Thursday, January 24, 2013

A New Title


Recently I raced the Cyclocross National Championships in Madison, Wisconsin. Two weeks before the racing started the city received two feet of snow. Heat up the course to a temperature of about forty degrees add about 1000 racers, and you have the perfect recipe for a muddy, sloppy  course and a layer of ice underneath. Because of the treturous conditions, the race promoter decided to plow the course prior to nationals The race started off with Spencer Petrov winning the hole shot.  Within the first lap I took the lead, from then on the race was about keeping the power high and staying upright. Although I finished with the win I had a few crashes. I do not think anybody finished the race without at least one fall. I enjoyed Cyclocross National Championships, and  cannot wait for a great road season with Team Specialized Juniors.


Gage Hecht

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Time for a change.

I don't really like change.  I prefer order.  I like consistency and predictability.  My friends have called me obsessive and even anal.  Even in my training, I have found that I have been able to respond well to structured, repetitive blocks of workouts and races.

However there is a danger when you go without any change.  People have a tendency to become complacent.  In training this can lead to a plateau in ability.  In life, this becomes a lack of growth.  Change is usually avoided because it is unknown.  Unknown in the process and unknown in the result.  But change can also bring new challenges and opportunities.  It is these challenges and opportunities that allow you to break through to new levels.

So here I am, at the beginning of a new season.  I am on a new team, getting used to new equipment, and meeting new teammates.  Most of all, I am looking forward to a new set of challenges and opportunities.

Cheers,
Jeromy

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Persistence

Bicycle racing tests our favored characteristics.  Mine happens to be persistence.  I’m not the most talented rider, but I work really hard at what I do.  For me, persistence has paid off.

Thirty-one years ago my wife and I were married and I moved to her hometown of Fremont, California.  This is not a story of my wife, although she has been a great supporter!  I was a runner in high school and college, moved to triathlons, and eventually found bicycle racing (via a triple trailer truck).  The best advice I ever received as a triathlete was “swim with swimmers, run with runner and race with cyclists”. 

I took out my USCF racing license in 1988 and my first race was the Early Bird Criterium in Fremont, California.  I was a nationally ranked triathlete, so sitting in a field of 50 of more riders scared the crap out of me.  I attacked.  A rider bridged across, I did the majority of the work for the remainder of the race and (yes, you guessed right) he won the sprint.  In my third bicycle race I was automatically upgraded to a category three for winning a race, yet I still had no pack skills!

Twenty six years later I find it apropos sharing this story and the plans that we have for tomorrow at the 2013 Early Bird Training Series.  For twenty years I have been involved and have helped to lead the Early Bird Training Series into a nationally recognized training ground for new racers.  What begat in 1993 as a way for me to coach along new racers, learn more about bicycle racing, and log some extra miles has turned into a very good thing.  Tomorrow we will have temps in the 60’s and new racer turnout is expected to be very high.  Last week we had 378 racers of which 300 were newly or recently licensed.  Together with four other “Early Bird Directors” we strive to create a great first racer experience.  It’s working!  That’s close to 2000 riders for the five-week training series.

Twenty years ago I got nervous when I instructed, and I got upset when new racers crashed.  But, bicycle racing is an extremely dangerous sport.  We all need to take the time to work on our skills.  At the Early Birds we teach new racers to be mindful of safe racing, concentrate on their performance during the mentoring session, and training race, and not to worry about their finish.  Finishing well in races will come in time.  If, they are persistent!

I feel that I am qualified to instruct 300+ new racers each week because I’ve taken the time to break down each and every skill required to sit in a field of racers going through a corner at 30 miles per hour, and have practiced it to the point where the skill is second nature to me.  Not every new racer is that patient with their skills.  They want the result immediately, yet bicycle racing is a sport that rewards persistence (and an attitude to learn new things).  Persistently practice your skills! 

