End of the month Statistics

I did get to go ride today with the race team as planned. I lead the B group on the way out to the turn around point. Then I rode back with the A group. They attacked on every climb but I was able to hang on and even finished towards the front in the sprint back to the shop.

So here are my end of the month stats. Total miles in July: 259.8, total hours in July: 13 hour 53 minutes, total calories burned in July: 20,031. Total miles for the year: 806 or 67% of my total goal.

I am looking forward to keeping my numbers high for August. I have two race in August, one next weekend and one the last weekend in August. I need to make sure that I keep a good fast high mileage tempo throughout the rest of the year.

I can already tell that the days are getting shorter so I will be losing my opportunities to ride outside after work soon. So it will be back to the trainer which takes twice as long to get the same number of mile that I can get outside.

Goals, Miles, and training

Since it is virtually the end of July, I thought I would update my goals, miles, and training information.

So far in the month of July I have rode 206 miles at an average of 18.5 mph. I am planning on riding tonight on the trainer, and Saturday morning with the CA pools racing team. That should give me approximately 50 more miles this month.

I have set a goal to ride 1200 miles in a calendar year. I read on a website a long time ago that if you break it down its only 25 miles a week or 100 miles a month. It seemed easy but things always came up and I never could get to 1200 miles.

Last year was a wash because I my surgery kept me off my bike from April until September or October. In 2008 I rode 948.50 miles with an average of speed of 15.7 mph.

This year started out really busy. I started graduate school and I was working. I didnt ride much in the beginning of the year. In fact between January and April I only topped 100 miles once.

The last 3 months have been pretty high mileage and I think I have a good shot at breaking 1200. So far I have rode 753 miles averaging 16.6 mph. If my rides go as planned for the rest of the week I would be close to having a 100 mile cushion for the rest of the year.

Next year my goal is going to be 2000 miles. It will be a little harder but I am averaging 175 miles per month for the last 3 months and I think that I can keep that pace.

After I return from Europe in September I am planning on riding with the CA pools racing team on Saturday and Sunday mornings. They help me push myself hard and I feel comfortable leading the pack because I know that there isnt going to be someone there to pull me off if I fall off the back of the group.

My plan is to get strong enough to be able to pull during a race and still have the energy to finish well. This will be extremely important if I want to try to get in a breakaway and survive.

This year I have looked for a breakaway a few times but they are mostly unorganized and difficult to judge. I considered joining the break away in my last race, but I was worried that it would cost to much energy considering it was a CAT 4-5 race. The breakaway didnt survive and most of those riders quit when they were caught by the rest of the field.

Up next is the Brentwood criterium. Brentwood is a rich area near Downtown Los Angeles, and is the home of UCLA. I am looking forward to smooth street, big houses, and a fast peloton.

Training with California Pools Racing

I have a two more weeks before my next race, so I am just focusing on training right now. I know that it is the end of the season and everyone is going to be in their best shape. My last two races this season definitely will not be easy but I am looking forward to the challenge.

Since I am upgrading next season to CAT4 I need to be on a team to avoid the unattached fee. I went down to ride with California Pools Racing in Murietta. I had rode with them before, about two weeks ago. The ride started out well but then I got a flat tire, lost the group, and ended up riding around by myself.

Today I decided to give them another chance and had a great time. The ride was very fast and the group was split up most of the way. The route was good with a couple of short but steep climbs and more long low grade climbs. I am still not the best climber but I can make it up on the descent. I made it back to the bike shop in between the lead group and the rest of the field. We rode just over 40 miles in under 2 hours.

I was more impressed with the group after the ride. The ride starts at a bike shop that also supports the time. When we got back the manager and a lot of the riders chatted in the parking lot and everyone was very friendly. The manager of the shop told me after the last ride that if I needed my pedals maintenance (greased) he would be able to do did.

I took him up on the offer and took my new bike into the shop. A lot of the bike shops that I had been to before were not happy when people buy stuff from other stores and then bring it to their shop. The manager took the bike, greased the pedals, and even looked over the whole bike making small adjustments to the shifters. He then explained some of the features of the shifters that I didnt know about, and some of the technology that makes the gearing great.

He fixed my bike, chatted with me and a few other riders, and didnt charge me a thing. I was extremely impressed with how friendly everyone was. The manager even gave me advice as to what was worth upgrading on my bike and what wasnt. He didnt try to sell me anything or push any of his products. He was just happy to help a fellow cyclist.

I think that this is probably the team I am going to join for next season. I enjoyed riding with them and I think that I will continue training with them during the off season. I think that they will be able to get me in the kind of shape that I need to be in for next years season.

The next great bike racer

Although this blog is mostly about my racing experiences, I feel that I should talk about the newest racer in my family. We taught Ethan in two tries how to ride his bike without training wheels.

He did not want to give up the training wheels because he might fall. We bribed him into letting me take them and gave it a shot. The first day he would get scared and put his feet down as soon as he saw we werent holding on.

The second day he was fine as long as we ran next to him. Then as other kids from the neighborhood starting coming out to ride he just took off. He didnt need us anymore. He even started turning around and going around things without stopping.

Ethan got his first taste of racing at the Dana Point race. They had a kids fun ride and he got to ride across the finish line. He got a cute medal made from a bike chain but he wasnt happy because he didnt win.

Well he is going to get another chance. The kids races are not about winning, its just fun and everyone gets a medal. At the Brentwood race on August 8th Ethan is going to get to ride again. The race is what actually got me to bribe Ethan for the training wheels. At this race no bikes with training wheels are allowed. I wanted Ethan to race again so I had 2 weeks to teach him.

Since it only took two days I can now start focusing on speed and pack riding. Ok so maybe thats a little much but it sure feels great to ride next to him. Especially when he is glowing with pride because he can ride like daddy now when he says "Wanna Race?"

Time for the plugs

Now that I am up to date with my races I figured that I would put all the plugs at one time. I tried not to place any business or equipment plugs into the other blogs except where necessary. So here they are all together for anyone interested.



The most important plug in my opinion is Road ID (www.roadid.com). They make ID bands with all your contact information on it. Drivers are not used to looking for bicycles, especially on the east coast. I should have got my Road ID sooner. They are comfortable, light and you can put all the information you would want an emergency responder to have. They even have a line for your motto. My motto states "Go faster daddy". The title of this blog and author of my motto came from Ethan, and he tells me that before every race. Go faster than everyone else but dont go too fast and get hurt. He is awesome, and I hear him at my races no matter how many people are yelling, I can always find his voice. Go daddy, push those pedals, GO, GO, GO!!!!!!



