The Cycle Press

MABRA Age Grade Criterium Championships Ft Ritchie Race Report

2010-07-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

Before I get into the race report, I would like to thank Versus for having the Tour Tracker iPhone application. It made the long drive out to Ft Ritchie all the more nice. Pretty cool watching the race in the car on the way to a bike race! If only I could have replicated a little of what I saw at the Tour.

Well I had pretty big ambitions going into the race today. I have been putting in some major training over the last few months combined with some weight loss. (Down 20 lbs from the start of the season). The week prior, I had a good showing at the Haggerstown race, so I was hoping to improve today.

My pre-race routine included watching the new Versus commercial on repeat for about 15 minutes while I was pinning my number.

I was expecting a fast crit course, but when I got to registration they told me they changed the format. It was the old circuit course they ran back in May and the same course I got lapped on last year. Nothing like a little change to spice it up!

The race went out as expected. Pretty fast, but predictable. I didn't get a good warm up in, so my heart rate shot straight up to 170 bpm. Not good at the start. I managed to position myself pretty well in the group for the first half of the race. With about 10 laps to go, I really was put under pressure. I decided looking at the lap cards was a bad idea, so I didn't look until there were 2 laps to go. The speed picked up and I lost all of my position and just tailed the group to the finish.

It was a pretty unimpressive performance. This season has been a tough battle trying to learn my way into bike racing. Every race is a struggle, but I am having fun learning. The next few weeks will be pretty intense. My season objective is approaching Aug 15th in Chicago. I will be racing the Cat 4 race at the Criterium National Championships. I know it's not the pro championship for me, but it's cool racing on the same day on the same course. Kinda like being on the under card at a heavyweight championship boxing match.

Damn I love bike racing!

Adam

Crystal Cup 3/4 Race Report

2010-06-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

So....It took nearly two days to recover from the slaughter fest that was the Crystal Cup. Did they actually give away a crystal cup? Well I wouldn't know as I was in the car heading home before the race finished.

Normally I would rant about how much it sucks getting dropped from a race, but I won't. Instead I would like to report on the really cool things that happened before, during and after the race.

1. I got to meet my cycling hero Rahsaan Bahati. Getting the "good luck bro" before the start of the 3/4 race was pretty damn cool. It might have gave me the extra juice to hang on the group for a lap more than expected.

2. Hanging out and watching the pro's slay each other around the course before our race was damn cool as well. Not the finish I was hoping for. Since the whole Dana Point crash, I've not been a fan of the United Healthcare team and their tactics. Kinda sad to see Bahati without a team. Impossible for him to challenge the United sprint train...I digress.

3. The course. I love fast technical courses. The turns were tight and the group was killing it on the long straight into the finish. At one point I may have hit 30 and the group was riding away. There were two points on the course where I really lost it. The back straight after turn 2 was crucial to be out of the wind. I never found a good wheel to get on. The long run in to the finish was crucial as well. I just don't have the leg speed just yet to hang on to the pack for more than a few turns. We did have a sweet 180 degree turn and some bumps on the road. I had a couple of sweet bunny hops.

4. The fans! It was nice seeing all the fans that stuck around after the pro's to cheer on the amateurs and the women.

5. The heat. Nothing like slugging it out in 90 degree temps.

Well can't wait for the next crit. Looks like it's gonna be the Reston Grand Prix.

I love bike racing!

Adam

Is There Nothing More To Believe In?

2010-05-20T05:30:00.000-07:00

The following quote is attached to my signature box through Gmail. As I got the news this morning about the Landis confession to doping, it all came back to this quote from Lance Armstrong...
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
Will the "confession" crack the univeral moral fabric of our existance? Will clergy denouce their faith? Will kids stop believing in Santa Clause? Will O.J. just admit he did it? Of course not..According to the Mayans, none of these things will happen until 2012.
ANYWAYS. So here is what is going to happen over the next couple of weeks...
1. There will be a long series of carefully worded denials from those implicated.
2. Lawyer up! I am an attorney and I hope someone calls me. Lawsuits will be filed and insane legal fees incurred by those accusing and those accused. It's all good for the economy right?
3. If there are teams out there that were close to inking deals with major sponsors, uh sucks for you....
4. Non-cycling fans and media outlets that never cover cycling will weigh in and sound stupid.
5. If you are a reporter at the Tour of California, don't even try asking riders questions about it. They won't comment.
So what do I think? Well I am not surprised. I had this story about 2 years ago. My good friend Joe Praino got the scoop at the Tour de Georgia back in 2008. While out at a local bar in Atlanta at the conclussion of the race, Joe had drinks with a certain German sprinter who rode with Floyd at Phonak. While under the influence of alcohol this certain German sprinter admitted matter of factly that Floyd had doped in the Tour. I know it's not the most reliable source, but it turned out to be true.
I don't own a high horse, so I am going to give Floyd the benifit of the doubt. I am happy he is coming forward with his story. I am looking forward to hearing more from him. I look forward to arguing with my friends about it. I look forward to ranting on my blog about it. I look forward to ranting on the podcast about it.
So now all of the sudden my press pass for the Tour of California just exploded in value. Can't wait to get to the circus!
Adam

Race Report: Murad Road Race, Bunny Hop Criterium

2010-05-03T07:17:00.000-07:00

It's damn hot. Tarzan couldn't take hot like this.

If you remember the movie Biloxi Blues, you know this quote. If you know the movie and you raced this weekend, you are probably laughing your ass off right now.

Michael Murad Memorial Road Race; Poolesville, MD
I had no expectations going into Murad. It's a road race. I don't like road races. It's 48 miles and the longest ride I have this season under my belt is 50. Throw in 90 degree heat with 70 percent humidity and you have the perfect recipe for destruction. Only saw a few of the crit guys.
I figured I would give it a go. After all, I am obsessed with bike racing and I never turn away the chance to pin a number on.
The race started with the group waiting in the sun for the whistle to blow. What was only about 4 minutes felt like an hour. We were baking like roasting pigs. The whistle blew, and we were off. The pace was high and the roads were a bit bumpy. I felt good for the first lap, but slowly started going into the red on the second lap. The group surged at one point, and like a Tyson punch, I was out. Instead of suffering another lap with other dropped riders, I packed it up and went home. I figured I didn't want to burn any matches for the Bunny Hop Crit the next day.
It wasn't until the next day that I heard about the horse that came out on the course. Weird...

