Investment Biker Blog

Iceman Recap

2011-12-06T08:41:00.004-05:00

Forgot to post Iceman recap and forgot to take pictures...looser.

Signed up for Iceman again in March. Was looking forward to it, however, riding was scattered (went to Mohican a couple times and raced cross). I had a new bike for the race...2012 Specialized Stumpjumper 29er Expert...so that was nice.

At the last minute, I decided to take dad's RV. I was able to convince Bob Rodgers to come along. After a 6.5 hour drive on Friday we parked at the finish venue....a nice RV and camoing resort called Timber Ridge in Traverse City, Michigan. Also brought half a keg of leftover PBR from the cross race....nice too.

Ross, Jeff Pendlebury and Ross met us up there along with Tommy K, Tuscan and others. We hit up the expo and packet pick up before heading out for a early dinner. The group of us retired to the RV for a camp fire and a few beers. Hit the rack at about midnight and discovered that the heat was not working in the RV. It was a cold night, but a sub 30 sleeping bag was a life saver.

Morning came and Ross/Steve picked us up at 7:30am so that we could get to the start for my 4th wave start. This year the waves were seeded based on last years times. It worked out well as I stayed with the lead group for the first 10 miles. Tommy K. was in the wave ahead of me and I was shocked to catch him (he was 3 mins ahead) at about 15 miles in. When the hills started in the last 7 miles, Tommy K caught me with about 5k to go and promply put 2:40 into me. So I ended up beating him by 20 seconds. My time was faster than I expected at just under 2 hours good for 11th in my age group out of 100 or so.

After the race, we headed over to RV which was nice, as most racers had to shuttle 40 minutes back to the start. We watched Steve and Jeff race with the pros which was cool. After the party wrapped up we all hung out around a camp fire with Brandon, Brent and a few of their buddies and told lies and talked bikes/bike racing well into the evening. Good times.

Here is link to racy pictures.

Later,

BRD

Getting Ready

2011-11-29T19:17:00.004-05:00

After hosting my two day Halloween cross race, I raced a few more of the series races, including the Kirtland Park finale. Kudos to Lake Effect for a super fun course. After the race Fast Track hosted the awards party at Bohemian National Hall in Slavic Village which is just adjacent to the lot we plan to build the outdoor track on this summer. Good times.

Thanksgiving week brought a few days off work and some good saddle time (14 hours and 220 miles). Best training week of 2011 (WTF?). Got the training plan and early season races for 2012 season all laid out. Thanks to Team Spin, I will be back racing for them and hope to improve over a very lackluster 2011. Going back over my training journals for the last 10 year, I discovered (no surprise) that 2011 was my lowest training volume EVER (well at least since 2002 when I started keeping a journal). Lots of reasons, but looking forward to getting fast (again?).

Weight is down to 202 (from 220 plus in September) and good habits are becoming just that....habits. I am pumped for simply being on the bike and hope to carry this enthusiasm throughout the winter into the early spring road races.

Thanks to all my friends and family for their support during this past year (it was a drain).

Later,

BRD

Bicycle Racing & Beer

2011-10-27T09:21:00.003-05:00

Big weekend coming up.

Three kegs.

Good food both days from Trifles Bistro and Bar.

Course is in good shape, albeit a little "soft" from all the rain.

30 x 40 tent set up last night.

Lots of firewood.

Costume contest on Saturday.

Kids race sunday around 12 noon.

Free camping.

Kegs being tapped Friday afternoon.

Come on out.

Later, BRD

Cyclocross Practice and Race Dates

2011-09-02T16:37:00.002-05:00

Check out the updated website for cyclocross race dates and practice schedule.

Later,

BRD

10 Weeks Until Iceman

2011-08-31T19:58:00.001-05:00

Iceman!!!

Long time no blog

2011-05-26T09:16:00.003-05:00

Well what can I say...been busy with life. Busy at work, kids playing sports, and since April 1 my dad's been at The Cleveland Clinic for 45 of the last 56 days fighting bladder cancer. Two surgeries, some complications and a long receovery. The good news is that he is cancer free and is getting stronger slowly but surely.

Not much bike riding or any exercise for that matter. My weight is at all time high. I am in BAD shape. The good news is my lovely wife arranged for me to work out with a personal trainer for the next three months, two times per week at Lifetime Fitness. Thanks honey!! I love you!! Today was first day....lots of core...lots of sweating.....felt good. I should be in race shape in September just in time for Power Series races at Manatoc and Westbranch. Then maybe hit it hard for cross season.

In the meantime I am racing Mohican 100k next weekend. This is not going to be pretty, however, it will be nice to get out in the woods.

I have also been working on building some additional trails at my parents place. Hoping to piece together a 3 to 4 mile loop using the cross course as the center piece. There may be a mountain bike race or early season "modified" cross race on tap for late summer early fall.

Also, the baord members of Fast Track Cycling have been hard at work on Velodrome project. We are looking to buy a 160m track to be located outdoors during the summer and falls months. Shoot me a message of you'd like to learn more.

Later,

BRD

Biting the bullet - cutting expenses.

2011-03-03T13:52:00.001-05:00

I HOPE YOU WILL PARTICIPATE AND DO YOUR PART.

The President ordered the cabinet to cut $100 million from the $3.5 trillion federal budget. I'm so impressed by this sacrifice that I have decided to do the same thing with my personal budget.

I spend about $2000 a month on groceries, household expenses, medicine, utilities, etc, but it's time to get out the budget cutting axe, go through my expenses, and cut back. I'm going to cut my spending at exactly the same ratio, 1/35,000 of my total budget.

After doing the math, it looks like instead of spending $2000 a month; I'm going to have to cut that number by six cents. Yes, I'm going to have to get by with $1999.94, but that's what sacrifice is all about. I'll just have to do without some things, that are, frankly, luxuries.

Later,

BRD

Greenville, SC Training Camp

2011-02-23T11:26:00.003-05:00

Spent the long weekend in Greenville, South Carolina. The weather was awesome with temps in the 70s. We ended up with about 240 miles and 15 hours of riding over the 3 days. Here is the short version.......ride, eat, sleep...ride, eat, sleep...ride, sleep, eat. This must be what it is like to be a pro cyclist?

Here is the longer version. Dating back to 2005 I have headed south during the month of February for some bike racing and riding. In 2005, 2006, and 2007 I raced the 12 hours of Razorback and in 2008 it was the 12 Hours of Santos. After skipping 2009 and 2010, I decided I needed to head south for a respite from the long and cold Cleveland winter.

Greenville, SC has developed into a biking mecca featuring nice roads, plenty of climbing, and a cool downtown area. In addition to being the home of the US Pro Championships the last few years, the town is also home to many roadie pros including George Hincapie, Brent Bookwalter, Craig Lewis among others.

Day 1 was me, John and Derek. Weather was perfect with the exception of some gusting 15 mph winds. The highlight of the day was the Caesars Head Mtn climb which is a 6 mile climb with an 8% average grade that gains just over 2,000 feet. For John and I it was 48+ minutes of suffering. Derek was a bit faster. Here is a photo from the top.

After the climb we rode down the other side towards Brevard, NC. We turned around in Brevard and rode the 14 miles back up to the top. The descent back down was RIDICULOUSLY fast and fun. For the day we ended up with 80 miles, 5 hours ride time and according to Derek's computer thingy about 5,300 feet of climbing

Day 2 was supposed to be an ez base mileage day. Derek was racing so it was just John and I. We rode to downtown Greenville in search of a group ride but decided to head to the local spring race series instead. We did 5 laps of the 7 miles circuit in the opposite direction of the racers and were able to cheer for Derek and watch while we were riding. It was a nicely attended event with over 450 racers in the various fields including big George Hincapie. For the day we ended up with 4:50 and 75 miles.

Day 3 was a big day. Derek opted for the local crit while John and I did the Bakery Ride to Saluda, NC. The day started with our ascent of the 2 mile Paris Mtn climb which is featured in the US Pro race. After that, we did a rolling 30 or so miles towards the Greenville Water Shed. At this point we started a 10 mile gradual ascent towards Saluda, NC. After 50 miles we stopped in Saluda for lunch and headed back. It it took us 3 hours to get to Saluda and 2 to get home. For the day we ended up with 5:30 hours and 81 miles.

After all our rides we cleaned up and headed out for dinner and a few beers. We were pretty knackered each day and were in bed sleeping by 9 or 10pm each night. After visting the home of Hincapie Sports on Monday morning we hit the road. The trip back was smooth until we got into Ohio. It took us 5:30 hours to get home from Marietta due to the shitty Ohio weather. All in all a great trip. Definately a place I'd like to go back to.

Later,

BRD

Superbowl Ride Recap

2011-02-07T16:26:00.003-05:00

Maybe it was the 5 to 6 inches of snow on Saturday afternoon. Maybe it was the wet roads. Maybe it was the strong SW headwinds along Lake Erie. Whatever it was, there were, once again, no finishers this year. We made the best of it and at the end of the day we ended up with 55 miles and 3:45 ride time followed by a few beers, snacks and past dinner.

As the week went along, the forecast became more and more ominus. Projected attendance was dropping as several "maybees" turned into "no, I sleeping" or "no, I'm too well to attend." Such is life....in February....in Cleveland.

Undaunted by the conditions and logic for that matter, 3 of us took the start, albeit late at 9:38am Sunday morning. My riding companions for the day would be Dave Bartels and Brent Thompson. First timers, newbies with lot's of enthusiasm and time. Yes!! We were steely in our resolve and determined to bang out the 106 mile ride. Our resolve was furthered by the hope of meeting Derek Wilford in Euclid (to pull the 20 mile headwind section along the lake) and/or Bob Rodgers in Strongsville (to pull us the last 40 miles), but they found other (not better, mind you) things to do.

Things started well with a nice tailwind and Brent riding strongly pulling us at 20mph east on Gates Mills Blvd and then North on River Road to Route 6. As we made our way north further into Willowick to Euclid we began to dread the inevitable....the 20 mile stretch along Lakeshore Blvd......during which we would face a 15mph+ headwind.

As the ride host, I felt compelled to put my nose in the wind. So I did. We pushed hard thru Euclid into Cleveland trying to keep a decent pace. I showed my companions the secret beauty of Bratenahl. During this time I was unfortunately and unknowingly putting the hurt on my companions.

After about 30 miles, my companions began asking about food options in semi slurred broken sentences. This is not good sign, I thought to myself. I forgot to send the memo informing them to bring some food. I informed then about the the cool Toboggan Chalet in Strongsville at mile 60 and their menu of delicious oddities including burger dogs, warming fire and such. They were "not crazy" about waiting that long, so we stopped in Cleveland along St. Clair.

Reality was also setting in at this point (30 miles and 2 hours) such that after dissappearing some Wendy's cheeseburgers and chili, we collectively reevaluated and adjusted our ride plan for the day.

We ended up rolling thru downtown Cleveland into the flats and by Steelyard Commons. We jumped on the towpath at Harvard and headed South. It was plowed!! We were considering riding south to Bedford Reservation, but decided on the shorter option which was to head up the Warner Road climb to E. 93rd to Shaker Square and then to my house for some beer, snacks and pasta.

It was a good day in the saddle with some good friends. We drank a few beers and had some good food. This is not and easy ride, especially in February. All I can say is, better luck next year.

Later,

BRD

6th Annual Superbowl Emerald Necklace Epic

2011-01-31T15:30:00.001-05:00

Weather for Sunday (38 degrees and some sun) is looking promising for the 6th Annual Superbowl Emerald Necklace Epic. Start time is 9:00am sharp at my house. Interested? Click here to learn more. I’ll be riding cross bike with fenders with either cross tires or road tires depending on road conditions.

I would VERY much like to finish the entire route (106 miles) but shit happens, so I am targeting 4 to 6 hours or 65 to 100 miles. Actual distance and time will depend on weather, road conditions, group fitness/dynamics, etc. Pace will be moderate (zone 2/3) as it is winter and I am extremely fat. Route is attached and we will travel in a counterclockwise direction. We might have a sag vehicle (Rodgers?).

Let me know if you are planning to attend so I can get a headcount on food/beverage. Afterwards, all are invited to my home for some pasta, red wine and beer.

Later,

BRD

Superbowl Gran Fondo di Smeraldo Collana

2010-12-16T11:02:00.007-05:00

The last several years a small group of cyclists have ventured out on Superbowl Sunday to ride the Emerald Necklace route within and through the Cleveland Metroparks. The Cleveland Metroparks are called the "Emerald Necklace" because they form a nearly complete ring around the Cleveland communities. This year I am taking it up a notch and incorporating an Italian theme. Introducing the Superbowl Gran Fondo di Smeraldo Collana or for you non-Italians Superbowl Big Ride of Emerald Necklace.

Very loosely modeled after the Gran Fondos of Italy without the entry fees and support. The date is Sunday February 6th. In the Italian spirit after the ride all are invited to my place to warm up and enjoy Italian wine, meats and cheeses. I am trying to arrange a sag car or moto. Start time will be 9am. The ride will start and finish at my place In University Heights (email me for address at bdavis at ironwood-dev dot com). Ride will be 4 to 6 hours depending on the weather and road conditions. Below is the route which is subject to change.

Later,

BRD

Training, Weight Loss and Such

2010-12-14T15:09:00.004-05:00

Started official bike practice yesterday for 2011 season. With the horrible weather in the Midwest, it looks like a long winter of indoor trainer rides. Fixed up the basement bike room to make it a little more bearable. I have mapped out a training plan and race schedule that takes me thru the Mohican 100k on June 5th.

Currently, I am in pretty miserable shape and weighed in at 212 today....ouch it hurts even writing it. Pushing maximum density. Need to get it down around 185-190 before March 1. I know how to do it....have done it before....I have a plan....just need to stick to it.

Training Plan is as follows:

Base miles between now and mid February. Trainer rides during the week and outside rides on the weekends (early mornings if anyone is interested?). Hours will build gradually peaking in February. Will supplement the saddle time with some yoga and other fitness classes at LifeTime Fitness.

A group of us are trying to put together a training camp in mid February down in SC. After training camp, will add some structured intensity and more climbing with Barry Roubaix 65 as a target race on March 26th.

Then a little break (as in spring break at the beach) followed by eight (8) weeks of racing and training leading up to Mohican 100k which is my A PRIORITY RACE for the entire year. Spring road races (RATL, Covered Bridge), Westlake Training Crit, Vultures Knob XC races in April and May, and Chippewa CR are among the possible races. Another possibility is Cohutta 100 on April 30th.

In another recent development, my dad just got one of these, so me thinks some motorpacing will be in order....need to find a driver....my dad hates riding around at 25-30mph!!

Later,

BRD

New Stuff

2010-12-08T09:54:00.003-05:00

In an effort to get more motivated for bike racing and training, I have decided to "change things up" for 2011 as follows:

1. Joining Team Spin/RR Donnelly;

2. Do more road racing - looking forward to team tactics and such;

Thanks to Dan and Solon Bicycle for the support over the years.

