A Detour to Boulder--mileage to date 819

While on my way back to Breckenridge for a few days I decided to detour to Boulder to participate in the Colorado University Short Track MTB Series (http://cushorttrack.blogspot.com/). The races are less than 30 minutes in length and basically a crit on an MTB.

The Short Track Course--about .9 mile ciruit

Prior to arriving I contacted a former DC triathlon and training pal Adrianne Kroepsch (AK). She is now a soon to finish grad student at CU and a member of the CU Cycling Team. AK planned to race as well so we linked-up for some chit chat to catch-up on what we have been up to for the last few years and then hopped on the course for some warm-up laps

My sole reasoning for doing this race was because it is different and seemed like a lot of fun. The altitude in Boulder is about 5k so I expected it to be a bit easier than Steamboat but my expectations were low regarding how well I would do. I entered the Men's B race and about 25 of us were off at about 6:20pm for our race of 25 minutes. I was spit out the back pretty quick and had to redline to just keep the other guys in view. 

My heart rate was screaming, nothing new here, and I was having a lot of fun on the course and to quote AK "you are like a kid on your bike on this course" when cruising around the trees and up and over the dips and berms.

Like other races in the Rockies the leaders lapped me at about the 15 min mark but today I felt better than at Steamboat and was able to catch two riders so I was not DFL!! Anyway, when I had one lap to go I was able to hold off the last guy I passed and finished in 3rd from the bottom. Humbling yes but an improvement from last week.

Adrianne on the grid

I watched AK in the Women's A race and she faced some real tough competition against sponsored riders and many that are not full-time grad students. Needless to say AK had a pretty good race but she ended up off the podium as well. AK admitted that maybe she should not show up for this kind of race on tired legs?? For my DC and NOVA pals that know AK she is running a lot and prepping for this.......http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/index.htm

AK pushing the big ring

Post Race smiles but no podium for us!

After the race I mingled a bit and talked with one guy that had raced in one of our Potomac Velo club races....small world.............and I ran in to another former east coaster that raced for Route 1 Velo in Maryland. Like many things the cycling community is very small :)

JOCMO: Not finishing last and riding well!

Boulder in the background as I am leaving town

Front Range and valley leaving Boulder

an Other Moment--mileage total 809

Yesterday my nephew Ryan and I headed north to race the Loveland Lake to Lake Oly Distance Triathlon. This event for me was less about racing a Tri as I had not done one since 2008 but more about spending the day with Ryan and see if he could podium in his AG in his first Oly.

We rolled out of my sister Macey's house at 4:30am and drove the hour to Loveland. We efficiently retrieved our packets and went in to transition to set-up our gear. The morning was wonderful with slightly overcast skies and moderate temps (with projected temps to reach the 90s in the afternoon).

In the Parking Lot and Race Ready

This race had 723 athletes show-up and is also a qualifier for USAT Age Group Nationals. The course is challenging but not too extreme with some steady climbing on a 30 mile bike leg with long descents.

Transition Prep

Ryan is training for the Under 19 national championship in San Diego later in the Summer and it is a sprint distance event and uses ITU rules. He is also a collegiate runner where 5Ks are his strength. With this in mind an Oly is twice as long as he usually goes for any of the three events so he was a bit concerned prior to the race on how he would handle the distance. While in the car we talked about his strength as a runner and to not overdo it on the bike as going 30 miles was long for him and then a 10k afterwards would be a challenge.

15 Min to Swim Start

 Well.....................needless to say when you have an engine and some talent none of the above really was that big of a deal. Ryan had a great performance where he won his AG but better yet he was 18th OVERALL and had the second fastest run split of 35:47......a 5:46 pace and the guy that beat him is a professional and a former collegiate runner (http://www.justindaerr.com/index.html). Needless to day a great race day for a guy that said "I never felt like I was in a rhythm all day" and he ends up in the top twenty!

Post-race Pavilion

Post Race Snack--one of the best I have had at any Tri

Ryan with his first place mug

Ryan and the other podium guys

In the small world category I ran in to Robin Waterwoman whom I met on RtR. She is also a super triathlete and she won her AG handily! Great race Robin.

JOCMO: Not really a cycling moment for me but a great day with my nephew. As the years go by it will have been my "sage advice" that led to his victory.

