in my upper body. The trails at South SeaTac were as fun as always and the weather man was wrong and it didn't rain. Oh yeah, and the new bike is a kick in the pants as well!

Is there anything more fun than a new bike?

Being the bike geek I am, I can't think of anything more fun than getting a new bike. In the "real world", some people get company cars, at the bike shop I work for, I get a "company bike". It's a Kona Hei Hei 29er. I got it put together yesterday and will take it for its first ride tomorrow at BuDu Racing's West Side Mountain Bike Series race at South SeaTac.

I know, I know, it's a bad idea to try out new equipment for the first time on race day (much less an entire bike.) Since I'm not a mountain bike racer (it's been 2 1/2 years since my last one), I really don't mind if I finish dead last. It will just be a fun day in the mud on my newest toy and hopefully the first of many, many to come.

Splat!

Monday, I got out for my first outdoor ride of the year. Today I went for another season first. I decided to fall down and go splat. I was rolling along enjoying a blue sky, sunny day when I encountered a refrozen patch of meltwater on a heavily cambered, shady bend in the road.

Its interesting how many things can go through your mind in a short space of time. "Hmmm that's an interesting sensation, as if my rear wheel is slipping. Hey, my front wheel is slipping too. Uh-oh, I'm going down. I hope I don't break anything. Well, I didn't break anything. Did anyone see that? Is the bike okay?"

Luckily it was just a bump on the hip as the slick road meant I just slid along without even tearing any of my clothing. Still, it was a great day and a nice ride.

Outside again!

I got out for my first outside ride of the year this afternoon. I know, I know, there are lots of people who don't let the cold, snow, and ice keep them indoors and off their bikes for the winter, but I'm not one of them. The roads around here have cleared enough and it was a sunny afternoon in the low 30s, a perfect day for spin on my Ritchey that I sung the praises of in an earlier post.

Its amazing how good it feels to do that first outing of the season. The little hills that will barely be noticed later in the season provide a perfect opportunity to stretch the legs a bit and think of all the work yet to be done. All the memories of the previous season and all the hopes for the upcoming season compete for attention in my brain. The best part is the scenery changes. It never does on a trainer in the garage or a spin bike at the gym.

I'm glad to be back at it and out on the road again.

Who designs these things?

Last summer I posted some ramblings on the excessive amount of light blue in the pro peleton. Team Columbia has decided to go in a new direction this year with its team kit (http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos.php?id=/photos/2009/features/columbia_launch09/16-mensteam). I think the blue may have been better!

The Season of Hope

It's that time of year, that special season, a time for hope and a time for optimism. The time when gifts are received that can raise your spirit. Yes, its time for off-season training!

Since I don't race cyclocross (although I probably should try it even though that would mean yet another bike), I've been off the bike for a several weeks now. Its time to get back to work and hit the gym for some off-season strength training in preparation for 2009. The hope and optimism I mentioned earlier runs rampant this time of year for me. I begin to think of the races of the next year and of course since it hasn't started, all things are possible. I enjoy the workouts in the gym. They are a nice change of pace for a few months. By February though, I'll be tired of being inside and ready to hit the road again. The work I do now indoors hopefully will set me up for a strong racing season. Last year was the first winter I did any work in the gym and I feel it really helped me get off to a great start to my best ever season this past year.

I also mentioned gifts that can raise your spirit. I'm not talking about a new pair of pedals, or a jersey, or a sexy new pair of carbon wheels. No, I'm talking about something just as hard to wait for as Christmas morning. It's the posting of the racing calendar for the upcoming year on the WSBA website. Once its posted the planning and goal setting can begin. I think about the races I enjoyed last year and the ones I might like to try. I begin to plan which days from work I'll need off and if I can rope any of my friends into joining me at some far away race. Okay, I also think about new pieces of equipment that will make those races and my training all the more enjoyable and memorable.

Lots to think about and hope for in this Season of Hope.

Happy Holidays!

My Favorite?

Which one of my bikes is my favorite? That's a really tough question. I have a Bushnell custom road bike that I have had for 17 years that fits like a pair of old blue jeans and that I race on and ride probably 75% of my miles on. I've got a slippery fast Trek Equinox TT bike that's a kick to ride, but being a TT bike, it doesn't get a whole lot of miles on it. Right now, I'm between mountain bikes, but although I usually have one, I don't really get all that attached to them or ride them very much.

I like all my bikes a lot, that's part of being a bike geek like me. But if I had to pick one favorite though, it would be the "ugly duck" of the flock. I put it together a couple of years ago to ride on the road early and late in the season when the weather is cruddy and the roads are sandy, wet, and slushy. Its heavy and slow, but when the temperature is in the 30s, less speed is a good thing because there is less wind chill. Its got fenders, a rack, and lights so its practical for wet weather and the shorter days of late fall and early spring. Its a 1985 Ritchey mountain bike that I got off of eBay for about $250. I added some drop bars and the proper stem to match my road bike position. Its long wheelbase and relaxed geometry make it nice and stable on slick roads and the fat tires help as well. Although its not my lightest, fastest, or flashiest bike, it is unquestionably the best suited to its respective task. As a bonus, I put flat pedals on it for the summer and use it for running errands around town which it does quite well. Is it my favorite? I don't know, but I'm awfully fond of it!