Perspective Shift at TOAD

     I don't know that I've been more excited about a race series than I was about the 2017 edition of Tour of Americas Dairy Land (TOAD). Pablo Santa Cruz and I had put together a composite team of riders from across the country that not only possess amazing pedigrees, but also are just a really fun group of great guys. While only a few of us planned to do every race, we had nine guys committed to coming for most of the races. Included on our roster were Mike Oleheiser, Emile Abraham, Pablo Santa Cruz, Chris Powers, Ernie Pena, Vance James, Wayne Simon, Curtis Tolson, and me. The series started on June 15th and there are ten criteriums every day in different venues all around the Milwaukee Wisconsin area.
     The first day was really hot and took place on a rather simple four corner course. There were several dangerous breaks but it all came back together when Mike Oleheiser went to the front with 8 laps to go and set a blistering tempo. With one lap to go Berry Rohling, a Dutch National Champion Speed Skater riding for Intelligentsia Coffee, attacked through turn one and ripped off an entire lap at 31+MPH. His teammate, Mike Heagney, one of the best 40+ sprinters in the country, then attacked into turn 3. I was able to jump to Mikes wheel and came around right after the last turn heading for the line. Unfortunately, my thumb hit my sprint shifter throwing my chain from the 11 to the 13 cog only 50 meters from the line and I was passed by another fast man named Rob White. I took 2nd and Emile took 3rd, so it was a good day for the team, but I was upset with the mechanical issue which cost me the win.
     On the second day we were in East Troy on a course with several turns and definitely more technical than the first day. From the gun the pace was very high and a break of ten rolled off the front very early. Our break lapped the field and Mike Oleheiser took me through the field quickly before another group could get off the front. My teammates kept it together for the sprint and I was able to attack into the next to last corner and hold it for the win putting me in the leaders jersey for the 40+ Omnium. Emile took 2nd so again the team had a great performance.

1st Place on Day 2 at the 2017 Tour of America's Dairy Land

     Day three was another break but with only five riders including the man in 2nd place overall, Rob White. With only one lap to go Mike Oleheiser bridged up to the break making it six. Going into the final corner we had a 500 meter sprint so I let Intelligentsia rider, Carlos Casali open it up. Rob jumped with about 225 meters to go and I quickly got his wheel. With a slight tailwind Rob quickly got the speed up to 41.5 MPH and while I started to come around I ran out of real estate and was beat to the line with a bike throw. I, unfortunately, lost the jersey but was only one point behind Rob going into the fourth race.
     The fourth race took place in Waukesha, Wi. in a downtown venue with several restaurants and bars. It's an awesome environment with several spectators lined up around the course enjoying great food and adult beverages. The race was very active with constant attacks until the very end. Mike Oleheiser finally got away mid race with a World Champion BMX rider. Together they lapped the field and made contact with only one lap to go. I was near the front sitting at about 5th or 6th wheel with only two turns to go when I was slammed from the side by a rider that had come into the turn taking an inside line, and going too fast. He plowed almost straight into me and the rider in front of me and thats when things went really bad.
     I was able to miss hitting the curb by steering into a curb cut at a driveway narrowly missing a huge oak tree. Unfortunately the rider in front had flipped over the curb and was crashing right in front of me. As I was rolling over the top of him my front wheel hung on what had to be his pedal. It was like a steel trap stopping my forward momentum. I had been going through the corner at 30 MPH but when my front wheel stopped I was catapulted over the bars and the first thing that hit the sidewalk was my head. I remember thinking that the impact was going to be huge and I actually had time in my mind to predict I would be knocked unconscious. As I slammed into the concrete my neck bent forward slamming my chin into my chest and stretching it well beyond normal range of motion. My Specialized Evade helmet split into two halves and crumpled in a similar manner to how a race car crumples around a driver in a crash. I attribute the fact that I wasn't knocked unconscious to the energy absorbed by the helmet.

