February 2015 - The Racing Post
T H E R AC I NG PO S T February 2015 for Cycling Enthusiasts Cyclocross Ends Road & MTB Begin Products You Can Use We Review Them Inside Junior Spotlight Jonathan McAlister LIKE US ON FACEBOOK Plan Your Road Trip Calendar Page 2 R o a d R a c e s , C r i t s , T T ’s February 7-8 Cedar Hill Race Festival 21 Walburt Classic 22 Pace Bend Road Race March 7-8 The Primavera 7 Heads or Tails Cycling TT 14-15 Corsicana Stage Race 21 Armstrong Cycling Crit 22 Jesuit Ranger Roundup 28-29 Hammerfest April 11-12 The Blacklands 18-19 Matrix Challenge 25-26 Fayetteville Stage Race Cedar Hill, TX Walburg, TX Spicewood, TX Lago Vista, TX Beaumont, TX Corsicana, TX Dallas, TX Dallas, TX Fort Davis, TX Greenville, TX Dallas, TX Fayetteville, TX M i d - We e k R a c i n g March 5,12,19,26 KingRacingGroup Thursday Crit Dallas, TX 10,17,24,31 Dallas Racing Tuesday Night Crit Richardson,TX April 2,9,16,23,30 KingRacingGroup Thursday Crit Dallas, TX 4,14,21,28 Dallas Racing Tuesday Night Crit Richardson, TX Tr a c k R a c e s April 4,11,18,25 Alkek Race Series 26 The Keirin Houston, TX Houston, TX Mountain Bike Races February 7 DORBA Frozen Series 8 Rocky Hill Roundup 28 Mellow Johnny’s Classic Grapevine, TX Smithville, TX Austin, TX March 15 Hill Country Mountain Bike Challenge Comfort, TX 29 Bent Wheel Bash Abilene, TX April 12 Pace Bend MTB Fest Austin, TX 25 DORBA Prayer Mountain Pedal Dallas, TX M u l t i - S p o r t & A d v. R a c e s February 15-16 Great Amazing Race 16 Pedal to the Metal Duathlon 21-22 Fast and Furious 22 Superhero Scramble 22 Gnarly Naduah Adventure Race 22 Willis Band Zombie Run 28 5k ThrillSeeker Experience 28 Wild Wendigo Adventure Race Houston, TX Fort Worth, TX Fort Worth, TX Forney, TX Groesbeck, TX Willis, TX San Antonio, TX Bryan, TX March 1 Heroes & Villains Adventure Run 2 Tough Cookie Women’s Duathlon 8 5K Foam Fest 8 Eco Lonestar Adventure Race 8 Texas Cycling Challenge 8 Life Time Indoor Tri 8 Athens Triathlon 15 M-geo Magnolia Miles Bicycle Ride 15 5K Foam Fest 15 Berserkrgames 15 St. Patricks Day Kids Tri 22 Mean Green Triathlon 22 Battle at the Brazos Mud Run 22 SHAPE Diva Dash 22 Life Time Indoor Tri 22 Wet n’ Wild Triathlon 23 Great Amazing Race 23 Historic McKinney Kiwanis Sprint Tri 29 No Label Triathlon 30 Tri Tyler Triathlons 30 Enchanted Rock Extreme Duathlon 30 Conroe Tri 4 Fun Triathlon 30 Tall Texan Triathlon 30 Sul Ross Sprint Triathlon April 4 Tri Color Super Sprint Triathlon 4 Mud Run - DFW Spring 10-11 Kemah 5K Run, Tri & Kids Tri 11 WCBC Duathlon 12 Burnet Tri-Hard 12 King Tut Tri 12 IHL Sprint Tri 18-19 Baylor Tri 18 Mighty Mujer Triathlon 18 Lake Tejas Triathlon 19 Bucket List Tri 19 Texas State Sprint Tri 19 Caveman Triathlon 19 Wike Wiki Man Triathlon 19 Mosie Splash-N-Dash 25-26 HITS Marble Falls, Triathlon 25 HALE-uva Duathlon 26 Ironman 70.3 Texas Houston, TX Copperas Cove,TX Houston, TX Huntsville, TX Marble Falls, TX Flower Mound, TX Athens, TX Magnolia, TX Floresville, TX Kingsville, TX Keller, TX Denton, TX Bellville, TX Dallas, TX San Antonio, TX Corpus Christi, TX Dallas, TX McKinney, TX Katy, TX Whitehouse, TX Fredericksburg, TX Conroe, TX Boerne, TX Alpine, TX Fulshear, TX Lancaster, TX Kemah, TX Conroe, TX Burnet, TX McKinney, TX Longview, TX Dallas, TX El Paso, TX Colmesneil TX College Station, TX San Marcos, TX Flower Mound, TX Wills Point TX Cedar Park, TX Marble Falls, TX Plainview, TX Galveston, TX Bike MS Training Rides Open to Everyone! FEB. 7th –8am Training Ride/Bike MS Recruiting-Ft.Worth FEB.14th-8am Training Ride/Bike MS Recruiting-Arlington FEB.21st –8am Training Ride/Bike MS Recruiting-Hurst FEB.28th- 8am Training Ride/Bike MS Recruiting-Southlake Join our Bicycles Inc Bike MS Team www.bicyclesinc.com To u r s & R o a d R i d e s *Bicycles Inc ARLINGTON Century of the Month Ride distances for everyone.... 12, 23, 42, 61, 81 & 102 miles. February 1 Super Bowl Sunday Ride All Over Texas 7 Pedaling the Prairie Hempstead, TX 8 Bike for Little Heroes Hockley, TX 12 Chihuahuan Desert Bike Fest Presidio, TX *14 Bicycles Inc Century of the Month Ride Arlington, TX 14 Humble Lions Club Bike Ride Humble, TX 15 Tir-County Hill Hopper Round Top, TX 21 Ray Porter Memorial Tyler, TX 21 Jalapeno 100 Harlinger, TX 27-28 Texas Recumbent Rally Austin, TX 28 Gator Ride Baytown, TX March *7 Bicycles Inc Century of the Month Ride Arlington, 7 McAllen Arbor Day Challenge McAllen, TX 8 The Great Escape Manvel, TX 14 Pedal Thru the Pines Smithville, TX 14 B-geO Magnolia Miles Magnolia, TX 14 Big Thicket Bike Tour Kountze, TX 15 Tour de Houston Houston, TX 20-22 Reveille Peak Bike Festival Burnet, TX 21 Beauty and the Beast Tyler, TX 21 Education Expedition Missouri City, TX 21 Riverside Ride Victoria, TX 21 Steam-n-Wheels Abilene,TX 22 Bluebonnet Express Waller, TX 28 SpringFest Metric Century Brookshire, TX 28 Salado Smokin Spokes Ride Salado, TX 28 LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour Stonewall, TX April 3-5 Easter Hill Country Tour Kerrville, TX 4 Tour de Castroville Castroville, TX 4 Red River Riot Muenster, TX 9-11 Bessies Creek 24 Brookshire, TX *11 Bicycles Inc Century of the Month Ride Arlington, 11 Castell Grind Castell, TX 11 Katy Ram Challenge Katy, TX 11 Ark-La-Tex Challenge Texarkana, TX 11 Coastal Bend Tour de Cure Corpus Christi,TX 11-18 Ride 2 Recovery Houston, TX 11 Lampasas Hillacious Bike Tour Lampasas, TX 11 Dam to Dam Bike Ride Jasper, TX 11 Lancaster Country Ride Lancaster, TX 12 Ride Ataxia Dallas Denton, TX 18-19 BP MS150 Houston Tour Houston, TX 18 Ride for Heroes Aledo, TX 25 Germanfest Metric Century Muenster, TX 25 Red Balloon Run & Ride Plano, TX 25 Ride on the Wild Side Kingsville, TX 25 Shiner GASP Austin, TX 26 Fiesta Wildflower Ride San Antonio, TX See our ads on pages 6 & 25 Photo: Brian Hodes SUPER NATURAL Fluid in drops, dancing on pedals, Team TWENTY16 pros are both naturals and highly trained on their bikes. Fit, form, function united by Zipp Service Course SL bars. View it at youtube.com/zippspeed Allie Dragoo TWENTY16 Professional Cycling T HE R ACING P OST PO Box 210066, Bedford, TX 76095 817.282.2994 Contents Andy Hollinger - Editor-in-Chief Editor ............................................................. Jeff Garner W/F Roadie ...………....................….... Richard Carter Knobby Editor ....................................Kathy ....................................Kathy Hudson Tri Editor..........................................................Steen Editor..........................................................Steen Rose Turn Left Editor ………..................We’re still looking Support Services............................Feed Services............................Feed Zone Chick Photographers……….................. Jim Hicks ~ Lee McDaniel ~ Shawn Jantzen ~ Lauren Hollinger ~ Corvin Alstot ~ Robert Sprangle Contributors………............................. Susan Farago, Andrew Armstrong ~ Daniel Carruthers ~ Art Exum ~ Russell, Livingston ~ Ken Maclean ~ Richard McLamore ~ Steen Rose ~ Stefan Rothe ~ Kim Jennings ~ Lisa Tilley ~ Matt Davis ~ Payson McElveen Cartoonist....................................................Sadie Cartoonist....................................................Sadie Pudge Lick, Stamp, Lift…….............….....Baggins Lift…….............….....Baggins & Tucker Publisher…………….....................….......Lauren Publisher…………….....................….......Lauren Hollinger T HE R ACING P OST is published monthly and is available free-ofcharge at participating bike shops and cycling events. Bike shops or events who would like to have complimentary copies of T HE R ACING P OST are encouraged to contact us. Individual subscriptions are available for $30.00/year. For subscriptions or address changes, contact:us via email or call 817.282-2994 to use credit card. 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Vol. 15, No. 2 February 2015 Features 5 6 10 13 14 15 16 18 19 21 22 24 27 27 28 30 36 Product Review: Canari Winter Gear Indoor Cycling Blues Product Review: Selle SMP Saddles Cove Story: Why I ride my bike Ride Preview: LBJ 100 Ride into History Cross in Texas ~ all about variety Introducing Elevate Cycling Q and A with Brian Johnson First Race Long time Roadie ~ First Year Mountain Biker Introducing Crest/RBM Racing Racing in China Meet MSU’s Bill Ash An Elite Coach Looks at Scholastic Racing Photo Essay: Megan Baab Memorial Road Race Product Review: Aussie Cycle Works Bicycle Concussions in Cycling THERACINGPOST Available FREE at participating Bike Shops EXPANDED Digital editions with 15 to 20% more content Hosted: $.99 / mo or $10 / yr through http://digital.turn-page.com Download: $.99 / mo. through iTunes or eReader Letters and/or guest articles appearing in T HE R ACING P OST are the sole opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of T HE R ACING P OST staff. 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CONTACT INFORMATION Advertising Sales………[email protected] Race / Ride [email protected] Subscriptions……………[email protected] Letters…………………[email protected] Editor……………………[email protected] Publisher………………[email protected] 4 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 Regulars 2 7 8 11 12 20 26 32 34 Plan Your Road Trip Coach Speak RBM Rally Report: Choose your Spring Fling Chasing Miles The View from Back Here West Texas Wind A Champion’s Mind RBM What’s New At The Shop: SRAM CX1 Junior Spotlight On The Cover: Payten Maness at Resolution CX Photo by Lee McDaniel (story on P.13) WWW.THERACINGPOST.US Product Review: Canari Winter Gear By TRP Staff Winter is fully upon us and I can’t seem to recall such a sustained period of cold nastiness as we’ve had in central Texas these first weeks of January. Of course, it could be that my memory on such issues is shortlived. Or that I seem to be getting less and less immune to the cold. But seriously, they postponed Cyclocross Nationals. What more evidence could there be of incomprehensibly terrible weather, right? Right…. Enough has been said of that, though. Like many, I was disappointed to make the trip and not be rewarded with the chance to see the likes of Powers, Page and Trebon duke it out. Luckily, I made the trip worthwhile by eating enough Franklins BBQ, TacoDeli and Kerbey Lane for two men. And Magnolia Café. And New World Deli. It is also entirely possible we stopped at Round Rock Donuts on the way home, too. Yes, Austin, you may have your Parks Department, but you also still have 6 different Kerbey Lane locations, all of which provide ready access to pumpkin pancakes. By god, I won’t quit you, yet, Austin. This also brings me to my current predicament. This lousy weather is making it hard for me to ride! Truth be told, I don’t mind the cold. It’s rare that I even cover my knees until it dips below 40, but this unusually cloudy and damp cold has me protesting. Unfortunately, there’s no time for that when you’ve just created a body double at Austin restaurants. Tipsy Texan BBQ sandwiches and Key Lime pancakes mean extra miles, rain or shine. Lucky for me, I just picked up a new set of Canari’s winter kit. I don’t avoid knee warmers or tights just to look more Euro. Instead, I tend to avoid covering my knees because I don’t like the compression that most warmers place directly on the joint. It may be that keeping your knees warm is better for the joint, but often times, knee warmers cause me discomfort by compressing my patellas. Thousands of pedal rotations with something compressing one’s knee caps feels exactly as it sounds – uncomfortable progressing to painful. Thankfully, this isn’t the case with the Canari bib knickers. They area tailored well and provide adequate flex over the knees without sacrificing support for your upper legs. These have been a godsend over these cold and damp January days. I only wish I’d had these for cross season. Racing the weeknight series, we confronted several bitterly cold nights and the one pair of warmers I have that don’t trouble my knees always seemed to wind up around my ankles after a few laps of dismounts and run-ups. If you know you are going to start and finish your ride with your knees covered, bib knickers are a great way to go, and Canari’s provide a level of fit and utility that other brands are lacking. Made of Thermaltech with a brushed inner face, they also provide a level of winter weight comfort not available by paring your standard bibs with a set of knee warmers. The Canari long sleeve jersey offers just as much utility. Closer to a jacket in terms of warmth than your typical long sleeve jersey, it’s not meant for fall riding or a Texas winter day that may start in the 30s but end in the 50s. No, you’ll want to pull it off the rack for days that start cold and end cold. It’s Thermaltech fabric with brushed inner facing is a perfect weight for Texas, where most jackets are overkill for all but the coldest winter days, especially if you’re training hard and generating a lot of body heat. It’s a much better option than piling on layer after layer and feeling WWW.THERACINGPOST.US restricted on the bike, or blocking your jersey pockets with a bulky jacket that wears like a sail. Paired with nothing more than a thin base layer and Canari’s Raceday wind vest, I found Canari’s long sleeve jersey comfortable to the low 30s. Considering that it offers this level of comfort in a garment that is form fitting and still provides three rear pockets is a win in my eyes. Speaking of those pockets, Canari’s Raceday wind vest offers a feature I haven’t seen from other companies – a tucked 7” horizontal zipper that provides through access to one’s jersey pockets underneath. There’s no doubt that a wind vest is indispensable; it’s amazing the amount of warmth such a lightweight garment can provide simply by blocking the wind. However, I’ve also seen some of my more finicky teammates forego them because they block access to one’s jersey pockets. Several companies have responded to such complaints by including pockets on their vests. To me, that ruins the whole concept. A wind vest should provide warmth by effectively blocking the wind, but no more. It must be ultra light and ready to stuff in a pocket once things heat up or the finish line draws near. Adding pockets takes away from that by adding bulk. Canari solves all of that with their through-access zipper. Simple, but so effective. Rounding out the features, the back is mesh, which keeps you from overheating and has the added benefit of being very safety pin-friendly when it comes time to pin a number. I’ve rode and reviewed Canari’s summer gear. Their winter kit is just as good, and has the added benefit of being extremely versatile. Pricing is always key, and Canari is on point here, too. In fact, it’s a primary selling point, especially as it comes at no compromise to quality. Apparently you don’t always get what you pay for, because I’ve rode plenty