Photo credit Grey London/slate.com
(Could someone please adjust that saddle)?
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
GCN: How to Ride In Strong Winds
When the forecast is problematic on Tuesdays, I keep a close eye on weather alerts as well as communicating with other members of the TNR who are doing the same plus reporting on actual observed weather conditions. As most of you are aware, there is a wind advisory in effect for this afternoon. We have cancelled only a tiny handful of TNR’s for wind alone, but if we have to deal with blowing dust like on Saturday, that might make the ride too dangerous and logistically impractical. As of now, there are no plans to cancel the ride. We will continue to monitor the situation. It is a pretty big temptation for me to jump on the bike now while the wind is calm, but I planning to hold out for the TNR. In the meantime, this is an excellent GNC video.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Gent-Wevelgem Full Coverage (Non-English)
Note: Hopefully, some of our readers were able to watch the videos that I originally posted (including the final 40 kilometers with English commentary). The availability of race coverage footage on YouTube can be unpredictable. Our objective with the blog is not to repost every bit of available footage, but to concentrate on the coverage that we believe will be of interest to our readers. We look for English language versions when available. The videos that I originally posted have since been taken down by their provider. This is the best replacement that I can find. However, it does not contain English language commentary.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Thursday Night Bike Trailer Ride, The Wind.
Photo credit: Len Zedel
Kellen would like to start a new group ride on Thursdays. He will be towing his daughter in a bike trailer. The ride will begin at 6:30 with an anticipated duration of 60-90 minutes. Everyone is welcome, with or without kids in a trailer. This will be a good opportunity for people who want to get out on a group ride without the higher speed of the TNR. If you would like to participate or need more information, please contact me or Kellen.
The forecast for Tuesday night is warm and windy, hopefully not so windy that the TNR will be dangerous and/or miserable. I do not anticipate cancelling for high winds, but we will be watching the weather closely throughout the day. Yesterday afternoon, Jeff and I went out and suffered in the wind for 90 minutes or so. I came home with mud circles around my eyes from the blowing dust. We felt like it was a moral victory to get out at all. Meanwhile, Dan, Shea, and Jaren rode all the way to Bone which is a tough ride in good conditions.
Friday, March 27, 2015
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
TNR is Cancelled for Tonight
All day long, I have been delaying cancellation of the Tuesday ride. I think that is inevitable now. There is a mix of rain, hail, and slush falling at my house right now. Even if this blows over, it would be a pretty miserable ride. Let’s hope for better luck next week.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Friday, March 20, 2015
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Fast After 50-Some Comments
"You aren't old until age becomes your excuse." -Joe Friel
When I started reading Joe Friel's book Fast After 50, I promised to comment on it upon completion. The book is for the most part well written, interesting, informative, and motivational. I would give it a solid endorsement as recommended reading for cyclists generally, in particular those over the age of fifty.
You need to be prepared for one hard truth when you read any training guide: Disciplined training which includes testing, power measurement, and intervals produces quality results. Haphazard training produces random results. As someone who has been resistant to the expense and hassle of power meters and the commitment of truly disciplined training, I may be living proof of that sad fact.
If there is one overriding theme in Mr. Friel's book it is this: The single most important factor to maintain speed and fitness in an aging athlete is high intensity training. If you have to make a decision between volume and intensity, choose intensity. Another hard truth in the book is that you are no longer 25 years old and never will be again. Older athletes need to plan for some additional recovery and watch your diet a little more closely than you did when you were younger. It is not possible to prevent every negative consequence of aging, but a smart, motivated cyclist can minimalize most of them for decades.
At age 68, Joe Friel is a top age group cyclist and triathlete with experience in coaching generations of endurance athletes at all levels. No one is more qualified to write this book.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Monday, March 16, 2015
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Qunitana Strongest on Epic Stage at Tirreno-Adriatico
Image Copyright;Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com /velonews.com
http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/03/news/nairo-quintana-puts-favorites-ice-terminillo_363465
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Thanks For Buying Noosa
Long time readers will recall that I first heard of Noosa Yoghurt during the 2014 cyclocross season when they sponsored Meredith Miller and Allen Krughoff. The first time I looked for Noosa locally, it was expensive, hard to find, and available in a very limited number of flavors.
I took this picture at Broulim’s today. It only shows about half the flavors in stock: Tart Cherry, Lemon, Honey, Strawberry-Rhubarb, Blueberry, Raspberry, Coconut, and Pineapple. Albertsons has been stocking a comparable variety. Hopefully, Noosa has realized a good return on their investment in cyclocross. Its expanded presence in local supermarkets suggests it is doing well in this area. Following the original post, several people commented to me about how good it is. I have not talked to anyone who does not like it.
Friday, March 13, 2015
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
TNR Starts Big
I have been in contact with Kellen and Dan tonight who report that 31 cyclists showed up for the inaugural Tuesday Night Ride of the 2015 season. That is a tremendous turnout and I am very excited about the growth of cycling in Rexburg. Welcome to all of the new people as well as the regulars, I look forward to meeting you in the coming weeks. Hopefully, most of you have found your way to this blog as well as Kellen’s Rexburg Cycling Facebook page.