Specialized Evade Helmet that Saved my Life

     Immediately after I crashed my first realization was that I was still conscious, but that my neck felt broken. The impact had given me a "stinger" similar to what football players sometimes get when they get hit hard helmet to helmet. A stinger temporarily causes one not to be able to feel their extremities adding to my anxiety that I had broken my neck. The medical personnel were there almost immediately. I think there must have been someone stationed at that particular corner. The fear I felt at that moment is almost indescribable. The relief I felt within only a minute after realizing I wasn't paralyzed is similarly indescribable!
     I was loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital less than five minutes away and was getting a CT scan within ten minutes of my arrival. The CT scan was negative for fractured vertebrae which was also a huge relief. I was fitted for a neck brace, given some pain meds and released about 2 1/2 hours after I arrived. My teammates were all there and incredibly worried and supportive at the same time. I feel so fortunate to be friends with such a great group of people that put my safety and comfort so far above their own personal comfort. Similarly, the entire cycling community, including my most fierce competitors were reaching out checking on my welfare for the next several days. I am overwhelmed with how incredible the cycling community can be and how genuinely good most of the people are that are members of this relatively small family.
     It has been about five days since the crash and I am already much better. I have symptoms of a severe case of reverse whiplash but I should be fully recovered within another week or so. I would like to thank all of you that have reached out offering your heartfelt sympathy. I am very fortunate to have walked away from this one but even more fortunate to have so many friends and supporters that genuinely care for others. Thanks for reading!

Enlightened at the 2017 Cross Winds Classic

     Its been quite awhile since I've written a race report but I have been asked by a couple of people if I would write one for the 2017 edition of the Cross Winds Classic. The race, as always, was well run and well organized. The CARVE bike club puts the race on and Scott Penrod, Spencer Douglas, Dave Gill, and many others did a fantastic job. Doug Zell has also jumped right into the cycling scene in Arkansas and his "Meteor Cafe" was a major sponsor of the race this year. I think most people that raced it would consider the P 1,2,3 race to be the fastest/hardest edition since the race began years ago. I was pretty sure at the start that defending my win from the previous year would be a tall order. I am certain that the 60+ riders that started the event is a record turn out for that particular category. As we rolled out for the neutral start at 10:30 AM that chilly Sunday morning in Galloway, Arkansas, I had a feeling we were all in for what would amount to a 65 mile crit race. It was a stacked field with several teams having five, six, and as many as ten riders representing. In fact, there were so many strong riders I didn't know who to watch. That would change within only five miles of racing!
     As the flag dropped in the neutral service vehicle a tall lad with rippling quads surged off the front where he stayed for three or four miles. He got a decent gap and there were a few efforts to bridge across, none of which were successful. I decided to give it a go after one particularly hard effort and immediately got a gap so I put my head down to go across to the "I Am Cycling" rider from Nashville, Tn., Brendan Housler. As I got close to him I looked back again to see the field lined up single file, chasing with an all out effort to bring us back. By the time I reached Brendan we were already caught and I was gassed. I spent a couple miles mid pack recovering from my effort in spite of the fact that the attacks were incessant. As we turned south the wind was coming from left to right and once we reached a big farm field with no shelter from the wind someone pinned it putting everyone in the gutter on the right side of the road. All of us were trying unsuccessfully to get a draft which was unfortunately about one foot to the right, off the pavement... in the ditch! The race would continue to be super hard and fast with constant attacks until just before the second time through the start finish. So at the end of lap 2 of the 5 thirteen mile laps the elastic finally broke, and ten riders rode clear of the field. The break finally got established after riders like Janne Hamalainen, Andy Chasteen, Brendan Housler, Brandon Mellot, James Brown, and others had significantly softened up the field. The gap stayed small for about six miles but as riders in the break started to recover we ratcheted up the speed in a smooth rotating echelon and the gap went out quickly.
     As I mentioned earlier, I didn't really know who to watch when we started the race, but that changed after only five or six miles. The guy that had surged off the front at the start of the race, Brendan, was in virtually every move, and I could tell he was under very little pressure to do so. The other guy I was watching was Andy Chasteen riding for "DNA". I told Andy we needed to keep close tabs on "the tall dude in green" because he was a beast. Andy shook his head in agreement. After the break of ten was established containing all of the named protagonist other than Brandon Mellot, we all rode in the rotating echelon with no attacks until the 5th and final lap, gaining 3 minutes on the field in the process.
     Averaging right at 27 MPH for the first 60 of 65 miles had taken a toll on me and I felt the dreaded sensations of cramps pulsing through my legs. Brendan, detecting some weakness in the break, attacked into the next to last corner. I was immediately dropped as one of my hamstrings seized up in a full on cramp. Janne Hamalainen brought two other riders back up to Brendan while I was behind with the only two other riders that remained in the break. As my cramp began to ease I put in one last effort to get back to the leaders and we tacked back on after chasing for about a mile. A Tyson rider immediately counter attacked and got what I thought might be a winning gap. Brendan, however, calmly brought the Tyson rider back with only about two miles remaining in the race. The Tyson rider then inexplicably, but thankfully, rode a high tempo on the front which discouraged attacks and allowed me to get slightly recovered from my cramps. With one kilometer remaining Brendan attacked and immediately opened a gap. At first I was not to concerned because Andy Chasteen is a good sprinter and I thought he would bring Brendan back. After 500 meters of an all out sprint I had still not reached Andy, and Andy had not reached Brendan. With both of my legs cramping completely I barely managed to hold on to my 3rd place podium finish with Janne finishing 4th right behind me.