Bunny Hop Criterium; Suitland, MD
I was very excited about this race. It's the type of course that suits my ability at this point in my fitness level. I have really been struggling to make the adjustment to being a Cat 4. The leap and learning curve has been much steeper than expected. Some races, I do well (Chantilly, Vint Hill) some races I do terrible (Murad,Tysons).
The Bunny Hop crit had a weird feel to it. Again the heat was a killer. On the way to the race, I didn't see any cars with bikes. Usually, while traveling to a local race, you can spot a few other racers on the way. Granted I was driving through, SE DC, so the likelyhood of me seeing cyclists was low, but it still was strange.
My girlfriend Kate and I arrived together and I started my routine. Pin the number, warm up, drink some water, bathroom ect... It was nice having my teammate Reb there racing with me. I was sporting my new Oakley Jawbones with the Gold Fire Iridium lenses. So gangsta....
We went out for a couple of laps for a warm up, and the course was very bumpy. Loose gravel in the turns and holes everywhere. Not a course I felt good racing my nice carbon wheels on.
The race started fast as usual, but I felt good in the group. I knew we were cooking pretty hard the first few laps, but we slowed into most of the corners. I began thinking of my strategy for the race. I figured I would hide out and really start to move up with 4 to go. I was feeling good. So where did it all go wrong?
About half way though the race, I knew I was in trouble. The road was so bumpy, and we were so tight, and the lines were so unpredictable I couldn't reach for my bottle with any confidence. Every lap guys were bunny hopping holes. Like an Indy car driver, I knew I was doomed to run out of fuel. When those Indy cars run out of gas they come to an abrupt stop. It was the same for me. 5 to go and my body quit on me. I ended up on the side of the road laying on the ground in pain. I know this sport is about suffering, but this was bad.
I had a couple of moments when I thought to myself, I never want to do this again. It's embarrassing getting blown out the back of races. Especially when most people know you from a T.V. show. Why am I killing myself for 30th place? Then I woke up this morning, jumped on bikereg.com, Gamjams.net and all of my favorite race sites looking for the next adventure.
I love bike racing.....

Race Reports: Vint Hill, Walkersville, Tysons, Chantilly

2010-04-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

Whew, I've got a lot of catching up to do. Lot's of racing over the last month or so. The local racing scene is really heating up. Great races every weekend. This is my first official season as a Cat 4 racer and it feels good to have the upgrade...well sort of.

Let's get this started.

Vint Hill Classic - This course is one of my favorite courses to race on. I did the 540 Development Series races on this course last year with a couple of really good results. It's a classic 2km course with a nice little uphill kicker about 200 meters from the finish.
The race started off pretty fast, and it was clear that the bunch wanted to shell as many riders as they could in the beginning of the race. I was able to find a couple of good wheels to draft on, but it was clear to me early, that this would be a race that I would just hang on to the bunch until the finish. I found a good wheel to hang onto and survived to the finish with the pack.
The biggest lesson learned in this race was to move up to the middle of the group for the good draft. Also I was WAY overgeared going into the turns. Crit racers always sprint out of the turns, and I was in too heavy a gear to stick with the group.
FINISH - Group finish somewhere in the 30's (100 starters)
Here is a video of my race. You can see me about 14:40 into the video.

Vint Hill Crit1 Cat4-5 2010 from Marcus Floro on Vimeo.

Tour of Walkersville - 40 mile road race out in Walkersville MD. The course had about 650 ft of climbing each 8 mile lap. Not typically a course that favors my style of riding, but I need the conditioning and my teammate Joe Praino talked me into it. Joe unfortunately flatted 2 miles into the race and I was left on my own to suffer.
The race blew up after the second crash in the field, and I found myself stuck behind the crash as 24 riders went up the road. I got into a chase group of about 10 riders. There were only 3 of us that wanted to do any work, so we shelled the other 7 riders from the group and I was stuck with 2 riders from Syn Fit who worked together to drop me with about 7 miles left in the race. I ended up finishing the race solo and totally spent.
The biggest lesson learned in this race was to hydrate! I should have consumed 2 bottles. I only went through half of one. Not good.
FINISH - I finished 27th out of 49 starters. Not bad for a course with a lot of climbing.

Tysons Corner Circuit Race - This is a brutal circuit race out in Tyson's Corner. The course is a boring oval with a nasty 800 meter 7% grade climb to the finish. The prospect of hitting this climb 20 times with the group was terrifying. I did this race in 2009 and got lapped by the field. Needless to say, I was not looking forward to doing this race 1 day after Walkersville and now in a new category.
As I predicted, I got shelled pretty early. I wasn't really that bothered by it. I hung in for about 4 laps, then my legs went dead. I am pretty sure I was pretty spent from the day prior racing. My heart rate never hit higher than 160. Chalk this race up to good training.
FINISH - DNF

RGS Chantilly Criterium - New race for me out in Chantilly, VA. The course was a dead flat 1 mile loop with 2 90 degree turns. Dream course for me. I would have liked it to be a bit more technical, but it was a nice course.
The weather was pretty decent. The wind was kicking pretty hard and I wasn't sure if using the carbon wheels was going to be an option.
I got in a good warmup with my team on the trainer. I used a new warm-up workout that got me ready pretty quick. 5 min steady state, 2 min fast pedal, 1 min rest, 1 min max, 1 min rest, 1 min max, 2 min rest.
Got to the start line and the race official said there would be a preme on the FIRST LAP! That is nuts and a guarantee that the race would start off fast and hectic. Much to my surprise the pack stayed together pretty nicely. I found the sweet spot in the pack and stayed out of the wind most of the race. I had a teammate up on the front keeping an eye on the attacks so it was all good.
I knew the race would pick up with 3 or 4 to go and it did. My teammate Gregg was doing some good work and we re-grouped with 2 to go. I really felt like I had super legs and found myself in perfect position coming into the last lap. I had a moment of hesitation on the back stretch going into the last turn and lost my good position. For some reason I didn't have the confidence to make an attack. I had the legs, but not the confidence yet. Oh well. Now I know I can challenge for top 10's in these type of races. Bunny Hop Criterium is next up. I am going to be ready for that one!
FINISH - 41 out of 80 starters.