As I have said in the past, big groups like this present some unique challenges in terms of organization, interaction with traffic, and rider safety. Our biggest goal for the TNR is to provide a safe high quality group ride for the cyclists in the Upper Valley, our visitors from Idaho Falls and the surrounding areas, and out-of-town friends of the TNR. If you have not taken the opportunity to read the Safety Letter (link on the upper right) I would encourage you to do so. I have not updated it for 2015, but all of the content there is still applicable. I look forward to seeing you next week.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Sunday, March 8, 2015
NYT: Independent Commission Report Shows UCI Ignored Doping
Lance Armstrong, right, with Hein Verbruggen of the International Cycling Union in 2005. Credit Franck Fife/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images/NY Times
Friday, March 6, 2015
Start of the TNR
With mild weather and the beginning of daylight saving time just around the corner, it should probably not come as a big surprise that there has been unprecedented interest in starting the Tuesday Night Rides. As per long tradition, the TNR will meet at Sticks and Stones on Main Street. Particularly in the early season, the ride is subject to cancellation due to bad or unsafe weather conditions. If it is snowing, please take the night off. Otherwise, the TNR will proceed as follows:
· Tuesday March 10th: Start of the 2015 season. Ride departs at 5:30 p.m.
· Tuesday March 17th: Also a 5:30 departure
· Tuesday March 24th: Beginning of the regular 6 p.m. schedule
I am very excited about the start of new cycling season. I will not be able to be there on the 10th, but look forward to seeing you on March 17th. Dave
Thursday, March 5, 2015
VeloNews: Ned Overend/Fast After Fifty Preview
"For motivation, I find that a mix of joining group workouts and using the website Strava is effective in helping me to push my intensity to high levels. Whether it's our local Durango, Colorado, Tuesday-night "world championships" or the Specialized Bicycles lunch ride, whenever I ride in a group training situation, I'm motivated to push myself. I know a lot of riders avoid these group rides because their egos get hurt if they get dropped, but the best way to get better at group rides is to do them. Learn when to pull and when to sit in, and determine what strategy you need to stay on as long as possible. Suffering is less noticeable in a group dynamic; you don't have as much focus on the pain of the effort when you are making sure that you hang on to the wheel in front of you. Jumping across gaps or working with other riders to maintain a gap becomes a type of shared group pain, and I find it helps me push harder than when I train alone." Ned Overend/velonews.com
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Tate and Clint at Valley of Fire Stage Race
Congratulations to Tate and Clinton on a fine showing at the Valley of Fire stage race in Overton Nevada. Tate's race report is below.
This last weekend I raced the Valley of Fire stage race, with Clint. Allison snapped this picture of us in the crit. I don't want to steal any of Clint's thunder but he ended up winning the crit and taking first overall in GC. It's safe to say that the strongest man won! I rode well but due to a crash in the crit (I didn't go down but the 2 guys in the break away with me did, I ended up getting hit in the head with a flying bike haha). In the ended up losing about 40 seconds and rolled across the finish line mid-pack. On stage 2 I tried my best to get away during the road race but the peloton wasn't having it. For a lot of racers from Utah and Colorado this was their first race of the season and that was more than obvious. Tension and nerves were high and everyone was trying to prove something. I finished with a satisfying 7th overall in GC. It was a great weekend. I hope to do more racing with him for old time's sake.
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| Tate |
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| Tate, Clint |
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| Clint |
Mud, Ruts Limit Access to Lyon Creek Area
The snow is generally holding up pretty well in the Lyon Creek/Kelly Canyon Area. This photograph was taken today at the high point about one mile east of Hawley Gulch. Sadly, the west end of the road is fast becoming an impassable combination of ruts and mud. Any approach from the west is going to be difficult, maybe for the remainder of the season.
This was my first extended test of Tony’s pogies and on a day with a cold, persistent north wind they worked great with only liner gloves underneath.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Worse Than Salt, Brine Sprayed On Roads Will Munch Your Car (Bike) To Pieces - The Washington Post
I read this story a few days ago in the Washington Post. Today, I drove up to West Yellowstone to ski. It was obvious I was following a brine truck. From about the north Rexburg exit, the road had the brine strips that most of you are familiar with. They were dry at that point, but turned to liquid by about Ashton. I assumed I would be passing the brine truck soon, but did not overtake it until about Mack's Inn. I found myself remembering the advice in the Post to not drive behind a brine truck and at the same time wondering how much brine one truck could carry.
By the time I arrived in West Yellowstone, my car had a coating of salt like a layer of confectioner's sugar on a pastry. The first thing I did when I got home was to go to the car wash where I devoted special attention to the undercarriage and wheelwells.
This liquid brine mixture is more corrosive than normal road salt due to its liquid application form as well as its composition of sodium chloride and magnesium chloride. If you ride in winter, you have probably seen these same salt deposits on your bicycle. Like a car owner, you can ignore them at your own peril.
To pre-treat roads, a liquid salt "brine" mixture of 23% salt and 77% water is sprayed as an anti-icing measure and helps to prevent dangerous road conditions. (copyright Lisa Bolton/The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/worse-than-salt-brine-sprayed-on-roads-will-munch-your-car-to-pieces/2015/02/22/b89294e6-b949-11e4-aa05-1ce812b3fdd2_story.html
New From VeloPress: Fast After 50
http://www.velopress.com/books/fast-after-50/
“In his groundbreaking book Fast After 50, Friel offers a smart approach for athletes to ward off the effects of age. Friel shows athletes how to extend their racing careers for decades—and race to win.” VeloPress. I ordered a copy of Joe Friel’s new book today. People like to say that 50 is the new 30 and I wish that were true. I think it is unreasonable to hope for miracles, but a book like this is worth the purchase price for a couple of new ideas and a little encouragement. I will plan to comment more on the book at some point in the future.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
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