FLASH-POINT: LATEST BLOG ENTRIES

Every now and then I think it’s OK to pat yourself on the back...

We have a small group that meets Tuesdays at 6:30 for a morning ride. By design, this is an advanced workout. It’s led by “Jon”, a two-time Ironman finisher who has recently given up multi-sport to focus on his real passion, cycling. These rides are basically his personal workouts which he’s invited people to join in. Sometimes it’s hills, sometimes it’s intervals, but it’s always a hard (but good) ride. I’m a strong believer in training with people more advanced than you are when possible, so the Tuesday morning rides have been very helpful to me.

This week we did intervals. First a hill warm-up, then ten minutes of hard riding, followed by 5 minutes of easy pedaling along a several-mile bike path. Three sets. The first interval was pretty typical for me; after 10 minutes, Jon was maybe a couple hundred yards ahead. I continued to pedal a little bit faster during the rest to catch up with him, then we hit the end of the path and turned around to do the next set. Interval number two, same thing.

But something happened during the third interval which surprised Jon in two ways. First, he pretty much reached the end of the bike path during the 10-minute speed segment. That was a new speed record for him along that path. What surprised him even more however was that I finished right behind him. I’m not sure how that happened. I was feeling pretty strong that morning and I guess my training is paying off. Certainly, in an all-out race Jon would still leave me in the dust. But I admit it felt pretty good to be able to go wheel-to-wheel with him during training for once.

Next week I’ll find out if my high-speed skills were just a fluke. Or maybe, just maybe, I’m becoming a little bit hardcore.

I assume everyone saw the June 2008 issue of Bicycling magazine. In their Gear section, they list "The 5 Things To Make You Go Faster." First on the list was Deep-Section Wheels, specifically the Flash-Point FP60 wheelset. They add that even though the Flash-Points are a little heavier than an all-out climbing wheel, the aerodynamics and the smoothness of the ride makes up for it.

I don't have the wind-tunnel data, but anybody who has followed me up a hill with my Flash-Points knows they're good for climbing. It's just nice to see it confirmed in print.

The other items listed to improve your speed:

2. Food. Obviously nutrition is key. They suggest Hammer Nutrition which I don't care for simply because it doesn't mix well with Gatorade in my stomach. Personally I'm a big fan of Shot Bloks with caffeine, especially the new Cola flavor.

3. Aero Clothing. My biggest mistake this winter was that I didn't invest in a warm bike jacket. I just put on layer upon layer of running shirts and at times I was essentially riding with a parachute on my back. I guess the extra resistance was good for my legs.

4. Bike Computer. I would love to train with a bike computer. I would love to have $500 to afford it.

5. Ceramic Bearings. I have a pretty heavy bike so I think I'd invest in a new frame before swapping out the bearings, but someday I may make the switch.

My Ironman is in 9 weeks, and the training rides have been getting longer. This weekend we did 90 miles. We started at Zuma Beach in Malibu and rode up the coast to Ventura. It was chilly when we started, in the low 50s, but I lived in L.A. long enough to know how the ocean works: it's cold in the morning, then the cloud layer burns off and it warms up very quickly. So I dressed for the warm late-morning weather. Only the cloud layer never burned off and the warm weather never came. It was a cold ride.

I did a pretty good job keeping up with the lead group for the 45-mile outbound trip, but I admit they smoked me on the way back. In my defense, the three of them are doing an Ironman one month before I am, so they are coming up on the peak of their training while I'm a few weeks behind. (It's a lame excuse, but I'll use it anyway.)

We had some difficult and odd sections along the ride. We rode through - of all things - celery fields. There are two problems with this; first, having a large open space close to the beach means the ocean "breezes" turned into hurricane winds. It made for some very difficult riding. The second problem, frankly, is that it stunk. Celery might smell nice when it's one or two stalks in a stew, but when you have to ride through a couple hundred acres of the stuff it becomes overwhelming.

As with many rides, the last few miles were the most difficult. To understand why, I need to explain the layout of Zuma Beach: The parking lot is about 1.5 miles long, running right along the Pacific Coast Highway, with the only entrance on the south end. We meet at the far north end of the parking lot. So our rides begin be heading 1.5 miles south through the parking lot, then turning around and heading north up PCH. And of course, we do the reverse on the way home. After 87 miles, it is frustrating riding within 100 feet of your car and knowing you still have a couple miles to go, but that's just the way of it.

I was riding pretty fast down PCH and mistakenly thought I was getting my second wind. But no, I soon discovered I was being whisked along by a strong tailwind. Which immediately became an insurmountable headwind when I made the 180 degree turn into the parking lot. These were the strongest winds I've ever ridden in, and they were even blasting sand into my face and legs. I'm sure I looked ridiculous tucked into my high-speed aero position while struggling to hit 10mph.

There's a certain sense of accomplishment when you reach the top of a steep hill that you just don't get fighting the wind. I'll take hill-climbing over winds any day. My Ironman race is in Idaho which has some rolling hills and I THINK has a reputation for being mostly wind-free. As long as there isn't any celery I should be OK.

I had a blast last weekend. I didn't take any pictures because the first day I forgot my camera and the second day I just wasn't in the habit of using the damn thing.

But, you can check out Greyhound's blog for some nice pictures of the scenery and me with the Greyhound crew. He's talented with his little camera; they turned out really well.

I need a new traveling camera - any suggestions? I HATE the delay most small digital cameras have, so I want one like my digital SLR, but tiny so that I can bike with it this summer...is that possible?)

The ride was pretty and very well organized, but really freaking hilly. I swear the entire ride from Houston to Austin is uphill. Really.

And the wind? Yeah, it doesn't even require any description or curse words because I used so many of them this weekend. 30mph winds IN YOUR FACE for 160 miles...and if they weren't in your face for like half a second? They were crosswinds and you had to hold onto the bike for dear life so that you didn't get swept into the 20,000 other riders around you. We rode 114 miles in this self-inflicted hell, which was my longest ride ever by a whole 2 miles. By the time we got off the bikes, the wind had worn me down to the point of deliriousness - but somehow, it was still fun. I ate a lot (see Greyhound's pics for proof) and then fell asleep in like .3 seconds on Saturday night (in the nicest hotel I've ever been in, by the way).

Sunday we rode the last 50 or so miles (and the winds were a little better, but still not calm, by any means) - it was the first time I've ever crossed a finish line on a bike; I kind of liked it. And after we finished, we ate and drank even more with Little Miss Runner Pants, Miss Greyhound and SuperPounce, and my Lafayette friends who now live in Austin were nice enough to stop by. (Note to the wise: you get drunk very quickly after riding 160 miles over 2 days; 2 beers was more than enough to make me stumble.) Then, we headed back to Houston so I could catch my plane...

And now I'm back in NJ, sunburned lips and tanlines intact. I'm going to have to figure out a new dress for my recital because the farmer's tan on my arms just isn't going to cut it with the previously planned sleeveless variety.

The only unfortunate results of the MS150.