Also, I am selling my 2007 Epic S Works, $2,000 or best offer. It has newer wheels and fork. It is in very good condition and weighs about 24 lbs...which is nice for a 26" full suspension bike. Drop me a line if you're interested.

Later,

BRD

Long Overdue Update

2010-11-11T10:17:00.004-05:00

Time flies....been busy. Here's the dirt:

Round #2 of Power Series - Manitoc Mtb Race - brutally fast course and field...i was slow. Results here. Great event, kudos to Kevin and 331 Racing.

Next was Round #3 of Power Series - Westbranch Enduro - 5 (very slow) laps of some of the finest singletrack in Ohio. Good to finish, when quitting seemed like the thing to do. Results here.

Reagan Park TT was next up. Forgot front wheel for mtb bike and ended up racing the cross bike. Tough trails for a cross bike. Fun event, but my results were not so great.

Missed the Vultures Knob finale to the Power Series. I ended up 5th on overall vet expert series points behind some good, tough racers. Already thinking about next year!!

Also missed the first couple cross races but did the NEOCX Series race at Solon. Nice venue with some good potential. It was a nice day so I rode two hours to the race and then did the B group race. Raced slowly (see a trend forming?) and then rode home for a solid 4.5 hours of saddle time.

Next up was the cyclocross race that I promote, the 5th Annual Chagrin River Cyclocross Challenge. Someone did a cool video and posted it as Cycling Dirt. Pre-race there was lots of course prep leading up to the race that kept me off the bike for the most part. Promoting a race like this is a lot of work, but its fun. I think we'll do it again, with some improvements, of course.

Lastly was Iceman with Keller, Cramer, and Forman. Over 4,000 entries and a big party. Ended up riding a smart race (lots of energy saving drafting) and finished in 2:05 for 15th of 115 in the 41 Age Group. Did I mention they had a big party afterwards?

Now moving into a Fall/Winter training program. Lots of longish rides and such. For 2011, I am looking for new races and some improved results. Life is good.

Later,

BRD

Lost Summer

2010-08-11T08:05:00.002-05:00

Well it has been a while. During the hot and humid month of July, I only managed to ride the bike 5 times, one of which was Thorn TT which was round #1 of NEO Power Series. Somehow I managed a 3rd place finish in the 36+ expert class. Happy with my result, I promptly took the rest of the month off. Feeling refreshed after a nice break, since August 1, I have been riding every day and doing some big rides (4+ hours) on the weekends.

Last Sunday, Bob Rodgers and I hatched a plan to ride to Zoar via the towpath, race the Zoar Road Race promoted by the fine folks at Stark Velo and check out the infamous Zoar Harvest Festival. I have always wanted to ride the entire length of the towpath which goes from Cleveland through Akron, Canal Fulton, Massillon all the way to to Bolivar/Zoar. The first and last time I attempted to ride to Zoar for the road race, I had multiple flats, got lost, was detoured off the towpath due to a "floater" in the canal and ultimately missed the race start by over an hour.

So this time, I studied google maps, planned some re-routes where path ends, and found an eager companion in Mr. Rodgers. I left my house at 5:15am Sunday morning on the road bike and met Bob at 5:45am at Rockside and Canal. Bob did the lions share of the pace making early on as I enjoyed his draft at 20mph+. Obviously the route is pancake flat, however, to maintain 20+ mph, requires steady pressure on the pedals.

Early on my legs felt like total garbage (10 hours of training the 4 days prior probably had something to do with this). I was suffering sitting on Bob's wheel as he effortlessly pedaled along at 20-22 mph. Fortunately, after a few hours my legs started to feel better and better, and I was able to do my share of the work.

There were some new sections and a long bridge south of Akron by the big lake. Somewhere around Akron I had a rear flat, which we chnaged quickly. The towpath gets a little rough, sketchy and rocky in Stark County and Bob might have been regetting his ride choice - carbon Orbea and Zip 404s - but he was too tired to complain.

We kept the pace steady and covered the 78 miles from Rockside Road to Zoar in about 4:35. Unfortunately we arrived about 20 minutes late for the start of the 10:00am Cat 3/4race. We were a little dissapointed but felt better after cleaning up, changing into street clothes, and having a few cold ones at the beer garden at the Zoar Harvest Festival. Thankfully, my wife and kids came down to pick us up and to check out the festival. All in all a great summer day.

Next year we have to leave a little earlier or ride a little faster. If you want to join me next year, be at Rockside and Canal parking lot at 5:00am the Sunday of the Zoar road race. I will make the race next year!!

Later,

BRD

Mohican 100k

2010-06-09T20:26:00.003-05:00

Made a family weekend out of the Mohican 100. Borrowed my dad's 24 foot motorhome and took off just before lunchtime on Friday. It was a bluebird day and having ignored the radar forecasts I was optimistic that the rain would stay away and that the course would dry out for Saturday.

We arrived at around 1:30PM, checked into Mohican Adventures campground and set up our camp/pit. By 2pm a nasty storm rolled in that produced legitimate golf ball size hail. After about 30 minutes it cleared up. No worries until it stormed again about an hour later. After that storm I replaced my chain and cassette and promptly set off for a quick pre-ride of the opening road climb. While I was out, another storm hit during which I got drenched and my EZ Up got smashed up (beyond repair) by the high winds.

Later that night after putting the kids to bed in the RV, my wife, my dad and I strolled down to East of Ohio Pizza for a nightcap. We hit the hay around 11am. I woke up at about 4am by another heavy rain that lasted until about 6:30am. I got dressed and made the short trip to downtown Loudonville for the 7am start. I have done the 100 mile at Mohican three times and last year did the 100k. A little course knowledge is good, but on the other hand, ignorance is bliss.

I got a decent start position but rode rather slowly up the first paved climb and entered the single track behind what seemed like at least 100+ other racers. No worries, plenty of time, I thought. After about 4 miles of very wet trails and dirt roads we entered the Mohican SP loop just before the one mile marker. I was a little deflated as I thought we entered at mile 4, but I soldiered on. I rode the first 9 miles pretty good (no crashes!!) as I was passing more than I was being passed. After that I kind of lost my mojo and the group I was with rode away from me. At Aid #1 I was in and out quickly thanks to a friendly hand up from Juan. For some reason, I thought the hike a bike was 2 miles from the aid not 8 miles. Any mojo I gained was lost.

The hike a bike at mile 26 came and went and I was going very slowly on the very soft and muddy horse trails that followed. A few more people caught me (Beeson among others), while I caught no one during this time. On the road section and false flat to Aid #2 I saw some people and put in a bit of an effort and was able to pass 4 or 5 people (Beeson, Keller, Bolgrin among others) just before the Aid #2. I was quickly in and out of the aid station and caught up to some guys from Motor Mile Racing (that's what their jerseys said). Not many people passed me between Aid #2 and Aid #3. At Aid #3 I filled my bottles and rode slowly down Wally Road to Valley Stream. I rode the steep part of Valley Stream in the granny (last year rode it in the middle ring). Aid #4 seemed to come pretty quick and all that was left was six miles of single track. About 2 miles in it started to rain...hard...then harder. It actually felt good as the thick layer of mud on my body began to disappear. I finished strong, passing a few people along the way and even rode the crazy river crossing in the campground. In the end I rolled in at 7:05 in 29th place in the 100K open men.

Along the way I got to ride with some friends and meet some new ones. A little disappointed that I could not duplicate my top ten and 5:37 from last year...but such is life. Too bad no clydesdale class as I most definately am at 200 lbs currently. There is always next year (for a better result, not qualifying as a clydesdale):)

Next "A" race is the Power Series which starts July 19th. Between now and then are a few XC races at the Knob, maybe Wayne Ultra, maybe Tour of the Valley and some Westlake training crits.

Later,

BRD

PS. Sorry so many words and no pictures, I am lame.

Bike Ridin

2010-05-29T10:31:00.003-05:00

With the improvement in the weather I have been riding a little more. Put a couple good weeks together and dropped a few lbs. This week I was able to ride Mohican SP loop and then pre-ride some of the Mohican 100k course with Twining. Wow is that course hard!

Did 2 hours this morning and planning 3-4 hours on Sunday. Mohican 100k is next weekend! The race has over 450 pre-entries for the 100 mile and 100k races.

Putting a new drivetrain on the mtb this week and have to get my Dad's motorhome race ready (change oil, check tires, clean inside and out).

Later,

BRD

Iowa Adventures

2010-04-27T15:06:00.002-05:00

Imagine if you will, a 4am start time for a Saturday bike race, starting and finishing after a 314 mile loop at the same location, Grinnell, Iowa. Throw in heavy fog, 60 bike racers and nearly all gravel roads. Sprinkle in 24 hours of rain just prior and a SPECTACULAR lighting show beginning 1 hour after the race start. Get dropped from lead group of 20-25 at mile eight. Continue into daylight and follow course cue sheets with an everchanging group of racers. Eventually leave most behind me because I don't stop (completely). Order up a one mile muddy hike n bike...check! CP#1 was at mile 45 and less than 50% make in there by 8am (4 hours) cuttoff. Ride into CP#1 and fill camelback at city park where CP#1 was located. Proceed solo.

Lots of rollers, lots of wind, lots of soft gravel roads makes your legs hurt and your mind suffer. At about 11 hours (3pm or so), I make wrong turn at Mile 110, lose 20 minutes and any chance to make 13 hour time cut for CP#2 at mile 130. Exit course with no map and no idea where I was.....is this heaven?....no its Iowa! Ride a few miles to find gas station, checked a map and after a Mountain Dew, some Gatoraid and a gas station sandwich I was headed North Up Iowa Route 146. Luckily, all that stood between me and a hot shower was a quick 20 miles on asphalt roads, or so I thought. Nice 20 mph head wind, some more rain and unrelenting Iowa terrain made my arrivel at our Hotel pretty suite. In all 140 miles and 14 hours door to door, for a blazing 10 mph average. Yes, we were really racing, so leave your fat, slow guy comments to yourself:)

Random thoughts from last weekend:

Iowa gravel roads are slow going when wet.
Why do 28MM road tires auger into wet gravel?
It is windy in Iowa.
No more than 20 cars past me all day..no shit...the whole day.
Iowa is not flat.
The first 140 miles of TI V.1 (2005) was fucking easy compared to this!
More animals than people.
High speed bike riding is better when you can see more than 10 feet.

They ended up pulling the final 6-9 people (one sick tandem couple) at mile 150-160. No finishers this year.

Here are some more thoughtful recaps from riders (and writers) better than I.

2009 Winner

Multiple Time Finisher

Finisher in 2009 and others

Sick Tandem Folks

Another Fast Dude

Next up is Mohican 100k with some Westlake and mountain bike races thrown in for training (and fun)!

Later,

BRD

Later,

BRD

Gettin ready.....

2010-03-15T10:01:00.006-05:00

....for TransIowa. The bike is pretty well set except for new casette and chain and maybe new bb. I'll be rolling Mavic race wheels and Specialized Armadillo 28mm tires.

Training is coming along. Did a 5 hour, 80 miles ride on Sunday. We did some hills and hammered the rollersin Bedford Reservation. I need to bang out a a couple big back to back days soon.

Gotta love Cleveland.

Later,

BRD

Smile!!

2010-03-08T14:05:00.004-05:00

After a long winter...the weather seems to be taking a turn for the better.

This weekend I was finally able to string together a 3 day block of 2 hours, 3.5 hours and 4 hours. I followed that up this morning with 1 hour of sprint efforts.

Starting to feel ok on the bike, but the weight is still an issue. Only 7 weeks until TransIowa. My chariot for TransIowa will be the TriCross with 28mm Specialized Armadillo tires. I'll post a picture soon. I am due for a big ride/effort (6-7 hours) in the next week or so. I need someone to motorpace me (dad, are you reading?). Maybe PA and back?

Later,

BRD

Whatever.....

2010-02-16T16:35:00.004-05:00

Superbowl ride was lightly attended but mother nature co-operated with 28 degrees, sunny skies and relatively clear roads. We eliminated the northern tier through Bratenahl and Bedford on the southeast so we ended up with 65 miles and 4.5 hours (my companion was having a bad day). Took most of the following week off save for some yoga and pullups. Did a couple rides over the weekend for a whopping 7 hours for the week...no fear of overtraining. Hitting the trainer this week to add some hours. Hoping it warms up to 35+ for the weekend...great expectations.

Later,

BRD

5th Annual Superbowl Sunday Emerald Necklace ride

2010-02-01T10:56:00.002-05:00

The 5th Annual Superbowl Sunday Emerald Necklace ride is ON for this Sunday 2/7. Start time moved back to 9am for the younger guys who can’t swing early start times. Will start from my house. Will do ENTIRE Emerald Necklace – counterclockwise. Click here for the route – 106 miles.

Based on the current 10 day forecast, I am riding my cross bike with road tires and full fenders. Choose your equipment wisely, grasshopper.

Pass this along to anyone you care to. Call my cell or email me if you want to meet us along the way. For you westsiders, we will be at Metroparkway and Detroit (Rocky River) at about 11am. Will stop 2 to 3 times, 4 at most.

Famous Davis chili and cold beer for all finishers. Hard men (or women) need only apply.

Later,

BRD

Future Ride

2010-01-29T17:49:00.000-05:00

Future Ride.

01/29/2010 Route
Find more Bike Rides in University Heights, Ohio

Fast Track Press Release

2010-01-28T13:38:00.003-05:00

Many of you are aware of Fast Track Cycling, Inc. and its mission to develop an indoor velodrome and sports facility in Cleveland, Ohio. Some of you have even provided generous financial or other support for our non-profit group.

Moreover, many of your cycling friends serve on our board or commitees and/or have provided financial support. Yesterday was a special day for our group as we announced the signing of an option agreement to acquire a 9 acre parcel of land in Cleveland.

Thus far, the release has received a lot of buzz on radio, TV, print and other media. Please keep checking back with our website and blog (http://velodrome4c.blogspot.com) or check out our Facebook and Twitter sites). We are planning a mid to late 2011 grand opening and hope you can help us make it happen! Feel free to contact me or our other volunteers with any questions or ideas.

Keep pedaling,

BRD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Brett Davis – Board President
Fast Track Cycling, Inc.
Phone: 216-256-4285
Email: bdavis@ironwood-dev.com

Allen Pfenninger
Edward Howard
Cell: 216-554-4455
Email: apfenninger@edwardhoward.com

FAST TRACK CYCLING, INC. PLANS
150,000-SQUARE-FOOT INDOOR SPORTS COMPLEX WITH OLYMPIC-STYLE VELODROME IN CITY OF CLEVELAND

Group contracts to purchase nine-acre site for an indoor multi-use recreational facility for track cycling and other recreational activities

CLEVELAND, January 27, 2010 – Fast Track Cycling, Inc., a Cleveland-based, non-profit 501(c) (3) organization, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a real estate purchase option agreement with the City of Cleveland to acquire a nine-acre vacant site formerly occupied by St. Michaels Hospital in Slavic Village. Fast Track plans to develop and operate an indoor recreational facility which will include a velodrome – a custom-built, banked bicycle track – as part of its mission to support track cycling and other recreational opportunities and promote health and wellness as well as youth programming.

Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport that is featured in the Olympic Games and held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes. Cleveland’s will be only the third indoor velodrome of the 25 in the United States, along with those in California and Colorado.

The project will help to revitalize the Slavic Village neighborhood as well as provide recreation, wellness and other services to children and adults. Current plans are to construct a 150,000-square-foot, air-supported dome structure that will house a 250-meter wood track, 75,000 square feet of turf field, 20,000 square feet of sport court, and other amenities. In addition to cycling, the facility will accommodate a multitude of recreational and sports activities including soccer, track and field, football, baseball, volleyball, basketball, running, walking, among many others. Fast Track has established strategic relationships with Sports Facilities Marketing Group (corporate sponsorships), Edward Howard (public relations), GPD Associates (project engineer) and Vocon Partners (project architect).

A detailed budget and operational projections have been developed. Overall project costs are estimated at $6,500,000. Fast Track is seeking naming rights sponsors, corporate sponsors, foundation grants, federal/state/local grants, and charitable donations from the cycling community.

To date, Fast Track has been funded by a $30,000 grant from Civic Innovation Lab and other donations totaling $7,000 while another $45,000 has been pledged for the capital campaign.

Fast Track is collaborating with Slavic Village Development Corporation and has received positive responses from the Mayor’s Office, members of City Council, and the Cleveland Planning Commission. Fast Track plans to work closely with various neighborhood groups including Sokol Greater Cleveland.

“The sale and use of this vacant City Land Bank property for a Sports/Olympic-style cycling training center is a welcomed economic opportunity and major boost for Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. “With the makings of both a regional and national draw, the proposed cycling center will cast a new light on Slavic Village by generating a sense of pride with benefits that will include job creation, business opportunities, health benefits, and more.”

“Bringing a velodrome and recreational facility to the Broadway/Slavic Village community will not only add an important recreational amenity for residents,” said Ward 5 Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland, “but it will also bring in visitors and economic growth to the area.”

“This is a terrific opportunity for Slavic Village,” said Marie Kittredge, Executive Director of Slavic Village Community Development Corporation. “The velodrome is a perfect fit for us, because of our central location, and our community’s commitment to active lifestyles and physical fitness. The velodrome will complement our two new athletic fields, the First Tee Golf Course and our Morgana Bike Trail.”

The Slavic Village site is located at McBride Avenue and Broadway Avenue (southeast of the intersection of East 49th Street and Broadway) and offers proximity to all of greater Cleveland, with excellent freeway access to I-77, I-90, I-71, I-490 and I-480.

The 14-member volunteer Board of Trustees has legal, business and finance, political, non-profit, fundraising, construction, and cycling backgrounds. Four board committees include:

Site Selection/Acquisition
Fundraising/Corporate Sponsors
Governance
Facilities/Operations.

Project Benefits

Health & wellness – all abilities, all access, all community
Youth programming
Urban redevelopment
Year-round community, recreational, elite and regional use
Nationally unique venue to attract and retain young, active adults to Northeast Ohio
Appeal to a growing market – Cleveland area cyclists
Ability to host regional, national and international events throughout the year
Potential training center for Olympic and professional cyclists (road and track)

For More Information

Contact

Brett Davis – Board President: bdavis@ironwood-dev.com or (216) 256-4285

Matt Litzler – Fundraising Co-Chair: mlitzler@calitzler.com or (216) 409-0264

John Bodell – Fundraising Co-Chair: john.bodell@rrd.com or (216) 802-7073

Downloadable jpeg artist renderings and site maps are available at http://www.edwardhoward.com/holding/fast-track.

Visit our website at www.fasttrackcycling.org.

Follow our progress on Twitter.com and Facebook.com (search Fast Track Cycling)

Century a Month - January 2010

2010-01-19T11:48:00.002-05:00

Weater permitting, I am thinking of riding to PA and back this Sunday. Anyone interested? Later, BRD

01/19/2010 Route
Find more Bike Rides in University Hts. To Pa, Ohio

Belated Happy New Year!

2010-01-11T13:03:00.002-05:00

The Christmas and New Year holidays have come and gone and so have an extra 10 lbs and my fitness, respectively. The good news is the family joined the new Lifetime Fitness in Beachwood. Between the spin classes, treadmills, swimming and some weight work, there is a chance I won't be a complete basket race when (if) spring comes.

With TransIowa (click here for my 2005 recap of this race) only about 15 weeks off, I will eventually have to get outside for some long rides.

Sundays I will be doing longer rides 3-6 hours as long as the weather co-operates (i.e. above 20 degrees and reasonably dry roads). I am not much for news years resolutions, however, I would like to do a century a month for 2010. January might be tough, but Lifetime Fitness is open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week so anything is possible! February will be taken care of by the annual Superbowl Sunday Emerald Necklace Epic. Mark it down for 2/7/10.

Later,

BRD

Wow...

2009-12-04T12:12:00.004-05:00

.....time flies. Starting to target some races for next year. Signed up for Trans-Iowa again. I did it in 2005 and this year's version 6 is scheduled for April 24 and 25th. 320+ miles of gravel road riding! Mohican 100k/100 is a must do in late May or early June. Kevin Daum is trying to talk me into doing USA Cycling 24 hour nationals in WV (Big Bear) in mide-June as a 2 person team....ouchy!

Looks like I bettter start doing some long rides! As such, I am riding to Akron and back this weekend to check out the final BA cross race of the year. Anyone care to join me for a little towpath and road riding?

Later,
BRD

Back to Back

2009-11-15T17:16:00.003-05:00

With the nice weather and kids spending some time at their grandparent's house I was able to get out for long rides both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday I rode to Kent for the BA Cross race via the Hike n Bike trail. What a glorius day. It took me over three hours to get there 'cause I made a couple wrong turns in Kent trying to find the race venue. Once I finally found it, I did a couple laps of the course...it was awesome! I could not stick around to race as I had to head home. I took anohter wrong turn coming out of Kent, but manged to make it to Macedonia (271 & SR 82). I called ahead and had my wife meet me there. For the day I managed 5.5 hours and probably over 85 miles (no computer).

Sunday, I left house my 7:45 and met Ross in Bedford where we rode some secret singletrack. I split off from him at about 9:30 and headed to Aurora to meet up with my friend Bill to check out some new singletrack. After doing a loop with him I headed back to Cleveland Heights by way of Geauga Lake, Bainbridge and Chagrin Falls. For the day I ended up with 4.5 hours and no idea how many miles .

Hope to start commuting at least once a week until the weather gets really bad.

Later,

BRD

One month..

2009-11-12T12:34:00.004-05:00

...since the last blog post. Since that time, I promoted a two day cyclocross race on October 31 and November 1. We had a nice turnout both days. I need to thank Gary Burkholder, Bob Rodgers and Tom Keller for their help and to my parents for letting us use their place.

This past weekend was Iceman. Depsite the best intentions, I did no do much training or bike riding leading up to the race. As such, I was unsure what kind of results to expect. We drove up Friday afternoon and after dinner and a few beers I decided it would be a good idea to go to the casino. So to add to the undertraining, I was now short on sleep.

My wave of 150+ in the 40-44 age group rocketed from the line at 9:15am on Saturday to clear skies and temps around 50. I got a good start and was about 5th wheel going into the trail. I stayed with the lead groups for about 4 miles and then a group of 6-8 went off the front. I chased with a few others and was feeling good until we got the IceStation Zebra at about the halfway point where I started to feel some legs cramps. Not good! I hung on for as long as I could, but got passed by what seemed like a thousand people in the last 3 miles. At the end, I finished 5oth in my AG in 1:57. About 8 mins slower than last year.

Afterward they had a great party and I hung with the Soupcan boys along with Dave, Tom, Ron, Matt and their lovely wives. Had a great time.

My season is officially over. Maybe I'll go for a run?

Later,

BRD

Quick Update....550 miles

2009-10-12T16:06:00.007-05:00

Leroy Cross (10/3) - Kevin K. and CRC did a nice job with the course. It was muddy and I had nothing....except tired legs and lots of lung flem. Nearly DFL in the A group but no worries as there is always another race.

Java Johnny's Lionheart Cross (10/10) - Watched the Friday race and decided to sit it out after arriving 15 minutes before start. That plus all the mud and rain. Pros are fast. Saved my energy for the Cat 4 cross race on Saturday. Dry course with some nice features including pavement, grass, sand and some short hills. Third row start turned into top 5 start where I managed to stay for 5th overall and 1st in 35+ AG. Planned to leave directly after the race but they has some sweet awards (see below). Unfortunately, it took them nearly 3 hours to sort out the results so I hung around later than anticipated to collect my hardware.

After the race I drove 90 miles to New Bremen to make a presentation to Ohio Bike Federation regarding the progress of our indoor velodrome project. I made a quick 10 minute presentation along with some Q&A and then took 15 mins to check out the Bicycle Museum of America. Cool!

Left New Bremen at about 4:30pm and headed towards Loudonville for OMBC cross country race on the 25 miles Mohican SP loop. Arrived in time to set up camp and enjoy some pasta and brews at the local sports bar. Enjoyed a nice campfire and retired for the night at around 11pm.

OMBC Mohican SP (10/11) - Slept in until 8:30 and then enjoyed a campside breakfast of coffee, eggs and bacon. After mounting some new rubber and changing rear brake pads I toed the line for the 1pm start with about 15 or so in the Vet Expert Class (35+). The start was fast through the campground and then turned left up a very steep climb. I nearly slammed the twig and berries when my chain fell off the big ring at the start (twice). We joined the 25 mile SP loop at the beginning and I forgot how hard the first 1-2 miles are. I eventually got into a groove and passed 4-5 people. I caught Rodgers and we went back and forth until the climb along the ridge when my chain broke. After a clumsy and lengthy repair I was back on trail. I managed to pass a few of the Sports that had passed me along with a few experts. I rolled in at 2:21 which was way behind Garth at 2:02 and Lorson (2:09) who took the third and final paying spot. Rogers finished at around 2:14 if memory serves me.

In an exciting finish, Twining beat Walker in a sprint finish at 1:51 (wtf?) with Ross back in 4th at just over 2 hours. Afterwards I enjoyed a few beers with my Solon teammates along with the Soupcan boys. Overall a great weekend.

Later,

BRD

10 Years of Racing

2009-09-28T17:16:00.006-05:00

With about 6 weeks until Iceman, I have been looking back at my 8 years worth of training journals to try to make the best use of the training time that I do have. I like graphs. The one below shows my annual cycling hours, average weight on a weekly basis and number of races.

What does this stuff mean? Maybe that during this time, I have never had body fat percentage of an elite cyclist? Maybe that my hours have been consistent with no big blocks taken off due to illness, burnout or overtraining? Maybe, I would like to think I can continue to get faster? I do know that I truly enjoy all aspects of cycling (wrenching, riding, racing, equipment, comraderie and competition) and that love all types of cycling (road, mtb, cross and now track).

In going back over my training journals, I did realize that 2009 is my 10th year of bike racing (I did not keep training records in 2000 and 2001). My first race was back in 2000 at Alpine Valley and I finished DFL in the Beginner Class. It was agonizing and I'll never forget it.

Upon some reflection, I think that my ten year racing anniversary is deserving of something of note, something special. A big party? No, nothing new there. Only another month or two left in the year. Maybe go 100% towards a big result at Iceman (Expert 40-45 AG)? Now that sounds interesting.

More later.

BRD

4th Annual Chagrin River Cyclocross - Race Flyer has Been Posted

2009-09-28T15:03:00.003-05:00

Check it out here. Course has been cleared and is smoking fast (for now). Same as last year although we will switch it up the second day. We'll start doing some practice sessions next week on Wednesday from 6pm to dark. All are welcome.

Later,
BRD

Weekend

2009-09-28T11:45:00.002-05:00

Due to some family commitments on Saturday, I skipped BA Cross #2 at KSU Stark campus and instead raced OMBC at West Branch SP. Due to some overnight rain the 9.0 mile course was slick, expecially the roots. There were 6 or 7 Vet Experts (over 35) including Rudy, Chris Skinner, Rusty from CAMBA and a few others I did not recognize.

I got a good start and stayed on Rudy's wheel as he worked his way to the front through the XC Ski trails. I let Skinner and another guy pass just before the single track and regretted it as Skinner and Rudy initially struggled in the rocks. The Dirty Hairy's rider who led into the rocks eventually ended up winning.

About three miles before the end the second lap (of three) I suddenly forgot how to ride my bike. I was sliding out, falling off bridges and hitting trees with my shoulder. It may have been due to a little bonk. As I started my third lap I ate an energy bar and that seemed to help. As I was trying to get my shit together, Rudy came flying by me on the XC Ski trail like I was standing still. I tried to ride smooth on the thrid lap which was aided by the rapidly drying course.

I eventually ended up in 6th place about 9 mins behind Skinner who ended up 3rd, 3 minutes down Rusty in 4th place and 2 mins behind Rudy. After nearly coming apart for 10 mins, I was pleased that I was able to regroup and ride reasonably well thereafter. Glad I had that eneregy bar.

Next week is Leroy Cross race. Anyone want to ride there for a little warm up?

09/28/2009 Route
Find more Bike Rides in University Heights, Ohio

Later,

BRD

Reagan Park TT

2009-09-21T10:07:00.002-05:00

After missing the first two rounds of the NEO Power Series, I was able to attend the third and final round held Sunday at Reagan Park in Medina, Ohio. Kevin and the boys do a great job and I hated to miss the races at Manitoc and Vultures Knob but family commitments trumped bike racing.

I was able to get down to Reagan Park for a little pre-ride on Tuesday. I ran into the Mirandas and rode with them for a bit. I then did a very hard 20 minute effort. The course was dry and very fast, except for the 9 million turns. I had a decent week of riding and was confident going into the race on Sunday.

I was the 20th person to start and had Auggie, Brian Lennon and John Proppe (among others) ahead of me with Rodgers and Wilhelm behind me. I could see that I was gaining on a few people when Wilhelm caught me. I planned to try to stay with him, but had my only crash immediately after he went past me. Eventually I caught back up to Auggie and stayed behind him until we came to a clearing. I then caught Lennon and later Proppe when he fell in the woods. I rode behind John for a while as he seemed to be keeping a pretty good pace. When we reached the next clearing, he let me by. From that point I was by myself. I tried to push the pace as best I could. Eventually, I rolled in at 45:11 about 3 mins down on Walker and Twining and about 90 seconds behind Wenger and Cochran.

Next weekend is BA Cross #2 down near Canton on Saturday and OMBC at West Branch SP on Sunday. Decisions, decisions! Trying to gain some fitness for Iceman on November 7th.

Cyclocross - BA Series #1

2009-09-14T13:08:00.003-05:00

Big turnout of around 150 racers on Sunday for the first race of the Bike Authority Cyclocross Series. Weather was perfect and the course was excellent with grass, dirt, sand, asphalt and gravel to contend with. The A field was large at over 40 riders and fast with many of the top local riders in attendance. I got a good start and was right in the top 10. I was feeling good coming through the start/finish on the first lap when I dropped my chain. I tried to re-install it while riding, but was forced to stop. I lost probably 10 spots and about 20 seconds.