of other kits that cost 30-50% more, but were of no greater quality. An added bonus is that all of Canari’s clothing is produced at their headquarters in Vista, California. This means faster turnaround and shipping times with no risk of orders being held up in customs. You can check out the Canari custom line at http://www.canari.com/custom/, and find their standard products at most local bike stores. WILD W ILD C CARD ARD CCarbon a r b o n FFiber iber R Repairs epairs [email protected] Joanna@SouthwestF rameworks.com 469-274-6248 D allas, T e x a s 469-274-6248 Dallas, Texas THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 5 Indoor Training Blues It is 4:30 a.m. and cold and dark outside. The alarm goes off, but I have been awake for several minutes already. I shut it off and hear my dog coming to make sure I get up and walk her. I let her out, then find my cycling clothes that I set out last night and put them on. I add an extra layer to keep the chill off, and take a caffeinated energy gel and wash it down with a glass of water. Then I head out the door to walk the dog a half-mile, while the cold morning air wakes me up and the caffeine starts to clear my head. Madness, I tell myself, being up this early. No cars pass us as we complete our walk. My dog Sancha is eager to eat her morning meal and my mood improves slightly as I put in a 60-minute Spinervals workout video in the bike room DVD player. I am on the bike by 5:00 a.m. I sync my computer to the Powertap, and start warming up as the video rolls. Coach Troy Jacobson on the screen is way too happy, but then again he isn’t on the bike, and it is the middle of the day in the studio. There are about 30 people on trainers on the video. Many articles have been written on the virtues of indoor cycling, and the reasons for training indoors are many: no vehicle traffic, time efficient, train any time of the day, allows you to control effort and intensity, etc. etc. The downsides are also numerous: monotonous, boring, painful, and the list goes on. All arguments for and against are true. Warmup completed, and onto the first set. Coach tells me to put it in the big ring/15, which is too high a gear for my Cycleops trainer. I can’t push that gear more than 70 rpm for a minute, so I use the big ring/21, which experience tells me will let me spin at 90 rpm. This is pretty close to my threshold at this time of year. The main set is 3 X 10:00 intervals at threshold, which is a good time trial or triathlon workout. The first interval is always hard until I am fully warmed up, which takes the first 5 minutes. I finish the ten minutes and am starting to sweat. It is about 65 degrees on winter mornings in the bike room, and even with a fan on I quickly warm up. I started training indoors about five years ago, and that first year I did 25 hours. Every year since I have done over 80 hours, and this year over 100 hours. I can get up as early as 0400, and be on the trainer within 30 minutes, do up to 2.5 hours, then shower, eat breakfast, and be at work by 8:00. Nobody would agree that it is fun, but it is a great workout. I do two or three trainer rides per week, plus an outdoor ride on the weekend. The downside is that I am usually alone. My friend and neighbor Michelle was my training partner for a few months last year, and she went from a triathlon newbie to winning a race in one season. Her family and grad school eventually took priority, and she had to stop coming over. My wife Donna occasionally jumps on her bike for an hour with me. She prefers music along with a workout video. I am OK with music, but our tastes differ, so we listen to her music. I watch the Spinervals videos if I need a canned workout, classics race videos in the springtime, Tour videos in July, and Ironman videos in October. I have a few classic cycling movies that I put on once in a while. Anything to stay mentally in the ride. On to the second ten-minute interval. I am warmed up, and work a little harder from the start. I watch the power numbers and try to keep it 10 watts over my threshold. I am good at maintaining a steady power output by now. The second interval seems to go by quicker. On the third one I can’t hold my target watts. When the numbers start dropping and I can’t bring them back up, it is time to cool down. I have done enough work, and any more will be counterproductive until I rest and recover. I look at the computer, and in my obsessive-compulsive mind I try to hit an even number of miles, and end at the nearest tenth of an hour, since I track every piece of data that I can. I get close enough, and then round up. Sometimes I wonder if I am training so I can record my data. Time to cool down, shower, and eat breakfast. The workout is done for the day and I make it to work on time. 6 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 by Mark Schnur %- & '1$$ & /'(, )*3 %).**). %. '"/'2 & ,& $', )*%-%).#..#%% )-# '" ( !0& '!",$" )*3%) %))..- .%3 & $/,! !0& $/,! )*3#. %).333 Full Service Bicycle Shop Biggest Selection of Accessories & Apparel Official Bike FW Jersey ONLY SOLD HERE! YEARS ROLLING Connect & Keep Rolling with Bicycles Inc #LETSRIDE WWW.BICYCLESINC.COM WWW.THERACINGPOST.US Coach Speak Don’ts of Dieting by Steen Rose Road and mtb season are upon us, and tri season is just around the corner. A few of us fit a little more snugly in our kits than we did at the end of last season, and want to lose a few pounds. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid. Don’t Diet Study after study and anecdote after anecdote show us that diets either don’t work, or that people gain back most or all the weight they lost while dieting. Dieting is hard, both physically and even more so mentally. Since it’s hard, stressful, and often not successful – don’t do it! Instead of dieting, work on developing healthy habits that are consistent with your goals and lifestyle. You’ll be happier, healthier, and the results will last a lot longer. Don’t Go Too Fast Restricting calories is tough on recovery, and recovery is key. Most sources recommend 1-2 pounds a week as a healthy weight loss goal when you’re training. That’s a 500-1000 calorie per day deficit, and even that can be tough when you’re training. Aim more for the 1 pound per week end of the spectrum, and don’t try to lose weight during heavy training or racing blocks. (Or, for that matter, other periods of high stress, like finals for a student or tax season for an accountant, but that’s getting a little more in-depth.) Of course you’ll need to run a caloric deficit to meet your weight loss goals, but focus on gradual and healthy ways to accomplish them. Don’t Focus on Weight Speaking of weight loss goals - the goal should be an appropriate body composition and a healthy weight, not just lower weight. For athletes, the type of weight we lose, and the kind we maintain is important. Being super light with no muscle won’t do you any good, and neither would being super ripped with a too-low body fat percentage. Fat is not bad, and the goal is not to have the lowest possible number. Fat does all sorts of good things, and is important for health and recovery reasons. As endurance athletes it's tempting to think that lighter is better, but the truth is that there's an optimal range. Sources vary, but 5-15% is recommended for athletic males, and 10-20% for females, based on sport. (The average American population is 22% and 32%, respectively, and several sources put 15% and 22% as "healthy.") Don’t Vilify Macronutrients This brings us to our last don’t – don’t vilify macronutrients. Low-this or low-that diets are in vogue, but in reality you need fats, you need protein, and you need carbs. Trying to avoid any of the three while training and racing is going to set you up for poor performances and failure. As we’ve discussed before, moderation is key. Allen Lim of Skratch and Feedzone fame, and Monique Ryan, author of Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes, both recommend something around 60% carb, 25% fat, and 15% protein. That’s hardly low carb or low fat! Obviously this is not a topic I can cover adequately in 500 words, so if you’ve got questions or want more information, feel free to check out my blog or email me. If I can’t answer your questions I’ve got 2 great registered dieticians I work with. The books by Lim and Ryan are also good places to start. Steen Rose is the owner and Head Coach of Athletes On Track. He has been competing in cycling and multisport events for 20 years and coaching for 12. His two passions are teaching and endurance sports, so coaching is a natural fit. He combines extensive racing experience with proven, scientific training methods, and an intense desire to help athletes reach their goals. He is a professional, full-time coach licensed by both USA Cycling and USA Triathlon. Steen works with all ages and abilities of athletes locally, nationally, and abroad. [email protected] Monthly Coaching • Coaching Consultations Threshold Testing • CompuTrainer Classes Power Meter Consultations www.athletesontrack.com WWW.THERACINGPOST.US VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 7 RBM Rally Report Choose Your Spring Fling There comes a time – really it will come – when the Saturday morning group ride will not be enough. You went out and bought a bike – a nice bike. You have a couple of sets of riding “kits”, probably given to you for birthdays or maybe Christmas, and a bunch of people who give or take someone have provided a group within which you’ve had fun riding your bike. You know the roads, you know what the traffic is like, where you get some water and an energy bar. Why fix what ain’t broke? Everyone answers this for themselves, but for me it was the sense of adventure and accomplishment. Living in the world we do, so much of life is spent spectating. On a bicycle, YOU are the main character in your own story. Stories demand – “More.” I mean “More” on a bicycle, not more in terms of more money or more transitory stuff like fame or adulation. “More” means more miles, more adventure, and more accomplishment. If you were honest with yourself, wouldn’t you like to ride more, if at least not different miles, among more peo- ple and share what others share and have shared in terms of challenge and achievement? Rallies across Texas offer all of that at the cost of some gas and a $30 - $45 entry fee. There is a rally – usually two – somewhere within a couple of hundred miles of where you are on any weekend of the year. Few attend rallies alone. Gather the group together and decide to go together versus the “normal” Saturday ride. Carpooling saves on gas, decreases the anxiety of first time event attendance and increases the story magnitude on the return trip. Most of the time rallies offer different distances for participants, so you can most closely match your normal riding length with the rally route. You might not even have to train specifically for the event. (Over the years we’ve had lots of articles about preparing for your first rally – check out the Racing Post’s website and look on the “Past Issues Page.”) The biggest hurdle is simply the decision to actual- Story by Lisa Tilley ly go. My first Rally was the Beauty and the Beast in Tyler, Texas in 1987. I’d never been to a rally before, but a bunch of the guys (who had become the Mid-Cities Wheelmen that winter) decided this would be the event to audition our brand new team jersey and do the 100k route (our normal training ride was about that long, anyway.) The ride started at 8, so we had to leave the Fort Worth area about 4:30 to catch some breakfast and be there in time to get everything together and stage in front. The various cars caravanned down I-20 and we made it there with only a bit of confusion that nowadays wouldn’t have taken place given cell phones and GPS driving directions. There is a picture somewhere of that cold and snow flurried morning but it’s not in my possession. I wish it were. The ride was incredible and most of the guys did better than me in terms of time. I was happy I accomplished it and my B&B 1987 T-shirt was kept and worn till it fell apart after a decade or so. Richardson Bike Mart 8 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 WWW.THERACINGPOST.US Since that day I’ve done hundreds of rallies; sometimes alone, sometimes with my wife on a tandem, sometimes with the “team”, and once or twice with my children. Twice I towed my daughter at the Waco Wild West in a bicycle trailer. Events make the riding special and provide the basis for personal accomplishment and adventure. Look at the front page of The Racing Post website, find one and go. Once a Rally Rider, you won’t want the “normal” ride to be the highlight of your bicycle time anymore. To help get you started, I’ll highlight a few early spring rides below for you to consider. Choose a Spring Fling and you’ll be hooked. The Lancaster Country Ride When: April 11, 2015 Where: Lancaster, TX Cost: Range: $25.00 Attractions: The two longest routes follow the Texas Blue Bonnet Trail at the height of wildflower season. “After the ride, stick around with other cyclists to enjoy the festivities on the square, including a Beer Garden provided by the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, Lancaster Historical Society and Ellen Clark!” GDB Event Page Ride Details: 24, 42 and 62 miles. Expect hills. Links: FB: Lancaster Country Ride, www.gdbclub.com Rider Comments: “The Lancaster Country Ride is a perennial favorite of mine for a variety of reasons. The community actively supports the ride with cheers and drum corps performances as well as appearances by local dignitaries like the mayor and others. The fly-overs are fun to watch. The volunteers are enthusiastic and very helpful. Greater Dallas Bicyclists picks a beautiful time of year replete with wildflowers galore. In fact, part of the ride follows the Texas Bluebonnet Trail. It all adds up to a very positive experience and always leaves me with warm glow and looking forward to the next year!” Mike Verseckes, Rally Rider Aledo Ride For Heroes When: April 18, 2025 Where: Aledo, TX Cost: Range: $30.00 Attractions: The annual Moritz Chevrolet Ride for Heroes supports first responders as well as area student clubs. The routes are scenic and challenging. Conquer the Moritz Challenge by completing the 70 mile route! Ride Details: Challenging. “Route lengths are 8, 23, 39, 58, and 70 miles (Moritz Challenge). Many people who ride here for the first time are surprised at the number of hills. Parker County is not flat. Bring your climbing legs. The roads are a combination of smooth state highways and county roads. The routes will not be supported after 3:30 PM. Please pick a route distance that you can complete comfortably within that time.” -RFH website Links: http://rideforheroes.org/ Rider Comments: “Ride for Heroes: early in the season, great attendance, plenty of law enforcement volunteers at high traffic zones, good routing, and adequate rest stops.” Harry Crouse, Rally Rider Bosque Tour de Norway When: May 16. 