2017 Cross Winds Classic Podium

     One interesting side note is the fact that the 1st Place rider, Brendan Housler, is an openly gay man. I met him after the race and congratulated him on his solid win. He later friended me on FaceBook and his page makes no attempt at hiding his preferences, conversely, he has embraced his sexuality and doesn't attempt to hide a thing. He is a fierce competitor and a seems like a genuinely nice guy. I told him that he has shattered my previously held opinions of what traits most strong bike racers posses! There was a day not long ago when I would have never believed I would be beat in a bike race by an openly gay man, those days are over! I learned a valuable lesson and I have a feeling many others will be learning the same lessons for many bike races to come if Brendan toes the line. Like our society, the peloton has more diversity than in years past and the stereotypical bike racer of yesteryear will simply look a little different going forward. We would all be well served to take notice, and welcome the changes. Thanks for reading!

2016 Crosswinds Classic

     I have often lamented that the Crosswinds Classic bike race held at the end of February every year never seems to live up to its name. This year, however, it did not disappoint. With wind speeds reaching well over 20 MPH on Sunday, February 28th, 2016, on an exposed race circuit, the wind, would indeed, be a major factor in the outcome of this edition of the race. OKC Velo lined up with six guys in a field of close to 40 racers in the Pro,1,2,3 event. All of my teammates are well into our 40's or 50's with one exception, and he is 37, so hopefully experience would prove to be advantageous!
     The wind was out of the SSW so we knew the stronger riders would force the issue in the crosswind section of the race. There, drafting becomes impossible with the wind coming from left to right. Prior to hitting that section of the course, my teammate, Frank Jakofcich, went up the road with Memphis rider, Bryant Funston. When they took the right turn entering the crosswind section they had around a 15 second lead, but it wouldn't last long as Patrick Walle from Nashville went to the front and poured on the coals. I had determined from a few earlier efforts from Patrick, that he was one to watch, so I quickly grabbed his wheel as we blasted down the far right hand edge of the road.
     As predicted, there was little to no draft, and as a result the peloton was stretched out single file with guys literally riding in the grass and gravel trying to get far enough to the right to get just the smallest draft. We quickly overtook Frank and Bryant and were going well over 30 MPH so the group was coming apart behind, with gaps opening all the way down the line. When we finally turned right into the tailwind section, the damage had been done, and we were down to only six riders. Fortunately, I had made the split along with teammate, Tony Steward. As soon as we turned Patrick took one more hard pull and then flicked me through for a turn. All of us worked hard down that stretch, but amazingly, a huge bull of a man, Will Frank, came across to the group by himself creating a group of seven.

Not long after the Break was Established

     Not long after the next right hand turn, one of the guys came off of our break leaving us with six guys, all of whom did equal work for the next 50 miles. Our gap to the field behind eventually went out to 5 minutes as a result of our very consistent pace. With 20 miles left in the race it was apparent that the wind and pace were taking their toll on our group and I began to wonder when the attacks would come.
     As we took the final turn down the tailwind section with about 8-10K left to the finish, Patrick Walle attacked. As he was the person upon whom I was most focused, I reacted quickly to get his wheel. That violent acceleration left all other riders behind and Patrick tried to get me to come through and take a pull. Other than the fact that I was totally gassed, I liked my chances in the sprint, and elected not to help him stay away from the other riders. It turned out to be a good decision because it allowed Tony to re join the group along with a Sound Pony rider. Patrick attacked a few more times with the same result each time. He would drop the other guys, but still have me holding on to his wheel like a pit bull with a bone. Once he would realize he had not dropped me, he would ease up, letting the Sound Pony rider back on, and then a little later, Tony.
     At 1K to go Tony took a flyer by himself and quickly got a nice gap. In fact, I thought he had a winning gap until the Sound Pony rider began to track him down. With about 300 meters to go Patrick jumped and I opened up my sprint full gas knowing the tailwind would shorten the trip to the line. With a max speed of 42 MPH in the tailwind I was able to get a gap on Patrick and take the win with Tony hanging on for 3rd place just behind Patrick. It was a great result for OKC Velo and a pretty satisfying win for me given the level of competition, and my rather advanced age! Making the victory even sweeter was the fact that my son, Evan East, had won the race the year before, thereby keeping the trophy in the family. The Crosswinds Classic is an awesome early season race, promoted by a fantastic organization; Central Arkansas Velo. It is a race that everyone should have on their bucket list. Hopefully, I will be around to do it again next year! Thanks for reading.