I had a bad taste in my mouth from West Virginia about local bike shops. They tended to have higher priced items and they werent friendly to someone not wanting to spend $1000 on the first road bike ever. I also got attitude when I would take my bike, that was purchased online, to get service. The ones in Washington DC were a little better and really didnt try to push anything on you or guilt trip you for not supporting local businesses to buy stuff



So far I have been pretty loyal to Performance Bicycle. They are a nationwide chain and have good deals on all their stuff. That is where I bought my last bicycle from and a lot of other small things. They even have their own brand of bike that is well priced for the technology and are starting to show up on the larger bike scene.



If you are in the Inland Empire I would recommend Jenson USA, Incycle and Riverside Bicycle Shop. Jenson has good discount prices on a lot of clothing and parts. Incycle and RBC are a little pricier but they are normally helpful and understanding. They will take the time to explain what you need or if a part is going to be worth it for the price. They both have their own product lines to that they push but are still worth it if you need something.



I got turned on to a website called Hook it, http://www.hookit.com/. You can create a profile and sign up for sponsorships from different companies. Most of the time it is a discount from a company in exchange for them using your profile pictures and information. It covers a large variety of sports and different displines within large sports.



My first sponsor on the site was a company called VCRC. They make carbon fiber parts and cermanic bearings. They seem like they have good products and I am going to be ordering a bottom bracket for my new bike, which is basically a large ceramic bearing that the pedal arms attach to. The bearings contain a standard aluminum casing but the ball bearings are made of cermanic. They disapate heat faster and require a thinner grease than regular bearing. This means less resistance when pedaling.



My other sponsor is Lin socks. They obviously sell cycling socks at a discount price. I actually already have 4 pairs of socks from them. Cycling socks are designed to fit tight, pull sweat away from the feet, be cool, and compress the muscles in the foot to prevent cramping. I like the way they feel when I am riding and thats what is important to me. Lin has some cool designs on their socks and they feel comfortable.



One of the important lesson I have learned, which I am sure is true in every sport, is comfort is everything. The price of the non-bicycle equipment is not as big as comfort. If you buy an expensive pair of shorts and they dont feel good on you, all of your rides will be horrible. Same thing with socks, shoes, jersey and helmets. If one thing is uncomfortable you will notice everything that is even slightly uncomfortable, even if it normally doesnt bother you. So shop smart, more expensive doesnt always mean better.



My last few plugs are for Fuji, Garmin, and USA cycling. I love my Fuji and it is an amazing value for the price. A lot of people are not high on Fuji's because they are better known for electronics and the biking world is full of snobs. Dont listen to the majority because they can afford to pay more for a bigger name brand. Find something comfortable and with the components you want and dont overlook the less popular brands.



Garmin is not a small brand but they make great bike computers for racers. The online system to download your rides to is amazing and the computer gives you so much data. I have used it to improve a lot of my cycling. I got the Edge 305 for christmas and couldnt be happier with it.



I know that there was a little trash talking about the caleousness of USA cycling. Honestly the people are helpful and the organization has a wonderful goal. They put out a lot of information, ensure fair and safe racing, and are reasonable with prices. I am never concerned with a how a race will function if it is done with a USA cycling permit.

Ontario Grand Prix (Take 2)

It is basically the end of the racing season here in California. We have one of the longest racing seasons stretching from February to August. There are a few races here and there between September and January but nothing like the weekly races we have in the spring and summer. So I decided to give the Ontario course another shot.


This was not the Ontario course that I had my first same lap finish. This was the Ontario course the spit me out in 15 minutes. The course was altered slightly from the last time but it was still a CAT 4-5 race. I wanted to the challenge though because I am planning on racing CAT4 next season and I wanted to know how I was doing.


The race was scheduled at the same time as the last one, 315pm on a HOT summer afternoon. I actually sat in the car until 25 minutes before the race to stay as cool as possible. I warmed up and headed to the line with butterflies in my stomach. Anne didnt like the idea of another 4-5 race because the last one did not go so well. I needed to know that I would be ready to move up next year.


Just like last time there was a strong wind, but this time it was a head wind in only two short sections. The race took off and all 75 riders headed down for the first corner. I stayed near the front for the first 4 laps. I was actually surprised how easy it felt to keep up with the field. Last time it was a struggle every lap last time. I thought I heard Ethan yelling every lap but I found out later that he was sleeping for half the race.


I also learned from my mistake last time and picked a place to drink each lap. I decided to drink on the front straight each lap because the race seemed sensible at that point. I was able to stay towards the front of the race and in the middle of the pack so I had good wind protection the whole race.


The race was actually really reasonable as far as accelerations and group riding. The only time that things got a little nervous for me was on the front straight as I was drinking with 2 laps to go. I had a rider on my right with about 2 inches between our handle bars and no one on my left. All the sudden a rider flies in from the left hitting my handle bars and knocking me into the rider next to me. I only had one hand on the handle bars and a water bottle in the other sandwiched in between to riders at 26 mph. I didnt even have enough room to put my water bottle away. I had to slow down slip back and then put the water bottle back in the cage.


I got to hear the magic words in this race. I am actually glad that they came when they did. I was starting to feel a little light headed and had contemplated stopping or slowing down at least. I had promised Anne before the start that I would stop if I started feeling the affects of the hot weather. When I heard the announcement I knew that there was only another 10 minutes of suffering.


I was able to stay with all the moves on after four laps to go. The pace really picked up on the last lap and I was able to cover most of them. On the last little short trip into the wind I started to fall back. I turned out of the wind and rode to the finish line. I was happy that I finished the race even though I was about 10 seconds off the back of the field.


Once again I waited for the results to see how I did. I figured that I would be at the bottom but on the results page none the less. It took a while for the results to be posted, I figured because it was a large field to sort out. When they were up I started looking for my name and couldnt find it. 62 riders finished the race and the results were on 2 pages. I figured I would be in the 50th place range and was starting to get mad. So I started from the top and to my surprise I found my name in 35th place, on the first page.