2015 Where: Clifton, TX Cost: Range: $25.00 Attractions: “Each will allow you to enjoy the beauty of the top of Texas hill country and be riding through the historical Norse community. The Norwegian settlement began here in 1854. Thousands of Norwegian immigrants, some coming directly from Norway and others from northern states, would eventually settle between Clifton and Cranfills Gap by century’s end. The Norwegian influence in the area is still very evident today, including Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, site of our first rest stop, and St. Olaf Kirke, or as it is better-known, The Old Rock Church.” -TDN website Ride Details: Expect hills. Routes including 20, 40, 60 and 80 miles. Links: FB: Bosque Tour de Norway, http://tourdenorway.com/ Rider Comments: “I'm looking forward to… Tour de Norway, too!! The website says " Since this is the top of the hill country there are rolling hills with a few good leg burner climbs, followed by fast descents." Susan Jarvis, Rally Rider Burleson Honey Tour When: May 23, 2015 Where: Burleson, TX Cost: Range: 35.00 Attractions: Scenic routes that allow you to pedal through quaint little towns. Ride Details: 7 miles, 28 miles, 46 miles, 100K/65 miles Links: FB: Burleson Honey Tour Bike Ride, https://honeytour.athlete360.com Rider Comments: “Good memories of Burleson Honey Tour! First T-Shirt ride that I was able to get all of my family members who ride to ride with me! My dad , sister, daughter and I had a great time there! It will be on my calendar now!” Tommy Brown, Rally Rider Get Rolling for 2015 ZLWK%LNH5HJ • Set up your ride or race for registration $XWRPDWH\RXUFOXE·VPHPEHUVKLS FORWKLQJRUGHUV Visit BikeReg today to get started! Your race starts here. The leading resource for Texas rides and races. d get rregistered egiste red all on o n one website. we b site. C Check heck o out ut upc upcoming o m i n g events an and w w w. B i keRe g .c o m/events/ TE X A S www.BikeReg.com/events/TEXAS www.BikeReg.com Part of the athleteReg family of brands. 888.956.9560 | [email protected] WWW.THERACINGPOST.US VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 9 Product Review: Selle SMP Saddles By TRP Staff If you ride much there is one this much variation, believe me, once you piece of equipment that will Evolution decide that its design is for you – there is a absolutely be upgraded; your saddle to meet your needs. saddle. Even good bikes come The lighter and higher tech models with mediocre saddles (cheap) sport hefty prices (full carbon with carbon because they know a rider WILL rails above $550), while the heavier, softer end up finding a “better” saddle models get down to around $80. The modsooner rather than later. There els I would use are around $280. Pricey? are lots to choose from with varyWell, how much is your riding experience ing characteristics involving size, worth? padding, weight, color among othMy “Evolution” is 230 grams and the ers. You may get used to a sadComposit – made of elastomerized Nylon dle that is not your favorite, but 12 filled with carbon fiber - is about 200. once you realize that you really Being a “heavCAN have both comfort and funcier” rider, I Composit tion, most riders will start their opted out of tireless search for “THEIR” sadthe Carbon dle. So why the cheap saddle on good bikes – they know rails which you’re going to replace it, and, like pedals, a saddle is somewould have thing you transfer from bike to bike. cut 50 or so If you’ve been around the sport for a while, you probably grams from have, somewhere, a pile of saddles that no longer make the the weight. grade. Usually they are in one of two conditions: a) pristine, in The Evolution that from the beginning it just didn’t work; or b) completely worn is made from a out with electrical tape bandages marking attempts to lengthen more traditionits lifespan. Saddles are one of the things you transfer from bike al material and to bike. More than any other part, saddles are “YOURS” has some very because how they fit your nether regions will determine if your m i n i m a l riding experience will be positive or negative. p a d d i n g With all that, you can imagine how much I looked forward whereas the to a product test of a saddle. A while back, in anticipation of their composite has ad run, Selle SMP asked me to test their saddle – they sent me n o t h i n g a “Composit” and an “Evolution” model for the test. Selle SMP saddles between the nylon and the leather covering. I will also say, when Selle all share a distinctive look – an “Eagle Beak” turned down nose, slop- SMP says foamed elastomer padding, it’s “racer” level padding. In ing almost rounded cockpit area to a raised tail. The distinctive design other words, I can’t really tell there’s padding there. We’re NOT callis that there is a wide, completely free, open, center channel. It looks ing it “cushy.” Maybe it’s all those years of riding, but could not tell the like two rails upon which you perch. Nobody will mistake this saddle difference between the two. for another – it is very unique. I paid very close attention to setting my saddle up. The website Upon first examination, it did seem weird. The product line all has very good explanations and diagrams showing you how to posishare the same general design but vary in size (which is mostly about tion the saddle – USE IT. Even a little out of kilter – fore and aft posiwidth), level of padding, material (mostly about weight) and gender – tioning or nose up or down and the results will be uncomfortable to say mens and womens because … well, because we’re different down the least. Following the instructions to the “t”, I used my wind trainer there. The “Full Carbon” model tips the scale at 105 grams while the to make the final adjustments. The design of the saddle makes the heavily padded “Plus” is 385g. Many of the models have different col- sweet spot obvious – once you’re there, you know it. To make the ors available to accommodate the fashion aspect of our sport. With nose adjustment, however, I found you have to ride a while. After about 20 miles, I raised the nose a millimeter. After 40 miles, I raised it another. My saddle nose is 2mm higher than level. Unless I gain or lose a massive amount of weight, it will stay there forever. How do I know? The saddle disappeared beneath me. Most of my rides are around 50 miles, but I have also put in a 100-mile day on this saddle. There was no noticeable difference in how the saddle felt during the ride. No numbness, no pain, no “rough spots” or any discomfort. It is firm, stable and provides just enough connection to provide enough road feel for optimum performance. It is so comfortable I can tell the differences between my titanium Moots seatpost and my aluminum Cinelli. As a man in my 60s, a correctly fitting saddle is especially important if I wish to have other areas of my life unaffected. In that respect, this saddle is a great help. If, spiritually, you long for that “One with the bike” state where the rider and the bicycle seamlessly blend, then a properly positioned Selle SMP saddle will help get you there physically. From my standpoint, it is well worth the bucks. Someone else will have to test the next one. 10 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 WWW.THERACINGPOST.US Chasing Miles By Joe Racer The Art of Suffering? There are a few themes that are grossly overplayed in cycling. In fact, I propose that a few of them, uttered by the right person at the wrong time, might just warrant a punch in the face. OK, not literally a punch in the face, but certainly a figurative one. As far as you know, anyway. Train harder is the first of those. Who might the right person be to utter that phrase and risk a punch in the face? Some unduly genetically gifted individual, chiefly. As for the ‘wrong time’, that would be when I have just finished a particularly hard block of training, or perhaps, when I have just been smashed by said unduly genetically gifted individual. Granted, there are those of us who could probably stand to dig a little deeper or commit further in our training, but ‘train smarter’ is far more practical advice for the majority of us. The myth of suffering is the second. Granted, suffering is a cornerstone of cycling; it is a foundation for sport’s beauty and the maker of legend. It’s why we revel in Jens’s “Shut up legs” and marveled at the footage of Floyd’s epic Stage 17 before his doping was made clear. Suffering is Paris-Roubaix. It is Johnny Hoogerland riding to the finish with legs torn apart by barb wire. Suffering defines our sport, but it does not guarantee victory. So let’s dispel this myth that the rider who is victorious is the rider with the most capacity for suffering. What wins races is preparation, tactics and efficiency. My recent cyclocross season is a perfect testament to that. I had a good season and was optimistic about my chances for a good showing at Resolution Cross, our state championships, until a Thanksgiving back injury sidelined me for a full four weeks. What could have been will never be known, but if I am honest to myself, even with a great planned finishing phase in the quiet month leading up to states, I might have turned out a top-10 performance, but I did not have the legs to take that top step. Yes, even in cyclocross, where suffering is insurmountable, capacity for pain means nothing if not accompanied by pure performance. In the aftermath of races, I have been guilty of berating myself for not going hard enough; for not digging that little bit deeper. I have lined up at the start and held conversations in my head about not being soft and going harder than ever before. And then I download my race files and confront the fact that I held 185+ for a full 45 minutes. My last cx race this season, my heart rate average was 187. That, my friends, is suffering. There is no going harder. And my reward for that was 12th or 13th – unforgettable to the extent that even I don’t recall the exact placing. Granted, there were some start issues, which can be race altering, but let’s not make excuses. Suffering is transformative, but what is better is efficiency. Suffering buys you two solid days of cross-cough. Efficiency gets you a podium spot. My mistake was clear – a short buildup left my power too shallow to ride for the top spots. What can we do but learn, though, right? Combine suffering and efficiency? Now we’re talking. Go forth into the winter chill and ride your bikes. Be smart with your training. Believe it or not, training smart doesn’t mean training harder. Often times, just the opposite. Training smart also doesn’t necessarily mean suffering more; at least not all the time. Just as often it means riding easy or resting more. It’s surprising how many people miss that and how so many perpetuate these myths. I don’t always get it right, but I’m a man of average genetics who better play his cards right if I want to be in the game. Sometimes it pays to know your limits. Sometimes it pays to know your abilities, too. If you’re born of gifted genetics, some of us average folks would appreciate you recognizing that and withholding the advice dispensing. That is unless you are keen enough to recognize there are others who may be training just as hard if not harder. Join our team and ride with the best Visit www .bikebarn.com www.bikebarn.com for more information ATASCOCITA A TASCOCIT A TA 7506 FM 1960 East 281-812-8423 CLEAR LAKE CHAMPIONS Bay Blvd. y Area Blv d. Dr.. 2422 Ba 6935 Cypresswood Dr 281-480-9100 281-320-0399 CYPRESS 25807 NW Fwy 281-213-3791 Ⓡ CUSTOM CUSTOM FIT STUDIO Weslayan 5339 Weslayan 713-432-7720 WWW.THERACINGPOST.US KA KATY AT TY 629 S. Mason Rd. 281-492-7433 UNIVERSITY 5339 Weslayan Weslayan 713-529-9002 WEST WESTCHASE CHASE 11105 Westheimer Westheimer 281-558-2234 VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 11 The View From Back Here By Russell Livingston The holiday rush is behind us and now we are faced with a barrage of Valentine candy and cards. One season follows the next and our limited time has many influences and demands. We are now in the throes of winter and this season appears to be just as severe and depressing as any we have witnessed in West Texas over the past few years. Perhaps, a little reflection on two random comments made during the past few weeks can bring us back full circle and get us back to what we like doing the most, riding our bikes. The View From Back Here has pretty much been sidelined due to a nagging foot injury that has made pedaling a bicycle nearly unbearable. After analyzing the situation, improper maintenance of my equipment and technique were the probable culprits. Nevertheless, it is onward and upward. The comments were made without any thought as to how profound they might be. Instead they were made, as offhand comments placed in the fertile minefield of my mind, only to explode at a later time and place. Christmas morning at our house is a hectic time. Paper is flying, gifts are being admired, instruction is being freely dispensed and the second cup of coffee is perhaps another hour away. During this mayhem, The View From Back Here opened two identically wrapped gifts. They were from my 30 something son, who is a thoughtful gift giver. The first gift was a set of pedals for my road bike. They were not clip in pedals, rather they are as nice a pair of cage pedals as I have ever seen. The mayhem continued and the second package from my son was an identical set of pedals for my trail bike. Basically, parked for several months, the 29 incher succumbed to the sore foot excuse. Welcome to Bike Friendly Central Texas Copperas Cove, Texas is located in the middle of miles of scenic, maintained paved roads in the foothills of the Texas Hill Country- with several routes ranging in distance from 10 miles up 100 miles. Contact the Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau at 254-547-7571 or www.copperascove.com For cycling maps, local accommodations and restaurants 12 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 Purchased on a whim and in response to my son’s acquisition of a similar alternate steed we have enjoyed several outings to the trail bike park in Odessa. Then his random comment came. He said that he had to do something to get his riding partner back on the road. He has missed riding with me and in fact, my inactivity has been mirrored, simply because he had no one else to ride with. Lesson learned and guilty party hands are extended upwards. Then last weekend, second weekend of January, The View From Back Here had occasion to spend several non cycling hours with old cycling buddy Jeff Brammer. Jeff and I began cycling at roughly the same time for similar reasons. He has