Whoops.....its been a while

I didn't realize that is has been over a month since my last post. A lot has been going on. Been riding more and actually running...but more on that later.

Road riding is more common in the past couple of weeks, but Jeff and I did manage to ride Owasippe a few weeks ago. This trail is located on a Boy Scout camp and it closes for the Scout usage during the summer. Jeff and I rode it two days before it closed. This trail is very cool. The builders have done an excellent job utilizing the property. There are some monster climbs and lots of flowing downhills. Click here for a highlight video.

My weight has been dropping a bit in the past few weeks too...so that is good. I started running because Chelle and I have a 5k in July. I was planning on running it, but I tweaked my calf two days ago and I am not sure if I will be able to now. It is rather funny running a mile without stopping. Then the next week running 1.8 miles without stopping. Pushing to 2 miles was the breaking point....I made it....but at a price. All I can do now is rest my calf and ice it. As I type this I have an ice pack under my leg. Bright side? I can still pedal with no pain....which seems strange, but I guess I don't use my lower legs enough. hmmmm.

I have noticed a different mentality recently about weight loss. Perhaps it was the talk I had with my doctor about my weight, or more specifically my BMI. He told me my blood pressure and pulse were fine but that he would like to see me down around 200 pounds. My thoughts were "yeah, me too!!" ha. When he told me that I needed to lose the weight I almost felt relieved. My last doctor told me I was fine....even at 70 pounds overweight. This time my new doctor was honest and carefully told me that I need to lose the weight. I have a new determination about my weight this time. I am cutting back on my food and exercising more.

That is what I have been up to......in a nutshell. Hopefully it won't be this long before my next post! Thanks if you are reading!

Understand this...its easy....

I know it has been a while since my last post...and honestly....it doesn't really matter. Where have I been? On the couch? On the beach? On the trainer? In witness relocation? Well...that answer is simple...busy.  The typical grind for us in the spring with dance, dance, soccer, and everything else left me with very little time to ride. Well....let me be honest.....I had time...but I didn't take it. I got caught on the downward spiral and rode it to a place I have not been in a while.....deep in a hole.

I can make excuses...but they are all paper thin. I can rifle off all these reasons that don't hold any weight. So I will just cover my absence with these simple words "it is just easier to be lazy". It is...honestly. It is easier to have the kids grab me another piece of pizza. It is easy to tell the kids yes to ice cream and candy bars and cake because they are delicious. It is just easier to come home from work and do nothing. Lazy. Period.

I took a mental hit after Barry Roubaix because I allowed myself to. So instead of getting back on the bike and riding away the anger I harbored it behind pizza and sugar filled foods. Honestly, I always eat food that is bad for me...but if I can limit my intake I drop weight. So, I have been hiding. I raced Custer...but didn't have the gas for a second lap. That's ok....because I at least tried...knowing it was going to be a rough go.

One pedal stroke at a time. That is how I am approaching things now. The funny thing is....cutting back and eating healthier is actually easier than I make it....just have to make the choice. I gave up pop on January 1st...been almost 5 months....just have to make the same commitment to my health. My family will appreciate it.

Know when to fold em'

It was very early in downtown Hastings

The first race of the year can be seen in many different ways. First off, it is an opportunity to see who has done the work over the winter to test your early season fitness. Second, it is a way to get together with say 3000 riding buddies and hit the road for a group ride. Barry Roubaix was the perfect way to do this. Downtown Hastings was overrun with cyclists from all over Michigan and probably the United States before it was all said and done. The pic above was taken about 7am. Notice the frost? It was still chilly with temps in the 20's so we were all hoping the ground would stay frozen to avoid a mud fest.

Photo courtesy of Rick Plite

Then it was time to get started. We lined up in an array of colors and started the race. Pros (and super crazy people) went first for the 62 miler....but I opted for the 36 mile race. I was happy that the course had changed this year to avoid some super sandy 2-tracks but it just meant a little more pavement. GO. The start was fast. I knew it would be so I just settled into my pace and found a smaller group to draft off for a bit. Didn't last long because the pace was really fast on the pavement. First hill...which was small...I got dumped and only a few riders were still behind me from my wave. That was ok....because every 3 minutes after that I was being passed by the front of the following waves. Good news...I never really rode alone. There was always someone around. Someone in sight to help me keep my sanity. The three sisters were after the first right onto the dirt. First one...not bad. Second one....here comes Jay. I was hoping to make it over them all before he caught me but he is really fast so I wasn't shocked. He disappeared over the third and I just kept chugging along.

Photo courtesy of Jay B.

