It seemed like the "Create Your Own Comeback" forum was the best place for this, as Project Athena's goal is basically t
Taken a flyer off the front
Ok so we have done it again!! Entered the Magical Untamed ABSA Cape Epic for 2010 in South AFrica. Team Susan Deacon Properties have made our entry today and now looking forward to 2010. Some training and racing to get us in top shape and form for next year's race. My Team mate (Jason Eldridge) also now an Amabubezi member after finishing his 3rd one and I going for my 6th one next year will keep you posted on our preperation and training for next year. We really start more focussed training December, but going to do plenty of racing towards the end of the year. That is how my team mate likes it. Racing and going hard.
Our first race together as team after the 2009 Cape Epic will be the Transbaviaans 24 hour race from Willowmore to Jeffreys Bay in the Eatern Cape, South Africa. 230km in one day. The worlds longest 1 day mountain bike race.
http://www.ecobound.co.za/The%20Trans%20Baviaans%2024%20hour%20Mountain%20Bike%20Marathon.htm
I will do an update towards the Transbaviaans race in 2 weeks time again.
So you want to be a competitive cyclist eh? OK well there are a few things you will need to ask yourself like I did before embarking on this challenge. What are you prepared to do to get there? What are you willing to sacrifice in order to compete at that level? Do you want to win or just finish in the pack? The training that goes into accomplishing either one of these goals are like night and day. I had to ask myself some serious questions before I even took that first ride. 19 years ago I hadn't a care in the world. I was living at home, rent free. I didn't have a car payment because I rode my bike everywhere and I had all the time in the world to refine my cycling skills. Fast forward 19 years, present day, the passion for the sport is still strong in me however now there is a responsibility to family that runs deeper and claims the #1 spot in my life. You must take a step back and look at your personal situation, your position in life. You must fully understand the personal and financial toll this sport could possible take on you. My wife and I discussed at length the commitment and support needed if this comeback was going to be a success. This conversation took place well before I even thought about shopping for the right bike. Now I am not trying to talk you out of your own comeback I am merely asking that you take a long hard look at what you want to accomplish and understand the inherent strain on your personal life that training can bring. Here are a few things to consider or ask yourself:
What are your short term goals?
Don't think abut the 2010 Masters championships until you see how well you do in local races in 2009
I hope you know this sport ain't cheap!
Are you a trust fund baby? Good for you! Most of us are not. Do your research and expect to pay a price for a higher level of performance.
Do you have a job?
In these trying times you are one of the lucky ones. Just know that a full time job will change your training regiment drastically. Riding early morning or late evenings will be necessary to keep on track. Indoor trainer is a must.
Have a family?
I do and it is difficult to juggle home and bike. Sometimes I ride 2-3 hours before my family is even awake. I have to plan rides between SAT classes and school plays. On rest days we try to ride as a family with nice easy spins together down the bike path.
Go, even if you don't want to.
You will make excuses not to ride or maybe cut a ride short. Its what we do and we need to ignore it. Its easy to quit, its easy to come up with reasons why you couldn't finish. Have those reasons ready when you quit on your team during a race, with your family watching. I am sure they will love to hear it.
Learn basic bike repair.
Do not be with the mind set of "Hey, if it breaks I will pay a bike shop to fix it". Don't take that chance. I doubt your favorite bike shop has 24 hour roadside service.
Afraid of getting hurt?
If the mere thought of your body sliding across the asphalt at 30 MPH cause you to black out then this is not the sport for you. Crashing is inevitable. I don't know of any competitive cyclist that has not been involved in a pile up at one time or another. I have been down half a dozen times in my lifetime. Be alert, be aware. And unless you are Superman and have the ability to ride 10 yards off the front of the pack the entire race be ready to react.
Look there are a thousand little things that will come into play the deeper into the training you get. I learn something new about this sport, my body, my bike and my limitations everyday. Please know yours as much as possible before you take on this endeavor. The more prepared you and your family are the better prepared you are for obstacles along the way. As I always say, hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Ride strong
~ Brian
I remember in detail when I first knew that I wanted to race bicycles. I was watching the one day Paris to Roubaix race A.K.A. "The hell of the north". It still stands today as probably the single most grueling and dangerous one day races of the year. There is rain, mud, cobblestone streets and crashes and as crazy as it sounds I was hooked. That same year I was introduced to the Tour De France and American rider, Greg LeMond. I watched in amazement as Greg battled the likes of Benard Hinault and Laurent Fignon and when he finally won in 1986 he was the first American to do so and I was so proud. I rode that day, rode hard and long with dreams of being in that position one day.
I never reached the pinnacle of the sport but I did have some success here in southern California as a Junior rider. Criteriums and road races filled my summer weekends. In the winter it was mountain biking so that I could maintain base fitness levels. My father, god rest his soul, loved when I had a race. He would look at the race calendar and find races that were 2 even 3 day stage races just so we could embark on road trips and stay in hotels. He was my one man support vehicle. I know if Dad were here today he would be right behind me in the car yelling words of support out the window as I strain to climb a hill or push myself to the limit on a straight away. Sadly he is not here and sadly my time in the saddle was cut short in 1990 when I was involved in a serious crash. During one of my favorite races at a criterium course called "the Ziggurat" some unattached barney crossed my front wheel and down I went at 35 MPH and away he went without ever realizing he had just ended my cycling career. Or so I thought.
If you read my profile it states "I am 38 years old and recently re-entered the world of competitive cycling. It is a sport that I had some success in as a young man however after a serious crash in 1990 I hung up the bike even though the passion for the sport was still there.
In the last couple of years that love was too strong to ignore and I decided that I was mentally prepared to start training again. My loving wife, 2 daughters, 16 and 5 support my decision and understand both the training involved and inherent dangers of the sport. I love and adore them.
The passion or dare I say addiction for racing is back and I am loving it. This is gonna be a fun ride".
So I hope you enjoy this blog, as I attempt to reclaim the form I once had and the position I once fought for, top of the podium. Its gonna be a fun ride.
- Brian
The Solvang time trial stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California ran right by the location of the CTS Buellton Cycling Camp, so I took the opportunity to visit Lance and the rest of the Astana team as they prepared for the race. Since I couldn't follow the entire Tour of California, I sent CTS Premier Coach and sports scientist Dean Golich to travel with the team and gather Lance's data. It was good to catch up with Dean while Lance warmed up for his time trial, and the power files from the Tour of California - including the time trial - indicate Lance is right where he needs to be at this point in the season.
CTS Premier Coach and sports scientist Dean Golich is going to be doing a lot of traveling with Lance Armstrong and the Astana Pro Cycling Team this year, and in February he was in the team car during the Amgen Tour of California. If you're looking for a different view of a bike race, you ought to see it from the inside of team cars.
The one thing I enjoy about living in the south, is the winters are not as severe as the New York winters. For the first time in a long long time, if ever, I will complete my base miles in the first quarter of the year. My riding buddies think I am crazy for going out in thirty five degree weather, but it doesn't stay that way for long. By midday the temps increase ten to fifteen degrees. Dress in layers and keep moving. Remember, winter riding produces summer results.
Along with the road work, using the CTS DVDs with Computrainer gives a real intense workout for an hour. Today I used the Criterium DVD. The DVDs provides better understanding of interval training, something I didn't utilize in my previous racing years. This year seem to be shaping up pretty good.
RIDE WITH WISDOM