Happy for the Win!

   

The P1,2,3 Podium Crosswinds Classic 2016

Prospecting for Gold in Utah

     I read recently where Peter Sagan said that it was difficult for him to express how he felt having won the world championship road race. He just said the feeling was indescribable and incredible. He did say that it was the biggest win of his career so far and that is really saying something given his stellar record. I only mention this because people have been asking me the same thing recently, "How does it feel to be the National Champion?". OK, so my Masters Nationals Championship gold medal isn't even in the same Universe as Sagan's achievement, but it is an achievement about which I have trouble expressing how it makes me feel. I can definitely say it was the most important win I have ever had. For us amateur hacks here in the USA there really isn't another title more coveted than to win a National Championship in your respective field and in your respective specialty, whether it be the time trial, road race, criterium, cyclocross, or whatever. I don't care if your specialty is checkers or tiddly winks, if you win the National Championship you have accomplished something special. My initial emotion immediately after crossing the finish line in 1st place in the 50-54 Criterium was an incredible sense of relief. I think that emotion slowly evolved into elation, then finally, appreciation for all the work that it took to get there, and for all the people that helped me along the way.

     My burning desire to win a National Championship started way back in 1996 which is the first time I lined up to see how I would fare against the best amateurs in the country in the 30-34 age group. I got 5th in the crit but it lit the fire to someday be able to win. I went back probably seven times over the next 20 years and landed on every step of the podium but the top one. So, for 19 years I could only come close, but I could never win. Maybe that's why it was so incredibly special for me to finally get it done. In fact, I remember yelling a few times after crossing the line that Saturday in Ogden, Utah, "Finally", "Finally"! The feeling really is indescribable, so at least in that sense, I know how Peter Sagan feels!

The Podium

     The 2015 season was a fun one for me. I had some good results, but more importantly, I got to spend time and develop relationships with my son and great friends. Initially, I had decided that I was not even going to go to Nationals this year. I had raced since January and the prospect of trying to stay fit through a hot summer in Arkansas was just not something I looked forward to. After an unexpected good result at the Elite Nationals Road Race in June, I began to ponder the possibilities , but eventually decided I wasn't going to put the Masters Race on the calendar. Fast forward to the Hotter'n Hell Road Race and Crit in late August where I got 2nd in the Road Race and 1st in the crit, and I started to reconsider my decision. With Masters Nationals being scheduled for September 9-12, I thought I could try to just coast on the form that I had at Hotter'n Hell and at the last minute decided to give it another go!

     I arrived in Ogden, Utah on Thursday morning, September 10th,  at 2:30 A.M. after some major flight issues. The road race wasn't until 3:00 P.M. but my pre race regimen was a little less than ideal having gotten to bed so late. I also did exactly what I said I would not do and got myself into two or three breakaway's before the climb at the end of the race, thus sealing my fate. I ended up with a terrible result but I really wasn't to surprised given how everything played out before and during the race. The result, however, did not exactly boost my confidence for the crit on Saturday which is typically my best event. It took a good pep talk from my good friend Curtis Tolson to get me out of my funk.

     I picked up Curtis at the airport in Salt Lake City on Friday morning as he was only racing the crit on Saturday. I gave him the full download on the road race and expressed how bummed I was about how awful I felt. He just kept telling me over and over that I could win the crit and not to worry about it. Since Curtis and I are such good friends I knew a certain part of his encouragement was just him being a good guy, but I could also sense a certain level of conviction in his voice. It made me feel a little better about my chances but I was still really worried given how terrible I felt in the road race. We would both find out soon enough as the crit was at 1:00 the next day.

     When Curtis and I got to the crit course and started warming up, I saw Brendan Sullivan who had won the time trial the previous Wednesday. He had also won the road race in our group the previous two years in a row so I knew he was a super strong boy. He knew who I was because he had finished one place behind me in the Elite Nationals road race in which we had both participated in June. It was a fortuitous conversation because he told both me and Curtis that if he was not in a break late in the race he would do all he could to help the two of us as he is not a sprinter. At the time I really didn't think much of it because it is rare at Nationals to have someone sacrifice their race for a teammate, much less an acquaintance! 