I was excited to place that well and everyone was happy for me. I immediately thought of something Bob Roll had said during one of the stages of the Tour de France. Bob Roll was a role player on the team, to lead out sprinters on flat stages. He said that the other role players would compete to get on the first page (97 riders per page). I made it onto the first page in a primarily CAT4 race.

Cool n' Fit Criterium

As I stated before I was a little more concerned about racing the new bike. I had never crashed up to this point, even in training rides. That combined with the 4th of July put another gap between my races. I was still riding hard though because I knew that was important for me to be sucessful for the rest of the season. I woke up early on the 4th of July weekend and went out riding everyday except the 4th.


I actually went and rode with a race team near my house on the 3rd of July to determine if I would like to join them. It was a nice ride and fun riding with other people outside of a race. I will definitely keep evaluating team through the offseason to determine which one fits me best.


It was finally time for Ethan to come home and my dad decided to bring him back. I wanted my dad to get to see me race since my mom saw my last race. There is a smaller racing series in California call the California Bicycle Racing series. I had looked at their races before but had been a little nervous about racing with them. The series was supposedly started by people who wanted more attention than the USA cycling was giving racers. To be fair USA cycling does not care about anyones feeling, they are a business with a huge responsibility. They dont care how you feel when you get pulled from a race with 2 laps to go, or how you feel when your race is shortened because someone had their number on upside down. The CBR is supposed to be about the racer and about getting experience in a more understanding environment.

The CBR Cool n' Fit criterium was the only race the weekend that my dad was coming. So I signed up and figured I would give it a shot. Instead of the field being limited to 50, the CBR allows 150 riders to race the CAT 5 at one time. I wasnt sure what to expect when I got there, but I knew it could be dangerous with as many as 150 first year racers on a small track.



My dad had been in town for a couple days before the race. This was another Saturday race so he planned to catch the red eye and be home by Sunday morning. We had to get up early since the race was over an hour away and started at 7am. When we got there I took out the trainer, registered, and got ready to warm up.

Once again I made sure that I got my heart rate over 150 because it seemed to help in the last race. I was a little more nervous when I was warming up because there were more people in team kits and the most expensive bikes that I had seen in a CAT 5 race. I took a lap around the course and it seemed pretty fast. It was a rectangular course with a short climb on one of the short sides and at the end of the long side in the direction of the finish line. The finish line also had a very small incline all the way until the turn, all of which were right hand turns.



Unlike the 1 minute speech at USA cycling event, the safety speech here was about 10 minutes. I actually had warmed up longer and was the last person to take a lap around the course know that I would have to start at the rear but I wanted to be warm and loose. Then I was stuck at the start line for the long speech about being safe and not being dangerous to other riders. When it was finally over I thought that we would get to start but instead they made of take another lap around the course and come back to the start finish line. I used that extra lap to move to the front of the pack at the start line.


We finally got to start and I took off and stayed near the front. The first turn was only 300 meters from the start finish line and as soon as we made the right someone attacked, I jumped out to follow them but so did everyone else. I slowly dropped back a few places to avoid working at the front. I was able to hang out there not using to much engery and keeping most of the pack behind me. I found that it was actually easier to climb because I could see when the people up front pushed the pace and I could get out of the saddle and prepare for the increase in speed. About 18 minutes into the race someone took off from the pack, I looked around to see if anyone was going to cover the attack. Nobody went so I jumped out and chased down the rider thinking that we could get a break and possibly finish even in second place. It took a lot to catch up and when I finally did I took a peek back and saw that I had pulled the whole field to the break. So I once again dropped back behind three or four riders and drafted until the 3 laps to go mark.




Things started to get a little scary around this point of the race. People were starting to get tired near the front and were going backwards through the field. People in the back were trying to squeeze their way to the front. One guy actually cut in front of me causing me to lock my back breaks up and almost crash. I was able to save it and not lose any places but I could tell everyone was getting a little too excited for the finish.


I was happy with my performance and I thought that I would probably lose the field off the back on the last lap. I wouldnt give up though and stayed with the field through the last lap. The big move happened 100 meters before the last turn and I jumped out of the saddle pushing with everything I had up the small hill. We made the right turn and I had thought about sitting down and riding in but it felt like that would be giving up. So I sprinted towards the line with everything I had left. I was in the biggest gear I had and pushed across the line. I didnt know that I finished that well and was happy to know that I finished with most of the field.


I wanted to wait for the results so that I could see where I actually finished in the race. When they posted the results it only contained the jersey number and the first 20 places. I couldnt remember my number exactly but I thought it was 527. That number showed as 12th place. I actually had to go back to my car and pull my jersey out of the trunk to make sure that it was really my number. It was and I was super excited to have my first pack finish be in the top 15. Everyone was excited for me and I was happy to see that my dad got to see me finish so well.



After he left I got right back to training. If I wanted to repeat that finish I knew I would have to work harder and get faster still. I had extra motivation because the Tour de France was in full swing and I had something extra to workout too. For the next month I would be climbing and sprinting with the best in the world.

The upgrade

I had not given up on my idea of getting a new bike. I started collecting bottles and cans and saving money that I got for any occasion for the new bike. Anne gave me 200 from a bonus check and I took my book allowance from school and added it to the account. I had saved up and had around $1600 in the account after a the Airport race. The goal was a Focus Cayo Team replica.

Sunday was Father's day and my mother in law called me and asked us to me her at the mall. She gave me $100 to buy something for Father's day and for losing weight. I pocketed the money and later we went to the bike shop. I needed a new, wider, pair of shoes and I wanted another pair of shorts. We piled into the car and went to the bike shop. It was the first time that my mom had been to a real bike shop and her jaw almost hit the floor when she saw the prices on the bikes.

While I was looking at shoes Anne and my mom were chatting with a sales person. Then my mom came over and asked if they had the bike I wanted. I really wanted a Focus Cayo team edition. It was all carbon fiber and had the bigger racing gears in the front. Most of the new bikes in the price range I was looking at had what is called a compact set up. The both the chainrings are slightly smaller than the professional racing versions. Bike companies were doing that because they figured that you would need a smaller gear for climbing and that you wont need the biggest gears often enough to have on the bike. I knew that I could teach myself to climb in a bigger gear but that you when you are in the biggest gear you cant teach yourself to make it bigger.