After remounting, I started passing people. After chasing for a couple laps, I finally caught Ehrlinger and Steiner. I got by Steiner when he dropped his chain and later caught Erhlinger. I got a nice gap on them and seemed to be catching the next Spin rider, when with 2 laps to go I caught a pedal while rounding a turn and partially rolled my front Tufo tubular clincher. It was rubbing on the brake and I had to take it ez on the corners. I should have probably grabbed a new wheel but decided to ride it out.

Erhlinger and Steiner eventually caught me and I was unable to keep up with them. Then to add insult I dropped my chain after the barriers and Chip Meek caught and passed me. Anyway, I had a good day and felt strong. I was only 2 mins out of the top 10 after 60 mins of racing. Last year I was nearly 8 mins behind the winner and this year I was around 5 mins, so not too bad.

Thanks to Robert Sroka for the pictures.

Later,

BRD

Big Valley Race Weekend

2009-08-27T06:25:00.002-05:00

The other night I had the chance to preview the mountain bike loop at Camp Manitoc in Peninsula. Kevin Daum and the boys have done a great job with the course. There are some very nice new sections and a few re-routes. The course is about 9.7 miles and features approximatley 850 feet of climbing. The course is in awesome shape, perfect actually.

Kevin and his band of volunteers work their ass off, so please support this race. This race weekend gets bigger and better every year and now features kids races, bike demos from Specialized and Jamis, and a velo swap meet. This is our once a year opportunity to ride in the forbidden CVNP. Don't miss out on all the fun and activities.

For all you roadies and aspiring cyclocross racer here is a piece of advice.....go to Peninsula this weekend and hone your off road skills. There is no better preparation for 45/60 minute cross race, than a 1 to 2 hour lung searing, leg burning mountain bike race.

I did two laps on Tuesday and three more yesterday. I rode steady at about 85% and managed a 48 minute lap. Assuming the conditions remain the same, I would expect the fastest experts to clock lap times in the low 40 second range or maybe lower, those frickers are fast.

Later,
BRD

Political Thought for the Day

2009-08-18T12:10:00.003-05:00

If car insurance were treated the same way as the proposed universal health care, here is what it would look like:

Mandated covered oil changes every 4000 miles (do you think price of oil changes would go up if Uncle Sam was paying?)

Mandated covered tune-ups annually.

Mandated covered wiper blades annually.

Burnt out bulb? Covered.

Your insurance would have to pay to fix pre-existing dents.

Nationalized AUTOCARE would only pay ‘providers’ 40% of the actual cost of changing the oil or fixing dents, driving up the cost for those with private insurance, or forcing many car clinics out of business.

Makes sense:)

Later,
BRD

Back to Back

2009-08-17T15:51:00.005-05:00

Last weekend ended up doing solo 75 miles on Saturday and then Orville Milk Race on Sunday. At Orville I did not make the final 8-10 man split and chased with Thom Humphrey for a lap and a half. It was hot and hard. I considered quitting but did not. I think we ended up around the top ten out of 25 or so Masters racers.

Then in the name of sporadic riding, I took most of the week off the bike, then did the big bike ride to Cinci. Left just before 12noon on Thursday in the prime time heat....brilliant!

We had a nice tailwind for the first few hours and with the moto to draft behind, I delusionally though I could average 25 mph....wrong! I did manage to cook myself, however. From my house, we ended up taking Riverview to Everett to State Road (SR 94) into Wooster and then SR 83 south through Millersburg and many other quaint Ohio towns. We ended up traveling on SR 36 (a very nice road) and I decided to call it a day in Warsaw, OH. I climbed off the bike after 6 hours and 110 miles.

We then McGivered the bike onto the moto and headed across SR 36 towards Columbus. After enjoying a cool sunset, we got to Delaware around 8:00pm.

After a delicious dinner at Bob Evans we retired for the evening at our accomodations at Quality Inn. I got up in the morning at around 5am and after breakfast and attending to work email and ebay auctions, was out the door by 6:45am. The section of US Route 42 south of Delaware is FLAT as a pancake. Friday was another beautiful day and my legs felt much better this day than the prior one. My dad slept in a bit so I was on my own much of the day. His big BMW 1200 is not geared for 20-25 mph riding and my legs are not geared for 30-35 mph riding. The 100 mile stretch between Delaware and Mason featured smooth and flat roads, minimal traffic and courteous drivers. With light winds I was able to knock out the first 100 miles in total time of 5:15 which included a quick flat change. For the day ended up with 135 miles in 7:30 hours. I only stopped to fill the bottles twice and to change a flat in Xenia.

Spent the next two days poolside with beer in hand. Getting ready for my 40th birthday this weekend and hopefully some good form for the Big Valley race on August 30th.

Thanks for reading.

Later,

BRD

Biking

2009-08-06T07:32:00.004-05:00

The weekend of July 24th ad 25th John Bodell and I went up to the velodrome in Rochester Hills Michigan just north of Detroit. After a 3 hour drive, we were able to ride the track for a couple hours on friday evening and afterwards were able to watch the exciting Madison Racing Friday night under the lights. The track is 200 meters with 40 degree banking...wow was it fun! In addition to riding, John and I were able to meet with the management team of the track along with its builder, Dale Hughes. It was very valuable experience for both of us. We are super motivated to get a comparable track built in Cleveland area.

There was a little rain in Saturday morning, but once it stopped and the track dried I was able to do the Track Cycling 101 course. I got another 3 hours of riding in and left for home around 4pm on Saturday. The next day I did the Sweet Corn Challenge with Ross, Ray, Bob and Ken. I ended up with 4 hours and about 70 miles for the day. I took the next three days off and went to the Lakewood Spin group ride on Wednesday. It was fast with a few short hard climbs and I felt really good during the ride.

I then proceeded to take the next 6 days off (WTF?) and did not get back on the bike again until this past Tuesday at Westlake. The A group did 19 laps. Since I had not ridden in a while, the plan was to sit in for the day. The other reason to sit in, is that my big chain ring is worn and the chain wants to slip off when I really crank on the power. Not good. After the winning break formed, I was content to sit comfortably in the chase group. We averaged about 26.5 mph according to Keller, so not a bad workout.

Planning 80 to 100 miles on Saturday with the Shaker Group and either Orville Milk Race or 3-4 hour group ride on Sunday.

Also, I just listed on Ebay my 2009 S Works Carbon Hardtail frame. It is a medium and has never been ridden. Here is the link.

That's all for now.

Later,

BRD

Political Thought for the Day

2009-07-30T14:38:00.001-05:00

Ralph Waldo Emerson said:

The louder he spoke of his honor, the faster we counted the silverware.

Seems on topic, somehow given the current political landscape.

It's All About Maintaining A Healthy Diet

2009-07-20T13:35:00.004-05:00

In preparation for "total cycling enlightenment", I am hittin the spam and red wine. Hard!

Gotta get ready for upcoming guantlet of all things bike racing. Specifically, in the next 3 weeks I will be doing some track racing, crit racing, and road racing followed by a two day 260 mile "rolling training camp" and then later in Septemeber and October some mountain bike racing and finally some cyclocross racing. Should be fun, if not tiring!

Later,
BRD

The Next BIG Thing

2009-07-15T10:05:00.002-05:00

07/15/2009 Route
Find more Bike Rides in Cleveland, Ohio

100K on the Fixie

2009-07-03T14:18:00.003-05:00

Roads were wet this morning so I got out the Raleigh One Way. Left the house at 8am with plans for a 2 hour ride with Shaker Cycling group (Scott, Brian, Orv and Chris). 70 miles and 4+ hours later, I rolled back to the house. Ouch, legs are a little sore from pushing the 42x15 fixed gear.

Despite the wet roads, we did not get rained on, which was nice. We took Brainard to the Metro Parkway through Bedford, to Tinkers to Canal then south on Riverview past Peninsula to the Szalzy(sp) Farmers Market where we turned around and headed back to Peninsula. Climbed 303 east and took the hike n bike back to Alexander then back through Bedford metro park.

Thinking of riding down to Medina tomorrow for the Twin Sizzler. Hope I can find someone to give me a ride home.

Later,

BRD

The Wayne Ultra Hard...

2009-06-29T11:10:00.003-05:00

...is what this race should be called. Went down Saturday and stayed at the very nice Leith Run Campground which is located along the Ohio River in the only National Forest in Ohio...Wayne National Forest. After I put the kids to bed on Saturday night, I hung out with Bill Braum and some of the RVMBA members who promoted the race and built much of the trail. They gave me the 411 on the course and let me sample half dozen or so glasses of yummy mico-brew from their keg. Somehow I always find the keg....just lucky I guess.

I opted for the 45 mile XXC over the 22 mile XC. The 45 miler had over 5,200 feet of climbing which I was by no means prepared for. The race started at just after 11am and the rain held off for the entire day, which was nice. I rode pretty strong for the first 25 miles then got a case of the "tireds" and kind of lost interest and put it into "damage control" mode after that. Got to ride with Brian Lennon for a while, which was fun, until he dropped me. After aid station 4 with about 10 miles to go, there was a brutal single track climb which ended with the hardest hike a bike I have ever had the displeasure of walking up.

In the end, I managed not to injure myself and rolled in just inside the top 20 overall. See results here. Northeast Ohio rocked the 22 miler with the Spisaks, Mike Fletcher and Darren Spence filling out the top 10.

The Marietta area has some great trails that I would like to ride again sometime. Lots of climbing!

Later,

BRD

June Fun!

2009-06-16T07:42:00.005-05:00

Since Mohican I have been busy at work and still trying to do some bike riding. After a little recovery, I did a nice block of riding totaling 14 hours in six days that included (on day four) a big 5 hour sufferfest on June 7th. The ride totaled 85 miles and included a 58 mile version of the CVNP Death Ride. Rodgers, Rusty, Mike Fletcher and I managed to average over 18 mph for this 58 mile very hilly route. Mike (rides for CAMBA) is a total stud and climbs, literally, like few others I have seen in person.

I followed that up a hard 1 hour of hill repeats on Monday June 8th and then 2.5 hours of hard riding at Vultures Knob on Tuesday. I took a few days off and raced this past Saturday at Groovy Series #3 at Vultures Knob. Pictures courtesy of Ryan Knopf.

I took the RV, the wife, kids and two dogs and we camped out. Kids bike race, daddy's bike race, beer brats, smores, single speed race and fireworks highlighted the evening. Results are here.

Rodgers won the single speed challenge and a sweet trophy. Twining got second in under 35 Expert and I gritted out a 3rd in the over 35 expert. Ross raced the Stupid 50 in PA and scored a top 20 amongst a loaded field.

Next race is the Wayne Ultra on June 28th. I am going to focus on climbing for the next 7-9 days and then take some time off before the race.

Later,

BRD

Bike Frame Raffle and Party!

2009-06-08T11:24:00.003-05:00

As you may know, I am a volunteer board member for Fast Track Cycling, Inc. Our group's mission is to construct an indoor velodrome in Northeast Ohio. We are at a very exciting time for the project - that is we are about the kick off our fundraising efforts!

Dan Polito, the owner of Cicli Polito (http://www.ciclipolito.com/), is donating one custom built track frame and fork to the winner of the raffle. This locally handcrafted track bike frame is valued at over $2,000. Mr. Polito won “Best in Show” at the 2009 Handmade Bicycle Show held in Indianapolis, IN.

In conjunction with the raffle, there will be a short (15 minute) presentation by board members (me) of Fast Track Cycling to provide an update to the cycling community about the status of the very exciting Indoor Velodrome Project.

Tickets: Raffle tickets are $20 per ticket or 6 for $100;

When: Raffle will be held Wednesday June 24th at 7:00pm;

Where: Join us at Brothers Lounge at 11609 Detroit Ave (W. 117th & Detroit) from 4:00pm to 8:00pm; complimentary food and a cash bar. It’s a party!

The proceeds of the raffle will benefit Fast Track Cycling, Inc. (http://fasttrackcycling.org/) and their efforts to construct an indoor velodrome in the greater Cleveland area.

For tickets or questions, please drop me a line at bdavisatironwood-devdotcom.

Hope you can make it.

Later,

BRD

Mohican Adventures - Indeed!

2009-06-01T10:42:00.005-05:00

As of Friday morning, I had not pre-registered for the Mohican 100 so it was still undecided whether I would do the 100 mile or 100k (65 miles). I have competed (and finished) the 100 mile version three times with some good results and some not so good. All of these 100 milers involve some degree of pain and suffering. Within days of completing one of these events, the memories of the 8 to 10 hours of suffering fade but the experience is burned into your brain luring you back year after year.

Ultimately, as the race was to be part of a family camping trip, I decided to do the 100k so I would not be MIA all fricken day (plus I am getting soft and 100k seemed much more sensible/rational).

We loaded up my parent’s motorhome and were on the road by 6pm or so on Friday evening. We arrived around 7:30pm at the new for this year venue at Mohican Adventures on SR 3 by Wally Road. We rented a camp spot for two nights and started getting set up. Got the EZ Up set up just in time for a little rain sprinkle.

Once we got set up, I went to register, but unfortunately they were gone for the night. So I had to add “register” to my list of things to do the next morning before the 7am start time. So I went back to camp, started a fire and we made the kids some smores.

Under the cover of darkness (aided by light) I then proceeded to swap out my rear derailleur, cable and shifter which was busted up from the race last weekend at The Knob. Without too much trouble, I finished that up and spun around the campground for 1 minute shakedown. Good to go!

We put the kids to bed around 10pm and the wife and I sat by the fire and enjoyed a glass of wine. We crashed at 11:30 to the sounds of rain on the RV rooftop.

Got up in the morning and walked down to the convenient store for some coffee and greasy breakfast sandwiches. Got dressed and rode the 1 mile to downtown Loudonville for the start. I found a spot near the front and at 7am sharp we were off. The weather and trails were perfect. Could not have been any better! Low humidity, 70s, light breeze, clear skies, lots of buff single track!

I went semi-hard on the initial climb to stay near the front. Other than that the first 4-5 miles were done at a moderate to high pace. Once we got to the 25 mile State Park loop, I was riding with 3-4 other riders. Then Wes Jones caught and passed me sporting his rigid single speed. I latched onto him and benefited from his pace for the next 15 or so miles. We were together all the way to where we exited the loop for the hike a bike at mile 22 or so (same place many people turned right instead up left up the big hill). Thanks Wes!

After some horse trails we got out onto the dirt roads and a couple steep punchy climbs. I was with several 100 mile riders who where riding pretty conservative pace. I pulled though a couple times and looked back and had a gap; I guess they were conserving for the 100 miles. So I sat up and joined the paceline (at their pace) until we eventually caught and passed Mike Gorman and later John Lorson. I rode with Lorson and the others until just before the Mohican Wilderness section that takes you to the Aid Station which serves as the split for the 100 mile and 100k.