     The race started and within five laps a large break of seven guys had gotten off the front with a small gap. I really wasn't that worried initially as there was still lots of horse power left in the field. After several laps, however, the gap went out to 20 seconds, then 30, then 45 at its maximum. At one point I tried to bridge across with one of the strongest guys in the field, a guy named Kevin Metcalf. Kevin has won National Championships in the time trial so when he went after the break I went with him. When we went the field panicked and after four laps of chasing it all came back together but we had gotten the gap to the lead break back down to 25 seconds. Unfortunately, with only seven laps to go, the gap had gone back out to 35 seconds and I truly thought the race was over and that I was racing for 8th place. That's when I saw Brendan Sullivan come to the front!

     Brendan calmly took the pace up to about 29 MPH. I was second wheel with 60 guys strung out single file behind me. With six to go the gap was down to 30 seconds, five to go, 25 seconds, .... I kept thinking that any second Brendan would pull over and flick his elbow indicating he was done and for someone else to take over the chase. He never did, and with four laps to go the gap was down to 20 seconds. He kept going.... three to go 15 seconds and with two to go the gap was only 10 seconds and Brendan pulled off knowing the field would pounce on such a small gap. First one guy jumped then another, I got that guy's wheel and took a free ride across the 10 second gap. It was all back together with only 1 1/2 laps to go!  As soon as we tagged onto the back of the lead break I came around and slotted into about 4th wheel. I got lucky in that a Hammer nutrition rider representing the team with the most teammates in the race was on the front and he ratcheted up the pace leading out one of his sprinters.... perfect for me as I was able to get totally recovered from the effort to jump across the last 10 seconds to the original lead break. 

     When we came through the start/finish with only one lap to go everything became very clear and focused. The pace was high enough to discourage attacks and I had gotten myself into a winning position. I knew I didn't want duke out the sprint with some of the big 190 pounders through the last two corners so I gambled and launched my sprint from about 600 meters out with three corners to go. I jumped really hard with about 50 meters to the first of three corners to go and when I came out of that corner I opened up full gas to the next turn. From there it was 200 meters to the last corner so I sprinted to that turn as if it were the finish line. Upon reaching the last corner I knew I had a winning gap and sprinted the last 150 meters to the line. I couldn't believe it. I had finally won a National Championship. The feeling as I mentioned above....  was indescribable. 

     Curtis found me immediately and nearly tackled me with a bear hug! I told him how happy I was that he was there to share the moment with me. He later confessed that he knew he wasn't fit enough to compete for a podium spot but that when he thought about not coming, the only reason he didn't back out was that he was so confident I could win. He knew he didn't want me to be there alone if I did. I will never forget that gesture from a guy that normally would have been competing for the win himself. Curtis has close to 40 National Championship titles on the track that he has accumulated through the years so he is always a force to reckoned with in a criterium. The fact that he would travel 1000 miles simply to be there for a friend, even though he knew he would not perform to his standards, speaks to his character and why so many think so highly of him. The next person I sought out was Brendan Sullivan. I found him and gave him a bear hug and thanked him for laying it down for over 12 minutes at 29 MPH to catch the break, which is what allowed me to win. I bought him a beer and a slice of pizza later, a small price to pay for the services rendered!  

     The 2015 Masters Nationals criterium was indeed a special moment for me. Even though the feeling was indescribable, I hope I at least provided a small glimpse into the emotions stirred by the single biggest win of my rather long bike racing experience. Thanks for reading!

Finally!

     

       

2015 Elite Nationals Road Race and a Huge Black Bear

I haven't posted anything in quite a while because I guess I just didn't think I had anything to say that others might care to read. This post will probably also fall into that category but I feel compelled to write a little blurb for the sake of posterity. I flew out to Lake Tahoe, California on Tuesday, June 23rd to watch my son, Evan East, race the Junior Nationals Road Race on Wednesday, and the Time Trial on Friday. Evan would race a 75 mile out and back course at 11:00 Wednesday morning, and since I was there anyway, I would hop in the Elite Race at 3:00 that same afternoon which would be 103 miles out and back. My race would include many of the top Cat 1's in the country so I really had no aspirations, especially on a course that was as brutally hard as this year's edition of the National Championship proved to be.