Getting Dropped For Dummies

2010-04-09T05:52:00.000-07:00

Alright settle down folks, class is in session. If you are here for Getting Dropped 101, you are in the right place.

If you find yourself asking the following three questions before your next race, you might want to move to the front row and take good notes.
1. Does anyone know what the average speed is in this race?
2. Do you think I need a triple or compact cassette?
3. Are you really a Cat 5 racer?

Now getting dropped doesn't only happen in bike races. I've been fortunate enough to experience it in other walks of life as well. Note the following experiences:
1. My first girlfriend dropped me when she found out the mixtape I made her had another girls name on it.
2. At the gym the guy next to me on the bench press kept adding weight to his bar trying to out lift me. I didn't know half-wheeling happened in the gym. Needless to say he dropped me by about 50 lbs.
3. The middle school lunch room. My family moved a lot. Starting 7th grade in the middle of the year sucked. Having braces, high water jeans, a Capri Sun backpack, and Michael Jackson Thriller t-shirt = Table for One. Nothing like getting dropped in the lunch room.

In order to truly understand the fine art of being dropped in a bike race, you need to understand and anticipate the critical moments just before the actual drop.
Most riders actually get dropped weeks before they actually race. Here are the pre-race instructions for getting dropped.

1. Sign up for a race twice as long as you have ever been on a training ride.
2. Tell yourself that 4 weeks is more than enough time to train.
3. Two weeks out repeat step 2 and replace the 4 with a 2.
4. The week leading up to the race, frantically scour the internet for race reports on the race. Pay special attention to whether you can "big ring" the climbs.
5. Get sick, miss a few days of training, and find something wrong with the position on your bike. Getting the excuses ready early never hurts.

Ok so now it's race day. You have all of your excuses lined up. Maybe you thought of a few others on the car ride to the race. Pay close attention to the following.
1. Position yourself at the back of the group at the start line. Misery loves company. It's a motley crew of riders at the back of the start. It's usually a nice mix of sandbaggers and fellow droppees. (I know that's not a word)
2. Thank the race officials for volunteering their time, especially the ref on the motorcycle. When he passes you later in the race, you don't want him riding too close to you.
3. Attack early. Right at the start attack hard. The group will let you go, because they know you don't stand a chance. It makes for a good photo opportunity.
4. When you see that last wheel start to ride into the distance and your fate is sealed, you have two options. You can either pull over and toss your bike with your best David Millar impression, or you can slog your way to the finish not making any eye contact with spectators.
5. Look out for photographers. Especially ones that write blogs about being dropped.
6. When you get home post pictures of your race and tell your friends that the pictures of you getting dropped are actually photos of you in a daring solo break.

There is no shame in being dropped. It is a right of passage. I will leave you with the following..."I didn't get dropped, I just discovered a bunch of new ways to get shelled off the back of the pack"

The Classics Gods Must Be Crazy

2010-03-31T18:41:00.001-07:00

The Classics. Roubaix & Flanders.

The tales of suffering and epic rides are told in ways that as years pass they age into mythical stature.

Boonan, Cancellara, Devolder, Hincapie, Pozzato, Gilbert, and Flecha. Each of these brave souls battling for dominion over the stones of Roubaix and Flanders. Each rider granted a unique set of skill to unleash on the other on the harshest stage imaginable. Lessor riders scratching and clawing for a piece of glory, only to be left in the gutters of the Belgian burgs, blood stained but applauded by drunken crowds for their valiant efforts.

Do the gods show favor to certain riders? Myth has it that the gods would reach from the clouds and turn the events in favor of the warriors they adored. Ah but not for these modern warriors. Fate shows no bias in this arena. (Unless you are George Hincapie)

Warriors of Flanders, Sunday you dine in hell.

The Mellow Classic Experience

2009-11-23T18:39:00.000-08:00

If Lance tweets it, they will come...

Lance Armstrong invited 700 of his closest friends to a mountain bike party in his backyard. How could I NOT go?

Welcome to Austin, Texas. 2 months of training and one practice race under my belt. I made the pilgrimage from Virginia to Texas with my mountain biking partner Kelly. The bikes made it without any problems and we were geared up and ready for a fun weekend of riding and racing.

Austin is my kind of town. Good food, great music, fun people, and good biking. They should have pearly gates outside the airport as you enter the city. Ok, let me stop with the Austin love fest...But really, the city is dope.

The trip started with a visit to Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop. I've been waiting for this moment for over a year now. A bike shop owned by Lance Armstrong that sells all of my favorite stuff? Wow! It is the ultimate adult toy store. After I dropped enough money to qualify for a down payment on the place, I went for coffee. Of course the shop has it's own cafe' aptly named Juan Pelota's. As I was sipping my coffee, I noticed Taylor Phinney looking at magazines right behind me. What kind of place has Olympians/World Champions walking around so casually? Wow. A little later, Ironman Kona runner up Chris Lieto strolls in. If Lance tweets it, they will come.

On to the biking. We made the 45 minute trip out to the ranch affectionately known as Juan Pelota's Ranch. Texas slang for "one ball". The sun did not manage to come out and the rain was steady leading up to the pre-ride on Saturday. I didn't think it was gonna be that bad. I spent a couple of good days with Kelly destroying our bikes in the mud here in VA. No problem. Then we got out on the race course. I've only had a few moments where I've been scared on the bike. I wanted a diaper after the pre-ride. I was expecting a lot of climbing, so that didn't surprise me. The sharp rocks, steep drop-off's, wicked limestone climbs, and wet conditions were spectacular. Did I mention there was a section of Pave'? Not Roubaix, but cool nonetheless. Post pre-ride and I felt like I went to battle with every rock and tree stump on the course. I stopped frequently to try to take in as much of the experience as possible. I left thinking, how on earth are we gonna race this course?