It felt AWESOME knowing I only had 20 miles to go versus 60 miles (in past years when I raced the 100 miler)! Lorson and I left the aid station together and proceeded down Wally Road at a moderate pace. The big gravel road climb to the left lay ahead. Lorson cleaned the whole thing on his single speed. That climb is much easier with 40 miles in your legs versus 80, go figure:) I middle ringed the climb (could not get into the granny). Rode the big rollers with John and I surged at the right turn at the top that leads to the big grassy field.

From that point I rode by myself and did not see anyone until the end. The last 6 miles seemed longer than 6 miles and the sections near the finish were cruel. At the end of the day I finished in 5:38 or so in 7th place overall for the 100k. I felt fresh at the end, so I took the kids fishing and we slayed it catching a few bass in one of the lakes on site.

We stuck around for the evening festivities which included kegs of Sierra Nevada and my favorite..Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold! Got to spend some time with the boys from SoupCan Racing and Bruce from Pisgah Works, among others.

After a night of revelry, we got up early on Sunday morning and I made camp breakfast of eggs and bacon for the kids. After breakfast and a swim in the pool and hottub, we loaded up the RV and did a 6 mile canoe ride with clear skies and perfect weather.

Thanks to Ryan K. for the Mohican Valley canoe referral. All in all a great family weekend with a little bike riding time for Brett thrown in for good measure.

Later,
BRD

Vultures Knob – Groovy Series #2

2009-06-01T10:37:00.002-05:00

Raced last Saturday (May 23rd) at Groovy Cycleworks race series #2 at Vultures Knob. Thanks to Kevin Daum and the boys for putting on a great show. There were about 10 Vet Open Experts among the 30 or so experts that took the line for the 5pm start. I pre-rode the prologue and decided the stay near the front to avoid any crashes (there were a couple). At the start, Gary Fisher 29er rider Travis Sealer took off never to be seen again. For much of the prologue I was in second place, then GT Ride Kerry Wenger and some others came by just before the end of the prologue. I could not (would not) hold their wheel and they were gone. Midway through the second lap, I saw Wes Jones coming up, so I sped up a little and he was gone (he crashed). later in that lap, he caught back up again and passed me as I was having some mechanical issues. Soon thereafter Lorson came flying by relegating me to 5th place. I was taking it easy trying to nurse my ailing rear derailleur. It felt good to slow down! I finished up a few minutes behind Wes and John in 5th place. Stayed around for the party and had a great time. I like the Knob!

Later,

BRD

Bike Riding

2009-05-19T10:49:00.003-05:00

Have been doing a little bikin' here and there. Did first Westlake race on 5/5. I got into an early break with Dick, Batke and Riccardi. We stayed away for 2 laps (I think). We got caught and Batke and Bob Martin took off. A few more joined them later, then Paul Martin took a few more to form the final move with what appeared to be at least 10 strong. The rest of us would ride steady and would not get a glimpse of the lead group again. I broke a spoke with 5 to go. Stopped to have a look and unhooked the rear brake so the wheel would spin. Jumped back in and rode in with the group.

Then on Thursday 5/7, I did a hard ride with Shaker Group that included Derek and some others. Lots of accelerations and hard efforts.

Last week I got out Wednesday and Thursday. Then on Saturday I did 4 hours on the mountain bike with 5 laps on the O&E Camba trail. On Sunday, I got in just under 3 hours Zone 2 and Zone 3 riding on the road bike. Yesterday I managed 3 laps at the Knob (2 with Twining). Tonight, the plan is to race at Westlake tonight for some speed and hard efforts.

Trying to race Saturday at the Knob and considering doing the 100k at Mohican.

Later,
BRD

Weekend Update

2009-05-05T13:08:00.003-05:00

After Cohutta, I took the week off the bike. Rode ez Saturday for 2 hours in the afternoon. Sunday rode down to Covered Bridge Circuit Race (or whatever they are calling it these days). Rode mostly Zone 2 with some Zone 3 and rolled the 28 miles in just under 1:30. Thanks to Carbon Racing, RGF and Snakebite for resurrecting this race series.

After some deliberation, I decided to race the Masters Race (B Group). We had at least 35+ or so in the field. I tried to stay near the front to avoid any crashes (there weren't any) and was active with a few attacks, albeit halfhearted. Just pass the railroad tracks on the last lap, a Stark Velo attacked and barely held on for the victory. I kind of got boxed in going by the school and was pretty far back, but made up some ground "surfin" wheels and managed to finish around 5th or 6th place (just out of the money). For the day ended up with a good solid 60 miles.

I am now focused on my preparation for Mohican 100 on May 30th. I have changed up my eating and diet and know that dropping some weight will help on the climbs. For some strange reason, 195+ lbs does not feel so good over 10k-12k feet of climbing and 100 miles. My better results have occurred when I was between 180-185 (see above).

Westlake starts tonight and I will be there for my weekly thrashing in the A Group.

Later,

BRD

Cohutta 100

2009-04-28T06:57:00.005-05:00

My cousin Marc and I departed Cleveland about 7am on Friday morning and headed south via I-71 and I-75. Our destination was the southeastern TN mountains and the Cohutta 100, the first stop of the NUE 100 mile series. I was registered for the 100 mile version which featured 12k feet of climbing over 30 miles of single track and the balance being service roads traversing crazy steep mountains. Elevation profile here.

A short 615 miles later we arrived to stunning mountains streams and 90+ temperatures. I love it when a plan comes together.

We stayed at Thunder Rock Campground, a National Forest Campground located along the Ocoee River about 1 mile from the race start/finish. Premium camp spot. We set up camp and I kitted up for a pre-ride of the first 15 miles of the course. The course started with a 3 mile paved climb then some fast smooth and flat singletrack. It was beautiful. The course start finish was at the Ocoee White Water Center.

Ocoee White Water Center

After some dinner, I retired for the night, and slept soundly knowing that saturday would bring all sorts of fun bike racing! Got up around 6am for the 7am start. In short order, I was ready to go (bike, check, bottles, check) and made the short 1 mile spin over to the start area. I started about 1/3 back of the 200+ person 100 mile group. This kept me from the lead pack, a blessing in disguise. I rode strongly for about 25 miles then we hit the 65 mile section of Forest Road. It was tough and then some. Once the heat came (85 degrees+), I kept it conservative (re: slow). Took my time and finished in just over 10 hours. No disasters, crashes, or major leg cramps, just lots of slowish, uphill riding. The official race report and results from CyclingNews are here.

Next up is some local road racing, then the Mohican 100.

Later,

BRD

More of the Same

2009-04-20T09:15:00.005-05:00

After 3 pretty hard weeks of training, I took a few days off from riding this week. I rode Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Legs are feeling pretty good. Cohutta 100 is this Saturday. I am pretty sure the climbing is going to be brutal as I don't have my climbing legs yet (re: I am fat)!

On Sunday, I got the hardtail tuned up and put some new rubber on.

My son's 6th birthday was Saturday and my neice had her first communion on Sunday, so my rides this weekend were short, intense and done in the early morning hours.

Busy week at work this week. Lot's of exciting things going on. Fast Track Cycling (Indoor Velodrome) board meeting tommorrow.

Later,

BRD

Life is Good

2009-04-10T11:11:00.003-05:00

With it being good Friday and all, my office is closed today but I have some work to do, so I rode the bike in. Rode the S Works hardtail mtb. Trying to get some miles on it before Cohutta 100 on April 25th. Below is a picture from my morning commute by way of the Rocky River Reservation. Nice!

I read this on Velonews. Pretty funny statement by Astana sport director Sean Yates about Chris Horner who crashed the other day and may have broken his shoulder.

“He’s in great shape right now. He also got injured at the Tour of California, but he stayed skinny and came here just flying. He was chasing down breaks (Thursday) with a finger in his nose,” Yates said. “He could have easily been in the top 5 here. After he did his work at Arrate for Contador (on Wednesday), he was sitting with that group at one minute back. Those other guys were all on the red and Chris was just spinning.”

Someday I want to be that fast so I can chase breaks down with my finger in my nose. That will be a great day!

Later,

BRD

Big Hilly Ride

2009-04-07T11:00:00.003-05:00

Looking to do this ride this weekend, however, with Easter and a perilous weather forecast it might be tough to squeeze in. Anyone care to join me?

BIG HILLY RIDE
Find more Bike Rides in University Heights, Ohio

Tour of The South

2009-04-05T18:15:00.003-05:00

Rode with Ross, Steve T. and Eric Lesco and Chris Smith from Stark Velo. Started at Steve's house down by Green and ventured into portions of Summit, Stark and Carroll counties. Some very nice roads down there. A beautiful day with clear skies and and temps in the mid 50s. We ended up getting in 106 miles in 6 hours total time. Chris was our tour guide and he did a great job. Seemed like a lot of climbing, we guess about 5k, but who knows.

Later,
BRD

No racing..

2009-03-29T15:32:00.004-05:00

....this weekend. Others were at Malabar for road racing on Saturday or OMBC at Mohican Wilderness on Sunday.

Instead, did a long road ride today to finish up my first 10+ hour week of 2009. Fuck, I am lame and it's going to hurt...lots...getting back in shape. For the day, ended up with 3:45 and about 60 miles with a few climbs. For the week about 14 hours and stupid hard back to back days on Tues/Wed. Saturday, wife, kids and dogs did a cool hike through the Doan Brook ravine from Coventry to MLK and back. Trails were buff and views unhindered.

Lots of good family time.

Later,
BRD

Spring Break

2009-03-23T09:44:00.005-05:00

Kids are off from school for two weeks on Spring Break, so we headed south to Myrtle Beach last week. We left last Saturday around dinner time and drove 600 miles straight thru to Columbia, SC. Two bottles of 5 Hour Energy later, we grabbed a hotel room for the night. Yikes does that stuff keep you wired!

Got up in the morning and drove a few miles for some bike racin'. I love it when a plan comes together. Nice little 1.5 mile crit course. Closed to traffic with a hill on the backside, think RATL hill x 2.5. Poor turnout due to temps in the mid to high 40s and steady rain. The promoter combined the 3s and 4s for a group of about 25. Pretty quickly, the group was down to about 15. With about 4 laps to go I got dropped on the climb. I kept riding hard and kept the lead group in sight. Results are here. Afterwards, got cleaned up and drove the final 150 miles to Myrtle Beach.

We had a great time at the beach. I have not taken any time off in about 2 years so it was nice! Weather was so/so on Monday and Tuesday and great on Wednesday and Thursday. On St.Patty's day we found a little Irish Pub that hosted a very nice party complete with the requisite freaks.

After some put put golf on Friday, we got on the road at about 1pm and drove about 450 miles. We stopped for the night in Elkin, NC and were able to catch the Cleveland State and Ohio State NCAA b-ball games. Got up Saturday morning grabbed some breakfast and headed home.

Sunday I got out for an ez four hours to see how the legs felt. Results...I have got some work to do before Cohutta on April 25th.

Later,

BRD

Where's Waldo?

2009-03-16T15:43:00.002-05:00

Rant About Mortgage Bailout!

2009-03-10T12:19:00.002-05:00

What ever happened to self reliance and personal responsibility? What I read in the paper daily, makes me want to puke. Here is a good article about Obama's mortgage bailout plan. The tax payers are really taking it up the ass on this one!

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NzFiZDU0NDdjNmY3MzkwMGViYWM4MDhmMTlmNGY2YTQ =

Why are we creating a safety net for people who bought more of a house than they can afford? I say that knowing that if I lose my job and can't find a new one, like quick, I'll probably lose my house and have to rent until I can get back on my feet. That is life. Remember kids, the Government is the enemy!

Later,
BRD

Busy Weekend

2009-03-01T13:12:00.004-05:00

Spent Saturday catchig up on the bookkeeping for my wife's business, Beyondmotherhood.com. It is pretty easy using Quickbooks, but it does take some time. We also got everything organized so we can get it to our tax accountant this week. Then we watched a movie with the kids, Meet the Robinsons. It was a cool movie with a great message, Keep Moving Forward. After the movie, we put the kids to bed and my wife and I watched Star Wars III - Revenge of the Sith. I had never seen it before and liked what I saw...too bad I fell asleep with about 30 minutes to go and missed Darth Vader getting burned up.

Sunday, I was up at 6am to get ready for a ride. It was clear and cold with a stiff 20 mph wind from the North. I left the house at 7:30 and took the long way towards Canal and Rockside for the 9am group ride. Unfortunatley, there were only two other riders. We rode together for about 15 miles until I had to start heading North. I ended up with just over 4 hours and 60 miles, much of it into a headwind or crosswind. The fixie kicked my ass today on the climbs.

I did Sagamore climb to hike n bike, Snowville, a few on Riverview, Dunham along with a few others. On the steeper sections I would look down at the computer and see 3 mph and a 165 hr (180 is my max). It was like doing leg presses for 5-7 minutes sets on the 42 x 15 gear.

First big race is Cohutta 100 on April 25th which is a 100 mile point to point mtb race with over 13k feet of climbing. With the profile of this race, it is time to get serious about this bike riding and drop some weight.

Later,

BRD

Nice day in the Woods

2009-02-23T13:29:00.003-05:00

Yesteray was cold and windy so I opted for a long ride in the woods in and around the Bedford Reservation. As luck would have it, many of the participants in the 9am Sunday group ride, opted for mountain bikes and trail riding, so I had some company.

We got off to a VERY bad start with ice patches and head plants. Thom Humphrey went down hard, cracked his helmet and appeared to be concused. Brad and others went back with him. I hope he is all right. Myself and two others forged onward towards Bedford Reservation. After quite a bit of bushwhacking (minus the bush as it is dormant), we did the tinkers creek climb and a big 1 hour plus wooded loop of joy. The woods offered some shelter from the wind and icy conditions. I love riding in the woods. I could stay out there all day. I think I will do it again soon, perhaps at night!? Anyone interested in joining me?

With 3 hours yesterday, I ended up with a whopping 5 hours with 5 rides in 7 days. Does 20 minutes on a trainer actually provide any training benefit?

More so than better weather, I am looking forward to 6-7am daylight, so I can get outside and giv'r.

Later,

BRD

Big Bonk

2009-02-10T19:37:00.002-05:00

Had a pretty good week last week. Recovered nicely from Superbowl ride. Did ez spin Monday then some Zone 2 Tuesday and some Tempo Wednesday. Got out Saturday for a ride to the shop for some parts. Did 1 hour solid Zone 3 tempo on the way there, bullshitted with Dan and the boys then headed back for another hour of Tempo.

Saturday night, my business partner, had a surprise party for his wife's 40th birthday. Quite a party...there at 5:30pm....left at 1:00am...you do the math. Up Sunday and out the door by 8:15 to hit the 9am group ride at Rockside and Canal in the valley. Group rolled out at 9:10 for a fairly flat ride down into the valley (except for fucking Oak Hill).

At around 10am I started to feel a bonk coming on so I ate a couple granola bars and felt a little better. Rode hard for a while with a smaller group and we seemingly raced back to the parking lot and were there by 11:35. So I am just over 3 hours in with another hour to go with a couple climbs along Rockside. No food, no money, no problem. I bummed some water and rolled out. After the first climb I was in some difficulty. After the second climb up to Turney by Garfield Mall, I was in full fledged bonk mode.