I had my whole family in Lake Tahoe, including my Dad and Step Mom. We all loaded up in the mini van Wednesday morning to drive up to the top off the first big mountain to watch the boys come over the top. When they finally came into view it was apparent that a group of ten had broken away from the peloton and Evan was not in it. I was concerned because I had recognized a couple of the stronger riders in the break and they already had two minutes on the rest of the field. Once they passed we hopped back in the Swagger Wagon (minivan) and headed to the finish line. We had a nice lunch at a restaurant close by and then made our way to the finish area for the anticipated finish around 2:00. The announcer said their were two guys off the front with six guys chasing and the field further back. We had no idea where Evan was at that point. After watching several of the top places come across the line, (including Evan's teammate Micah Milne in 5th!), we began to worry. We finally saw Evan and he came across the line in 32nd place. He was disappointed as he was expected to be a top ten and possibly even a podium finisher. He had spent basically the entire month of May racing in Europe and was just "cracked" upon his return to the states. He unfortunately never regained the form that carried him to a 1st place GC in the Category 1,2 race at the Joe Martin Stage Race, held right before he left for Europe. He was in Europe for a month to race with the US National Team in five races in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Belgium. While he was very disappointed about his performance at Nationals, he has had a fantastic season overall.

The Elite National Road Race started not even one hour after the Juniors finished their race. Unlike races where I am expecting a decent result, I was completely calm and at ease. I had no support from the standpoint of getting water hand ups so that was really the only thing about which I was apprehensive. It was unseasonably warm, over 90 degrees and close to 100 down in the valley into which we would descend after the day's first climb, so getting enough water during the course of 103 miles was my major concern. The race started where it would finish which was in the ski resort of Northstar in the Lake Tahoe area. We would descend off that mountain then climb up and over another mountain, then once in the valley on the other side of the pass, we would make a large loop then climb back up the other side which was a 7.5 mile climb, then descend back down into the town of Truckee, Ca., then climb back up to the finish in Northstar. It would prove to be the hardest course I have ever raced when combining the terrain and the conditions.

After the neutral start of about 3K down the steepest part of the descent the race started full tilt down a fairly steep descent into Truckee. I was initially positioned toward the front but with every one of the 130 or so starters trying to be in the front down the long straight hill I started drifting backwards as the speeds approached 55 MPH and we were packed together like sardines in a can. I don't mind fast descents, and even consider myself fairly competent at the discipline, but I will admit that I was scared shitless in that situation. Until that point there had just not been any hard racing to spread the field out before the hairball descent. Once we hit the bottom things calmed down a little and I was able to settle in and re-position towards the front before staring the climb up and over the pass. I was pleasantly surprised not to be under much pressure up the first part of the climb. There were enough riders to let others absorb accelerations and to be able to ride a consistent pace. About five miles before the top where the first feed zone was located I found myself in a six man break that got close to a 45 second gap on the field… up a climb! I knew then I was on a good day but still decided to ride conservatively and put very little effort into the break. As we crested the top of the climb I was literally begging for water but no one would give me a bottle. Towards the end of the long line a nice lady finally gave me a small bottle of water with a screw top. Better than nothing but I needed a lot more water if I hoped to even finish the race.

As the small breakaway group began the descent down into the large valley, the rest of the pack started bearing down on us quickly. It wasn't long before we were reabsorbed but at least I was in the front of the of the long single file line. Towards the bottom of the 7.5 mile long descent I noticed that one team, Mike's Bikes, had gathered at the front. It seemed they were very purposely keeping the pace high down the last part of the descent and I decided they were going to try to control the race in the crosswinds that would possibly exist in the large valley below. I was right, as we entered the valley the wind picked up and immediately upon making a turn where the winds were across the road they put it in the gutter. For a long time I was able to find a draft by riding on the extreme edge of the road. Behind me was carnage. Over half the field was dropped after only ten minutes or less in the very strong crosswinds. After another ten minutes I was in a select group of only about 30 riders but I was under pressure as I was no longer able to draft. The wind was cross tail so we were going about 34 MPH for what seemed like an eternity. The guy in front of me, Evan Bybee, finally popped. I urged him to fight back on but he convinced me to drift back to the next chase where we could get in an echelon and get a draft. Once we were in the echelon it was so much easier as were were able to rotate through and get a draft. We kept the front group within close reach and then, just like on TV, a rail road crossing barricade dropped and the entire front group came to a halt in front of us! The barricades were only down for a minute but in that time a group of about 60 reassembled.