Steamboat Redux--Mileage Total 762

 The Steamboat Valley heading in to town from Rabbit Ears Pass

Amy and Matt graciously invited me back to town for some riding, laughs, adult beverages, fridge raiding, and morning coffee. 

I arrived to town just in time to change in to my kit and link up with Matt and Amy at the house. We headed down to meet at their LBS Orange Peel (http://www.orangepeelbikes.com/) for an easy club ride per Amy as the next day is the Town Challenge so no one wants to over do it.

 Amy prepping for the "easy" Club Ride

I roll out with the A Group and we are heading out of town and gently up hill two abreast in a pace-line. I pulled a few times and was definitely working but nothing too hard yet. After my second pull we approach the first climb and I am working now..............definitely gasping and I thought i was beginning to acclimatize!! Not by any stretch....

Well................needless to say my ego was crushed and I was spit out the back in about 30 seconds so I ended up riding alone for the next 10 miles until we reached the turnaround point and Matt and Amy and a handful of others were headed in the opposite direction. The flagged me down and we decided to head home as we already had 20 miles down................we wanted to save our legs for the next day's race remember? ;)

We rode together for a few miles and with some more big hills coming on the way home I was dropped again---ahhhhhh---but I was not the last one dropped and I started to finally feel a bit better and worked with another guy, Danny, to get us back to town. Well....a tough ride nonetheless and I was tired by the time we arrived home.

Amy made a great pasta dinner and we kicked back and savored the wonderful evening in the Rockies talking about the wildcards and speedbumps life deals us. We chatted until about 11pm and this is waaaaaaay past our bedtime. They are great people!

 My big decision

The next day started off with morning coffee, some e-mails, and then off to the pool. I was in a lane next to Alexis Rupple. At first I just thought I was god awful slow, a trend in the last 18 hours, until I learned several hours later from Amy that she is on the Colorado University swim team............I did not feel so slow after all.

After my swim, lunch with Matt and Harry the Austrian Nordic Ski Instructor, I was off to Ericksen Cycles. Last week during RtR I stopped in during their open house to talk bikes and build philosophy. I chatted with Bo (pic below) for about an hour and decided to come back with my fat tire and talk some more.

 Bo working on a frame

Today I met with Kent Ericksen and we discussed a new frame for me that would be a better fit and include a lot of modern technology. Well..........to say the least after about an hour of talking I pulled the trigger and ordered a frame. My existing MTB is 7 years old and showing its wear and I knew that it was only a matter of time before I was ready and now seemed right.

After the bike shop visit it was back to the house to prep the MTB for the Town Challenge MTB race at Marabou (http://www.marabouranch.com/). Per Amy this is a retirement community for the young that is open only once a year for the locals to ride so it is quite a treat. 

The race had a big crowd of about 250 riders of all ages to include several local pros. My race went off at 6pm and I was pushing hard to keep up and was definitely redlining. The heat and altitude were my enemy!

In 2009 I entered a Town Challenge and HMAHTM. I was not ready for the climbing right out of the gate nor the altitude. During this race I can say I performed a bit better but with about 2/3 of the race finished I started to fade and ended up last in my AG. Bummer but one thing I have learned is the depth of talent in CO is amazing in all age groups. The pic below actually made it in to Steamboat Today attributed to some guy that smoked me but I will take publicity! (http://www.steamboattoday.com/photos/galleries/2011/jun/22/2011-town-challenge-marabou/9735/)

Lookin' Fast but DF last at this point!

We are a lot dustier than this pic shows

Post race we cleaned up and went to the ranch house for dinner and Fat Tire Amber.

Post Race with some recovery drink

Amy checking out Matt's trail dust tan!

Matt fueling up at the keg. Kent Ericksen in red.

The next day Matt gave me a quick tour of the Steamboat hills and some of the surrounding neighborhoods. The below waterfall was used as the backdrop for theCoors beer logo.

 Fish Creek Waterfall a mile up the hill from Amy and Matt's house

Before leaving town I went back to Ericksen and while chatting with Bo in walks a tired and grizzled mountain biker. I noticed immediately his jersey from Plum Grove Cyclery as it is in Leesburg, VA and sponsor's several local races. 

