Monday, August 26, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Following the Viking Man by Lana Grover
Following the Viking Man
By 10:00am it was hard to believe that the beautiful day for the Viking Man Triathlon started with thunder, lightening, and rain. Shortly before Tony started the 1500 meter swim, the sun burned through the clouds and lit up the fields of sugar beets near the banks of snake river.
After a nice swim warm-up period, race officials briefed the athletes prior to the 7:45am start. To take advantage of the river current, many athletes headed out toward the middle of the river and found it surprisingly shallow, allowing many of them to touch bottom when standing. Tony's advice for the best swim is to go out just deep enough to avoid the thick grass/moss near the shore while still catching the edge of the central current. This approach must have worked for Tony because he had a solid swim, finishing near the front of the pack.
As usual Tony flew on the bike section - positioning him in sixth place overall. Tony describes the bike course as "flat as a pancake and pretty fast". The road surface was a little rough but not as bad as a fresh chip and seal. Traffic control was well managed by the local police officers and the bike portion was well officiated by USAT. Flat tires were abundant and we assume goat head thorns were to blame.
Both T1 (Transition 01 -- Swim to Bike) and T2 (Transition 02 -- Bike to Run) were located in the same area making for easy set up and a smooth exit. The first third of the run takes participants through neighborhood streets and eventually leads them to an out-and-back section of open farmland before returning back through the neighborhoods and to the finish, located in the Heyburn RV park (the same park where T1 and T2 are set up). Tony had a great run and held off a hoard of younger athletes to take 7th overall and 2nd in his age group.
The Viking Man completes Tony's goal to do seven consecutive triathlons in seven weeks (which actually turned out to be eight weeks). This challenge resulted in several top ten overall wins and age group placing in almost every race. Tony enjoyed the fun approach to his race circuit this summer and felt that the series of shorter distances helped improve his overall speed. His races included the following: Boise 70.3, Rigby Lake, Blackfoot Pride Days, Great Snake, XTerra Boise, Emmet's Most Excellent Triathlon, Rexburg Rush, and Viking Man. Placing 2nd in his age group at the Boise Xterra qualified Tony to go to the Xterra National Championships at Snowbasin UT on September 21st, so he will be trading his aero-helmet for his mountain bike and his racing flats for trail shoes for the next few weeks of training.
Viking Man Overview
By 10:00am it was hard to believe that the beautiful day for the Viking Man Triathlon started with thunder, lightening, and rain. Shortly before Tony started the 1500 meter swim, the sun burned through the clouds and lit up the fields of sugar beets near the banks of snake river.
After a nice swim warm-up period, race officials briefed the athletes prior to the 7:45am start. To take advantage of the river current, many athletes headed out toward the middle of the river and found it surprisingly shallow, allowing many of them to touch bottom when standing. Tony's advice for the best swim is to go out just deep enough to avoid the thick grass/moss near the shore while still catching the edge of the central current. This approach must have worked for Tony because he had a solid swim, finishing near the front of the pack.
As usual Tony flew on the bike section - positioning him in sixth place overall. Tony describes the bike course as "flat as a pancake and pretty fast". The road surface was a little rough but not as bad as a fresh chip and seal. Traffic control was well managed by the local police officers and the bike portion was well officiated by USAT. Flat tires were abundant and we assume goat head thorns were to blame.
Both T1 (Transition 01 -- Swim to Bike) and T2 (Transition 02 -- Bike to Run) were located in the same area making for easy set up and a smooth exit. The first third of the run takes participants through neighborhood streets and eventually leads them to an out-and-back section of open farmland before returning back through the neighborhoods and to the finish, located in the Heyburn RV park (the same park where T1 and T2 are set up). Tony had a great run and held off a hoard of younger athletes to take 7th overall and 2nd in his age group.