Race day. I went through most of my pre-race routines. Soft music mixed with some Rage Against the Machine right before the start. This was nothing like the road races and criteriums I did this year. I had become very comfortable and confident in those races often attacking and feeling like I could win. In this race I felt like a total rookie. More like a freshman waiting to get thrown in a locker or have his books knocked out of his hands.

My strategy was going to be to go as hard as I could at the start and get to the singletrack in the first group. It worked in my last race, so I figured I would go for it. There were 42 racers in my category. Normally racers just come to the line in whatever order they want. Fast guys go to the front, beginners stay at the back. I was planning on getting close to the front. In this race, the starter had a roll call. Names were randomly called and racers lined up. This wasn't like grade school where I was always first. I think there might have only been 4 or 5 guys that were called after me. Back row and it sucked. Oh well, I get to pick riders off. Sometimes I ride better with people to chase.

The whistle went off and it was a slow messy start. Lot's of mud and a slight uphill. Eventually the race settled into a long snake of riders leading into the first singletrack section. Traffic jam. The slick uphill singletrack left riders jumping off their bikes and running. I'm not so good with the hike and bike technique. In retrospect, I should have spent more time on the treadmill and less time on my bike training.

After some frustrating moments, I settled into a good groove. I took some of the hairy limestone drop off's without blinking and felt great on the climbs. I was in a group of about 5 riders. At about mile 3, I started to notice my foot sliding in the pedal. Not good.

I got to a tough limestone step up, slipped, tried to clip out, and my foot was stuck in the pedal. Luckily I got the other foot out before I fell over. I've had trouble with shoe cleats before. I knew what was happening. The cleat was coming loose and was sticking to the pedal. I made it another mile without problem, and then as I began to catch a few slower riders there was a back up at a tough climb and I couldn't clip out. That was when I fell. And of course I fell on the worse side possible. The side that my foot was stuck in the pedal. I couldn't get up! I lost at least 5 minutes trying to get myself up. My race was over.

Charles Darwin once said "it's not the strongest of the species that survives, but the one that's most responsive to change". It was at this point in the race, that I gave up on racing, and turned to finishing/surviving. After managing to pull myself up with a tree branch, I was determined to finish. I could no longer get my foot clipped back in the pedal. The rest of the course was gonna be hard without clipping in. I managed to make my way through.

The last climb to the finish was tough. Not physically, but mentally. It was a climb I knew I could be strong on, but the race had passed me by, and I was left to struggle with one foot clipped in. I crossed the finish line totally dejected. I guess I should have been proud of finishing considering how many people didn't finish the race. (One Lance Armstrong dropping out after a flat) I literally finished with one leg. It's hard to believe I finished 34 out of 42 riders.

I really felt bad after the race. I have crazy mixed up feelings about the race in retrospect. It was one of the coolest events I have been a part of. At the same time, one of the biggest competitive disappointments. I was happy to hear Lance is thinking of doing a spring race. I must return and exact my revenge on that course.

Well now it is officially the off-season. There are a few mountain bike races in Florida in January that I might race. But for the most part it is going to be long cold rides on my road bike with some mountain biking on the weekends. I'll get some good time in the gym as well.

Looking back, I had a good season. 27 races. 2 top ten finishes. No serious injuries. Met a lot of good people along the way.

Next year is going to be......epic.

Joy and Pain

2009-10-28T13:01:00.001-07:00

"When the weather is bad and the fitness is low, cycling can be it's most beautiful". Pro cyclist Michael Barry of Columbia High Road made this comment during a discussion about off-season training. While most of us cyclists can think of moments when we suffered through a tough ride against the elements, not many can explain why to those outside of our masochistic world.

What makes George Hincapie (pictured right) suffer over more than 200km's of cobblestones, mud, and dirt at Paris Roubaix and then come back for more? What makes the commuter get up in the morning and slog through rain and sometimes snow on a folding bike and then tell his co-workers how awesome the ride was? Why do we Twitter obsesively about our pain and stuggles using words like "epic" and "suffering"?

We cyclists are masochists cut from a special fabric. We see the impossible and say "why not?". We ride the delicate line of joy and pain. We find joy in expending thousands more calories during a ride than we could possibly consume over one day. We dodge careless drivers on the battlefields of streets and deserted roads. We subject our bodies to more stress than they are designed to handle. We ride the fine line of riding near or at our limits and pushing ourselves over the edge until our bodies rebel against us and shut down. Road rash and bruises are battle scars we tell stories about over coffee. We line up at local criterium races or in front of millions at the Tour de France like Gladiators.

Pain may be what we feel in the moment. Joy is what we share through our common bond of experience.

Fort Ritchie Criterium Race Report

2009-05-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

"Some of you may recognize rider number 250 from the Discovery Channel".

This is what was announced by Joe Jefferson as the race began. This was my first criterium race with a race announcer. Having a race announcer is a nice touch.

This race took place on a nice 1k closed circuit on an old abandonned army base. The course had 3 tight 90 degree turns, a nice long chicane, and a slight uphill section. The uphill was nothing severe, but just enought to slow the group a bit. I raced in the Cat 5 field. Due to a scheduling error, they actually had 2 Cat 5 races, so those who were eager to Cat up, could do back to back races. I am not in a place fitness wise to pull a double, but quite a few actually did.

I was able to get in a nice warm up on the course. I hit the turns at race pace to find the right lines to take. This proved to be crucial during the race. When I got to the start, I positioned myself in line behind a tall NVCC rider. I figured I would follow his wheel and catch a nice draft.

As the race started, I had trouble clipping in. Once I was clipped in, I found the tall NVCC guy and stuck to his wheel. I was so focused on hanging onto this guys wheel, that 3 laps in, I noticed we had been gapped by the field. Not good. I was now in a small group of four riders shelled off the back. Chase time again!