Heart rate under 100, getting cold, blurry vision, loss of balance, very hungry. Pulled the plug at Rockside and Broadway by the Bedford Auto Mile and had to call my wife..."Sweetie, you need to pick me up." She replied, "sorry honey, I am in the middle of something." To which I said, "NO, YOU HAVE TO COME GET ME, I CAN NOT RIDE ANYMORE AND AM GOING TO GET RUN OVER BY A CAR." To which she replied, "I'll be right there." I love that woman!

While waiting for her I managed to eat a hostess fruit pie (remember those?), nutter butter, bag of fritos, 2 cups of coffee, 1 coke, and 1 large beef stick with the promise of payment once my wife picked me up.

Just when you think you have endurance cycling figured out, Mr. bonky bonk comes over to smack you!

Later,
BRD

That was Fun in a Sick Way

2009-02-01T16:33:00.005-05:00

The 170km (106 mile) Superbowl Sunday Emerald Necklace Epic, after 4 attempts, still has never been conquered. This years version was attended by Ross, Steve Twining, John P and myself. Rodgers is on the IR after his recent yard sale at Rays MTB Park. Shawn and Ernie will be listed in the record books as DNS (did not start) or TSTS (too smart to start), depending on the referee's final decision.

Weather was perfect with clear skies and temps in the the low 40s. Bike choice varied with me riding my cross bike with Michelin Muds, Ross and Steve rode their mountain bikes with semi slick tires and John was rolling a Surley with road tires and a 42 x 17 FIXED gear. This kid is strong.

Anyway, we got started at about 8:30 and followed the route in a counter clockwise manner. The wind was a factor, blowing WSW from 12-18 mph, with some gusts around 25 mph particularly early on along the shores of Lake Erie.

We stopped once for a pee brake in the Rock River Reservation not far from Hogsback and again at about 65 miles at the Taboggan Area. At this point, we were all hurtin a bit. Luckily the Snack Bar was open. Snack Bar. Snack Bar. A warm fire, pizza, fries and burger dogs (that is not a typo) hit the spot along with some icey cokes. We hung out for 20 minutes or so and then filled our bottles, used the restrooms and headed out. During this stop we missed meeting up with Rick Adams who passed us when we were stuffing out faces.

The moment of truth came at Tinkers Creek and Dunham which was at around mile 83. Staying on route would mean, going up the prodigious Gorge Parkway climb and facing the dreaded rollers of Bedford Reservation OR go left up the very steep Dunham climb to Rockside Road to Warrensville Blvd. to my house. In the essence of time (not because our legs were shot, mind you) we went off course and took the shorter version which at the end of the day gave us 95 miles. I hope to get over the dissappointment soon and the feeling that I cheated myself out of 10 more miles of riding. Oh wait...I am so already over it.

We rolled in with 95 miles at 3pm for 6.5 hours total time. Road bikes or at least slicks could have been the difference, but the Superbowl Sunday Emerald Necklace Epic is an evil temptress that shows no mercy to any that attempt to take the challenge. Well, there is always next year, although Ross and Steve, over a bowl of chili and a beer, promised me that they will never attempt this unique challenge again. On the other hand with John's youthful enthusiasm (plus he's not soft), maybe I'll have company next year.

Later,

BRD

4th Annual Superbowl Sunday Emerald Necklace Epic

2009-01-19T19:14:00.001-05:00

Scheduled for Superbowl Sunday 2/1/09. Plan is to leave from my house (by John Carroll) at around 8am. Fenders and warm attire are recomended. Afterwards stick around for some beer and chili. All are welcome. Don't come if your soft.

Superbowl Sunday Emerald Necklace Epic
Find more Bike Rides in University Heights, Ohio

Later,
BRD

Finally...

2009-01-18T18:14:00.004-05:00

got outside for a longer ride. It warmed up to 20 degrees on Sunday so Ross and I headed out on the mountain bikes for a couple hours. I underestimated how wet the roads would be and got a little damp. We ended up with 3:25 ride time and some cold toes. Should have gone cross county skiiing with Rodgers.

Also, the lease is up on my Honda Element. Options include extend lease, buy it or turn it in and get something new or different. I like the Element, it works for me, but I can't seem to justify paying to get a new one. Another option is to go with something a little different.

More pictures here. Decisions, decision.

Later,
BRD

Did Lance Dope?

2009-01-14T14:15:00.003-05:00

I think not if you believe his coach, Chris Carmichael's assessment (from Twitter) of Lance's recent training ride in Hawaii.

"good day of training for lance.. 45min climb after 4hrs in his legs, solid pace, 359 avg watts for 46:44, not bad for an old guy :)"

From where I sit, those seem like good numbers.

Later,
BRD

The Torture Chamber

2009-01-08T09:39:00.004-05:00

Below is a picture from the area of my basement dedicated to what some consider "self inflicted torture." I view it as a neccesary evil so as to not got dropped on those early spring training rides and races.

Note: The 120 watt bulb shining in my face is the closest thing to the actual sun that I will see for several months.

Yesterday, I had an early morning meeting so only managed 30 minutes comprised of a 10 min warm up and 20 mins at Zone 2 (210 watts for you power geeks).

Last night did some pull ups with the kids.

This morning I was up early and did 1:35 consisting of 15 min warm up then 30 min Zone 2 at 200 watts, then 2 x 6 min Fast Pedal at 225-240 watts with 4 min recovery, then 2 x 10 min Leg Tension at 225-240 watts with 5 min recovery, then 10 min cooldown.

Later,

BRD

Trainer Riding is Fun

2009-01-06T12:28:00.003-05:00

The new year dawns in Northeast Ohio and local cyclists are faced with hopelessly dark and cold mornings, often punctuated with wet or snow covered roads. With races scheduled as early as February, March and April, I am forced to bite the bullet and head into my basement for my daily morning trainer ride.

This year, I have added more light to the basement to help keep my sprits up. I also have a mini DVD player and radio to help pass the time along with a collection of borrowed cycling DVDs from friends like John, although I can starting to get tired of the same videos. I am considering investing in a small TV equipped with cable or satellite so that I can catch up on news and the markets, however, can't seem to pull the trigger when for the same dollars I could buy some new bike parts that will definately make me faster :)

In an effort not to burn out by June/July, I generally try to keep trainer session to under 2 hours with 1 hour being the norm for 10 hour weeks and 1:30 to 2:00 for longer weeks. Anything over 2 hours can lead to burnout, insanity or both.

Usually, Mondays are pretty easy with mostly Zone 1 and 2 riding. Tuesdays are ususally high cadence intervals (108-120 rpm) riding in Zone 3/Tempo. Wednesdays are blocks of Zone 3/Tempo with a 75-90 cadence, Thursdays is interval day with either 3 to 5 min Max Intervals or 15-30 min Threshold Intervals. Friday is mostly Zone 2 or some variety of intervals depending on what is going on over the weekend. There are also a varierty of other drills that I do including 30 sec spin-ups, low cadence strength building intervals and some one leg pedaling. Saturdays are either trainer in the morning or ride outside once it starts getting light by 7am (when is that anyway?). Sunday is usually a longer ride outside in the 3 to 6 hour range. I am typically out of the house early before everyone is awake and try to get back no later than 10 or 11am (later this time of year).

Anyway, this morning I did 15 min warm up, then 3 x 6 min Fast Pedal (108-116 rpms) at about 240 watts with 4 min rest in between. I then did a 3 minute 320 watt effort, just for kicks and finished up with 10 min Zone 2 cooldown.

Later,

BRD

Happy New Year

2009-01-05T12:26:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year to all! I have been taking it easy the last few weeks with minimal biking (or exercise for that matter). Lots of eating though.

Got back in the routine this morning with a vigorous 1 hour trainer ride. 10 min Zone 1, 30 min Zone 2 (200 watts) and then 5 x 30 second 400+ watt efforts with 30 second rest between. Then did 10 min cooldown followed by 2 x 7 pullups on the new pull up bar . I used to be able to bang out 15 or so at a time, but this is not too bad considering how much weight I am moving around:) Thanks to the Maruts for the inspiration.

Lots of trainer time the next few months as I try to get ready for the the NUE Series races:

Saturday, April 25: Cohutta 100 (Tennessee)
Saturday, May 30: Mohican 100 (Ohio)
Saturday, June 20: Lumberjack 100 (Michigan)
Saturday, July 18: Breckenridge 100 (Colorado)
Saturday, August 1: Wilderness 101 (Pennsylvania)
Saturday, August 15: Fool's Gold 100 (Georgia)
Sunday, September 6: Shenandoah Mountain 100 (Virginia)
Saturday, September 12: Tahoe-Sierra 100 (California)

At a minimum, I plan to race Cohutta, Mohican and Wilderness 101. If family and work schedules allow, I would like to squeeze in 1 more to get four races as that qualifies you for the overall series points. Cohutta is supposed to be a real ball buster with over 12k feet of climbing in 100 miles of service roads and single track. Hopefully, I can have some fitness by then.

Later,

BRD

My first long ride....

2008-12-15T21:26:00.002-05:00

....in a long time was yesterday. We rode offroad with Bob, Ross and Steve Twining. We rode some unmentionable trails which were in primo condition given the frozen overnight temps and lack of precipitation the last few days. It was a greatday in the woods!! We ended up with 30 miles and 3 hours with lots of exploring and a few stops along the way. Legs were pretty shot by the end. Shoot for 4 hours next weekend on Sunday...anyone care to join me...drop me a comment with your email.

Later,
BRD

BA Series (Final Race)

2008-12-08T08:07:00.002-05:00

The final race of the series was yesterday at Boughton Farm down near Akron. I have been coming to this venue since 2000 and it continues to be one of my favorites. For the last six or seven weeks, due to work my training time has been limited to 4-5 hours per week. Most of this time has been on the indoor trainer. During that time my longest ride was the 2.5 hour group ride on Thanksgiving. So generally, the volume is down, frequency is good at four to six rides per week, and the hours were pretty structured with some intervals of varying length and intensity.

So back to the race. I got there early and dressed in the back of the Element to stay warm. Went against my usual protocol and decided to wear my warm cycling jacket during the race. I later regretted this decision as I overheated with about 3 laps to go and seriously considered stopping to take it off. I started towards the back behind Bill M and stayed right on his wheel for the first lap. There were a couple crashes and near crashes on the first lap with Ray H., Tom D., Matt W., and Dave S. losing time early in the race.

Gerry and Rudy were out of site within 3 laps, however, I could see Jeff C. up the trail and I was still on Bill's wheel. I was making time on the corners and through the woods and loosing time on the back roller through the field. With about 4 or 5 to go I got past Bill and caught Jeff. After about a lap, I had a gap on Bill and could see that we were catching Rudy (he had crashed). However, I was getting slower on the back hill through the field and Jeff took off. Then Ray and Thom caught me just before the woods and I lost time following there tenantive lead though the singletrack. This along with some fatigue allowed Bill and Derek catch me. On the last lap Derek, Bill and I were together through the wooded singletrack with me in the rear. Bill fumbled and Derek got a gap and took off. I stayed with Bill but he created a gap on the hill section while Derek checked out by flattening the last hill. So at the end of the day, I finished 6th in the 40+ A Race. Gerry took the win with Rudy and Jeff battling it for second/third and Derek and Bill rounding out the top 5.

Big thanks to Lake Effect for putting on the series.

Later,

BRD

Turkey Day and Beyond

2008-11-30T17:36:00.003-05:00

Did the annual Thanksgiving Day ride with the usual crew plus Jane and Pete. We had a group of 12 that included several father/son/daughter combos with ages ranging from 17 to 61. It was a GREAT group that stayed together with only a broken chain and one flat to slow us down. Note to self...seventeen year old high school cross country runners are fit.

Worked all day Friday and spent Saturday doing some work on the house. Friday it was quiet and got a ton of office work done. Got out today (Sunday) for a couple hours on the fixie...ouch my legs hurt now.

Hope to get some bike time in this week so that I can have a decent showing at the last cyclocross race on Sunday (12/7).

Later,

BRD

BA Cyclocross #5

2008-11-17T11:37:00.003-05:00

Round 5 of the local Cyclocross series was held yesterday at the Fields soccer complex in Broadview Heights. With overnight preciptation and temperatures in the 30s it was sure to be a fun filled and muddy day. I dusted off the old KHS cyclocross bike and removed the fenders and third wheel.

I got to the race early at around 12:45 and had plenty of time before the 1:45pm start. I did a easy lap on the KHS and was at my car doing some last minute prep when I somehow missed the start. I had to chase and chase and evetually I began to catch people, I was closing in on Derek but with 2 laps to go I flatted. I rode/ran about 3/4 of a lap to the pit and rode the last lap on the old KHS. That might be my last race of the year as I have a conflict on 12/6. Unless, I can get my papers signed for the State Champ race next weekend. Thanks to Lake Effect for putting on a nice event.

Later,

BRD

Iceman Recap

2008-11-10T12:11:00.006-05:00

I had less than 1 week to recover from promoting the Chagrin River Cyclocross Challenge before I had to head to that state up north for for the Iceman Cometh mountain bike race in Traverse City.

We rolled out of Cleveland at around 12noon on Friday with 4 people, three bikes and lots of gear bags. This was to be my first Iceman race and it was good to be traveling with people who had done the race multiple times. Throughout the 6+ hour drive, I quizzed Dave Cramer and his wife Beth along with Tom Keller about what to expect from the start, the course, etc.

We arrived in Traverse City aound 7:30pm and went directly to race headquaters at the Grand Travese Resort & Spa. What a fabulous place! Definately want to try and stay there next year. There was a pretty large expo area with lots of cool bikes to drool over, including the 2009 S Works Epic...I need to figure a way to get one of those (hint..hint..Dan!). From there we grabbed some dinner at the Macinow Brew Pub. After dinner and a few beers, we checked into our room at a very nice Hampton Inn. Got the gear laid out, completed some last minute bike prep, and went to bed around midnight with vision of holeshots and top 10 placements dancing in my head.

We woke up at around 6am the next morning and I crushed the free breakfast. The temps were around 40 with chance of rain, so I adressed accordingly. We did the 25 minute drive to the Start area and Tom and I had enough time to do a 30 minute warm up, which included riding the first 2-3 miles of the course. My waive (35-39 expert) was second to go at 9:05am. I got a excellent start (can you say "holeshot"), actually leading the race for the first mile or so. I settled into 3rd or 4th until the first sandy uphill where I took a bad line and was back to 10th.

Not knowing what was ahead, I tried to ride conservatively. Lots of wheel sucking. The only paved section, I ended up riding by myself, which was not ideal. I blasted that section and bridged up to a group of 10 and dropped all but two of them. We worked together for a while, but two of them got away from me. Later on I got into a good group or 3 to 4 and I sat at the back of the train and tried to rest a little for the last 5 miles where reportedly there were some climbs. I had a hamstring cramp at the top of a steep climb at about 4 to go, but was able to pedal though it. I rode the last 3 miles by myself and managed to finish 21st of 100 in the 35-39 Expert Class. My finish time was 1:49:30 or about 9 minutes off first in my class and 21 minutes behind Jerimiah Bishop who won the Pro Class. The S Works Hardtail, was the perfect ride for this course. Full results are here.