By now, we had turned back toward the mountain and the crosswind had turned to a headwind and our group stayed together until the climb began. The other factor besides the wind was the heat! All of the major teams had vehicle support and guys were dropping back to the cars and collecting water for their stronger riders. I was completely out of water and was literally begging for bottles from anyone that had access to it. One guy on Elbowz gave me a bottle and I have never been so grateful. I found him after the race and told him he may have saved my life! As the climb began, a group of about 35 or so began to to separate from the rest. While I didn't make that front group, I found myself in the second group up the climb and ended up in a six man split, including my Louisiana buddy Johnny Brizzard, that rode away from the larger group. At this point I was encouraged that there were close to 100 guys behind me. I never imagined I would find myself in such a position and I was determined to keep it. An Arapahoe rider in my group dropped back and got an ice cold can of coke and gave me about half of it. Another life saver! Before the top of the climb we looked up to see a large black bear in the middle of the road! As we got closer it became apparent that he had been hit by a car and he was injured and quite agitated. He was also huge. I would estimate between 500-600 lbs! When we got even with him we skirted around him on the far left side of the road. The poor thing finally scrambled up the embankment so we didn't get eaten at mile 80 as I feared might happen!

Once we began the descent we all worked together to try and stay away from any chasers. Unfortunately, about 20 guys rejoined us towards the bottom before we got back to Truckee. I was thinking that I would now be lucky to finish in the middle of this group which would probably put me in the top 50. As it turned out, I was able to stay with a couple of the stronger guys in the group and held on for 37th place. I was very happy with that result considering I really didn't think I could even finish the race given the distance and the amount of climbing, not to mention the competition! I think the thing I really appreciated the most is that I have always considered myself more of a crit rider, without the physiology necessary to hang with the best in harder road races, especially if there is any real climbing. This result proved to me that we shouldn't pigeon hole ourselves into only being able to do this or that. Start every race knowing that anything can happen. You might end up having the race of your life on any given day and get a result you never expected! If you made it this far, thanks for reading!

Exhausted After 103 Miles

Age and the Art of Mental and Physical Maintenance

     Most people know I am an avid cyclist and have been for almost thirty years. It seems, however, that over the course of the last five or six years I have come to appreciate the sport even more than I did before. I think the reason is that I have begun to recognize what it has done for me both mentally and physically as I age. There are certain unavoidable consequences involved in the aging process. We lose our eyesight, our energy levels decrease, we gain weight if we even look at the wrong foods, our memory doesn't seem to be as good as it once was, and a host of other issues that, frankly, we would change if we could. The good news is that we can have some control over this process by slowing it through diet and exercise.

Fighting Father Time one mile at a time!

     What I have noticed as I have gotten older is that I can still get really fit. It takes a little longer, and I have to be more committed to a clean diet, but I can ultimately get as fit as I ever could. Just having the knowledge that it is possible is half the battle. I think so many people my age (50) literally throw in the towel assuming that they are past the point of being able to reach a decent level of fitness. Once they throw in that towel, many fall into bad habits of drinking to much, eating bad foods, being sedentary, and literally hastening the aging process as opposed to slowing it.

     The benefits of staying fit and healthy at this point in our lives are significant. Some examples are that I sleep better, I feel I am able to stay focused longer, I have more energy, my self confidence improves, my general sense of well being improves, the bags and age circles under my eyes diminish along with other physical benefits, and I am just generally happier!

     So, while I am still driven to excel by the competition, there is now another force that drives me that has become even more motivating. I feel very lucky and fortunate to have found a physical activity that I love as much as the simple act of riding a bike, especially given all of the incredible
benefits it provides us that are trying to stay one step ahead of father time! Good luck and thanks for reading.

Some Personal History and the 2013 Edition of Master Nationals

     I remember thinking to myself, years ago, that I would be lucky to achieve the results in the upcoming season that I had achieved in the previous season. The year was 1996 and I had just capped off an awesome year racing for the "Walmart Elite Team". We had twelve Cat 1 & Cat 2 riders, all of which hailed from Arkansas. We had a $50,000 budget, a team van, bikes, and training programs provided by the cycling guru, Joe Friel. It was as close to a "Pro" team as I would ever get. I had a lot of fun that year but I also put quite a bit of pressure on myself to achieve results. After the season ended, I was asking myself how I was going to possibly take the next step in terms of achieving even better results, given the fact that I had a house, a full time job, not to mention a serious relationship with the women I would end up marrying, I felt the chances of improving were nil. I ultimately decided not to race the next year simply because I would not be able to continue my progression without quitting my job, and then, either trying to go pro, or at least training like a pro.