About 10 miles in is where the story changes. I had a weird pain in my hip that hurt with every pedal stroke. I rode for about 5 more miles before I stopped and stretched to no avail. I climbed back on and slowly watched as my average speed dropped with every pedal stroke. Everyone I knew was saying "just keep going" and "do you need anything" but my mind was already working against me. At mile 27 I saw an aid station and threw in the towel. Thankfully it wasn't long before a SAG vehicle was there and I lowered my head and took the ride back...bailing out to save myself to ride another day. I was done. Mentally and physically. 

My team did very well averaging about 2:18 overall. It was awesome seeing all the people in that little town. It was fun for a bit...but my mind won the battle and I am glad I stopped. I knew there were 2 more nasty long climbs and I would have probably ended up with an injury. Just a bad day on the bike, but some had worse days. One guy was air lifted out due to a heart attack. He was lucky enough to have some immediate help from a doctor and paramedics that were riding right behind him.

Next up is Yankee.....just gonna do what I can. 11 miles should be way easier than the 27 I managed at Barry. It should be warmer too! COME ON SPRING!

Weekend update...time is flying

Time flies in a general statement. It seems like this year is already going by at a record setting pace. I realize it isn't but we are already into March. The pic below is a picture of the Barry Roubaix course from a few weeks ago. Icy. This forced me to skip rides out there and find alternate routes.

Courtesy of Laura Piippo 

This past weekend I headed down to Augusta to meet Dan S. for a ride around Gull Lake. I took the Defy with CX tires on it so I could get a feel for how it responded on pavement. The temps were much more bearable at around 35 but the wind was cutting when were stopped. Once we got moving I warmed right up. Good news...no cold toes! We rode with Mike N. for a bit but as Dan said "he brought a spoon to a gun fight". I was on my Defy, Dan was on his TCX with road tires...Mike was on his MTB with 2.35 and 2.5 tires on it. First acceleration and we gapped him. He decided to turn off and we continued on our ride. We got about 28 miles in and my legs were feeling somewhat better. The hills are still hard....and with a race in less than two weeks that has a lot of climbing it should be interesting!

Courtesy of Laura Piippo

The pic above was taken on Sunday. We opted to not ride because of the rain and it was a good thing. Early in the day the course was solid, but by mid afternoon it looked like this. This is a public gravel road that is used by the locals. Pretty amazing to see a road in that bad of shape. Hope the weather cooperates and it dries out some....or a tough decision may have to be made.

Overall a good weekend. I did a little Tae-bo with one of my daughters yesterday and I can tell just how out of shape I am. I am going to start mixing in tae-bo and running so I can get this weight off. I won't be able to compete until I do.

Hope everyone is enjoying spring! 12 days to Barry Roubaix.

Good weekend

I know I know.....I could pour out a hundred different excuses as to why my weight hasn't dropped and why my riding has been sporadic at best...but I am not going to waste time. Just know....mentally I am doing good and I know this is a marathon....not a sprint.

This past weekend was pretty good. We planned on doing the Barry Roubaix course for training on Saturday but Dan S. did a little recon and the roads were sheets of ice. We opted to ride around Gun Lake instead and keep on the paved roads. Temperature was under 20 degrees when we started. My legs were not liking me very much. We were on flat roads and I was getting dumped out the back. One of the guys leaving me is a smoker...and hasn't ridden in over 6 months. That was a boost to my confidence. Oh well, he is a 22 year old kid...with a never quit attitude...so I wasn't surprised. I take a while to warm up. I have noticed that if I warm up good I am golden. If I don't, then it might be the second lap of a ride before I feel like I should. This day didn't allow me to warm up at all. We hit a longer climb and my legs just would not go. I never stopped, but slow was an understatement. I just did what I could and figured a slow as hell ride was 150% better than sitting on the trainer for an hour. Over the top of the hill Jeff's chain broke (from sitting for so long) and we stopped to fix it. I was standing on the side of the road in the snow. When we got started the bottoms of my feet felt frozen. Not good, but thankfully we were heading back towards the car. We opted to try one of the gravel roads just to see...and it was super slick. Didn't hit the deck this time, but Jeff did....and he the ultimate slide forever down a hill. I knew he was okay when he gave the thumbs up. All in all, a chilly 15 miles with one major climb.

Sunday the team opted out of BR and decided to ride around Gull Lake. The kids guilted me into staying home so I went out and rode in the afternoon. Legs still felt heavy, but it was cold again. Temps were in the mid 20's but there was a pretty stout wind. I could actually feel the cold on my legs which rarely happens. Guess I am getting old or something. I managed 18 miles by myself. Still better than 90 minutes on the trainer.