We settled into chase mode. Well at least I thought so. In this small group were 2 guys from the same team, me, and another lone rider. I pulled for a lap, then the tall guy went to the front and pulled for 2 laps. As I saw our gap to the group get bigger, I began thinking we would maybe get lapped. The front group pace had really picked up.

I decided to ramp up the pace on my next pull. I got out of the saddle and put in a hard effort up the slight incline into the tight turns. When I caught my breath and turned around, the group was gone. I actually dropped them, and I was stuck out in no mans land with the lead group closing in on me.

I held them off for a lap before being caught with 2 laps to go. I ended up finishing 31.

The data from my Garmin was as follows:
Average Heart Rate: 172
Max Heart Rate: 181
Average Speed: 23.1 mph
Max Speed: 34.1 mph

Overall, I was happy with my improvements. The fitness is coming along, and I am learning how to race.

Next race is in Baltimore this weekend. Bike Jam Kelly Cup.

I am spending most of my time now on my TT bike building fitness for my first major sesaon goal at the Philly Time Trials. I have really been going well on the TT bike and a top 5 is definately a possibility.

I love bike racing.

Sunrise Cycling Classic Race Report

2009-04-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

Friday
11:45 pm - go to bed

Saturday
4:30 am - Wake Up
5:30 am - Cab to Dulles Airport
7:00 am - Flight Departure to Ft Lauderdale
9:30 am - Arrive Ft Lauderdale
12:00 pm - Lunch (PowerBars, Cliff Shots, 2 liters of water)
1:00 pm - Assemble bike
4:00 pm - RACE BIKE!
4:45 pm - Collapse at the finish line

I will never repeat this schedule again.

So the plan was to come to pancake flat Florida for a race in my former home state. I was excited to see old friends and get some good racing in the legs. A nice flat and fast course is what I was hoping for to build some confidence and maybe get a result.

Well... The course was a vicious 3 mile circuit on a land fill. I got their early enough to see the pro race and those guys were hurting bad. Their field was completely blown all over the place. There were several groups of 6-9 riders all over the course. It was hard to tell who was in the lead group.

The weather was hot as usual for South Florida in the late afternoon. When I got to the start line, there were a few guys who recognized me and chatted for a minute. The start actually wasn't that bad. I could tell the group was saving the legs to blast it up the first climb.

I am actually getting better at reading the race and knowing when the groups are going to surge. Just as I thought, the group went hard up the first climb. I settled into a second small group up the climb, actually pulling on the front. I felt good in the big ring, hitting a pace of about 18mph. I knew I was gonna pay for it later, but I wanted to push it a bit early in the race.

By the time we got the the second big climb to the finish area, I was already pushing close to 180 bpm's on the heart rate. I eased off the pace and settled into my own race. From this point on, I focused on my cornering and my pacing on the climbs. I felt good about the lines I took on the corners. Coming in high and targeting the apex. I was able to carry my momentum through most of the turns.

I put in one last big effort to the line at the finish and it was over. I had every opportunity to quit the race, but I didn't. I am sure these early season hilly races are going to pay big dividends later in the season. My big targets are the RFK Criterium and the Tour of Washington County stage race.

I love bike racing.

New York Time Trial Series Race Report

2009-04-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

Took a trip up to New York to hang out with my Discovery Channel Pro Cycling buddy Joe Praino and Antonello Guzzo. The New York Racing Series had a nice 9 mile time trial race we all decided to do together.

This would be the first opportunity I had to race my new Discovery Trek Equinox TT bike. It was the first official time I got to use all of that fancy aero stuff I had been collecting over the past few months. I was thinking I could use a nice flat and fast TT to get the confidence up this season.

1000 ft of climbing over 9 miles.

Ok, so here are a few lessons learned from that race:

1. Don't race without a warm-up. I brought the trainer, but didn't get a chance to warm-up. Won't make that mistake again.
2. Preview the course. Had no idea what the course looked like, which made it always a surprise. As much as I wanted to go flat out, knowing where the climbs and turns are on the course help. Not to mention road surfaces.
3. Don't hold anything back. Had a little too much in the tank at the end.

So, just before the race started, I realized my back wheel was rubbing the inside of the chainstay. The wheel was true, just not set properly. So I had a moment of truth, where either I didn't race, or I raced with the wheel rubbing.

I raced with the wheel rubbing.

I never really felt like I settled into a proper cadence during the race. Perhaps that is something to focus on next time. I ended up with a decent time, with lot's of room for improvement.

My fit on the time trial bike needs some serious adjustment. Time to get out the tape measure and dial it in.

Cat 5 Blues

2009-04-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

"Raise your hand if this is your first race"

Well this weekend's race at Tyson's Corner wasn't my first race, but kind of wanted to raise my hand when the start official asked this question. Suddenly I was shot back in time to grade school when the teachers would make us raise our hands for just about anything that would totally isolate or embarrass a kid. I digress...

So the odd thing about CAT 5 races is they really are not races for beginners. Competitive cycling has to be one of the few sports without a true beginners class. It's sink or swim in the CAT 5 ranks. There are two rules for a beginner. You will suffer, and you will get dropped. Cycling has been a humbling experience for me. Sports have generally come easy to me growing up.

My first race was a year ago at Greenbelt Park in Maryland. They do a great weekly race, that is good to get out and see if racing is something you might enjoy. I suffered and I got dropped. But I actually enjoyed it.

Now for this weekends race at Tyson's Corner. It was a circuit race on a 1.1 mile loop. The race had 3 turns, nothing technical, and 1 "big ring" hill. The race started midway on the hill. The started read the course description, and a few of the rules. Then he asked "raise your hand if this is your first race". I wanted to be "that guy".

Once the starter blew the whistle or rang the bell (I can't remember) the race started. A couple of guys didn't get clipped in right away and another guy dropped his chain. Sloppy start. I should have attacked.

I got in a good warm up so I felt good on the start. My goal was to have a good warm up, and a solid 2 laps. I was surprised how slow the race started. I was totally expecting a fast start. Guys were chatting it up, and it felt like a casual group ride. Then we hit the hill and it was full gas. I put my head down for a second and when I looked up the group had about 2 bike lengths on me. For the next 2 laps I desperately tried to get back on with the group. Eventually I had to settle for my position with the other riders that got left behind.