been able to participate in numerous rides and even made an epic solo ride from Midland to Wichita Falls just because he wanted to. As we were working on the project at hand, a wheelchair ramp, the subject of cycling came up. The Permian Basin Bicycle Association is planning an annual trip to the Big Bend area for February. This club ride has been a popular outing for a number of Permian Basin cyclists and Jeff and his wife Kelly have been active in both planning and participation. I asked Jeff if he was ready for the big trip. He advised that he was currently in the worst cycling condition of the past seven years. So how do these isolated and random comments affect us today? Is there a “life truth” that can be gleaned from them? Can we move forward from our sorry state of affairs to a brighter future? The first lesson observed is pretty basic. What we do, or don’t do, affects others. Now my son is a grown man. He is certainly capable of making his own decisions. He could get on the bike by himself and ride to his heart’s content. We however, have an accountability relationship with everyone we ride with. Whether formally documented or casually agreed, we have a certain responsibility to those with whom we have associated. Sometimes, our mere presence makes a difference. We may not be the fastest, we may not even be able to maintain the group’s pace. We are critical though to the dynamic of any regularly scheduled group event or training ride. My sudden withdrawal from riding affected more than me. Now, someone else was without a riding partner. His routine was interrupted, his comfort zone was violated. His reaction was appropriate and the added guilt trip is simply a bonus. The relative merits of cage pedals versus mountain bike pedals versus road pedals is not the issue for this discussion. We are talking about remediation and rehab from a condition that this old fat non racer finds himself in. In a perfect world, there would be 50 or more pounds less of me and the issue would have never surfaced. Nevertheless, action has been taken and we will be back on the road and trails soon. The second comment from my friend Jeff is just as important. We all face our trials and tribulations. Oftentimes, we internalize our difficulties and begin to think we are the only poor individuals experiencing them. Should we be surprised when we find out that others experience difficulties? Instead, can we just find reassurance that even Superman has his challenges and difficulties? We are not identified by our difficulties and tribulations. We are identified by the way we react and overcome those trials. Therefore, The View From Back Here has resolved to face the New Year with a renewal. Once the snow melts, the ice clears and the sun shines I will be out there. Either riding my modified street routes or at the trail bike park, we will be there pounding out the miles and enjoying the company of those that have been neglected and nearly forgotten. We will get ourselves into better physical condition. As 2015 begins to unfold, The View From Back Here will be seeing more of you and enjoying the great outdoors. Everyone have fun, ride safe and please, no comments about the cage pedals. WWW.THERACINGPOST.US Why I Ride My Bike By Payten Maness All my life I have been involved in some sort of athletic competition. As a young girl I played soccer, softball, swimming, and competed in triathlons. It was actually triathlons in a roundabout way that started my cycling career. I was competing in USA Triathlon Youth Elite National Championships a few years ago when I suffered two very painful stress fractures in my hips. I was not able to run anymore and was tired of being hurt. I had always enjoyed the cycling portion of triathlon and was quickly getting better at it. The stress fractures helped me make my decision to focus on cycling full time. Every day I am glad I made that decision. I truly enjoy the sport of cycling for many reasons. As a cyclist, I enjoy working hard and reaping the benefits of the hard work. As a triathlete and swimmer I learned a positive work ethic that has translated over to cycling. Cycling is not just getting on the bike for a good workout; it involves the competition of races. The racing component of the sport shows me my hard work is paying off. I get satisfaction when I am able to finish ahead of people that beat me the last race. I am very competitive and like to be able to see my progress. Racing allows me to see the progress. A major bonus of racing and cycling is the wonderful group of oddballs like me I get to meet. Cyclists by nature seem to be a little different than most people; especially cyclocross riders. My friends think I am crazy for getting on a bike and riding for hour upon hour as they sit and watch TV. I enjoy going to the races across the country and meeting like-minded people and seeing new places, especially other girls like me who love racing. If I could change anything about cycling it would be the number of young female racers. I am tired of going to races and being one of the only female racers my age. With the help of the supportive people in my life I feel that the sky is the limit for my racing career. I hope to be able to use my hard work and dedication to benefit a team of young women like me and possibly be able to get a scholarship to college to help me earn a nursing degree. When I am no longer able to race, I want to give back to the sport that has been so good to me and become a youth coach to create more young riders. One of the benefits of cycling is being able to push through the hard work in order to see the results. Cycling is a sport of suffering; if you cannot endure the suffering you will not be a good cyclist. Cycling has taught me that hard work and dedication pay off if you are willing to make the sacrifice. I feel cycling will always be an important part of my life WWW.THERACINGPOST.US VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 13 Ride into History: LBJ 100 By: Carolyn Kennedy “All the world is welcome here.” Those words of President Lyndon B. Johnson are as true today as when he uttered them from the Texas White House in 1970. Today, however, it is the National Park Service, along with the Friends of LBJ National Historical Park, who welcome you. From our first ride in 2008, this family-oriented event has grown exponentially, with the 2014 event drawing approximately 1600 riders. Starting/ending on the air strip of the historic LBJ Ranch near Stonewall, TX (now the LBJ National Historical Park), this ride is regarded as the premier springtime cycling event in the scenic Texas Hill Country. We bill it as a “A Ride to Preserve History,” and for good reason: Luci Baines Johnson conducts a narrated bicycle tour in the afternoon of the historical landmarks on the LBJ Ranch; three restored rural Gillespie County Schools are used as rest stops (there are eight total rest stops), and all registrants may take a free ranger-led tour of the Texas White House – where so much of our government’s affairs were conducted during our 36th President’s term in office, 1963-1968. Saturday, March 28, 2015, is the day of the 8th Annual LBJ 100. The activities take place on the ranch that once was the “heart’s home” of the Lyndon Johnson family. 680 acres have been donated by the Johnson Family since 1972. The bequest of President and Mrs. Johnson allowed for Lady Bird to retain the ranch for her lifetime. When she died, the house and surrounding acres became the property of the US government, a precious gift to each of us—the American public. In 2012, NPS recorded 111,000 visitors to the park. The park is a shining example of a partnership that can exist between the NPS and its surrounding communities. Superintendent Russ Whitlock says, “We are delighted to share the stories of this place and to use the national park as a way to introduce our visitors to the love-affair President and Mrs. Johnson had for the Hill Country. “ Cyclists from all over the country and several foreign lands gather on the ranch for a tour that goes through county roadways and passes the verdant grasses, early wildflowers, and grazing cattle on the way back to the ranch. A variety of distances gives each rider a choice to fit his/her abilities. The short riding tour on the LBJ Ranch, led by the President’s daughter, Luci, allows for a unique experience from a person who lived those times. All participants are feted with music, snacks along the way, and a post-ride meal. Spectators can purchase beer and a meal. Everyone is invited to tour the ranch and Texas White House. To register for the event, please go to www.lbj100bicycletour.org. This site, hosted by the Friends of the Ranch, will give you all the details necessary to participate. Note the deadline for registration and the dates when schedule packet pick-ups in San Antonio, Austin, and Fredericksburg. The funds from the registrations help the Friends group to support the educational programs, recreational events, and maintenance of buildings on the national historical park. In the seven years since we began the LBJ 100, the Friends have helped to make available the entire first floor of the Texas White House for public tours. Additionally, we have sponsored thousands of school children to learn about Texas history and the tumultuous years of the 1960’s and President and Mrs. Johnson’s impacts on the nation. LBJ spent ¼ of his presidency doing our nation’s business at the ranch. Improvements have been made with Friends’ funds in several other buildings throughout the park. 14 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 More information on the park, a Calendar of Events, maps, and guides are available on the park’s website, www.nps.gov/lyjo. We invite you, your family, and your friends to take a trip to the park on March 28 and ride into history. Cross in Texas ~ It’s All About Variety! Story by: Fred Schmid Recently I was asked which cycling discipline I enjoy most. I've tried cyclecross, road racing, crits, a little TT, MTB cross country and off-road endurance racing. I couldn't decide because I enjoy everything I've tried. That said, there's something kwirky special about Cross. It seems to incorporate a little of each of the other disciplines. You get mud, rocks, sand, snow, ice, vertical barriers, wooden bridges, velodromes, singletrack, flat road sections and short, steep climbs. One venue has me using a road cassette, the next place I'm switching to mountain bike gears. Of course, one reason courses vary so much is the diversity of terrain organizers have to work with in a state the size of Texas. They have to contend with limited periods of availability, and satisfy a lot of regulations, too. But I think a lot of it is philosophy. Because most organizers are riders, they design courses that reflect their own riding experience and developed preferences. Philosophies vary from having the riders spend a lot of time afoot climbing stairs, mounting high barriers, grunting up extremely steep, short climbs, slogging through long sand pits - to courses where virtually everything can be ridden but require a lot of handling skill - longer, more moderate climbs which require higher power held for a while, sweeping turns which you can take at high speed if you have the courage to do so, and long road sections where you can capitalize on the ability to accelerate, and for all courses, the dreaded off-camber turns. Not being much of a runner, I prefer the courses that let me stay on the bike. I sometimes get credit for climbing a steep hill when I'm really just too lazy to get off and run. In think our editor of the Racing Post, Andy Hollinger, had a hand in a couple of those. Thanks, Andy! Another aspect of CX that's special is the fans. Because the short courses allow good spectating, lots of people watch. There used to be a lot of heckling. I liked that but will take the cheers, as well. Of course, when people are watching, you see numerous riders in costumes that would do justice to Halloween. Chasing down someone in a tutu gives me additional incentive to pass. Finally, I like the bikes. For the nationals, I acquired a 2015 Specialized Crux Pro Race UDI2 with disc brakes and electronic shifting. Matthew Bates, manager of The Bear Mountain, moved heaven and earth to get it for me in time. I watched while Jacob Creighton assembled it beautifully. When I rode it for the first time, it felt as though it were made just for me. CX bikes resemble road bikes but have a less laid-out geometry and somewhat wider tires. So the whole ride is more comfortable. These bikes give you confidence to ride a lot of terrain you'd avoid with a road bike. I plan to do some grand fondos and a lot of country road riding on it later in the year. So it's not just a winter season bike. All in all, I like CX because it doesn't force me to choose a type of riding. With CX I get to do it all and laugh at myself a little in the process. VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 15 Introducing: Press Release: Announcing the 2015 Elevate Cycling Team 2015 looks to be another big year for the Ft. Worth, Texas based Elevate Cycling Team (formerly Think Finance). Following a merger with Boneshaker D1 Racing, the team has now set its sights toward developing the best amateur riders in the country, with the goal of placing them in a UCI Professional Team. Elevate Cycling will target UCI Americas Tour, USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar (NRC), selected National Criterium Calendar (NCC) events and major Texas races (TXBRA). “The merger adds more depth and experience to the roster. Elevate Cycling will be great for rider development both on the bike and in ‘real life.’ 2015 should be an exciting year,” says team manager, Adam Mills. “We’re excited about the team we have, and some of our new riders. I think we have a team capable of making some noise at the professional level,” says manager Heath Blackgrove. Complete Roster: Managers: Heath Blackgrove, Logan Hutchings, John McAllister, Adam Mills Riders: Zack Allison, Mario Arroyave, Jake Arnold, Mark Baerd, Nate Beams, Alberto Covarrubias, Caleb Fuchs, Colton Jarisch, Skyler Mackey, Mitchell Sides, Kyle Sigl, Shadd Smith, Mat Stephens, Nick Torraca, Logan Von Bokel Follow the team: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Strava Elevate has stepped into the role of primary sponsor for the program. The team will be riding Focus Bikes, brought to the program from Mad Duck Cyclery. Spy Optic will provide both active and casual wear optics and the team will be covered by Lazer Helmets on their custom Castelli clothing. Riders will utilize the services of Source Endurance for training and A Champion’s Mind will provide sports psychology services. Bearded Brothers and Nuun will handle the riders nutritional needs. Other sponsors include: WD40 Bike, Chamois Butt’r, Michelin Tires, and Reed and Scardino. Riders will be working year round with Boneshaker to help inspire kids to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. 