First I want to thank of the sponsors I had the privilege to work with last year:
Tifosi Optics
Hayes Disc Brake
Ergon
American Classic
Light & Motion
WTB
Crankbrothers
Addictive Cycles
Wicked Fast Sports Nutrition
Dedicated Athlete
Kira Bannerworks
Twin Six
Squirt Lube
Raxter Racks
Paceline Products (Chamois Butt’r)
No Tubes
….this list of company names does little to represent all of the friends that stand behind them. Thank you all for allowing me to chase my dreams for yet another year.
The new year represents a chance to redefine one’s goals and that’s exactly what I am going to do. It’s back to the basics:
1. Improve my pedal stroke. This is the foundation of cycling. Think about what a 1% increase per pedal stroke means at 5800 strokes per hour for 24 hours! I’m not just talking about “pedaling in circles” as one hears so often on cycling forums. 55nine Performance has the means to quantify a better pedal stroke. If I can improve the percentage of good strokes I can improve my results.
2. Get stronger. I began working with a strength coach in October. Devin Vernick will be the go to guy for strength conditioning in the near future. He has a passion for what he does and the knowledge to make it happen. We started in the gym and have progressed to plyometrics that I can do anywhere. I’m doing clap push-ups now…look out Lance.
3. Get faster. This seems like a no brainer, but I think I lost some speed last year in exchange for endurance. During the early part of this season my focus will be on speed. The strength mentioned above will help as will a fitness program aimed more toward XC pace than my usual 24 hour pace. It won’t stop there though, I’m also going to need to be able to control that speed on the trails. This means I need to get reacquainted with pushing my limits while dodging obstacles. Expect to see me lining up for some early season XC and road races to round out my skill set.
4. Equipment. I’m back on a 26er and I’m really liking it. The 29er never really fit me perfectly, never really handled the same and just didn’t suit my talents like the 26ers did. That doesn’t mean I’ll never ride or race a 29er again, it’s just nice to be back on a familiar rig. I’ll lose some of that momentum 29ers are so go at carrying, but gain that acceleration and quick handling that comes with little wheels. I do most of my races in the southeast, it’s twisty and technical here. That means a 26er should suit me just fine. I’ll have a lot of equipment changes this year, not just wheel size. Shimano instead of SRAM, the new Magura instead of Fox, full sus instead of a hardtail…..I don’t think anyone of these comes with a penalty and I’m quite excited about all of it.
5. Schedule changes. I’ve been very focused on 24s for the last few years. Trying to fit as many in as possible. Not this year. This year my racing will reflect the goals above. I’ll start with a few XCs, then move into the NUE Series, and then toward the end of the season I’ll do one or two 24s (hopefully with some new found speed to bring to the game). I think I have the logistics down to be successful at the 24s, but I want to be better physically. A new approach is needed and some humility while I get beat up in the short races for while.
Happy New Year and good luck to everyone out there…
We are wrapping up nearly a month in FL. It’s been busy with lots of riding, kliniks, bike set ups and quality time with the family. We’ve ridden almost all the good stuff and it’s time to end this pseudo vacation and get back home were the hectic schedule is sure to resume way too quickly.
I’m working on the site revamp since the sponsors are all changing and it’s time for a new look around here. The Topeak-Ergon team sponsors for just about finalized as well as personal sponsors for Namrita & I. I’ll also try to be a little more consistent about updating the content as well…..so many projects so little time.
We are heading to FL next weekend for our “winter training camp” while visiting family and friends. I’m also scheduling fitting if you are interested:
Valrico, FL on Dec 9th, 10th & 11th.
Dunedin, FL on Dec 12th, 13th & 15th.
Details about the fittings can be found at http://55nine.com. The best way to set up an appointment is to call me at 404 432 5841.
Thanks to Diane & Ginny for a great Thanksgiving dinner at Mulberry Gap.
Thanks to Namrita for being wonderful.
Thanks to my parents & family for the love & support (and the genetics to ride a bike!)
Thanks to Topeak-Ergon for a great opportunity.
Thanks to all of you for the encouragement.
No we didn’t shave Britney’s head….we are putting on another race in north Georgia:
It’s going to be a 45ish mile gravel road loop that includes a nice little 12 mile climb, numerous other punchy little climbs, a 7 mile descent and something a little tougher than your traditional cyclo-cross course finish….think natural barriers and long run-ups (aka scrambles). We set the field limit to 50 and today just 10 days after open registration we are 49. Tomorrow we are venturing up to Mulberry Gap (start/finish venue) to reassess the parking situation which may lead to pushing the entry limit up a bit.
I mostly hate running for the sake of running, so I constantly need to remind myself why I’m doing it. It’s mostly for general fitness. The older I get the less I believe being just a cyclist is healthy. Cycling is a not an impact sport, so bone density could become an issue some day. Running is the easiest way to add some impact. I’d like to try something else, but what else is there that does not start with some running? Soccer or frisbee football would be fun, but still I have to run to get started. So I’m going running again. I’ve been running twice a week now for 3 weeks and it still hurts when it’s all over. How is it that I can ride for 24 hours and barely run for 24 minutes? Impact.
That looks like serious fun, but for now I’ll have to stick to Kan Jam.
The base miles have begun. We’ve been lifting, running and some binge riding on the weekends…now it’s time to really get the legs going. We did a 3 hour ride yesterday and it was apparent that it’s been a while since I just sat and spun. My legs felt heavy and tight. I still have some leg speed which is good, but it’s going to be an uncomfortable few weeks getting back into shape. Thankfully I didn’t let my fitness get too far out of hand. Two years ago when I got married I stopped training for about 5 months and it was a rough journey back. This year it was about 5 weeks, so it shouldn’t be horrible.