The Viking Man completes Tony's goal to do seven consecutive triathlons in seven weeks (which actually turned out to be eight weeks). This challenge resulted in several top ten overall wins and age group placing in almost every race. Tony enjoyed the fun approach to his race circuit this summer and felt that the series of shorter distances helped improve his overall speed. His races included the following: Boise 70.3, Rigby Lake, Blackfoot Pride Days, Great Snake, XTerra Boise, Emmet's Most Excellent Triathlon, Rexburg Rush, and Viking Man. Placing 2nd in his age group at the Boise Xterra qualified Tony to go to the Xterra National Championships at Snowbasin UT on September 21st, so he will be trading his aero-helmet for his mountain bike and his racing flats for trail shoes for the next few weeks of training.
Viking Man Overview
- Well organized and officiated
- Fast course with current aided swim and flat bike and run courses
- Transitions located in the same area
- Awards ceremony was less organized and time consuming
- Goat head thorns caused many flats
- Temperatures started to climb by the start of the run
Contributed by: Lana Grover
Photographs are not to be reused or redistributed without permission.
Everyone is Saying the BBQ Was Memorable
It poured rain for two solid hours. Maybe, “memorable” is the most positive thing you can say about it. Seriously, I think it was pretty fun. Thanks to everyone who attended in spite of the weather. Special thanks to KJ and Jeff for bringing shelters.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
The Cube is Back!
Tate, Tony, and I just had a meeting today with Bob Yeatman. The city is offering solid support for a one day cyclocross event on October 5th. We should have online registration in place as well as advertising ready to roll out within about one week. We are planning to keep the cost low ($10 for kids, $20 for adults) and offering a T-Shirt for preregistration. The location will be the Nature Park. Here is the schedule we will be following:
0930: Kids race (30 minutes)
1015: Beginners race (30 minutes)
1100: Women’s open race (45 minutes)
1200: Men’s open race (45 minutes
from Tate: Cyclocross Schedule + a Link to the Twin Falls Races
Cyclocross Schedule 2013
Lotoja
9/7/13
Logan, UT
CrossVegas
Las Vegas, NV
9/18/13
Monster Cross
9/28/13
Bear Lake, UT
CrosstoberFest
10/05/2013
Sandpoint, ID
Targhee Gravel Grinder (Tentative)
10/21/13
Ashton, ID
Rexburg Cube
10/5/13
Rexburg, ID
Moose Cross
10/12/13-10/13/13
Victor, ID
Magic Valley Cyclo-cross Series Race #1
10/19/2013
Rupert , ID
Magic Valley Cyclo-cross Series Race #2
11/09/2013
Heyburn, ID
Magic Valley Cyclo-cross Series Race # 3
11/23/2013
Heyburn, ID
Magic Valley Cyclo-Cross Series Championship Race
12/07/2013
Rupert, ID
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Also from Scott: IMBA Instructor Certification Program Coming to Teton Valley
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Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Sticks and Stones is Offering a Parts and Accessories Discount
I just spoke with Joe at Sticks and Stones. He is offering a 10% discount on parts and accessories, including special orders, to all of the local club riders. Joe is willing to be pretty generous. If he knows your face from a few of the Tuesday night rides, you are eligible for this discount. That includes some really nice stuff like American Classic and Enve wheelsets. This summer, I have been working on repairing and upgrading several mountain bikes. Joe has come through with every part I have needed.
Today, I picked up a bottle of Schwalbe Easy Fit, a mounting fluid for tubeless tires which Joe tracked down for me. Early in the season, VeloNews published a rigorous study comparing the various chain lubes. The most effective option is to remove your chain and soak it in melted paraffin wax. Since that is not especially practical, you may want to consider the second rated product, Rock ‘n’ Roll Gold. http://www.rocklube.com/bicycle.htm Joe special ordered this for me and is stocking it in the shop. Several of us have used it with very good success.
From Scott Hurst; A Reminder for Rebecca's Private Idaho
A 100 mile gravel grinder
with The Queen of Pain
with The Queen of Pain
September 1st 2013
Register to Ride!
Bike BBQ
The annual BBQ will be Saturday, August 24th. Full information is available at Sticks and Stones.
The Ultimate Challenge 2013
The Ultimate Challenge allows recreational riders to ride the Snowbird, or so-called Queen Stage, of the Tour of Utah starting several hours ahead of the pros. The UC evolved from the Thousand Warriors Race which was judged to be too dangerous following two separate near fatal accidents.