After the race, we hung out and watched as the 2,500 or so other racers finished up. Tom Keller and I got into the Jim Beam a little bit (he hurt his shoulder, so I was just trying to help out:). Eventually we headed back to the hotel, checked out the hot tub, got cleaned up and went to the awards ceremony. Hung out with Twining for a bit (he got 20th in Pro Class, 5 minutes behind Bishop!!). Drank a few more delicious beers and then went to dinner and had a yummy steak plus a few more beers. After dinner, we went back to the hotel room and crashed EARLY, like at 10pm (lame old guy, I guess). I would like to go back next year and shoot for a top 10 placement in the 40-45 expert age group. The course suits me as it has mostly short climbs and favors a bike handler that knows how to draft...that's me!

Thanks for reading.

BRD

Party (errr Race) on Saturday!

2008-10-31T07:21:00.000-05:00

Keep in mind that the 3rd Annual Chagrin River Cyclocross Challenge is being held this Saturday November 1st in Chagrin Falls, Ohio (at intersection of River and Bainbridge Roads). The race is Round #3 of the Bike Authority/Lake Effect Cyclocross Series. The festivities, including heart thumping music, Halloween costume contest and a Belgium themed beer garden, begin at 10:00am and the last race of the day (the Elite category) starts at 1:45 pm. The weather forecast looks great and spectators and racers of all levels are welcome. Be sure to wear a costume and bring your cowbell and beer glass!! All the information, including schedule of events and directions, can be found here. http://www.chagrinrivercyclocross.blogspot.com/.

All race proceeds will go to Fast Track Cycling, Inc. Fast Track will have an information booth at the race so you can learn all the latest exciting information about the effort to construct an Olympic quality indoor velodrome in the Cleveland area.

Best regards and hope to see you Saturday!

Brett Davis
Race Director and Trustee of Fast Track Cycling

Team Spin Cross

2008-10-19T08:48:00.003-05:00

Saturday was round 2 of the BA Cyclocross Series. The race was promoted by Team Spin and was held in a nice park in Willoughby, Ohio. The Spin guys did a nice job with a fun course, booming music, and awards ceremony at the Willoughby Brew Pub.

I got a decent warm up and a middle of the pack start. I held my place for a lap or so and made up a few spots, but then Ray came by, followed by Thom D., then Derek and Bill. I held Phil Hines off for a while but he got by me and got a gap. In the end, I got lapped right before the Start/Finish by Gerry P., Shawn and Paul Martin, so I ended up down a lap. Results are not posted, but I think I was 7th or so in the 40+ A Group behind Gerry, Rudy, Jeff, Derek, Bill and Phil. The series points should be interesting.

Generally, I felt ok, however, training and riding has been a bit sporadic the last few weeks. At least I am more fit than I was this time last year. Weight is still around 185 compared to 195 last year at this time. Here are some pics thanks to Rick A.

The course for the Chagrin River Cyclocross Challenge is pretty well laid out. We are riding out there on Wednesdays, so come on out starting at 5:30pm.

Later,

BRD

Breck Epic 2009

2008-09-29T08:27:00.002-05:00

Holy shit, I just read that this race is planned for 2009. Check out the link here.

Imagine, if you will, a 5 day mtb stage race in July 2009 with 5 stages plus a prologue off-road TT. The stages will be Monday thru Friday with the prologue taking place on Sunday afternoon. Solo categories will be offered along with teams of two. There will be a strong emphasis on course quality with very little road riding and gravel and fire road riding will be minimized. The promoter intends for this to be a rugged backcountry experience and will utilize a 'cloverleaf' model with each stage starting and finishing in Breckenridge. This means one campground/condo and no transfers. An estimated 90% of the terrain will be above 10,000 feet and cut-off times will be strictly enforced.

Wow! Sound like I'll be in CO in July 2009! Who's in? Rodgers, Daum, Auggie, Ken, Ross??

Later,
BRD

Lake Effect Cyclocross #1

2008-09-29T06:29:00.005-05:00

I had a good week of training leading into the weekend with just over 8.5 hours for the week. Weight is down to around 183 or so.. so that is good. Hoping to get it a little lower before Iceman on 11/8. Anyway, I decided to race cyclocross rather than OMBC race at Westbranch as it fit better into family plans for the weekend.

So on Sunday, I loaded up the Element and when kids were done with PSR classes, we headed off to Wendy Park on Whiskey Island on the beautiful shores of Lake Erie.

We arrived at around 12:30 and found a good parking spot by the barrier section. We had packed some lunch so the kids ate while I registered, got dressed, pinned numbers, etc. I had about a 30-40 minute warmup with a couple hard efforts. I also had a nasty crash going through the barriers when I hit my front wheel on the second barrier and endowed spectacularly right in front of my wife and kids and a few other startled witnesses.

While I was registering, I was surprised to learn that the race age was as of 12/31/09 which for me meant that I could race in the 40+ A Group. Yeahh, it pays to be old. After recovering from my endo and tightening my headset I barely made the start. I managed to make several passes and was sitting 5th wheel behind the Lake Effect train of Rudy, Jeff, Bill and Derek. I passed Bill on the mound before the downhill to the gravel right turn. After the Lighthouse section, I was able to bunnyhop the large concrete barrier and passed Rudy and Jeff and was in first for about 10 seconds before Rudy passed me back. I decided to not stay on his wheel as I was a little winded from all the passing. Jeff and Bill came by and got a gap. For the next lap or two Derek and I were back and forth then Phil Hines joined us from behind. Derek later dropped off the pace and Phil and I caught Bill, who was experiencing the first of his mechanical troubles. For the next lap the three of us rode around with Rudy and Jeff about 60 and 30 seconds ahead of us, respectively. With 4 to go Phil attacked just after the climb from the litehouse and took off eventually passing Jeff and closing to within 60 seconds of Rudy. With three to go Bill and I were yo yoing back and forth until he stopped at the pit and could not continue.

I was know sitting in 4th place in 40+ A group with Jeff Craft about 30-45 seconds ahead of me and John Ehrlinger about the same distance behind me. I needed to put a big effort in the catch Jeff, but in the end could not muster the energy, so I just kept it steady and finished in 4th place. Results are here. I was just under 3 minutes behind the winner, Rudy Sroka. I think I lost most of that time on the 3rd and 4th laps when I lost focus. Hopefully, I can stick with Rudy and Phil next time. Thanks to Rudy, Julie and the rest of the Lake Effect crew for putting on a great race with a well conceived course. Thanks guys!

Later,

BRD

Reagan Park TT

2008-09-21T20:12:00.003-05:00

I took the week off and rode yesterday for 3 hours. Today was Reagan Park TT in Medina. I ended up with a time of 45.21 good for 3rd in the Expert over 36 AG. Here are the results. Need to gain some fitness for Iceman.

The Iceman Cometh Challenge is a 27 mile point-to-point mountain bike race from Kalkaska to Traverse City, Michigan. Held traditionally on the first Saturday of November (except for years when the first Saturday of November is the 1st), the 19th annual Iceman will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2008. Just under $25,000 in cash prizes and $10,000 in merchandise prizes will be awarded. It is supposed to be the largest one day mtb race in the USA.

Next week is either OMBC at West Branch or round #1 of Lake Effect Cyclocross Series or neither as our street block party is that day. Maybe I'll hit up Shawn Adam's cross clinic on Saturday instead.

Later,

BRD

Mohican

2008-09-17T08:08:00.004-05:00

The 24 Hrs. of Mohican was Saturday and Sunday. I was prepared, albeit a bit undertrained. I was feeling great in mid to late August then the last three weeks have been busy so there was not much training going on. I had a solid pacing plan which was to average 1:15 per lap for the first six laps and then 1:35 (+-) thereafter. This would put me at about 16 or so laps but would allow little (or no) time off the bike.

The race was lightly attended with maybe 50 riders comprised of teams of four, two and solos. The smart ones opted for the 12 hour race while those of us less pragmatic planned for 24 hours. After making a few stops along the way (Thanks Dan and Solon Bicycle), My dad and I arrived at the venue at 5pm friday evening.

We promptly set up our camp/pit area. At around 6:00 or so, it started to rain which would continue lightly the rest of the night. I stayed up a bit late hanging out with some other racers but was feeling good when I woke up at 5:30 am. As soon as I woke up there was a 20 minute burst of rain. After that, saturday was clear with no more showers. Much different than Cleveland where it rained all day.

The race started promptly at 12noon with the obligatory Le-Mans style run. I was 3rd or so to the bike and ended up the first lap in just over an hour in the top 3 overall. The trails were amazingly dry with only one muddy section. They were amazingly fun, however, I forgot how much climbing there is on this course...yikes.

After 5 laps I was right on my 1:15 per lap schedule. I took about a 20 minute break to have something to eat. I finished laps 6 and 7 with no pit stop. However, during lap 7 I was thinking of pulling the plug. Not because of any physical issues (i.e. no bonk, no cramps, no back issues), but more due to general fatigue and an overwhelming desire to stop riding my bike. Sooo, after 7 laps and 9 hours I pulled the plug. I ended up staying up all night watching the solo riders and teams duke it out. I hung out until about 4am with Darren Spence and Mike Fletcher who finished second in the 12 hour duo class. Chip Meek from Spin and a guy from Missourri were going hard all night. I think they ended up with 15 laps!

They looked like they were having fun, so at about 4am I suited up and banged out an 8th lap. I rode the descents conservatively and rode all the climbs hard (except for really steep shit). I rolled a 1:20 lap and decided to get some shut eye for an hour or so. Legs felt good. After a short nap, we packed up and were on the road by 10am.

After some retrospective thinking, I believe I am done with these 24 hour solo things. At this stage of my life, I am not willing to put myself as deep into the hurt locker as you need to go to be successful. Maybe I am getting smarter with age afterall.

Later,

BRD

Time for a Long Ride

2008-09-10T07:44:00.002-05:00

Doing some packing, planning and a little riding getting ready for 24 Hours of Mohican. I have my pacing and fueling strategies finalized. Now all I have to do is pedal, right? Need to do some wrenching to get the bikes ready...tires, brakes pads, etc. Race starts at noon on Saturday and finishes at noon on Sunday. I am pumped to ride the great trails at Mohican Wilderness, 17 laps hopefully.

Later,
BRD

Valley City..

2008-08-24T21:25:00.003-05:00

....aways a great race. Thanks to Pat, Linda and the rest of the Snakebite crew. Saturday was my birthday, so I got got up early, drank coffee, read the paper, gave the kids and wife some hugs and rolled out for 40 mile ride to Valley City. Fifty miles later, I arrived at about 11:50am for a 12:30 start. Not too bad!! Signed up, filled the bottles, took off the frame pump and seat bag, chatted a bit and lined up for the 12:30 start. It was hot, so three larger water bottles were the order for the day. Up next was a 4 x 12 mile rolling circuit compliments of Medina Co's finest terrain. Legs felt good, no cramps, a good birthday. Pooped out and sat up for the sprint. Caught a ride home with FAST Ray and Mark from Square Wheels and we stopped at a cool farmers market where I purchased glorius tomatos for $1.50/lb...fucking yeah!! I was a tad late for my b-day party at my sisters but rolled over 107 miles for the day. Good times. Thanks to Rick for the Blue Moon and the pics. Later, BRD.

Sunday Ride

2008-08-17T15:50:00.001-05:00

Here is a link from Mo for the Shaker Cycling Sunday morning ride from 8/17/08.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:%2F%2Ftrail.motionbased.com%2Ftrail%2Fkml%2Fepisode.kml%3FepisodePkValues%3D6534192&ie=UTF8&ll=41.377324,-81.434784&spn=0.329754,0.802689&t=k&z=11

For the record it was 62 miles and 3200 feet of climbing.

Later,
BRD

2008 Chagrin River Cyclocross Challenge...

2008-08-14T12:16:00.002-05:00

...has been scheduled for 10/26 and will be part of Lake Effect Cyclocross Series. Check out all the detail at the event site. Mark it down! It will be better than ever!!

Later,
BRD

Mohican it is

2008-08-06T09:28:00.003-05:00

After some deliberation, I mailed my registration for 24 hours of Mohican which is being held 9/13 and 9/14. It has taken me just over 2 years (since 2006 24 Hours of Big Bear) to forget how hard these 24 hour solo races are. For me, they are harder mentally than physically. For some reason, I usually feel pretty good on the bike but after 16 hours or so (4am in a race that starts at 12 noon) stopping seems like a good thing to do. At that point it is a battle mentally to stay on the bike and keep moving forward. Stopping is bad, moving forward, no matter how slow is good!

Plans are coming together and training is on track. The course is around 9.5 miles with over 1,600 feet of climbing per lap. Should be nice long ride:) Hoping to beat the course record of 16 laps set by Tinker Juarez in 2005.

I took a few days off last week but still ended up with over 10 hours. This week did some hill repeats on Monday, raced at Westlake on Tuesday, today is an off day or an ez spin, Thursday is more hills, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are play it by ear. Here are some pics from Westlake last night. Thanks to Gary B. Check his site out for more.

Later,
BRD

Decisions, Decisions

2008-07-28T20:20:00.003-05:00

For the last month or so, I have been kicking around in my head the idea of doing a long endurance race sometime in August or September. The good news is that there are plenty of options. Each option has its own unique challenges and of course there are pros and cons for each option involving money (entry fees), travel time to venues, ability to involve the wife and kids, missing family commitments, fun factor of events, etc. In no particular order, the options are as follows:

Option #1
NUE Series 100 Milers – I have some unfinished business after the Mohican 100. Due to geographic constraints, the only two possibilities are the Fools Gold 100 in GA (8/16) and Shenandoah 100 in VA (8/31). Both are backcountry races that involve tons (over 11k feet) of climbing and awesome single track. They typically have a big party after (and before at Shenandoah) the race, which is nice. The negatives are that they each involve 6-8 hours of driving each way and cost over $130 to enter. These 100 milers typically take me take 8-10 hours to finish, so not as much saddle time as a 12 or 24 hour solo race (I think this is good). In 2006, I took the family to Shenandoah and we had a nice time. We stayed at a decent hotel that had a pool to keep kids amused while I was out racing my bike for 9+ hours. Fools Gold is only 2 weeks away on 8/16, so there is not much time to add fitness, while Shenandoah affords a little more time to prepare.

Option #2
24 Hour Solo Race – There are 12 and 24 Hour Races all over the country just about every weekend. However, with airfare and gas prices soaring, travel is the primary constraint. Given this limitation, the two possibilities are Seven Springs 24 Hour on 8/30 or 24 Hours of Mohican on 9/13. Mohican is closer (1.5 vs 3.0 hours), while Seven Springs gets a bigger turnout of teams and solos. The larger the event in terms of racers and spectators, the more motivation to not quit or sleep during the “bewitching hours” between 2am and 6am. However, Mohican’s entry fee is $95 while Seven Springs is $230 for solos!!