     I think it was two years later that I hopped in a couple of local crits, thus reigniting my passion for racing. Soon after that, I started a team called the "Used 2 Bees". As we added members that did not necessarily fit that description, we changed the name to Central Arkansas Velo, or CARVE, now arguably the largest cycling club in the state. Back then I raised all of the money for our annual budget of $15,000. I was fortunate to have friends interested in cycling that ran successful businesses, and helped chip in for the sponsorship. We had a great group of guys that traveled and raced together to most of the regional races. Starting in 1999, and then well into the 2000's, I raced mostly Masters races and still placed a great deal of pressure on myself to achieve good results. It was interesting that some years were better than others in terms of results, and that my level of satisfaction seemed to be tied to how well my season went. Ultimately, life would win out and my ability to train would diminish with kid's activities, work responsibilities etc... In 2007 I passed the reins of running CARVE to Pat Barron at the Chainwheel. Pat wisely created a panel of Officers responsible for running the team. My interest in racing again waned until around 2010 when my son, Evan, started riding. Sometime between then and now, I had an epiphany!

     As I started racing and riding more, especially with Evan, I began focusing less on results, and more on the journey. I learned to enjoy my training rides with friends more, to enjoy the travel with friends to various events, to have a greater appreciation for the camaraderie that exist with all the great people with whom I associated while training and racing. As I consciously started focusing on this wonderful journey, and always trying to appreciate every little pleasure during the "process", a funny thing happened, I got stronger than ever! By simply trying to live in the moment, and not be so focused on setting goals for specific races out in the future, the pressure was lifted and the joy of simply riding my bike with friends and family replaced the previous attitude of doggedly pursuing a goal. I don't completely understand why I was able to get stronger after adopting this new philosophy, but I have to believe that it has something to do with eliminating what can be a very stressful way of living life. Without that constant stress and pressure I had always put on myself, the results were better than they had ever been. Why did it take me until I was nearly 50 years old to figure this out? I am sure many of you reading this figured this little secret out a long time ago. I guess it is as simple as the old adage of  "Stop and smell the roses", and other little sayings that encourage us to live in the moment.

     Now, having said all that, it's not always so simple to do. Try as I might, I still fall into old, very natural habits, and will obsess over some particular vision of the future I want to occur. And while I think I did a pretty good job of just enjoying the ride most of the last few racing seasons, I failed miserably when it came to this year's Masters Nationals race. Early in the year it was not even something I planned on doing because it was too late in the year (Sept. 7th), past the time I usually slow down and do other things. I decided in early July to go ahead and do the criterium, and that's exactly when the pressure started. I had been riding so well, that I began to visualize actually wining a National Champions jersey, something I have wanted ever since I started racing. With one near miss in 2006 where I got 2nd place in the Criterium at Nationals, I wanted to win this one! I started training as hard as I ever had before, eating as healthy as I had ever eaten, missing various activities with friends and family just so I could stay on the exact path that I had visualized that I felt would allow me to achieve this "goal" of winning a championship. As the event drew closer, the pressure mounted, and I actually started looking more forward to the event being over, than the event itself! That's messed up! Talking about reverting back to my old ways, I had literally thrown my new found philosophy out the window and was totally obsessed with the achievement of one goal, at the absolute exclusion of enjoying anything about the process of getting there!

     By the time I got to Oregon, I was so anxious and nervous about the race, that I literally was counting the hours until it was over. The day finally came and as soon as we started the race, I had this huge sense of relief. I was able to stay in the front of the 65 man field relatively easily, but I was still amazed at how many strong guys there were driving the pace. As we came through the start/finish with one lap to go I was sitting 3rd wheel feeling really good about my chances. Somewhere on the back side of the course, there was a huge attack up the right side of the single file line. It was the leadout train for the eventual winner, along with several guys that had jumped on the back for the armchair ride to the last corner. All of a sudden I was 12th wheel with three corners to go, further back than I had been the entire race! I had no choice but to get in the wind and start my sprint with about 500 meters to go, I dove the inside of the next two corners and came out of the last corner in 7th place, but was only able to move up to 3rd place by the finish. Had I been anywhere in the leadout that came around me on the back side, I may have been able to compete for the win.

     All that pressure and anxiety, and I still did not achieve the goal. Was it worth it? The answer is absolutely not. Had I treated it like every other race of the year, and gotten 3rd, I probably would have been ecstatic. The sad truth is that I was very disappointed given my aspirations. I wish I would have enjoyed the process more, focused more on all the positive ancillary elements associated with preparing for such a "big" race as Nationals. I guess I'm still learning. I don't think I will ever approach Nationals again with such an "all in" attitude. I would like to think I can adjust my approach to more closely resemble literally every other race of the year. I know that if I ever decide to race Nationals again, it needs to be on those terms. I guess I'm an old dog that's still learning new tricks! Live for the moment and don't obsess over your vision of the future! Those words are appropriate for every area in our live's. Thanks for reading.