I read a review of the Fiju SL1 in bicycling magazine and it was similar to the bike that I wanted except it had a compact crank. It was easy to spot since it was all fire engine red with black lettering. I explained to the sales person, who knew nothing about road bikes, that I was looking at something like the SL1 but with the regular chainring sizes not the compact. He didnt know what I was talking about so I grabbed the bike next to it and showed him the difference. It was a Fiju SL1 comp Servetto team edition. It had everything I wanted on a new bike and then some because it came with the shifting system I wanted; the SRAM Rival.

I checked out the bike and it was my size so I took it for a test ride outside. It was fast, smooth, and so light compared to my bike. I went back in the store and found my mom chatting with the sale person again. She talked him in to giving me 10% off if I bought it today since it was Father's Day. The bike was $1999, which was the same price as the Focus Cayo that I wanted. I talked to Anne and since my birthday was in a week and she was going to give me some more money she said we could buy it. I also signed up for their club membership for $30 dollars and got 10% back in store credit on all purchases. I walked out paying just over $2000 dollars and I got the bike, a service plan, new shoes, new pedal clets, and a new helmet.

I had to pick up the bike the next day because the shop rules were that a mechanic has to clear the bike. I picked it up on Monday after night after my appointments during the day. I thought that I would be able to rush home and ride just before dark. However, I didnt realize that I would have to adjust the saddle height, change the pedals from my old bike, move the computer over, put the cleats on my new shoes, and take off the reflecters on the bike. There is some sort of unoffical rule that says you are either a rookie or someone not really into cycling if you ride with reflectors or a permanent headlight on your bike. Some people said they removed theirs because it was extra weight other because they get in the way of cycling equipment. I dont understand why you wouldnt want to be seen when its getting dark but I wasnt going to be the one guy sticking out at a race.

I put about 70 miles on the bike in the first week that I had it riding almost everyday after work. The bike felt great climbing, sprinting, and just riding on rolling terrain. I was a little nervous about racing the bike and putting it on the trainer. I had heard that carbon fiber shatters when dropped and that it can crank if there is enough stress on the bike. I did some research and found that most people had no trouble with riding on a trainer or even when they crashed at a race. So I got ready to race my new bike for the first time.

The Airport Criterium

I had a long lay off between the Brea race and my next schedule race, The Airport Criterium. There were a few races available between the two but they were further than I was willing to travel for a race. So instead I focused on working harder for my next race which was just a few days short of a month after the race in Brea. The race was a normal CAT 5 race scheduled for 30 minutes. I rode hard at least three days a week, normally four. I was in the summer semester at school and only had class one night a week. The tee ball season had ended for Ethan so I was riding on Saturday and Sunday morning for my long rides and on the trainer during the week. On nights that Anne could pick up Ethan or when he stayed with Lola, I would rush home and ride outside. In the whole month of June I rode 224 miles and spent over 13 hours on the bike. My mom had been asking me to let Ethan visit them in Ohio for a few weeks during the summer. I couldnt afford to fly him there and my best friend in Ohio that works for an airline didnt have time to come and get Ethan. I got a nice surprise the day before my race, my mom was flying in. She was going to stay a few days and watch me race and then take Ethan back with her. She got in late on Friday, and we woke up early to go to my race Saturday morning. Luckily the race started at 9am so we did get to sleep a little later than normal.



It was a pretty typical race day except that everyone was a little more awake with the 9am start instead of the 7am in previous races. I warmed up on the trainer, but a little differently this time. I had not, and still do not, do long warm ups before the race. I am always worried that I will warm up to long and just not have the energy needed at vital points in the race. I noticed though with all the riding I did in June that although my average heart rate stayed around 160 bpm the first time my heart rate hit 150-160 bpm I felt tired and short of breath. At the middle of a ride I felt comfortable in the 150-160 range. So I decided that during the warm up it would be a good idea to get my heart rate up to the 150 range so that it wouldnt be such a shock once the race started. I finished warming up and headed over near Anne, Ethan, and my mom. My sister in law Joana, her boyfriend Gerardo, and his sister Lisa all showed up to cheer as well. They were watching from the first corner after the finish line on the inside of the course. The riders in the race right before mine were getting pretty close to where they were sitting as they sped through the corners.

I went to the line and heard the same speech as always. Then the race started and we headed to the corner where my family was yelling for me. I stayed near the front of the field on the first lap but never in the front. I made sure that I stayed about 6 bikes from the lead so that I could avoid actually pulling the field. I remember that in the last race the guy that told me to lose the extra water and the pump told me after the race that you never want to work. Sit in the field and conserve energy until the end when you sprint for the win. So I sat in the pack, and did the best I could to save energy. The weird thing about the race was that I was following the same wheel and would be in the front, we would turn and then I would look up and I was near the back. So I would move up to the front of the field and then end up near the back again. I did not concentrate on the time at all. We were flying around the course and I was only concerned with staying in the pack. Every lap I could hear Ethan and the family yelling for me to go, and push harder. Then I hear the magic phrase " You guys are on the board, 5 laps to go". I got a sudden rush of energy knowing that there were only 5 more laps until I could have my first pack finish.

Apparently everyone else in the field got the same rush because the pace kicked up even faster. All I kept thinking was that there were only 5 laps, then 4 laps....I just had to keep following someones wheel. I made it until the last lap, the last straight in the field and then I fell off. I stayed in my drops on the handlebars but didnt push as hard as I was in the pack. I looked back and I was the last one on the course meaning everyone else who had slowed down before the last lap had already been removed from the course. I saw another ride ahead of me and knew that I could catch him. I started riding a little harder and set a goal to pass him before the finish line. We turned towards the line and I picked up the pace a little more. I passed the rider right before the finish line and ended up in 34th place. Only 35 riders made it to the finish line in this race and some didnt even make it past lap 4. When I looked at my Garmin bike computer I saw that on some laps we averaged 27mph and the average speed for the 30 minutes was 25.2mph. I had seen a rider who I had talked with at the San Luis Rey race and rode over to see how he did. He also struggled going up the hills during the road race so I figured he would have finished this race like I did. He only made it 3 laps before being dropped out of the field. I wished him luck and went and hugged the family and took some picture. Everyone was excited that I finished my first race, although not with the pack, very close to the main field.

Everyone was very happy for me and we all left in a good mood. We went and grabbed some food and made plans for the rest of the day. I could finally say that all my hard work was starting to pay off. With the race being on a Saturday we still had the whole weekend to plan out and spend with my mom. I didnt ride on Sunday so that we could do something as a family but I continued during the week with my hard training. This time though there was something different about the weekly training.