What a small world as this guy, Bob Anderson, is from Crozet, VA and is on the Plum Grove racing team. Bob is in the middle of the Tour the Divide MTB race (http://www.tourdivide.org/) and stopped at Orange Peel to have his bike fixed. Apparently another racer stopped two days ago and had to have part of his frame rewelded by the guys at Ericksen.

Bob and I chatted for about 15 minutes about his experience so far and he told me he had about 7 days to make it under the time cut off--about 120+ miles a day for the next week!! He is fueling at convenience stores, using iodine to purify water, suffered through 6 days of rain at the start, and now needs to ride REAL HARD to make. He readily admits he prepped for the race by the seat of his pants.

 Small World--note the jersey on this guy?

 Bob's bike being fixed--note the bags for storage

I rolled out of town and headed back to the Front Range.....................

 Leaving Town

JOCMO: Post race camaraderie, meeting Bob on his brief stop, ordering a new bike!

Day 6 of RtR--Mileage total 710 and a lot of vertical!

Day 6 Profile

The night before the Rocky Mountain weather showed its force. After 5 days of clear and sunny skies we had a storm come in with very high winds. I double checked my tent stakes to make sure it would not blow away but it did not matter in the beer garden. The winds were so strong they closed it down early. And as expected after the tents were packed-up the winds died down..........

We had rain during the night and at about 5:30am give or take it started to rain again..........bummer.....as this meant rain gear and cold weather clothing.........

I met Rick as usual for a 7:15 roll out and he said "let's hold off for a bit and let this rain go through" so we sipped coffee in the cafeteria and this is where I snapped the pic of the two weary riders below.

These two riders only smiled when I pulled out the camera

Rick and I headed out of town towards Winter Park and our last long climb of the RtR up Berthoud Pass. It was cold, clammy, and thank goodness not raining, but we were dressed for the bad weather anyway.

The ride pace was efficient and social with the goal of keeping warm and enjoying the last 50 miles and we were able to see Steve and Mark with whom we rode on Day 1 at the first aid station. After a loo break, some refuel we started our long climb up Berthoud pass. This was a 4%-9% climb of approximately 14 miles.

Heading in to Winter Park

This is what we were riding in to at Berthoud Pass

These gems are part of the real estate bubble bursting

Great Shot of where we are headed by Rick

After the Winter Park stop we began the efficient and long climb up Berthoud Pass. Rick and I rode together the entire way (yeah baby, I did not get dropped) and were efficient and at time fast. I was beginning to acclimatize and was able to keep up with Rick when we climbed up beyond 10000' and snaked our way up the switch backs to the summit. Even with all the climbing I was still cold and my core temps were maintained but I was definitely not sweating much and did not take a drink the last 6-7 miles.

Rick leading the way!

Made it!

After about 2.5 hours of riding we were at the top and no matter how many long climbs I have done I always have those thoughts of "will I make it" as the discomfort of climbing can create doubts. In the end the climb was a challenge and rewarding just the same and when at the top I ran in to one of the Father/Son teams on a tandem and I asked the young buck, about 11 or 12 years old, "I will give you $10 to do it again" and he said "no" so I said how about $20 if you do it alone and he said "no" and was too busy eating his fajita!

Aid Station 3 at the top

We did not dawdle at the top because of the cold so after about 5 min we headed down.....wheeeeeeeeeee...and about 18 miles of hair-raising descent. Well, needless to say we were moving fast and I was chilled to my bones with numb fingers and toes but as we went lower, down from 11,300' to 8,000 or so the temps climbed a bit.

Rick in good spirits as we are 1mi from the finish in Georgetown

The arrival to Georgetown was festive with hundreds of people in the center of town. After a few pics I went back to the parking area, showered, locked up the bike, and headed back to the beer garden. I was able to link up with Eric the Diesel and a few other displaced New Englanders and we shared a few of Odell's finest. 

JOCMO: Okay, this brings an end to a wonderful cycling experience over 6 days and 400+ miles. Riding with Rick Oshlo was a real treat as he is one of the best all around riders I have had the joy of sharing a road with. He taught me how to descend like a "roadie" and kept me in line when my testosterone would interfere with cycling etiquette. Thanks Rick for the memories!

Finish Line!

RtR Day 5--Mileage Total 660

Day 5 started with me and Rick meeting at 7:15 to get on the road. We waited a few minutes to see if anyone would join us but in the end it was the two of us.