16 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 WWW.THERACINGPOST.US Q&A with Brian Johnson Q&A with Brian J o h n s o n , Nutrition, Lifestyle and Movement Coach, Dallas Texas Being that it is post holidays and a new year everyone is interested in learning new ways to become healthier and to detoxify their bodies. Water is a key to the detoxification process and drinking a good mineral dense water supports your body’s natural function of detoxification is important. Q. Why is it important to find a natural and simple way to detox? A. The body is always naturally detoxifying and when given the correct tools: quality water, proper nutrition and movement. It lessens your body’s burden and makes the job of taking out the trash easier and much more affective. Q. How does the body detoxify with water? A. By hydrating the cells and tissues, they can function optimally and effectively carry toxins away from and out of the body. Water is one of the most effective, simple as well as one of the least expensive ways to detoxify by providing the raw materials for cellular function. 18 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 Q. Why is Crazy Water a good choice and what makes it a better choice than other waters? A. Crazy Water is a still mineral water that is naturally enriched with minerals and electrolytes. Nothing is added and it’s minimally processed leaving it with an inherently high pH. Because of the mineral density and the alkalinity it makes it a perfect candidate to properly hydrate the tissues and carrying out excess waste. It’s also tested to be free of synthetic additives or chemicals like pesticides or other health harming substances that would otherwise inhibit the cleansing process. Q. What is your recommendation for those wanting to start a simple detox? A. The standard water recommendation is to drink half your weight in ounces a day. An average 150 lb person would then drink 75 ounces a day to maintain proper hydration. When you support your body with enough quality water that is mineral dense you don’t need the complicated and expensive detox plans to support the process. To aide your body’s natural detox process a general recommendation would be to drink 2- liters of Crazy Water No.2 or 3 and ½ to 1 bottle of No.4 a day. I have found is that the minerals and pH of Crazy Water helps to keep the body hydrated longer due to the fact the minerals needed by the body are present in such large amounts. WWW.THERACINGPOST.US First Race Story by: Kellen Winslow Introduction by TRP Staff Kellen Winslow Jr. is a ten-year veteran of the NFL, having played for the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, New Englad Patriots and the New York Jets. Like his father before him, Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow, Winslow Junior was a tight end. Now, Winslow is proud to identify himself as a cyclist. Beginning in 2004, Winslow suffered some unfortunate luck when he broke his right fibula. Then in 2005, he suffered another significant leg injury that caused extensive damage to his right knee. It was these injuries that led Winslow to the bike. Through cycling, he rehabbed his knee and was able to resume a successful career in the NFL. He didn’t leave the bike behind, and now, cycling is one of Winslow’s primary focuses. Winslow demonstrated the product of his hard work by winning the 4/5 race at the Megan Baab Challenge in convincing fashion. This was Winslow’s first race. Following his win, Winslow shared his thoughts with The Racing Post: Being that The 2015 Megan Baab Memorial Road Race was my first race, I didn't know what to expect. My first thought was, “Wow, Is this real?!” There were so many amazing athletes that participated. I was amazed how teams were involved and just to see the way they worked together was eye opening. I was able to observe the way they communicated out on the course, which was also pretty cool. Coming from the NFL, I am used to working in a team environment and it was amazing how a sport that looks like an individual sport to the uninitiated, could involve so much teamwork. I was SO happy with the outcome of the race. Taking first in my category was surreal for my first race! The win solidified that all my hard work and training has been paying off. It reassured me that I belong in this sport and gives me even more drive to climb the ranks to achieve my goals of being a dual sport professional athlete. I can’t wait to continue in this incredible sport and see where it takes me. Ⓡ Experience the Bikee Barn Custom Fit Studio. A state of the art studio providing viding WKHXOWLPDWHĆWH[SHULHQFH Maximize W attage Wattage Impro ve Pedaling Pedaling Improve (IĆFLHQF\ (IĆFLHQF\ 3 UHYHQW,QMXU\ 3UHYHQW,QMXU\ Bike Barn C Custom 5339 339 Weslayan,, H Houston, uston,, TX 77005 7 713-432-7720 13-432-7720 ustom Fit Studio,, 5 ouston, www.bikebarnstudio.com www.bikebarnstudio.com VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 19 W e s t Te x a s W i nBydRichard McLamore By the time you read this, road-racing will have begun, mountain-bike racing will have subjected people to an 80-mile excruciation exam, and Cyclocross will have seen nationals slip, slop, and slide through Zilker Park. All great stuff. What you see in the photo above, however, is a piece of cycling history (and a more extreme version of what a buddy calls one of his “holy grail” quests): the 4 rear rollers of the 80s cycling torture device known as the American Classic rollers. From late November until February us rollers aficionados can be sure to get some strange looks from the non-roller people. The quizzical looks always come with a main course of “isn’t it hard to learn how?” and a side-order of “but what do you do for resistance?” Almost everyone who’s known me for any time at all knows what usually comes next, but the combination-plate response of “Dude, if you only knew” is really meant to be an open-letter to American Classic: Bill Shook: Yeah, you were 30 years ahead of your time with these rollers. Now in the era of TrainerRoad, Zwift, Strava, Sufferfest, and the ones I’m missing, it’s time to bring these mid80s instruments of torture back. Perhaps with a special soundtrack cd of Dead-or-Alive, Shriekback, Billy Idol, and assorted hair-bands. Here they rest in all of their evil glory. 6 1.25” drums of nastiness, tethered together with a new belt strung through 4 of the 6 drums. Originally, American Classic marketed these babies as a friendlier version of rollers because the 6 drums provided more engagement for the wheels and with the 4 rear drums angled (as seen in the first photo) they cradled the rear wheel. So, flush with that power known as the shop discount, I bought this set for my mother. Not long after that (if I’m remembering things correctly after all this time. If not, treat it as a reminiscence that is true of our experience with these things in College Station and a very small segment of Fort Worth, confined to the 4300 block of 20 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 Selkirk Drive West), American Classic tried to turn the problem with their friendly design into another strength: they had solved the problem of rollers lacking resistance. If I remember right, I almost never rode these in the 80s—the few times I tried I wondered what I had been thinking giving them to my mother, and disbelieved her every time she told me that she’d ridden them for any length of time longer than 15 minutes. They were torture. Almost any outside meteorological condition short of brimstone pellets and flying monkeys was preferable to spending any time on them. And then I moved to Connecticut and lucked into a room-mate who owned a decent set of rollers. [Oh the stories there—of confounding our downstairs neighbors who had to see what we did that made their chandelier oscillate; of putting a pedal through the drywall (and somehow sliding that by the move-out inspection, but that would be a digression]. And then, I moved back to Texas. And started riding again. And started training again. And discovered, preserved in a coat of dust, the rollers. Age, however, had not been kind to the belt. It broke the first time I tried to ride them. A minute or two of internet-sleuthing and a phone-call later, and a new belt was on the way to what I had learned was my relic: one of the few sets of 6-drum American Classic rollers. In what I take to be an inexcusable (this sentence is mostly tongue-incheek) concession to the weakness of American cyclists, Shook and American Classic sold a hybrid 5-drum version for a while. It too has long been discontinued. I also learned a cheat-code thanks to that phone call: to ease the resistance, only route the belt through the first rear roller-drum. And thus, fueled by recorded OLN broadcasts and cherished WCP videos and DVDs, my roller-training commenced in earnest. [May there be a level in hell reserved for ‘coaches’ who recommend workouts best done while doped to ordinary people. And may they have to continually clean the carpet immediately adjacent to my rollers, if you understand . . .]. Over the years, a steady dose of West Texas Wind convinced me that riding those rollers with the ‘easy’ belt-set-up was every bit equivalent to a 10-12 mph headwind. (More recent, power-meter gauged efforts produce the following: 39-23@85 rpms requires 130 watts; 40kph is a 290-300watt effort). But those results should come with an asterisk, because they are produced with the second cheat I discovered. [One more digression: rollers are a great way to test wheels, tires, and bike fit. If a wheel’s not true or if a tire is squirrely, you’ll feel it in seconds. The position you struggle to hold, or can’t hold on the rollers is one that you might be able to get away with on the road because you don’t have to commit to it all the time like you do on the rollers.] As the belt stretched over the years, I re-routed it back to the original configuration. I’d also begun experimenting with tire pressure. The first few years I’d just ridden with regular old everyday tire pressure. But I wondered, what would happen at, oh 150-170psi? A whole lot less resistance, that’s what. Combine high pressure with a stretched belt, and the American Classic rollers ride a lot like regular rollers. As the belt stretched out even more, the high pressure meant the rear wheel slipped out with any irregular pulsing in the pedal-stroke—as in an acceleration at the beginning of an interval, or, worse, in the deaththroes of trying to hold a power output in the last minute of an anaerobic effort. So, I reduced the tire pressure to something more reasonable and replaced the belt. After all, the point of indoor training isn’t to see how often you can hit 70kph or 160 rpm, it’s to get stronger. And now, when we’re blessed with Lemond Revolutions and Wahoo Kickrs, which mimic road feel and provide excellent training interfaces with a variety of programs, you might wonder why I think Mr. Shook and American Classic should re-produce the 6-drum rollers. Well, it’s simple: they are an evil, evil, evil workout tool that lasts forever and makes you a better and stronger rider. WWW.THERACINGPOST.US Long Time Roadie, First Season Mountain Bike Racer By Nate Sheetz Up through Fort Hood 2013 I'd never ridden a trail in my life, and when I busted up my shoulder three days after Fort Hood 2014 while celebrating my return to the dirt, it was par for the course; yet another mountain bike wreck in a long chain stretching back to that first ride a year before. Austin's an awfully unforgiving venue for a beginner, but I'm nothing if not an ambitious cyclist. Some teammates and I are looking to cross Leadville off our bucket lists this year, and I knew I needed to keep pounding away at the trails this fall if I wanted to have any chance of qualifying. So I barely touched a road bike through October and most of November, and by steady osmosis I started getting less slow and (perhaps even more important) less injury prone. Having never raced on a trail before, I targeted the TMBRA marathon series to get my first taste of the sport. When it comes to the road, I always say the longer the better, so these 4-5+ hour MTB races seemed the perfect introduction to racing off-road. The race at Big Cedar early in November was a humbling lesson in (running) switchbacks, with a gnarly detour into a prickly pear patch, but the real trial by water was yet to come. Leading up to Fat Chuck's Revenge (the ~50-mile race at Rocky Hill in December) I was checking the forecast daily, increasingly chagrined to see soaking rain expected in the days leading up to the race. I was tempted to back out, but Paul Uhl managed to convince me that with appropriate reroutes the course would still race well when wet. Sure enough I headed out to Smithville to toe the line that chilly Saturday morning. And it was a blast! Sure, there were mud puddles you couldn't see the bottom of - I swear - every 15 seconds for half the course. "Point the bike down the middle and hope it goes through," became my motto, and for the most part it served me well. I crashed more than once and got plenty dirty in the process, but at least mud provides a nice soft landing. I came away with a halfway decent result and started psyching myself up for the event people have been telling me I should race since long before I ever owned a mountain bike: Excruciation Exam. EE starts with a lap of Bluff Creek Ranch's singletrack in Warda, then follows mixed roads about 30 miles to Rocky Hill for a lap there, and finally returns to Warda by a somewhat shorter route for another lap before the finish. But once again, rain plagued the days leading up to the race, and both trails were soaked. Thankfully there was no rain the morning of the race, though it was still quite cold. Undeterred after my excellent experience at Fat Chuck's, I lined up despite the adverse conditions. The course had been shortened to take out the least rideable wet sections of both trails, and we were warned that, depending on time checks along the course, the 2nd lap at Warda might be nixed altogether. I had a surprisingly good run through the Bluff Creek singletrack and got into a great group on the pavement that managed to sweep up everyone between us and the 2nd group overall (with only 4 from the Open further up the road). As a roadie, I was having no end of fun working a tight paceline with something like 8 mountain bikes zooming along upwards of 2223 mph. And then we hit the real dirt. I wasn't fully prepared for the dirt roads in this race. Days of rain had left them a soft and soggy, legsapping, soul-sucking quagmire. The organized paceline dissolved as each of us weaved all over the road