Brea Old Course Criterium

I made a late decision to race in the Brea Old Course Criterium. Normally I am one of the first people that register for the race. I want to make sure that we have no plans and so that I can be mentally prepared for the race. This time I wanted to prove to myself that I was actually getting better. The race was on May 23, and back at the usual time of 715am. I was a little nervous about the course because there was some climbing on the back of the course but there was a nice downhill to the finish line. I warmed up on the course with a couple other riders. One ride stopped me and told me that I didnt need to have my tire pump on the bike because it was a criterium, if I had a flat and didnt have a spare tire my race was pretty much over. He also told me that I didnt need 2 water bottle because it wasnt that hot and I probably wouldnt have time to drink one hole one. It was the first time that anyone had actually given me advice at a race. I really wasnt sure what to do, so I rode over to Anne and gave her one of the water bottles, my pump, spare tube, and the tire peeler.

The race started and I went towards the front. I stayed about 4th wheel in the race and was feeling pretty good. On around the 4th lap I was sitting second wheel and the leader pulled off to the side. As a rookie I did what I thought I was supposed to do and I took the lead for almost a full lap. As soon as I was about to pull off and let the person behind me lead, he jumped out and sprinted ahead. I had used a lot of energy pulling the field and couldnt keep up with the move. I fell to the back of the field but stayed in. I tried recovering in the back but started falling off a little bit each lap. I ended up in a small group just behind the main field and we started working together. We picked up riders one at a time that had fallen out of the main field but most didnt stay with us very long. I thought that we would be able to catch up with the main field but we never did. There were two riders in the group who would not take a pull at the front. I initially thought that they may have been too tired but on the hill of the course they would ride next to the person pulling the group in no ones draft. They obviously had no intention of catching the field or helping our group. I was able to finish the race enough though we did get lapped by the field. I rode the extra lap so that I we could finish on the same number as the field. I was excited to actually finish a race. I was even more excited when I found out that there were actually people who were pulled out of the race. I thought that maybe they didnt pull anyone out and that is why we survived after being lapped. I could finally say that I finished a criterium.

After the race I knew that the training was working. I had also started to lose weight from the challenge I took on Mothers day and knew that it helped some to be a little lighter. I knew that if I kept training like I was that I would be finishing with the pack in no time. I went home happy and once again rode on the next day as soon as I got home from work. I was excited because now I knew I would be able to compete in this sport. It took me 6 races to finally finish and I was ready to do better than just survive off the back.

Ontario Mid-Season

I decided that for now I would concentrate more on criterium racing. I love doing the road races because its easy to pretend that you are on the European circuit racing like the pros. However, in the US criteriums out number road races around 10 to 1. It also helps that there is normally little climbing in a criterium therefore slightly easier to be prepared for. I continued training hard and at this point started looking for criterium specific training guides. I entered the Ontario race hoping that racing would help me judge my training and determine if I was getting better. This was the first race that I had done in the afternoon, 315pm to be exact. They like to showcase the CAT 5 racers so that people who come to see the pros can see what its like to start out and potentially get out there and race. To be honest, being that late in the day threw off my normal race day. I am used to getting up, grabbing food, driving to the race, racing, and then going about the rest of the day. I had an uncertain feeling for most of the day, not really understanding how I should eat, what I should do, and how much I could do in the morning without affecting my ability to race. We headed out to the race on a warm day, and I started to warm up. The course was flat and fast but there was a new enemy on that day; wind. There was a strong wind blowing, which had continued to blow hard the later the day got, blowing straight to the finish line. I would have a head wind for the longest part of the course.

This race was also different because it was a CAT4-5 race. That means that both CAT 5 and CAT 4 racers would race together and are scored as one race. I did not realize that this changed the whole dynamic of the race. The race field was limited to 75 instead of the normal 50 and majority of the field were CAT 4. Since the race field contained CAT 4 riders, it was legal by USCF rules to have prizes or prems for the leader of designated laps. Most of the prems were small things donated by local businesses but it was a quick way to get something out of the race if you didnt think you could finish top 6. As I mentioned in the last blog I did scout out the course and knew that it was going to be important to be on somebodies wheel when we hit the front straight.

The race started fast from the whistle. I started near the front and sprinted from the line to the first quarter of the field. I stayed there through the first three turns but the pace was fast and I was already starting to feel tired. When we made the turn onto the front straight I could feel the wind and the riders on the front started to sprint. Everyone was out of the saddle trying to stay close to the person in front of them to hide from the wind. I slid back a little grabbing on to the closest wheel that I could. I tried to recover as we turned but the field would not let me. I started slipping back in the field holding on the best that I could. On the third lap I was dying and needed some water. I waited until we were on the back straight with a tailwind and took a quick drink. When I tried to put my water bottle back in the cage it slipped out of my hand and fell under my wheel. The back of my bike jumped up over the bottle sending me into the racer beside me. I thought I was going down and that I was going to end up take him with me. I was able to stay upright and so were all the other riders but we had lost serious time on the field. We tried to sprint back up but I could not catch on. When we hit the front stretch my nose was in the wind with no one close enough in front of me to draft behind. Everyone behind me had already given up and were sitting up. I continued to tried to close the gap but it actually felt like someone was pulling me backward from the main field. I made it another lap around before they pull me from the race. This was the most disappointed I had been after a race. When I was whistled off the course I turned into a factory parking lot and rode around for a few minutes. I had being training much harder and I felt like I got worse at this race.

I rode over to Anne and Ethan and decided to head home. We saw a few laps of the pro race that was right after mine but I didnt feel like watching that day. I decided that I needed another chance as soon as possible to prove that I was not getting worse. I actually wanted to go on a ride as soon as I got home but I decided that I would just relax and forget about it. I did go out for a ride on Monday after work and probably 4 more times that week pushing myself harder and harder every time.

San Luis Rey Road Race

After not have much luck in criterium racing I thought I would change it up and try my first road race. The race started later to the delight of Anne. The race was in Northern San Diego county and started at 1025am. It was a 14.5 mile loop containing a lot of climbing around 900 feet per lap for 3 laps. That was a total of 45 miles roughly. This was the first race I really started thinking about what to wear and what to bring. When we arrived it was chilly and cloudy so I put on my three quarter length shorts and a short sleeve jersey. Then it started to warm up so I put on the regular shorts. I change three more times before deciding to go with the shorts.I figured that my increased training and not having to sprint all the time would be an advantage for this race. So I lined up behind the motorcycle got my instructions and started the race. Luckily I choose the right clothes because at the finish it was sunny and in the upper 80's.