 Finally, twenty years ago I would have laughed if I was told that I would be teaching a sprint clinic to new racers.  Logically, twenty years ago I was still new to racing and with the running and triathlon background I was strong, but not quick.  At 54 years old, I’m still not quick, but I’ve become a good sprinter (criterium nationals, track nationals, and world championship) mostly because I train my sprint pretty much every time I get on the bike.  Tomorrow, we’ll dive into the basics of sprint training, practice a good number of sprints and hopefully walk away from the finish with all of our skin!  This will happen only if new racers come to realize that they have the technique, have trained their sprint and are fast enough to win bicycle races.  The rest of the new racers will be wise to understand that they have some work to do and will avoid the temptation to sprint at the end of a training race!

There are two ways to win a bicycle race – solo or in a sprint.  Not long ago I could win a race solo.  Nowadays, I teach others how to win with their sprint.

I hope to see you tomorrow at the Early Birds!  Cheers, Larry Nolan, Team Specialized/ Early Bird Director

 
 

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Just a normal ride? Not quite.

Today, I rode, I rode a ride no different than I do any other day. I started out not looking forward to it, as I grew tired over the last four days of finals. However, as I started, I knew today's ride was not the normal ride. Today I reached a moment during my ride with no cars, no sound, only my music, the many stars and I existed on that road. I seemed to fall away from the world I live in, and fall into my own. I rode, gazing at the stars thankful for such a clear night. It made me realize how thankful I am for being in such a great sport. I had a moment today, a great one. It is an amazing feeling to be so passionate about something that you never grow tired of it. Today I did not want to stop riding, I wanted to ride forever. Finding these moments, are one of the reasons I ride for. Not because I have to, but because I love it. Rides like today reassure every reason why I ride and devote so much time to this sport. Pure Passion.


Jack Maddux

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Owen's update

My 2013 road journey put simply, started out with track. For the past five months I have been rigorously training for the Australian National Track titles in early February.  Now coming to the end of my training drive I can look back and see that what I have done so far is nothing to be ashamed of.

Let’s go back to where it all started, in late July of 2012 I really kicked off my season.  Not in a big way but by winning the local track omnium meets. It isn’t much but, I can tell you something every time you win it gives you that little bit more motivation to strive for that extra second quicker and train that much harder. Week after week I could feel myself getting fitter and stronger, then came the move.  On the 19th of November I moved from Brisbane to Adelaide (one state to another), yes moving is hard but the hardest thing was starting my training all over again with different coaches, a new venue  and  a new group of boys.  Within two days of the move I was racing in the state titles and to be honest it didn’t go to plan.  I couldn’t figure out how I had gone from being so strong, to being a non-contender and hanging on at the back.  Now that I think about it the major influencing  factor as to how I overcame this was purely and simply, FRIENDS.  I didn’t know the guys I was racing against or with.  Team work is the most important thing in cycling.  As I trained with the same people day after day we all started to get to know each other better and became friends. Both on the road and the track (but especially in a team pursuit) if you can’t count on your team mates 100% then you will fail, team work is what will win every time.  A group of people that are best of mates on and off the bike , is such a stronger group than ones that aren’t. 

Looking further into 2013 and having only met some of the boys I will be riding with at Team Specialized, yes it will be hard in the beginning, however If we want to be successful in 2013, we will overcome the friendship barrier, bond as a proper team should and have a strong year as Team Specialized.  Style, Class, Grace and Dignity.

Owen Gillott

Monday, January 14, 2013

Racing Hospitality

During my first cyclocross nationals, I experienced true racing hospitality from Team Specialized. Andy (my uncle), Larry and I arrived in Madison late the night before the event and already Norm, who had been in the hotel with Sean, gave me race ready cross tires and lubed my chain. The next morning, Larry, Norm, Andy and I set off early before the race for me to pre-ride the course. After a muddy, fun hour, they pressure washed my bike and raced back to the hotel, where Larry dried all my clothes for the race later in the day. Larry and I then talked tactics, and after he helped me warm-up with Sean in the specialized tent. I then had the funnest and grittiest race of my life, and went straight back to the specialized tent, where a heat lamp stood waiting for me. Thank you so much Larry, Norm and Andy for giving me a great first experience! I look forward to many more specialized years!

Jules Gilliam

Sunday, January 13, 2013

STOKED for First Race of the Season!