looking for any tiny strip of solid ground, where none was to be found. My glasses became worse than useless after about 10 minutes, and more than once after I took them off I had to blink a glob of mud off one eyeball or the other. We were just plastering each other with the stuff. Once we finally got to Rocky Hill, I knew I was punching far above my weight with these guys as a trail racer. I pitted, got to the singletrack last, and never saw any of them again. But we'd worked so well together on the road that the gap we'd pulled out held for me all the way through that lap, and I rode back to Warda all alone. There were more dirt roads, but no tires in front of me depositing mud on my face. I'd been looking forward to another section of actual trail after all that lonely time on the road, so I was actually a little sad to see the final lap at Bluff Creek canceled. But after more than 4 1/2 hours of hard riding, I guess I wasn't too terribly reluctant to stop pedaling. I was a little shocked and more than a little pleased to find I'd won my age group - though let's not get ahead of ourselves here, just 13th overall. Less slow all the time, and just might be fast someday? We'll see. After crossing the finish line and mercifully climbing off the bike - but before the glorious hot shower that finally followed - I got a real kick out of surveying all my muddy kit. And the funny thing is, it wasn't the wet trails that did the job. I think about 90% of my badge-of-honor mud that day came from about 10 miles of dirt road between Warda and Smithville, riding in close proximity to a bunch of other guys all looking for the good line that simply wasn't there. What a unique bike race! Texas’s Premier Time Based Stage Race Sponsorship Call Open Now 5 Mile TT - Crit - Classic RR March 14th & 15th www.TourofCorsicana.com VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 21 Crest/RBM Racing By John Murazak Photos by Robert Spangle Master 40+ Elite Team Debut at TRP Winter Criterium Nothing can be more motivating in preparing yourself for the upcoming 2015 Texas racing season, than being part a new team. Let us introduce you to Frisco Cycling Club’s dedicated Master 40+ Crest/RBM Racing Team. With the generous financial support of our two main sponsor’s “Crest Auto Group” a premiere Cadillac Dealership in Plano, Texas and “Richardson Bike Mart” serving the Dallas area cycling community, we were able to transform this dream into reality. Our goal is simple; to dominate the ever competitive ego fuelled Texas Masters Racing scene, with an objective of having our Jersey represented on the top of every podium. In our impressive team debut race today at the Fort Worth Winter Criterium, we proudly collected all 3 podium spots in the premiere P123 race, proved to all we’re here to mark our territory. We then followed up on the next race P1234 race with a 1st and 3rd. An early testament of this team’s cohesiveness and racing prowess that our competitors should be very fearful off. Our motto: We train hard – ‘Damn Hard’. As with every vision emerging from some fleeting ideas with friends over a casual training ride, our dream of building this team finally emerged to what it is. From the success of last years Crest/RBM 35+ masters team winning TXBRA Cup 2014 Trophy along the way, it was only inevitable that a Master 40+ team gave birth. Steering our ship is Brent “El Capitan” Moulder who had a great year collecting a 4th in the Texas State Master 40-44 Road Championship and also 1st the previous day in Skilled based Open Road Championship. Then we have Brad “the Beast” Hess, aptly named for his dominance in ripping apart the 35+ 4/5 TXBRA Cup competition and carried back home the spoils of the trophy, all in just his first serious year of racing. Next in line, Doug “D-Ray” Ray proved his worth last year with very strong results in the 40+ racing, 22 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 together with Geoff “Frisco Mortgage Guy” Davis, our wisest rider. His guidance from his early National Pro racing career will be invaluable. Danny “Sparticus” Finlan, our sprinter extraordinaire and track specialist will be returning to the fold after his year-long sabbatical wife sponsored house project. Rounding our team is John “Thunder Down Under” Murazak, our 2013 Australian Master Track Champion import who managed 3rd in both Texas State Master Championship 40-44 Time Trial and 40-44 Criterium last year. In our inaugural season we would like to wish all our fellow master competitors and their respective teams luck. They will surely need every bit of it Racing in China by Daniel Carruthers who has been living and exploring Yunnan by bike for several years “I found the Gran Fondo event to be unique and well done even though it was the first year. I will be bringing as many non-Chinese cycling friends as possible to the 2015 event as I think it is a great way to get a taste of China, especially the less cosmopolitan side and in a beautiful, healthy, and safe manner.” Smith is convinced this event is going to be well placed to help raise the profile of tourism in Yunnan Province,”If this event does not “explode” into tens of thousands of people over the next few years, I will be dumbfounded.” The Colorful Yunnan Gran Fondo (www.granfondochina.com) will be run in November 2015 and it’s a perfect way to experience ancient villages with stunning scenery as the backdrop, especially in Lijiang and Dali. Lijiang in the western part of Yunnan was the favorite with all the riders and it is expected that the 2015 edition will see more racing hap- The biggest difference you’ll notice with racing in China is the grandeur; Chinese events love to organize on a large scale and this includes large awards ceremonies that have you feeling like a Pro Tour star. The award ceremonies can be downright spectacular; with processionals, music, fancy looking plaques, trophies, bouquets and over-sized bottles of champagne given to competitors to spray in celebration. Alex Rodriguez, a strong rider from Austin Texas, had experienced the hospitality and the racing in China, “It was a veritable Pro-Tour level celebration. Never in my life have I been sprayed with Champagne on a huge stage in front of crowds! I'm still shaking my head at how amazing the entire day was!”. Rodriguez was truly impressed and surprised with how great the Chinese cycling experience was, “I’d never imagined at the start that this journey would be such an amazing cultural experience. I made new friends from many different places and it all happened on the other side of the world. And I got to experience China and its wonderful people in a way that I’d never thought possible. That’s the part I find marvelous about the bike. That it can be a means for travel and for making connections between people no matter the location or language. And that was the sweetest surprise of all.” If you are considering racing overseas, perhaps include China on your list of destinations to visit for a stint of racing. Although the standard and the etiquette of the racing may not be as high as the P12 ranks in the amateur fields, the Chinese riders are improving all the time and what is a major difference from racing in USA or many Western countries is that the courses are held on full road-closure like you get for high level races such as the Pro Tour and other UCI events. The Gran Fondo concept is slowly taking a grip of China with Nordic Ways and KuaiSports.com spearheading this growth through the organization of Gran Fondo’s in the Middle Kingdom (granfondochina.com); more recently they successfully held the inaugural Colorful Yunnan Gran Fondo in late November 2014, perhaps the only 5-day stage race billed as a Gran Fondo. Stuart Smith, an Expat 24 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 pening in that region. Visit the official website for more information about how to enter and how to get there. Yunnan Gran Fondo: My Verdict From my perspective, having competed throughout China, this Gran Fondo week represents one of the most scenically beautiful races organized in China, topped only by Sailimu Lake in the far-flung western region of Xinjiang. I particularly enjoyed the final few days in the famous locations of Dali and Lijiang. Stage four was raced on twisty, narrow roads fringing the edges of Erhai Lake, passing by numerous ancient buildings and temples, with the majestic mountains capped with snow rising up in the background. The finish had us going down a narrow cobble-stoned street hemmed in by tea-shops into the old city of Dali; a perfect ending to a brilliant day on the bike. The final day in Lijiang was unforgettable, with the imposing, whitepeaked Jade Dragon Snow Mountain reaching into the swirling clouds as the racing action unfolded. The parcours was brilliant, starting in front of a large crowd in the old city of Lijiang. To begin with the roads were wide, smooth and newly made, reflecting the pace of modern Chinese development. However, it got exciting once the race hit the winding, narrow roads with dense trees on both sides as well as a short, steep hill climb through the village and passing through an ancient temple at the top. The finale was a tough 12-km climb with the stunning Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in full view. After the race was over, it was a brilliant, fast descent all the way back to the city of Lijiang for a well-earned rest! The week-long event is a perfect introduction to Yunnan Province and will leave you wanting to experience more. If you choose to do this gran fondo, I highly recommend that you allocate a few extra days after the event is finished so you can explore places like Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-La and more of the Lijiang area; it is simply fantastic. I remember cycle touring in the region back in 2002 and being absolutely gobsmacked by the profound beauty. You can spend quite a few days just exploring by bike, seeing plenty of hidden-away villages and rice terraces. People are also very welcoming and will invite you in for a cup of tea if you are friendly enough and know a few words of Mandarin. If you can't wait till November time for the event, there is nothing stopping you from embarking on your own tour of Yunnan. The province is full of immense treasures and the Colorful Yunnan Gran Fondo has only barely scratched the surface. WWW.THERACINGPOST.US VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 25 A Champion’s Mind: Story by: Mario Arroyave E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @achampionsmind Instagram: @a_champions_mind "Although successful performance is the greatest influence on confidence, vicarious experienceimagining success or watching someone else achieve success- is also a consistent source of confidence." -Albert Bandura Here is the link to an interesting article dealing with Visualization and Imagery: http://www.thesportinmind.com/articles/imageryand-visualization-strength-and-conditioning-forthe-athletic-brain/ The statistics given in this article show that many elite athletes employ the techniques of visualization and imagery (90%) and do so frequently (3-5 times per week). Many times the techniques and methods that elite athletes are employing take time to trickle down to the amateur ranks, and I believe that visualization and imagery are going to become more mainstream among all sports participants as time goes on. The analogy given in the article was excellent to illustrate what visualization and imagery can do for an athlete. The article mentions the brain as a CPU (central processing unit) that sends commands and signals to the hardware (the body) in order to perform physical skills and tasks. Many 26 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 athletes would agree that this is definitely the case, but many are left with the question of where visualization and imagery fit in with this. If an athlete has certain goals in mind that they want to achieve, then why not begin achieving them in their minds before asking their bodies to? When put this way, many of the athletes I partner with agree whole hardheartedly that this would be of immense help. The next logical question then becomes what do effective visualization and imagery look like? In order for visualization and imagery to be effective, the athlete has to possess controllability and vividness of the scenario one wants to envision. Effective controllability is achieved when the athlete imagines the scenario playing out exactly as they would like it to. This means that the athlete is successful in their performance and achieves their goal. Vividness is achieved when the athlete can envision many different aspects of the sce- nario, including, but not exclusively, sights, smells, sounds and emotional/physical sensations that might be experienced. When visualization and imagery are employed effectively with high levels of controllability and vividness, the athlete's chances of achieving their goal are increased. Many athletes, when asked about a time they were in "the zone" during a great performance, cannot remember certain parts of the performance and say they were simply going through the motions. Their explanations often sound as if they had a "script" prepared during visualization and imagery sessions that was simply being played out during their performance. WWW.THERACINGPOST.US Meet MSU’s Bill Ash By Richard Carter Philadelphia’s Bill Ash is the newest member of the Midwestern State University cycling team having transferred this spring to Wichita Falls to study business and to race. Ash got into cycling at 14 or 15 doing a steady 35 or so minute commute to school on an old track bike. His father’s friends, who were really into riding, started him watching the Tour de France on TV. “I enjoyed watching, and it lead me to go out on my dad’s bike and doing longer rides around the area. I really enjoyed doing it, but being a teenager eventually got in the way and I started doing other teenager stuff instead.” After high school, Ash moved out on his own and started working restaurant jobs. He was still commuting and riding some but wanted keep exploring his interest in group rides. “Up until two years ago, I was doing them on my dad’s old track bike,” he laughed. “I finally caved and bought a road bike and eventually got into racing.” Philadelphia has a lot of racing, with crits and circuit races, and a large supportive community of people interested in helping others get into racing, he said. “I did really terrible in my first race, but by July through September 2014, I won 10 or 12 races and got my cat 3 upgrade before the end of the year.” Ash explained that it was through bike racing, that he found a way to realize his personal potential. “Ever since I was a little kid, I thought about owning my own business. My dad has a construction company. “I