Now, the organizers emphasize the fact that the Ultimate Challenge is not a race, but because of its history and inherent difficulty it still has more of a race-like feel than any other century or organized ride that I have ever participated in. With a total distance of 113 miles and almost 11,000 feet of vertical, the current Ultimate Challenge is almost twenty miles longer and significantly more difficult that the original Thousand Warriors. The big surprise this year was the addition of Guardsman’s Pass which most people found to be even more difficult than Little Cottonwood. I saw very fit guys pushing their bikes on Guardsman’s and if it had not been for compact gearing, I would have been among them. There are two insane things about Guardsman’s Pass which features some 15% grades. At the very top of the pass, there is one final “wall”. It is not long, but it is daunting. Someone can verify this number for me, but I was told that the grade is well above 20%. The other thing is the “pavement” it is like it was paved by guys carrying cooling asphalt in wheelbarrows. John’s theory is that they dumped a big load of asphalt at the top and let it run downhill. Regardless, it is the roughest most uneven pavement I have ever seen.
I spent most of the day in the first big group on the road. John, Jordan, and Weston rode ahead with smaller groups. In spite of some intermediate climbs that would have been big in any other context, our average speed was solidly above 20 mph until the climbing began in earnest at about 75 miles. After that the groups blew up and most people had to go it alone. Little Cottonwood Canyon is always full of supportive fans and spectators, especially in the Tanner’s Flat area. They will pour water over you, offer a water bottle or a Coke, and occasionally run along and give you a push. I must have looked terrible in Little Cottonwood, because I got a lot of pushes there. The best push of my life came from Tate. I was ready to let him run me in to the finish.
There is abundant suffering in many other sports such as distance running and triathlon. However, no other sport defines itself in terms of suffering to the degree that cycling does. From the one-day Classics to the Grand Tours, races are won and lost based on talent, strategy, teamwork, and luck. However, on some level every race is a test of who can suffer the most for the longest time. I can only imagine a glimpse of the suffering that the pros endure. Sometimes, I even feel a little guilt as a fan of professional cycling to be entertained at the expense of other people’s suffering.
I can only really comment on suffering from the perspective of a modestly talented 52 year-old cyclist. There are a number of local events that have built their brand around pain and suffering. Lotoja, The Crusher, and The Ultimate Challenge are prominent among them. They are all quite different, but they have this in common: any one of them is capable of pushing me, at least temporarily, to the brink of physical and emotional collapse. If you were in a hospital bed in a comparable amount of pain, you would be begging for morphine. There is always time for soul searching during these events and I ask myself if somehow I have not already met a lifetime quota for suffering on a bike. Then you get off the bike, start feeling better, and begin planning for next year.
These are Dawn’s pictures of John and me & Sam at Snowbird.
Tour of Utah 2013
The Tour of Utah finished Sunday in Park City. The GC or overall was won by Tommy Danielson, with my pick for the GC Chris Horner finishing second. There is outstanding coverage of the Tour available from VeloNews and elsewhere, so I will not attempt a complete recap of the race, just a few comments from the stages that we saw.
From humble beginnings, the Tour of Utah has grown to become an event of international stature and one of the most important cycling events in North America. My family and I have had the good fortune to watch a stage or two almost every year as well as participating in the Thousand Warriors/Ultimate Challenge. My two most vivid memories from this year’s race are watching Jens Voight’s relentless attacking on the Salt Lake City Circuit and the duel between Tommy D and Chris Horner on The Snowbird Stage which Horner ultimately won.