Barry Roubaix is in a few weeks and I am really wanting to ride the FULL course. Hopefully the temps this week will do some melting on the roads....then we will have to ride somewhere else because of MUD. Nice. Gotta love Michigan!

First test of 2013

Because of my geographical location it is common for me to train indoors for most of the winter. Say what you want, but I will spin for 90 minutes inside because of weather and darkness. Add those two things together and the glitch with "this is my road" car drivers in my area and there is no way I will be outside in my town. Thankfully, I have been able to sneak out a few times and get some mileage in to test out the legs.

The family and a few friends

A few weeks ago I took the family over to Fort Custer for a day in the snow. We did some sledding and had a fun cookout with a bunch of friends.

Dan brought his Moonlander and we made a few tirps down and then back up the sledding hill. It was a solid climb and I am happy with my 3 trips. So that brings up the next topic of a fat bike......yeah.....what kind of fun could I have with one of those!!! But, a new MTB is first on the schedule so nevermind. ha.

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FAT BIKE? Just borrowed it for a few trips up the hill.

The real test came this past weekend. Barry Roubaix training rides with my team are starting up. Dan T., Jay and I met in Hastings to try the new course roll out. We met at 9am and off we went with temps in the teens. A few miles in we knew it was going to be a long ride because the roads were pretty icy. Jay took a spill at the top of the third sister and I dumped myself about 20 yards later. I slipped again a few miles later but no injuries....so on we went. It was so quiet out there. No cars. Just a few people out on bikes. With the ice it was difficult to climb. I am a power guy and I had to finesse the hills so I didn't spin and fall again.

The good news.....I felt pretty good. I was climbing fairly well and was happy with what training I have accomplished. The first race is coming quick and I am heading in the right direction to be as ready as I can be.

Another reason to put the bike inside the car.

On Sunday we were planning another  BR lap but it was ZERO degrees when I got up. I settled for a lap at Fort Custer following Dan S. He was on his moonlander and I was on my Epic....which was fine...but it was a rough 8 miles for sure. I felt worse after that ride than I did from the 25 miles the day before. Overall, a fun weekend of riding and I am feeling pretty good.

Get out and ride. Or stay indoors and ride. Just ride.

Keep going

What a strange and unusual week. It started with my oldest daughter getting sick. My poor wife started with a sinus infection. I came home early Thursday because I couldn't hold it in anymore, and I feel really bad for the dude in the bathroom. I was down all day Friday, so I missed a day on the trainer. No biggie, I lost 5 pounds overnight. Blech. I know I know, water weight. I ended the week down 3.75 so I really cannot complain. I will take the help. My two little girls both got sick too. Chelle is getting back to normal from her sinus issues, and I hope that the crud has finally left.

I have been doing longer rides on the trainer. 2 90 minute rides started off the week. Then I got sick and mustered an hour on Saturday followed by 1:45 on Sunday. I am feeling 100% and actually sticking to a schedule. Sure, I missed a day but I cannot look back I must keep moving forward.

Hard Rock Hotel, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, 2012

The pic above shows how I have been feeling on the bike. Strong. That will be tested this evening as I have power intervals on the schedule. I realize that the trainer is not real life. I cannot simulate hills, wind, road conditions  or any other science related factors sitting in one place. My legs, though, are still doing the work. Base miles are exactly what they are. Base. Foundation. Start. Beginning. I am building the foundation one day at a time and I know where I want to be. So, I keep going.

Barry Roubaix will be my first test. Training rides will start soon enough if it ever STOPS FREAKING SNOWING in my area. I will ride outside on that course when I can, just not sure when exactly that will be. Going into this race I know I won't win, but I am challenging myself. My season truly starts a few weeks later at the Yankee Springs TT. The first official MTB race of the season. I have a stout goal of sub 1 hour. My fastest time ever is 1:12. Yes, my goal is to shave a full 12 minutes off of my fastest ever time. How? By building the foundation now and continuing to lose weight. My weight goal is 229 or less by this race on April  21st. I still have over 25 pounds to go and about 11 weeks. Safely losing the weight (2lbs a week) is my plan. A flash in the pan diet is not going to work. I like to eat, so good (healthy) food is important. My plan is working so far in 2013. My attitude is way different this year than it has been in the past 2 years. Sure, my January wasn't as strong as I wanted, but the flip switched and I have the goals in range. Lets go.

Yankee TT, 2012 (photo by my lovely wife)