didn’t quite have that focus going through my teens and in my early ‘20s. Now, cycling has kind of brought that discipline. I refocused myself to work towards something positive.” Once he was in love with racing bug, he realized if he wanted to take cycling seriously and to get better, he needed to find the right coaching. Ash found Breakaway Bikes shop a year and a half ago looking for a coach, the same shop where MSU cycling coach Charlie Zamastil had been before leaving to Texas right before Ash found it. “I hired a pro mountain biker as a coach, and we just clicked. Before long, I started working at the Breakaway shop. He coached me up until the time I left for Texas, and we had a good relationship.” Ash actually learned enough at Breakaway to coach some. Breakaway has a great staff, and its owner and head coach--Joe Wentzell—is into the greater good of promoting cycling in the community, he said. “He’s a world champion on the track, and I learned a lot riding with him and asking questions to improve my own training.” Ash started teaching REP classes at the shop and also worked with students one on one on bike handling skills. “I kept reading about cycling and asking more questions. I’ve learned a lot in the past two years.” His goal at MSU is to study business, to race competitively and to get good coaching. Ash sees MSU as a great pathway to pro teams and an excellent avenue to pursue riding, racing and training rather than spending most of his time working at a job. He is also looking forward to hitting some major races. The weather in North Texas also doesn’t hurt. “Philadelphia is a hard place to train,” he laughed. In addition to getting run over last year by a school bus, he said the winter in Phillie in 2014 in Phillie was terrible. Ash found himself on Computrainers 15 to 20 hours a week last year, which he said was great physically, but tough mentally. He will race road, crits and some track at MSU. VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 27 Photo Essay Megan Baab Memorial Road Race By Bonnie Porterfield Teammates Gabriel Porterfield and his teammates staging at the Mens 4/5 Megan Baab Scholarship Road Race in Copperas Cove. The guys are making plans to work together! Gabriel Porterfield and Dark Horse Racing team mates staging at the Mens 4/5 Megan Baab Memorial Scholarship Road Race in Copperas Cove. Coach Kenneth Hintzen, Team Directors Eduardo and April Wilkinson, First Choice Emergency and many other generous sponsors are the amazing supports who help make this year's dream of racing in the Texas Cup Series and other big races in nearby states a reality for Gabriel and his younger brother, Paul! Gabriel turned 15 last week, and he is looking forward to his upcoming training camp in a couple of weeks and racing with his awesome DH team mates in 2015! 28 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 Tc and Isaac Porterfield are staging at the Megan Baab Memorial Scholarship Road Race in Copperas Cove which is their first race for 2015. They race for the Voodoo U23 Development Team which is directed by Geoff Maguire. The team trains at Pedal Hard / Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop in Austin. These young men are extremely excited about the upcoming season, racing with their awesome team mates, and representing the U23 Development Team many generous sponsors! Tc and Isaac's sponsors, coaches, mentors, promoters, officials, and tight knit cycling community all help make their dream of racing professionally a possibility, and they are truly grateful for the opportunity they have been given to pursue in the great sport of cycling. They love it! WWW.THERACINGPOST.US The Ark-La-Tex Challenge!!! One Ride 3 States! On Saturday, April the 11th, cyclists from all over the 4 states region will be coming to Texarkana, Texas for the chance to ride in 3 different states on one day! If you can finish 35 miles, then you can take on the Challenge! There will be a return shuttle service for riders who want to ride in all 3 states at a small fee. Other riders who want to take on the 3 states ride will have to complete 70 miles of rolling hills and beautiful countryside. Both options afford you the opportunity to get your picture taken standing in 3 states at once! There are more options available for riders who want different distances. There is a 50 mile and a 25 mile route in addition to the 35 mile shuttle return service and 70 mile rides. Of course, there will be rest stations about every 10 miles full of smiling volunteers with a ton of snacks and drinks. The festivities begin at 9:00 am at 2901 Leopard Dr., Texarkana, Texas, 75503. The high school band will make sure we are properly sent off and we will have a great cheeseburger lunch waiting for us when we get back. You can register at Bikereg and check out our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/ArklatexChallengeOneRide3States We hope you can join us for our 3rd annual Ark-La-Tex Challenge!!! Product Review: Aussie Cycle Works Road Bike You’re looking at the best frame I’ve ridden in 30 years. Until the FedEx guy dropped the “funniest looking box” he’d ever seen off on the porch, I was worried about reviewing this Aussie Cycle Works titanium frame. Even a great conversation with Tony Bell, the builder, didn’t completely allay my frame-skepticism. I’ve been riding aluminum frames for the last several years because I couldn’t feel enough difference in ride quality between them and higher-priced carbon frames to justify spending the money. So naturally Tony and I agreed that the level of hype surrounding a passel of carbon frames that simply don’t ride as well as advertised was inexcusable. And I was willing, since I’ve never owned a titanium frame, to consider that just maybe it had benefits in ride quality and durability that other materials lacked. Sure the builder’s gonna tell me I’ll feel a difference . . . wait . . . did he really tell me that a Titanium bike would be stiff? Yes, he did. But would I feel enough of a difference to justify my recommending this handbuilt titanium frame to readers? ~ the“Sledge Scalpel” By TRP Staff To try to make sure whatever difference I felt came from the frame, I used my wheels, tires, saddle, crank and pedals. The rest of the build included SRAM Force22 parts and ENVE bars, seatpost, 2.0 fork and a sweet ACW titanium stem. So, I unpacked the frame, stuck my saddle just a bit past half-way on the seat-post, eyeballed it level at the correct height, tightened up the requisite bolts, and did an hour TrainerRoad interval ride on the rollers. Somewhere between minutes 20 and 30 I knew I was buying the bike. Balance was perfect--it tracked perfectly under my hips. Breathing on the bike was open--pedaling was easier and more fluid. Climbing--my legs just spun power and my hands just draped around the bars. Descending--I tucked in and let the bike go: wheee!!! Had Tony and I spent 2 years micro-managing every millimeter of tube-length and tenth of a degree of angle, the frame couldn’t fit any better. So, yeah, I felt differences worth paying for: beyond the fact that this frame is visually stunning, the build-quality is great, and really well-designed, it rides and handles perfectly. Taken enough time to admire that head-tube badge? Great. Notice a couple things about the tapered head-tube its affixed to: 1. it’s not long--this is a race-ready frame with a sweet little surprise (I’ll get to that); 2. that lower race is enormous and flows beautifully into the ENVE 2.0 fork, which adds up to beauty and lasersharp handling. Not twitchy handling, not unpredictable: sharp, and quick, but stable. And the ride. Remember, I’m riding my wheels, my tires, my saddle, and my roads, the roads on which I know the location of every pot-hole and settling-crack. If 713.835.9599 ROAD 30 THE RACING POST CROSS VOL.15, NO. 2 M O U N TA I N TRI F AT B I K E WWW.THERACINGPOST.US there’s a difference in ride quality on those roads with that set-up, it’s coming from the frame. There’s a huge, noticeable, worth-the-money difference in quickness of handling and stiffness combined with that legendary Titanium plushness to produce a ride the likes of which I’ve never experienced in one frame. I mean, really, really: you could spend a whole lot more money on some highly hyped Carbon and not get a frame that comes anywhere close to delivering the ride-quality of this frame. If you’re used to the humongo-down-tubes which have taken over carbon-fiber frames in the last few years, you might not pay enough attention to the over-sized and shaped downtube which links that headtube to the bottom-bracket shell. Ovalized and ever-so-aero at the head-tube, it rounds through the central section and assumes an ellipse at the bottombracket. Combined with stout chain-stays which end in the beautiful drop-outs pictured below, the undercarriage of this frame is as strong, balanced, and ready to deliver a punch as a marsupial. Aero-freaks and gatorade-guzzlers (or, at least, those who have to clean up after them), will take to the top-tube cable routing. Beyond cleaning up air-flow around the down-tube, this solution gives the derailleur cables a much more logical path, especially the rear-derailleur cable, which Tony routes internally through the drive-side seat-stay. Build-quality is solid throughout, with each joint showing careful torch-work. The finish is subtly stunning. This is not a bike that needs neon colors or obnoxious logos to look tastefully, wickedly fast. Aside from the chuckle I got when I noticed that Tony also used inner-tube nuts as spacers for the seat-tube water-bottle-cage, I might have been most taken by the attention to detail evidenced by specifying this super-chunky rear-brake mount. Titanium’s making a comeback as a frame material, but the learning-curve required to work with it almost guarantees that it will never be an assembly-line material like aluminum: working it properly involves a substantial investment in time to develop the technical expertise. When you add that technical expertise to a capacity for mold-breaking design you have the makings of a truly innovative solution to the problem of making an all-around excellent racing frame. Sure, the Aussie Cycle Works Assassin soaks up road buzz like a 90s titanium frame--but all of the details of its build and design, from tubing choices and shapes to geometry, result in a stiff racing machine that you want to ride hard from the first to the last hour of your ride--and what’s more, makes that hard last hour a blast to ride. Do yourself a huge favor: if you’re considering buying a frame or bike, look Aussie Cycle Works up on the web, or, even better, call ‘em up. (Frame price as ridden $2,200) VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 31 What’s New At The Shop SRAM CX1 By Adam Spears This won’t be the first review out there on SRAM CX1, but with a full season of cyclocross just completed a few days ago, now seems to be a good time to circle back and review it once again. I was able to get in over 40 cross races this year including Masters Nationals on both CX1 in combination with SRAM hydraulic disc brakes. First, the SRAM CX1 is given the tag of SRAM Force CX1, so it falls in the Force family. Most people running Force CX1 will be doing so with the 11 speed rear cassette, but this is not an absolute must. You can still run the 10 speed rear cassette. This can all be done with the same rear derailleur. The derailleur features SRAM’s 1:1 Exact Actuation which allows for the 10 or 11 speed choice. Other features of this rear derailleur will be the ability to run up to a 36t cog cassette. This wide rage is achieved by the Roller Bearing clutch, helping to keep tension on the chain no matter the cassette installed. Lastly, one of the features that I really like is the Cage Lock that holds the derailleur in place for easy wheel or chain changes. Moving forward we get to the heart of the SRAM Force CX1 drivetrain, the chainring. So the first thing you will notice is the big void where there used to be a front derailleur. Once you get over that, all you see is the clean line of the single X-Sync chainring. The X-Sync chainrings feature a wide tooth/narrow tooth profile that allows for maximum chain control which is crucial in ‘Cross. These chainrings are compatible with 110mm BCD cranks. I was running 10 speed SRAM Red prior to this season, and just simply installed the chainring after pulling off the 46/36 double combo I was running. The X-Sync chainring is available in 5 options, 38t, 40t, 42t, 44t, and a 46t. I am not sure who is running the 46t but I sure don’t want to meet him or her in a dark alley. The last note on the chainrings is they are fully compatible with the Quarq Power Meters. Up to the shift levers. Quite simple really, a multitude of shift levers will work with the system due to the 1:1 Exact Actuation. SRAM Red, Red Hydraulic, Force, Force CX1 and the S Series Hydraulic levers will all work. Essentially the left hand is now just a brake only lever and the shifting part of lever can be removed or left EST. 1962 EST. 1962 bikemart.com bikemart.com Cross Season Is Here,, Are You Focused? 