Voight and Horner are both old guys now; legends of the sport and legendary characters. I cannot think of any other modern cyclist with Voight’s penchant for attacking. Here are a few of Dawn’s pictures from Salt Lake City and Snowbird. The first photo shows Jens Voight off the front on the State Street climb. The last shows Chris Horner talking to the press following his win at Snowbird.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Leadville, Tour of Utah, Saved Again by Tubeless
Congratulations to Bart Miller for a fine ride at Leadville. When the dust settles, you should be able to read about it on his blog. http://cyclingstrong.com/blog-2/
John and I had a great trip to the Tour of Utah and the Ultimate Challenge. I will try to post something about that in the next couple of days. In the meantime, here is one story from the Ultimate Challenge. Last year at the bike BBQ, I received the gift of a lifetime; an American Classic Road Tubeless Wheelset. http://www.amclassic.com/en/products/road-wheels/road-tubeless Barely a week later, I rode unscathed through what was apparently a deliberate attempt to sabotage the riders’ tires at Lotoja. At the Ultimate Challenge, I was in a group of a hundred riders or so just east of Park City. We were on a gentle downhill curving left probably at about 28 mph. I was on the inside next to the guardrail. Without any warning, the rider in front of me hit something so hard it nearly knocked him of his bike. I called out a warning to the people behind me, but had no way to avoid hitting a large object in the road. It turned out to be a dead porcupine. I looked down and my tires were bristling with porcupine quills. For a moment, I considered stopping, but I realized that I needed to rely on the sealant (Stan’s No Tubes) to protect me from any quills had had penetrated the tire. I continued without any noticeable loss of tire pressure. The only real souvenir I have of my encounter with the porcupine is some fairly deep scratches on the inside of my fork.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Course Director Predicts Panguitch to Torrey Will Become Race's Legacy Stage
Tour of Utah course director Todd Hageman comments on each stage of the Tour of Utah in an interview reported in VeloNews today. Here is what he has to say about Wednesday's Stage 2 which finishes in Torrey: "If you can watch only one stage of the 2013 Tour of Utah, this is the one. I think it's going to be our legacy stage for years to come".
Many of you know that Brian's family is from the Torrey/Teasdale area just outside of Capital Reef National Park. The area which was home to the now defunct Capital Reef Classic is one of the best places I have ever ridden a bicycle. I have never ridden the 14.5 mile long climb over Boulder Mountain which will be featured in Wednesday's stage, but it is spectacular even by car.
Brian will have a Kelson booth at the finish line expo in Torrey.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Lots to Look Forward To
· The Tour of Utah starts Tuesday August 6th. I have already mentioned the excellent Tour Tracker as well as the televised and streaming coverage. Consider watching a stage if you are going to be in Utah any time during the Tour.
· The Ultimate Challenge will take place next Saturday, August 10th in conjunction with the Tour of Utah stage. John, Weston, Jordan, and I will be there.
http://www.tourofutah.com/2013/ultimate-challenge
· Also on Saturday, here is an event closer to home, The Heart of Idaho Century Ride with 25, 50, and 100 mile options.
http://www.snakeriverlanding.com/event/century-ride-art-2013.html
· We have a tentative date for the Annual Bike BBQ, Thursday August 22nd. More details to come.
· We hope to make an announcement shortly of a date for the return of The Cube Cyclocross. Chris Huskinson and I have been meeting with city rec director Bob Yeatman, and we are getting close to finalizing a plan for a one-day-only cyclocross event in Rexburg. The tentative date is Saturday, October 5th.
· Last of all, good luck to Bart Miller Saturday at The Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race.
http://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/page/show/315773-100-mile-mtb-race
Thursday, August 1, 2013
In VeloNews Today, Chris Horner Talks About His Ambitions for the Tour of Utah, the Vuelta, and Growing Old
At age 42, Chris Horner may be the only top American cyclist from the Armstrong Era untouched by doping scandals. I took this photo following the Ultimate Challenge/Snowbird Stage of the Tour of Utah in 2012. Here is an excerpt from the VN interview.
“I still feel fast. And that’s all that matters. Do I get out of bed sore? Of course I do. But that’s irrelevant. All that matters is when you’re on the bike, you feel good. And in all honestly, the bike is the only place I do feel good. It’s the only place where I’m actually comfortable and at home and in a relaxed place mentally and physically,” Horner said. “The rest of the day, you’re always going to have a sore back that you’re dealing with different times during the year, a sore knee. … You always have those kind of things, but when I’m on the bike it’s where I feel the most comfortable and at ease, mentally and physically. So I’m not looking to leave the sport any time soon.”
The full text of the interview is here: http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/08/news/headed-to-utah-and-the-vuelta-horner-searches-for-lost-time_297594
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