The kids have never seen me do a 24 hour solo race (my daughter did but she was only a year or so old). I think they would be bored after 6 hours and my wife likely would have her hands full camping out at a race venue with a 5 and 8 year old. Seven Springs has plenty of condos available but that adds to the cost of an already expensive weekend. Mohican is semi primitive camping. I have taken the kids camping numerous times, but I will not be around to help watch/entertain the kids as I will be riding my bike for 24 hours. Camping would be easier (and less riskier in the event of rain) if we borrowed my dad's motorhome (a gas guzzler) and drove 2 hours to the venue. Seven Springs is 8/30 which is Labor Day Weekend and Mohican is a few weeks later on 9/13. More time to train and otherwise prepare for Mohican compared to Seven Springs. If my parents joined us in the motorhome, it would be a little crowded in the RV, but it would be a regular friggin party and another set of hands/eyes for the kids. My cousin Marc (my pit dude in previous 12/24 hour races) will be available for Mohican and possibly Seven Springs.

Option #3
1,000k Brevet in Columbus, OH – I have never done a Brevet and the longest I have ever ridden in a day was 320 miles in 2005 at the Trans-Iowa race (albeit on a mountain bike with knobbies on gravel roads across the state of Iowa in 26 hours). It starts Saturday morning 8/30 at 5am and has a 75 hour cutoff. The entry fee is only $20. The problem is that the event falls on Labor Day Weekend and it will take me somewhere around 35-40 hours (assuming around 15 mph average, including stops and minimal sleep) which would have me finishing late Sunday evening. Family would not be included in this one, so maybe not such a great way to spend a holiday weekend, eh? On the other hand, it is cheap and something new!

I am leaning toward 24 Hours of Mohican. The deadline for the $95 registration is tomorrow.

Or maybe just f**k it and go for a couple long rides.

Later,
BRD

6 Hours of Power (or 7 in my case)

2008-07-28T10:25:00.002-05:00

Busy weekend with a quick trip to Erie, PA for beach time at Presque Isle SP on Friday evening and Saturday. Spent all day at the beach Saturday, weather was awesome. Saturday night was barbque time and some adult beverages. Sunday morning I left the family in Erie to compete in the 6 Hours of Power at Holiday Valley Ski Resort in Elicottville, NY. Team had some great results and there is more here. Full results are here.

It was a tough course as they had a lot of overnight rain. Reminded me of Snowshoe back in the day with all the wet rocks and roots. I started slow and was just grinding out laps trying to stay off the ground. Ended up with 6 laps and finished right at 7 hours. At least I got my money's worth!! Finished 5th in my age group out of 20 or so.

Later,
BRD

I hate politics...,

2008-07-25T14:41:00.001-05:00

...but like good satire!

I am going to puke the next time....

2008-07-18T13:04:00.002-05:00

...I hear a professional cyclist say, that due to injury he has been pedaling with "one leg!" Does this bother anyone else? It's tough enough on my ego that injury free pros cyclists are so damn fast and could whip my ass any day of the week. My ego (not to mention the ego of his fellow pro roadies) is further damaged when he says "for the most part I've been racing pretty much with one leg the last three years and I just figured it out a month ago." WTF? I have heard this a bunch of times and next time there will be puking!

Rant off. -BRD

Get Your Climb On

2008-07-14T19:07:00.003-05:00

Did this ride the other day. The route is 50 miles but riding into valley from my house I ended up with just over 60 miles door to door. Basically it goes in an out of the Chagrin Valley with SR 6, County Line, SR 91 and Chagrin Falls as your North, East, West and South boundaries. It inlcudes 10 climbs and took me just under 3.5 hours. Need to get a Garmin to determine the amount of climbing. I am guessing about 4,000 feet. Rode the climbs hard and rode Tempo on the flats.

Later,
BRD

Pluggin Away

2008-07-09T16:00:00.002-05:00

Did a cool ride on July 4th with the Shaker Group and ended up with 75 miles. Saturday was my daughters b-day, so I did just a ez spin on the rollers. Sunday did 50 miles with Ross including some (8 or 9) hills in and around Chagrin Falls. Ended up with 14 hours or so for the week. Took Monday and Tuesday off and planning to do the Spin ride tonight. We'll see how it goes.

Later,

BRD

Track Bike...

2008-07-03T09:11:00.004-05:00

Here is a picture of the track bike I am building up. You can't see it from the picture but, there is some surface rust on the frame. One question I have is, how best to determine if there is any internal rusting?

The last thing I need is a frame failure at 30mph on an asphalt track. I am looking around for a rear wheel and likely a larger front chainring. The ring I have on it is a 42t and I am thinking a 48 would be more appropriate.

On the training front, Westlake went well last night. I felt good and was never close to getting dropped. We did around 25 laps for 50 miles of racing action. With 2 to go, Rudy, Shawn, Gary B. and 1 or 2 others got a gap, however the surging pack caught them on the last lap. I was in GREAT position about 4th or 5th wheel behind RGF riders Martin and Chernowski at about 4oom. The started their sprint and I could not make the acceleration from 29-30 to 33-36 to stay on their wheels. Oh well, next time. At least I was in the right position, now just need to work on the high speed sprinting. Commuted into work yesterday for 40 miles round trip at about 19 mph average. Twin Sizzler tommorrow.

Later,

BRD

Riding, Wrenching & Racing

2008-07-01T12:26:00.002-05:00

Riding - I am working on a good solid block of training at the moment. Commuted to work (20 miles each way) on Friday. Averaged just under 20 mph. Then on Saturday did 1.5 hours in the morning with the Shaker Cycling guys and then another 1.5 hours in the afternoon heat. Sunday did a 3 hour ride with the Shaker guys again. Yesterday did 35 minutes on the rollers. Tonight I am heading out to Westlake for Worlds. I believe they are getting up to 25 laps (50 miles) by now. Thursday or Friday, I am hoping to get some climbing in and then some good hours over the weekend.

Wrenching - I stripped down my dad's old (1980s) Bridgestone road bike. It is steel with semi-horizontal drop outs. It is about a 55-56cm frame and is a little too big (mostly standover) for me but I think it will make a decent track bike for Pista Elite's Thursday racing at Lorain County Speedway. All I need is a rear hub/wheel. Anyone know where I can pick one up cheap? I'll post a picture soon.

Racing - Not much racing lately. Next big race is 6 Hours of Power on July 27th. This weekend is the 27 mile Twin Sizzler Road Race which is always a good time. July 12th is either Shreve Challenge Road Race or a long training ride. I have been also thinking of doing another solo 24 hour race. Realistic options are Seven Springs 24 Hour on 8/30 or 24 Hrs of Mohican on 9/13. Or if these don't work out, another option for some serious saddle time is a 1000k brevet on 8/30 that starts down near Columbus.

Later,
BRD

2009 Epic S-Works

2008-06-24T13:14:00.005-05:00

This is the prototype raced by Christoph Sauser to the stars and stripes jersey in Italy over the weekend. Reportedly the frame itself is 1.5 lbs lighter than prior years. This was achieved by making rear triangle carbon, moving pivot and shock and by specing a sub 3 lb fork. I hope the housebrand suspension has been figured out and is dialed in. I may have to sell everything I own to get one of these.

Later,

BRD

Time Trials Are Hard

2008-06-20T07:03:00.002-05:00

Busy week at work so far this week, so no riding since Sunday except for a short bike ride and hike with the kids on Monday. Yesterday, I was down near Brunswick for work so I stopped by Allardale Park near Medina to check out the Lake Effect ITT course. Unfortunately, I could not stay for the 6:30pm ITT, but I did get to ride a few laps of the course. I did 1 lap to warm up, then did 2 laps full on. First lap time was 13:20 and second lap was 13:30 for a 26:50 for a 22.36mph average (assuming the mileage is exactly 10 miles). I would have been pretty far down the results which are below:

Lap #1 Lap #2 Total Time
1. Brian Batke 11:10 11:07 22:17
2. Matt Weeks 11:17 11:29 22:46
3. Rudy Sroka 11:24 11:35 22:59
4.Cameron Jackson 11:31 12:29 24:00
5. David Thornton 12:01 12:05 24:06
6. Tony Marut 12:05 12:12 24:17
7. Dave Steiner 12:04 12:19 24:23
8. Mitch Gabel 12:15 12:27 24:42
9. Tom Dominic 12:24 12:24 24:48
10. Bill Marut 12:14 12:48 25:02
11. Pete Scacheri 12:31 12:53 25:24
12. Brian Diffenbacher 12:38 12:27 25:25
13. Tom Humphrey 12:45 12:54 25:39
14. Jason Halloran 12:44 12:58 25:42
15. Trace Althans 12:42 13:04 25:46
16. Chris Riccardi 12:54 13:14 26:08
17. Ron Barnhart 13:17 14:09 27:26
18. Gwen Davis 14:28 14:43 29:11
19. Robert Sroka 14:26 14:52 29:18
20. Bill Fletcher 14:28 15:07 29:35
21. Dave Frye 15:03 15:33 30:36
22. Erich Feierabend 15:28 15:56 31:24
23. Brett Retvertis 16:00 16:19 32:19
24. Austin Diffenbacher 16:54 17:35 34:29
25. Zach Johnson 18:30 18:24 36:54

There were some fast times with the winner averaging 26.92 mph (again assuming 10 miles). I was surprised how close this course is off I-271. Given its proximity to my home and my daily travels, I think I will use this for future fitness testing as it is pretty hilly and therefore quite challenging. Hope to get some hours in this weekend and perhaps make it to Vultures Knob for the race #3 of the series.

Later,
BRD

Daddy's Girl on Fathers Day

2008-06-18T09:16:00.001-05:00

(2008.06.14) Maddy on Suzuki
Originally uploaded by Investment Biker

My daughter did her first motorcycle ride (not in her PJs) on Saturday. It was fun and she liked it. Later, BRD

What's Next?

2008-06-11T09:26:00.003-05:00

Mohican 100 was a bit of a let down as I feel I have some decent fitness. I need to race.

This weekend is fathers day and I am taking the kids camping. Next weekend is a Vultures Knob XC race on Saturday June 21st. The week after is Racoon Rally with a road race and STXC on Saturday and XC race on Sunday. I might try to hit the XC race on Sunday. Also on June 28th is the Wayne Ultra part of the WVMBA series.

Other races on the radar screen is Wilderness 101, 6 Hours of Power, or ORAMM (all the same weekend July 26/27). Also looking at either Fools Gold 100 or Shenandoah 100. Also planning to do the NEO Power Series leading into cyclocross season. Then in November I am registered for Iceman Cometh race in Michigan.

I took last week off and got back on the bike Sunday for 2.5 hours in the heat. Went out to Westlake yesterday and felt pretty good. Was close to getting a 3 point prime but got outsprinted by Polo of RGF.

That's all for now.

Later,

BRD

Mohican Mistake Train

2008-06-02T09:53:00.002-05:00

The Mohican 100 this past Saturday reminded me just how tough these 100 milers are from both a mental and physical standpoint. Small (or large) mental mistakes often lead to other mental errors and ultimately lead into a viscious downward spiral. All I can say is “thank god” it was a beautiful sunny day as I had a VERY LONG bike ride in the woods.

At the end, my finish time of 11:06 was over 2 hours longer than my 8:51 time from last year. I started early on the Mohican Mistake Train, as Mistake #1 happened at the start when I neglected to insert my two large water bottles into my cages...stupid. I realized my mistake about 15-20 minutes into the race and turning around did not seem like an option especially after DJ Birch offered me a 12 ounce water bottle. As a result, I rode the first 25 miles (most of which was singletrack) with only 12 ounces of water.

The Mistake Train continued as I did not stop at Aid Station 1 to get back on top of my hydration. I rolled through and grabbed two bottles and kept rolling…stupid. Somehow I had myself convinced that 3 bottles over 3 hours were sufficient even in very humid and increasingly hot conditions…..delusional. Despite taking lots of Endurolytes, the leg cramping commenced as I was heading into Aid Station #3 at mile 43. In hindsight, I should have rested for a bit and tried to drink more fluids.

I proceeded to Aid Station 4 at 73 miles and was feeling ok on the flat roads and on the Mohican Trail. At Aid Station 4 I pounded a bottle of heed, filled my bottles and drank half a cold Pepsi. I was rolling out of the Aid Station and next thing I know I was puking off the side of the bike. It was weird, because my stomach felt fine. As I am going down the road there was more puking and drive heaves. I probably blew about 20 ounces worth of liquid, which did not likely help my dehydrated state.

The cramps were coming and going but mostly coming at this point. I continued to take endurolytes but they were not keeping the leg cramps at bay. Miles 80 though 91 were as slow as I can ever remember riding with lots of walking up climbs. At Aid Station 5 at mile 93, I knew (or thought) the worst was behind me, just some single track, some ez riding along the river, a hike a bike along the river, the confounded dam, the paved climb and the last bit of single track.

Then about 2 miles after the Aid Station, I went off trail and both my front and rear tires punctured and Stan’s sealant was blowing everywhere. The front eventually sealed (after I used 2 of my 3 CO2) but the rear was no cooperating. Rather than fixing the flat, I kept re-inflating the slow (or not so slow as it turned out) leak. The last 5 miles probably took me an hour, however, going this slow at least kept the cramps at bay. Yeeaahh for small victories!!

All things considered it was still a very good weekend. It proves to me that even the worst day on the bike is still frickin awesome. It was good to see some old friends meet some new ones and best of all I got to spend 11 hours in the woods with my favorite person:)

Later,
BRD

Mohican Fever

2008-05-28T15:45:00.002-05:00

Getting ready for a long day in the saddle on Saturday. 100 miles, 11k feet of climbing. Hopefully not too long, however!! I would love to be under 8:30 which would be 20 minutes faster than last year. Took Monday and Tuesday off. Plan to spin the legs out tonight, then do some hard efforts on Thursday and Friday.

Raced Saturday at Vultures Knob. Kevin and the boys did a great job! I forgot how hard XC races can be. I finished in 5th place in about 1:57 about 7 mins off John Lorson, the 36+ Expert winner and 20 mins (wtf?) off Twining and Wilhelm who won Expert OA. My first lap was 36 mins, followed by 40 mins then 41. I really suffered on the second lap and felt better on the third lap.

Later,
BRD

Feeling Good

2008-05-23T06:32:00.002-05:00

Went to Mohican SP on Monday and did the 25 mile loop. IMO, it is the best trail in Ohio. It features about 4,000 feet of climbing. The Mohican 100 and 100k start with this loop. I did it in about 2.5 hours keeping my average speed over 10mph.

Tuesday raced at Westlake and ended up with 56 miles in about 2:25 for a 23 mph average which includes a few warm up and cooldown laps. Took Wednesday off and yesterday evening I did hill repeats up Berkshire Road (3) and Old Mill Road (2). Hoping to get a spin in today and tentatively planning to race XC at Vultures Knob Saturday evening.

Later,
BRD