SKULL VALLEY LOOP CHALLENGE 2014: Results and Analysis

The three (3) mile `parade escort' by city motorcycles probably took about 3 minutes off everybody's time so comparison of this year's results to previous year's results is probably `off' by that much.

• Though I stashed two bottles of water and electrolyte fluid along the way last night I didn't stop for them.  I don't think that impacted my performance but at the very end I did begin to feel my `dehydration' muscle begin to cramp up;
• I also forgot to eat a solid breakfast which certainly had a consequence.  That was just stupid forgetfulness.
• On the way down from the last big hill, with two miles to go to the finish, I got stuck behind three cars doing the speed limit (25).  I think I gave up a minute or two there, as well. 
• I started my Garmin a minute early so I didn't have to diddle with that at the same time I was clipping in and trying to stay in the lead pack.

All things being equal, I probably did between 2:57:00 to 2:59:00.  About 9 minutes short of my best time (PB).

Looking at the stats comparing this year and my PB year ('12):

• my HR averaged higher: 146 bpm v 140.3 bpm; 
• I spent more time in the HR Zone 4 (150 - 159 bpm): 55 min v. 22 min;
• I climbed a 9.6 mile section of road about 6 minutes slower: 52:59 v 47:11; 
• my average speed was slower: 17.5 mph v. 18.6 mph.  

A number of veteran racers/riders reported that they were slower this year v. previous years, and that they were surprised and bummed. 

I have a few hypotheses:

• the parade escort took about 3 minutes off our time;
• descending Iron Springs (12.2 miles) there was a variable (SW / SE) head and crosswind of probably 10 - 12 mph;
• heading east from Kirkland to KJ (4 miles) there was a steady East headwind in the 10+ range;
• climbing the 9.6 mile section from KJ to MP 298 a gusty East wind slowed us down.

I think that the only way for me to emphatically (despite the weather conditions of the day) beat my '12 results will be to drop more weight (from 175 to 160 lbs) and train harder. (Duhhh!).

2012

2014

An Odd But Familiar Source of `Release'

A friend described an upcoming cycling event as an `A' event.  It had been a while since I had ranked cycling activities in terms of priority and relative importance but his description seemed to fit.  At least, and especially, given the emotional energy I had been experiencing as the event date had approached. 

An `A' event is one where you focus your time, energy and other resources.  And expectations.  Doing well fades into the distance as your determination to demand all-out performance results sucks all the air out of the rest of your life.  And that is where I am at the present.  A sort of narrow minded focus. 

I'm not good company.  Haven't been for several days.  Perhaps weeks.  Edgy.  A coiled intensity that makes me feel selfish.  If not actually a little crazy. 

I'm suspicious and critical of such an intensity over a `sport.'  From serious to `grave.'  The kind of trap I've seen many people fall into that has only a small relevance to reality.  And it is a very dangerous thing.  It leads us to behave, relate and take risks that are out of proportion to any benefit to be gained. 

`The definition of a fanatic is that of a person who redoubles their effort after they lose all sight of the objective.' 

So, in less than two hours I'll be sitting on a bicycle with the conscious intent of going batshit crazy for a few hours. 

Why? 

It strikes me as not much different from the mania and desperation you see in religious/political/military/sports people.  All the normal, round and textured edges in a complex and nuanced life are hacked off leaving the semblance of a bloody stump.  And that bloody stump is propelled forward knowing that it is damaged and has the likelihood of doing actual damage. 

Well.  I had better suit up and get ready for this well considered, deliberate destruction.  I don't understand it.  I disapprove of it.  I'm blind to reservations about it.  And I intend to exercise conscious violence to rationality for the next several hours.

Weight: Training With It and Competing Without It

All things being equal, I train with four and a half pounds of fluid, six pounds of tools, tubes, etc, and about three to four pounds of body weight I won't have when I compete. 

My best time up a 9.6 mile section of hill climb is 47:12.  That was done two years ago without weight.  (But I think I weighed about 5 lbs more then than I do now). 

Today I did that same 9.6 mile segment at 53:52.   I did it with weight and without any competitors. 

Next Sunday I'll compete again.  My descending times are better than two years ago. 

Cycling is one of the most understandable complex things I've ever done.

So ... Another Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood

Not the kind of training ride I'd recommend.  But ... y'gotta look at the bright side.

 

Got a 2 hour late start at 9:30AM due to world responsibilities.  

 

Training `with weight.'  Three bottles and a pack full of worse case gear.

 

Then stopped off at the chicken coop to let the girls out.

 

Rode the back way, down Montezuma and on to Iron Springs.  Had an `errand' at a place I had to run.  They didn't mind the bike, cath, da-glo bike wear.

 

Sep 11 Skull Valley Loop

 

Took off up Iron Springs and kept it at a challenging pace.  Sliding down to Skull Valley into a whippy headwind.  Kept the speed down.

 

A `no stop' training ride.  Except for the elephant near Kirkland.

 

I'm halfway up to Wilhoit and I needed to redo the sunblock.  Starting back up I tried and tried and tried to clip into the Speedplays. Only to discover that the left pedal ... wasn't there.  The `round' section of the pedal was completely absent, leaving only the 1.5 inch metal post that screws into the crank.  Can't clip in if there is nothing there! 