The day has finally come. The day of the first race of the year. The day of the infamous Ontario Grand Prix. The season is finally starting to roll around and I am just too excited that racing has finally begun here in So Cal. As I sit here writing, I wonder to myself what kind of race and day I am going to have on and off the bike. I will keep wondering this as I go for a easy 3 hour ride before my actual race. As it is still early in the season and after all it is the first race of the season, I will only be racing the pro 1/2/3 race for some race fitness, speed work, and get used to the old bumping and rubbing in the pack once again. For me, this race will be a test as to where my fitness level, how much endurance I have, and what I need to work going into this season and some important races I have for the early part of the season. As the season rolls around today, I can't wait for later today and the season ahead.
Excited as always,
Nick Castellano

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Lemons Into Lemonade

I’m not sure who first said it, at my age it especially haunts me as I recall it (I am the oldest racer on Team Specialized Racing), but youth is truly wasted on the young. I’ve realized it for several years now too that life catches up with you. For musicians it’s the drugs and alcohol and the hard living that goes along with it, just look at Keith Richards. For lifelong athletes it’s the inevitable injuries we all sustain along the way that catches up with us.

I hobbled around for the last year and a half as my hip degenerated into unbearable arthritis finally putting me on crutches to move around the house. More than a couple of hours on the mountain bike only once a week and my bone-on-bone shoulder joint makes me pay for the pleasure of riding single track for the next two days. And any more than two hours on the dirt leaves me at risk for being unable to brake as the pain from the nerve impingement in my elbow causes a seemingly unconscious decision to not squeeze the brake lever because of the knifing agony in my fingers and elbow. But like Keith Richards who is still ripping it up on stage, that’s never stopped me from doing that which gives me great pleasure, riding my bike. Never, that is, until last October when I could no longer put pressure on my pedals because of the pain in my hip. Thank goodness for medical technology.

On November 16th I had a new hip joint installed and today, seven weeks later, I feel like a kid again. I found a really good surgeon who literally did a perfect job. His name is Peter Callander for those out there who might be having the same problem that started a few years ago in my left hip. I am completely pain free and walking like I did when I was a teenager.

Before the surgery I thought there was a real possibility that I had raced my last race. Now I’ve booked flights to South Africa and Italy in August and September to once again race in both the mountain bike world championships and road and time trial world championships. Life is really, really good again. It will take a few more months to reach the fitness levels I need to be competitive but the suffering needed to get there is something I relish.

So fear not fellow masters racers, the risks we accept and all seem to realize as we pursue our passion on the bike is fixable. I was encouraged to take the chance with my hip surgery because of advice I received from other athletes that had their hips overhauled. Their advice and stories helped me overcome my trepidation. If you’re having problems with your hip on the bike and want to talk about it, let me know. It’s the least I can do to pay it forward.

Rob Anderson

Friday, January 4, 2013

It's Really Treated Me Well


This off-season has treated me very well. I took a break played some water polo and got right back into my rhythm of riding my way through the off-season. My off-season started slow with a knee injury that occurred from starting off to hard. I worked my way up to some good base mileage. I've done lots of fun riding with exploring, adventuring, and finding new places to ride in. I have also grown to start to like riding in the dirt. My dirt riding came from a buddy of mine in San Diego, Eric Oien. Ever since he told me about his adventures in the dirt, I tried it out and grew too really like it and have fun with it. These adventures and explorations helped me get the base miles I needed along with a couple of 20 hour weeks and helped me really love cycling even more. Along with these adventures, Strava has been a great tool for me in helping me get back into shape with the endurance my body requires to refuel for this coming racing season. The monthly Strava challenges have helped me to keep my endurance up along with lots of fun, long weeks. Although I did not complete the most recent Strava challenge by completing 500 km in a week due to a weekend stomach flu, those 333 km I did complete were worth the try and still kept my endurance up and where it needed to be.

I end my base work this week and finally move on to intensity and power training. As the season comes closer to our very eyes and with all the adventures, explorations, founded areas to ride in, and Strava, I can say that this off-season has treated me well and I look forward to finally racing again in what is expected to be a very competitive year of junior racing here in so cal and amongst all of the nation’s best juniors.

Take care,
Nick