Although I did some Google Terrain searches I did not expect what was about to happen. The race went down hill for around 5 miles then was flat. I was extremely excited because I was near the front saving energy for the whole down hill and most of the flat. At the turn around we sprinted back into a large pack and headed back towards the finish line for the first lap. We started up hill and I maintained my position. Then the hill started to kick up to a steeper incline and I started falling back. I was able to hang on however, and stayed in the pack. Then the hill kicked up again and I lost contact with the pack. I keep going through knowing that I could potentially catch up on the downhill. I looked back and saw people scattered down the hill. I kept going made it to the top turned around and went back down hill. I never did catch back up but I was not going to give up. I used it as a training ride and forced myself to finish. To my dismay I got a flat halfway up the hill on my third lap. I changed the tire and remounted the bike but the change took me 20 minutes and then I had to go 2 miles up hill. I was sore from the long pause and it was mentally challenging to finish. I did though and I was proud of myself just for finishing. I did not hydrate or eat correctly though for this race and ate a ton of food as soon as I got off the bike. I ended up getting a headache and not feeling great for the rest of the day. I have learned from this mistake and have not repeated it yet.



I do have to add that for this race Anne and Ethan were troopers. They only saw me for about 1 minute in 3 hours. Ethan made friends with some of the other kids there and played with them while Anne sat around watching for me to come to the turn around near the finish. They stayed there all morning waiting for me and never really complained. They both have went to all of my races and are always very supportive. Ethan gets really excited and yells for me every lap and Anne has done her homework to learn the language, bikes, and tactics. I think she is even secretly following the Tour de France this year even though she complains when I turn it on.

What I learned after 3 race weekends

I really wasnt sure what to expect when I started racing. I thought about joining a racing team and had read a few articles stating that it was a good place to start. The problem I had with joining a team is there are fees to join, then you have to buy their kits to race in which can be expensive and most likely you need to sets. Then you have to volunteer for the club and some clubs require CAT 5 races to attend a minimum number of rides per month to be eligible for benefits. For most clubs the benefits of the club are belonging to a group, getting to talk with people about race tactics and they reimburse a percentage of a certain number of races each month. What I have found so far is that all club training rides are open to everyone. So I can train with the teams and ask race questions without representing them. Some of the local teams have a small active race squad and a larger group of people who used to race or just do fun rides. The training rides have both types of people in them so you never know if you are following the wheel of someone who races or someone who is a little nervous about being that close. For any racer above CAT 5 you have to pay an unattached fee if you are not a member of a club. It is normally 5 dollars which for me is enough to join a team next year.

My next concern about racing was the training. I work full time, I am a dad and a husband, I go to graduate school and I have a house to help maintain. There isnt much free time in my days and I used to be pretty tried when I got home. I would ride on the trainer once a week and then ride one or both days on the weekend. After my first three races I realized that I had to kick up that training program. I started riding 2 days a week on the trainer but with purpose. I started doing interval training and riding longer and harder. On the weekends I still tried to ride at least one day but each time I tried to turn myself inside out climbing, sprinting, and racing my best times. Later as the days got longer and summer school was only one night a week I would ride outside instead of on the trainer. This week with the Tour de France on, I have been riding the training watching the tour sometimes at 530am much to the dismay of Anne.

Although I am skipping ahead of some of the races I realized that I needed to make myself lighter and more flexible. On Mothers Day I took a semi-real deal from my mother in law. She said that we all needed to lose weight and that she would give us $100 for every 10 pounds we lost. I weighed myself that next day and I tipped the scale to 221 and the food habits changed. I quit drinking real soda and switched to diet. I shrank down my portions and quit eating junk food as snacks. I lost 10 pounds by the 2nd week of June. Then I started eating more salad and less meats, fruit for breakfast and a low fat yogurt for a snack. Today I weigh in at 201, 20 pounds in 2 months. My goal is to get back to the Army weight of 175 to 180. I am also starting to add core strengthening exercises on the days that I dont ride now.
I have also learned that one cyclist is normally not good at all disciplines. If you dont want to take my word for it watch the Tour de France any day. The climbers sit in the back on a flat stage, the sprinters disappear on the mountains, and the work horses for teams change daily. On the local circuit there are criterium racers, road racers, and time trialist. Each type of race requires different skills and abilities even though they all involve riding a bike. In a criterium you have to train to be able jump out of the saddle and sprint then sit down recover quickly and then do it again over and over. You have to be able to draft well and recover quickly. A road race requires a little more all around skill. You have to be able to descend, climb and ride a high tempo for a long period of time. Normally you only have to sprint at the end, or if you get spit out the back. A time trial requires a high out put for a short time and money to buy the most aerodynamic equipment possible. This is the only area in cycling that I really think that paying an extra $60 for a helmet or shaving grams off the weight of the bike makes a difference. The spread of 1 through 10 at a typical time trial is normally seconds maybe a little as 100th of a second.
That being said an important aspect that I failed to learn until the Ontario Mid season race and Brea Old town criterium(which will be in two blogs from now) is that you have to be smart in a race. You have to study the course, know where people may attack, know where you may have difficulty, know where the most likely place for a crash will be on the first few laps, and figure out where to recover and drink. This will become more obvious when I talk about my next 2 races.

Dana Point weekend

I decided that I was going to keep racing. I knew that I had not done so well to this point but I dont like to give up on things. I decided it would be fun to compete in a multiple day event. The Dana Point grand prix was April 10 & 11 in Dana Point California. I did a lot of traveling in the Army and accumulated enough hotel points to get a free room for Saturday night. We decided that it would be nice to go to the race Saturday morning, spend the rest of the day playing by the ocean and then staying in the hotel that night to avoid waking up too early in the morning. The race on Saturday morning was the Killer Cove Time Trial, Sunday the criterium. The time trial was 2.25 miles long and contained a climb with a grade that reached 20%. So I started working on climbing and going as fast as possible downhill.