 

Seems that when you adjust the pedal it compromises it's ability to handle the `pull' part of the push pull complete circle pedaling process.

 

Resolved to carry on to the end of the route anyway.  Got to MP 298 and felt the rear wheel `spongy.' A flat tire.  As I'm slowly descending the hill, assessing the spongy tire, a `desperado-bandit-outlaw-renegade' hygiene-challenged motorcycle `2-by' (his fat ass rolling over both sides of the saddle) screams by, purposely hitting the noise in annoyance of me. 

 

I flip him the bird knowing this is sort'a like a death wish.  For one of us.  Never know when linoleum needs cuttin'.

 

Rolling down the hill I reached for the Hammer Gel squeeze bottle to get some necessary nutrient only to discover that ... it had somehow slipped out of my jersey some place `back there.'

 

I shortly found a shady place to switch to a new tube.  Tire fixed I'm back on the bike, climbing uphill. 

 

It was getting mighty warm and I was feeling the fact that the additional time on the bike made me short of fluids.  I knew I had `stashed' two bottles of water up about a mile ahead.

 

Got to the water stash ... not there.  Somebody somehow located the bottles and they were gone. 

 

Pushing on a thin rod for a pedal makes the foot scream with pain.

 

At least four vehicles went by with the driver waving `Hi Dan.'  Too fast for me to identify.  But there is some notoriety in being the only recumbent guy.

 

Finally got home.  A 5+ hours training ride with 60 miles and close to 5,000 feet of climbing.

 

The bright side?  I kept calm and considered it just another wonderful day in the neighborhood.  It could have been worse.  The pedal could have disassembled as I was descending Iron Springs at 50 mph, crankin' it. 

 

 

 

Doing Garbage Duty on A Section of Training Road

I did `garbage duty’ on the Spars (MP 299 to MP 300) today.  The last time I did that section was about 6 weeks ago.

Two full Hefty bags of beer cans and bottles, wine/whiskey/vodka bottles, big gulp cups and lids, candy wrappers, dental floss items (?), 5 Hour Energy containers, Rx med bottles, wheel hubcaps. 

• To the guy who drinks dozens of cans of Keystone Light beer: THAT is a sissy beer.
• To the folks who slosh down dozens of `Big Gulp’ drinks: THIS is for you.
• To the guy who drinks Popov Blended Vodka: Careful with that stuff.  If you lose that last I.Q. digit you’ll have nothing left.  Which, in your case, may not be a fate worse than death.
• To the folks drinking whiskey and wine: my only solace is that you won’t be around to collect your Darwin award. 
• To the pyromaniac who left a 32 oz plastic bottle of Kingsford Charcoal Lighter Fluid on a guardrail post: WTF?!!
• To the person who stashed an empty prescription drug bottle for Oxycodone in the sleeve of a guardrail near a steep cliff drop-off: nobody will think to look for your there. 
• To the guy in the sports car who took one of the switchbacks too fast and lost his hubcap: I have it and I’ll make you a good deal to get it back.
• Dental floss?

Help. Precisely what muscles (leg, back, etc) are engaged on a recumbent?

I'm almost always distracted when on a longish ride, training or otherwise, by this question.

The three primary pedaling actions seem to include:

1. pushing
2. pulling
3. ankle pedaling

And then there is `bridging.'

My specific question applies to a high racer, front wheel drive recumbent.  For example the Bacchetta CA2 and Ti Aero. 

I would really appreciate a reference and/or explanation.

Training As the `End' Itself.

This blog has been up and running since 2009.  By and large it has remained true to the experience of `training' on the bike.  As my cycling evolves so does the `notion' and process of training. 

The biggest change in my cycling over these past five years has been the switch from `ultra' and long distance work to shorter and faster work.  I made that change this year.  After I completed the Joshua Tree Double Century last March the `point' of long distance cycling evaporated.  I was bored and I spent too much time alone training and doing long distance events. 

I want more `results' from my cycling and I want more time to do other `work' in my life.  I've referred in earlier blog entries to the actual ways in which my training for shorter and faster cycling has changed so I won't go into it here. 

So how is it going now that I have more time?  Frustrating.  Somewhat anxiety producing.  And I think that THAT is the way it is supposed to happen. 

`Work' and `job' are not the same thing.  Work is inherently meaningful and worthy.  A job is something that generates money to pay for stuff.  Sometimes we have both in the same thing at the same time.  And when that happens we're fortunate and we feel productively and creatively engaged. 

Cycling has become more of a `work' thing over the past few years.  It has been invigorating.  I've learned and am learning many things along many dimensions.  But it isn't enough.

I now have more time.  And it would be easy to just spend my time doing what happens to appear in front of me.  Actually, no it wouldn't.  I've never been that way.  I've thrashed around ... and thrashed and thrashed some more ... testing things out to see if they engage me in a meaningful way. 

So what I'm doing now is necessary `thrashing.'  As I said earlier, it is frustrating and anxiety producing.  But when I look at this experience from the perspective of a psychologist (me), with some objectivity and remove, it is a good process. 

Training teaches me stuff.  Without it I wouldn't really know `meaningful' if it came up and bit me in the hind end.