I spent the rest of the race pulling for a couple of guys who jumped me on the last drag to the finish.

I accomplished my 2 objectives, I had a good warmup and I rode a good couple of laps. I also fell victim to the rules of the CAT 5 beginner. I suffered and I got dropped. Normally I would be pretty pissed about getting dropped, but I now feel like I am paying my dues and getting a serious initiation test. One that I am determined to pass. At some point in time, I will be one of those guys sitting around sipping expresso in my Euro pro racing kit, talking about the times when I used to get dropped at the local crit.

I love bike racing.

Looking Ahead

2009-02-25T10:48:00.000-08:00

The classics season is upon us.

George Hincapie will be seeking the elusive Paris-Roubaix win that he deserves more than anyone in the pro peleton.

Fabian Cancellera will be aiming for Flanders. Can he get over the climbs?

Martin Maskant will be looking to follow up his surprise (not to Jonathan Vaughters) 4th place finish at Paris-Roubaix. Will the Argyle youngster have what it takes to pull through?

Lance is riding Flanders.

How will Quick Step manage the inevitable stand off between Devolder and Boonan?

Bring on the cobbles.

Twitter and Solvang

2009-02-21T09:11:00.000-08:00

Twitter is online crack.

8:53 am from @trek_ben "Getting ready for a ride with Lance and Levi"

We promptly hit the TT course.

10 minutes later, Lance rides by.

Classic.

The TT stage in Solvang was exciting. It had all of the dressings of a Tour De France stage. Lance fans everywhere. Dave Zabriske and Levi Leipheimer were clearly the strongest riders of the day. As they blew past me, you could see the red in their eyes. They were both out for blood. In the end, it was defending champ Levi that took the stage.

The Night Before Solvang

2009-02-19T19:20:00.000-08:00

And so the climax to the Tour of California is tomorrow. Well there are two tough stages after tomorrow, but tomorrow will set the pecking order.
Levi will win.
He already won this time trial several times in his head over the past few months. He is dialed in and unbeatable on this course. We will all witness his dominance tomorrow.
Well I am in the car on 101 North leaving L.A. for Solvang. My crew consists of Joe Praino and Antonello Guzzo. We will be looking for trouble.
It's always nice going to races and connecting with so many of the people who saw our show on Discovery.
I will be Twittering until my fingers bleed tomorrow.

Interview With District Cycling

2009-02-18T04:44:00.000-08:00

About a year ago, I did an interview with Gregg from www.districtcycling.com. Gregg is a DC area cycling enthusiast/blogger. Check out his blog when you get a chance!

DC: This Is Gregg with District Cycling and I’m here with Adam. How are you doing Adam?

A: I’m doing really good, thanks.

DC: We know you from the Living the Dream Discovery Channel Special where you had an opportunity to actually go to Johan’s house as well as ride a stage of the Tour de France. Let me ask you: What happened? Can you lead me up to when you got the call?

A: Oh yeah. I saw the commercial on TV like I’m sure a lot of people did. I got a video together real quick, sent it in, basically telling them why I should be on the show and talked about how much of a fan I was and how cool of an experience it would be. They called me up like two days later and set up an interview. Maybe a few hours after that they called me back and said “can you get off of work for a few months in the summer to do the show?” I was completely psyched.

DC: That’s awesome. Now they got you a brand new bike, the new Madone as it was coming hot off the press.

A: Yeah.

DC: Do you still have the bike?

A: I still have the bike. I ride it all the time. It’s like, you win the lottery and win a farrarri, you’re gunna drive it everywhere. Definitely love the bike.

DC: In the series they hooked you guys up with some kits. How much stuff did they actually give you?

A: Almost everything the riders get. So we got three kits, we got shoes, we got jackets, we got sweatshirts, we got hats, we got socks, we got waterbottles. I laid everything out on my table and took a picture and I couldn’t get it all on the table. Lots of gear, lots of shwag.

DC: Tell us what you’ve been doing since?

A: Yeah, since then I definitely keep up with Joe, the other guy from the show. We are cycling junkies so we’re at every event, we’re at all the races. We’ve actually been doing some races together. This summer I started doing some time trials. Still out on the bike quite a bit.

DC: Any local races that you’ve hit in the area?

A: Yeah, I’m actually going to be doing the Route 29 36K Time Trial out in Jersey in a couple of weeks. I did the Church Creek Time Trials a couple of weeks ago. I’ll be doing the Virginia State Games, another time trial. I’ll probably make my way out to the Greenbelt Series at some point this summer too.

DC: We’d love to see you out in some road races! Are you Riding with any teams right now?

A: I’m riding, I’m just kind of like a mercenary kind of jumping around to different places…a free agent or whatever! (laughter) I ride with some really cool guys, the Blue Suit Pacers, they’re sponsored by the Air Force, a lot of Air Force guys that get together and ride a few times a month. That’s the kit I’m wearing right now and the guys I ride with. They’re a really good group.

DC: How old are you?

A: 33

DC: And you’ve been riding for a couple of years now?

A: Uh, yeah…seriously for about two years. When the show came on I had only been riding pretty serious for a few months before the show. But since then I got the bug and was hooked.

DC: What kind of training do you put yourself though nowadays?

A: Yeah, now I mean they (Discovery) hooked us up with some coaches from the Carmichael Training Systems and they gave us a whole layout of training schedule that I’ve kind of recycled and reusing. I work a pretty crazy schedule, so I have to get up really early in the morning to get out. The show kinda got me on the right track and I get out as much as I can.

DC: I know on the show you were concerned about losing some weight so you’d be able to hit those hills. How do you think that has come along?

A: Good! Johan gave me some really good advice. He was like “think like you’re carrying a 20 kilo bag on your back and you have to drop it,” and I really lost quite a bit in a short period of time. I think for the show I may not have gone about it the best way. So now I’m just kind of focused on a long term because I was losing a lot of power when I was crashing weight. I kept up with the Carmichael coaches and they gave me some really good advice.