Saturday morning arrived and we followed the regular schedule; wake up early, drive to the race, register, warm up and then move to the start line. However, this time there were no instructions, only a few people near the start and pop up tent to start under. I had seen time trials on TV and had a good idea of what to expect. They are the ultimate test of individual skill. They normally include a mix of climbs, descents, and flat ground. They are an individual test because each ride starts 30 seconds apart, there is no drafting, no team tactics, and no time to recover. You have to hard as hard as you can as long as you can. I was the 3rd person to start and it went well from the start. The course started with 2 quick right hand turns, follow by downhill ending with a right turn. Then it was flat for about .75 miles before turning right and going up the steepest hill I never want to ride again. It was on this climb that I actually was past by the person behind me. It turned out that rider was 14 years old and the 14-16 year old time trail champion. I made it over the top and headed back to the finish line. I didnt care that I had been beat my a teenager at that point. I was just happy to make it up that hill. I never thought that it would end and the worst part was that when you made the right turn at the end of the road you think you are at the top. You actually have about another 500 feet of road that still goes up hill. It was the hardest hill I have ever ridden. We watched stayed to watch the pros struggle up the same hill but were saddened to hear that a pro cyclist was hit by a car on the day before and died about 30 minutes north of our house. He had just signed his a contract to ride with a good domestic team and was scheduled to partake in the Dana Point race. We spent the rest of the day exploring Dana Point and Irvine near the hotel. We went to the outdoor mall and watched a kids band and relaxed the rest of the day.



Sunday morning we headed back over for the criterium. Like the previous race in Redlands it was all barricaded in so that we knew exactly where to go. We arrived and went through the normal routine and I lined up. This race was actually shorter than my previous criterium. A criterium is a timed race, near the end they put up laps to go counting down from normally 7. They guess the amount of time it would take to complete the last 7 laps and then start counting backwards when the time reaches their best guess. Normally they are pretty good at hitting it close to the money. A normal CAT 5 is 40 minutes, but Dana Point was only 30 minutes. We started and I got towards the front of the pack. I was able to stay with the pack for the better part of 20 minutes then ended up falling into a chasing group about 20 seconds behind. There were 6 of us in the group and we made it until 2 laps to go before they pulled us off. We were all mad knowing that we could have finished the race and not been in the way, but we were also tired and didnt fight. Even Anne was upset that they didnt let us finish. When I pulled off the course I talked to another guy in that was in my chasing group. He pointed to my stomach and said "You have the same problem I do", I was fat. While I was in the Army I weighed about 175 pounds. Once I was at the hospital and then home sitting around after surgery I ballooned up to around 210+. I thought that the cycling would help but I needed more than that. I started asking Anne if I could get the new bike again. It was the easiest way to make the weight I was carrying around the course a little lighter. She made a comment that really rang true, made sense, and helped me put a better perspective on racing. She said "The bike doesnt make you go fast, you only ride train twice a week, a new bike isnt going to make you finish any better." At this point I realized that if I really wanted to be competitive in these races I would have to train more than I was. Not only would I have to train on the bike but I needed to become a better racer in general.

The Redlands Classic

After my disappointing entrance into the world of cycling I had higher hopes for the Redlands Classic. I had continued to train and worked on increasing the strenght of my ankle. I thought that I was able to get good training in and that I would do relatively well. In almost every race the CAT 5 groups starts first. The race started at 745am which meant I got to sleep in a little bit because we didnt have to leave the house until 615. I was also excited because a lot of the domestic pro teams were racing and I would get to see pros race the same course as me. Except I found out they didnt race the same exact course but still cool nonetheless.



I pretty much followed the same routine as the first race, arrive, register, warmed up on the trainer. Anne has taken on the roll of getting my bike unloaded, the trainer out the trunk, putting my number on, and making sure I have sunscreen on before every race. I finished warming up and headed to the start line. Unlike the Murietta course this course was completely barricaded off. I felt like an official bike racer with people lined up all around the course. I lined up to hear the same speech as the last race with the addition that if you were off the back of the pack they may pull you out of the race for safety purposes.




The race started and I took off UP ANOTHER HILL despite the description saying flat and fast. I started in the front this time and stayed near the front through the first turn. The first turn was a hard right making a complete U. Then it was downhill through and S shaped turn followed by a sweeping right turn. I was able to stay in the pack for 3 laps. The climb up the finishing straight killed me each lap until I finally could stay attached. It only took a few more laps after that, one including a crash for the officials to pull a small group of riders off the course. I couldnt believe that once again I could not stay with the pack. I raced as hard as I could as long as I could but I wasnt fast enough. A wife of another racer in my race told Anne that it took her husband 6 races to finish and this was his 7th race. He was able to finish with the pack that race. I didnt want to wait 6 races though, I wanted to finish with the pack now.

We stayed and watched the pros take leave and then packed it up for the day. I started to notice however that most of the other bikes in the races were racing bikes. My bike was designed for touring and the casual rider not really racing. I did what I could to make it a racing bike but I starting thinking that I needed a better bike to finish the races. I started asking Anne about the possibility of getting a new bike. She did not like the idea of spending $2000 on a new bike. So I dropped it for a little bit realizing that it was expensive. After all my first bike did sit for months at a time.

My first Tour

I registered for two races as soon as I got my licenses number. The first was the Tour de Murietta and the second was the Redlands Classic. The Tour de Murietta was on March 14 and my race was scheduled to start at 7:30. Murietta is 3o minutes from my house and I figured it would be a good idea to be there an hour a head of time. So I woke the family up at 5am, packed up the bike and headed down to Murietta. My sister in law Joana, and her boyfriend meet us down there even though they were up til 1am. I remember getting out of the car to a cool crisp air, dew all over the grass and the sun just barely turning the sky a light purple. I walked over to registration and for the first of many times got a number and safety pins.

I remember getting out of the car feeling the cold crisp air, seeing the dewy grass and the sun barely peeking up turning the sky purple. I felt a little nervous and wasnt sure what to really expect. I took out my trainer and started warming up. The course was a 35 mile Circuit race with 10 3.5 mile laps. The description stated that there were a few "ring rollers" but I had no idea what that meant. I warmed up on the front straight away through the finish line and over a few small hills thinking that was what they meant by ring rollers and I was confident that I would have no problem climbing those hills.