32 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 WWW.THERACINGPOST.US in place. Then the right side lever works as all SRAM levers do with the double tap actuation. Moving to the brake operation, it will depend on the system in use. Traditional calipers work and look as they always do. Then there are the oversized “Easter Island” brake hoods that house the internals for the hydraulics in disc brakes operation. I must say that having these oversized hoods feel great to hold onto during some of the sharp and steep descents seen in a local cross race. The performance of the CX1 groupo is quite impressive. The first thing I can say is zero dropped chains. Fortunately I only hit the deck or had guys smash into me a few times this. In the past, usually this would cause the chain to drop in some fashion, but not with the CX1. Shifting is smooth when the rear derailleur is tuned. The derailleur is somewhat sensitive and needs constant adjustment, but then again, this is ‘Cross and the equipment gets beat up pretty good. As far as the brakes go, if you have not had the opportunity to run disc brakes, let alone hydraulic disc brakes, don’t test them unless you are willing to get a bike with them. Sure, there isn’t a great deal of elevation in Texas, nor do we get significant amounts of rain the produce heavy levels of mud and muck. But, from time to time we do. I can think of three race week- WWW.THERACINGPOST.US ends that were extraordinarily sloppy, two of them being the State Championships and the National Championships. You can still stop with cantilever road brakes when it is wet, and the weight penalty is minimal, but the mud clearance makes a huge difference. I saw so many cantilever bikes at State totally bogged with mud. Some guys were even pulling out “mud sticks.” The last thing you need is to pull to the side of the course and pull a muddy stick out of your jersey and start scraping mud off jammed in the brakes. It is also just a blast to run into a corner at top speed when it is dry, jam on the brakes at the last second and know I will slow down in time to rail the corner (or possibly eat it). So, while a single chain ring (one by) drive train and hydraulic disc brakes may not be necessary to ride or race ‘Cross in the state of Texas, they do offer enough advantages and customization to make it worth looking into. It is also very likely in the next year or two the majority of ‘Cross bikes (and even road bikes) being sold will come equipped with single speed drive trains and hydraulic disc brakes, so it couldn’t hurt to change over now. Come check them out at you LBS. See you on the road (or dirt). VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 33 Junior Spotlight: Jonathan David McAlister By TRP Staff Presented by: Photo by: Rob Yates TRP: Can you tell us about yourself? JDM: My name is Jonathan David McAlister and I really don’t have a nickname. I live in Argyle, Texas and have lived there for 13 years. I have two older brothers. My brother Jacob McAlister is 18 and may not ride, but he loves to play golf. My oldest brother, Josh McAlister, is 20 and rides with me when he is home from college. Nobody in my family races, but we all like to ride bikes. TRP: When did you start riding? Can you tell the story? JDM: In March of 2013, I bought and road bike. In April of 2013 I participated in my first triathlon and then in April of 2014 I entered my first crit. I started because my cousin Lindsey Terrell encouraged me to try the sport of triathlon. TRP: What kind of bike do you ride? Any interesting equipment on it? JDM: I ride a Cannondale Supersix Evo. Also, I have Sram red groupset with a Zipp 808 rear wheel and Zipp 404 front wheel. Sometimes I look like a flying tomato with my red bike and yellow Mavic shoes. wrecked my first cheap road bike, since I was not sure if I was committed to doing Triathalons or not, and then got a Trek 1.3 TRP: Have you tried other two-wheeled sports? JDM: Not right now. TRP: Do you participate in other sports? JDM: The great thing about Triathlon is that you do three sports at once. TRP: Where do you go to school and what’s your favorite subject? JDM I am a 10th Grade student with Liberty University Online. My favorite subject is History. I like to learn about history because I do not want to repeat errors others have made. TRP: What do you think of school? JDM: Going to school on-line allows me to train 20-25 hours a week and to focus on playing to win. I enjoy how I can schedule my homework around my training schedule since I am a student at Liberty University Online. TRP: What do you see as your future … what would you like to do after graduating from school? JDM: After graduating from school I would like to be in the 2020 Olympics for triathlon. TRP: Do you have a job and, if so, where do you work? JS: Not right now, but I’d LOVE to work in a bike shop 34 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 WWW.THERACINGPOST.US TRP: How many days a week do you ride and how many hours do you put in? JDM:: I ride about 10 hours a week. TRP: Do you have a formal coach? If so, who is it and why do you have one? JDM: My coach is Nick Waninger and he is awesome. Since I am an amateur, I need a coach to point me in the right direction. He has knowledge and experience that I do not have. .TRP: Training food? JDM: For training, I eat Larabars TRP: Other than that? JDM: I also have been known to consume mass quantities of spinach, eat lean meats, and an ample amount of fruit. TRP: As a Junior Racer, what do you think could be done to increase the sport’s popularity among young people? JDM: I think that high schools should have cycling teams. Just like football, students should be provided with bikes TRP: Okay. What are the top five on your phone? JDM: 1. How He Loves (David Crowder Band) 2. Roar (Katy Perry) 3. Time for Me to Fly (REO Speedwagon) 4. Take It on the Run (REO Speedwagon) 5. Just Have to Wait (Steven Curtis Chapman) TRP :Tell us about your first Race? JDM: My first bike race was a crit. It all came down to the sprint finish and I had good positioning and won. TRP: What do you use as a ring-tone? JDM: Ringtone is the standard Apple ringtone – why waste time picking a ringtone when I could be training TRP: Tell us about your worst Race? JDM: Is there ever really a worst race when you are doing what you love? TRP: Campy, SRAM or Shimano? JDM: SRAM TRP: Tell us about your favorite Race? JDM: My favorite race was the Youth Elite Triathlon in Monroe, WA. I improved to 17/68 from 33/75 at the Youth Elite Triathlon in Richmond, VA. My improvement was due to scale change in my leading indicator of swim time. TRP: Favorite pro bike racer? JDM: Mark Cavendish TRP: Anybody you’d like to thank or mention? JDM: I thank my parents, my swim coach Tom Radam, my first triathlon coach Sean Thompson, and God for giving me the gift of pursuing this sport for His glory. TRP: Favorite food? JDM: My favorite food is pizza. WWW.THERACINGPOST.US VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 35 Concussions in Cycling By Christopher W. Miars, D.O. Topics like training with power, bike fit, frame geometry, power to weight ratio, carbon “stuff” and embrocation fill cycling magazines, websites, and post ride conversation. From a sports medicine standpoint, clavicle fractures, saddle sores and road rash are hot topics. The topic of concussions in cyclists is sometimes neglected. Cycling accidents, however, are the most common cause of concussions that present to the emergency room. The topic of sports related concussion has made headline news extensively the past few years. This news started with data released by the NFL regarding long term effects of concussions on former players. This was followed by policy statements by the NFL and NCAA regarding the management and return to play of athletes suspected of sustaining a concussion. In Texas, the UIL has also implemented policies for all public schools regarding concussions. This has included mandatory education for athletes, parents, coaches and medical staff as well as standardized return to play progression. Based on theses recent publications, position statements and policies, here is what cyclists should know about concussions: AWARENESS What is a concussion? A simple definition of concussion is a condition of altered neural function of the brain due to a direct blow or rotational force to the head. PREVENTION How can concussions be prevented? While all concussions can not be prevented in cycling, a few simple measures can significantly reduce risk of concussion. Concussion risk can be reduced by minimizing risk of trauma to the head (don't crash) and protecting the head in case trauma does occur (wear a helmet). From a practical standpoint, reducing risk of trauma to the head means staying upright and preventing collision with other objects. While most of this is common sense, it is a good reminder to remember the simple things: • Being aware of road conditions and other riders • Use rear flashing light for dusk/dawn, rainy and night riding • Be honest with yourself about bike handling skills- especially in technical situations (turns, descents, …) 36 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 Head protection in case trauma occurs despite the above measures is straight forward: WEAR A HELMET AT ALL TIMES ON THE BIKE. In addition, make sure the helmet is fit right and positioned properly on your head (front of helmet should be touching mid forehead, not hairline). Also, make sure to obtain a new helmet if you have an accident that results in a blow to the helmeteven if it looks ok. Check with your helmet manufacturer if you have an accident as many offer a discount replacement following an accident (and they evaluate the damaged helmet to improve technology). RECOGNITION What are the signs and symptoms of a concussion? Concussion symptoms can vary in nature and severity from one athlete to the next. The following table is a summary of concussion symptoms from the 2012 AMSSM Concussion Consensus Statement: Physical Headache Nausea Vomiting Balance problems Dizziness Visual problems Fatigue Sensitivity to light Sensitivity to noise Numbness/tingling Dazed Stunned Cognitive Feeling mentally “ foggy” Feeling slowed down Difficulty concentrating Difficulty remembering Forgetful of recent information and conversations Confused about recent events Answers questions slowly Repeats questions Emotional Irritable Sadness More emotional Nervousness Sleep Drowsiness Sleeping more than usual Sleeping less than usual Difficulty falling asleep RESPONSE TO CONCUSSION I think I (or a friend/team mate) have a concussion- what do I do? Symptom severity for concussions varies vastly from one case to the next. If an athlete is experiencing severe or progressively increasing symptoms such as decreased consciousness, severe headache, vomiting or unequal appearance of pupils, athletes should seek immediate, emergency medical care. In cycling, an accident that can cause a concussion can also cause other injuries such as a rib or clavicle fracture or neck injury that require immediate, emergency room care. In cases such as these, it is also important to utilize EMS services to make sure other potential injuries (such as spinal injury) are appropriately protected for transport to the emergency room. For concussions with less severe symptoms, Tylenol can be used to help with headache (avoid aspirin and NSAIDS (ibuprofen and naproxen)). Avoid driving and make sure there is someone present for the first 24 hours that can monitor for worsening symptoms. It is important to hold off on athletic activity until the concussion has completely resolved which generally takes a week or two but can take several months. It is important to discontinue athletic participation when concussed as the threshold of impact to cause a more severe head injury is lowered during this time It is also more likely that symptoms will be more severe and last for a longer time if athletic participation continues. In addition to avoiding physically demanding activity, it is important to avoid mentally demanding tasks as this will frequently increase and prolong symptoms. It is helpful to seek medical care from a physician experienced in managing concussions in athletes. While several medical specialties have experience with this, Primary Care Sports Medicine physicians are the specialists that generally manage athlete concussions the most. A physician can provide advice on managing symptoms of the concussion as well as directing appropriate return to sports timing and progression. RETURN TO RACING When can I get back on the bike? As stated earlier, it is important to make sure the concussion has completely resolved before resuming athletic activities. Once symptom free for 24 hours, a return to sports progression can be introduced for individuals experiencing their first concussion. The return to sports progression generally starts with a 10-20 minute easy spin (on a trainer or stationary bike) and then is gradually increased to full intensity over 5 days. If there is no return of concussion symptoms during this 5 day progression, full activity can be resumed. Individuals with a history of multiple concussions should see a physician to discuss the risks of continued sports participation. As a general rule, athletes with a history of 3 or more concussions are advised to participate in sports with low contact risk. This does vary from case to case as every concussion is different. Restriction from contact sports (including cycling) after 3 concussions is advised as there appears to be a correlation between multiple concussions and long term mental symptoms including mood disorders and decreased cognitive function. Again, a physician with training and experience managing concussions in athletes can help navigate this decision. WE LOVE YOUR BODY THE E SADDLE REVOLUTION. 100% HAND MADE IN ITALY ITA Another aspect to consider regarding multiple concussions is baseline neuropsychological (neuropsych) testing. Over the last several years, the use of computerized, abbreviated neuropsych testing has become more commonplace in sports. This testing is a helpful tool for physicians in confirming resolution of concussions when managing return to play decisions. It is also helpful in detecting changes in brain function associated with multiple concussions. The utility of this testing, however, is most helpful when a baseline (pre-concussion) test is available for comparison. There are several versions (brands) of sports neuropsych testing on the market and many sports medicine clinics offer baseline testing in their office for less than $50. While most concussions resolve over the course of a week or two, they can cause symptoms for up to 6 months. Occasionally, with major head trauma or multiple concussions, symptoms can last a lifetime. For individuals experiencing prolonged symptoms, a physician can prescribe medication and / or physical therapy to decrease symptoms and expedite resolution of symptoms. CONCLUSSION The understanding and management of concussions is an evolving topic in sports medicine. Based on the current research, though, there are several things important for cyclists to know: • Concussions are a common cycling injury • Prevention measures include wearing a helmet and avoiding crashes • Concussions are often associated with more severe injuries that warrant emergency medical care • It is important to discontinue sports participation until complete resolution of a concussion • A sports medicine physician can help an athlete navigate return to sport plan and navigate concussion complications • Neuropsych testing is a helpful tool for physicians managing concussions but a baseline test is required for optimal interpretation of results Christopher W. Miars, D.O. Sports Medicine Physician, Southwest Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics Team Physician, Baylor University www.SWSportsMedicine.com 254-741-1400 WWW.THERACINGPOST.US NO MORE PRESSURE COMPLICATIONS Multiple concussions and / or prolonged symptoms Exclusively Distributed by: Albabici LLC. 1501 Mariner Dr.ive - Oxnard, CA 93033 www.albabici.com [email protected] 805-385-3179 VOL.15, NO. 2 THE RACING POST 37 M a r k e t p l a c e Hill Country Bicycle Works February 141 West Water St. Kerrville, TX 830-896-6864 702 East Main Fredericksburg, TX 830-990-2609 No Events Scheduled Contact [email protected] TXBRA.org TeXas Bicycle Racing Association 38 THE RACING POST VOL.15, NO. 2 WWW.THERACINGPOST.US
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