DC: I think a lot of riders nowadays would love to have the opportunity to go out to the Tour, to see the Tour, to try out one of the stages. What was that like doing that stage?

A: Brutal. That was the hardest thing you can imagine. Your wrapped up cause your fan and your excited to see everything you watched on TV, but at the same time you’re doing the hardest physical thing you can imagine in your life. It was a bit mix of emotions that is pretty hard to manage when you’re riding your bike uphill. At the same time I knew it was something I would think back on and really love.

DC: And of course being able to be on the inside with the Discovery Channel and talking to George, Levi and those guys on the inside, again you’re doing things that would be our (cyclists collectively) dream. Where there any conversations outside of what we saw on the Discovery Channel that you had a chance with those guys that you could share with me here?

A: Yeah, probably the coolest experience is that we got to do a couple of training rides with George and Levi. This is right before they went to the Dauphiné Libéré and just hangin with them and hearing them talk about crazy stories about the Giro and some other races they did and in an informal setting. A lot of stuff wasn’t on camera. Just riding behind these guys is just pretty awesome. Then we went to visit Tom Danielson up at his house, which is just right at the base of a ridiculous mountain and got to hang out with him and his wife. We talked about his struggles. He’s a young guy so he was really fun about music and hip-hop. He was like “I got to get me some hip-hop over here.” We still keep up and exchange emails so it’s probably my favorite part of the experience.

DC: Have you gotten any haters since the show. Do you run into anyone that gives you a hard time?

A: Yeah, yeah…there is quite a bit. All you have to do is Google my name with Tour de France and you will see quite a few blogs that pop up that hate Joe and I for everything we did. That was a kind of strange part of it all, but whatever! Opinions: everyone can have them!

DC: I’d be remiss if I didn’t admit that I hated you for being able to do all of that! (laughter) So you’re doing some races as a Cat 5, I assume?

A: Yup! Just got my license a few weeks ago.

DC: We’re going to keep an eye out for you man! It was great to meet you and good to see you here. The last question I have is: Do you think Johan is going to recognize you when he sees you?

A: I don’t know! We’ll see! I think he’ll recognize me but he won’t remember my name, but I’m pretty sure he’ll recognize me.

DC: That’s cool. He seemed like a really good guy when you where meeting with him (on the show). Thanks for talking to me, I appreciate it!

California Dreaming...

2009-02-17T17:11:00.000-08:00

This has to be the most exciting time of the cycling year. Sure the Classics are great. The Tour is epic. However, there is something special about the excitement that comes with the beginning of the cycling season. The die hard fans are glued to Versus or Cycling.Tv analyzing every move their favorite pro makes in the first few races.
Things kicked off with a hot Tour Down Under. Lance made his return to the peloton, and the media circus was on. Lost in the craziness was Allen Davis and his triumphant return to winning races in his home country.
A few races in countries we can't even pronounce, and now we find ourselves in the good ol' USA! The Tour of California is represented by one of the deepest fields ever assembled in North America. It has the feel of the Tour de France.
Was anyone surprised to see Fabian dominate the prologue? Macebo tried to steal some glory with his Gladiator effort on stage 1. He picked up a well deserved win, but paid for it the next day when Levi looked over at Popo and said "fire it up". The young argyle lad Peterson took the stage win with Levi going into yellow. I will continue blogging about the Tour of California, but it's pretty safe to say that it's Levi's race to lose. When I had a chance to ride with Levi back in October 2008, he was talking about the Tour of California. He wants it bad. Prelude to France?
Stage 3 came down to the sprint most were hoping for. Cav missed the train, and Thor took the win. Where was Boonan?
Well tomorrow I begin my trip to California for a live look at the race. I am picking up the race in Solvang for the time trial and will be following till the end in San Diego.
Still living the dream...

Twas The Night Before The Tour...

2008-07-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

and all through the world. Not a wheel was spinning.

For most fans of professional cycling, tomorrow marks the begining of the end. It will be the end of watching last year's Tour De France DVD on repeat. It will be the end of the painful wait for the begining of the race.
Who will be the darkhorse who will shine early in the race? Who is going to try to steal a stage win with some ridiculas breakaway? When will we see the first big crash? Who will be on the podium?
My life turns yellow in 24 hours.
Vive le tour!

HBO Real Sports = Real Dissapointment

2008-06-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

Woke up this morning excited to catch the HBO Real Sports episode featuring David Millar and the Garmin-Chipotle cycling team. It's not often our beloved sport crosses into the mainstream media, so I was excited beyond words to watch. (I even postponed my training ride to the afternoon, so I could watch the show in the morning).
The piece was good. David's story is truely a remarkable one. Here is a guy who stood on the moral high ground on doping early in his career. He was out to prove you could win without doping. After a few years under the intense pressure of his team, sponsors, and managers, he cracked and doped. In an instant, David pushed his values aside and fell into the dark side of our sport. He was caught, jailed, suspended, fell into drinking, and gave up on cycling. Like any redemption story, he made his way back to the sport he loved, and is now a champion in the world of ending doping in our sport. Doing so with the flair and cool that only David can.
John Frankel and Bryant Gumbell completed the piece with their commentary at the end. I should have turned the TV off at this point. My faith in the media left me to believe they would leave the audience without something positive about the direction cycling is going. Some nice kudos for those teams who are leading the charge for a dope free sport. And then they drop the bomb...
Bryant Gumball "I can't believe folks in the cycling world still consider Lance to be a hero" He went on to compare Lance to Barry Bonds and Roger Clemons. The debate over whether or not Lance doped can be argued from here to eternity. So what substance does this accusation make to the story? I guess a sports writer is only happy if they have a villain. Who would make a better villain than the man who won 7 Tour's and is a hero in the minds of thousands of cancer survivors? It's this kind of gutter ball media that makes me ill.
Someone pass me a pain reliever. The Tour can't start soon enough.

Disco Days Revisited

2008-06-19T16:48:00.001-07:00

How the time has passed. 1 year ago......

Do you have what it takes to race in France this summer?