The officials called us to the line at 730 and gave us a speech I now almost have memorized. The low down is dont crash, start 10 races to upgrade, and listen to the officials. I talked to a few people in the group as we were waiting to start. One was a pro when he was younger, another had raced last year as a CAT 5 and another was a pro mountain bike racer and was switching to road. According to the research I did on the internet, I needed to start in the front and stay in the front half as long as possible to be safe in a CAT 5 race. So I took my spot towards the front as we got ready to start with only one person in front of me. The whistle sounded and 51 people took off towards the rising sun. We went over the first few little hills and I felt ok still second wheel. I was actually surprised how cold I was, even though I was wearing long shorts, tall socks, and gloves. It felt awesome to be in the peloton chasing the lead motorcycle while drafting. That feeling went away almost as quickly as it started however. We made the first right turn on the lap and started up a slight 2% climb. To my surprise I was the only person that seemed to be slowed by the road. I started falling back to the back of the pack but I hung on. I could see the right turn at the end of the hill and was just hoping that I could hang on long enough to get back to the flat grounds. The peloton made the right hand turn and to my delight we started down hill, it wasnt until we made the slight turn to the left staying on the same road that I realized that a bigger climb was getting ready to start. I once again fell back and completely lost contact with the peloton. The second group of 51 CAT 5 riders started 10 minutes after my group. I finished the first lap, crossing the finish line hearing Ethan yelling go faster daddy!!!!! Go go go!!!! As I started to climb up the small hill I saw a motorcycle pass then the second race pass. I ended up being lapped 2 times in the race and spent most of the time by myself but I finished the race.

However I did not technically finish the whole race because they closed the course down while I had one to go and told me that we were all finished.

I was pretty discouraged when I finished the race. Even the rationalization that there were people in there who were pros at one point and that I was only 9 months post op and 6 walking didnt help. Luckily my family was very supportive and they were proud that I didnt give up. I am not the type that would give up anyways, they would have to pull me off the course for me to stop. They told me that I they were excited that I finished and to see me in the race. So I held my head up and walked to the car with Ethan sitting on my bike.

I knew that I had another race coming up in 2 weeks and that I had to keep a positive attitude. So it was back to the drawing board and the trainer. I thought for sure that the Redlands Criterium would be much better. After all the flyer said there was no hills.

Introduction to cycling

I figured that I would document my entrance into the world of cycling. Like most kids I rode bikes growing up and raced around the block with the local kids. The last time I remember riding a real bicycle before I got into road cycling was a trip to our very small downtown area of LaGrange Ohio in High School. It was probably a 5 mile ride each way and that was enough to drive me towards driving everywhere. In 2005 my interest in road cycling was sparked in West Virginia, top 10 on the fast states go figure, where a co-worker from the Army raced on a Masters team all over the country. I stopped by the local bike shop after I saw Master Sergent Sharp ride to work 3 days a week and was floored by the price. The entry level road bikes at the shop started at $800. I forgot about the idea of cycling after that because it was the only bike shop in probably 100 miles.

In 2006 MSG Sharp was moving to Germany and he was selling one of his 4 road bikes for $600. He asked me over and over if I wanted to buy it and said that he thought I would love riding. I recorded the Tour de France that year, because I watch all sports and Floyd Landis was the next great American hope. I watched each day, the climbing, the descents, the sprints and the amazing comeback over the mountains and I was hooked. I started researching bikes and found a website Bikesdirect.com and purchased a Motobecane Mirage Sport for $500. I got the bike and soon realized that I had to get padded shorts, a helmet, tool bag, water bottle cages, and water bottles and a computer for the bike. I started riding and it was great except my butt hurt after 10 minutes and I didnt know what adjustments to make. There wasnt a big cycling sense in West Virginia so I winged it with what I found on the internet. I thought I was super fast riding a bicycle at 14mph and 15mph down hill. I rode the bike to work a few times and upgraded to clipless pedals and noticed that after about 2 months I could average 14mph to and from work.

Winter is cold, wet, and unfriendly in West Virginia so by November the bike was sitting in the kitchen not being used. For Christmas I asked for a trainer so that I could ride my bike inside. That was a short lived excuse to ride and the bike sat there for most of the winter and spring. In the summer of 2007 I started to ride again. I was exploring different areas and rode to work once a week weather permitting. However towards the end of the summer and most of fall I was traveling a lot for the Army.

Finally in 2008 I decided that I was going to get on the bike early and often. I started riding whenever it was sunny and dry out regardless if it was cold. I set a goal to ride 1200 miles in the calendar year. I was sent to Walter Reed for treatment for most of 2008 and rode through Rock Creek park twice a week. I rode in my first group ride there and did my first century ride Bike to the Bay. I was getting faster and talked to more people who raced. I thought I was fast because I could stay with them on the group rides. I was invited out by a local racer in the group to a mid-day ride at the Jefferson memorial. That was when I realized I really wasnt that fast and the group ride was slow for the racers. I could barely hang on to the back for half a mile before getting dropped. I rationalized that it was because they were CAT 2 and CAT 3 racers so I kept riding.

I moved back to California at the end of 2008 and kept riding through the begining of 2009. I wasnt working yet so I was able to put in serious miles. I took Ethan up to centeral California and watched two stages of the Tour of California. It was amazing bonding time and got me more interested in racing my bike. In May I had a total ankle reconstruction and cartildge removed from my knee to fill gaps in my ankle. I was not able to put any pressure on it for 8 weeks and I wasnt able to walk for a couple more months. Not long after being able to put 80% pressure on the leg, I started riding on the trainer. It took a while before I could really ride the bike. We were also moving into a new house, I was starting a new job, and I was still sore from just walking around. Cycling took a back seat for a long time again. In September I started riding a little more as rehab for the ankle. For Christmas in 2009 I got a Garmin Edge 305 GPS. I was looking at groups to ride with and found the Southern California Nevada Cycling Association which organizes local races.

In Feburary 2010 I went to check out my first ever Criterium race in Ontario. I had done some research on local races and thought that I was in good enough shape to compete in the local races. I bought my USCF licenses and signed up for my first race the Tour de Murietta as a CAT 5 racer. I didnt adjust my training since I had always been able to keep up with group rides and the speeds listed online seemed like something I could maintain. So all that was left was to show up and race. I remember thinking to myself that I didnt think that I could win but I did not think I could possible get last. So I confidently invited all my friends and family to watch me race. My racing journey had begun.