We rolled out of town on tired legs with a welcoming sun and gentle breeze. This day of riding started with a gentle climb out of town towards Rabbit Ears pass and after about 4 miles we began the 11+ mile jaunt to the top.

I don't know about Rick because he was not offering a lot of commentary on his leg strength this day but my power muscles were still in the recovery mode from the previous two days. My climbing muscles felt pretty good however and once we were in a rhythm we maintained an efficient, and at times, fast pace up the mountain. Maybe the Parlee helped with the climbing or possibly the "new bike placebo effect" but I felt fast going up! :)

Ascending Rabbit Ears--4%-7% grade

Aid Station 1 at first summit--we were passed by only one rider on the way up

That water would really help sore quads

Heading up toward the second summit of Rabbit Ears

Rick and I continued to ride well and did not run in to anyone from the previous two days. We pressed forward to the summit and began a fast descent down the mountain and this is where I could really tell the difference between my bike and the Parlee. To compare, my venerable Litespeed is a Lexus Sports Sedan and the Parlee is a Porsche. Anyway...........the Parlee was faster going down and when I wanted to accelerate it responded.....what a joy....unfortunately not in my bike budget for 2011!

After making it to the bottom of the mountain we pacelined with others to fight the wind through the next two aid stations. When we made it to Aid Station 4 in Kemmerling we reunited with the Diesel who said he was just taking it easy today and did not want to push too hard. Well.........................

So we rolled out of the Aid Station and it was Day 3 Deja Vu. The Diesel complimented us in that we motivate him to push hard to he led us out toward Granby in a 3-man effort with him of course taking the longest pulls. Heck, Rick had to move up front and tell him to take a break!!

Even on tired legs the three of us were motivated to keep up the pace and the gentle tail wind, even though most of the last 30 miles were uphill, kept us moving fast. 

Rick and the Diesel in a canyon about 15mi from Granby

 

Aid Station 5--quick stop for water and 10 miles to go

After the last stop we pushed hard and had a wonderful ride in to Granby. The short steep hill to the RtR Headquarters at the high school was no fun but like on Day 3 we felt great to push the pace and work together. Rick's post ride data had us averaging almost 21.5 mph for the last 60 miles.

JOCMO: The climb up Rabbit Ears had both of us working and feeling a heck of a lot better than we thought and we were almost "climbing like mountain goats". 

Day 5 down

RtR Day 4--Mileage Total 580

As mentioned in the previous post Day 4 of RtR is a 50 mile loop around Steamboat. Rick, me, Robin, and Eric (not the Diesel), and Eva the Physicist, rolled out at 9am and the legs were a bit heavy from the previous day's work. 

At this time in the morning the sun was out and it was quite warm. We pacelined a bit but nothing over the top as we wanted to enjoy the ride.

Eva heading uphill 

The first aid station was a hoot. We arrived to several riders square dancing or step dancing and a few minutes later some ladies in their "Fat Cyclist.Com" (http://www.fatcyclist.com/) kit doing some kind of group dance. Anyway.............a festive atmposphere.

 Aid Station 1 and some Square Dancing or something akin to it!

 More Boogie

We rolled out of aid station 1 and immediately began a leisurely and scenic climb. My power muscles were shot after yesterday but I could still climb efficiently. The Steamboat area altitude was much lower than our other stops and I could actually ride like I was in Virginia--a great confident boost to be able to keep up with Rick after being dropped like newbie on Day 1.

 Robin and Eric heading up

 Rick in Action

 The Road Ahead

 Rest at the Top

 Last Climb of the Day

Lunch along the Yampa River and still in the chamois

After the ride of a bit more than 3 hours we went to lunch along the Yampa River. The excessive amounts of snow had all of the rivers flowing fast but the Yampa was swelling its banks. Most of downtown Steamboat was sandbagged to keep the water from shutting down the businesess.

After lunch I went to the expo and turned in my trusty Litespeed to the Parlee guys for the chance to demo a sexy Parlee Z5 (http://www.parleecycles.com/z5/). More to follow on this as I make my post for Day 5.

Day 4 in the books

JOCMO: Awesome homemade Gelato at Aid Station 2 on a warm Rocky Mountain Day