If you think you can climb the hardest stages of the world's best-known cycling race, then Discovery Club1080, presented by Discovery HD Theater, invites you to saddle up to test your skills this summer.

Discovery Club1080 is looking for two cycling enthusiasts to star in an upcoming program. If selected, you'll travel to Spain to meet riders and coaches from the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team. They'll show you the ins and outs of training for the world's toughest cycling race before they send you home where Discovery Club1080 cameras will follow you as you continue to train on your own. Then it's back again across the Atlantic, this time to France (with the Discovery HD Theater production crew right alongside), to negotiate the toughest stages of the world's best-known cycling event this July.

Well someone in the production department at Discovery thought I would make a good test speciman for the show. "So how many ways can we kill this guy on T.V.? Any reader of this blog would agree that getting a chance to participate in the challenge above, is the equivalent of winning the lottery of amateur cycling. It’s playing in the Super Bowl for your favorite team. It’s driving laps at the Daytona 500. It’s hitting a grand slam in the World Series for your favorite team.

So I’m that guy. I’m that guy who actually won this contest. So here are a few of the things I got to check off my list this past summer.

1. Getting the new team issue Trek Madone not available to the public. Check.
2. Sipping lemonade on Johan Bruyneel’s porch in Madrid with the legend himself and previewing stages of the Tour. Check.
3. Spending a week in Girona, Spain (the Mecca of professional cycling). Check
4. Going on a training ride in Girona with George Hincapie and Levi Leipheimer. Check. (oh and running into Michel Barry and Freddy Rodriguez on the way).
5. Eating dinner, drinking wine and talking about the Tour with George and Levi afterwards. Check.
6. Hanging out with Tom Danielson at his home at the base of the Pyrenees. Check.
7. Climbing with Tom on a training ride (well watching him drop me) Check.
8. Having my body pricked and poked in ways I never would have imagined while having my V02 tested by Chris Carmicheal at his facility in Colorado Springs. Check. (oh and another training ride with Chris afterwards). Check
9. Being hooked up to this fancy computer bike fit thingy with all these sensors on me like a video game. Check!
10. Getting all of the coolest Discovery Channel gear you could imagine. Check.
11. Being on the team bus. (does that make me a groupie?)Check.
12. Riding stage 16 of the Tour and cracking on the climb. CHECK!
13. Sipping champagne on the Champs Elyesees with the team. Check
14. Sitting on the rooftop of the nicest hotel in Paris at the Discovery Team after party wondering how I got here. Check.
15. Hearing some of the greatest Lance stories from the coolest camera crew ever!
16. Meeting some really cool people who watched the show. Making some great new friends!
17. Getting up every morning at 6:00 am trying to relive the smallest part of my experience on my local training ride. Check.

Must Be A Dream

2007-07-08T17:25:00.001-07:00

Hey All

While I was in Spain training for the Tour De France, I had the chance to meet some of the pro riders with the Discovery Team. The highlight of the trip was the time spent hanging out and riding with the guys. This picture sums up my experience. In this moment, I felt like a real part of the team. I am hanging out in the park waiting to go on a training ride with George Hincapie (US Road Race Champion) and Levi Leipheimer (Tour De France favorite).
This moment was priceless.

Tour De France Diary 6.27

2007-06-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hey All

So I am getting very close to heading off to Colorado for 2 days of training in the mountains with Lance Armstrong's personal coach Chris Carmichael. It should be an incredible experience.

The training has been going very well. It doesn't get easier, you just get faster.

Well enjoy the video entries!

Adam

2007-06-21T15:16:00.001-07:00

Hey All,

New entry. In this entry you will find me quite frustrated with my bike. I love my bike. However we were having a bad day together.
I think we need counseling.
Enjoy the video!

Training Ride

2007-06-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

I thought I would go with a new format on this one. Early this morning, I decided to take my small video camera on the ride with me.
I was able to record a bit on one of my favorite climbs.
Enjoy!

Sleepless In Spain

2007-06-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

Buenos Dias

"How did I end up in this place in this moment?" I find myself asking myself this question constantly. I could not dream up some of the experiences I have had up to this moment in this adventure with the Discovery Channel.

So we were off to Spain to meet some of the pro riders on the team and do some training of our own. I was scared to death. I am still scared to death. The trip was like playing a game of 1 on 1 with Michael Jordan or throwing the football around with Joe Montana. My nerves were all over the place.

I have come to appreciate 3 things more than anything on my trip to Spain. Water, air and food have new meaning to me. You really don't know how important these things are until they are taken away from you.

We did a lot of riding in Spain. At one point on a long ride we crossed the border into France. Mountains are like monsters. Monsters lurking in the distance that only seem to grow larger the closer we come to them. So how did I make it to the top of a 7000 foot climb over 25 km? Fear. Fear can be the greatest motivator.

Everything is hard at altitude. You feel like you have half a lung and you are always thristy. I could not dream up a better place to ride a bike. Climbing mountains in Spain left me with a feeling of fear and accomplishment. I have a ways to go, but I am going to get there.

My life depends on it. The Tour De France can crush your soul if you let it.

Adam

Welcome To My Tour De France Blog!

2007-06-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,

I have been one of two selected to participate in a series for Discovery HD Theater that will have me and a partner training with the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team in Spain and cycling stages of the Tour De France! This will without question be an incredible challenge, but one I am excited to take part in.

The purpose of this diary is to track my experiences training with the Discovery Channel Team and my new training partner and teammate Joe Praino.

The selection process went by very quickly. All I did was submit my 3 minute video detailing why I should be selected and showing my enthusiasm for the sport of cycling. Somehow the production team at the Discovery Channel found my video among thousands and selected me.

This experience for me will be like playing in the Super Bowl for my favorite team. My excitement after being selected quickly went to sheer terror as the Tour De France is the toughest test of endurance in the world. Imagine climbing Mt. Everest after running a marathon. (You get the picture)

My partner is the more experienced rider between the two of us. I am certain I was selected to be the novice/rookie on the team. I only got serious about the sport a few years ago. This should all make for great TV.

In my next entry I will talk about the first day of filming which included my bike ride into work and a look into my home life.

Adam